“Lucian is a princess of the Kingdom of Rodencia and His Majesty the Emperor’s former wife. She has attended the banquet in person today to demonstrate that the former Rodencian royal family supports His Majesty.”

While I stood briefly lost in a strange, inexplicable sense of disappointment, Count Fonta introduced me to the other guests with effortless fluency. Most of them would already know who I was, but they likely hadn’t known my reason for attending, and Count Fonta had come up with a remarkably clever one.

“I see. I hear the movement to restore the royal family within Rodencia has been showing signs that cannot be ignored. Having the princess express her support directly would certainly help quiet public sentiment.”

This time a foreign gentleman who appeared to be somewhat older chimed in with agreement.

How curious that my origins could actually be of use. If I were simply a former wife, everyone would have regarded me with suspicious eyes, but attending to express support for the new Emperor as a representative of the Rodencian royal family made sense. I offered a modest bow with the humble smile befitting a former wife and a princess of a fallen kingdom.

The fabricated reason Count Fonta had invented, that we were simply parties with aligned interests, the former wife guaranteed a comfortable life and the Frianc Emperor receiving the endorsement of the old Rodencian royal family, seemed to please Heliones, for his expression looked somewhat more at ease than it had during the afternoon parade.

His profile, hair swept fully back for the first time in a while and wearing a faint smile, was as clean and refined as a sculpture unearthed from an ancient city.

While I found myself stealing glances at him without realizing it, his shoulder tilted slightly toward me.

He seemed to have something to say. Perhaps some instruction? I turned my ear toward Heliones and composed myself to listen.

“Earlier today, I was quite startled when our eyes met.”

“?”

“I felt awkward the whole time, but thanks to Lucian, I was able to get through the parade.”

Heliones murmured words I never expected, in a voice too low for anyone else to hear, then turned his head to greet the other guests.

Thump, thump, thump, thump. My heart began to pound fast and hard, ready to leap right out of my chest.

He really had recognized me in that crowd? That smile had been meant for me? He may have gotten through the parade thanks to me, but I certainly hadn’t. My head suddenly felt dizzy, and my legs felt ready to give way beneath me.

Would I be able to get through this banquet?

My presence turned out to be quite effective. Having made everyone rivals at the tea party, the young ladies watched each other’s every move, and as long as I held my ground at Heliones’s side, none of them could approach him too boldly.

We were estranged enough to be rewriting divorce papers, yet close enough to make a show of political support. This convenient pretext was making the awkward and uncomfortable situation just barely bearable for me.

Not long after the banquet began, I spotted Delmir approaching. Sure enough, Dylan and Whitney were with her.

“On this joyous occasion, might you grant me the honor of dancing one dance with you, Your Majesty?”

Truly Delmir. To step forward so boldly when no one else dared. Her confidence, of course, came from House Balthar, with its line of powerful nobles in tow.

Balance is a difficult thing. One must apply equal force in every direction without tipping to either side. If he had to dance with someone at this event, the daughter of House Balthar, the most powerful noble house in the country second only to the Emperor, would be the right choice.

It was a banquet, after all, with a stage and music. If the Emperor danced first, everyone would come out and enjoy the occasion. I wasn’t sure my opinion would carry any weight with Heliones, but I leaned my shoulder slightly toward him and murmured.

“Do one dance. Everyone seems to want to.”

Heliones had worn a comfortable expression throughout the evening, but his face twisted in an instant, the way someone looks when struck by lightning.

“Ah, it was just my opinion, so…”

Before I could finish my excuse, Heliones quickly returned to a neutral expression and extended his hand to Delmir.

Delmir took his hand with a graceful smile that showed no trace of a victor’s smugness.

What a picture-perfect pair. The sharp, dark-haired Heliones and the lovely, platinum-haired Delmir suited each other so well they seemed made for each other from before they were born.

Delmir was not a bad choice, all things considered. She had certain flaws of character, but nothing that would eat away at herself, and above all she had the wealth and prestige of her family and the power of her marriage connections, more than enough to offset whatever flaws she had.

Judging by his reactions up to now, it was clear Heliones had no particular interest in Delmir, but what did affection have to do with a political marriage anyway?

Delmir had just turned twenty-one, and by age, by qualifications, and by appearance, she was a perfect match for Heliones.

Yet their dance was flawless in the way a mathematical formula is flawless, with none of the surprise that comes from mixing unexpected colors. Just mechanical movement, feet following a set pattern in time with the music, like instructors giving a demonstration.

I am a deeply contradictory person. Just moments ago I had been thinking Delmir was not a bad option, and yet the corners of my mouth kept trying to lift at that absurd display.

Well, after all the cutting remarks I had endured from her, I was allowed this small victory.

The Empress will be chosen for political reasons anyway, so you can endure a moment of embarrassment.

After the strange dance ended, beautiful as a pair on a music box yet mechanical as wound-up dolls, Delmir offered Heliones a composed smile she had clearly worked to maintain and gave her bow.

Even someone as seasoned in society as Delmir could have been forgiven for losing her composure, but she returned to House Balthar’s side looking no different from usual, aside from the deep shadow beneath her eyes.

Whether she becomes Empress or not, she is certainly a young lady who keeps herself in check.

Heliones ignored Delmir entirely, treating her as though she had never existed, and walked back to my side. His expression was no longer twisted as it had been a moment ago, but I could tell his mood had shifted.

Had I overstepped by daring to voice my opinion when he might have already had someone in mind? I should have kept my mouth shut. Heliones would have handled it perfectly well on his own, whoever he chose to dance with.

Whatever the feelings of those involved, once the Emperor had danced first, everyone came out onto the floor one after another and the evening turned lively. The young ladies who had been waiting to request a dance after Delmir, having witnessed that peculiar display, thought better of stepping forward themselves and instead took the hands of other guests.

Heliones was the guest of honor at the banquet, yet he stood sulking against the wall like a wallflower, and I began to wonder whether I should stay at his side or, since no more women were approaching, take my leave.

I was busy reading his mood when Nelia approached me with her sunshine smile.

Ah. Here it comes.

“Did you receive my gift safely?”

Nelia smiled with a harmless warmth, seemingly unaware of the taut threads of competing interests stretched across the banquet hall, and I smiled back humbly, hiding my own discomfort.

“It was far too generous a gift for me to accept.”

“Too generous? I came from abroad and didn’t know many people, and you kept me company that day. I had such a wonderful time. Compared to that, the gift is a small thing.”

I had only been dragged to her residence against my will and sat drinking tea, so I wasn’t sure what wonderful time she was referring to. Well, I suppose looking at the painting had been genuinely enjoyable.

“Even so, it is more than I deserve…”

“I paid for the painting.”

“??”

Both Nelia and I stared at Heliones, who had cut in out of nowhere, with wide eyes.

“I transferred the market price just before the banquet began, so you should be able to confirm it when you return.”

What on earth had he heard? I had been trying to talk my way into returning the painting, and now he was saying he had paid for it?

“I did not send the painting expecting payment from Your Majesty. I simply meant it as a gesture of goodwill…”

“I know. I simply…”

Heliones paused for just a moment and looked at me. I tensed, bracing for the words “my wife” to come out of his mouth again, but what he said was different from what I expected.

“I disliked the idea of something in my residence having been paid for by someone other than me.”

Ah, good. He was talking about the residence. Well, she was someone he barely knew, so there was no need to accept an expensive gift from her. If things went poorly, it could become an unnecessary diplomatic issue.