Chapter 90

Chapter 90

After Elysia arrived at the Imperial Palace, she found out what he had not told her. Cassian, who got out of the carriage first, and Lloyd, who looked a little short of breath, could be heard.

“I failed.”

“I guess I’ve been letting you go too much these days.”

She frowned at the sharp momentum that reached the inside of the carriage.

Cassian took Lloyd away from the carriage, and the subsequent conversation was not heard. After a while, he returned to the carriage and held out his hand in front of Elysia.

Seeing that, she narrowed her eyes as she grabbed the outstretched hand.

“Tell me, what did you do?”

“Lady Aiden was a wizard.”

“Oh, I see.”

Elysia stood in front of him and blinked to keep him talking.

“How did you know?”

“I hit the carriage heading to the Imperial Palace.”

“….”

So, he didn’t know she was a wizard… He attacked her and failed.

“How much do you fail?”

Of course, if the opponent was a wizard, it would be troublesome. Nonetheless, she was well aware of the skills of the Esteban Knights. The opponent was a noble lady. They must have been sent as skilled people as they hit the carriage.

“I think she had a magic tool enchanted with movement magic.”

Elysia nodded her head quietly before grabbing his cheeks and opening her mouth, “But, why did you do that? Is it because Lady Aiden leaked information to Marquis Blanche?”

“It’s impossible to weave it any other way anyway, so we have to do it that way.”

Cassian wrapped around her waist and stood at the entrance to the banquet hall. Then, she raised her head and raised the corners of her lips, gazing at him.

“Well done.”

He raised his eyebrows as if in surprise.

“It’s good enough to know that she was a wizard.”

The wrong way, the cowardly way, what was the use of all this?

Wasn’t she beaten by Lumiere while trying to pay it back in a respectful way…?

Thinking about the notes that Lady Aiden sent to Lumiere’s maid, she could have done more. Even though there was clear malice toward her, there was no reason to remain still.

The next moment, Elysia could hear the servant announce the arrival of her and Cassian.

She could feel the noisy conversation stop.

“Wife. If possible, I hope you don’t get away from my side.”

“I’ll try.”

Knowing how many people flock to him, she was very reluctant.

It was safe to say that today is a day for Revos and Cassian.

But she also had no desire to get away from it.

It was because she had never been involved in social activities and had never appeared in public.

If that’s why the Ladies were so aggressive towards Cassian, why not just quiet the rumors at this banquet?

Why were they so interested in other people’s private lives?

In a way, it could be said that it happened because she did not engage in social activities at all.

“Elysia.”

As Elysia lifted her head at the voice calling me and looked at him, Cassian leaned over and came closer enough to rub his lips against her ear.

“…?”

He didn’t say anything to her and deliberately moved his finger, rubbing his lips against her ear. A finger with a glove on the bare skin exposed by the dress with a slit in the back sent a subtle signal.

“…What are you doing?”

“Because you’re not looking at me.”

Cassian grabbed his hand around her waist and pulled her closer to his body. At that, she glanced around. It seemed that many who were looking this way were blushing on the face.

“Well, yes it is. It’s also sincere.”

Elysia smiled and rested her head slightly on his shoulder. Slowly, she could see people looking for an opportunity to gather around Cassian.

“Though father is nowhere to be seen?”

“He will enter with His Majesty.”

A little farther away, she saw Jane with the other girls. She looked at her expression, and it seemed that she didn’t want to be too involved in the conversation.

Her head nodded as her short bob hair was pulled up with flower-shaped jewel pins. Her tube-top style navy dress, which had glamorous lace trim only at the ends of the skirt, was a perfect fit for her. Considering the dress she had worn before, it was a huge difference.

Elysia wondered if Cassian’s words that she didn’t see him before were really sincere, as she only looked elsewhere for a moment, although the hand that was holding her waist tightened.

“Would you like to leave for a moment?”

“We just came in.”

As she looked down at Cassian with her eyes asking why that was, she could hear the sound of laughter.

Just then, a sound was heard announcing the arrival of the Emperor and her father.

“…He looks really sick.”

Even though it seemed that the Emperor was deliberately putting on makeup to cover up his illness, he couldn’t cover it all with that alone.

He looked like he had aged twenty years older in an instant.

By the time she broke up with Revos, he was in very good shape even when she was alone with the Emperor.

Elysia looked around, and when her eyes met his, she saw her father smiling brightly and burst into a smile. Seeing his body shake as if wanting to run to her right away, she saw the Emperor say something. After a while, her father pretended to be dignified as if he had heard some nagging.

“I think I’ll go home for a few days.”

“Let’s go together.”

“Really?”

“I’m worried.”

She didn’t think so. It seemed like Cassian was just doing it because he didn’t want to separate from her. However, it didn’t really seem like a lie as he had a pretty serious face.

After arguing with Cassian for a while, she heard a voice announcing the arrival of Revos.

“The Crown Prince and Lady Aiden are entering.”

Did she hear it right…?

Lady Aiden and Revos.

Elysia frowned and turned her gaze to the entrance to the banquet hall.

“…Hm?”

Lady Aiden, who had bright yellow blonde hair and amber eyes, was very beautiful. Rumors that she was more than Lumiere did not seem to be false. Perhaps, because she was wearing a white dress, her neat appearance was more emphasized.

Lumiere and Lady Aiden, how could they do such things with such a face that looked like they couldn’t even kill an ant…?

“…Doesn’t she look a bit like me?”

“Not at all.”

Even though she did not look exactly who she was now, it was similar to what she looked like before the possession. So, she seemed to resemble the original Elysia.

“Is that so…?”

Her hair and eye color were different, so the more she looked, the more confused she became.

Elysia turned her head and quickly looked into her father’s gaze.

Her father, too, was watching Revos and Lady Aiden, who had just entered. Nonetheless, he did not show any signs of recalling her former self in particular. Rather, he looked at them with expressionless faces as though the smile when his eyes met Elysia’s had been an illusion.

“Can you not go to His Majesty?”

“I can not go. I did say I will be with you.”

Cassian hugged her from behind as if to reaffirm that he would not get away for even a second, and pulled her in.

The Emperor looked at her and Cassian and gave a grin.

“…Your Majesty is also looking at you.”

“Tell him to keep looking.”

“…Do what you want.”

In the end, she just gave up and lost all her strength before leaning on him. The firm body that touched her back supported her with stability.

The Emperor rose from his seat and began to greet the envoys.

As she listened to the long and boring speech of the Emperor, Elysia let out a small sigh. She seemed to be starting to get tired of it already.

After a while, Revos stood on the podium and the Emperor’s voice said that he would abdicate. At that, Elysia’s gaze immediately followed Lady Aiden. However, she didn’t see an excited face or expression on her face.

“Shall we go there in a little while?”

“Where?”

“Where you attacked me.”

“….”

It was referring to the garden where the tuberose was blooming… The place where Cassian was bitten in the neck at a banquet last winter.

“…Sure. I’ll have to ask you again.”

“I’ll be happy to hug you and go home.”

“I’m not going to faint this time.”

As the surroundings started to applaud, Elysia applauded as well. Cassian reached out from behind and wrapped his arms around her back, clapping together.

“…You’re really.”

“Why?”

Was this flirting level a bit too much…?

She could even feel his lips touching the top of her head.

Elysia saw her father shaking his head as he looked at her with a curious look. She heard noises from the surrounding area, too. It reminded her of something Cassian said a while ago where he took care of the banquet so the youngsters couldn’t come in anymore.

“If you overdo it, won’t it be poisonous instead?”

She was saying this because she thought he might be too blatantly expressing affection.

“No one would think like that.”

The Emperor left the banquet hall with her father, saying to enjoy the banquet. Even with a short speech, he looked very tired. Her father, along with the servants, supported the Emperor as he moved, sending her a look of regret. He felt sorry for not being able to even talk.

Seeing that, Elysia smiled and waved her hand as if it was okay.

“Duke.”

“Greetings, Crown Prince.”

The nobles around them set their bows towards Revos.

Elysia took a step behind and stood behind Cassian’s back. At the same time, Revos talked to him, and the envoys flocked to him like a ghost.

Cassian was giving him a slightly grim gaze.

‘…Hmm?’

She comforted him by gently stroking his hand that was holding her and fixed her gaze on the scene she suddenly saw.

Jane was standing opposite a group of people, and it didn’t look very good. Three young girls surrounded her and laughed outright. And, Lady Aiden watched with a bright smile.

“I heard that you’ve been to the Duke Esteban’s residence.”

“You don’t get the Crown Prince, so it’s the Duke now?”

…Wasn’t it a secret that Jane and Revos spent the night? Or, were they saying that because there was a subtle atmosphere?

“Oh dear, the Duchess, can she hear me?”

Elysia raised the corners of her lips crookedly at the clearly audible conversation. She didn’t know where Revos’ heart was headed, but she had a feeling that it was really the same. She felt sorry for Jane’s feelings for him again.

Her brow furrowed as she wondered what they were doing so childishly. Maybe, they did it because they didn’t know she was listening, but it was quite severe.

Lady Aiden, who had been watching the situation quietly, approached Jane and opened her mouth.

“When you weigh this man against that man, this is what happens. Lady.”

“You’re talking too much. I can tolerate insults against me, but why are you bringing the Duchess into it?”

Elysia listened to Jane’s answer, and she pondered briefly.

Eventually, she let go of Cassian’s hand and flicked off the glove he was wearing. His unwillingness to let go of her hand was immediately resolved by swiping her fingers across his waist.

She then glanced at Revos before moving her steps.

“I admire you for being so consistent, Your Highness.”

It was a critique against Revos, who couldn’t protect his lover.

Revos looked at her as if he did not understand, though Elysia ignored him and took off Cassian’s gloves. Taking a glass of champagne on the tray the servant was holding, she slowly headed towards Jane.

“Gasp—Duchess.”

The girls around Jane were startled to see her and stuttered her words.

At that moment, Elysia threw the glove she was holding to Lady Aiden’s face.

The glove made a squeaky sound as it slapped her on the cheek.

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