Chapter 65

I was stripped without question, then I was bathed, washed and thoroughly polished.

“Well, what beautiful skin!”

“Please look at this shiny hair”

“Oh, he’s so cute, but to think he could also be alluring.”

I had no idea what the maids were talking about. I had my hair trimmed, my body massaged and smeared with something, then my hair was cut and tied up…

In short, I continued to be jostled about.

First I was rolled onto what looked like an examination table and then I was sat in front of a dressing table. I didn’t move as I just let them do whatever to me; no part of me was left unscathed. I was totally hollowed out.

“Everyone, there’s no time to rest. The time for the public appearance is approaching.”

“YES!”

When the head maid—the first to call out to me when I got off the carriage—issued her order, the other maids all responded with a sharp response.

At this point, I gave up resisting. I was left at the mercy of these maids. No matter how dull I was, I could tell that they were trying to make me stand together on the balcony where Al and the princess will appear in public.

But why do they go as far as kidnapping me just to make me stand on the balcony? Could it be that I would be introduced as the second consort along with the announcement of Al’s wedding? I don’t want that. I absolutely hate that. Why doesn’t anyone listen to me? I was left behind by Mother, kidnapped by the man in red, and now I even have to witness the show where Al is taken by someone else’s hand?

I wandered my gaze looking for a way to escape, but there were female escort knights standing on both sides of the door. These people also seemed to have come from the Inner Palace.

“Now, it’s done!”

“Wow! How cute.”

“Oh, you’re adorable and beautiful.”

Listening to the maids’ praises, I got up from my chair on the dressing table.

My hair, which was not that long, was tied up; the little jeweled hair ornaments made a little clink as I moved. A pure white tuxedo, embroidered all over with silver and white threads which reflected the light. The hem of the jacket, both the sleeves, and the hems of the trousers were finely embroidered with blue threads, so you could see how much effort it took to make it. This probably wasn’t made overnight. How long had the preparations been going on actually?

“…This is not good.” The head maid muttered with a sigh.

“Why? It’s so beautiful.”

“Yes. What’s wrong with it being this adorable?”

“There aren’t even any side consorts to the King who are this beautiful.”

The other maids verbally refute the words of the head maid.

Just now, you’ve been calling me cute and adorable, but you know what, I’m a 17-year-old male. That’s not a compliment at all.

“I understand what everyone wants to say. I think so too. That’s exactly why. Today’s main star is Princess Caroline. Fania must not overshadow the star of the day.”

“AHH” Listening to the head maid’s explanation, the other maids’ voices leaked out as if they had just realized what the problem was.

No, I was not going to overshadow the princess. On the contrary, my outfit would probably pale in comparison and I would just look ridiculous.

“At least let’s remove the hairpiece…”

“Nooo, it looks so good.”

“What a waste~”

“I also do not want to take off this perfectly matching hairpiece. But we could not possibly embarrass the star of the day.”

“Ugh…”

“That’s so mean…”

The head maid and the other maids argued, and I just watched dispiritedly. What do you want me to do?

The maids took off my hairpiece, arranged my hair again, and the head maid led me out of the room. If it had only been the head maid, I could have shaken off her hand and escaped, but there were knights guarding my front and back. There were also male knight escorts outside the room, and I was then accompanied by a large group of people.

Is it necessary to escort me even though this was inside the Royal Palace?

I had lived in the royal palace for years, so I knew most of the places. We were gradually approaching the balcony. As I thought, I seem to be dragged out to the balcony.

The cheers of the people, probably gathered under the balcony, gradually increased. The window to the balcony was wide open and I could see the back of His Majesty and today’s star—the princess. They were already out on the balcony and waving to the people. Enthusiastic cheers were roaring.

I moved my eyes and saw Al standing there. His Majesty and Al were standing on either side of the princess. I could only see the back of the princess; although she was a bit shorter than Al, she was quite tall for a woman. However, her straight back was very beautiful. I heard that she just turned 16, but her dark blue dress fitted her perfectly, reminding me once again that she was indeed a grown up lady. I was not exactly short, but I didn’t want to be around someone like her.

The head maid gently pushed my back, but I stood there, unable to move.

“Fania!” My name was called with a small but strong voice.

Al came to me from the balcony. He then hugged me tightly.

“Ah, it’s Fania. I finally got to hug Fania.” He kissed my head many times.

“Al…”

I was so happy to see Al that I was about to burst into tears. It had been a long time since I’ve been in Al’s arms, and I was so happy to be hugged so tightly, surrounded by his scent. But then he quickly removed his arms.

I looked up at him as a protest, but Al knitted his eyebrows.

“I have to be patient now, and to hold it in…” Incantation-like words escaped Al’s lips, but I couldn’t quite make them out.

“Now, it’s time for both of you to head towards the balcony.” Al nodded a little at the words of the head maid, and proceeded to the balcony while holding my shoulders in his arms.

“Ah, I don’t want to go to the balcony…” I resisted with a small voice.

“You don’t have to be nervous. I’m with you.” When I was fascinated by Al with a smile, he took me to the balcony just like that.

Al returned to the balcony, holding in his arms a never-before-seen-boy to the public. I braced myself for the quizzical looks the public were going to give me, but for some reason they were looking at me expectantly. Maybe it was due to Al’s flirtatious demeanour even though he was in front of the people—he hugged me tightly around my waist and kissed my head lovingly.

The princess couldn’t see me because Al blocked me from her sight. But Al’s attitude was just too much. It was an insult to the princess for him to be flirting with her second consort (to-be) while the one who was to become her wife was next to him. I tried to move away from Al, but he was annoyed by my movements and pulled me even closer. It was not just my waist anymore, my whole body was being hugged.

“Silence!”

At the sound of the Prime Minister’s voice, the enthusiastic cheers of the people ceased. A hushed silence fell over the vicinity.

“I now make a public announcement to all the people,” exclaimed the Prime Minister in a high voice.

I could do nothing but stand there, unable to move.