After running for about two hours, the carriage arrived at the main gate of the Knight Academy.
Since they had to enter on foot from the gate, Cedric got out of the carriage, took a deep breath, and then walked through the main gate of the Knight Academy.
From her bedroom, Liliana watched Cedric enter the Knight Academy through a crow.
Built in Gothic style, the Knight Academy was grand and full of masculine vigor.
Liliana watched Cedric take the exam.
The test consisted of three stages in total: the first was basic skills, the second was sparring, and the third was the interview.
“The level is a bit lower than I expected.”
Liliana had trained Cedric while setting a high standard for him.
Perhaps because of that, Cedric was being evaluated as one of the most outstanding candidates among the examinees.
Moreover, one of the professors even praised him as a genius.
“A genius? Anyone hearing that would scoff.”
Cedric wasn’t lacking in talent, but he wasn’t a genius.
Looking closely at the professor’s face, he looked exactly like a typical flatterer.
“He has something to hide.”
Knowing that Cedric was the heir of House Dayan, the man was clearly spouting empty praise.
“The Knight Academy isn’t what it used to be.”
When had the Knight Academy, which used to select only capable people with integrity and train them, become a place that employed flatterers as professors? It was truly suspicious.
Fortunately, Cedric passed all the exams with excellent results.
“Hah, first place?”
The professors had unanimously given him the top position.
Cedric, having become the top candidate, looked as if he couldn’t believe it himself.
With no need to watch further, Liliana cut off the connection with the crow and waited for him to return.
Cedric didn’t return until late at night. Holding his acceptance notice, he came to Liliana’s bedroom and asked,
“Sister, what kind of magic did you use?”
“Magic?”
“Otherwise, how could I possibly end up first place?”
“It must be because your skills were excellent.”
Cedric shook his head.
“But I always end up getting beaten by you.”
“But after getting beaten by me, your skills improved too.”
“That is true.”
Liliana ruffled his hair.
“Well done.”
Cedric looked at her with a dazed expression.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because you are so amazing, Sister.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, how can you be so strong? We are only three years apart.”
At those words, Liliana chuckled.
“Even if I explained it, you wouldn’t understand. So for now, just enjoy the happiness of passing the exam.”
“Right, I passed.”
Cedric kissed the acceptance notice and smiled brightly.
“Cedric, you passed?”
Having heard the news, Duke Dayan came to Liliana’s bedroom.
“Father!”
Cedric happily showed the acceptance notice to Duke Dayan.
“First place?”
“Yes, I got first place!”
“Well done, my son.”
Duke Dayan pulled Cedric into a tight embrace.
“Ghk, Father, I cannot breathe.”
“Ah, I see. I must have used too much strength.”
After letting Cedric go, Duke Dayan fell into serious thought.
“We must hold a grand celebration.”
Entering the Knight Academy as the top student was truly an honorable achievement.
Liliana looked at Cedric with a satisfied expression.
She felt happy that Cedric’s dream had come one step closer.
‘This time, do everything you want to do. I will make it happen for you.’
Just as Cedric had protected her in the past, now it was her turn to protect him.
***
Thanks to the devoted care of Baron Lindel, Elisha recovered much faster than expected.
Baron Lindel, upon hearing that his only daughter had been brutally whipped, grabbed Elisha and shed tears.
Elisha, who couldn’t explain the detailed circumstances, embellished the situation in a way favorable to herself and conveyed it to Baron Lindel.
Thanks to that, she was happy that she could freely enjoy the shopping she had wanted to do.
As she basked in the pleasure of being surrounded by pretty dresses and accessories, she was able to quickly forget the terrible incident that had happened in the Imperial Palace.
“As expected, shopping is the best way to change one’s mood. Shall we go somewhere else today?”
After dressing herself up with the newly bought dress and accessories, Elisha set out to shop once again.
When she visited Madam Genoa’s dress shop, her eyes were captivated by a red dress.
The layered skirt, built with tier upon tier of fabric, and the ruby decorations emphasizing the waistline ran diagonally up toward the chest, glittering brilliantly.
As if enchanted, Elisha approached the red dress.
“It’s so beautiful.”
However, she had to step back without even touching the dress. Madam Genoa had blocked her path.
“I am sorry, young lady. This dress already has an owner.”
“Is it reserved?”
“Yes, it is a dress that has been reserved for two months.”
“I’ll pay double. Sell it to me.”
Madam Genoa shook her head.
“Triple.”
“I am still afraid that will not be possible.”
“Whose is it that you’re being so expensive about?”
“It is the dress that Lady Liliana of House Dayan will wear as an evening dress on the day of her engagement ceremony.”
At the name that came out of Madam Genoa’s mouth, Elisha tightly clenched the hem of her skirt.
With her mood ruined, Elisha left the shop, bought a dress at another store, and then got into her carriage.
At that moment, the communication orb glimmered. It was a contact from Mikael.
With a displeased expression, Elisha activated the communication orb.
“What is it?”
Her tone as she spoke wasn’t polite.
— I heard you were recuperating.
“Yes, that is right.”
— Let’s meet. I’m in District J right now.
“Alright.”
When she used to ask to meet, he would never agree to it, so she had no idea what wind had blown for him to suddenly want to meet now.
Elisha rode her carriage to District J and secretly met Mikael.
Sitting across from him with the table between them, Elisha felt that Mikael’s atmosphere was very different from before.
“Elisha, today will be our last meeting.”
At that moment, her shoulders flinched.
“What do you mean by that?”
“It means exactly what it sounds like. This is the end for you and me.”
Elisha stared at Mikael with a dumbfounded expression.
“Are you serious?”
“I’m serious. From now on, I will focus only on Lady Liliana.”
It was absurd.
“Lily is Prince Estevan’s fiancee.”
“They are not engaged yet. That means I still have a chance.”
She had no idea where that confidence was coming from.
Elisha tightly bit her lip.
“Then why did you ask to meet me?”
“Because I wanted to know the truth.”
“The truth?”
“Was it really you who intoxicated me with the scent of the Fiora flower?”
Elisha became angry.
She had done exactly as Mikael told her to. And yet what returned to her was a cold notice of separation.
“I only did what Your Highness told me to do! Then how can you suspect me?!”
Mikael furrowed his brow.
“It doesn’t make sense. After spraying the Fiora flower perfume, did you clean up properly? Or did you not?”
“I did! The clothes I wore when I met Prince Estevan were taken off and thrown away as soon as I returned, and I bathed thoroughly! There was nothing that could have intoxicated you!”
“Really?”
“It’s true! Why won’t you believe me?”
She was so angry that tears came out.
From Elisha’s blue eyes, tears like chicken droppings fell one after another.
Seeing that sight, Mikael’s lips stiffened.
“I will be leaving now.”
After wiping her tears, Elisha turned around and walked out. Mikael couldn’t stop her.
He could only clench his fist tightly.
A crow sitting by the window watched the scene, then disappeared.
***
The day of the engagement ceremony arrived.
The engagement ceremony was to be held in the Grand Banquet Hall of the Imperial Palace. Because of that, Liliana had to start moving from dawn. It took quite a long time to put on the ceremonial dress and prepare her adornments.
Sitting in front of the dressing table, Liliana’s preparations were diligently helped by Jennifer, Daisy, and Anna.
Elisha should have come to help as well, but since she was recuperating, they left her alone.
As a result of secretly attaching a crow to monitor her, it turned out that even while recuperating, Elisha was enjoying shopping and draining Baron Lindel’s wallet.
It was also confirmed that she had been firmly dumped by Mikael.
For now, it seemed she was holed up in the mansion and not going out at all.
The preparations that had started at dawn only finished at 11 in the morning.
It had truly been a long, long preparation.
The dress was a pale beige color, with silver thread embroidery on the skirt, and diamonds set in a zigzag pattern running all the way to the hem.
The waistline was wrapped with a golden band and decorated with amber.
The upper part was daringly cut open from the neck to the shoulders. Instead, she wore the necklace Estevan had given her as a betrothal gift around her neck as a highlight.
Her hair was swept up, and adorned with amethysts resembling Liliana’s eyes, making her truly a splendid beauty.
Seeing that sight, Jennifer, Daisy, and Anna even clapped their hands.
“You are so beautiful.”
“It is truly the best.”
Daisy praised her, Jennifer gave a thumbs-up, and Anna wiped away tears.
Liliana smiled awkwardly in embarrassment.
At that moment, the door opened and Duke Dayan entered.
