It was a safe journey to Prince Kaio's palace, which was one and a half hours away from the King's palace. The dirt road was situated near the shore, and stones were lined up as borders separating the beach and the road.
When they arrived in the prince's palace, an attendant opened their carriage. King Maro was the first one to go down. When the attendant extended his arms and tried to assist Ely, the King shooed him away and glared at him. Instead, he was the one who helped Ely get down the carriage. Her small hands rested on his big hands, then transferred to his arm. As the two of them carefully walked towards the entrance of the palace, the attendees couldn't help but think about how well-matched the two were.
"Announcing the arrival of the King, His Highness Maro of the Leon Clan!" the master of ceremonies announced.
Upon seeing the King enter, everyone turned to him and bowed. They were then shocked to see a beautiful woman walking beside the King. Not only that, she even walked with her hand on the King's arm!
"Is she the rumored lady?" one of the attendees asked her companion, "They said that she seduced the King by throwing herself naked in his bath."
"What?! That's outrageous!" replied the woman as she held her frilly fan in front of her mouth. "But wait. According to my husband, she is a spy from another kingdom."
Just like these two ladies, the other people also talked about Ely. Some believed that she's an exiled foreign queen who was gifted to the King, and some believed that she's a mermaid turned human.
"Why are they so exaggerated," Ely murmured. She could actually hear what the other people talked about because they did not talk discreetly. It was as if they wanted her to hear them.
He touched her hand that held his arm, "Don't mind them," King Maro told her when he noticed her being distracted and turning her eyes away from the front. Looking as elegant as usual, he approached his blonde brother, "A joyful birthday to you, Kaio. I have sent you some wine from a foreign merchant and high-quality wool."
A barrel of wine, which was at the top of a wheeled, wooden pallet, was being pulled by the King's servants, and behind it was a brass-wood chest with an intricate design of a lion's head, in which the wool was kept.
"Thank you, your Highness," Prince Kaio responded. He grinned as soon as he saw a woman beside his brother, "This is unusual. You brought a woman."
"I want to show her off and make you more envious of me," and the King smirked.
"You stupid King- I mean..." he cleared his throat, stopping himself from being informal to his King brother, "Well, she…" The young prince just panned his sight towards Ely from head to toe. "I admit, she's very beautiful."
His wife, Princess Rija of the Pho Clan, pinched the prince's elbow hard, which led him to say that Ely was only second to his wife in terms of beauty and elegance.
As the King and his brother conversed, Princess Rija introduced herself to the mysterious woman in front of her.
"My name is Rija of the Pho Clan. I am Prince Kaio's wife," she said as she faced Ely. Her dark brown hair was settled at the side of her hair, and she wore a bright red chiffon ball gown. She leaned near her ear and whispered, "So, who are you, really? Are you a flirty harlot, or a cursed mermaid?"
Ely widened her eyes in shock, as she did not expect something like a frontal attack. 'What a foul mouth,' she thought, before giving in her answer.
Luckily, she was already used to the harsh world of show business. A famous singer like her had experienced a lot of things from back when she was still a trainee, even to the time when she became a top star.
Ely stepped back, looking at her intensely, "I am Elizabeth of the Berry Clan… the Queen of Ballad," she copied other people on how they introduced themselves.
"Queen of what? Bal-"
"Queen of Ballad." She glared at the rude princess and said, "So do not dare look down on me."
"So you are a queen, huh… Figures. You look very unusual. But sorry to say, you are not fit to be a Queen of our nation, nor stand next to His Highness. You need to have a high or special position in one of the nation's clans." the princess laughed, "I advise you to drop your illusion on the King, and do not waste your time on him. I am sure he will discard you later on when he realizes that you're useless. He is a ruthless King. I don't think you can make him love you."
Ely felt challenged because of the tactless woman in front of her. 'She asked for a fight? Then I shall give her one… The type of fight wherein she won't be able to win.'
"Why so quiet, Queen of Ballad?" Princess Rija grinned. "Do you realize now how low your position is-"
A smile escaped from Ely's lips. She then stepped sideways and approached King Maro. As if she intentionally wanted to anger Rija, she called to the King in a louder voice so that she could be heard by her.
"Maro!" she sweetly called his name, then glanced at Princess Rija, giggling as if she had already won their petty little fight.