Chapter 66
Late March, when the sky was blue and flowers were in full bloom.
The palace held the second crown princess selection banquet. Of course, they couldn’t openly call it a selection banquet, so nominally it was a “flower viewing banquet.”
Once again, I had to start polishing and preparing myself from dawn.
Since I planned to roam in beast form, I was also meticulously groomed as a dog.
The people helping with my styling seemed unusually happy, which was strange. In any case, it was exhausting for me.
I hesitated and asked if I had to go through this every time I attended a palace event. They confirmed it.
That was another reason I didn’t want to go to the palace.
Because today’s flower viewing banquet was also a formal event in its own right, I wore my black silk outfit again. My hair was twisted up neatly to keep my neck cool, decorated with fresh flowers.
For outdoor palace events, it was proper etiquette to avoid overly sparkling accessories. Apparently, reflecting sunlight into the eyes of the royals was considered rude.
“This looks good on you too.”
My fiancé was delighted.
When I mentioned that I would wear fresh flowers in my hair, he had personally used magic to make the flowers bloom and arranged them happily around my head.
Soon, my hair was adorned with colorful flowers. The way it looked balanced and not excessive was astonishing.
I glanced at Hwilok.
My fiancé, wearing white, looked stunning today as well.
If dazzling brightness were considered rude, Hwilok would be the ultimate offense. I grabbed his cheeks, his hair fully twisted up, and placed a crown on his head.
Brother Zion had left yesterday, and the people helping with my styling were gone.
No one could interrupt us.
“You know what to do, right?”
At my question, Hwilok blinked, then smiled leisurely.
And then transformed into a tiger.
Today, I pressed kisses all over my tiger’s shiny white face.
If Brother Zion had seen this, he would have pressed his forehead in disbelief, but I had plenty to say myself.
I hadn’t done this in human form!
This is a perfectly wholesome kiss! I would have argued.
The flower viewing banquet was held in the eastern garden of the palace.
Upon arrival, I was impressed.
Flowers everywhere.
The weather was clear, and the blossoms were in full bloom—it was breathtaking.
Sniff.
Arriving early had its benefits. There weren’t many people, and being outdoors meant the smell was still manageable.
A wide section of the garden had a canopy set up.
It looked like a resting area in case the sun became too harsh.
Near the dock was a pavilion where the Emperor and Crown Prince were chatting.
“It’s blinding when they’re together.”
“Do you feel the same?”
Whispered remarks.
The Emperor, with her elaborately styled blue hair adorned with peonies, and the Crown Prince, with his neatly combed hair, looked like mirror images of each other, making their beauty even more striking.
That pale face—features sculpted as if carved from marble—captured the eye more than any flower.
“That young lady over there is the direct granddaughter of the current head of the Hong family.”
“She doesn’t look like it at all.”
“Good thing she doesn’t.”
“Hmph.”
Occasionally, glances drifted in our direction.
“She’s elegant and pretty. She resembles the late head of the Hong family’s husband.”
“I remember. The second son of the current head resembled him so much that everyone tried to arrange a marriage with him but failed. I hear he married a very distinguished Lang noble instead.”
“So our family waited for that second son’s child to be born before proposing.”
“And failed, didn’t they?”
“Hearing that he married into the Baek family, no regrets remained. Ha ha ha.”
Surprisingly, more elderly people seemed interested in us. They were all people who remembered my grandparents or father.
“Such a shame for Sobak Mountain.”
“Who could have expected such a proper child to be born beneath Baek Mountain?”
Oddly, these elders were reflecting on past mistakes, thinking they should have acted faster to arrange marriages.
Meanwhile, the younger generation was busy greeting officials and key figures from prestigious families.
I had to join them too.
Ugh.
As more people gathered, a rising stench made it hard to move. It felt like stepping into a muck field!
“You okay?”
“I’ll endure it.”
I took deep breaths. Fortunately—or unfortunately—the official ceremony began immediately.
The first event of the banquet was a special awards ceremony.
The star of the ceremony was, of course, the tiny and cute Baeksae bird.
“Jangwon, Hongram.”
Chirp!
At the Emperor’s call, the tiny bird—a bit smaller than a fist—hurriedly appeared. Being outdoors, it seemed to have taken beast form, making it hard to see.
Ahem.
Apparently aware, it quickly transformed into human form.
Hongram looked even more dazzling than at previous banquets. Clearly, the Hong family recognized the importance of this event and supported it.
“How lovely.”
Dressed in red silk, with round auburn hair styled like little camellias, Hongram was adorable. People around were clearly charmed.
Soon after, Hongram received a scroll granting exemption from preliminary exams and ten gold ingots from the Emperor.
The bird immediately entrusted them to a palace maid, both protected by magic so nothing could be stolen, even briefly.
“Bang-an, Hongsuil.”
The grandson of the second-ranking elder of the Hong family stepped forward.
For a brief moment, I saw Hongsuil glare fiercely at Hongram.
Of course, our Baeksae remained unbothered.
Second place received five gold ingots without exam exemptions.
Third place received three gold ingots.
Because the exam had been difficult, the prizes were generous.
At this point, I had half-slid into Hwilok’s arms.
“You okay?”
Hiss… huff… huff…
Not okay.
Even cow dung would probably smell better. Outdoors was bearable; indoors, I would have plucked every feather off the Hong family elder and his grandson.
Especially that elder—why did his very presence make the stench attack my nose so sharply? I leaned my head against Hwilok’s chest and groaned.
Unfortunately, the banquet had just begun.
As soon as the awards were over, I had to dive into the crowd of those foul-smelling people.
I greeted the young ladies while walking, but the results were unsatisfactory.
If a young lady was acceptable, her family often wasn’t, and if her family was fine, the young lady might have a bad smell.
The former case dominated.
Thus, after filtering for both acceptable direct relatives and the candidates themselves, only two strong candidates remained, and none were simply acceptable.
Was this correct?
Would Hwilok’s future really be okay?
Seeing my trembling gaze, Hwilok hugged my shoulders in comfort.
Anyway, the remaining candidates, chosen by scent, were:
Hongram of the Hong family, the Baeksae.
Gongrihwa of the Gong family, the gray bear.
Both aged twelve and fourteen, the age gap with the long-lived Crown Prince was suitable.
Having narrowed it down, the final choice was up to the Crown Prince.
“Time to report the results, I suppose?”
The Crown Prince was in the pavilion far ahead. The distance was considerable.
Normally, I wouldn’t care, but after enduring the stench, my head throbbed.
“Your legs hurt?”
“Huh?”
“You don’t look well either.”
At that moment, Hwilok gently cupped my face with both hands.
“You said if it’s tough, you’d stay in my arms in beast form.”
His voice was tender enough to melt my ears, but it really meant, “Come hide in my cloak quickly.”
Those nearby probably thought it was a sweet lover’s whisper, and the young ladies nearby gasped.
“Please, at least maintain some dignity here…!”
And the smelly families corralled their young ladies. I lightly clicked my tongue and transformed into a dog. Hwilok cradled me and walked briskly across the banquet grounds.
Phew.
Now I could breathe, nose pressed against Hwilok’s chest.
We soon reached the pavilion. A single gesture from the Emperor dispersed the gathered people; only the four of us remained.
“Mang!”
Hello!
I sat politely in dog form and greeted.
“Long time no see.”
The Emperor smiled gently. Still graceful and beautiful.
My tail wagged naturally, making her smile deepen.
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince lit an incense burner in the center of the table, sending lightning-colored smoke that quickly enveloped the pavilion.
“It’s a magical device. From outside, they can only see us, not hear or read our lips.”
He said it was mainly used outdoors for important conversations.
Inside was a haven amidst the chaos. With the dragons and my fiancé’s scents, my nose cleared completely.
“Future sister-in-law, have you properly identified my bride candidates?”
“Mang mang!”
I nodded vigorously, looking at Hwilok as he pulled out a scroll with the names of the leading candidates.
I approached the scroll and tapped the names with my paw.
One was Hongram.
The other, Gongrihwa.
“And?”
“Hung.”
That’s it.
Everyone else had been eliminated; only these two remained.
“Oh.”
The Emperor looked slightly embarrassed by the unexpected situation, and the Crown Prince was no different.
Seeing only the final two out of fifty candidates, he could only chuckle.
“Finding a lifetime partner is truly difficult.”
“You could wait longer.”
“If we wait longer, the age gap will nearly reach twenty years.”
“Is that a problem?”
“I sound like such a thief…”
The Crown Prince suddenly closed his mouth tight. He probably recalled the age gap between his own parents.
“Yes.”
Though not apparent, the Emperor was much older than Baeksan.
“Your mother was quite the thief.”
Around twenty years older, perhaps.
