A grand celebration was taking place in the main palace of Audellian. The nobles arrived in stunning appearances, adorned in expensive suits and dresses designed by renowned designers, worn by everyone present.
The celebration was one of their opportunities to establish collaborations, find suitable partners of equal status, and show off. They seemed to forget that the purpose of the celebration was to announce the winner of the crown prince's partner selection competition.
In one corner of the spacious room, a girl was daydreaming while watching a group of distinguished ladies not far from her. She could hear their conversation.
"Do you believe that loser girl will win?"
"I don't believe it either."
"I'm sure there's cheating involved. She must have cheated!"
"I'm confident Lady Rose will win!"
The girl sighed after hearing those words. Nothing they said surprised her, but it still hurt her feelings. She had worked hard to win every test—knowledge tests, swordsmanship tests, etiquette, strategy, embroidery, and more. She believed her efforts had paid off, yet many still doubted her.
They would have to accept it if she were to become the crown prince's partner.
"What's going on here?" asked a woman with an elegant appearance as she approached the group of girls.
"Lady Rose!" they exclaimed.
"How are you, Lady Rose?" one of them asked.
"Lately, I haven't been feeling well. But for this celebration, I made an effort to attend, even though I know how it will end," Rose said.
The girl in the corner of the room raised an eyebrow at Rose's words. She remembered how Rose was always in a messy emotional state when at her family's residence. Of course, it was because Rose couldn't accept losing.
How did the girl know?
The girl and Rose lived in the same residence; they were cousins. They were family. Because of this, she knew. However, their relationship didn't seem like family.
One could imagine the atmosphere between the two when they were at their family home. They were like sworn enemies.
A clinking sound was heard, followed by an announcement, "His Majesty the King and His Highness the Crown Prince are entering the room!"
The girl directed her attention to the source of the sound. Suddenly, she held her breath nervously, her heart beating faster. She saw the Crown Prince walking behind his father, the King, looking dazzling. An extraordinary aura emanated from both of them.
She wasn't the only one whose attention was drawn. Everyone in the room did the same.
The King sat on his throne, while the Crown Prince sat on a luxurious chair to the right of the throne.
"Thank you to the guests who have attended tonight's celebration. On this occasion, I, King Hayden, as the King of Audellian and the father of Crown Prince Ian, will announce the honorable lady who has won the competition."
Everyone seemed to await the next words. They could already guess who the lady in question was because they had watched the competition and judged for themselves. However, many hoped the results would be different.
"Lady Aina."
Whispers began to fill the room.
"Lady Aina, please step forward," the King continued.
The girl in the corner of the room ignored all the stares and whispers. She gracefully stepped forward to face the King. Several eyes admired her, particularly those of the young men of Audellian.
Stay calm. Control your breathing, Aina thought to herself.
She bowed respectfully once she was right in front of King Hayden and Crown Prince Ian.
"Aina White, you are an extraordinary woman, deserving of winning this competition. Your beauty rivals that of a goddess, your demeanor is gentle and graceful. You are also a highly talented woman."
Aina kept her gaze lowered as she listened to all the praise.
"Therefore, would you be willing to become the partner concubine of King Willise?"
"I—" her words were cut short. Aina quickly raised her head. She felt there was something odd in the words spoken by King Hayden.
Behind her, the guests were in an uproar. They also didn't understand what the King had just said. Rose, Aina's cousin, even lost her calm expression out of shock.
Everyone was surprised, especially Aina. She tried to muster up the courage to ask.
"What did you just say, Your Majesty?" she asked politely.
King Hayden repeated his words, "Would you be willing to become the concubine of King Willise?"
Aina's breath felt heavier. Her heart's pounding now felt painful. She couldn't hide the shock on her face.
What?! Aina still didn't understand.
The commotion behind her grew louder. Aina's mind and heart refused to comprehend. She was sure there must be a mistake here or perhaps her hearing was impaired now.
King Hayden then raised his hand and gestured for silence. The room fell quiet immediately.
"What do you mean, Your Majesty?" Aina looked alternately at the two men in front of her. Crown Prince Ian only looked at her with an expressionless face. Aina ignored him and turned back to King Hayden.
How could this be? Aina wants to know it.
With a guilty expression, King Hayden replied, "I'm sorry, child. The Kingdom of Willise suddenly requested a representative from Audellian to be sent as one of their concubines."
Aina was an intelligent woman. She should have understood those words, but out of shock, all she could say was, "What?"
It was a natural response from her. Everyone in the room felt confused too. Aina's head spun with dizziness, but she ignored it.
"As proof that Audellian respects and values the Kingdom of Willise, the senior ministers agreed to send the best woman who won the competition—you."
Rose, observing everything King Hayden said, was shocked, Aina was chosen to be a concubine for King Willise?!
Undeniably, Rose suddenly felt relieved she wasn't in Aina's position. She was relieved not to have won the competition. Rose stared at Aina's trembling back.
Aina, Aina. Your fate is truly unfortunate. You've come this far, but what did you get? Rose thought. She directed a scornful look at Aina.
"How could this be? Then what about the competition's purpose?" Aina asked, panic evident on her face. Everyone else also wanted to know the answer to that question.
"The runner-up will become Crown Prince Ian's partner—Lady Rose."
Rose's eyes widened. The girls around her gasped and were almost hysterical, "Lady Rose?!"
This was a stroke of luck for Rose. No one expected such a thing to happen, not even Rose herself.
Her luck was indeed extraordinary; it was one of the reasons that set them apart. Rose always got everything, while Aina would get nothing.
Unfortunate events were not uncommon in Aina's family. She lost her mother on the day of her birth. Her father also died when Aina was still a child. Aina was forced to be raised by her strict grandfather. All this time, Aina was demanded to match or balance Rose's popularity.
And now, what had happened to Aina?