Chapter 9

In fact, Idina quickly spotted her father, mother, and brother among the people.

Elliot Bride had approached her right after the Emperor announced the start of the banquet. He said, “Idina, this seems like a chance. If you become the crown princess, that damned Lilles will regret it.”

She didn’t really care whether that damned bastard hit the ground and regretted it, but Idina nodded. Her brother, however, started glancing at the Alphas around her.

The second group that was easy to distinguish was Alphas and Omegas. Normally, Alphas and Omegas were supposed to thoroughly control their pheromones, but even so, there was something that allowed them to recognize each other. It was like a sixth sense. Even if it was vague, they could smell pheromones.

In any case, there was something clearly different about them compared to Betas.

That’s why women flocked to Elliot Bride. But since he already had a fiancée, he politely declined the ladies’ offers for the first dance.

Since Alphas and Omegas were relatively easy to distinguish, most of the people who came to the dance floor were Alpha men.

Still, Idina had a hard time understanding why such troublesome things were necessary. She glanced back at the Emperor at the top. He was still happily chatting, seemingly uninterested in who was dancing. Some of the nobles approached and greeted him occasionally, while others who weren’t interested in the party even removed their masks.

A gorgeous chandelier lit up the floor, and an unknown couple danced under its glow.

The Alpha next to Idina, who had been watching the scene indifferently, tried to talk to her again.

“It seems that this party is not very interesting to you, Lady.”

He had just sent away the ladies who had requested a dance. Several ladies had already come and gone to the Alpha. The Betas had also come and requested a dance, as if word had spread that there was an Alpha man here.

But for some reason, he refused all the dance requests.

And Idina, who had been listening to the whole process, was wondering.

Did he have a fiancée like Brother Elliot? Or was he married?

Well, it probably doesn’t really concern her.

However, there was one thing that bothered her. She had been listening to him for a while now, and she thought that his voice sounded familiar.

His precise yet stiff accent was restrained, but his tone, which was on the heavier side even among men, neutralized it. His voice sounded sweet to her ears like music.

He was the kind of ‘voice genius’ that ladies sometimes talk about. In fact, one of the ladies had said that a man looks 50 percent more handsome if he has a good voice.

Idina didn’t agree with that at the time, but she somehow thought that this man’s voice would have that effect.

Where had I heard that voice?

She searched her memory, but it didn’t come to mind easily.

Anyway, the pheromones secretly emanating from him and the slight alcohol she had passed on at the start of the party were making her feel good.

That’s why she gave a lazy answer.

“Well. I’m… ‘unlucky’ today, so I’m not in the mood to enjoy myself that much.”

“Unlucky?”

My engagement ended. 

But if she said something like that, it would immediately become clear who she was. And she didn’t want to bring that up and pretend to have all the world’s sorrows and garner sympathy. That was just an excuse for being so quiet right now, and it wasn’t the cause of her sadness at all.

On the contrary, Idina felt very good today, as if her old illness had gone away.

“Well, that’s just the situation.”

“If you dance with one of the Alphas here, you’ll have the chance to become the crown princess. But bad luck overwhelms you?”

The man asked back as if he was provoking her. He seemed to wonder why she wasn’t interested in the biggest topic of this party.

But Idina had a rough idea. The crown princess position would have been decided anyway.

Some people here might think that the Crown Prince would really randomly choose a Crown Princess. But Idina thought it wouldn’t be possible. There’s no way the Crown Prince himself would just let anyone become the Crown Princess. She didn’t know why the Emperor got involved in such a prank.

‘Maybe he wants to let that lady know that he’s the one destined for her.’

She didn’t know who the destined one was, but some of the nobles might object. It’s possible that he’s just creating a smokescreen. He pretends to give everyone a fair chance, and then says that the one who was chosen through that fair process is his destined lover. He’ll choose her as the Crown Princess… That kind of show.

“……I don’t know if this opportunity is really the right one.”

Idina’s words made the man’s eyes narrow. Looking closely at his eyes, she suddenly realized that his eyelashes were very long.

He was a man with very attractive, thin, long golden eyebrows.

She didn’t know what his face looked like under the mask, but Idina guessed that he must be a very handsome man.

In fact, it is an established fact that Alpine, at least, is as handsome.

He pointed out in a captivating voice.

“You are a very negative person.”

The content was not good, but it was pleasant to hear.