Chapter 14 – Apology at the Third Day of the Banquet
Translator: Lioness
Rather than intervening the fight of the two men, she looked at the banquet hall, judging it. Chandeliers of crystals gorgeously scattered above her head, emitting light.
And with that light, the colors of the dresses of the Noble Ladies were reflected.
‘It’s not good.’
For her, who had lived in Modern times, this is way too old-fashioned. Nonetheless, she had never been to a banquet, so she thought nothing of it, however her dress was heavy and dull.
Her dark-colored dress and men’s shirt with excessive frills made Alice’s eyes suffer.
Thinking she’d rather see Karus and Lawrence sharpening her gazes at each other, she turned her eyes to find them both staring at her.
“Is something the matter?”
“Miss Alice, has someone decided to escort you at the next banquet?”
Karus’s voice was filled with coldness but his eyes were playful unlike Lawrence who was intensely staring at her as if want to create a hole on her face.
‘It would be a big problem if I answered wrongly.’
This was a white knight who could see right through her. She was not fooled by the obvious ruse. She was not so foolish as to be swayed by Karus’s words.
“Yes.”
“It’s fixed, already?”
“He are by my side.”
“Lawrence again?”
“Yes, why?”
Alice muttered her words as she glanced at Lawrence’s face. Fortunately, he kept his mouth shut. It was the moment Alice, who gained her confidence, was about to say something.
“His Highness and Her Highness, the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess have arrived!”
She heard the loud voice of the attendants and Alice’s eyes moved quickly. The eyes of the Crown princess who entered while holding the Crown prince’s hand passed Alice.
‘Weird? I thought she was glaring at her?’
Alice tilted her head.
‘Did I see it wrong?’
The character of Stella she set up was very gentle and kind. So she knew Stella could never glare at her.
Alice, who lightly passed her doubts momentarily, noticed the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince, who were seated in the banquet hall. Lawrence noticed her situation and whispered.
“Don’t you have to go?”
“I am trembling.”
“You even have the time to talk nonsense about yourself?”
“Sounds like nonsense?”
“If not, then?”
The preparation of the Crown Prince who will succeed the throne. Saying mean words to such a person means that she would give up living in this empire or turn her back on those who have powers.
Alice, who acted casually throughout those years, found it funny. And Lawrence found a change in her attitude.
‘Was there a reason?’
Lawrence’s eyes narrowed at the attitude that was so different from the time she treated the Crown Princess carelessly. She wanted to ask Alice, who seemed to have a problem, but Karus was by their side.
Karus, who watched Alice, opened his mouth.
“Ah, come to think of it, did Miss Alice hate the Crown Princess?”
“What do you mean hate? Absolutely not.”
As Alice’s voice grew louder, the attention of the other nobles was drawn. Her voice could even be heard in the ears of the Crown prince who was talking in the middle of the banquet hall.
“No?”
“Yes! no. I was blinded by jealousy and did something lame like that, but absolutely not.”
Alice’s voice resonated resoundingly. He spilled his words deliberately to embarrass her, but he smirked as his strategy didn’t work.
“I think I heard the story of the Crown Princess.”
The Crown prince quickly approached and intervened in the conversation. There were nobles who didn’t like the Crown prince’s attitude, but they were more curious about how Alice will react, so everyone watched the situation.
“You’re, Your Highness.”
When Karus greeted him, Alice and others bent before him. Lawrence, too, could not ignore the crown prince, a member of the royal family of another country, so he greeted him roughly.
The Nakran Empire and the Erha Empire had similar powers, so they always had an so-so relationship. The two empires pretended to be good on the outside, but changed when problems arose. So, he didn’t even have to say hello properly.
‘I wouldn’t even have done it if there was no one next to me.’
Besides, the Crown prince was someone who was incompetent. Bowing down to such a person was not tolerated by Lawrence’s pride. He was born with good lineage and timing and became the crown prince because he had no competitors.
“Right. Speaking of which, do you have something to say to the Crown Princess?”
Alice didn’t say anything, but the Crown prince said as if it were natural. At his words, Lawrence’s complexion changed. No matter how mistaken he was, he was now the one who attended the banquet under her escort.
Persecuting her Alice was like looking down on him. As Lawrence’s face hardened, the Crown Princess pulled the Crown Prince’s collar.
“Why?”
“Your Highness, that….”
“Ah, that Ms. Alice is afraic.”
There was life in Lawrence’s eyes.
‘I thought he was stupid, but he didn’t expect it to be this much.’
The aristocrats, who had been watching the situation for fun, slowly drifted away from Lawrence’s eyes. It was such a serious atmosphere that other nobles noticed, but someone who couldn’t even grasp the situation was in the position of the crown prince.
“Your Highness. Please forgive my previous rudeness. This is a small gift prepared by me.”
Alice stepped in and mediated the situation. She took out a gift from a jewelry store from a small pouch she was holding in her hand. When the box was opened, a glittering gem was revealed. The eyes of the nobles who were watching also widened.
‘As expected.’
Alice, who internally praised herself for choosing the jewel saying that glittery was the best, held out the jewelry box.
“It’s for Your Highness. I was so rude. I did it because I was upset.”
Alice urged the Crown Princess, who stared at her jewelry box but did not extend her hand. Beside her, Lawrence was also watching her, but the Crown Princess did not move. As the confrontation continued, Alice was not the only one who felt a strange atmosphere.
‘Why was she like this?’
Stella was supposed to be flushed with sincerity, if not tears, as she was supposed to be good as an angel, but she just stared at the jewelry box. Even the Crown prince winked at her as if to ask why she didn’t take it, but the hand of Stella, the crown princess, didn’t move.
“Seeing how embarrassed the Crown Princess is, I will take it.”
The Crown Prince stepped forward and took Alice’s jewelry box.
‘As expected, an ignorant guy,’
Alice internally cursed at the Crown prince. Stella was not accepting it because she was building her pride, but now that the Crown prince accepted the gift, Stella’s appearance became ridiculous. Alice witnessed Stella’s change of expression and was taken aback by the cold feeling that passed by the nape of her neck.
‘Could it be that the settings have changed?’
No, it couldn’t have been. Then the situation had to change, but didn’t the original novel end safely? Alice struggled to laugh, hiding her doubts.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Are you okay, Stella?”
“Yes. As long as your Highness is okay, everything is fine.”
“Tell me. Call her by her name.”
They were like a pair of cockroaches. Alice swiped at the goosebumps and turned to Lawrence. His lips pursed as she watched her with a smirk.
“It’s been quite a while.”
She pushed the whispering Lawrence away slightly, pressing him close to her.
“So, I deliberately made it vague.”
When Alice held out her jewelry box, she did not hold out towards Stella, but she held out her hand halfway between the prince and Stella. So, she must have thought that the crown prince also had a right to it. She thought it didn’t matter if either Stella or the Crown prince received it. But she didn’t expect Stella to turn out like this.
“So, is this resolved now?”
“Almost?”
Karus’ gaze was still on them. Stella’s eyes did not leave Alice either. The bizarre atmosphere of accepting Alice’s apology as the Crown prince stepped forward.
‘Is Stella looking at me like that?’
She couldn’t get past the look in her eyes. It was even more so because Alice knew the original story. Alice couldn’t take her eyes off Stella either, so Lawrence grabbed her hand and dragged her along.
“Where…”
“If you come to the banquet, you should dance.”
As Lawrence went out into the middle of the banquet hall, the band played a tune. Alice looked around as she unconsciously moved her body to the flowing music.
“Focus.”
“No, why did we come here?”
“Then you want to stay there?”
As he turned around, he glanced at the place where the prince, Stella, and Karus were. It was such a fleeting moment that only Alice could notice it.
“Ah.”
“You seemed to be in trouble, so I led a hand.”
“Thank you.”
A smile spread across Lawrence’s face as she responded quickly.
‘He’s handsome.’
Lawrence Littenverk is the son of Duke Littenverk, known for the family of beauty. His appearance was famous in Erha Empire, and what was more was he a man of outstanding abilities.
He was one of the best swordsmen among knights who use swords. So, not only the Erha Empire, but also the daughters of the Nakran Empire showed interest in Lawrence.
Alice, who appeared with Lawrence as her escort, became the public enemy of all noble ladies in the banquet hall. And at the center of those people was Stella, the Crown Princess.
(TN: Oh… wow.)
