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Chapter 17
He must have known that all eyes would be on him, yet there wasn’t a trace of tension in his demeanor. Rather, a faint, knowing smile curved his lips, as though such attention were only to be expected—calm to the point of indifference.
Enchantment.
Yes. Sensuality.
Those watching strained their minds, searching for another word to name the man.
The young man was beautiful enough to blind even a sage who had awakened to truth, alluring enough to draw submission itself.
Beneath his black hair, violet eyes curved mischievously at the corners.
By the time the reporters finally came to their senses and began snapping photos in a frenzy, the Crown Prince had already turned leisurely and extended a hand into the carriage.
Taking that hand, the Princess emerged, wearing an expression much like her younger brother’s as she surveyed the surroundings.
At something she whispered, the Crown Prince bent toward her.
Then he let out a brief laugh.
The Princess arched her brows.
The Crown Prince nodded as though he understood.
The Princess puffed out her cheeks in a pout, and he laughed again…
It was a picture-perfect scene—two figures stepped straight out of a masterpiece, now moving before their eyes.
How strange.
They were all basking in the same summer sunlight of Saint-Lorraine, and yet only the space where those two stood seemed brighter than the rest.
It was as if a single, pure beam of light lingered and shimmered around them.
While a few people mulled over the mystery, the two royals waved diligently and then slipped inside.
What remained was a fragile silence, barely held together by awe.
Of course, the moment the two figures with black hair disappeared, that quiet shattered into a clamor of exclamations.
* * *
The moment the two entered the bridal waiting room side by side, Elayna Beaudier hurriedly tried to stand.
Cecilia and Alexis reached out at the same time to stop her.
“It’s all right, Lina.”
“It’s fine.”
In their memories, Elayna was someone who tripped far too often.
There was no way they would want her to stand up…
Please make it to the ceremony safely, Lina. Truly.
Cecilia and Alexis offered the same silent prayer.
As those around them hastily bent their knees in greeting, the bride widened her eyes and covered her mouth with her hand.
Her large eyes blinked rapidly, filled with surprise and joy.
“Your Highness—no, Your Imperial Highness! Oh my, oh my, oh my!”
“Mm.”
“When did you grow up so much?!”
“Over the past seven years.”
Alexis replied as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Even though his tone could have sounded slightly irreverent, the bride clutched her stomach and laughed.
Anyone who had lived in Pontreuve long enough would know—
The Crown Prince’s true temperament was quite different from his reputation in high society.
“Did you cause trouble here today, too?”
“No matter how I am, I’m not the type to cause a scene at someone else’s celebration…”
“Well, of course not.”
Seeing how graciously he brushed off what could have been an impertinent joke, one could tell enough.
“Welcome back, Your Highness.”
“Yeah. And congratulations on your marriage. Live well.”
“Yes! I will!”
Alexis stepped back, and this time it was Cecilia’s turn.
When Cecilia opened her arms, Elayna scampered forward and threw herself into her embrace.
“Your Hiiiiiighneeeesss!”
“Yes, yes.”
“If my husband gives me trouble sometimes, can I tattle on him to you?”
“Of course.”
I may not curse him out with you, but I can listen.
At Cecilia’s solemn promise, Elayna laughed again.
Seeing her smiling brightly from start to finish, Cecilia was relieved—despite the rumors of a “political marriage,” she truly looked happy.
The crisis came when they presented their gifts.
Even with her heavy makeup, Elayna’s eyes filled with tears, and Cecilia had to scrape together every bit of her wit to make her laugh.
And then came the wedding.
Knowing it would be improper for them to attend, the two left the venue before it began.
Even as they departed, the guests’ whispers and curious gazes never ceased.
* * *
The moment they boarded the carriage, Cecilia let out a sigh of relief.
The Crown Prince, who in his youth had ruined his own reputation through the most outrageous methods imaginable, had today declared his return to society so flawlessly it was almost frightening—elevating her by association in the process.
“…Perfect.”
An unstable mage who had even visited the Mage Tower.
That had once been Alexis’s reputation—but it would surely be buried beneath his dazzling appearance, his overwhelming status as Crown Prince, his impeccable bloodline, and his refined elegance.
The glances cast his way were clearly etched with reverence and admiration.
Of course, since Alexis had yet to fully “stabilize,” there would also be those who feared him.
She wouldn’t deny that.
But a ruler must, at times, know how to inspire fear.
In that sense, being a suitably intimidating presence wasn’t entirely a bad thing…
Cecilia gave a faint nod.
“Sister.”
From the outset, Lyssène’s high society would extend every possible courtesy to the returned Crown Prince.
Since he was of marriageable age, it was an unquestioned custom for all of society to band together and find him a partner, in the name of his stabilization.
If the Crown Prince chose someone, even a noble lady three days away from her own wedding would have to annul her engagement and marry him instead.
And no one would dare criticize it.
No one.
“Sister?”
At the tap against her little finger, Cecilia shifted her gaze.
Across from her, Alexis was watching silently.
To think she’d been lost in thought even under that stare—she must have been deeply focused.
“Yes. What is it?”
She absentmindedly toyed with the ends of her hair, and only then realized that the carriage wasn’t moving.
Huh?
“What’s going on?”
She carefully drew back the curtain and looked outside.
A mountainside densely packed with conifer trees filled her vision, almost oppressively so.
Was this the start of the road to Rive Academy?
They had planned to head to Rive Academy as their next destination after the wedding.
Since Blanche and Sir Thierry were both confirmed to be there today, it was the perfect day.
“There are two ways to get to Rive,” Alexis said.
“Going normally, and teleportation?”
He shook his head at her guess.
“No. Teleportation to Rive is impossible. In times of war, Rive becomes the command center—along with Pontreuve.”
War?
“Wars involving mages are directed from Rive. Wars without mages are commanded from Pontreuve.”
So conflicts are divided between mage wars and non-mage wars.
“Because it also serves as a fortress, it was built deep in the mountains.”
“I see.”
Since she had barely studied magical disciplines, the knowledge felt unfamiliar.
“So the two ways to reach Rive are… traveling by carriage, or flying there. Which will you choose?”
“How would we fly?”
Alexis smiled lightly.
The grin was identical to the one a mischievous troublemaker wore just before causing a major incident, and for a moment Cecilia felt uneasy—until he answered obediently.
“In my arms.”
“Carriage.”
“You’ll regret it.”
“Carriage.”
“You’ll get terribly motion-sick.”
“Carriage.”
“Really?”
Cecilia seriously considered throwing the pouch she was holding at her brother’s head.
His pitiful, aggrieved expression was infuriatingly smug.
Why does he have to be so handsome?
It’s especially pointless for a younger brother to be good-looking.
“Alex, if you carry me and fly, you’ll regret it. I’m heavy.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Don’t waste your strength on unnecessary things. I’ll ride in the carriage. You can fly or not—do whatever you like.”
Whether Alexis looked sullen or dejected was none of her concern.
“…There’s no way you could be heavy, Sister.”
“Of course not.”
Cecilia nodded as though it were self-evident.
Objectively speaking, she couldn’t be heavy.
Given her height, she might weigh a bit, but not so much that Alex couldn’t lift her.
If he couldn’t, he should surrender that impressive physique.
“But my corset, dress, pouch, necklace, and earrings are quite heavy.”
“……”
“Never underestimate the weight of women’s accessories again—and tell the coachman to depart.”
Alexis obeyed, wearing an expression that was half pout, half dejection.
And to get straight to the point—Cecilia regretted it.
Maybe she should have just let Alexis’s arms fall off. Should people live a little more selfishly, after all?
The carriage shook so violently that she found herself contemplating such thoughts in earnest.
She hadn’t realized one could experience so vividly which direction a carriage was turning and what kind of road it traveled…
She could feel every turn around a corner, every climb up a slope, every jolt as the wheels endured uneven ground.
The vibrations seemed to travel all the way to the tips of her hair, bringing on a headache.
“Oh dear heavens…”
It was fortunate she was accustomed to horseback riding. Otherwise, she would have disgraced herself by retching already.
Cecilia forced her stiff eyelids to move.
But just as the carriage showed signs of turning another corner—
She instinctively squeezed her eyes shut.
“This requires a great deal of mental preparation…”
Snap.
A crisp finger snap sounded, and in an instant, all shaking vanished.
Cecilia slowly lifted her eyelids, maintaining a composed expression as her eyes darted here and there.
“How in the world…?”
Ah. She was floating slightly above the seat.
As if buoyed by levitation.
Her shoes rested not on the carriage floor but lightly on empty air, and the hem of her dress cascaded downward like a waterfall.
“…I did warn you, Sister. I told you you’d get motion-sick.”
The mage inside the carriage scolded her calmly.
