Chapter 44
“How is it? Delicious, right? Yes?”
“……”
“You can taste it because I fed you myself, right? Could you please leave me a tasting review?”
“Sigh… master.”
“Yes?”
“Just eat the meat you want to eat…”
Blake gave me a look that mixed disbelief with pity.
But I shook my head firmly.
No — I was actually a little emotional.
This damned husband of mine, not only is he not helping, he’s mocking me!
“No! This is the first time I’ll be appearing officially as the crown princess. If I don’t want to look out of place next to Your Highness, I need to prepare as prettily as possible!”
“You look out of place next to me?”
Hmph. From that confused expression, it seems he doesn’t realize the devastating power of his own looks.
When he was still in his full form, there had been a refreshing, lively charm about him that somehow carried a subtle sensuality.
But now that he’s been revived — he’s become a dangerously decadent beauty.
When our eyes meet, my heart flutters like I’m staring at a noir film protagonist.
Not that Ariel was ugly or anything — it’s just that Blake’s presence was so commanding, so magnetic, that everyone else around him seemed plainer in comparison.
‘Oh my, His Highness the Crown Prince looks even more breathtaking today! He has such a thrilling aura… But who’s that pink pumpkin standing beside him?’
…You see my problem now?
Blake, noticing the small frown forming on my face, thought for a moment before speaking.
“It’s fine. You don’t look that different anyway.”
“Not that different? Are you saying it doesn’t matter how hard I try? You’re insulting me, aren’t you! How could you—”
Ugh, unbelievable!
Sure, to a man with that kind of face, pumpkins must all look the same!
“No, that’s not what I meant… I was complimenting you — that you don’t need to prepare so much.”
That startled look, those widened eyes, the lips parting and closing, the hands waving in a fluster — hmm.
It really did sound like he meant it as a compliment.
Well, since he’s got such a handsome face, I’ll let it slide this time.
I turned my head away in a huff and poked at my salad again.
Then, surprisingly — Blake spoke up first.
Considering how silent he’d been at our meals last week, this was nothing short of a miracle.
Watching him slowly open up, I couldn’t help but think — does he think he’s some kind of stray cat or something?
“So, have you decided what kind of dress you’ll wear to the ball?”
“Dress… Oh no!”
Now that he mentioned it — I’d been so focused on etiquette for the upcoming ball that I hadn’t even thought about my appearance!
Unbelievable.
I quickly went through Ariel’s wardrobe in my head.
Commoner background. Hasn’t appeared in public for a year. Attended only one ball — and that dress had been a gift from Ian, so it was discarded afterward.
…What a résumé.
Of course there wouldn’t be any dress fit for a crown princess at a royal ball!
“What should I do? Even if I call for someone today, can it be ready before the ball?”
Money wasn’t the issue — it was time.
“What’s the problem? You already have one.”
“I do? Me?”
“The one you were going to wear for the Golden Valley Festival. You matched it to my eye color, didn’t you?”
At that, I froze.
He knew?
He actually knew?
Embarrassment rushed in after the initial shock.
I had planned to subtly mention it at the ball — maybe hand him a brooch of the same color as a small hint.
I hadn’t expected him to notice first.
“There wasn’t any blood on it, was there? If it’s still clean, wear that one to the ball.”
The dress was indeed spotless.
But what was surprising wasn’t the condition of the dress — it was that Blake had asked me to wear it.
It strangely reminded me of when Bea once shyly asked me to wear a dress that matched his eye color…
I didn’t know why, but Blake seemed oddly tense as he made the request, his gaze locked on mine.
What was he nervous about?
Surely he wasn’t worried I might refuse — that would make no sense.
I found myself staring, almost entranced, before I finally nodded.
And at that, Blake’s eyes softened into a faint smile.
Not the mischievous grin from when he teased me,
not the forced one when he held back irritation,
nor the bright laughter when he found me funny —
This smile was unlike any of those.
It was calm, gentle — the kind of smile you’d want to keep in your memory forever, like a painting.
“Your Majesty the Empress.”
“Welcome, Ariel. You look much more lively than before — how nice.”
The moment I greeted the Empress, her words stung.
She didn’t even bother calling me “Crown Princess.” Just my name.
That was deliberate — a subtle act of belittlement.
And by calling me Ariel, not even Lady Ariel, she was emphasizing again that I was a commoner.
Saying I looked “lively” — that, too, was something she wouldn’t say to a noble lady like Scarlet.
If it were her, she’d say something like, “You’ve grown even more graceful,” or “You look radiant.”
But of course, I had expected as much.
So I just smiled sweetly and replied,
“Your Majesty looks even more dignified and majestic than before.”
“……!”
“I’ve been trying to emulate Your Majesty’s grace, but I still have a long way to go. Please, guide me well.”
“……I see.”
Why did she look so offended by a simple compliment, you ask?
Well, the Empress Lucia has a certain complex.
She’s often called “the lioness who even surpasses the Emperor.”
Now, from a modern Earth perspective, that might sound like a compliment — but not in this empire.
The Emperor was always wary of letting his Empress hold too much power.
The Empress’s position was one that constantly risked his suspicion.
And lately, after Prince Alec’s recent scandal, she must’ve been even more on edge — since she probably had to step in and clean up the mess herself, drawing the Emperor’s ire again.
That was exactly what the Crown Prince’s faction — Blake’s faction — used to attack her with.
“Empress Lucia will become His Majesty’s greatest enemy!”
With the support of her powerful family, the Bellitique Dukedom, and her son, the legitimate heir Alec,
Empress Lucia was in a position to overthrow the Emperor himself — at least politically.
Too much power had become her greatest weakness.
Ah, politics. What a tangled web.
So calling her “majestic” or “dignified” — words befitting the Emperor, not the Empress — was essentially a subtle jab.
Of course, the Empress had no idea I’d done it on purpose.
She probably thought I was just an uneducated commoner who didn’t know better.
To her, I wasn’t even worth tripping over yet.
“Well then, since this ball was arranged so suddenly, we’ll have much to prepare. Ariel, I trust you’ll assist me?”
“It would be my honor, Your Majesty.”
The Empress led me through the palace garden connected to her quarters, heading toward the banquet hall that would serve as the ballroom.
Though called a banquet hall, it was rarely used — only the Emperor, Empress, and their son Alec would dine there.
And according to the original novel, the Emperor and Empress weren’t exactly on friendly terms — so they hardly ever shared meals.
Judging by the dust-covered furniture and neglected décor, it looked more like… a storage room.
“You there! Move faster! Who put this candlestick here?”
“Lady Bell must’ve confused the red ornamental ones.”
“Can’t you see the dust on it? Take it back where it belongs—oh! Your Majesty the Empress!”
A woman who seemed to be the head maid hurriedly rushed over, bowing deeply.
She didn’t even glance at me, completely ignoring my presence as she reported to the Empress.
“Your Majesty, we’ve been following your instructions faithfully. However, most of the decorations were used for the Golden Valley Festival, so it’s difficult to separate and store them properly.”
“I see. So there’s not enough storage space?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Most of the items are quite valuable, so moving them to the general storage would be…”
At that, the Empress smiled — softly, graciously — but her eyes gleamed with sharp intent.
“Oh dear, what a predicament. Ah, I know — Ariel, how about this? Would it be alright to keep the decorations in the Crown Princess’s palace for a while?”
Hmm…
Looks like this is the first trap she’s prepared for me.
Because, you see — the Crown Princess’s palace doesn’t have a storage room!
