Chapter 102
Chapter 102. Welcome Banquet for the Envoys
The moment she saw Heinz and Marie-Jose enter, hand in hand, the first place Henelone’s eyes went was, ironically, Marie-Jose’s left ring finger. The ivory opera gloves that reached up to her elbow were so smooth she couldn’t even see the silhouette of a ring. Feeling a wave of relief, Henelone suddenly felt miserable and tried to suppress her pounding heart, holding her breath.
‘If he had just told me in advance…’
It wouldn’t have been this miserable. No, was that really true? The situation was perfectly understandable in her head. Marie-Jose was a princess from a neighboring country, and as an official envoy, it was right to treat her accordingly.
The difference in national power was too great for the Emperor to personally escort her, so it was appropriate for an unmarried duke to step forward. Even though she understood all the circumstances, a petty sadness rose up and shook Henelone’s composure. Even if Heinz had told her in advance, she had a premonition that things wouldn’t have felt much different.
“Our neighbors, close yet distant, the envoys from the Kingdom of Honfleur have traveled a long sea route and arrived in the Empire. I hope you will welcome them with kindness.”
The welcoming banquet for the envoys began with the emperor’s congratulatory speech. The soft music in the banquet hall changed to a cheerful dance, and the people who had been watching the envoys burst into lively noise with bright smiles. In the center of this dramatic, magical change were Marie-Jose and Heinz.
“…Henelone.”
“Ah.”
A warm, large hand gently touched her stiff back. Only then did Henelone realize that she had been holding her breath. As she let it out, dizziness clouded her vision. Adrian, who had been supporting her by grabbing her elbow and gently patting her back, spoke softly.
“I think it would be good to get some fresh air for a moment. Your complexion doesn’t look good, Henelone.”
Her pale, tired complexion was so bad it was hard to lie that she was fine. However, Henelone bit the tender flesh in her mouth, waking up her dull mind. She straightened her limp body and shook her head firmly.
“…The dance has started.”
“But…”
“I’m okay, Adrian. Really.”
The first dance was announced by Marie-Jose and Heinz. Between the colorful hems of dresses, the dark blue skirt and black hair standing tall under the chandelier repeatedly appeared and disappeared. Adrian, who had seen the scene, smiled brightly as if he had drawn it and pulled Henelone’s waist in.
“Eh, Adrian…?”
Henelone, surprised by the close contact, opened her eyes wide and looked up at him. Adrian, who was squirming because their upper bodies were tightly pressed together, whispered in her ear.
“I’m a very mean man. It breaks my heart to see you upset, but I’m very happy to have you all to myself.”
Adrian’s face, which always had a polite smile, seemed more raw than usual. Henelone froze when her own face was reflected in his golden eyes, which were filled with sincere possessiveness. She slowly turned her gaze away. When she met his eyes, thick as honey, her senses felt dull as if she had been poured with very sweet and sticky sugar water.
“…Don’t tease me.”
“Oh. I’m serious.”
Adrian, who was stepping to the soft melody, answered with a low laugh. Henelone, who was glaring at him without being offended, also burst into laughter. Adrian’s sly attitude gradually calmed her noisy heart.
‘Nothing will be solved if I keep it to myself.’
Watching Heinz escort Princess Marie-Jose was extremely frustrating, but it wasn’t a completely incomprehensible situation. It could have just been a funny incident that ended with her complaining about being a little upset.
The engagement rumors could have been asked directly to the person involved. She could have acted rationally and not been swayed by emotions.
“Will you dance with me this time, Princess Marie-Jose?”
However, after the first dance song, the moment Dietrich, who had come down from the throne, stopped walking in front of the two, Henelone became a weak coward again.
“Oh my!”
“Could it be… a love triangle?”
“Oh my, even His Majesty…?”
Dietrich, who asked the princess to dance, and Marie-Jose, who opened her eyes wide in surprise. Heinz, who stood next to her and glared at Dietrich as if he was wary. The banquet hall was stirred by the provocative sight of two men vying for one woman.
There was nothing Henelone could do here. The emperor, the princess, and the duke. High-ranking nobles surrounding them.
There was no room for Henelone, the daughter of a mere baron, to intervene. It was the same space, but the feeling of being separated by a curtain made her realize the reality of the difference in status that she had been vaguely ignoring.
“…Hey, Adrian. I feel a little hot after dancing. Can we go out and get some fresh air?”
Henelone, who was struggling to breathe, opened her mouth with difficulty. Adrian, who had been staring down at her, smiled faintly and lightly kissed her gloved hand.
***
It was a night when the heat of midsummer was slowly fading away. The garden, which she had escaped to, felt a chill. Goosebumps appeared inside her thin summer dress. Henelone shivered and shrugged her shoulders, looking at Adrian with an embarrassed smile.
“I guess summer is coming to an end soon. It feels like an autumn night now.”
“This has been the hottest and shortest summer of my life.”
Henelone sighed as if saying goodbye.
“After summer… will you return to Harfield Kingdom?”
“I guess so. I only stayed for a short while using my aunt’s illness as an excuse.”
“I see…”
Henelone, with her eyes downcast, answered with a gloomy face. The parting that had already been planned came easily, despite her determination to distance herself from Adrian. As Adrian had said, it was a very hot and short summer, like a storm. She suddenly felt lonely, as if she was left alone in the debris of the storm that had swept everything away.
“Harfield… is far, right?”
Harfield was a week’s sail from Günther. She could easily go there if she wanted to, but it was a distance she hesitated to travel. For Henelone, who didn’t like ships, it was a country she would probably never visit. At the melancholy on Henelone’s face, Adrian calmed his eyes and carefully caressed her hand.
“…Won’t you go with me?”
“Yes? To Harfield?”
“Yes. To Harfield. We spent a season together in Günther, so wouldn’t it be nice to spend a season together in Harfield this time?”
“But…”
If she had to spend a season, she would have to stay for at least two months. She couldn’t leave the library empty. The old library that no one visited was a precious treasure to Henelone. And Heinz, who was guarding it. Henelone soon pursed her lips. This was because she thought of Marie-Jose, who was standing next to him.
“…I’ll think about it.”
Henelone eventually let out a vague answer and a shallow sigh. She wanted to leave everything that was complicated behind, but reason stopped her. Adrian read the hesitation and opened his mouth with a smile.
“Do you know that all the people of Harfield Kingdom are descendants of Vikings?”
“Yes? Oh, yes. I’ve read it in a book. The Vikings who wandered the sea settled on an island, and that was the beginning of the Kingdom of Harfield.”
“You know that well. Then… Do you know about the unique customs of the Vikings?”
“Unique… customs…?”
Henelone tilted her head at the unexpected question and hesitated. Since they were sea people, there must be many customs she didn’t know about. However, Henelone shook her head, unable to guess the answer at Adrian’s sparkling, expectant face.
Adrian then burst into a playful laugh and whispered, covering his mouth as if revealing a secret.
“The Vikings kidnap their chosen brides and hold a wedding ceremony on the vast ocean.”
“Huh?”
Henelone, who was shocked by the strange custom, hesitated and shouted. Adrian shrugged with a relaxed smile, as if he had expected the reaction.
“Of course, I want to be a polite gentleman to Henelone, so I won’t kidnap you without permission.”
“No, I’m surprised…”
“But Henelone. Whenever you feel like leaving here, come find me.”
