Chapter 46: Heilon (2)
Rumors about Sigren spread quickly. To some extent, even the nobles knocked on the door of Heilon mansion out of curiosity, though they were all promptly turned away. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
Seeing these people’s behavior, Sigren often grumbled, “They treat a person like they’re seeing a very rare monster.”
Well, for some reason, I couldn’t blame them. This was a special circumstance. Moreover, as the date of the imperial family banquet approached, gossip, rumors, and stories spread more rapidly through society.
That’s it. The imperial banquet marked the beginning of the original plot.
Somehow, I felt an unexpected excitement, like a child the day before a picnic. Unlike me, Sigren seemed unusually relaxed, considering he had recently told me to stay by his side because he was scared. I really couldn’t tell if he was genuinely relaxed or just faking it.
“Pretty.”
That was what Sigren said when he saw me dressed up for the banquet.
He lightly touched the tip of my hair and smiled satisfactorily. “It’s definitely better than what you wear in Heilon.”
I smirked. “In Heilon, I always wore cotton-padded clothes.”
In the capital, off-shoulder dresses, backless dresses, and other outfits that revealed quite a bit of skin were in vogue. The dress I wore didn’t reveal too much, but my shoulders and neck area were slightly exposed. And definitely, this kind of dress was not something I would wear in the northern weather. I wasn’t that brave. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Fiona, is Abel going to formally introduce you today?”
I wanted to point out that he should call Abel ‘Master,’ but I swallowed my words. Besides, once Sigren officially became a prince, that title would no longer hold meaning.
“I don’t think so. I asked him to do it next time.”
“Yeah… then you can enjoy yourself comfortably. Heilon’s banquets are all about binge drinking and getting drunk, so you’ve never had any fun.”
Compared to the people in Heilon, I wasn’t a strong drinker, so I usually went back to my room early. Well, it wasn’t that I hated it; I just didn’t want to drink.
Sigren suddenly fiddled with the beautiful red jewel hanging from my necklace.
“Don’t tell me these jewels and dresses were all prepared by Abel himself? Recently, I’ve heard strange things about him asking you to call him ‘Father.’”
“It’s Celine.”
“Indeed.”
Sigren grinned. He usually didn’t smile much, so it seemed his mood was good today. I’d been worried that he’d have a stern expression when hunting those monsters in front of the nobles, but now I was a little relieved. Honestly, he should show the lively face of a young man more often. His beauty shone when he relaxed his expression. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“I want to escort you. What a bummer.”
I smiled slightly. “You’ve done a lot in Heilon.”
Actually, I wasn’t very popular in Heilon. No one had asked me to dance, and I had always been with Sigren, Abel, or sometimes Zeron. Sometimes I thought it was a bummer… because I didn’t think Fiona’s face was on the ugly side.
“If I escort you today, you’ll be too noticeable.”
“That’s true. The rumored prince has already made a splash, so if he suddenly brought a partner…”
“I’m not a prince yet.”
“It will happen soon.” I looked up at Sigren and smiled. “Didn’t I tell you before? You’ll have it all.”
“Everything you say…” Sigren made a strange expression. “Fiona, maybe I—”
“Children, playtime is over.”
Sigren and I turned around to see Abel standing by the door frame. He flicked his finger at Sigren. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Especially you, stop fooling around and get into the carriage.”
Sigren muttered in a voice only I could hear, “I don’t know about anything else, but when I become officially a prince, I’ll make sure I hear Abel address me with the proper honorific.”
It seemed Sigren held deep-rooted grudges.
Abel raised an eyebrow. “I hear everything, you second pebble.”
“….”
Sigren quickly shut his mouth, and I managed to swallow a sigh.
“By the way, the first pebble goes with me.”
“Alright, alright… The first pebble’s rolling now…”
I approached Abel while grumbling. He must be sulking because I didn’t call him ‘father,’ judging by the way he called me by a nickname I hadn’t heard in a long time. He was surely that kind of guy.
Because the high heels I wore were thinner and higher than usual, I staggered and almost fell. Luckily, I didn’t hit the ground. Sigren and Abel noticed I was about to fall and quickly supported me. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Second pebble, keep rolling,” Abel said, glancing at Sigren.
“…”
Sigren walked away after giving Abel a dissatisfied look.
“Duke, what if Sigren takes revenge after he becomes a prince?” I asked.
Abel snorted. “Let’s see how he does it. And you, you should practice walking first.”
“Yes, sir.”
The shoes I wore didn’t match the dress, so I tried a new pair. As expected, they were a bit much. However, thanks to Abel’s skillful support, it wasn’t too difficult. I just needed to keep him by my side. Fortunately, by the time we arrived at the Imperial Palace and got out of the carriage, I was able to walk like a normal person. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
I looked up at the castle in front of me. It was beautiful. With the light of the setting sun, it dazzled my eyes.
“What a show-off,” Abel murmured cynically.
I held onto Abel’s arm and walked carefully.
“Fiona, once we’re in, you won’t have to deal with those annoying things.”
That was truly Abel-like advice.
“Sigren, you can only be as annoying as you are with me. Don’t go before that.”
Sigren scoffed loudly. “I’ll do my best, Master.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the conversation. Where was the friend who had asked me to stay with him because he was alone? No matter how I looked at it, all I saw was a young man with a burning desire to rid himself of all the annoying children.
Looking at Sigren and Abel, I sighed. “Stop fighting. Let’s go.”
There would be many twists and turns, but finally, I was stepping onto the stage where the story began. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
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