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[Flotty’s POV]
“Greetings, the Little Sun of the Empire. I am Flotty Noctis.”
“Pleased to meet you, Madam. I should have visited you at your wedding, but I wasn’t able to.”
Up to this point, Entry Noctis has been the hero of this novel.
The crown prince of the Olan Empire was right in front of me.
The one who must survive the Empress Dowager and her schemes.
He was such a sweet man that it was difficult to believe that he had the same mother as the Grand Duke’s who was all dark and looked down on people.
“I apologize for calling you here, but how have you been?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. How are you?”
He was like a warm spring afternoon.
He smiled as warmly as anyone, and had the golden eyes of a would-be emperor. His eyes shone with golden light and were filled with consideration.
“I understand this is your first time in this position, my lady, and I hope you are not uncomfortable.”
“I’m fine, Your Majesty, thank you for your consideration.”
“No. I am grateful to the woman who loves my blunt brother.”
Aww, he even has such a pleasant way of speaking.
The protagonist is the protagonist, after all.
Entry Noctis was almost unfairly the perfect man.
First-born son of the Empress, impeccable looks, graceful movements, and a caring heart for others.
Nothing was lacking.
Unlike someone else.
“How have you been?”
“Denver, let’s talk like old times. How I miss the days when you were in the palace.”
“I need to watch my language inside the palace. You know that.”
The Grand Duke cut off his brother’s suggestion of a relaxed conversation with a sword.
It was a firm rejection that embarrassed me.
Even though the parlor is deserted except for the three of us, the Grand Duke remains vigilant.
“Is there a reason why you have come to the capital, such as…….?”
“The Empress Dowager tried to use the Duke of Bevenia to assassinate you.”
The crown prince had no idea.
His hand holding the teacup trembled slightly.
“You really came for me.”
“It’s just that I can’t stand the Empress Dowager’s rudeness anymore.”
“You’ve been worried about me since we were children. After you left, I decided to become stronger so that you wouldn’t have to.”
The crown prince’s face contorted as if he was truly upset, and his eyes took on a sad glow.
I fidget with my fingers, unnecessarily embarrassed to be between them.
“Your Majesty, be strong in your heart. The Empress Dowager is not a person to be trifled with.”
“Yes……. I know.”
The dark look made me put down my tea.
Next to me was an indomitable old woman.
[What a pretty face. What a handsome man.]
It was hard to concentrate with all this nonsense.
“I’m afraid the Grand Duchess will be unnecessarily worried.”
“I was going to tell you anyway.”
The Grand Duke’s gaze, which had been glued to the crown prince the entire time, flickered to me.
He was planning to tell him?
That I, the Lady of Bevenia, had been contracted to help him?
“How do you see her?”
When he asked, meeting the Grand Duke’s gaze, I made a ridiculous “huh?” sound.
“Officially, she is my wife, but Flotty is a Lady of House Bevenia who will assist me.”
“Bevenia, you mean the Duke of Bevenia?”
“Yes, that’s right, the same Bevenia who assisted the Empress Dowager in the conspiracy this time.”
Ha, I should have just said it myself.
I can’t look the crown prince in the eye as he stares at me like a wounded deer.
He’s the one who spoke so highly of me as his brother’s wife.
No wonder he reacted this way.
“I apologize. I should have told you.”
I beat him to the apology.
‘What if the crown prince orders me to be killed right now, just like the first time I met the Grand Duke?’
The apology came from the heart of a person who’s been through a lot.
“No, no, no, it wouldn’t have been easy to get into Denver’s good graces.”
Brothers are brothers, even if they do very different things.
How he knows Grand Duke Noctis’s personality perfectly.
“She is a woman of rare ability. You can rest assured that she is worthy of your trust.”
“Of course she is, Denver, since you’re a bit of a stickler.”
“You’re too kind.”
The brief exchange of pleasantries ended before the banquet began.
The crown prince seemed sincere in his regret that they couldn’t spend more time together.
“Still, you have no idea how glad I am that you came up to the capital.”
For the first time in his life, Denver smiled at his affectionate brother.
So he could smile like this.
As I stood there stunned, the crown prince continued his warm wishes.
“I wish you well in your future endeavors, my lady.”
“I will do my best to ensure that the Little Sun ascends the throne safely.”
Entry Noctis is confirmed as the main character in this uninteresting novel.
If this man is not the protagonist, this novel is as terrible as it gets.
With the crown prince seeing us off, smiling gently the last time, we finally made our way to the hall where the banquet was to be held.
“I hope you’re good at acting tonight.”
“It’s already second nature.”
Yeah, well, we’re in the middle of enemy territory, so I better be on my game.
The real work of pissing off the Empress Dowager, who is desperate to kill me, begins now.
“Again, keep a low profile.”
“Unless I’m about to die, I’ll do as you say.”
The Grand Duke let out a snicker, a sound like wind being knocked out of him.
“Then let’s go.”
My hand casually slipped around his arm.
The doors to the ballroom were about to open to a beautiful melody.
“Grand Duke Denver Noctis and Grand Duchess Flotty Noctis are entering!”
***
The deceptively noisy ballroom fell silent.
As if on cue, all eyes turned to us.
Grand Duke Noctis has been away for a long time, living on his far-flung northern estate.
Flotty, the cursed child of Bevenia, a family no longer in existence after their treachery.
Now there’s a perfect combination to chew on and talk about.
What fun.
“I can’t help but notice you.”
“That’s because you’re beautiful.”
“I don’t think Your Highness is an ordinary beauty either.”
Beneath the high ceiling, many nobles gather, masked to avoid being seen through their blackness.
As we pass by, they smile lightly and offer their courtesy.
But I can see it.
Their ugly sides.
‘Princess Bevenia. Cursed child.’
‘Dirty, nasty.’
‘Stupid woman.’
‘How dare you?’
I leisurely raised my head from the center of the enemy line, scanning them slowly.
They all had different things to say, but they were all the same.
Disdain and curiosity for Flotty Bevenia.
“Your Highness, were the rumors of your descent into the capital true?”
“It has been a long time, Duke Kellus.”
“It is an honor to see you here.”
The elderly gentleman bowed to the Grand Duke, then turned to look at me.
“I hadn’t heard that you got married, but I suppose I am getting old now.”
“I’m too fond of her. She doesn’t like to be talked about.”
The Grand Duke cut off the Duke’s desire for an introduction to me with a stern look.
‘None of your business, now get lost.’
Perhaps it’s the mood that translates.
“I hope to see you again soon, Your Highness.”
With a single refusal, the shrewd duke fled.
He surprised me, I thought he was going to be a nuisance.
[Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk].
I’ve never been to the imperial palace before, so I told her to get lost.
The old lady, who had already returned to the palace, clicked her tongue.
She shamelessly averted her gaze and refused to leave when I glanced at her.
“Your Majesty, I’m going to the common room for a moment.”
“That’s not it.”
I turned when I was about to leave to say something to the old lady.
The Grand Duke smiles, the corners of his mouth twitching playfully.
“Call me again, Flotty.”
“……Denver. I’m heading to the break room.”
My face nearly freezes as I realize he’s obviously mocking me.
I want to kick him in the shin, but there are a lot of eyes on me, so I have to suck it up.
“Sure.”
I walk up the stairs, ignoring the stares that follow my every step.
Luckily, the break room was empty.
“Why do you keep following me?”
[What? Come on, who else am I supposed to follow?]
“I told you I couldn’t concentrate. You can wander anywhere you want to be. If you’re going to be around, at least be quiet.”
[Oh, no, no, no. Now you’re ignoring me because you’ve become a high-ranking noble woman!]
“It’s noisy. Don’t talk to me until the banquet is over. Just look around, or whatever. Don’t disturb me.”
I shrugged off the old woman who was yelling at me for being so stupid.
The banquet was about to begin.
Just as I was starting to feel relieved that the annoying old lady was going to be quiet,
[“Ha, ha, ha. You should be worrying about those bitches, not me.”]
“Ha…….”
There were people lurking outside the break room who would annoy me even more than this old lady.
A group of women, each holding a different patterned fan and covering their mouths.
They were the ladies of a certain family who had come to gossip with me.
There were other ladies around the same age.
[Look at all these poisonous things, and how they’re not even dried yet…].
“It’s noisy, please be quiet…….”
I lowered my voice as they got closer and closer.
This is going to be annoying.
I tried to push past them without changing my expression.
“Grand Duchess Noctis?”
I would have, if she hadn’t spoken to me first.
“Oh my.”
She laughed, even giggling at what was so funny.
“You mean it’s true that Princess Bevenia has become the Grand Duchess?”
The three clucked their tongues.
Covered by their fans, they pretended to be talking among themselves.
It’s so cute that I can’t help but laugh, so I decided to be merciful once more.
“If you have nothing better to do, I’ll leave you to it.”
In terms of status, I was above them, not below them.
Even if I were Flotty of House Bevenia.
I don’t deserve to be ignored.
“I apologize, Your Highness, we were rude.”
They stepped to either side, clearing a path for me to pass.
‘Right.’
Their clinking wine glass is pointed in my direction.
My face, to be exact.
Tsak!
I quickly take a step back, narrowly avoiding red wine.
I almost wasted away my clothes and ran back to the mansion, far from being able to see the Prince’s face.
I was planning to be nice if they left me alone.
“Bring me Princess Kellus.”
“What? Are you ordering us now, Your Grace?”
“What business do you have with Lady Diana?”
“You’d better bring her to me while I’m still being nice.”
“…….”
“Unless you want me to shower you with wine.”