C67
The good news was that the results of all that hard work were good.
Even when I saw it with my own eyes, my appearance shone more than ever.
"I didn't even put that much effort into my wedding with Leandro."
My beautiful pink hair, which was criticized for being out of place compared to his appearance, harmonized well with my beautiful outfit.
"Oh my god! Ethel-nim is the first person who has worn the dress so well!"
"Ethel, you're so beautiful! You look incredible!"
Miranda and Diana showered me with compliments. The ambassador's wife and the employees also assisted each other. Perhaps it was to make me feel better, but that didn't mean I wasn't happy.
Well, let's enjoy it as much as we can. I took a glance at the banquet hall.
"This is your daughter. Congratulations once again for this miraculous event."
They greeted nobles who seemed close to Ambassador Leok.
"Thank you. Let me formally introduce you. This is my daughter, Diana."
"I'm very glad to meet her."
"She resembles the ambassador a lot."
"I hear that a lot. And as you already know, this is Miss Ethel Wallace. She's the benefactor who found my daughter."
"Ah... yes."
Unlike when the ambassador introduced Diana, the reaction was tepid. They looked behind them, towards the Cassius family.
"They're worried that being intimate with me might offend the ducal family."
However, ignoring it meant ignoring Ambassador Leok. That would have been difficult for them.
Subsequently, several people who had met the ambassador and his wife showed a similar attitude to those who arrived for the first time. I wasn't warmly received or treated and mainly only spoke with the ambassador's family.
Well, I more or less knew it would end up like this. In the Cassius Territory, sometimes I attend meetings and have some acquaintances, but I hardly know anyone in the capital.
"It's enough to see Terence."
All I have to do is wait a little longer, and when Terence appears, applaud and congratulate him, then return to the ambassador's residence.
The secondary goal of "showing a secure appearance in front of people" has already been achieved. At least among these people, though some looked at me with a close-to-hostile gaze, there was no one who belittled me.
It was a moment when I thought I was satisfied with this. Someone spoke to me for the first time. Not to Ambassador Leok, but directly to me.
"I almost didn't recognize you for a moment."
If it was unexpected, it was unexpected, and if it was as expected, it was as expected.
"I didn't know you'd be attending this banquet."
The duke, dressed smartly in a uniform as usual, spoke to me.
Since it was a formal event, I could set an example of what I had omitted before.
"I meet the Duke Cassius, the iron wall of the empire."
The duke made a grim expression.
"Act as usual."
"Yes."
"As for the debt, we are handling it as you ordered."
He spoke about recovering the money the Wallace family had borrowed. In fact, I heard the news that they couldn't return to their hometown because even their rights to their lands had been provisionally confiscated.
"They probably won't receive money from them until they convert and start working on their own."
The Wallace family was heavily in debt even before I got married. They barely survived on money borrowed from Cassius.
"Yes, I don't expect it either."
"For your information, I have no intention or obligation to pay him."
"I know that."
...
...
After exchanging a few words, silence fell. Yes. The conflict between the duke and me only eased for a moment with the letter from the deceased duchess, but we couldn't have a friendly conversation.
"Above all, I didn't even receive a proper apology for treating me coldly for the last two years."
The duke only left a vague comment about the incident: "I think I regret it." Perhaps that's the limit of Edman Cassius.
People don't change easily. The mere fact that the duke decided to admit the wrong he did to Joshua and apologize was a big step forward.
"It might have been possible because the steward was an important person to the duke, along with the contents of the letter left by his beloved wife."
On the other hand, as I didn't fit into either category, it was better not to have desperate expectations. I had no intention of necessarily accepting an apology from the Cassius family.
I will leave soon anyway. I only stayed to fulfill Terence's wish and keep a promise I made to someone else in the past.
The duke seemed to have suddenly remembered something and pointed to his family.
"Now that I think about it, my son also has something to tell you."
Will it be Leandro? However, the one who approached hesitantly was Leandro's younger brother, Leheim.
"Hello, ex-sister-in-law."
"... Just call me by my name."
"Yes, Lady Ethel. Actually, I couldn't tell you earlier because I was in a hurry, but I want to thank you for finding my mother's letter. Thanks to you, I remembered the old times, and it was really nice."
Why are you unusually polite?
Honestly, it's unpleasant.
"I just need you to know that I'm grateful."
If possible, I wish you genuinely felt that.
"Then, even after leaving the family, I hope you live a long life and prosper in everything you do."
He gave me a big greeting, but maybe it was uncomfortable for him, so he quickly escaped.
"That was brusque."
The expressionless Duke Cassius expressed exactly the same feelings as me.
"Leandro seemed to have met with you separately the day he left. Did he thank you?"
"No. But it's okay. I really don't want to hear it."
"He's my son, but he's ungrateful. Anyway, Ethel, live well in the futur... That guy, tsk..."
The duke, who had been formally bidding me farewell, suddenly wrinkled his face.
This was because a scene in the duke's field of vision had been captured.
"Hello, princess. If you don't mind, after the banquet starts, I would accept dancing a second dance with me..."
A young master was asking Liena to do something. It's quite bold. Most likely, Liena's first dance will be for the Crown Prince or Cassius, so are you aiming for a second dance?
Wow! The glass the duke had in his hand shattered, and champagne spurted out.
"Go quickly."
"I'll see you later if I have something to do."
As he retreated, Duke Cassius quickly went to protect his daughter.
"The fact that he changed his mind doesn't mean the tendency to be an idiot for his daughter will disappear."
Still, it seems he has made progress, as he pressures the young man with a murderous look instead of simply drawing his sword or grabbing him by the neck. Did he learn a bit from his experience with Joshua...?
At that moment, the voice of the imperial servant was heard. This time, not from the main entrance where nobles used to come and go, but from the second-floor entrance.
"Her Majesty the Empress and the Crown Prince are here!"
Everyone in the banquet hall lowered their bodies all at once. Soon, the Empress and the Crown Prince appeared in front of us with dignified steps.
"We see Her Majesty the Empress and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"
When the Empress, who seemed a bit bored, raised her arms, people immediately lowered their posture.
"Thank you all for attending. Since His Majesty the Emperor is running late due to some matters, I ask that you start the banquet first. I hope you enjoy it to the fullest."
It's a banquet to celebrate the Emperor's birthday, but it can't start without the involved party. No one openly questioned it, but people exchanged glances.
"Glory to Asteroth."
"Glory to Asteroth!"
After the Empress watched the people repeat their greetings, she headed to the throne room with a panoramic view of the banquet hall, and the orchestra began to play. At first, a whisper was heard, buried in the sound of the music.
"It seems their two Majesties still don't get along."
"I heard that these days, His Majesty the Emperor often holds secret meetings only with his closest associates."
"So, is he deliberately late to the banquet organized by the Empress?"
"You don't know. But there's no doubt that something is about to happen."
Something is about to happen. In a moment, the Emperor will appear with another son.
"If that happens, the Empress will be angry, the Crown Prince will remain silent, and the nobles will be confused..."
Even Liena, a returner, will feel very embarrassed. Terence's complete appearance was an event that had never happened in her first life.
As my thoughts went crazy, I looked in the direction where Liena was. Liena was happily greeting her lover, the Crown Prince, Mikhail.
"The atmosphere is good."
The two have known each other since childhood, but it hasn't been long since they officially started dating. If you look at the two for a moment, you'll understand why.
"Your Highness! My daughter is still a baby."
Duke Cassius, standing between Liena and the Crown Prince, spoke loudly.
Leaving aside the fact that Liena was an adult who had also undergone a coming-of-age ceremony, I listened attentively because an interesting situation had occurred. As a song had just finished playing, I could clearly hear their conversation.
"Father-in-law, please calm down first."
As expected, the male protagonist of the novel didn't have it easy. No matter what that tiger, Duke Cassius, says, he'll laugh it off.
"Who's your father-in-law?"
"It will happen soon. Liena promised with her pinkie that she would marry me."
Liena, whose face was red, shouted embarrassedly.
"That was when we were young! And it wasn't exactly a promise to get married!"
Here, their own complicated circumstances unfolded. Liena, who is surprisingly clever in other aspects but especially clueless when it comes to romance, said, "We'll always be together (as friends)!" but the Crown Prince arbitrarily accepted that as a marriage promise, blah, blah, blah.
"It's not a very important story."
It was simply a childhood love story that was refreshing and made the viewers feel happy.
"Come on, Liena!"
Duke Cassius probably decided that he could no longer leave his daughter near this black wolf, so he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her away.
"D-Dad! See you later, Your Highness!"
The Crown Prince waved to his lover who was leaving without losing his smile. But the moment he turned around, his smile disappeared as if it had been erased.
"Oh?"
The eyes of the Crown Prince met mine.