/
Dorothea’s face flushed with embarrassment.
“Then you asked the astrologer about me too?”
Ethan looked at Dorothea as if cute. The story goes like this again.
“I saw it for fun
But it’s a little uncomfortable after hearing it.”
“What else did you ask about me?”
Ethan asked as he sat closer to Dorothea. He seemed interested in Dorothea’s reading of the Tarot.
“Nothing but this. This is the story that the astrologer first came up with.”
“It’s amazing. I didn’t think the princess would believe in tarot cards
”
Dorothy’s mouth burned with impatience because drank the tea.
“Have you really seen the tarot card?”
Dorothea couldn’t help but nod her head. It was a bit heartbreaking for her to lie, but it was for Ethan.
‘You shouldn’t attend public events because of your birth defects. If you attend, it will only cause some trouble.’
It’s better than this.
Dorothea knew better than anyone the pain of being excluded because of a bloodline defect. Because she has been despised and ignored for not receiving the power of Milanaire.
‘I couldn’t do anything like Karnan to Ethan. Even if it’s ridiculed.’
Then Ethan lowered his eyes for a moment and thought about it, then raised his head and smiled.
“Then there is nothing I can do. If the princess says doesn’t like it, I don’t want to do it either.”
“Really?”
“I don’t believe in tarot, but the princess wants it.”
Dorothea felt sorry for Ethan’s narrowing eyes.
“Thank you for listening to my request.”
“Instead, princess, please listen to what I want.”
Ethan did not miss an opportunity to his advantage. It was so solid that Dorothy asked back, slightly wary.
“What do you want?”
“On the day the princess officially debuts in the social world, then, please allow me to escort the princess.”
“My debut escort?”
He nodded at Dorothea’s question. ‘Debut, that was a long story. You’ll probably have to wait another 5 years.’
“Will you promise me?”
Ethan’s golden eyes looked at Dorothea. He was waiting for confirmation.
‘It doesn’t matter anyway
’
Before returning, Princess Dorothea Milanaire had a hard time finding a partner to escort her for her debut. Because she had never been to Episteme, so she had no close aristocrats. Dorothea was famous for her dirty personality, and she was treated like a child from the royal family.
No one wanted to be her escort. Dorothea Milanaire’s position as a partner was a penalty.
However, even Carnan, no matter how indifferent, needed to gain the right face for the princess to debut. Not for Dorothea Milanaire, but for the Imperial Family.
At first, Ray offered to escort her. Dorothea, who was not on good terms with Ray, of course, rejected him. It was better to debut alone than to hold Ray’s hand and debut. Besides, he mobilized his family, the Crown Prince, to be well-rounded. so It’s embarrassing, too.
In the end, Rey recommended his friend Theon, whom he had been close with in Episteme, as a partner. Carnan had a good view of Theon, so he readily agreed. It may be difficult to find another partner.
Theon could not refuse the position of Dorothy’s partner, a friend’s request, and imperial order. And from that point on, Dorothea fell in love with Theon.
‘I know it won’t work, but I’m even thinking about asking Karnan to get me engaged.’
And the only good fortune gave in her life, and a gift that would later become a curse. It was Carnan who pushed Theon and her to be engaged.
For Carnan, Dorothea Milanaire’s only use was to serve as a bridge between Grand Duke Fried and the royal family of Milanaire.
You don’t know how happy Dorothea was when the engagement was decided. Besides, Theon didn’t hate Dorothea that much back then. As is always the case with arranged marriages, he accepted the fate of marrying Dorothea according to the offer of the family.
Wasn’t that perhaps the happiest time of Dorothea Milanaire’s life?
It wasn’t loved, but at least it wasn’t hated.
‘But this life won’t be like that.’
Dorothea will neither be engaged nor married to Theon. So Ethan’s debut escort might have been a good thing.
‘However, I was uncomfortable because I couldn’t understand what Ethan was thinking about making this request.’
“Debut is too far away
”
“Time flies by anyway.”
Young Ethan sounded quite old.
‘Do He wants to build a relationship with the princess?’
Before the return, Ethan made his debut only at the age of 20 because he was “a shallow blood streamer.” It was a late debut compared to other aristocrats.
But if he escorts Dorothea, he’ll be able to make a formal appearance in the social world a little sooner. Moreover, since Dorothea is a princess when it comes time to debut, she will go up to the Lampas and stand in the biggest debut event held in the Empire, so it was a pretty good condition for Ethan’s debut stage.
‘But young Ethan has already done that calculation? Did I think too deeply?’
“Princess?”
Ethan urged Dorothea to spend some time contemplating.
“Promise me. the princess will give me that hand on the day you debut.”
Ethan stared at her with golden eyes and sent a sad look. Those eyes tickled, and Dorothea nodded.
It’s not a loss anyway.
‘Nereus problem, and I needed someone to escort me when I debuted.’
Ethan smiled at Dorothea’s affirmation.
“I wish that day would come sooner.”
* * *
The day Hark came in, I went to the Duke of Bronte. The people of Hark had thick eyebrows and eyes, and their noses were on the high side.
The Duke of Bronte and the King of Hark had separate seats for adults. I was naturally in charge of Nereus. It was because of the simple thought of adults that they were of similar age and had many things in common as a princess and a prince of a country.
“Prince Nereus, this is Princess Dorothea Milanaire of Ubera.”
Nereus had blue curly hair and dark eyelashes as if drawn with ink. His proud cat-like eyes and lips were no different from Nereus, whom I  knew.
Before returning, I made war with Nereus, subdued him, drove him out of sight, and imprisoned him. I didn’t even check what happened after that.
To me, Nereus was an arrogant king who tormented Ethan, ‘My people’.
But for now, we have to maintain a good relationship, so I will approach Nereus with an open mind.
“Well, she’s pretty.”
Nereus looked at me and said in a cheeky tone.
I tried to open the door a little to the appearance evaluation that came out before the greeting, but I slammed the door.
Nereus, who had lived as a prince of the kingdom all his life, had only met his parents, the king, and queen, Nareus who were taller than me, so he could not imagine what kind of existence the little girl in front of him was.
‘He’s an arrogant guy.’
When I wrinkled my brow, Hark’s servant, surprised, explained that he had to be polite to me.
“Prince, this is the Princess of the Empire.”
“I know. But I heard you can’t even handle spirits?”
The sound of his laughter came.
And soon, soft water droplets rose from his fingertips. spirit of water. It was the power that had been passed down to the Hark royal family and the Ponce family.
While Milaniere and Fried have weakened the bond between spirits over a long period of time, the royal family of Hark still maintains close ties with the spirits.
It was also the source of Nereus’ arrogance that he could wield before the Empire.
‘That’s why I trampled on it.’
Leading the army makes it impossible for him to recover.
Before returning, I would grind my teeth at Nereus’ provocation.  Nereus touched my problem, which could not handle the Spirit, and I became impatient with him and ruined the mood.
I guess that gave people another reason to hate me.
But now I know. I can kill Nereus without a spirit. I can turn that Hark into a mess. Because of this, I only looked at Nereus’ arrogance as funny.
“Yes, I don’t know how to deal with spirits.”
I smiled with a relaxed expression on my face.
“But do you know this?”
Dorothy took one step closer to Nereus.
“Hark is a small country, and the status of an imperial princess is the same as the king of a small country.”
Then, one corner of Nereus’s mouth went up.
“If you can’t even handle the spirit of light, will you be treated like a princess?”
“Why do you think I’m here, Nereus?”
Because I am a princess, I personally came out to meet Hark. By the Emperor’s order, on behalf of the Milanaire imperial family.
But when it came out like this, I didn’t even need to be polite and respectful.
“Is this basic common sense and manners to be learned before entering the episteme?”
As I looked up with a smile, Nereus’s brow wrinkled.
“you couldn’t even enter the episteme.”
“It’s not that I couldn’t enter Episteme, but I didn’t.”
At my words, Nereus looked down at me and burst out laughing.
“Hahaha, you didn’t go in? Your excuses are so lame!”
“We’ll see if that’s an excuse or not. At least, looking at my diplomatic stance so far, it seems that I have learned a lot more than you.”
“Are you sure it’s not really an excuse?”
“Are you thinking about taking a test?”
“Why are you scared?”
Nereus smirked, I smiled at him as well.
* * *
“Isn’t it basic to understand the changes in the farming season and the fishing season according to the movement of the astronomical gate?”
Moments later, I only had a smile on my face. Nereus tried again and again to test me, but what was proved was my knowledge and Nereus’ ignorance.
I, who had fully answered all of Nereus’s questions, asked Nereus in reverse, but he did not answer.
It was natural. Because my questions were those that you would have to study for four more years in Episteme.