Paris spoke with rare tenderness. He seemed particularly fond of Amoretta. Well, it made sense since she was the one holding his legitimacy to the throne.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness.” Amoretta welcomed him with pleasure.
“Hello, brother.”
“Long time no see, Nia.”
For a moment, Paris’ expression, which seemed to be wary of someone talking to Amoretta, relaxed the moment he saw Apollonia. He remembered that she was a person he didn’t need to be vigilant at all.
“You’re dressed differently than usual.”
“I happened to receive a present.”
“It’s a great dress. That will cover your burn scars well.” He sneered slightly.
Amoretta glanced at the two with embarrassment.
“Your Highness, I want to go inside now.”
“Let’s go.”
With Amoretta’s persuasion, Paris turned away without looking at Apollonia again. Then, he disappeared into the palace without greeting her goodbye.
*SIGH*
Apollonia sighed deeply. Why Paris, of all people? It would have been better if you just liked Uriel or Caelion like any other young lady. No. Actually, Apollonia didn’t want that, either. She just wished she had found Amoretta before Paris. At least before Petra knew her talent. Once again, Apollonia recalled her choice to save Amoretta in Lishan. It was a good deed that her grandfather wouldn’t have done. Had she died there, Luwan’s business empire would have been much weaker by now.
“I just remembered his will.”
Why hadn’t Amoretta poisoned Caelion? Why did she not use her talents to directly contribute to Paris and the Emperor’s tyranny? Was it due to her encounter with Apollonia?
“Promise me that you wouldn’t use your talents to harm others.”
Amoretta had promised her. Apollonia rose from her seat and returned to the palace after harvesting crucial information. She finally understood the reason behind Paris’ new eye color and the true identity of the person in charge of Luwan’s products. She would have to think about what to do with her from now on. Apollonia couldn’t give up Amoretta whom she had been looking for for a long time. She entered the lounge next to the banquet hall because Caelion had told her earlier that he would gather other nobles there when the time came. Apollonia wanted a chance to meet them casually, even for a moment. Turning the door handle, Apollonia briefly erased Amoretta from her mind.
*CLICK*
When she opened the heavy golden door, the colorful yet cozy space was revealed. However, a messy scene seemed to be unfolding in it.
“It didn’t look like it, but you’re amazing. Count Buiche.”
Gareth’s sarcastic face caught her eye. Beside him were several young aristocrats who accompanied him on a frequent basis.
“Lorelai Edwin has courted you, and now you wanted Apollonia too? You might as well become the emperor and have several wives.” Gareth was drunk as usual.
“You’re getting arrogant. Did you think I wouldn’t know that you intentionally spilled alcohol on my clothes when you passed by earlier?”
There was a yellowish stain on his shirt collar that he didn’t want to see. However, rather than being angry with the stain itself, Gareth seemed determined to use that excuse to harass the man in front of him. Perhaps it wasn’t Uriel’s fault that he spilled the drink. Uriel was simply sitting there as he looked up at Gareth. His countenance wasn’t affected much by the guy’s ridicule.
“You shouldn’t use Her Highness’ name so carelessly, Marquis,” Uriel advised in a tone that sounded like he just saw an intrusive fly. The two largest men in Gareth’s party grabbed his arms and held him against the chair. One of them was a face that even Apollonia knew. Count Amon’s eldest son came from a famous samurai family and was currently the head of the Royal Order. If one would look here, it was something that Gareth usually did. And, seeing that Uriel wasn’t tied with a rope, this quarrel might not have been planned but rather an impulsive one.
“The Marquis must find it hard to distinguish people’s titles. On the battlefield, he even spoke informally to the vice-captain, His Highness, and even got punished for it.” Gareth’s face flushed at Uriel’s sarcasm.
“Shut up! What nonsense are you talking about when you didn’t even apologize for spilling alcohol on me?”
Uriel continued spewing sarcastic venom at Gareth.“You’re screaming but you’re not even paying attention to the stain. Removing that won’t save your face.”
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