CHAPTER 33
First Dance and Secrets (1)
‘I really hate birthdays now.’
No—more accurately, I hate festivals.
I hate how I have to tiptoe around because of the Holy Nation.
I’m terrified of Lette, who’s been fuming while brushing my hair…
“How could they! People who should be role models when they grow up—how could they!”
“Ah, ow! Ow ow ow!”
“Were you all bound together by bad ideas? Princess, Young Lord, honestly!”
As soon as it was morning, Lette unleashed a storm of scolding on us for sneaking out last night.
Minte just smiled cheerfully, but Ares already had a training session booked for after the festival.
I whispered, shrinking under Lette’s anger.
“I’m shorry…”
“Even if you say it all cute like that, it won’t work! This Lette is really mad today!”
“Uuugh…”
I fidgeted under her glare.
Even if she was a demon, to me, Lette was like a blend of the mother and sister I’d lost.
I didn’t want to make her worry anymore.
I didn’t want to see her upset with me.
So I leaned into her arms.
Startled, Lette stopped brushing my hair.
“S-Sorry…”
“P-Princess?”
“I don’t… like my birthday. Just this once, forgive me…”
“Mm… And also! Why did you meet with that Prince of Halkion again? And at night, no less!”
“Uh, well, he’s leaving soon, right? So I wanted to hang out one more time!”
“…Ah.”
Lette’s expression turned peculiar for a moment.
Like she’d just bitten into a slice of sour lemon.
“Lette? What’s wrong?”
“Mm… Actually, His Highness Alcyone—”
“Lette? Aren’t you done yet?”
Minte’s voice came from outside the door.
“Princess! You need to come out soon. The final banquet’s about to start!”
“Oh my, look at the time!”
Lette forgot to answer my question and hurried to finish dressing me.
When Minte saw me, her face lit up.
“Wow, Princess, you look absolutely stunning today.”
“Aaack! The makeup artist—I forgot to call the makeup artist! Minte, really no one’s available?”
“Not a soul. Everyone’s been pulled to the banquet hall.”
Lette sighed deeply as she placed a floral ornament in my hair, clearly disappointed.
‘Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve heard someone stress about not getting a makeup artist.’
Of the past three days, today’s outfit was by far the most extravagant—almost like going into battle.
A black dress trimmed with delicate gold lace all along the hem.
‘Wait… are these rose-shaped embroideries all embedded with tiny rubies?’
The hairpiece was made of real roses, strung together with thin gold chains and pearls.
It probably cost more than most jewelry.
As I looked at myself in the mirror, I muttered internally,
‘Frugality, huh…’
Might as well give that idea to the neighbor’s dog…
Behind me, the Epikus sisters were whispering softly.
“Glad to know the humans from Halkion are leaving after today.”
“Exactly. The Kore Knights will be watching them the whole way out. Now then, Princess, shall we go?”
“Ah. Mm.”
I stayed silent as Minte held me close.
To be honest, I felt relieved hearing the Holy Nation people were leaving.
‘But that means Carillon and Armené are going back too. Will they be safe in the Holy Nation?’
When we entered the banquet hall, I noticed the head seats where the Demon King and I usually sat were empty.
Startled, I looked around and asked Minte,
“Huh? Where’s… Dad?”
“He’s greeting the VIPs. See? Over there?”
“Ahh!”
This event was also part of diplomacy, so the Demon King occasionally left his seat to dance with members of the delegation.
Watching him dance made me wonder—
‘The Demon King… no, Dad… does he get lonely?’
They said that after Elysion was born, Queen Asteria held on for a little longer before passing away.
A queen who died because she got caught in the Holy Nation’s schemes…
If that were true…
Tartarus and the Holy Nation of Halkion would never truly reconcile.
‘Which means I must never, ever be found out.’
I finally had a family that loved me—and yet I had to lie to them until the day I died.
My chest ached. I clenched my fists—then a disgruntled voice broke the moment.
“What’re you smiling one second and sulking the next for, Zion?”
“Ah! Areth!”
Ares had somehow made his way to the head table.
In formalwear, he really looked like a young noble.
‘Sigh, if he just grows up like this, I won’t have to worry—’
“Ugh, he’s over there with those blue eyes and the Saint-whatever girl.”
“…Haah.”
I buried my face in my hands and sighed deeply.
Okay, scratch that. I’ll definitely still have to worry.
“Do you… have to call Carillon that?”
“I don’t like that guy.”
“Well… I don’t think he likes you either.”
Even now, they were staring daggers at each other across the hall.
How had they managed to cooperate last night?
“So how did you two end up meeting anyway? Did you make a plan?”
“Huh? No way!”
“Then how?”
“He just seemed like he might be useful, so I told him to come.”
…Sigh.
I’d thought this before, but Ares had a weird kind of intuition.
‘Did he sense that Carillon had some kind of special ability?’
But why the hostile stares if he’s leaving anyway?
Suddenly Ares said,
“Hey, Zion.”
“Mm?”
“Dance with me. Right in front of him.”
“…”
Do you… have some unspoken contract with me? Did you deposit your allowance with me or something, you little brat?
‘This little demon kid, seriously…’
He’s so confident all the time—I should learn from him.
Still, I tried reasoning with him calmly.
“Little Ares.”
“What?”
“What did I say before? I told you—I haven’t learned to dance yet, remember?”
This is a diplomatic event, not a circus.
But Ares wouldn’t back down.
“Then don’t call it a dance.”
“What?”
“I just can’t let that blue-eyed jerk win.”
“…What?”
And how exactly does dancing with me mean you win against Carillon?
‘Ugh, is this what a generation gap feels like? I don’t get how kids think anymore.’
Seeing my reluctant expression, Ares grew even more insistent.
He was so desperate that I actually flinched.
“You said I was your best friend.”
“Ah… well, yeah…”
“But he suddenly showed up out of nowhere.”
“Well, when you put it like that—”
“Zion.”
His eyes sparkled seriously.
I used to think I was soft only on Carillon, but maybe I’m just weak to kids in general.
I couldn’t say no when he looked at me like that.
“Please.”
“…Ugh, fine.”
‘Ugh, you better be glad I’m soft on kids, you little brat…’
As the “High Saintess,” I’d never once danced at a banquet.
I always pretended not to envy the noble girls, but I did.
Just once in my life, I wanted to wear a pretty dress and dance.
‘So I always had a romantic idea of my first dance…’
…And now I had to do it in this tiny, chubby little-kid body.
When Ares grabbed my hand and led me onto the floor, people smiled and covered their mouths.
‘Sigh… well, it must look cute to the adults.’
A pair of mismatched-height kids doing a polite bow—it was kind of adorable.
Everyone laughed as Ares half-lifted me and spun us around.
‘Ugh. This childish dance doesn’t count as a real first dance.’
But then, in the final moment, Ares picked me up completely and spun with me in the air.
The sudden height made me feel like I was flying.
“Waaah! Areth!”
“See? It’s not so bad, right?”
Ares grinned proudly at my expression.
What am I supposed to do with this overconfident kid?
Still, I ended up laughing too—it was fun.
“Yeah, yeah, fine. You were right, okay?”
“Of course. I’m always right.”
“….”
Okay, that confidence is something to admire.
‘If Ares ever looked really down, I’d probably feel awful.’
Smiling helplessly, I suddenly shivered.
‘Huh? Why is it so cold all of a sudden?’
There’s no way the banquet hall wasn’t heated.
I saw Dracon across the hall, looking extremely nervous. Then—a long shadow fell behind me.
“…Prince Ismenios.”
‘Hyaaah!’
I turned to see the Demon King frowning deeply.
