“Are you finished?”
“Yes, Father.”
When Liliana approached in her fully adorned appearance, Duke Dayan’s face turned serious.
“What is it, Father?”
“It’s such a waste to send you away like this.”
“What?”
“I don’t know whose daughter you are, but you are truly beautiful.”
“Oh, Father. Hurry up. We will be late.”
“Alright.”
Liliana linked arms with Duke Dayan and left the room. The three maids followed behind them.
As they went down the stairs, Cedric looked at Liliana with wide eyes.
“Wow, I can hardly recognize you, Sister.”
“That’s a compliment, right?”
“Of course it’s a compliment.”
“Let’s hurry.”
Liliana quickly got into the carriage, left the ducal estate, and headed toward the Grand Banquet Hall inside the Imperial Palace.
Right after arriving at the Grand Banquet Hall, Liliana waited in a waiting room together with the three maids.
Duke Dayan and Cedric entered first to greet the distinguished guests.
‘I really wanted to keep the engagement ceremony simple.’
But unexpectedly, things had grown much bigger. The Emperor had given Estevan an enormous budget and even provided the Grand Banquet Hall.
In a way, it seemed the Emperor wasn’t entirely without affection for Estevan after all.
***
Estevan also finished preparing for the engagement ceremony early in the morning and entered a waiting room.
“It seems the Young Lady has already arrived.”
“I see.”
With a tired face, Estevan sat down on the sofa.
Before the engagement ceremony, no one was allowed to enter the waiting room, so it was the only time he could rest.
After taking a short rest, Estevan stood up again.
“Are you going to see the Young Lady?”
“Yes.”
Leon nodded and stepped forward to open the door of the waiting room. But they ended up running into someone.
“Greetings to Your Highness Prince Mikael.”
When Leon bowed, Mikael frowned slightly and looked past Leon’s shoulder toward Estevan.
“Do you have a moment, Brother?”
“Of course. Come in.”
As Estevan turned back into the waiting room, Leon stepped aside.
Standing face to face with Estevan in the waiting room, Mikael slowly examined him from head to toe.
The white ceremonial suit looked very impressive. Originally, that suit should have been his.
“The engagement ceremony attire suits you well, Brother.”
“Thanks for the compliment. So, what’s your business?”
“I wanted to say that this is as far as it goes.”
“As far as it goes…”
Estevan looked at him. Mikael had the expression of someone who had no intention of giving up like this.
“Please enjoy the engagement ceremony to your heart’s content. Later, it will be me standing at the wedding ceremony.”
“It seems you came to declare war.”
“Yes, that is right.”
“I will say something as well.”
Estevan stepped closer to Mikael and whispered into his ear.
“Don’t go around meeting this woman and that woman so much. A playboy has no charm.”
Mikael’s eyes widened like lanterns.
“What do you mean?”
Estevan chuckled and patted Mikael on the shoulder.
“Think about it after you return. Now, will you leave? It will soon be time for me to enter.”
Mikael turned around with a stiff expression.
As he came out of the waiting room, he stared intently at the door.
‘Could it be that he knows?’
The thought occurred to him that Estevan might know that he had been meeting another woman until recently.
‘How?’
Mikael gritted his teeth.
‘That sly bastard.’
He was an opponent who should never be taken lightly.
‘Enjoy the present moment to your heart’s content.’
Having firmly made up his mind, Mikael started walking.
At that moment, the door of the waiting room on the opposite side opened, and a dazzlingly beautiful woman walked out.
The red-haired woman in a beige dress was breathtakingly beautiful.
Even from afar, it was easy to recognize who she was.
‘Lady Liliana…’
Mikael couldn’t take his eyes off her. At that moment, Liliana’s eyes met his.
She looked at him with a fresh smile, then quickly withdrew her gaze.
Then she entered the Grand Banquet Hall, escorted by Estevan, who had approached her.
Mikael’s two tightly clenched fists trembled.
It was deeply regrettable that she had been taken from him.
But the feeling of defeat was only for now. He didn’t want to feel such defeat ever again.
‘Just wait.’
He would definitely make her his.
***
Estevan stared blankly at Liliana standing at the entrance of the Grand Banquet Hall.
He knew she was beautiful, but now that she was dressed up like this, she was dazzlingly beautiful.
“Your Highness?”
When Liliana grabbed Estevan’s sleeve, he finally came back to his senses.
“Let us go.”
“Yes.”
She took the hand he offered and entered the Grand Banquet Hall.
At the appearance of the two of them, the nobles who had been laughing and chatting suddenly fell silent.
The two walked side by side through the nobles who parted like waves.
It was the beginning of the engagement ceremony.
After the two entered, the Emperor entered. The engagement ceremony was conducted under the Emperor’s supervision.
The ceremony ended with the exchange of engagement gifts and the blessing of the priest.
“Please take good care of the lacking Estevan, Princess Consort.”
“I will serve His Highness with all my heart, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor nodded with a pleased expression.
“Estevan, you must also cherish your fiancee.”
“Of course.”
After that, Liliana and Estevan listened to a few more words of goodwill from the Emperor before they were finally released.
When the Emperor left his seat, the nobles approached the two of them to offer their greetings.
The first person to approach was Duke Dayan.
“Your Highness, please take good care of Her Highness the Princess Consort.”
“Do not worry, Duke.”
“Sister, I can come visit sometimes, right?”
Liliana asked Estevan for permission. Estevan nodded.
“You can come visit, Cedric. His Highness has given permission.”
Cedric lowered his head and expressed his thanks to Estevan.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
At that moment, Duke Dayan took Liliana’s hand.
“Your Highness the Princess Consort, from now on you will be staying in the Imperial Palace. Please make sure to eat well and take care of your health.”
Hearing her father speak to her formally felt unfamiliar to Liliana.
“I will be fine, so please do not worry, Father. I will come visit you sometimes.”
After the engagement ceremony was finished, Liliana and Estevan were left alone.
“Shall we take a walk for a moment?”
When Estevan held out his hand, Liliana smiled and took it.
The two walked through the garden in front of the Grand Banquet Hall. Since it was spring, the garden was filled with blooming flowers.
Liliana looked at the flower petals covered in dew and smiled.
“They are truly beautiful.”
“They should be. The garden built in front of the Grand Banquet Hall was created with great effort by the First Emperor. The land where the flowers bloom carries the blessing of magic bestowed by the First Emperor.”
“I have heard about that too. That is why this place always has beautiful flowers blooming in every season.”
Estevan gazed at Liliana’s face as she admired the garden with a bright expression.
At this moment, she was as beautiful as a star shining in the night sky. Enchanted by that beauty, Estevan spoke without thinking.
“Today, you were more beautiful.”
“Pardon?”
Liliana was somewhat surprised by his sudden compliment.
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“It was not a compliment. I only spoke the truth.”
She looked at him. His red eyes were shining.
Liliana couldn’t take her eyes off his face.
“I do not know where to place myself.”
“Please take good care of me from now on, Princess Consort.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Afterward, Estevan told her about Mikael coming to see him.
“It seems that fellow intends to deliberately seduce you.”
“I see.”
“You should be careful.”
“I will.”
“From today, you will be staying in the detached Palace.”
“Yes.”
“I will escort you there.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Estevan held Liliana’s hand as they walked.
“We have to do this so people know we are truly engaged. Do not misunderstand.”
He didn’t forget to add an excuse.
Liliana found him cute like that.
The entire time they walked while holding hands, the two of them said nothing. Liliana didn’t dislike the warmth of the hand Estevan was holding.
‘It’s warm.’
It was a pleasant warmth, and she wanted to keep holding it. But unfortunately she couldn’t.
Because they had arrived at the detached Palace.
“Rest well.”
“I hope Your Highness also has a peaceful night.”
Liliana watched Estevan as he walked away.
Even his back looked very impressive.
***
News of Liliana’s engagement became a hot topic day after day.
The dresses and accessories Liliana wore at the engagement ceremony became the most desired items among the young ladies and noblewomen of high society.
That was because Liliana had been dazzlingly beautiful.
Naturally, the dress shop that made the dresses worn by the beautiful future Princess Consort was flooded with orders every day and was bustling with business, and the accessories Estevan had gifted also caused a sensation.
Elisha gritted her teeth as she looked at the large photograph of Liliana and Estevan printed in the newspaper.
Coming out to eat dessert to lift her mood had been a mistake. If she had known she would end up seeing this kind of news sheet, she wouldn’t have come.
“Why, why is it always Liliana who gets everything precious and good?!”
Simply because she was born noble, Liliana wore only precious things and had even become the Princess Consort.
But she couldn’t give up like this.
“If you thought I would back down like this, you are mistaken.”
