episode_0100

Princess Elizabeth… or is it Empress now?

Anyway, after a wave of shock brought by Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth, and after enough time had passed for everyone to grasp the situation to some extent.

“Beautiful…” n”Two Imperial Highnesses…?” n”Is it a lie…?” n”But Her Highness Alexandrine…” n”Let’s wait and see until tomorrow…”

A noisy atmosphere formed inside the quiet banquet hall.

From those who simply praised her beauty, to those who doubted the truth, those who were suspicious but believed in Her Imperial Highness Princess Alexandrine, and those who cautiously refrained from speaking.

Everyone muttered their thoughts to acquaintances, fixing their gaze on Princess Elizabeth.

It was chaotic, but calmer than expected.

It’s the appearance of an imperial princess who has been veiled for more than a decade, so this is calm to the point of being static.

Whether it was calm or not, the reactions of the young masters and ladies here were not very important.

What matters is what happens after these children go home and tell their parents the truth.

Except for a very small number of imperial factions, it will be almost unheard of, so tomorrow’s National Foundation Day event will be a hot and intense event in many ways.

“Sir William, she is your partner, is it alright if you don’t go to her quickly?”

While focusing on the surrounding reactions and only staring blankly at Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth, Her Imperial Highness Princess Alexandrine, who had subtly approached, whispered quietly and pointed to Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth, who had almost descended the stairs.

I am the partner for this National Foundation Day week, and it is generally the right answer to quickly approach such a partner and escort her, but I nodded lightly and did not move a single step.

“Yes, rather, she needs to be left alone a bit more.”

“Why?”

At the declaration outside of common sense that he would further neglect his partner, the Imperial Princess frowned and turned a sharp gaze towards me.

I turned my head slightly, met her cold eyes, and smiled softly.

“Isn’t it her first debut? Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth needs time to shine alone.”

“Wow… I see, I had no idea you had such deep intentions.” n”Hahaha…”

Seeing it from afar and seeing it up close.

And seeing it among a crowd of people and being the sole focus of attention are very different.

And in most cases, it’s definitely better to be up close and solely focused on.

I wondered if that would be possible, but the distance from the end of the stairs to where we were was about 15m, and the time it took to walk that distance through the crowd with dignity was about 20-30 seconds.

It was enough time to imprint the existence of ‘Elizabeth’ in people’s minds.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t do anything else, her face is a cheat.

If she’s pretty, you’ll remember her even if you don’t want to.

“Ugh…!”

The lights that had been turned off except around the stairs were turned on the moment Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth completely descended the stairs and paused for a moment.

I guess it’s because they crammed expensive magic lamps into the ceiling, it’s brighter than I thought.

I narrowed my eyes and waited for the stinging in my eyes to subside.

While waiting, the people between the two Imperial Highnesses hesitated and stepped back, creating a small path in the banquet hall.

A short runway completed in an instant.

Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth, who was now able to make eye contact with me at the same height, smiled softly and began to move her stopped feet again.

At that sight, the people who had been busily whispering closed their mouths one by one and focused their attention on the two Imperial Highnesses.

The distance is getting closer and closer, and tension fills the hall.

“……”

Thus, after 20 seconds, which felt like an eternity, Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth stops at a distance of about one step away from Her Imperial Highness Princess Alexandrine.

“… Elizabeth.”

It was Her Imperial Highness Princess Alexandrine who spoke first.

A voice full of trembling, as if slightly choked up.

“Sister.”

As if responding to that, Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth said shyly, and the two sisters held hands affectionately as if they had promised, and exchanged warm glances silently for a while.

“… How long has it been since I heard you call me sister like this… My heart tickles.”

“10 years… or more, I couldn’t.”

“It’s been a really long time.”

Her Imperial Highness Alexandrine’s eyes became slightly red, and her eyes became moist.

I wondered what on earth had happened behind the scenes to make her welcome her so affectionately.

If it was acting, Her Imperial Highness was amazing, and if it wasn’t, I wondered how heavy the circumstances could be.

It’s an event that would make Her Imperial Highness, no less, tear up in a public place.

“I want to be with you longer, but it wouldn’t be good if I stayed too long, I have to introduce you, and I have to yield to my partner.”

“Hehe… But now we can be together more often, so just bear with it once.”

“It’s a shame, but I have to.”

Her Imperial Highness Princess Alexandrine, who nodded with a look full of regret, carefully let go of her hand and stepped back.

Then, she turned her head and looked around, and shouted loudly.

“In welcoming my younger sister and the Second Imperial Princess, Victoria, I will announce the start of the Eve!”

– Clapping-!

At the same time as Her Imperial Highness Princess Alexandrine’s declaration, thunderous applause erupted in the banquet hall.

Following that, the bright and cheerful lighting dimmed slightly and changed to a soft and warm color, and the orchestra that had been waiting in one corner of the banquet hall began to play.

The beginning of the full-fledged Eve.

As the sound of instruments began to fill the banquet hall, the applause gradually subsided.

The noble ladies and young masters in the banquet hall turned their gazes away and began to move, but most of them were watching the movement while glancing at the Imperial Highnesses.

The first to move was Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth.

“William.”

She smiled at her sister and bowed her head slightly, then slowly approached me and called me in a soft voice.

Now I have to be by her side for the remaining time as her partner.

Tension rushes in instantly.

“Hoo…”

First, I took a deep breath, grabbed the hand of Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth, who had come close, and bowed, kissing the back of her hand.

“To Her Imperial Highness Princess Victoria…”

And while bowing, I called her with honorifics and gave a greeting…

“Ahem…!”

“…?”

Before I could even utter the greeting, a sharp rebuke fell.

I raised my head and looked up at the Imperial Highness with a look of bewilderment, and the face of the Imperial Highness, pouting with a sullen expression, came into view.

“‘Her Imperial Highness Princess Victoria’? It’s ‘Elizabeth’, right?”

Uh… Her Imperial Highness Princess Alexandrine clearly said ‘Victoria’ when she introduced her to everyone?

“Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth…?”

“Haa…”

I was flustered, but I corrected myself and called her again because her request was Elizabeth, but Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth’s face changed to something even more dissatisfied.

“When we first started working together, what did I ask you to do?”

“Speak informally…?”

“That’s right, but why are you stopping even though I didn’t tell you to stop?”

“… Yes?”

“You have to use informal speech and honorifics as usual.”

“……”

Here?

In the middle of the Imperial Palace, to someone who was just introduced as an Imperial Princess, and to someone who was greeted with affection by her sister, to openly use informal speech and honorifics?

No matter what, that’s not right.

I straightened up and looked at Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth as if I was in trouble, but the Imperial Princess was only glaring at me with sharp and cold eyes.

“However, Your Imperial Highness…”

“Hoo… Is the Imperial Knight talking back to the Imperial Family now?”

“Yes?”

Just as I was about to persuade her that that wouldn’t do, Her Imperial Highness Princess Alexandrine, who had already approached us, uttered words that made my head spin.

“Her Imperial Highness Alexandrine, no matter what, that’s a bit of a stretch…”

“A stretch? You may be an honorary knight, but you’re still a member of the Imperial Knights, right? Do you usually dislike being treated as a knight while putting the title ‘Sir’ after your name?”

“Or is it that the orders of an Imperial Princess who has been hidden for a long time like me are not worth listening to?”

“Keuk…”

I was hit with an overwhelmingly unfair move.

Even if the Emperor’s approval is not yet official, as long as Princess Alexandrine is giving supporting fire, there is no way I will ever call Her Imperial Highness Princess Elizabeth with honorifics, even if I die and come back to life.

“Elizabeth.”

Thinking that further resistance was meaningless, I moved my lips and called Elizabeth without honorifics.

As soon as the five letters ‘Elizabeth’ flowed out from between my lips, I felt the gazes around me becoming rapidly colder.

Beyond receiving a good impression from His Majesty the Emperor, I also have a close relationship with his successors.

It felt like I could hear the stock price rising rapidly.

“Haa…” n”Hehe~ That’s it, it sounds good.” n”Hehe~ It’s so nice to see you two being so close.”

I swallowed, sighing weakly, and the two sisters, with long, torn smiles, nodded as if they were satisfied.

When you look at them separately, they seemed very different, but when you put them side by side, they’re exactly the same.

It’s a little annoying, but it was nice to see them being so friendly.

“Hmph…”

A chuckle escaped me at the sight of the two sisters, and I rummaged through my chest and took out a small box.

It seemed like now was the best time to give this to her.

“I prepared a small gift for you, who is entering high society for the first time.”

““Oh my.””

As the luxurious box decorated with velvet was revealed, the two sisters simultaneously exclaimed and looked at the box.

I carefully opened the box and took out the necklace inside.

“Blue…?”

As the necklace decorated with a blue sapphire was revealed, Elizabeth’s eyes widened.

And in a trembling voice, she pointed to the necklace and asked.

“How… how did you know I liked blue…?”

I just found out about this now.

“Hehe…”

But it seemed like it would be more dramatic to say that I knew, so I smiled meaningfully.

“Heueu… Haa…”

The effect was so great that Elizabeth’s face gradually turned red and her breathing became slightly rough.

I didn’t miss the opportunity and approached Elizabeth.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“Huh? Ah… Ugh…”

And I gently removed her stole and carefully placed it around Elizabeth’s neck.

Our faces got closer.

Elizabeth’s face was flushed as if it would explode, so I felt playful.

“Elizabeth, do you know what color you get when you mix blue and yellow?”

“Huh? Um… Well…”

Whether she couldn’t think of it right away, or whether her head wasn’t working properly, Elizabeth’s face was full of worry.

“Don’t you know?”

“Yeah…”

I waited for her answer until the necklace was completely on, but all that came back was Elizabeth shaking her head with a sullen expression.

I chuckled and stepped back, tapping my finger on my eyes.

“It’s green.”

“Ah…”

“I thought it would be better to include a meaning that you can only understand if you think about it, rather than something straightforward.”

This is the reason I originally wanted to say it.

When I thought of this, I was so happy that I almost screamed in the middle of the night.

Because there’s no more romantic remark than ‘I chose it while thinking of you.’

“……”

And whether that prediction was accurate or not, Elizabeth put her trembling hands on her cheeks and rolled her eyes around wildly.

“It’s so sweet, I feel like my teeth are going to rot…”

Her Imperial Highness Princess Alexandrine, who was watching this from the side, narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

“Hmph…”

I tilted my head slightly with a triumphant smile.

I was afraid that I might get ‘gyoza-ed’ in the Imperial Palace like this, but anyway, I was freaking awesome right now.

Whatever the future may hold, I’ve got the style, so that’s enough.

Probably…