The Grand Duke’s Fox Princess

Episode 19: Not Okay (I)

Meanwhile, the nobles who were enjoying the National Foundation Day banquet were giving their impressions one by one.

Even the glasses they drank from were something special. It was a time when praise for the expensive decorations and rare food continued as if it was natural.

For some reason, they began to feel the emptiness in the praise and admiration, and their true feelings slowly seeped out.

“It’s definitely less than last year. I have the impression that the momentum has weakened.”

“That’s right. Maybe it’s because Her Highness the Princess is absent. Every national anniversary, the Princess created spectacular attractions for all to enjoy, as if she was proud of her abilities.”

“It’s such an empty and ordinary National Foundation Day. I feel like I’m running out of energy.”

“It can’t be helped.”

Eristella’s eyes sharpened. The conversations people were having were annoying.

‘How dare you ignore the empire’s foundation anniversary banquet!’

‘Ha…’

But they weren’t entirely wrong.

To fill this spacious banquet hall with magic, a huge amount of magical power was required. The only person who could do it casually was Princess Eristella.

That was why it was even more symbolic.

This time instead, the banquet hall was filled with colorful chandeliers, rare sculptures, and ornaments, but they were inevitably insufficient.

It was an unavoidable comparison.

‘Still, it is disappointing that they are disapproving.’

She hoped that everyone would be amazed and admire the empire’s founding anniversary.

She didn’t want it to look shabby.

‘As expected, you can’t do it without me.’

Eristella curtly shut her mouth.

It wasn’t too bad to feel her own void.

‘But it can’t end like this.’

There was no limit to Eristella’s magical power. The only time she couldn’t use magic was when her stamina was so bad that she couldn’t move.

And she had items on which certain spells were cast in preparation for that time.

‘I’ll go somewhere for a while.’

“What are you going to do?”

‘Just. I’ll be back soon.’

Eristella came down from Heinrishion’s shoulder and moved quietly.

She didn’t even have to go far.

Since the activation magic was hidden near the banquet hall.

A single flower hidden in a small flower bed behind a fountain in the garden.

Dandelion.

It was created by Eristella with her magical powers. It could never be shaken by the natural wind or the breath of another person, but when her breath touched it, it would fly away.

“Look over there. What is that?”

The words of a lady became a signal and everyone looked at the direction she pointed at.

In the banquet hall where there was no wind, the flowers swayed gently as if they had received an order, creating a spectacular view.

“I didn’t expect to see such a sight this time, but after all, the empire is the empire.”

“I know. It’s so nice.”

With her ears perked, Eristella listened to the conversation around her and nodded quietly.

‘If I were my normal self, I would have shown you something far greater than this. It’s a bit sad, but what to do… It’s fine.’

‘Heheh.’

Listening to the words of admiration of those in the hall, Eristella smiled proudly.

She finally liked it.

‘Uh…? What is that?’

Eristella’s eyes, which were satisfied, turned somewhere.

“Huh? Look over there. What is that?”

“Oh. Incredible. I think I’m blind…!”

Others were looking at the same place as Eristella.

Starlight, gathered in the night sky and created by magic, was drawing a certain shape.

What finally appeared at regular intervals was the dazzling coat of arms of the Leonian Empire.

Mystical magic overwhelmed the banquet hall.

Again, there were people who admired it as if they were groaning.

“I didn’t have any expectations this year, but it’s more amazing than ever…”

“I will never forget this moment today.”

People were still looking up at the night sky. They wanted to capture that scene even a little bit more. There were such lingering feelings.

‘But that’s not what I did.’

Magic that encompassed such a wide range was unreasonable for Eristella today. It required vast magical power as well as meticulous control.

It was simple for Princess Eristella, but she was now a fox.

Moreover, seeing that it appeared as soon as the magic was activated, it seemed that the person had cast the magic before. 

‘There’s only one person here who can do it all.’

Eristella’s head turned quickly.

She didn’t even need to check. Besides herself, the remaining people…

‘Heinricion.’

‘He’s the only one.’

When Eristella turned around, Heinricion’s gaze was already on her.

It seemed that he never gave even a single glance at the night sky from the beginning, instead only looking at Eristella.

‘You did it?’

“…….”

‘Why…?’

Even though Heinricion knew what Eristella was asking, he simply watched silently.

“…….”

At that moment, Eristella was enveloped in a strange feeling.

She now felt as if she was in the form of a princess rather than a fox.

She hadn’t seen this side of him in years. Even though they seemed to be looking straight at each other, their gazes were always off.

And after becoming a fox, they saw eye to eye several times.

Heinricion’s eyes were different from the ones that looked at a mere fox.

In the end, it was Eristella who broke the gaze first.

‘Now this is not important.’

‘It’s not like I’m running away, I’ve got a lot of work to do, so it’s like I’m forced to turn around.’

Eristella ran swiftly.

She had to do as many things as possible today.

She shook off the shimmering Heinricion from her mind and concentrated on the next thing.

Eristella looked at the faces of the banquet attendees.

Today, the couple of the County of Azurdi was less conspicuous than expected. As a result, there was nothing to draw up a plan for.

‘Am I being sensitive?’

Eristella didn’t expect to find something suspicious right away, but she felt like she should give it a little more time.

She turned her gaze away and looked elsewhere.

In fact, she had some expectations.

She thought there might be someone who could help her.

As there are many people related to Princess Eristella here.

Among them were her ladies-in-waiting. The ladies-in-waiting of Imperial Princess Eristella were mostly children of high-ranking nobles who had various interests, so there could be at least one.

But it didn’t take long for her small hopes to crumble.

Eristella could see at a glance how the ladies who were her personal maids were doing. They were getting along very well.

Among them, the lady who was receiving the most attention from the center of the social circle was a face Eristella knew very well.

It was the esteemed daughter of the Marquisate of Lateran, Greta.

The Marquisate of Lateran, which was a distinguished family among prestigious families in the past, had been gradually declining in the last few decades.

But Greta Lateran always wanted to stand out. It was also for that reason that she volunteered as a lady-in-waiting for Eristella.

Although she enjoyed a superior position in the social world as the princess’s lady-in-waiting, she was still under the shadow of Eristella.

“You said that the Marquisate of Lateran succeeded in developing the West? My husband and I were very curious about it.”

“Actually, I am also interested in western development. My father said that he would like to have dinner with the Marquis. I need to ask you for a favor.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll talk to him well.”

At the words of Lady Greta, the people around her hurriedly spoke in order to win her favor.

Now, no matter what anyone said, Lady Greta was the brightest in the center amongst many people.

Looking at it, Eristella thought that Greta had finally achieved what she wanted.

Laughter came out.

Clearly, there was no trace of Princess Eristella left anywhere here.

After realizing that fact, she started to see differences that she didn’t care about at first.

Right under the emperor, there was always the seat of Princess Eristella.

But the chair didn’t exist there today.

There were no flowers that Eristella normally cared about in the banquet.

‘Still, they kept the flowers as they were.’

Tears seemed to come out of her eyes over ‘nothing’.

Of course, Eristella did not consider herself to be the center of the world.

But she did not know that she would come to realize that no one remembered her like this.

Imperial Princess Eristella was recognized as a completely dead person.

During the six months of Eristella’s disappearance, her vacancy was completely filled with other things.

As if they were waiting for the princess to disappear.

‘…….’

Not wanting to show her disappointment, she struggled to maintain her expression, not having any choice but to put strength in her lower jaw.

She pretended she was okay, but she was actually not.

She wasn’t exactly fine.

She already knew. That everyone hated her. So, the fact was that even if she disappeared, no one would miss her.

But it was to this extent.

To the point where they wanted to trample, stain, and crush all her traces as soon as she disappeared.

‘But why does my heart feel like it’s tingling now.’

Weird. She had never felt like this before.

It was probably because she spent some time at the Grand Duchy of Adelasia and was loved by many people.

‘How could my strength weaken so quickly?’