Two-Faced Princess

“Did it go as planned?” Adrian asked, her hands busy fixing Apollonia’s hair for the banquet.

“Yeah. As expected.”

“That’s great.” Adrian smiled in admiration. At some point, she came to fully trust Apollonia’s plan.

“Did you deliver the message to the Grand Duke?”

Their voices turned quiet.

“I’ve completed my task while you were talking to Bianca.”

The message was short and simple.

‘Don’t wait for the banquet and leave the capital.’

Adrian tilted her head. “If they leave right away, they will be criticized for being rude.”

“You can’t afford to care about dignity or courtesy at times like this. If they leave the capital right away, there are many nobles who can help the Grand Duke.”

“But even if he’s the emperor, can he use his hand today? With all the aristocrats gathered in the capital, if he touches the Grand Duke, he can’t avoid friction with other aristocrats and knights…”

“You’re right. It’s hard to avoid friction, and some people may seek rebellion with this opportunity. So he might not use his hand right away.” After organizing her thoughts, Apollonia added, “However, the Grand Duke of Evinhart family, which has Caelion as their successor, is the most threatening thing in my father’s eyes. My aunt likely decided that it’s best to remove them quickly despite the consequences they may face.”

Her voice became even smaller. “Because I would have thought the same.”

Adrian stopped moving and gaped.

Apollonia quickly shook her head, smiled, and spoke again. “Even if that is not the case, it is not wise to stay in the capital while they are vulnerable to such risk. However, I don’t know if they listened to me and made a decision.”

Caelion managed to survive the hunting competition, but his real crisis would just begin now. He and his family needed to overcome that crisis by moving right away.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. It’s been a while since I delivered the message, so they’re probably gone quite far by now.”

Apollonia nodded slowly, but she was bothered for some reason.

***

“I’ve never seen such shiny silver hair!”

“How can someone be that beautiful? It’s as if God carved and breathed life into him.”

“I want to touch him just once.”

Naturally, Uriel held the spotlight during the celebration for the champion of the hunting competition. Everyone wanted to know where this beautiful and strong young knight came from.

“But wasn’t the little Grand Duke Caelion also amazing?”

“That’s right. I can’t believe he’s only 15 years old. At this rate, he will be able to catch up with Uriel in a few years.”

“I think he’s more amazing than Prince Paris… Did you see his eyes?”

Of course, the mysterious successor of Duke Evinhart also aroused a lot of interest, but the conversation about it took place in a quieter place. Nobody wanted to get on the emperor’s nerves.

Until the beginning of the banquet, the story of Eckart and Apollonia’s canceled engagement, and the fox-like Bianca also attracted a lot of attention. However, when Apollonia officially blessed the two and presented her grandmother’s relic to the maid, they moved to another topic, knowing that they could no longer discuss the matter carelessly.

Uriel was standing in the center of the banquet hall, wearing blue clothes embroidered with golden thread and carrying a sword bestowed by the emperor.

“Baron Biche.”

Apollonia approached him and bent her knees slightly to greet him.

“Thank you for saving my life.”

She still had the countenance of an innocent girl who couldn’t get over her shock. The combination of a young hero and a princess whom he saved drew people’s attention, and this situation made Uriel shine even more.

“I’m glad Your Highness is safe.”

He bowed his head as he replied to Apollonia. The way he put minimum effort to be courteous by not talking much added a mysterious charm to him.

Both men and women in the banquet hall wanted to talk to him. The young ladies smiled shyly, the young lords wanted to be friends with him, and some middle-aged nobles were thinking of making Uriel their daughter’s suitor.

Taking advantage of the noisy banquet hall, Apollonia lowered her voice and whispered to Uriel, “You look good. You’re a noble now.”

“I really don’t need a title.”

The emperor gave him the title of baron, a small estate, and a sword.

“You need it. I was going to give it to you, but this is better.”

“If it’s from Your Highness, I’d happily receive it,” Uriel murmured in Apollonia’s ear. Some young ladies who stood behind her were watching the two with envious eyes.

Apollonia tried to add a few words about the fact that a noble was supposed to be more easygoing than a commoner, but she had to step back when she saw a young lady approaching Uriel from the back.

“Your Highness, you dropped this.” Uriel grabbed Apollonia’s wrist and pulled her closer toward his chest. What he held with his other hand was a white handkerchief.

“That is not mine—”

“Grand Duke Evinhart is in the banquet hall.”

When Apollonia looked at him in surprise, he just nodded calmly.

“…You’re so meticulous. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. It’s an honor to see Your Highness.”

The two turned around and headed in different directions.

“Did it go as planned?” Adrian asked, her hands busy fixing Apollonia’s hair for the banquet.

“Yeah. As expected.”

“That’s great.” Adrian smiled in admiration. At some point, she came to fully trust Apollonia’s plan.

“Did you deliver the message to the Grand Duke?”

Their voices turned quiet.

“I’ve completed my task while you were talking to Bianca.”

The message was short and simple.

‘Don’t wait for the banquet and leave the capital.’

Adrian tilted her head. “If they leave right away, they will be criticized for being rude.”

“You can’t afford to care about dignity or courtesy at times like this. If they leave the capital right away, there are many nobles who can help the Grand Duke.”

“But even if he’s the emperor, can he use his hand today? With all the aristocrats gathered in the capital, if he touches the Grand Duke, he can’t avoid friction with other aristocrats and knights…”

“You’re right. It’s hard to avoid friction, and some people may seek rebellion with this opportunity. So he might not use his hand right away.” After organizing her thoughts, Apollonia added, “However, the Grand Duke of Evinhart family, which has Caelion as their successor, is the most threatening thing in my father’s eyes. My aunt likely decided that it’s best to remove them quickly despite the consequences they may face.”

Her voice became even smaller. “Because I would have thought the same.”

Adrian stopped moving and gaped.

Apollonia quickly shook her head, smiled, and spoke again. “Even if that is not the case, it is not wise to stay in the capital while they are vulnerable to such risk. However, I don’t know if they listened to me and made a decision.”

Caelion managed to survive the hunting competition, but his real crisis would just begin now. He and his family needed to overcome that crisis by moving right away.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. It’s been a while since I delivered the message, so they’re probably gone quite far by now.”

Apollonia nodded slowly, but she was bothered for some reason.

***

“I’ve never seen such shiny silver hair!”

“How can someone be that beautiful? It’s as if God carved and breathed life into him.”

“I want to touch him just once.”

Naturally, Uriel held the spotlight during the celebration for the champion of the hunting competition. Everyone wanted to know where this beautiful and strong young knight came from.

“But wasn’t the little Grand Duke Caelion also amazing?”

“That’s right. I can’t believe he’s only 15 years old. At this rate, he will be able to catch up with Uriel in a few years.”

“I think he’s more amazing than Prince Paris… Did you see his eyes?”

Of course, the mysterious successor of Duke Evinhart also aroused a lot of interest, but the conversation about it took place in a quieter place. Nobody wanted to get on the emperor’s nerves.

Until the beginning of the banquet, the story of Eckart and Apollonia’s canceled engagement, and the fox-like Bianca also attracted a lot of attention. However, when Apollonia officially blessed the two and presented her grandmother’s relic to the maid, they moved to another topic, knowing that they could no longer discuss the matter carelessly.

Uriel was standing in the center of the banquet hall, wearing blue clothes embroidered with golden thread and carrying a sword bestowed by the emperor.

“Baron Biche.”

Apollonia approached him and bent her knees slightly to greet him.

“Thank you for saving my life.”

She still had the countenance of an innocent girl who couldn’t get over her shock. The combination of a young hero and a princess whom he saved drew people’s attention, and this situation made Uriel shine even more.

“I’m glad Your Highness is safe.”

He bowed his head as he replied to Apollonia. The way he put minimum effort to be courteous by not talking much added a mysterious charm to him.

Both men and women in the banquet hall wanted to talk to him. The young ladies smiled shyly, the young lords wanted to be friends with him, and some middle-aged nobles were thinking of making Uriel their daughter’s suitor.

Taking advantage of the noisy banquet hall, Apollonia lowered her voice and whispered to Uriel, “You look good. You’re a noble now.”

“I really don’t need a title.”

The emperor gave him the title of baron, a small estate, and a sword.

“You need it. I was going to give it to you, but this is better.”

“If it’s from Your Highness, I’d happily receive it,” Uriel murmured in Apollonia’s ear. Some young ladies who stood behind her were watching the two with envious eyes.

Apollonia tried to add a few words about the fact that a noble was supposed to be more easygoing than a commoner, but she had to step back when she saw a young lady approaching Uriel from the back.

“Your Highness, you dropped this.” Uriel grabbed Apollonia’s wrist and pulled her closer toward his chest. What he held with his other hand was a white handkerchief.

“That is not mine—”

“Grand Duke Evinhart is in the banquet hall.”

When Apollonia looked at him in surprise, he just nodded calmly.

“…You’re so meticulous. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. It’s an honor to see Your Highness.”

The two turned around and headed in different directions.