KDPCD 30

Chapter 30

The banquet did not end until nearly midnight.

The Emperor and the other members of the imperial family left first, and Sion and Mostin also returned home with their families.

I waited for my coachman on the steps at the entrance of the building. I had told him beforehand to make sure the carriage was sheltered from the snow in case I was late.

The entrance, which should have been bustling with departing nobles and carriages until just a little while ago, was now completely deserted and quiet.

Winter banquets normally began in the afternoon and ended early enough for everyone to return home at a reasonable hour. If I had not unexpectedly been summoned to meet the Emperor, I would have gone home early like the other nobles.

Somehow, I ended up being the only one left.

Worried about leaving me alone, Sion and Mostin had told me to wait in the powder room prepared inside the banquet hall, but I had casually refused. I had been drinking champagne continuously while talking with the Emperor, and my cheeks were feeling a little warm.

I wrapped my coat more tightly around myself as the cold wind blew against me on the entrance steps. Beyond the entrance of the banquet hall and the carriage road was the central garden of the Imperial Palace.

It was a dark night, with not even the moon visible.

I absentmindedly watched the heavy snow piling up beneath the streetlamps scattered around the garden when I noticed someone walking through it.

Who could that be at this hour?

The black silhouette emerged from the garden and crossed the carriage road. Then, with long strides, he climbed the stairs and approached me.

His face, illuminated by the light spilling from the banquet hall, belonged to a stranger I had never seen before.

“Ah, I’m glad I’m not too late.”

The man who had approached my side shook the snow off his shoulders and hair before smiling brightly. His muted red hair and clear gray eyes were particularly striking.

I stared at him for a moment before giving him a slight bow.

“I greet His Highness Prince Killian Allerman Deckerdil. My name is Belladys Alton.”

At my greeting, the red-haired man, Killian, blinked for a moment before bowing his head as well.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Alton. I didn’t expect you to recognize me before I had even introduced myself.”

“I happened to hear today that Your Highness Prince Killian had returned to the capital.”

Thanks to that, the name Killian had already been fresh in my mind.

Besides, Killian was taller than me, even though I was wearing heels with relatively low heels.

There were only a handful of men among the nobles of the capital who were taller than me, including my father, and I knew all of their faces.

Above all…

“Red hair is also a characteristic of the imperial family.”

The shade was slightly different, but the late Emperor, the current Emperor, the Crown Prince, and Princess Hera all had red hair.

A strange red-haired man taller than me.

Therefore, the person standing before me could only be Killian.

“You have quite the intuition.”

Killian smiled pleasantly as he said this.

Perhaps because he had been outside for a while, his nose and cheeks were flushed red from the cold.

“If I had known Lady Alton would be attending the winter banquet tonight, I would have attended as well. Then we could have spoken sooner…”

Killian spoke in a soft, pleasant voice.

As I listened, I slowly closed and opened my eyes.

“Do you have some business with me?”

“Nothing like that. It’s simply…”

As he said this, Killian elegantly extended his hand. I looked at it for a moment before placing my hand over his.

Killian carefully raised my hand toward his lips and kissed my fingers. It was a customary greeting noblemen offered to ladies they wished to show affection toward.

“I simply wanted to become acquainted with Lady Alton ever since I was in the Magala Empire.”

As Killian said this, the corners of his eyes curved beautifully.

“So I’m truly glad that I was able to meet you, even if only for a little while.”

As he spoke, Killian lightly brushed his thumb over my fingertips.

I tilted my head at the ticklish sensation I could feel through my gloves.

What kind of day is this, anyway?

Casper, the Emperor, and now Killian.

Today, one unfamiliar person after another had approached me wanting something from me.

And among them especially…

Killian is the hardest to read.

Reading people’s true thoughts was my specialty.

Yet even I found it difficult to see through Killian’s intentions. He was wearing a mask far thicker than the others.

Even if I couldn’t see what he was thinking, however, the intention behind his actions was painfully obvious.

I naturally withdrew my hand from Killian’s grasp and spoke.

“The muffler I’m wearing is made from the fur of a red fox.”

Despite my completely unrelated response, Killian did not look confused. Instead, he smiled seductively.

“That is a color that suits your eyes very well, Lady Alton.”

“It is also a color that suits Your Highness’s hair.”

The fur of a red fox and Killian’s hair were similar in color.

I stroked the fur of my muffler as I spoke.

“Red foxes are more wary than ordinary animals, and they are also highly intelligent. Sometimes, they even deliberately reveal themselves to people.”

“They are wary, yet they appear before people… Is there a reason for that?”

“They are creatures that, after observing someone for a long time, become convinced that they can deceive that person. Convinced that they will be able to drink their blood.”

Red foxes were beasts mixed with monsters.

And a monster’s favorite food was human blood.

“A red fox will appear before a person while pretending to be an ordinary fox, acting as cute and affectionate as possible. Then, when the person lets down their guard, it bites their hand. The teeth it keeps hidden are extremely sharp, so there are constantly people who suffer serious injuries.”

“My, what a tragic story.”

“And I am exceptionally skilled at hunting red foxes. Just like this muffler, I can finish one in a single strike without damaging even a single strand of its fur.”

Just as I had aimed for the eyes of the red fox that had been hiding in a tree and watching me during the summer hunting competition.

Only then did Killian seem to roughly understand why I had brought up this story.

His expression changed subtly for an instant.

Seeing that, I neatly raised the corners of my lips.

After staring at my smile in silence for a moment, Killian grinned back.

“You are remarkable, Lady Alton. Hearing that story only makes me want to become closer to you.”

“I am honored to hear you say so, Your Highness.”

I said this while taking my gaze away from Killian and looking toward the carriage road below the stairs.

Just then, my carriage came speeding through the snowfall.

Apparently noticing it as well, Killian asked in a voice filled with regret,

“Are you leaving already?”

As he asked, the carriage reached the entrance of the banquet hall.

The coachman hurriedly opened the carriage door.

I looked at him and replied,

“It is already late.”

“If you don’t mind, would you meet me privately another time? I think I would regret it terribly if I simply let Lady Alton leave like this…”

At those words, I turned my head and looked at Killian.

The light spilling from the building cast shadows across his handsome features.

Looking at his beautiful appearance automatically reminded me of what Elosha had said at the banquet.

“I heard that His Highness Prince Killian was quite notorious for his numerous affairs with women while he was in the Magala Empire.”

I can certainly see why.

If I had not regained the memories of my previous life, and if I had not become accustomed to Sion’s exceptionally handsome face, perhaps I might have felt a little fluttered by that proposal.

Unfortunately, now that I’ve had a taste of power, nothing else really catches my attention.

“Unfortunately, I am extremely busy this winter.”

I said this as I descended the stairs and climbed into the carriage.

Then, before the coachman could close the door, I stopped him and met Killian’s gaze from the top of the stairs.

Looking at him, I spoke in a clear voice.

“Did you say that you’ve wanted to become acquainted with me for some time?”

“…Yes, Lady Alton.”

“People like us do not become acquainted with someone without an ulterior motive.”

Killian’s body stiffened slightly at my words.

Seeing that, I smiled sweetly.

“Interestingly enough, I am also curious about Your Highness. So, once this winter has passed and the weather becomes warm, let us meet again.”

Killian simply stared at me without saying anything.

Unlike the flirtatious expression he had worn earlier, he now looked quite bewildered.

“When we meet next time, you should be prepared to reveal at least some of your cards. Then, until next time.”

“W-Wait a moment, Lady Alton.”

Killian hurriedly descended the stairs and approached the carriage.

He looked up at me with confused eyes.

“Perhaps… don’t you feel anything when you look at me?”

“Nothing.”

I answered firmly before turning my gaze forward.

“It is cold.”

At my words, Killian flinched and took a step back.

The waiting coachman then carefully closed the carriage door.

Just before the carriage departed, I opened the window slightly and looked at Killian.

“Please don’t stand in the snow either, Your Highness. Go back inside the palace.”

“Ah… Thank you for your concern.”

I maintained my smile and gave him a small nod.

Then the carriage set off.

I glanced back.

Killian remained where he was, silently watching my carriage disappear.

I closed the window and leaned back against the seat.

“Second Prince Killian, who supposedly had quite the reputation with women…”

I hadn’t expected to meet him like this today.

There was more than one suspicious thing about the Killian I had just encountered.

In particular, his reputation for being a womanizer was rather questionable.

Although he was good at hiding his true thoughts…

He isn’t actually very good at seducing women.

The things that might have made me feel attracted to him were his appearance and his voice, not his way of speaking or the atmosphere he created.

Of course, with a face like that, he could become popular based on his looks alone.

But would the proud nobles of the Magala Empire really have fallen for Prince Killian simply because he was handsome?

I didn’t know about the others, but I had heard that the twin princesses of the Magala Empire were extremely proud of their country.

There was no way they would have liked the prince of an enemy nation simply because he was handsome…

And why had Killian said that at the very end?

“Perhaps… don’t you feel anything when you look at me?”

As if I was supposed to feel something when I looked at him…

What secret is Prince Killian hiding?

Should I plant a spy to keep an eye on him…?

I considered it for a moment, but eventually shook my head.

For now, I had plenty of other things to do.

Since Prince Killian had returned to the Empire and approached me first, there was no need to rush.

I closed my tired eyes and let my body sink into the rocking carriage.