"Congratulations on your engagement, Your Highness."
"Congratulations, Your Highness."
Ever since Melisa was officially engaged to Alexius, congratulations kept pouring in from the people who attended her engagement ceremony. Melisa responded to each of them with a cold face. Fortunately, perhaps because people thought that Melisa was just nervous because of her engagement party, no one suspected even if Melisa did not smile in the slightest on her engagement day.
"Your Highness, I congratulate you on your engagement."
Melisa's gaze lingered for a long time when it was Vanessa's turn to approach her to congratulate her. Without realizing it, Melisa's hands clenched tightly when she saw that woman again. Melisa knew that Vanessa's warning the other day was purely because it was her duty as Alison's family to ensure that Sigmund's Kingdom was always in a stable condition. Even so, Melisa couldn't help but feel bitter every time she saw Vanessa.
"...I see you didn't come with your fiancé today."
Melisa tried to sound unconcerned about Alister. And this time, she succeeded, as Vanessa momentarily looked surprised before she finally flashed Melisa a small smile.
"I thank you for caring about me so much. But Your Highness, at the moment, Lord Alister is not yet my official fiancé. He also said that he has been ill since a few days ago, so he cannot attend this event in person. I think it was Marquess Webster who came to this feast today. Have you not met him today, Your Highness?"
"I do not know. There are too many people who came today. I certainly can't recognize them all at once."
Melisa knew that Vanessa was constantly testing her concern for Alister. Therefore, Melisa kept her indifferent expression for as long as Vanessa wanted. Again, Vanessa smiled a little as she was quite satisfied with Melisa's answer. Just from her smile alone, Melisa could tell that Alison's family might not keep an eye on her anymore if she continued to behave as she was currently doing.
"Of course, since it's a very important celebration party, many people are vying to come to attend this event."
After Vanessa said that, her gaze shifted behind Melisa, where Duke Andrew, who was standing next to his son, was also looking at her with a serious gaze. Vanessa caught the signal that Duke Andrew wanted to talk to her. Therefore, she looked back at Melisa not long after.
"Your Highness, I will see you next time. Once again, I congratulate you on your engagement to Crown Prince Alexius."
After Vanessa left, another wave of nobles approached Melisa. But in the midst of it all, Melisa still felt lonely deep inside. The nobles' gazes were like wolves waiting for her moment of weakness to pounce on her. It was a terrifying sight. But Melisa had to keep her composure, even though her heart kept screaming for her to leave that place as soon as possible.
"His Majesty King Marlon and his wife, Her Majesty Queen Agatha, enter the hall!"
It was only when Melisa heard that voice that her mind, which had been dead, started working again quickly. Melisa's gaze looked expectantly in the direction where the news of the arrival was announced. Melisa's eyes couldn't help but glaze over when she saw that her parents could come to the Sigmund Kingdom to attend her engagement party.
"Please excuse me."
Perhaps because people could also feel the longing that Melisa had been harboring, people immediately gave way when Melisa hurried to approach her parents. Melisa smiled broadly when her parents noticed her. Just like her, they too, had reddened eyes when they were finally reunited with their daughter.
"...Your Majesty."
As Melisa saluted them, her mother gently took her hand and helped her to stand up straight. Melisa looked back at her parents' faces for the second time. This time, they were all smiling, probably out of relief that each of them was okay during their farewell.
"You looked stunning, Melisa."
Her father's every word was filled with affection, and it immediately warmed Melisa's previously cold heart. Only after meeting them did Melisa finally feel alive again. All that she had to endure in the Sigmund Kingdom was worth seeing her parents' faces looking better than they had during the war.
"Melisa, Lady Violet has told me that you are living well in this place. But I want to hear from you. Are you really living well in this place?"
A mother's intuition is never wrong. Even though Melisa seemed to be well cared for by the people in the Sigmund Kingdom, Queen Agatha could still sense that there was something her daughter was hiding. She asked because she was worried about her daughter's well-being. Melisa smiled instead before she put on her best charade in front of her parents.
"I'm living well, Mother. Didn't sister-in-law tell you about it? Crown Prince Alexius and the others are treating me well in this place."
"...Thank goodness if that's the case."
Although Queen Agatha could not simply get rid of her worry for her daughter, she could only pretend to believe for her daughter's sake as well.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty King Dillion has been waiting for you elsewhere."
"...Alright."
They had only been talking for a short while. However, since the arrival of the Cyrille Kingdom's leader was not necessarily just to witness their daughter's engagement, they still had to go first to ratify the agreement that had not been officially made before. King Marlon looked at his daughter with an apologetic gaze. So did Queen Agatha. Both of them seemed unwilling to leave immediately, so Melisa had to join in the effort to persuade them to leave before talking back to her.
"We can meet again later before you return."
"Okay."
Melisa had sacrificed a lot for the peace agreement. Hence, King Marlon and Queen Agatha no longer wanted to waste time before signing the agreement. The two left with the royal knights sent by King Dillion. And with their departure, Elisa could only feel empty for once.
Crown Prince Alexius seemed to be quite surprised by her change in attitude, so he preferred to occupy himself with talking to Duke Andrew rather than accompanying her to greet the nobles. Melisa was also quite tired of being in that place. Since her parents would also probably spend a long time discussing the peace treaty, Melisa felt that returning to her palace with the excuse of being tired was her best option for the time being.
"I'll send you some medicine later."
Although Alexius still looked a little awkward when talking to her, when Melisa said that she would return first due to fatigue, the man still escorted Melisa to her carriage before saying that. Melisa just nodded without saying anything else. Alexius also seemed to be more sensitive to how Melisa was feeling. So, after speaking one sentence, he proceeded to close the carriage door and let Melisa return to her palace.
Once Melisa arrived at her palace, she saw that almost all of her servants were busy rearranging the interior of the palace now that Melisa had been officially promoted to the Sigmund Kingdom. The place looked more lively and beautiful than before. But Melisa didn't even want to give the luxury a second glance and instead rushed inside after Teresa picked her up hurriedly in front of her palace.
"Teresa, Mother, and Father really came to this place. I met them earlier. After they finish discussing the agreement with King Dillion, I plan to invite them to this palace."
Ever since Melisa had distanced herself from Alister, it was the first time Melisa seemed alive again in front of Teresa. A sense of relief filled Teresa after she heard Melisa's words. Teresa smiled and replied happily.
"I will prepare the best place and dishes to welcome them, Your Highness."
Melisa suddenly stopped. That confused Teresa, especially when the woman realized that Melisa's gaze was focused on one of the many gifts from the nobles that were being carried by several servants.
"Your Highness? Do I need to move those gifts to your room?"
Teresa thought Melisa did not want to open the gifts in private. Therefore, she had asked the others to move the gifts for sorting to the treasure room later.
"...No. I only want those white ones."
The box Melisa had requested was the most plain and unattractive-looking of the others. But for some reason, Melisa chose that simple box. Teresa quickly took the simple box from the pile of other gifts. They continued their journey to Melisa's room, until they finally arrived, and Melisa took a seat on the long sofa in her room.
"Teresa, I want to open that present."
Teresa didn't understand why Melisa was so impatient. Still, she handed over the simple box quickly and let Melisa open the box as she wished. Teresa was only surprised when Melisa suddenly looked like she wanted to cry again. Only because inside the box was a scarf and a greeting card with an inscription that looked familiar to Teresa.
"Your Highness...."
"...You can either throw this gift away or burn it."
It was only after Melisa returned the gift to Teresa that Teresa was finally able to figure out that the gift was actually prepared by Alister. Despite the simple box, the scarf inside was actually of the finest quality that was too good to throw away. The scarf also had special embroidery on the ends. Melisa's name was neatly embroidered on the scarf, a sign that the giver had thought of Melisa when preparing the gift.
Teresa silently looked at Melisa. Although it was a shame that she had to throw away the gift that someone had prepared especially for Melisa, because Melisa had asked, Teresa was forced to bring out the beautiful scarf. Only when Teresa had left did Melisa show her true colors again. The girl almost sobbed, especially when she recalled what was written on the paper sent by her lover.