People talked to each other and laughed at each other's jokes. With a glass of the best wine in their hands, the atmosphere seemed perfect.
The party in the Palace Hall was as lively as the one held during the day. With classical music playing in the grand hall, some people even wanted to go to the dance floor with their partners.
Elennora could only see how some people started dancing with their partners. The women put their hands on the men's chests, and they moved to the rhythm while staring at each other lovingly.
He had never liked to dance, and when he saw how the people were moving in sync, he did not feel jealous or anything in his heart. Moreover, he already knew his true identity now, so it must be strange for him to dance with a man, right?
He didn't envy people who could dance with their partners, but he only envied that people could live normal lives without pretending to be someone else.
["I heard the rumor about Crown Prince Levan's marriage, Your Highness. I heard that he told his father that he wanted to marry someone. Do you know about that, Your Highness?"]
The three sentences he had heard from Bianca kept ringing in his head. 'Of course, Crown Prince Levan will marry someone, and that person must be a girl because he is a man. It's not like I can marry anyone because I'm just a man dressed as a woman.'
Elennora thought sadly as he continued to stare his brown eyes at the couple dancing on the dance floor.
When he heard Queen Richenza say that he could not marry anyone in the future, he could guess another reason behind that, and it must be because he couldn't even reveal his true gender to the public.
Elennora could understand his mother's intentions, but he still felt uncomfortable about it. 'If only I could be a normal person,' he lamented once more as his eyes continued to stare at the youths enjoying their world with each other. 'See, even a girl dares to go up to a guy to ask him to dance with her.'
His brown eyes saw how a girl with blue hair and a pink dress approached a tall man near the dance floor. He couldn't see the man's face because the man's back was facing him, but for some reason, he felt like he could recognize the back.
'Wait? Red and black clothes? Why does it familiar?' He narrowed his eyes to get a better look at the man. 'The brown hair is short and straight. Don't tell me that he is―'
Elennora had not even mentioned a name in his heart when the man suddenly turned his body.
And he was right. That man was the Crown Prince of Wrelloven, Levan Godwinson.
His brown eyes widened in surprise, and he could see the man smiling at the girl as they walked together onto the dance floor. Suddenly, Elennora didn't want to see the next scene that was about to happen.
Turning around, he lifted his dress and started walking away from the crowd. His heart was beating fast, but this time, a strong impact caused pain in his heart.
He didn't know what was wrong with him, so he could only head to the door of the hall and quickly exit the hall. Several people greeted him, but he ignored all of them until he arrived in front of the Palace Hall.
Slowing his pace, he walked towards the fountain that was right in front of the Palace Hall. The hall was surrounded by a garden full of flowers, and its beauty was complemented by the presence of a majestic fountain.
Walking closer to the fountain, he then stopped at the fountain and looked down at the clear water. There, he could see the reflection of his appearance. He was born a boy, but he was forced to dress like a girl.
It was like humiliation, and hatred suddenly manifested in his heart.
Bringing his hand to touch the pink hair on his shoulders, he furiously tugged at it as if to pluck the strands from his scalp.
He was very emotional, and his hands were shaking as a single tear fell from his eyelids. At this moment, he could also see the reflection of himself that was so weak and worthless.
"Why did you leave the party in such a hurry, Your Highness?"
His body jolted when he heard the question. The voice was familiar to his ears, and he tried not to turn around even though his heart kept telling him to do it.
His heart was beating fast again, but this time, it was because he felt insecure. His right hand suddenly wiped his tears before he blinked to wipe away the remaining tears on his eyelids.
Not long after, he could see the reflection in the water was no longer alone. There was an image of a man together with the pink-haired Crown Princess, and the Crown Princess's breath hitched.
"Are you all right, Your Highness? Why are you outside? It's quite cold in here," the man spoke again while rubbing his hands to strengthen his argument.
However, Elennora's reply was even colder than the air tonight, "I should be the one asking you, Your Highness. Why are you here? You should have danced with some of the girls in the Hall, right?"
He didn't want to sound sarcastic, but he couldn't control the tone of his voice.
"Huh? Why do I have to dance with some of the girls in the Hall?" The taller man asked back with a frown on his forehead.
Crown Princess Elennora sighed before finally looking at the man next to him. "You are the famous Crown Prince Levan of Wrelloven, and many girls want to dance with you, Your Highness. You even danced with one of the girls before you left the Hall, right? Is she the one you love? She's the one you want to marry?"