Chapter 28: 28

Paku’s POV

Prince Paku, who was passing in front of Arianne with his eyes wide open, noticed her gaze and made eye contact. His yellow eyes, like the eyes of a beast, made a strange shape.  

 

‘Kitten? I can’t believe I ran into her in a place like this… This is fun.’

 

The corners of Paku’s mouth stretched out. He immediately took his gaze away and walked toward the emperor as if nothing had happened.

 

Arianne’s POV

There was no way I couldn’t recognize his smile.

 

Did he recognize me?

 

I was deeply embarrassed. The person I knew as a molester was the prince of the Kelteman Empire… which was famous for its barbarity.

 

I almost got in trouble, didn’t I?

 

As expected, I did a good job.

 

I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking I almost ended up in a bad situation. I didn’t even know it was the beginning of what would happen…

 

“But does the prince like toying with women?”

 

At my unintentional words, Charter asked back, “Arianne? What do you mean?”

 

Oops. It seemed that my thoughts went out of my mouth.

 

“It’s nothing. By the way, why did the envoys suddenly come from Kelteman’s empire?”

 

“I don’t know. I think… no, it’s nothing. They might be thinking of signing a peace treaty,” said Charter, looking at the prince of the Kelteman Empire with an unknown expression.

 

Is that so?

 

I didn’t bother to bring up the next word because I knew what Charter was worried about.

 

I was inexperienced but not lacking in knowledge and culture. Rather, my level of knowledge was higher than most noble men. I was a woman who read almost all the books sitting only in dust in the mansion’s library. I read all kinds of books, from liberal arts to politics and tactical books.

 

As I was confined in the mansion, I had time to spare, and what I could do was limited. Among them, I invested the most time in shooting and reading. So I could see what Charter was worried about.

 

There is no reason for the envoys of Kelteman to sign a peace treaty with the Harpion Empire, which has fallen back at peacetime.

 

Sooner or later, a war could break out.

 

‘Sooner or later, a war could break out.’

 

Looking at Prince Paku facing the emperor, Charter and I were thinking the same thing.

 

The emperor introduced Prince Paku after having him come up.

 

“Welcome Prince Paku, who led the envoys to establish friendly relations with the Harpion Empire.”

 

Prince Paku nodded briefly and went down. When the emperor gestured toward the musicians, the musicians began to play, and the banquet began in earnest. After the banquet started, the second prince approached Charter and me as if he had been waiting.

 

“Charter, please introduce us.”

 

Charter introduced me with an indifferent face to the second prince, who was smiling,

 

“Arianne, this is Luiden Sederian Harpion, the second prince. Your Highness, this is Arianne Bornes, my fiancée.”

 

It was an introduction that felt a bit stiff.

 

Are they really close?

 

To the extent that I was questioning if they were really close or not.

 

“Lady Arianne, how did you manage to decide to marry this kind of guy?”

 

“Yes, I sacrificed a little.”

 

“Hmm? Ahahaha! Oh my. You’re truly extraordinary. So this friend—”

 

Luiden cut back his words after receiving Charter’s cold eyes.

 

I was puzzled when I saw the second prince praising me with a smile on his face.

 

He must know that we’re getting married by contract… No way. Could it be that Charter hasn’t told him yet?

 

Charter’s POV

Arianne, who didn’t know the characteristics of Harpion’s imperial family were brazen, had a valid misunderstanding.

 

‘Here we go again.’

 

Charter was tired of Luiden. Although they were close friends who had been together for over ten years, he always got tired whenever they met because of their different personalities.

 

Luiden, who saw Charter’s frown, turned his words around.

 

“I can guarantee this friend’s personality. Hopefully, you won’t turn your backs on each other.”

 

Luiden’s eyes looking at Arianne have changed quite a bit from before. Arianne was offended for a moment by the coldness in his eyes, as if she didn’t do well or she didn’t look good. She knew what the second he meant.

 

“Of course. It won’t happen if you keep what you have to keep.”

 

Just take care of yourself.

 

“I’ll be away for a moment.”

 

Charter, who read Arianne’s unpleasant expression, took Luiden to the corner.

 

“What’s wrong with you? It’s not like I said something I couldn’t say,” said Luiden, dissatisfied.

 

“I know what you’re worried about. But she’s my fiancée for now. I want you to be polite.”

 

Luiden’s POV

Luiden looked dumbfounded at Charter’s firm words.

 

“Even if you fall for it, you must not fall firmly. Think of the great cause.”

 

Luiden shook his head and got away. He couldn’t understand why Charter became like that as he didn’t understand about love or women yet.

 

‘They said thieves who learn thievery late do not realize sunrises. It seemed he who realized about women belatedly, made him lose himself.’

TL/N: It means you’re not interested in any hobbies or interests, then you become addicted to them later when you start doing them.

 

Please don’t betray my faith.

 

* * *

Arianne’s POV

I was left alone and looked around the venue and read the awkward atmosphere. Looking at the party of Prince Paku, who occupied one side of the venue, the envoys looked like nobles. Most of the nobles showed signs of displeasure. Except for the experienced middle-aged nobles, the young nobles showed hostility.

 

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They’re incompetent people who can’t control their emotions.

 

No matter how barbaric they were, they were the emperor’s guests invited by the emperor himself as VIP guests. But nobles seem to be openly expressing their displeasure…

 

The future of the Harpion Empire is bleak.

 

Well… it’s none of my business.

 

After all, I was planning to leave the empire with the alimony. It didn’t matter if this empire was destroyed by itself or invaded. If this empire has a conscience, it surely shouldn’t expect patriotism from me.

 

The atmosphere here was cold. How about that side? Looking away, Madam Kaien was talking to her acquaintances, and nothing seemed to happen. Looking around again, there was no one I knew. No, there was one person.

 

Lady Sosime?

 

It was her, seeing from her stooped back, absent-minded with brown hair. She was hovering around a group of women. Maybe she was hovering around because she couldn’t fit in? I didn’t have anything to do anyway, so I walked toward her.

 

“Oh my gosh. Why are those barbarians coming here?”

 

“They’re barbarian, but they’re really handsome, right? Look at those tall, muscular bodies, distinct features, and those beastly eyes. How could—”

 

The woman who looked at the enchanted woman, said, “It’s because they’re beasts.”

 

The enchanted woman, who noticed the tone of her words, hurriedly changed her attitude and said, “That’s right! They even have a custom for kidnapping a woman and forcing her to get married, right?”

 

“Because they’re like that! To hold a banquet for those barbarians? What was His Majesty thinking…”

 

At that time, Sosime spoke quietly, almost audible.

 

“No matter what… isn’t that rude thing to say to distinguished guests of the empire…”

 

The woman who managed to understand her words glared at Sosime and said, “What? Lady Sosime! Are you lecturing me now?”

 

Sosisme’s shoulder, which was already bent, bent further inward at the woman’s rebuke.

 

“No… It’s not that…”

 

Her crawling voice and shrinking shoulders made them want to bother her more.

 

“If not, what is it? No way! Did you have a crush on that barbarian?”

 

“What? N-no!”

 

Seeing Sosime’s bewildered appearance, the woman raised her eyebrows, covered her mouth with the fan, and began taunting her.

 

“I thought you were calm, but I guess that’s your preference?”

 

A hand came up to Sosime’s shoulder, who was shaking without being able to refute it.

 

“Oh my, Lady Sosime. I meet you again. What were you doing here without even coming to see me?”

 

I straightened Sosime’s heavily bent shoulder and stretched my hand over her arm. Then I patted her hand to reassure her not to forget to smile at the woman.

 

Other’s POV

There was no one at the banquet today who didn’t know Arianne. The woman in front of Arianne also knew that she would be the one who would become the Duchess in the future. It was a golden opportunity for them to look good in front of Arianne.

 

It bothered the woman that Arianne crossed her arms with Sosime, but she had never heard that Sosime had a friend.

 

“Nice to meet you, Lady Arianne. My name is Namie, the eldest daughter of Count Jebron.”

 

“It’s an honor. My name is Amina, the second daughter of Viscount Tarahe.”

 

Namie stabbed Amina in the side with her elbow as if she didn’t like her friend, who was being too low-key.

 

“Looks like you’re talking about something interesting. Can you count me in?”

 

Namie welcomed Arianne’s words.

 

“Yes. Well, we were talking about those barbarians, but Lady Sosisme sided with those barbarians.”

 

“Oh, did she?”

 

Namie, who interpreted Arianne’s words as a positive meaning, said in an even more excited voice.

 

“How can she defend those barbarians as a Harpion people? I was thinking maybe it’s because that prince is Lady Sosime’s taste.”

 

“I see. Lady Sosime, is it true that you defended Prince Kelteman?”

 

At Arianne’s question, Sosime startled and spoke in a crawling voice.

 

“It’s not like that… they came as honored guests of the empire, but I thought they shouldn’t speak carelessly about them…”

 

Arianne’s POV

How could such a timid woman make such a claim…Sosime might be a stronger person than I thought.

 

I was just trying to pay off my previous debt… but I felt better because she seemed to be a better person than I thought. Then it was time to pay off my debt properly.

 

I talked in a subdued voice, “Lady Namie, Lady Amina. We are here at the invitation of His Majesty the Emperor. You probably don’t know that today is the banquet for His Majesty’s distinguished guests, right?”

 

From my tone, Namie and Amina began to sense something was wrong.

 

“Then, what do you mean by saying something insulting to the distinguished guests of His Majesty the Emperor? Do you know that this is tantamount to insulting His Majesty the Emperor?”

 

The two women’s faces became pale at my words.

 

“No! Lady Arianne, that’s now what we meant. Honestly, they’re distinguished guests, but it was true that they were barbaric, right?”

 

I sighed inside.

 

These women seemed to have no idea how powerful the barbarians we were talking about were and how much they threatened our empire. That must be why she was saying such nonsense.

 

“Be careful with your words. What do you mean by barbarians? The Keleteman Empire’s power is equal to our empire. Do you know that your words are a serious matter that may cause rifts between the two empires?”

 

Rather, I should tell them that Kelteman Empire might be stronger than our empire…

 

But it could lead me into treason if I said it hastily with my mouth.

 

“Yes? T-That…”

 

Namie was contemplating my words. Her face, which had been contemplating, hardened as if she had seen a messenger of death then she hurriedly tried to leave her place.

 

Huh? What’s wrong with her?

 

“Oh my. I didn’t know Lady would have such an opinion. There must have been someone in the Harpion Empire who still had that idea.”

 

When did he come all the way here? I’m in trouble.

 

After biting my lips and managing my expression, I looked behind me. There stood Prince Paku, who was smiling at me with interest. 

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