Inside the great hall, the nobles greeted one another and engaged in conversation. Their faces reflected their interest in the discussions and sometimes even showed a shocked face, accompanied by nods of agreement and bursts of laughter.
The line of those waiting to present their gifts to Princess Vanetta stretched long. Their eyes darted to catch glimpses of the princess, each eager to make a great impression on the royal family.
Meanwhile, Duke Voncrow, who had expressed his desire to give something to Princess Elucina, walked purposely toward her from her seat. Behind him, the next family in line was called to step forward and present their gift to Vanetta.
Princess Elucina's golden brown eyes met the pair of purple eyes she despised. The owner of those eyes then bowed before her, offering a greeting, "Your Highness, please accept these books I have acquired from the neighboring Aerilon Empire."
As if on cue, the servant placed the case on the platform before Elucina with a solid thud that resonated in the air, telling how heavy it was.
"I appreciate your present, Duke Voncrow," Elucina accepted, giving a glance at the books inside the leather case.
She leaned forward, reaching out to trace the titles and feel the cover of the books beneath her fingertips. She then turned her attention from the gift to Duke Voncrow's face, searching intently for any sign of genuine sincerity behind his sudden gesture.
"...I wonder if this is some kind of reconciliation gift," she added, knowing he would understand what she meant behind her words, especially after the dissolution of her engagement.
"Ha-ha, not at all," the Duke chuckled. "It is simply a gesture of goodwill for Her Highness."
'Hah, goodwill. Does he think I wouldn't understand?' Elucina straightened her posture, resting her arms on her chair. Her gaze narrowed instinctively with suspicion as she thought over the Duke's hidden motives.
"I hope you will enjoy them, Your Highness." Duke Voncrow said with a smile before he excused himself.
Elucina stared at the Duke until he finally descended from the platform. Her eyes then fell on the books, lingering on them as she read each title. She soon realized they were ones she had never read before, mostly centered around the utilization of magic stones.
'These are more valuable than I thought,' she said inwardly, though her pride resisted acknowledging to thank the Duke further.
These books from the advancing Aerilon empire could prove helpful for their kingdom. Ethara had been trying to progress with the use of magic stones, only to fail multiple times. In another attempt, intending to successfully learn, King Aetheran sent his own brother on an expedition to study in the Aerilon Empire.
'But why would he give it to me?'
"Next!" the herald's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, calling the next family in line to present their gifts.
"..." Elucina fell silent, her forefinger tapping on the armrest. Filled with intrigue, she felt she was left with no option but to discuss this with the Duke.
She leaned in towards the King, holding the armrest of the empty throne of her mother's. She whispered, "Father, may I be excused for a moment?"
The King glanced at her, lingering for a minute in thought over what she had requested. "You may," he eventually said in a lower tone, "but remember, we will talk later. Just do not make a scene!"
Elucina nodded and rose from her seat, purposely walking down from the throne platform towards the crowd. Her presence drew attention, pulling the nobles to bow to her as she passed to them.
"Princess Elucina," most of them greeted before giving a curtsy. Their smiles were polite, but they could not hide their curious eyes.
"Your Highness, such a pleasure to see you," greeted a noble lady who approached to engage in small talk. "Your dress, oh, I remember that beautiful dress."
Elucina looked at her, noticing the lines of age on the corner of her eyes. She curtsied back and answered, "Thank you, Marchioness Blume. I chose this to at least bring the presence of Queen Esteria, who couldn't attend due to illness."
"...I did feel her presence when I saw you in this dress," the Marchioness replied softly, using her fan to cover her mouth. Then, in a whisper, she added, "But were you aware that Princess Vanetta wore the same dress as the late Queen Vittoria?"
Elucina's eyes widened in disbelief. "I, It did not occur to me," she murmured, hurriedly bringing a hand to her mouth to try and suppress a smile.
"I see," responded the Marchioness, gently fanning herself as she leaned back after sharing the information.
"Well, it has been a pleasure to have this small talk with you, Your Highness," she said, bowing gracefully to excuse herself. "Enjoy the rest of your evening." And with that, she turned on her heels and walked through the crowd, leaving Elucina to fully register her words in silence.
'Wait, I need to focus on the matter at hand,' she said to herself, setting aside what she had heard for the moment. She looked around. 'Where is Duke Voncrow?'
However, what she noticed was something else. The ladies, who would typically be surrounding her and vying for her attention, stood together in a group near the corner by the throne platform. Elucina noticed one of the ladies who intentionally avoided making eye contact with her.
'Oh, I see now.'
From the passing servant offering wine, Elucina took a glass. Surprisingly, she no longer felt the drive to search for Duke Voncrow. Instead, she found herself curious about what the ladies were up to, so she positioned herself behind a column to watch them without being noticed.
Then, on the other side of the column, she heard a presence settling in. Soon, a voice murmured quietly enough for only their ears to hear, "How has your evening been, Princess Elucina?"
She flicked her head toward the direction of the voice and saw a familiar face. Irritated, she turned her attention back to observing the ladies conversing among themselves on the opposite side of the great hall.
'What is he even doing here?'