Chapter 5
It Must Have Been Bewilderment
It was the day Duke Cedric Dayerton arrived in the kingdom. Shade and I stood before the Central Layla Palace to receive him.
By customary etiquette, the crown prince and princess did not need to personally welcome a duke. But Shade came because this duke would be responsible for guarding me.
Rachel was with us too, her face expressionless.
A carriage approached from the distance. Although it bore no family crest, it was immediately clear that it was not from the Kingdom of Loundra. Unlike the ornate royal carriages of Loundra, this one had almost no decoration.
Clack.
A light sound as the carriage door opened. A knight who had been sitting up front beside the coachman stepped down and opened the door.
The first thing I saw was hair the deep color of the night sky. Then a pair of long legs, then graceful fingers resting on the knight’s arm as he stepped down. And then our eyes met—cherry-colored eyes.
“Ah?”
I made a small sound, and Shade turned slightly to look at me.
“No, it’s nothing, brother.”
His clear, striking eyes were beautiful—like perfectly ripe cherries. But before I could appreciate their beauty, I felt—
Déjà vu.
I gazed at the foreign duke’s eyes as if drawn to them. Strangely, they didn’t feel unfamiliar.
When I looked at his face again, I understood my own reaction.
It wasn’t déjà vu. It was surprise—bewilderment at something I hadn’t expected. I hadn’t imagined a duke, a knight of the empire, to be this young and tall.
He was among the tallest people I had ever met, younger than any duke in Loundra, and above all, astonishingly handsome at a single glance.
Young, tall, handsome, with honor, power, and wealth—an imperial duke with everything. People said of such men, “He has it all.”
“Your Highness Crown Prince Shade, Her Highness Princess Daisy. This is His Grace Cedric Dayerton of the Owen Empire.”
The knight from Owen introduced him.
“Duke Dayerton, a pleasure to meet you. I am Shade Loundra.”
“I greet the Crown Prince of the most beautiful land. Cedric Dayerton of the Owen Empire.”
The duke offered a perfectly proper Loundran bow.
“Good afternoon, Duke Dayerton.”
“I greet Princess Daisy of the most beautiful land.”
Cedric extended his hand, and I placed mine atop it. He lightly touched my fingertips before releasing them.
In Loundra, we do not touch when greeting. That must be an Owen custom.
Other than the brief touch, everything about him followed textbook etiquette. His gestures were impeccable, and his voice had an ideal pace and tone.
Only—his expression was so emotionless it felt almost dry. Not hostile, but far too impassive for such polite behavior.
Those with power are often like that. I felt no offense in his lack of emotion.
Rachel, who stood beside me, stepped forward.
“Cedric, it’s been a while.”
“Rachel.”
Rachel and Cedric greeted each other informally. Rachel lightly pressed her palm against his arm. It was the first time she showed an expression today.
It seemed they were close enough to be casual even in front of foreign royalty—an unusual sight.
Rachel looked back at me and spoke.
“The Empire is less strict about etiquette than Loundra.”
“I’ve heard Owen values friendliness highly. Sometimes a warm word is better than a long formal greeting.”
I had heard that from Daymond, who loved foreign culture and politics. He said the Empire did not favor long ceremonial greetings and valued direct speech.
A nation elevated to an empire by martial prowess and conquest—it made sense that its culture focused on practicality. In a land of blades and arrows, only necessary words should be spoken.
Rachel smiled faintly. Still no trace of her usual playful expression. I thought she must be forcing it.
“Of course, not always. Cedric and I are an exception—we’re especially close.”
Rachel covered her mouth with her folded fan and laughed softly. Cedric’s cherry-colored eyes briefly met mine.
I wondered what she meant by especially close. Were they lovers? He came immediately when summoned to serve as her escort—it seemed possible.
I recalled the scene I once witnessed between Daymond and Rachel years ago. His feelings then—and now—still had no place to go. Though I doubted he still held onto those old feelings. It was all back in the academy, and he had already been rejected once.
I thought of Daymond from a few days ago, claiming they were good friends. Aside from discomfort over the situation, he seemed to have no personal yearning left.
“Duke Dayerton, I would like to invite you to tonight’s banquet. Would that be all right?”
Shade spoke.
“Thank you for the invitation.”
“You must be tired from your long journey. I hope you can rest well. A room has been prepared for you in the western Lyric Palace. An attendant will guide you.”
Rachel had been staying in the palace. Cedric, assigned as her escort, would also remain here for a few days.
“My thanks for Your Highness’s consideration.”
Cedric bowed again, then gave another polite nod to me. His cherry-colored eyes were emotionless. The royal attendant led him away. Rachel also departed for her quarters.
I watched Cedric’s back for a moment. Even while greeting others, he had been completely impassive. A rare expression—one that couldn’t be easily fabricated. Dry, polite, and appropriate.
I turned toward Shade and relaxed slightly, leaning against his arm. Shade supported me gently.
“Brother, should I learn a bit of Owen etiquette now?”
“It’s fine, Daisy. Our customs would almost never be considered rude.”
Shade placed a hand on my head and gently pressed. His way of being careful not to ruin my carefully styled hair. It still messed it up, of course, but I stiffened my neck to endure it.
“He must not know I’m going to the Empire, right?”
“He knows. We already contacted the imperial family through magical communication. The duke only knows the princess suggested you study abroad.”
“That was fast.”
Shade didn’t lift his hand from my head.
“I didn’t expect Duke Dayerton to come in person.”
It was unusual for him to comment on someone else.
“Why? Didn’t Princess Rachel call him? Is it strange that he came himself?”
“No, it’s because Duke Dayerton is famous for being reclusive. He rarely appears even at major imperial events.”
“Oh?”
I turned to look at the shrinking silhouette in the distance. The duke walked long strides, while the palace attendant nearly had to run to keep up.
“Could he be the princess’s lover?”
“Princess Daisy, don’t say that aloud.”
He pressed my head a bit harder. I had to stiffen my neck again.
That wasn’t something I’d say in front of anyone except him. Since my earliest memories, Shade had been mature—long ago becoming a true adult who accepted all my childishness. Even my improper remarks were safe before him. Shade was another guardian to me, besides our parents.
“Okay, okay. You’re going to flatten me. Flat Princess.”
Yes, I would definitely need to fix my hair again. I raised my hand over my head and poked Shade’s hand with my finger.
After spending time fixing my hair and resting in my palace, I moved to the banquet hall of the central palace. As I walked, my thoughts drifted back to Duke Cedric Dayerton.
His night-dark hair and cherry-colored eyes were striking. And then—his eyes that were neither sharp nor soft, his elegant nose, or the small face paired with long, well-proportioned limbs.
His looks were unforgettable after a single glance—he was very, very handsome.
I thought of my brothers. Since I grew up in the palace without peers, the only young men I was familiar with were Shade and Daymond.
Both had golden hair and amber eyes—princes who shone like jewels. I often heard maids whispering about how radiant they were.
Cedric rivaled their beauty. Perhaps even surpassed it.
Then I imagined Rachel standing beside that handsome duke. The red-eyed duke and the red-haired princess looked like a matched painting—fitting perfectly together. A lovely picture indeed.
“I shall announce the princess’s arrival.”
The attendant guarding the banquet hall doors spoke. Lost in thought, I realized I had already arrived.
I expected that emotionless duke to be inside.
