Chapter 125

Smile and the Bees

The first Spring Festival to be held in the Principality of Valdrova.

The village of Hestia celebrated the budding of spring with lively music, cheerful laughter, and the scent of alcohol filling the air.

Among the nobility, the social gathering began in the late afternoon, after the sun had already passed its zenith and started sinking toward the west.

Most of the young ladies and gentlemen had arrived early to expand their social circles, mingling with one another. The later someone arrived, the more it demonstrated the influence they wielded.

Olivia entered the ballroom just before the evening sky was painted with sunset.

Though she was not the host, every eye turned toward her.

No one said it aloud, but everyone present—even the host himself—knew the truth.

The true centerpiece of this gathering was none other than Olivia Arken.

"Your Imperial Highness, you're as beautiful as ever today."

"I heard you went out of your way to make sure we could attend the Spring Festival. Thank you so much."

The members of Golden Rose showered her with flattery.

Since Olivia had personally asked Ferda beforehand to allow them to attend, every one of them had naturally received an invitation.

As they were faithfully playing their roles, rewarding them in return was only natural.

"Of course. We share a bond of friendship, don't we?"

"Until last year, I couldn't even imagine setting foot in a Spring Festival like this... I'm so touched I could cry."

"Ah, my makeup's about to run. At this rate I'll end up looking like a ghost bride."

"A ghost bride? Don't say something so frightening."

The young ladies burst into laughter.

For anyone else, this might have been a pleasant moment.

But not for Olivia.

She had to offer compliments she didn't mean, comforting words she didn't feel, and endure the gazes of men she had no interest in.

Still... this isn't as irritating as the other social gatherings.

It was strange.

Perhaps it was because there was someone she was secretly looking forward to seeing.

She wasn't nearly as exhausted as usual. In fact, it was easier than ever to keep up her cheerful performance.

As evening settled in, Ferda entered the banquet hall.

"The great Prince Consort, Regent Ferda Valdrova, has arrived!"

The music stopped.

Everyone lowered their heads toward Ferda.

The young ladies of Golden Rose immediately began whispering excitedly.

"So that's Regent Ferda Valdrova."

"Just like the rumors said... he's young and handsome..."

Was it the unique aura surrounding him?

Quite a few young noblewomen felt their hearts flutter in a way they never did around men their own age.

At the same time, they repeatedly stole glances at Olivia.

They wanted to see with their own eyes whether the rumors between the two were true.

Olivia left no opening whatsoever.

She wore nothing more than the same polite, professional smile she gave every other man.

Now he'll give the opening address.

The speech had been written by none other than Olivia herself.

Having attended countless social gatherings, she had carefully crafted the perfect address, tailored to the audience's age and status.

Now all that remained was for Ferda to deliver it.

The speech began.

The moment he opened his mouth, amazement spread through the hall.

His clear, articulate diction—so characteristic of a mage—combined with his calm, dignified presence to command the room so completely that even seasoned orators would have been put to shame.

So the rumors that he moved those old men at the Grand Council... weren't exaggerated after all.

All Olivia could feel was how shallow her own expectations had been.

And before she knew it...

She had imagined it.

She imagined that man ascending the Imperial Throne itself, replacing the Emperor of Arken.

The image made her heart race.

When he concluded his speech, the hall erupted into applause.

Olivia applauded as well before returning to the Golden Rose group.

The young ladies, their faces flushed red, couldn't stop talking about Ferda.

"Isn't His Excellency the Regent simply wonderful?"

"I know! If only he didn't already have a fiancée... I'd be tempted to make a move myself."

His commanding presence, combined with that flawless speech, had completely captured the hearts of the women.

For some reason, Olivia found their reactions oddly unpleasant.

Even though everything had gone exactly according to her plan.

"Oh my, he's coming this way."

The young ladies casually brushed back their hair and pretended to be having a refined conversation among themselves.

"Thank you for your assistance with the Spring Festival."

Ferda offered Olivia his thanks.

"It was nothing. The honor was mine."

"I hope you enjoy the festivities."

They exchanged nothing more than a brief, courteous greeting before parting.

The young ladies stared, wondering if they had somehow missed something.

Tilting her head innocently, Olivia asked,

"Is something the matter?"

"Oh, no. Nothing at all."

Nothing at all?

Their heads must have been overflowing with gossip.

If there had been even the slightest opening, they would have delighted in spreading rumors.

But there had been none.

She had planted the seed of suspicion.

Time itself would eventually make that seed wither away.

"Come to think of it... the Regent hasn't smiled even once."

"I thought perhaps he'd smile if he met someone he was close to."

Of course not.

Olivia answered inwardly without joining the conversation.

That man's smile was nothing like the cheap grins young men wore when driven by youthful passion.

It was a smile that even Olivia herself had never seen.

Wasn't it something possessing the ultimate value—one born only from pure love?

Olivia was pleased.

The fact that only she knew the worth of that smile...

Meant she was different from these foolish girls chasing after handsome men.

And it reminded her once again of just how noble that man truly was.

Then the ball began.

Like bees swarming toward flowers, the gentlemen descended upon the ladies.

Olivia was no exception.

Bees rushing in without knowing their place.

"It is my first time meeting you. Though I am unworthy, I would like to ask Your Imperial Highness for—"

"Oh? Why don't you dance with me instead?"

"...Pardon?"

"Come along now!"

A young lady snatched away the hand that had been reaching toward Olivia, and the bewildered nobleman was dragged helplessly onto the dance floor.

The way Golden Rose devoured the bees flocking toward its flowers resembled a Venus flytrap.

That was Golden Rose's way.

Many engagements had begun exactly like this.

I'd better get ready.

Once the first dance ended, Ferda would come.

And Olivia would simply refuse him.

Everyone would be watching.

The rumors would end on the spot.

Until then, Olivia calmly calculated every expression she would wear and every movement she would make.

"Oh my..."

Here we go again.

Another dramatic outburst from one of the younger ladies.

Just as Olivia was about to sigh inwardly—

"The Regent... he's smiling."

Smiling?

What nonsense was that?

Olivia instinctively turned toward the dance floor.

By sheer coincidence, her eyes landed directly on Ferda.

The instant she saw him...

A crack appeared in the perfect mask she always wore.

...He really is smiling?

For a moment, Olivia wondered if her eyes had deceived her.

The music of the banquet filled the hall as couples drifted across the dance floor like schools of fish gliding through a lake.

Among them stood Ferda.

He was smiling.

He was smiling as he spoke with someone.

Her gaze instinctively shifted to the person standing before him.

Who... is that young lady?

Freckles. Black hair.

No matter how she looked at her, the girl was less attractive than herself, and even her dress was behind the latest fashion.

She couldn't possibly be Valdrova.

As far as Olivia knew, whenever Valdrova took human form, she appeared as a woman with crimson hair and two pairs of horns.

That meant the girl was nothing more than some random extra Ferda had approached for the sake of appearances.

And yet...

Why is he smiling like that?

It made no sense.

I danced with him far longer than that woman did.

For four whole hours, he hadn't smiled once.

Not at her.

Not even once.

Almost instinctively, Olivia unfolded her fan and covered her mouth.

The mask around her lips had cracked.

Confused by the emotions welling inside her, she tried to analyze herself objectively.

Am I... jealous?

No.

That couldn't be it.

Ferda loved Valdrova.

Olivia treasured that love.

She admired Ferda precisely because she cherished that unwavering devotion.

To her, he was almost a god capable of moving her heart.

...I understand now.

She was angry because he had lied.

He had acted as though he was different from other men.

Yet in the end, he was just the same.

He smiled so easily at other women...

But never at her.

Because he knew I was special.

He was trying to keep me in the palm of his hand all along...

That's it.

So that was the truth.

In the end...

You were no different from any other man.

The music came to a stop.

Ferda exchanged farewells with the young woman, then turned around.

He began walking toward Olivia.

Exactly as she had planned.

Olivia admitted it to herself.

What she was about to do had never been part of the plan.

It was completely impulsive.

An act driven entirely by emotion.

Even so...

She couldn't stop herself.

Only one sentence echoed over and over in her mind.

"Very well."

You deserve to be punished.

***

Everything had been proceeding exactly as planned for Ferda...

Until the situation suddenly veered completely off course.

What is she doing?

According to the script, he would ask Olivia for a dance...

...and she would reject him.

Instead, contrary to everything she herself had proposed...

She accepted.

Ferda wasn't the only one left stunned.

The noble ladies who had expected her refusal stared at the two of them with wide eyes, forgetting even to hide their surprise behind their fans.

What is she trying to do?

Olivia was a cold, calculating woman.

In matters like this, she was even more strategic than Ferda.

She understood perfectly well that if a scandal erupted, the woman would suffer the greatest damage.

A man could simply find another partner.

But once a woman was branded a seductress, her social standing was ruined.

There was no way Olivia didn't know that.

Is there something I'm missing?

Perhaps she had some rational reason that he simply couldn't perceive.

He needed an explanation.

"Would you escort me?"

Olivia extended a hand clad in a silk glove.

If she offered her hand...

He was expected to take it.

He was expected to dance with her.

He knew he should.

Yet at the same time...

Doing so felt terribly wrong.

Duty and guilt collided within him, making his hand hesitate.

Should I really take her hand?

Just as he was about to place his hand upon hers—

"Show proper respect!"

A thunderous voice echoed throughout the hall.

It wasn't one of the imperial attendants.

It was Luri.

The silver dragon, who normally never interfered with human banquets, overwhelmed the entire hall with a single command.

There was only one reason she would ever step forward.

Valdrova had arrived.

"His Highness the Prince has arrived!"

The doors swung open.

Ferda doubted his own eyes.

It wasn't the dragon armor he had seen countless times within the castle.

Instead...

She stood around one hundred sixty centimeters tall.

Crimson hair.

Two pairs of horns.

A magnificent gown of brilliant red accented with shimmering gold, perfectly complementing her hair.

She walked gracefully along the carpet.

Everyone lowered their heads, offering respect and reverence to the immortal sovereign.

Ferda simply stared.

It felt as though the Goddess of Beauty herself had appeared before him.

Halfway down the carpet, Valdrova suddenly changed direction.

She walked straight toward Ferda.

Stopping directly before him...

She said nothing.

She merely extended her hand toward him.

The hostess...

Was asking the host to dance.

Ferda's predicament became even worse.

Only moments ago, Olivia had invited him to dance.

According to etiquette, he should have honored that invitation first.

But if he said so now...

It felt as though the hand suspended before him would fall helplessly into empty space.

"I hope Your Highness enjoys a private moment with the Prince."

Fortunately, Olivia stepped aside without protest.

Ferda took Valdrova's hand.

She had done what she had always feared.

She controlled her strength perfectly.

He could only imagine how much painful training it had taken for her to achieve such delicate control.

He gently escorted her onto the dance floor.

Carefully...

He placed a hand upon her waist.

The warmth of her soft hand.

And...

Its trembling.

Even though they had only just touched hands...

Ferda immediately understood.

Valdrova had heard the gossip about him and Olivia.

I see...

She hadn't come here because she had found the courage to face everyone.

She had been driven from her sanctuary.

Driven by fear.

And the source of that fear...

Was Ferda himself.

I hurt her.

Guilt gnawed at him.

The voice of the Shadow Circle whispered into his ear, breathing out a mocking laugh as though there were nothing left to say.

The moment he had longed for more than anything had finally arrived.

Yet...

Ferda couldn't feel happy.

All he could think about was the expression hidden behind that mask.

I have to match the rhythm...

The music no longer reached his ears.

His steps kept faltering.

Valdrova was no different.

The two of them repeatedly stepped on each other's feet, dancing with utterly disastrous coordination.

A minute.

Then another.

The song finally came to an end.

Normally, they should have released each other's hands and exchanged bows.

But Valdrova didn't let go.

Instead...

She rose onto her tiptoes and whispered into Ferda's ear.

"...Mr. Ferda."

His heart dropped.

It wasn't the voice altered by the magic voice modulator.

It was her real voice.

Softly trembling.

Moist and fragile, like dew before dawn.

"Please... speak."

"This hand..."

Her voice quivered.

"...Don't... let go of it."

She pleaded so quietly.

"...I... I don't know where I'll run if you do. If you let go..."

Her voice shook even harder.

"...I'll stop acting like a proper ruler. I... I might embarrass you, Mr. Ferda."

There was no certainty in her voice.

Only growing panic.

Ferda already knew exactly what he had to say.

"I'll lead you."

Holding her hand tightly...

Ferda walked with her out of the banquet hall.

He didn't stop to bid farewell to the guests.

Etiquette.

Appearances.

None of those things mattered anymore.