Chapter 131

"I told you to give it to me!"

The Princess forcibly grabbed Aria's wrist.

At the same time, the metal plaque Aria had tucked into her sleeve fell and rolled across the floor. The plaque, which had been rolling with a loud noise, stopped at the Princess's feet.

"This...."

Natalie muttered in disbelief. A metal plaque engraved with the imperial design.

"How can the Grand Princess…"

Usually, when the Emperor entrusts a task to his subordinate, it was handed over together, and it also signifies the Emperor's absolute trust.

At the same time, it was for a faction to enjoy the authority of the Emperor in regards to the things that were ordered. In other words, as long as Aria has this in her hand, she can pretend that she is carrying out the Emperor's duties.

"Ha!"

Seeing this, Natalie burst out laughing.

It was something that could only be received by Marquis Montes, the Emperor's right hand. If it falls into the hands of someone who harbors betrayal, it will be abused. Not to mention if it was Valentine.

They were neutral, not on the Emperor's side or nobles, their independent force was more powerful and dangerous than any other force.

'Are you sane, Your Majesty?'

Hearing hallucinations and muttering nonsense every night. Natalie wondered if the Emperor had really gone mad.

"It's not funny…"

And in an instant, her eyes changed. It was so blatant that it was imaginable that the word 'poisonous' would suit that expression well.

"How dare you ignore me and try to pretend to be a master?!"

She raised her hand. The Princess was going to slap Aria according to the temperament she had been acting out.

But Aria grabbed her hand. It was an unexpected reflex.

"What, what! Why don't you let this go?"

Natalie was perplexed. It was a situation she had never experienced before.

This was because, although she has seen a lot of people falling down or getting dragged, no one has held her hand to avoid her hand. However, the Grand Princess' hand, which Natalie thought would be soft and tender, was harder than expected.

'Did you learn the sword?'

It was surprising. When she first heard the story about the Grand Princess, she imagined a small, slender, and pitiful image. And when she heard about what happened at the tea party with the Ladies, she wondered if Aria was running around with Valentine on her back.

Finally, seeing Aria in person....

– Why do you seem angry?

Natalie couldn't make sense of it at all.

"...What?"

– I think I can understand why the Princess is angry.

Suddenly, their eyes met. Aria's flower-colored eyes were staring at the Princess as if they were piercing through.

– That's what the Princess really wants.

Natalie was taken aback and stepped back. She tried to shake off Aria's hand. But Aria grabbed her hand and didn't let go.

"Hey, are you crazy! Let go of me!"

Aria picked up the plaque that had fallen on the floor and handed it to the Princess.

It was a magical plaque that made one could enjoy absolute authority if desired. However, it was also a mirage of a power temporarily borrowed from the Emperor for a moment.

– In the not-too-distant future, what would you do if the Empire collapsed?

And Aria asked. Very serious about the nonsense.

– Do you really want good health and a long life?

"..."

– Or have you ever listened to your own heart for even a moment?

"Are you crazy? How dare you say something like that…"

– Are you confident that you will not regret until the day you die for not revealing yourself?

And Aria constantly pushed.

Natalie couldn't say anything. She didn't even know how Aria knew what she was talking about.

'... Did I get caught? No way. My acting was flawless!'

She deceived even the previous Emperor and Empress. They treated Natalie like a left-out child until their death.

It was as Natalie intended. That way, she would not have gone away in vain at such a young age like her second brother.

Natalie, who was stabbed on the spot for the first time, was unable to come to her senses. She just thought it was a mistake.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but this is me. I live by revealing myself every moment! Can't you look at me?"

Natalie was bewildered and spat out more words, but it was late. It was because she looked agitated no matter what.

In this case, it was better to say nothing. However....

'That eye.'

Aria's eyes, who was staring straight at the Princess without shaking, were so clear that she had never seen it before. Strangely enough, the Princess feels like she wants to confide in everything....

"Let me go!"

Natalie slammed Aria's hand away. Then she turned her back and ran away without a fight.

'Oh, she ran away.'

Was Aria's push too hard?

Aria, who was left alone, scratched the back of her head.

There would be a chance again later.

"Wow, you really got this."

Vincent mumbled in admiration. He was skeptical when Aria said that she could bring the plague with the Emperor's power, but she truly did.

Aria kept her word no matter what she said once it came out of her mouth.

"Then I'll go to the library to check the chronicle of the first Emperor…"

It was when Vincent spoke with the plaque in his hand.

Marronnier ran from the end of the hallway, gallantly running like an angry rhinoceros.

"Young Madam, today is the first day of the banquet. The only one who is wandering around the imperial palace corridor is Young Madam!"

Aria remembered belatedly.

'Oh, come to think of it, Marronnier was serious about this banquet.'

In order for Aria to be elected the Spring Flower Queen, she, of course, had to stand out not only in hunting competitions, but also in the banquets.

Aria's words that she was lazy came up to the end of her neck and was almost spat out. But she struggled to give a broad smile as Marronnier had been waiting only for today.

– Can you give me a minute? I need to check something for a moment....

"No, thank you."

But the answer unexpectedly came from Vincent's side.

"I don't have much time, so I'll go right away without delay."

– Are you going to be okay?

"What's not to be okay about?"

His sister-in-law succeeded in the most decisive part of the mission.Vincent added and tapped his inner pocket.

– Other than that, are you okay by yourself?

"It's better to be alone. I didn't even have a partner while everyone was moving around in the banquet hall."

– Ah.

Come to think of it, partner.

Aria's partner was definitely Lloyd, so she hadn't thought about it. Before she can go to the banquet, she'll have to get a partner apart in advance.

If it was Vincent, who had no friends, let alone dating, he wouldn't have been able to find a partner....

"No, it's because I didn't ask for it on purpose. What's with those pitiful eyes?"

"..."

"Wow, you don't believe it. I'm serious!"

Vincent was choked up by Aria's long silence.

"Can you not see my face? Before I went to the academy, when I was attending the academy, when they saw me, the ladies would send me letters…."

He bragged about how popular he was, then wiped his face away.

He thought, what the hell was he doing?

"Anyway, I will take care of this, so sister-in-law, please look out for the other side while you are attending the banquet."

On the other hand, he was referring to the imperial nobleman who had come into contact with the gutter rat.

Aria nodded her head.

Bona Leshan.

Born as the youngest daughter of the County, she grew up receiving the love and attention of the Count Leshan couple. Growing up, she had never heard of bitterness, and the last incident became a devastating shock to her.

"Bona! Your recklessness has almost cut off the family's prestige, our lifeline!"

"I'm very disappointed with you. After today's banquet, go back to the estate and keep a low profile for a while."

She collapsed when she heard the bitter voice of Count Leshan for the first time in her life. And, she thought, now she has nothing more to lose.

'Hmm, is the Grand Princess going to be half dead by now?'

Maybe her cheeks would be puffy, or maybe her hair was half ripped off. Maybe she would have been so upset that she couldn't attend the banquet.

Lady Leshan was filled with evil thoughts, and she was going to attend the banquet no matter what.

But, the moment she entered the ballroom, Lady Leshan saw an unbelievable sight.

'You're fine....'

Aria was walking around the ballroom with a clean, spotless face. She also caught the attention of all nobles.

'Nonsense.'

Lady Leshan wanted to see Grand Princess' messed up face one last time before leaving for the estate. Or at least she wanted to laugh at how the Grand Princess couldn't attend from the first day of the banquet.

But....

Lady Leshan, who had been staring at Aria for a moment with cold eyes, came closer to her.

Fortunately, the Grand Prince was nowhere to be seen. He seemed to have been away for a moment.

"Grand Princess."

Aria, who looked around, stared at Lady Leshan.

However, Aria's reaction was calm. She was not angry, nor did she frown. The gaze that stared at Lady Leshan indifferently, as if she was nothing, twisted her heart even more.

"Thanks to Grand Princess, I have learned a lot in life."

Lady Leshan whispered in Aria's ear.

In Lloyd's absence, she was about to hit Aria and make a run for it.

She didn't want to make a comeback in the social world anyway. Now that this has come, even just once, she longed to see the Grand Princess' distorted expression.

"You are young, but how intelligent and ingenious. I learned a lot."

So she sarcastically pinched Aria's most striking flaw.

"Perhaps it was because your body was not well. No matter where you were born from, you must have gone through a lot of hardships in the world."

At the last tea party, suspicions arose that Aria might have been of noble origin, so she no longer took issue with Aria's origin. Even if Aria was from a noble family, if she was a dumb mute, she would have grown up under persecution.

Then, for the first time, a shadow fell over Aria's always indifferent expression.

'Hoo?'

Lady Leshan saw that and was happy. This is it, it was this!

'What's your weakness? Cannot speak? Growing up under persecution? If I grab on and hang with this, I can win!'

But it was then. As she was about to take one step closer to Aria, someone grabbed Lady Leshan's wrist.

"What? Suddenly, how rude…"

Lady Leshan turned her back angrily, flipping her hand, then hardening her body.

"Rude? Do you want to show me what's really rude?"

There stood the smiling Princess Natalie with her red lips twisted.