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[CHAPTER 108]
Because I was wearing heels twice as high as usual, I twisted my foot for a moment, but his hand held me firmly in place.
“Careful, slowly.”
His low gentle voice brushed my ear.
When I slowly placed my foot on the ground, the golden skirt of my dress spread out and flowed down the steps.
Vincent entered while holding my hand just as it was.
When I turned back, worried about Sylvia, she was coming down with Derek’s help.
As long as Derek didn’t bring any weapons, he could enter with the crown prince and me as our escort knight.
*Come to think of it, in the novel Derek had a crush on Sylvia.*
I had been too focused on Vincent to think about Derek and Sylvia.
*How does Derek feel now that he’s seen her?*
When I looked at him, Derek’s eyes met mine.
Just as his expression began to change, Vincent pulled me forward and shifted my gaze.
“Amelia, look ahead.”
“Ah, yes.”
After getting off the carriage and walking a little, a beautiful garden spread out before my eyes.
As expected of the famous Lumière Hall, even the garden in front of it was breathtakingly beautiful.
Between the carefully trimmed trees, yellow chrysanthemums and white roses bloomed here and there.
Magic lamps installed among them made the flowers glow even brighter.
From the fountain in the center of the garden, streams of water rose into the air, and the purple sunset behind it created a dazzling and mysterious atmosphere.
A stone path crossed the lovely garden, covered with a red carpet.
Following Vincent’s escort, I stepped carefully along the carpet.
The hand resting on Vincent’s arm tensed now and then, but he supported me steadily without a single wobble.
As we went further inside, we grew closer to the people lingering outside.
Their murmuring voices became clearer little by little.
“There’s His Highness the Crown Prince and Lady Wentworth entering.”
“Just by appearances alone, they make quite a pair.”
“What does it matter if it’s only appearances? Her personality is a mess.”
“The Wentworth family collapsed, but surprisingly His Highness seems to treat the lady well.”
I couldn’t tell if my ears were just sharp or if they were saying it loud on purpose.
Was it my imagination, or did even more people swarm around the moment Vincent and I passed by?
In their eyes I saw curiosity, admiration, envy, jealousy, and even hatred.
For example, that brown-haired green-eyed woman over there.
She stepped boldly into our path as if our eyes had met.
After glaring daggers at me, she softened her expression and bowed gracefully.
As I kept looking at her, a name drifted up from Amelia’s memories.
“I, Sarah Holt, greet Your Highness, the little sun of the Empire. Have you been well?”
Yes, Sarah Holt.
The count’s daughter whose hair Amelia had pulled and whose clothes she had splashed with tea… and who had gone around spreading rumors afterward.
She was also the person Vincent had mentioned having tea with after our audience with the Empress.
Thinking Vincent and she might want to talk, I tried to withdraw my hand from his arm, but he suddenly held my hand tighter with his opposite hand to keep me from pulling away.
I saw Sarah’s gaze snap to that movement.
“It has been a while, Lady Holt.”
“Yes, Your Highness. You said you would visit, but you suddenly canceled. I was quite worried. You weren’t unwell, were you?”
She looked up at him with a tender expression full of concern.
Was she talking about that promise?
*’I have another appointment. I’m meeting Lady Holt for tea.’*
When I turned to Vincent, his lips curved into a smooth smile.
It was the same smile I had seen often when I first became Amelia.
“My apologies. Some urgent state matters came up and I could not go.”
“It’s all right. The affairs of the nation always come first. Then perhaps Your Highness could set a new date?”
Oh my.
Her tone was soft, but she was surprisingly bold.
Her behavior toward the crown prince was quite forward, too.
When I glanced at Vincent, his smile deepened.
I could tell he was teasing her.
“I don’t think I will have time for a while. If I am able to make an appointment, I will let you know. And if I go, I will likely bring Lady Wentworth with me. Would that be all right?”
“W-With Lady Wentworth? O-Of course. You’re welcome anytime, Your Highness.”
Though flustered, Sarah couldn’t refuse the crown prince’s words.
“Then, would you step aside? Those behind us cannot enter.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Sarah Holt quickly moved aside.
Vincent looked back at me.
“Let’s go.”
Some of the smile had faded from his face, but I knew this was his real expression.
Hmm.
I had to admit I’d come a long way.
I could now tell the difference between his real face and his fake one just by looking.
We continued along the red-carpeted path.
On the way up the marble steps, I still heard various comments, including some about Sylvia.
Come to think of it, Sylvia must have seen everything earlier when Sarah spoke with us.
“Who’s that girl following behind the crown prince? Looks like Sir Derek next to her.”
“She’s quite the beauty. Silver hair and blue eyes like that are rare.”
“I know who she is. She’s the woman Lady Wentworth brought as her maid. I don’t know her name though.”
Sylvia could hear all this too.
Concerned, I looked back, but Sylvia followed behind us without any visible reaction.
When our eyes met, she simply smiled faintly and nodded.
She seemed fine.
“Amelia, look ahead.”
His quiet voice sounded in my ear again.
He had said the same thing earlier.
I pouted a little and looked forward again.
Through the open doors, I saw a dazzling hall filled with people.
“Are you nervous?”
“I’m not nervous.”
“Lie.”
I squeezed his arm in protest.
Judging from the soft laugh near my ear, it didn’t hurt him at all.
Now that I thought about it, the relationship between Vincent and me had changed a lot.
A servant guarding the entrance bowed politely when he saw us.
Then he glanced behind Vincent with a look asking who that was.
“She’s the maid I brought. Sylvia Norman.”
The servant checked the guest list and nodded.
“Understood, my lady.”
He extended his arm politely to let us through.
“His Highness Crown Prince Vincent Arthur Fitzroy, Lady Amelia Wentworth, Sylvia Norman, and Sir Derek Craftern are entering!”
The noisy hall fell silent at once, and dozens of eyes turned toward us.
Even the bravest person would be nervous with that many stares.
But Vincent walked forward calmly, guiding me without a hint of hesitation.
When I looked back, Derek and Sylvia had split apart after the entrance and were walking separately.
“…”
Someone familiar approached with a grin.
“We meet again, Lady Wentworth.”
It was Jais Royce, the tall man with dark skin and reddish-brown hair slicked back with pomade, the eldest son of the Royce Duke’s family.
“Good to see you, Lord Royce.”
He smiled broadly, bowed, and extended his hand.
He was asking permission for a kiss on the hand.
It was a common greeting for ladies in this era, so I casually raised my hand, but Vincent stepped forward and blocked him with ease.
“It seems the Duke of Royce is not here today?”
“No, Your Highness. Why interrupt when I’m greeting a beautiful lady? My father is busy talking with the other old—”
Jais Royce stopped mid-complaint, his expression hardening.
He was staring toward the entrance.
Following his eyes, I turned and froze as well.
Just then the servant’s loud voice boomed across the hall.
“Count Layton Ascard is entering!”
