‘That time too, it was surprising, and even now it’s still surprising.’
It was an astonishing achievement.
‘He’s completely a cheat character.’
Outstanding in academics, outstanding in swordsmanship, there was nothing he couldn’t do. On top of that, he even had a beautiful appearance. That said it all.
She had been staring blankly in admiration for quite a while when Estevan noticed Liliana and approached her.
“What are you doing here?”
“Ah!”
“Ah?”
Liliana smiled softly.
“I came to see Your Highness, and I was told you were here.”
“Did you enjoy the view?”
Liliana smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.
“I really treated my eyes well.”
Saying that, she gave Leon a thumbs-up.
“Your skills are impressive, Sir Leon.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Estevan gestured to Leon.
“You should get going. You have something to do, don’t you?”
“Y-Yes. I will be going then. Your Highness, I will see you again next time.”
“Goodbye.”
After sending Leon off, Estevan wiped his sweat with a towel. Then Liliana handed him a water flask that had been placed beside them.
“I thought you might need some water.”
“Thank you.”
After taking the flask from Liliana, Estevan opened the cap and quenched his thirst.
“What brings you here today?”
“I thought I should attend a social gathering with Your Highness.”
“A social gathering?”
“Yes, should you not start showing your face in high society?”
“That is true.”
“I chose this place as the first gathering.”
Liliana held out the invitation to Estevan.
“The charity auction of Marchioness Travia?”
“Yes, it is a very good place to show your face.”
Marchioness Travia was one of the ladies with strong influence in high society, so becoming close to her would be very helpful for moving within those circles.
“It’s a good choice. I will attend.”
“I am glad we are on the same page. Then I will send a reply to the invitation.”
Instead of answering, Estevan nodded.
“Since Your Highness has given permission, I should choose the item to put up at the auction.”
“I should prepare as well.”
Estevan looked at Liliana, who seemed excited at the thought of selecting the auction item, with a puzzled expression.
It seemed she was quite happy about going to a social gathering.
Or perhaps there was something else he didn’t know.
***
Liliana had lunch with Estevan and returned to the detached Palace.
As soon as she entered the office, she picked up a pen and wrote a reply to Marchioness Travia, then sent it. After that, she called for Jennifer and Daisy.
“In a few days, I’ll be attending Marchioness Travia’s charity auction with His Highness the First Prince. And in the middle, we’ll slip out to explore a mine.”
“A mine…?”
Liliana told the two of them about the mine.
“That’s a total jackpot.”
Jennifer exclaimed excitedly.
“Make sure you both know this and prepare in advance.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
Jennifer and Daisy replied in turn.
After that, Liliana prepared the item to present at the auction.
***
In the late afternoon, Consort Isabella summoned Mikael.
“Mother.”
“Welcome, Prince.”
Mikael looked at the items placed in the room with a puzzled expression.
“What is all this, Mother?”
“These are the items to take to Marchioness Travia’s charity auction.”
“A charity auction?”
Consort Isabella’s eyes curved like crescents.
“It turns out the Princess Consort-to-be will be attending the charity auction. So I intend to bolster your prestige a little.”
Consort Isabella took Mikael’s hand.
“You should go, Prince. Would it not be good to properly establish your image on this occasion?”
Mikael’s eyes sparkled.
He felt excited at the thought that if he attended the charity auction and made a good impression, he might also gain Liliana’s favor.
“Yes, I will go, Mother.”
“You have made a good decision.”
Consort Isabella looked at Mikael with a pleased expression.
‘Win the heart of the Princess Consort. Then your mother will take care of the rest.’
Her eyes flickered with ambition.
How much effort had she put into making Mikael into a flawless Prince? Therefore, Mikael must never have any flaws.
‘That girl is a concern, but I’ll have to keep a close watch on her.’
Not everything had yet fallen into her hands. With nothing certain yet, she couldn’t act rashly.
***
Late at night, Consort Isabella received a letter.
The sender of the letter was her older brother, Count Ruber.
The contents of the letter were simple.
“The abandoned mine was sold this quickly?”
As soon as the abandoned mine was put on the market, someone bought it as if they had been waiting.
“What is this?”
She tapped the desk lightly with her index finger and furrowed her brow.
“It’s good that it sold quickly, but why does this feel so unsettling?”
Something didn’t feel right.
“It must be nothing.”
But since she had already received a report that there were no more reserves, the Consort decided not to worry about it any further.
After burning the letter in the candle flame, Consort Isabella also cast aside the lingering unease.
“Now is the time to think about the next matter.”
She had many things to do. She didn’t have the time to worry about such trivial matters one by one.
She looked over the report sent by Shuna.
“Mikael is behaving strangely toward Elisha?”
A frown formed on her brow again.
“I’ll have to hear it directly.”
Thinking she would summon Shuna at the right time, Consort Isabella folded the report.
***
Some time later, Liliana went out with Estevan to attend Marchioness Travia’s charity auction.
Since it was their first social gathering together after their engagement, she paid great attention to it.
They matched their dress code in blue and wore their engagement gifts.
Anyone could see they were a perfectly matched pair.
They each prepared their own auction items. Liliana prepared a painting, and Estevan prepared a sword.
Escorted by Estevan, Liliana boarded the carriage.
The escort was kept simple, consisting of aide Leon and six knights of the Imperial Guard.
That was because Estevan didn’t yet have his own knight order.
The Princes could each form their own knight order. However, Estevan had been confined in the past due to an incident and hadn’t been in a position to build up his forces.
In contrast, Mikael, backed by Consort Isabella, had the Raphael Knight Order.
The Raphael Knight Order consisted of talents personally selected by Mikael, all nobles who were loyal to him.
If Mikael were to become Emperor, the Raphael Knight Order would become the Emperor’s direct knight order.
That was why Consort Isabella had created it with massive funding.
“We will depart.”
At the signal from the knight in charge of the escort, the carriage set off.
Liliana glanced at Estevan, who was sitting across from her.
His expression looked very complicated.
‘It seems he’s been trying hard to form a knight order.’
Trying to create a knight order now, there would inevitably be many difficulties.
With most of the nobles already on Mikael’s side, it wouldn’t be easy to recruit skilled knights.
‘He lacks funds, and he lacks talents by his side.’
Estevan’s complicated expression as he looked at the Imperial Guard knights made that clear.
‘By the way, why do I feel so nervous?’
Being alone with Estevan in the enclosed space of a carriage made her feel strangely restless.
In her previous life, they had always fought, so being with him like this felt unfamiliar.
Still, she didn’t dislike it.
Estevan kept his gaze fixed on the window. It seemed he, too, felt awkward in this unfamiliar atmosphere.
Liliana fixed her gaze on his blond hair.
Seeing him like this, he really was a remarkable man.
A man so beautiful it was almost dazzling just to look at him.
A faint sorrow lingered in his red eyes, and from his tightly closed lips, a firm resolve could be felt.
He was enduring so that he wouldn’t collapse. To protect himself from the pain he had suffered as a child.
Liliana liked his strength. She liked the sorrow in his gaze.
Everything about him was dazzlingly good. Whatever he might feel, Liliana liked him.
‘I will make you Emperor and protect the people precious to me. For that, I don’t care what happens to my own happiness.’
Just as they had sacrificed themselves in the past for her happiness, this time she would fulfill their happiness.
Even if that path led through a field of thorns.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
As if he had felt her gaze, Estevan looked at her.
Liliana smiled gently.
“I was thinking that I hope Your Highness will be happy.”
At Liliana’s honest answer, Estevan didn’t know what to say.
“Why would you think that?”
“Because I like Your Highness.”
“…”
At her words filled with sincerity, Estevan looked at her with a flustered expression.
He found it strange how honestly she spoke about her feelings.
“You are truly honest.”
“That is my strength.”
At the sight of Liliana smiling brightly, Estevan’s red eyes trembled slightly.
Whenever he looked at her, an unfamiliar emotion arose within him.
He didn’t know exactly what it was.
At that moment, the carriage came to a stop.
