The Royal Banquet

The long-awaited royal banquet has come. All guests that got invited wore their most extravagant and beautiful outfits.

"Will her highness, Princess Arabella, come today? I heard about what happened before."

"If I were her, I would be traumatized and pretend to be sick to avoid the banquet."

"I thought it was just a rumor! Is it real???"

"Well, her highness rarely accepts invitations and goes to social gatherings and tea parties, so we're uncertain."

Most people were talking about the incident between Ara and the Crown Prince. That is until the Thompson family came.

"Is that Sir Felix?!"

"Kyaa! He looks more handsome!"

"His mission at the border is probably finished since he was able to attend this year's banquet."

"I wonder if he already had a partner for today's event..."

"Oh please, even if he had one, he probably ask someone like her highness, Princess Arabella, as his partner."

"Can't you please be more supportive?"

***

"Why are you so popular, brother?" Julia, Felix's younger sister, asked disgustedly.

"If Noona knew about how you flirt with every girl you met, how will we be able to have a great sister-in-law???" Julian, Felix's younger brother, as well as Julia's twin, said.

"Hey, I'm not doing anything! Is it my fault that I'm so handsome?" Felix said, and the twins gave him a disgusted look.

"This is why unnie chose to get engaged with another guy instead of you," Julia said.

"YAH-"

The three of them shut up after they saw their parents glaring at them.

"Didn't I told you to behave inside the palace? If you made a scene again, the three of you are prohibited from coming in the succeeding banquets!" Their father, Count Thompson, said mad.

While they were being scolded, Felix saw a familiar face.

"Oh? Iris- I mean, Lady Iris?!" Felix said and went closer to her.

He noticed that she was hiding in the corner and saw nobles gossiping and making fun of her.

'Is it because of her condition?' He thought and decided to talk to her.

"Sir Felix? Are you planning to talk to that girl?" A lady asked.

"Is there something wrong if I want to?" Felix said and continued.

"But you may get infected!" They said.

Iris finally noticed him and felt ashamed. Felix chuckled.

"Then why does everything seem normal? If her condition may infect other people, doctors and knights shouldn't have let her in. Her family wouldn't have let her come to this ROYAL banquet. Please don't believe in rumors easily. Sometimes, they make people stupid." Felix said and went to Iris.

"E-Eh?!"

"S-Sir Felix-"

"How are you? I didn't expect to see you tonight, Iris- or should I call you Lady Iris?" Felix asked.

"Y-You can call me whatever you want, S-Sir Felix," Iris said shyly.

"Okay, Lady Iris. I didn't expect that you're from a noble family." Felix said.

"Did Sir Felix met that girl before?"

Then they started talking about them.

"U-Um, I apologize-"

"Apologize for what?"

Iris tries to hide, and Felix notices it.

"Is it about them? Don't worry. It's normal to hear people gossiping at banquets. Let them do whatever they want as long as it doesn't affect us. Don't mind them. They're probably jealous since you look unique and gorgeous." Felix said and made Iris blush.

The twins came out of nowhere.

"You're doing it again, my dear brother," Julian said, disappointed.

"YAH-"

"You're such a disappointment," Julia added, and they both facepalmed.

"What do you-"

"I guess I have to marry noona myself," Julian said and was about to leave.

"WHAT?! YOU BRAT-"

"The Spencer family is here?!"

People got excited and started looking at the big door where they would be coming in.

"Please welcome! The Ducal family of Spencer! Duke Alexander Spencer! Duchess Louisa Spencer! Prince Aeneas Spencer! Princess Arabella Catherine Spencer! And Lady Andrea Ackford!"

'The Princess came!' They thought.

The Duke came in with his wife, the Duchess. Then the moment that the guests have been waiting for has come.

Ara came in with her brother, and their attention quickly went to the dress she was wearing and how different she looked.

"The Princess somehow looks so different than usual."

"She looks more beautiful, elegant, and noble tonight..."

"Right? And her dress..."

"It's not one of the popular styles and fashion these days, but it looks more stunning than the trends."

"It reminded me of men's clothing."

They were mesmerized not just by her dress but by her beauty as well.

"Brother, I'll go get a drink. My throat kind of hurts." Ara said and left to get a drink.

Andrea noticed that their attention all turned to Ara. She smiled and went to her.

"Unnie! Do you have a partner today?" Andrea asked.

Ara looks at her after drinking water.

"If I have one, he should be here by now. What about you? I bet after I ignored and didn't attend any gathering until now, you should've at least had a friend and an admirer to keep you company. Why don't you look for them?" Ara said to her but not loud enough for everyone to hear.

'WHAT'S WITH HER ATTITUDE?!' Andrea thought.

"U-Unnie, are you still mad at me?" Andrea said louder and acted innocent as she grabbed Ara's hand.

"Oh my, did something happened between the two sisters?"

"So the Princess did get mad at her."

"Why? What happened?"

"Lady Andrea came to our gathering two days ago. She said that the Princess got mad at her for no reason."

"Really? Maybe she was too shocked about what happened lately? Or is she...?"

Ara knew what she wanted. She smiles and touches her hand as well.

"Mad? You know I can't get mad at you, Andrea. I just feel hurt that you never spoke to me for a long time now. I thought you hated me, but I guess I was wrong." Ara said and acted just like she did.

Then the public's thoughts changed.

"I thought she was getting bullied, but it was the opposite."

"She should at least greet her every morning as a sign of gratitude for letting her into a Ducal house and living a luxurious life."

"I know! It looks like she became arrogant and spoiled when she started living with the Spencers."

"I knew that it's not a piece of good news when I heard that the Princess let a commoner child live in their home. No wonder the elders of the Spencer family nor the Royal family never let her have a title or at least have their surname."

"It's understandable as they don't know if she's worthy of it or not."

"Our Princess is too kind and soft to her..."

"When the Princess is not available, she started attending gatherings and tea parties as being her representative. I wonder what she's planning."

"But does she really think that she can replace the Princess? I mean, just based on the looks, she'll definitely don't have a chance."

"What a fake."

With just a few words, Ara managed to turn the tables.

'I know how to handle these kinds of things, Andrea. I've watched and read enough stories to know this.' She thought.

Andrea didn't know how to respond.

'What's wrong, my dear sister? Cat got your tongue?' Ara thought as she saw Andrea's flustered expression.

"What are you saying, ladies? My sister is not a fake! Andrea won't do that (referring to her replacing Ara) to me, right? Andrea???" Ara asked her with teary eyes.

"Oh, Princess..." They felt regretful all of a sudden.

'What are you going to do now? You brought this on yourself, sis.' Ara thought.