45 – Feelings for the first time
In the end, after arriving at the imperial palace, the day went by without incident, and the next morning.
As befits a detached building used for special occasions in the imperial palace, the room in which they stayed was also extremely splendid.
Is this how it feels to sleep covered with a silk duvet?
Edgar, who was still not used to it, finished dressing up and left the room scratching his head.
Before participating in the prom in earnest, there is an event to accompany Ariel.
“I’m here? When you’re ready, let’s go.”
Ariel, who was usually procrastinating on her morning schedule, came out to the hall first and was waiting.
Due to her personality of trying to get rid of troublesome tasks quickly, she must have chosen to do things quickly rather than a little sleep.
The fact that Edgar didn’t say anything even though he was a little later than her was also a proof that she had been waiting for her since she came out ridiculously fast.
“Sorry I’m late. Are you going to see me right away?”
“yes. After all, the prom doesn’t have a set time zone. You can take a break after you return, or you can participate right away.”
The reason the party had gathered early in the morning was to have an audience with the empress.
Before the debutant ball, all the young ladies face the empress and are bestowed with congratulatory messages and small pendants to congratulate them on entering the social world.
This pendant, also called Viriditas, is also an object that symbolizes that even a young girl who has not yet reached adulthood has become a full-fledged woman through the debutant ball.
Among them, it was said that there were young ladies who considered it a very honorable thing just to have an audience with the empress and receive Viriditas, but to Ariel, at least, it was just a part of the annoying event.
“I heard it beforehand, but the schedule is pretty tight.”
“Who is it? What is the meaning of this rudeness?”
Ariel nodded at Edgar’s words and harshly criticized today’s schedule in a very dissatisfied tone.
It was good to make a place for the introduction of the social world, but the problem was to insert useless ceremonies in the middle.
Because she is a pragmatist, she might hate these useless acts that only cause trouble for each other.
“Ah, lady… Even so, there are other people around… … .”
“Heh, if you want to listen, tell me to listen.”
Shuri, who had been listening to this quietly, hurriedly stopped the owner at the attention from the surroundings.
But was she a great person to care about such things?
Ariel, who snorted and looked around with sharp eyes, strode out of the annex.
The warm air welcomed her, befitting the spring weather when the buds are budding and the green vegetation is about to bloom, but she noticed that she didn’t like it at all.
“Ed, when I go into the throne room, you’re looking around Shuri and the imperial palace.”
During the Debutant Ball, all parts of the Imperial Palace are open except for certain places.
Surprisingly, there are many ladies who want to tour the imperial palace at least once in their lives rather than participate in the ball, and that was considered.
“Did it take that long?”
“It’s my first time, so I don’t know how long it will take. Wouldn’t that be better than just standing around?”
“Hmm.”
Edgar was not particularly interested in the imperial palace.
In the first place, I wasn’t emotional enough to be dazzled by such a splendid building.
Shuri was willing to accompany her if she wanted to look around, but she didn’t want to bother walking around in the morning.
“Shuri, what are you doing?”
“I’m fine too. Besides, the roads may cross, so it would be better to keep your seat if possible.”
“do it yourself. Because I don’t care.”
Even though he said that, Ariel felt proud.
I thought Shuri would refuse, but I thought Edgar might walk around saying he didn’t know her.
Still, I wonder if there is a self-awareness as an attendant.
Somehow, the weight went into my shoulders.
* * * * * * *
Ariel arrived at the imperial palace and entered the throne room after leaving the two outside.
When she got down on one knee and bowed, a middle-aged woman sitting in the seat of honor across from her greeted her with a smile.
She is Beatria Hellvenier, the current empress of the Hellvenier Empire.
Contrary to the dignity given by the name empress, on the outside, she was a woman who only looked like an impressive beauty.
“You are the daughter of the Loveheim family. I’ve seen it a few times in the days when it came to my waist, do you remember?.”
As the empress, she had many encounters with those of the grand duke’s family, so Ariel’s face was quite familiar.
At that time, I remember that I still had the eyes of an innocent child, but I never thought I would have the eyes of a woman like this before I knew it.
I felt the years go by so quickly.
“I vaguely remember it. Her Highness the Empress.”
“Thank you for remembering me. I’d like to share more saddam, but since there are other children to wait for later, let’s make a separate seat next time.”
A woman with the qualifications of an empress is not the head of an aristocratic family, but is there a separate meeting place for a woman who is just a woman?
If others heard it, it might be considered absurd, but it was possible because the opponent was the successor of the Loveheim family.
“Today’s prom will formally enter the social world. There will be many hardships in many ways, but there will be many meaningful positions. I hope your future is full of good encounters.”
Being a socialite isn’t just a place to make friends.
Sometimes it is a place to discuss politics, and sometimes it is a place to solidify one’s power.
Among them, as the only heir to the grand duke’s family, the hard work of this girl, who must step in, is indescribable.
That’s why Beatria blessed Ariel’s future, and at the same time offered words of comfort for the hardships that awaited her.
Ariel didn’t have such an angular personality that she would completely ignore advice from others, so Ariel listened deeply to Beatria’s words with her head bowed deeply.
Maybe she listened more because she gave off a similar vibe to her mother, Helen.
“Will you come this way?”
“Yes, Her Highness the Empress.”
When he stood up at her call, a woman standing next to him approached and escorted Ariel to Beatria’s face.
Then, he showed a pendant wrapped in a soft cloth he was holding in his hand, and then approached the empress and carefully held it out.
Picking it up, Beatria slowly came down from the seat of honor and hung it around Ariel’s neck.
“I hope you have a good time today. Hopefully, I will be able to meet, experience, and learn from many people.”
“Thank you, Her Highness the Empress.”
Ariel kissed the back of Beatria’s hand, greeted her, and then took a backward step towards the entrance she came from.
Finally, he got up from his seat, straightened his back, tapped his left shoulder once with his right hand, and then put his fist near his heart and lowered his head.
This is not this country, but a salute that comes only to the Loveheim family.
It was also an extreme example that only two people called the highest of the empire could receive.
Ariel left the audience room without saying a word after confirming that a calm smile formed on Beatria’s lips as she watched.
In the hallway, as expected, a considerable number of young ladies were chatting with each other while waiting for their turn.
They couldn’t make too much noise in front of the audience room, so it was very annoying for Ariel to see each of them covering their mouths and whispering.
‘Looking at this side and whispering, it seems like they’re talking behind their backs.’
It seemed to me that I should hurry up and meet Edgar to relieve this unpleasant feeling.
Of course, seeing that man’s face didn’t make me feel better, but it was in the sense that it would be better than being alone forever.
‘Where is it?’
However, even when Ariel looked around, it was difficult to find any trace of Edgar.
Because of his red hair, he was easily noticed, but he was rarely seen.
Maybe he went on a tour of the imperial palace with Shuri.
It didn’t matter because I said it was okay to go, but if that’s true, I think I’ll feel strangely sad.
‘Like an idiot.’
Ariel shook her head and brushed off her negative thoughts.
The horse had come as an attendant, but it was as if it was brought to show him a place that is hard to come by.
And looking at a friend who goes around to enjoy it.
Even if Amman is narrow-minded, isn’t this an act that is no different from being a moth?
‘Should I also look around the imperial palace after a long time.’
The last time Ariel visited the imperial palace was about three years ago.
The structure of this place remained quite clear in my head, but since I was bored at the moment, it wouldn’t hurt to look around.
There are many places to see either way.
Just as she was about to turn the road and move on, a familiar man’s voice reached her ears.
“Ariel!”
‘That’s right.’
I’ve been waiting for you too
Maybe you haven’t been able to find it yourself.
Well, how could a guy who couldn’t do anything without his confidence walk around this vast imperial palace alone?
Ariel smiled happily, but didn’t try to show it, and Ariel turned to where the voice came from.
and there,
“yes?”
For some reason, he saw his childhood friend waving at him while standing among young girls from other families whom he did not know.
pounding.
Ariel’s heart suddenly started beating.
A question crept across her face at the first sensation she had ever felt.
‘what?’
Suddenly, my fingertips trembled, and something like an unpleasant mass rose up in my chest.
anger? No, it was something a little darker and more bizarre than that.
It feels like a pitch-black hand rising from the darkness is dragging you down the abyss.
It was a little similar to, but different from, the emotions Edgar felt when he talked to Shuri in the past.
If the sensations I heard at that time were close to alienation and loneliness, how should I express this?
It made me want to ask why I was there. I wanted to split them up right away and move him to where he should be.
again. again.
However, without even realizing what that emotion was, Ariel’s unruly feet were making her move toward Edgar before she knew it.
“Um, isn’t that the Princess of Loveheim?”
“How come you seem very angry… Did we do anything wrong?”
The two girls are terrified as they see Ariel approaching with red eyes.
In contrast, it was Edgar, who smiled in relief at the thought that he could finally get out of this.
As I slowly approached her with such a welcoming face,
thump
Ariel, who suddenly grabbed his hand as if snatching it, raised her eyes and opened her mouth in a cold tone.
“What are you doing here? You are mine, so stay by my side.”
Without being able to find a way to express this feeling that I had for the first time in my life.