chapter 7
“…Could it be that my brother called Celestine because of something related to me?”
“Hm?”
“So… you came out reluctantly?”
Ah, so that’s why.
Celestine looked at Asha silently for a moment, then spoke slowly.
“It’s true that I was called regarding Your Highness the Princess. To be exact, I was asked to keep her company, and I said I would.”
Asha’s face darkened. She couldn’t even meet Celestine’s eyes, moving her lips in a tiny, mosquito-like voice.
“I’m sorry for making you… do something you didn’t want to…”
“Hm?”
“Not only have I been indebted to you before, but now I’ve taken up your time too…”
Seeing Asha looking helpless and apologetic stirred a pang of sympathy in Celestine.
Asha—timid and introverted. Inside the palace, and even outside, except for Dravaltin, she had no close friends. She had always been alone.
Kind, gentle, and sweet by nature… yet lonely and isolated all the same.
“I’m really sorry, Cel…”
“No. I accepted the offer because I wanted to get closer to Your Highness the Princess.”
“Hm…?”
Asha stared at Celestine with disbelief.
“I’m the kind of person who won’t do anything I dislike unless forced at swordpoint.”
That was true, as long as it wasn’t something she was compelled to do.
“I said I’d do it because I wanted to. So please don’t apologize. It just makes me feel bad.”
“Celestine…”
“Or do you think I’m not enough just as company? I thought Your Highness wouldn’t dislike me either.”
“No, no! That’s not it!”
Flustered, Asha waved her hands.
“I was just so happy. I wanted to… but I worried that your feelings might be different…”
“Well then, Princess, you don’t need to worry about anything anymore.”
Celestine smiled intentionally.
“I’m really glad too. To be able to keep Your Highness company. From now on, I’ll visit your chambers at least once a day—so don’t kick me out.”
Her words were playful, but Asha’s expression shifted subtly.
She stayed silent for a moment, then, gathering great courage, clenched her fists tightly and faced Celestine.
“C-companion aside… can we… be friends?”
“….”
“I thought ‘friends’ sounds better than ‘companion’…”
“Alright.”
Celestine took Asha’s hands firmly.
“From today, we’re friends.”
Asha’s face turned even redder than before, like a perfectly ripe strawberry.
“Celestine… you’re even… better than I imagined.”
Asha’s innocent whisper left Celestine unsure how to respond.
“Excuse me, Princess, but Crown Prince is waiting.”
The conversation was interrupted by Asha’s maid, who had been waiting behind.
“Oh, I was actually on my way to see my brother.”
Asha gave Celestine an apologetic look, and Celestine shrugged as if to say it was fine.
“Go on. We’ll meet again soon anyway, so for now, I’ll let you go to the Crown Prince.”
Asha smiled shyly, and Celestine returned the smile.
“Then I’ll see you again soon, Celestine.”
“Yes.”
Celestine waved, and Asha timidly waved back.
Then Asha turned and started walking toward the reception room where Dravaltin was waiting.
“….”
Once her back was turned, Asha’s expression was one Celestine had never seen before—cold, sharp, almost chilling.
Even more so than Dravaltin.
But unfortunately, there was no way Celestine could know that.
The sunlight was bright.
Without noticing it decaying.
“….”
Celestine walked away from the Crown Prince’s palace, her face gloomy like a rainy season.
‘Anyway, there’s still time… I’ll think things over somewhere out of sight…’
The plan needed to change. Since she couldn’t give Dravaltin any information, she had to change the target.
Extra Second Prince.
‘What can I do to keep him from showing up at the banquet?’
Celestine pondered while walking.
“Miss!”
Near the palace entrance, a familiar voice shouted her name.
“…Huh? Melsi?”
It was Melsi, a maid from the Winsel household, who always looked after Celestine.
But why was she here?
“My mistress sent me.”
As if anticipating Celestine’s confusion, Melsi approached her and explained,
“She said… since you might run off like last time, I should watch you closely.”
This damn old lady. Never helpful, only suspicious.
Celestine felt slightly annoyed, but Melsi hadn’t done anything wrong. She was just following orders.
“Luckily, the Crown Prince allowed the maids to accompany me here. I didn’t expect to come to a place like this…”
Melsi’s eyes shone like jewels as she looked around the grand palace, even compared to other empires.
Celestine hesitated, then carefully asked,
“Melsi, do you know anything about the princes?”
“Hm? The princes?”
“Yes. Since they’ll all attend the banquet, I should at least know their names.”
A reasonable question. But the mistress who liked to take the lead, who was so curious about the royal family, didn’t even know the princes’ names?
Melsi tilted her head but answered diligently.
“As far as I know… including Crown Prince Dravaltin, there are seven princes. Or, there were.”
“Mm. And?”
“The youngest prince passed away last year from illness, so there are only six now.”
The youngest prince, barely eight years old, had been doted on by the emperor. Hella had quietly poisoned him to remove future threats.
Yes, that matched what Celestine knew.
“The sixth prince is traveling but will return today, and the third prince is studying abroad, so he won’t attend. The first prince became a priest and left Jesua long ago.”
In the original story, these extra princes were only briefly mentioned.
They weren’t the priority now. Celestine, pressed for time, asked urgently,
“And the second prince?”
“He will attend the banquet, of course. I hear he doesn’t get along well with the Crown Prince because he envies him, but… I guess family is family.”
Melsi whispered softly, lowering her voice.
No, Melsi. He’s not attending because he considers family family—he’s coming to take down Dravaltin…
“And his name?”
“George.”
A name closely tied to her future tasks.
“But didn’t you dislike Prince George? You wouldn’t have even attended if he were present.”
Then George wouldn’t recognize her face either. Good news.
“That’s right. I saw him on my way here. Though briefly, I think I saw him at the founding ceremony, so it should be him.”
“Really? Where?”
Celestine’s face lit up.
“Right in front of the palace… carriage… uh… there he is.”
When she turned her head, she saw George walking ahead with his guards.
As expected from his role as an extra prince, he had a typical, unremarkable face—exaggeratedly hooked nose, sharp, snake-like eyes…
Simply, unattractive.
Very unattractive.
‘I have to make sure he doesn’t get into the banquet.’
Panicked, Celestine turned to Melsi.
“Melsi, do you… happen to have any sort of laxative…?”
“Huh?”
Of course not.
“Then maybe some extremely strong poison-level alcohol…?”
Nope.
‘What now… approach him?’
“Oh, right. Also, Prince George has a bit of a scandal. Apparently, he’s… quite interested in women.”
Melsi whispered to her.
“But he’s… not very successful with them, as you can see…”
Interested in women?
Then should I go now?
As Celestine hesitated, George glanced directly at her.
‘W-why is he looking?’
It could be good that he noticed her…
‘Ah, damn it… whatever, all or nothing now.’
Celestine steadied herself, looked George squarely in the eye, and spoke slowly, lips parting…
Smiling brightly like an angel.
