The dining room of the royal palace was as crowded as ever, bustling with personnel in various uniforms coming and going.
As I set the table with a large portion of the menu, which was hardly lunch, I praised the star of the day.
“Congratulations on third place, Mac!”
Cynthia, sitting next to me, gave Mac a rousing round of applause.
It was the second day after the competition.
We were finally able to congratulate Mac, who had recovered his strength after a full day of sleep.
Mac was probably aiming for the championship, so he may have been disappointed that he couldn’t do it. But third place in his first competition is a big deal.
Mac rubbed his hands together in front of his face, thanked us with a big smile, and promptly bit into a thin bread filled with cheese.
“I didn’t expect the black knight to be his highness. I’m glad I didn’t compete against him.”
“The semifinals was a little out of character for you, Mac.”
In response to Cynthia’s point of view, Mac shrugged playfully.
“Customer Seventeen! Your doughnuts are fried!”
The woman in the kitchen called out loudly, causing Cynthia to jump out of her seat.
“I’m number seventeen. I’ll get them now.”
I whispered to Mac as Cynthia left the table and headed for the kitchen.
“You actually lost on purpose, didn’t you? To let His Highness win.”
Mac, who was stretching the cheese on the bread out of his mouth, looked at me with a huff.
Mac and I had studied spear lessons together when we were students. It’s not surprising that when he saw the black knight’s movements at the tournament, he recognized him as Gideon, the current crown prince, whom he had taken classes with.
Mac munched on a piece of stretched cheese and put it in his mouth, then laughed as if he had given up.
“Well, you know. I figured out who the black knight was on the first day, actually. And that count, who was the favorite to win, had one weakness. He always had a habit of leaning to the left in the final stage. I was sure that His Highness, with our National Institute’s spearhead, Gideon, would have noticed that.”
“So you made sure we both hit it?”
Mac grinned toothily.
“I’d rather have a friend become crown princess than a tiny territory and a title and that’s more fun.”
“Mac, you didn’t have to ……. You dreamed of winning, and now you’re doing it for me?”
“No, I have another four years to go. But Liesel’s chance is now or never, right? I mean …… don’t cry! If you cry, I’ll be in trouble now.”
“…… dust got into my eyes.”
“No, look, think about it. I’m not that much of a softy myself. It would be wiser to ingratiate myself with the future queen and king, wouldn’t it? What do you think? I’m a cunning guy, right? Well, I’ll be counting on you, Crown princess.”
“Who is the crown princess ……? Don’t call me that.”
“The Black Knight and you are already the talk of the town. Don’t you know that the picture of the crown prince kneeling down and the dainty sorceress made the front page of yesterday’s newspaper?”
It did.
I blush and cover my face as I remember.
The newspaper sold like hotcakes with the subtitle, “The Proposal of the Century”.
The ladies-in-waiting and other magicians in the palace have been giving me the most respectful salute for no reason since yesterday when we passed each other in the corridor.
“The king gave you a medal in the most exciting competition in the country in full view of the crowds. His Highness is a schemer, too.”
Mac made his usual playful gesture, but I, who had known him for a long time, had already figured out one more thing.
“Mac, you had already decided who you’d nominate as the medal maiden if you won, right? That is, even before you entered the Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”
I asked with a serious face, trying not to be dragged down by Mac, who was quick to make fun of me, and he gave up. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed.
“I have to confess, you’re right. I’m so depressed. I should never have made that promise.”
By promise, he meant that if he won, he would introduce Cynthia to the nobleman.
After a brief pensive look, Mac smiled again.
“I’ll manage to get that promise back in four years, so it’s rather convenient.”
“Mac…..”
“But don’t tell her, okay? I know full well that she has no intention of doing so.”
When Cynthia returned with the donuts, Mac, perhaps embarrassed, folded his hands behind his head, looked up at the ceiling and suddenly began counting the number of skylights.
“What’s the matter, what were you two talking about?”
“Hmm… Well, Liesel said she’s going to buy me a really good meal.”
“Oh, yeah, sure.”
“Really? I’m looking forward to it! So, what’s the most delicious thing you’ve ever eaten?”
“Let’s see……”
“Make it the best thing you’ve ever eaten, Liesel.”
“The best thing I’ve ever eaten is …… the roasted potatoes and bacon over a fire with butter on top.”
No doubt about it! And they laughed in unison, their voices bouncing together. Then Cynthia added.
“And we’ll have to put sour cream on top, too.”
After the jousting tournament was over, Leia was finally ready for spring.
Along with the soft sunshine, a warm breeze carrying petals gently shakes the windows of the royal palace.
It has already been ten months since Ulysses returned.
As usual, I entered the crown prince’s office in my purple robe and when I greeted him good morning, then he said something surprising in a calm tone.
“Liesel, I have just received word from the Royal Magic Office that as of today you have been relieved of your duties as a Kings guard magician.”
“What does that mean?”
Don’t tell me that I’m suddenly fired?
In contrast to my shock, the crown prince is quite calm.
“It’s a message from my father. He says, ‘Quit your work as a magician, and quickly get yourself educated as a queen’.”
I was confused by this unexpected message.
I can’t comprehend it.
“That means…”
“I heard that you will be assigned an instructor who will teach you various court etiquette. At the same time, they’ll be preparing for the wedding, so you will be very busy.”
“The wedding?……. Me and Your Highness?”
The Crown prince parroted the question and repeated it in a slightly mean-spirited manner.
“Is Liesel going to marry someone else?”
Throwing a provocative glance at me, he takes my hand.
“I have waited more than ten years. I cannot wait any longer.”
“Your Highness, it’s the same for me. –May I invite my …… grandfather, Katherine and the others to the wedding?”
“Of course. They’re your family.”
Saying this, the crown prince put his hands on my back, pulled me close and rained down hot kisses on me. He pressed his burning lips hard against mine and then angled them so that I had no time to catch my breath.
“I was in a state of …… suffocation.”
I was so passionately kissed that I felt as if I was going to be eaten, and my head started to go fuzzy.
At that moment.
Without warning, a voice came from behind.
“What are you doing here so early in the morning?”
I turned around, startled to the point that my heart almost stopped and there was the king standing there with his hands on his hips.
His brow was furrowed as if to say that he had seen something very unpleasant.
It was too embarrassing. If there was a hole, I would like to jump in it.
“Crown prince. Are you trying to suffocate the prospective queen?”
The crown prince was immobilized by the strange reprimand.
The king put his hands on his hips, glared at me and continued.
“A kings guard magician like you is an eyesore, so get on with it and become the crown prince’s consort.”
We instantly looked at each other.
The king nodded a few times, as if he was satisfied with something and exhaled a sigh as he left the office.
I asked the crown prince, who was staring at the closed door.
“What was he doing here?”
He put his arms around me and hugged me.
“He came to tell me in his own words that he had approved of our marriage.”