In the Middle of The Night in the Duke’s Residence - Chapter 77

The Crown Prince took a few deep breaths and exhaled, then sat down across from Aris. Probably because if he had touched her here more, the Knights Commander would stab him without thinking about the future.

So the Crown Prince looked at Leon and sat quietly until they arrived at the Imperial Palace, and Aris was able to find peace of mind thanks to that. She didn’t have to hear the Crown Prince’s insults, and she felt reassured that Leon was by her side.

When they arrived at the Imperial Palace, the Crown Prince got off the carriage first, and then he reached out to Aris. It was the Crown Prince who was her official escort, so Aris had no choice but to get off by holding his hand.

“His Highness the Crown Prince Lantel van Demophoa and Lady Aristasia of Duchy Verdick enter!”

The door to the banquet hall opened at the announcement, and as they entered, everyone’s eyes turned to Aris and the Crown Prince. Their gaze was full of curiosity to check whether the article they had seen in the newspaper was true.

Aris, who always entered with Duke Verdick, entered with the Crown Prince, and their clothing matched, so they accepted that the rumor was true.

“Oh, I guess it’s true.”

“That’s right, I was wondering who Lady Aristasia was going to marry …….”

“But the Crown Prince left the Crown Princess alone.”

“Shh! The Crown Princess is over there!”

“…… ho ho ho ho.”

The disrespectful talk about them quietly passed. The Crown Prince simply enjoyed the attention that was pouring on him, and the expressions on the faces of the Crown Princess and her father, Marquis Owen, were very stiff.

“Crown Prince, Carmin’s daughter greets you.”

“Lady Carmin, are you enjoying the banquet?”

“Yes, thank you. By the way, Your Highness and Lady Verdick get along very well.”

It wasn’t just Lady Carmin who was curious. It was the union of the imperial family and the Verdick. Of course, it was clear that Aris, who was protected by Duke Verdick and the Knights Commander, would have more power than the Crown Princess carrying Marquis Owen on her back. No matter who bore the child first, there was a high probability that the child born from Aris would become the Emperor.

Aris was forced to smile, but every word they said was disgusting and abominable. Aris was also a noble, so it wasn’t that she didn’t understand what they were saying, but she still couldn’t help but loathe to hear her.

“His Majesty the Emperor, the sun of the empire, enters!”

Their flattery continued until the Emperor appeared. Aris, who had not yet heard of Evan’s arrival, looked around with worried eyes, and found Evan, who quietly entered where her gaze was, and Leon, who entered after the Crown Prince.

After the Emperor briefly thanked the guests for attending his birthday banquet, he smiled happily when he saw Aris and the Crown Prince together. It was because he thought that if Verdick was behind the imperial family, the imperial power would be stronger than before. However, the faces of the other Duchies and Marquis Owen who were holding Verdick in check were dark.

After the Emperor’s simple greeting was over, the gentle melody played by the band in the banquet hall filled the people’s ears. It was time for the first dance that marks the start of the banquet.

It was also a matter of interest to whom the Crown Prince would invite the first dance. Still, as a custom, would he ask for the Crown Princess, or will he ask for Aris, who he has escorted?

Since the Crown Prince was thinking of killing and removing the Crown Princess, he naturally extended his hand to Aris. Aris wanted to shake it off, but the Crown Prince has her weakness, so she had no choice but to hold his hand, and went to the center of the banquet hall.

The first dance could only be performed by members of the imperial family. In the banquet hall, Aris, who was dragged out together with the Emperor, the Empress, and the Crown Prince, stood facing each other according to the etiquette. Soon the dance started according to the melody. The Crown Princess had no choice but to watch them, and she could not leave the place because it was the Emperor’s birthday banquet.

“…… What are you going to do with the Crown Princess?”

“If it bothers you, I will clean her out sooner than planned.”

“…….”

It seemed that she could help the Crown Princess by not speaking about her. She hates the prince, but she wants to save the Crown Princess because she was innocent. It would be very sad for the Crown Princess to lose her life because of the prince.

“You know everyone is looking at us right now?”

“…… I guess so.”

“Especially, Duke Verdick is staring at me like he’s going to kill me.”

The Crown Prince chuckled and laughed in amusement. Aris too stepped on the steps and danced expressionlessly until she stopped when she saw her older brother Evan and her younger brother Leon over the Crown Prince’s shoulder. The two people were looking at her with deep eyes. Perhaps her older brother knows what happened in the carriage because Leon told him.

“Today I will announce that you will become the Queen, so calling you by your first name would be alright, wouldn’t it?”

“…….”

“Don’t worry too much, I will make you the Empress anyway.”

Aris followed the steps that were imbued with her body, but her gaze did not depart from her brothers. If it had been before, she would have enjoyed dancing with her older brother. Returning to the mansion, she would then fill her stomach with food that was much more delicious than the food prepared at the Imperial Palace.

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