Chapter 19

Translator – Zimming

“….Yes.”

He knew how I felt.

“I’ll just dance with you next time.”

“Thank you, father.”

“No, thank you to you.”

Tenstheon patted my head lightly. It was the touch of a warm father. At that moment, the surrounding area became full of chatters again.

“Oh my! Did you see that? This time, His Majesty whispered first!”

“His Majesty patted her head!”

“I think I’m hallucinating!”

“I think so too! Did he get a mental disturbance while sealing the door?”

Just what kind of image did Tenstheon had before? Still, even though everyone was surprised by the gentleness of the emperor, no one seemed to dislike him.

Except for the Duke of Cassil. He looked at us disapprovingly, and when I looked at him, he quickly turned away.

Even though the song started playing, the people were busy looking at Tenstheon and me instead.

“Even if you doesn’t dance with Blake today, it’s your first party as a Crown Princess, so enjoy it.”

“Yes, Father.”

As soon as I went down the platform, people rushed to greet me.

“Your Highness, you look wonderful tonight. I am Marquis Sheldron.”

“Good to see you, Marquis Sheldron. Your son graduated second-ranked from the Knights Academy this time, right? Congratulations.”

When I gave my congratulations, Marquis Sheldron’s eyes widened.

“Lady Emily, congratulation on your wedding.”

“Countess Marcion, I heard your precious grandson was born five days ago. The Goddess of Light will bless the child born after the door of darkness closes. You must be delighted.”

There is one more thing that I am as careful as the ball etiquette and dancing. It is to memorize the nobles.

I memorized the profiles of powerful aristocrats among the participants in the ball and the list of those who had special occasions to celebrate among the lower nobility.

I studied so hard that I thought I would go to Harvard if I studied like this before.

The Empire is quick on marriage and tends to start social activities relatively early.

If Ancia had been active in social activities, people would suspect her, because she doesn’t know who Ancia is close to and who does not.

Fortunately, Count Bellacian only supports Diana’s social activities, and Ancia wasn’t allowed to go out unless it was a necessary event.

In fact, it was a basic knowledge of the Empress and the Crown Princess to find out the names of the nobles. Usually, however, they learned it naturally through social activities and got help from their maid.

However, today was my social debut, and I greeted people without any help from anyone.

This should be enough to imprint the existence of Crown Princess Ancia.

The greetings were coming to an end. Count Bellacian tried to approach me, but when I stared, he could not say a word and finally retreated.

I’m sure you’ve boasted that I respect and follow you, but you can’t come because you’re afraid they’ll find out about that lie.

I saw a little child next to Count Bellacian. She had blond hair like me and blue eyes.

Her eyes seemed to resemble Ancia, round and cute, but her eyes were more droopy, so her aura was mild.

That’s Diana. She looked much lovelier than what was described in the novel.

I was looking at Diana and a man disrupt my sight.

Richard was tramping past Diana toward me.

“Your Highness, long time no see.”

“Ah, Yes.”

I answered with a wry smile. Why are you talking to me again after being rejected like that?

“You’ve become more beautiful.”

He’s young, but his comments are cheesy. It was common praise, but I was not too fond of it because he said it.

“Thank you.”

As a courtesy reply, he held out his hand.

“Your Highness, will you allow me a glorious first dance?”

‘What are you talking about, bastard.’

Tenstheon said he wouldn’t dance, but no one really thought it was because his dancing skills were rusty.

All citizen knew that Tenstheon is a good dancer. Countess Chardin also praised him for his dance. He won’t get rusty that soon.

No one is talking, but they didn’t ask me for a dance because they thought I hadn’t mastered it or I had a good reason not to.

Besides, I was a Crown Princess.

The Crown Princess first dance partner should, of course, be the Crown Prince. For the Crown Princess, there was an implicit rule to only dance with Crown Prince, his father, or his brother, if any.

Everyone was staying still in consideration of their status and circumstances, but I can’t believe he’s asking me to dance proudly.

I’m afraid I’ll even refuse Count Bellacian.

Why is he confident that he won’t be rejected? Only Richard, the male lead owns this kind of confidence.

“I’m sorry, but I refuse.”

“You don’t have to be ashamed of your poor dancing. I’ll lead you well.”

So, he’s assuming that my skills are lacking? Even if it’s true, he can’t say that in front of everyone, he’s really not considerate.

“I don’t want to dance if you’re not as cool as His Majesty.”

Richard’s expression froze.

He was arrogant and proud. It was common to ignore everyone and use them, plus he only acknowledged Tenstheon.

Beyond his respect, there was a sense of inferiority.

Richard, whose pride was scratched, gritted his teeth, but in fact, I was considerate.

“Oh, Your Highness, there’s no one in the world more wonderful than His Majesty.”

“That’s right. If I look for a man like His Majesty, I won’t be able to dance with anyone for the rest of my life.”

“….”

The ladies who heard me burst in laughter.

In a friendly atmosphere, Richard’s face was all red.

***

It was a party to be held in the widest hall of the palace, but it was a bit frustrating because the hall was full of people.

I finished greeting, and I took a rest on the terrace.

The cold air made me feel a little relaxed.

What’s Blake doing? Ever since I became Ancia, I’ve never been away from such a long time.

I miss my husband. He’s not crying because he misses me, is he?

“Knock knock knock.”

Suddenly, I heard a cute girl’s voice.

“Knock knock, can I come in?”

There are several terraces in the ballroom. Anyone who wants to rest closes the curtains and goes into the terrace. If the curtains were closed, it was polite not to come in, because there will be someone inside.

But the girl knocked with her voice. The other terrace must be full.

“Come in.”

The curtain opened carefully upon my permission, and a blonde girl came in.

It was Diana. I was shocked by the sudden appearance of the heroine, who I thought was just another young aristocrat.

“Diana,…”

“Sister…”

As I called her name, her eyes turned crescent and she smiled brightly.

“You look so pretty today. You’re like an angel. You’re not just pretty, you’re very elegant and cool. How can you be so pretty!”

Diana praised me, moving her small lips. Her voice contained pure joy, with no mixture of jealousy.

Diana likes Ancia very much because she was her only sister. At first, Ancia also liked Diana.

However, Count Bellacian discrimination has separated the two.

The Count gave Diana a large room and a small one for Ancia. He bought Diana all kinds of dresses, jewellery, and toys, but gave Ancia nothing.

Five teachers were hired to teach Diana so that she could get the attention of society, but he refused to allow Ancia even a book.

No matter how young we were, we could understand who their parents loved more or discriminated against.

Diana hated this situation. Her time with her sister was more precious than her dress or jewellery. She only wanted to be with her sister.

But whenever she hinted at that, the count hit Ancia instead. He said that Ancia lured the innocent Diana to get what she wanted.

No matter how much Diana explained that it wasn’t, he didn’t listen. Even if Diana made a small mistake, he was angry, believing that it was Ancia’s fault.

As this situation continued, Ancia stayed away from Diana. Diana couldn’t ask her sister to play anymore, either.

In the original story, Diana was a character who acted brightly on the outside but was deeply filled by deep sorrow inside.

She thinks her sister died because of her, and can’t forget that guilt until the very end.

Diana regretted again and again that no one would have been unhappy if she had married the Crown Prince, not her sister.

When Ancia commits suicide, Count Bellacian is embarrassed.

He didn’t mourn for his daughter’s death. He was more afraid of the emperor taking back the wedding gift when she got married.

However, the emperor apologizes and sends a tremendous amount of consolation money to the Count.

Although the Count’s family was satisfied by Ancia’s wedding gifts and consolation money from the emperor, Diana was not happy.

Diana says she doesn’t want to be well-off with the money the family has accumulated over her sister’s tragedy and death. Soon, she leaves home as she becomes an adult and become Blake’s maid, a job which everyone was reluctant to do.

She regarded Ancia’s death and Blake’s despair as her own responsibility and went to him in atonement.