The Holy Lady, The Curse - Chapter 8 Part 2
“A princess and a holy knight… I never thought about it, but they make quite a good pair. It seems Her Highness Princess Hestina has her eye on Sir Seiden.”
Geril precisely pinpointed the vague question that had been floating in the depths of her heart. At the same time, her breath momentarily quieted.
Ah. Bellota blinked slowly. Some realization seemed to descend upon her heart, pressing down on her chest like a very deep and heavy weight. I see. So that’s how it is. Her Highness the Princess has feelings for Sir Seiden.
Bellota recalled Hestina’s lovely face as she interjected in front of Seiden, unable to hide her excitement and nervousness. The blush on that face was no different from the one that had appeared on the cheeks of other young ladies who had been glancing at Seiden.
“The Commander didn’t seem to dislike it either. Haha, well, if it’s Her Highness the Princess, she’s beautiful and lovely enough to be called the pride of our imperial family. There wouldn’t be a man who would refuse Her Highness. Oh my, if that happens, the Commander would become a member of the imperial family.”
Everything Geril said was correct. Even to Bellota, who was also a woman, Hestina was an incredibly lovely woman. Now that she thought about it, even the way she fearlessly approached the person she liked and spoke to him in front of everyone was incredibly brave and lovely.
Moreover, if he were to marry her, he would become a member of the imperial family and gain that dazzling honor. So, as Geril said, no man would refuse such a woman. Even if it were Seiden…
The moment she acknowledged this fact, Bellota was overwhelmed by a strange emotion. It was a truly strange and peculiar feeling she had never experienced before. Her stomach felt oddly fluttery, and the tip of her throat seemed to sting painfully.
“It’s natural for beautiful men and women to be attracted to each other. The Commander, well, he’s not a bad man either. Of course, it’s a pity that he’s still somewhat inexperienced in the ways of the world and a bit rash and immature.”
Geril said this while glancing at Bellota. Bellota was still silently looking at her feet.
It was true that Hestina was showing interest in Seiden, and that was fortunate for Geril. It was an opportunity to remove that annoying holy knight from around Bellota. So he had to seize this chance to push forward and win Bellota’s heart.
“Saintess, you haven’t forgotten your promise to grant my wish if I take first place tomorrow, have you?”
As Geril asked carefully with a shy smile, Bellota looked at him again.
“Tomorrow, you will be the protagonist of this hunting festival. Because I will claim victory in your name.”
Geril, excited by this excessive imagination, already looked at Bellota with loving eyes as if he had already won.
But that was not what Bellota wanted. If Geril offered a gift to the temple in her name, it was clear that unmanageable speculations and rumors would follow. Besides…
“I will definitely win at the hunting festival. Be prepared to grant my wish.”
Why, at a moment like this, did Seiden’s voice brush past her ear?
Having tried hard to erase Seiden’s voice, Bellota was in the moment of choosing what to answer to Geril. Just then, a brief firework burst over the sky of the garden where the two were strolling. Both Bellota and Geril’s heads turned simultaneously at the dazzling flash, and Geril’s face hardened in an instant.
“It seems it’s already time for the fireworks to go off. But the banquet hasn’t ended yet…”
Bellota murmured quizzically.
At the eve festival, beautiful and splendid fireworks were set off as soon as the banquet ended. But she couldn’t understand why fireworks had gone off already. And only one unimpressive firework, not several.
“Oh my, it seems someone foolishly tampered with the fireworks.”
Geril looked at Bellota with a skillful smile.
“The fireworks are magical tools that shouldn’t be touched carelessly, so I think I should go and check them again.”
Bellota nodded at his words.
“Yes, don’t worry about me and go quickly.”
“I’ll see you again at the banquet hall.”
Geril gave Bellota a brief greeting and then hurriedly left to check the fireworks. She watched Geril’s retreating figure and only after he had completely disappeared from the garden did she slowly let out the sigh she had been holding back.
“……”
Bellota stood in the quiet and beautiful garden, gazing at the fully bloomed flowers. She would have to go back to the banquet hall now and fulfill her duties as a saintess, but somehow she didn’t want to return there. If she went there…
“Saintess.”
Bellota’s sunken eyes suddenly widened at the breathless voice from behind. When she turned around, she saw Seiden with cold sweat on his forehead.
“Sir.”
Bellota called him in a bewildered voice.
“Why are you here…”
As she trailed off, Seiden swallowed his rapid breath that resulted from searching for Bellota. What kind of castle was so large and had so many gardens. If he hadn’t remembered the necklace at the last moment after rummaging through all the gardens, he wouldn’t have been able to find Bellota today.
“Did Duke Lylester leave?”
Seiden asked suspiciously. It was unlikely that Geril would leave Bellota behind.
“Ah. Well… There was a problem with the fireworks, so he went to check.”
Fireworks? Seiden frowned and then nodded. Whatever it was, it was a good thing that that insufferable man was gone. He was worried that he might be up to some trick again, but there was no way to find out right away.
“Did Duke Lylester say anything?”
When Seiden asked seriously, Bellota’s lips tightened.
Geril had talked about Hestina and Seiden. He had said that Princess Hestina had feelings for Seiden, and that the two of them made a good match. She couldn’t relay that to Seiden.
“It was nothing, really.”
Bellota awkwardly evaded and quickly turned her gaze towards the banquet hall.
“We should return to the banquet hall. His Majesty will arrive soon.”
Seiden noticed that Bellota was strangely avoiding his gaze. His gaze moved to Bellota’s hands, which had been tightly gripping the hem of her skirt. Moreover, Bellota’s ears seemed to be more flushed than usual. After observing all of this, Seiden looked at Bellota’s face intently, perplexed.
“Did something happen?”
Bellota awkwardly shook her head.
“No? Nothing happened.”
At the somewhat defiant voice, Seiden’s expression became even more puzzled. His gaze moved to Bellota’s dress, which seemed uncomfortable. If she had to stand wearing something like that, it was no wonder her face was turning pale.
“You can sit for a while before going in. There are so many people in the banquet hall that no one will notice if two people are missing.”
But Bellota immediately retorted to Seiden’s words.
“I’m fine.”
She realized that her voice was cold enough to surprise even herself. However, despite this unreasonable coldness, Seiden continued to check on Bellota’s condition without yielding at all.
“Shall we go in and see if there’s another dress available?”
Hearing that, Bellota looked at Seiden in surprise. Seiden realized that she was uncomfortable because of the dress. However, what was really troubling Bellota was not the dress. It was the man in front of her, looking at her with furrowed brows in concern, being with him like this is what Bellota found unbearably uncomfortable. A heavy and stinging drumbeat continued to resound in her chest.
Bellota stared at the brooch on Seiden’s chest for a moment with her mouth closed. It was a brooch with a mysterious red jewel embedded in it, like his eyes. It was sensual and sophisticated in design, as if it had been made for him.
At that moment, a sudden thought crossed Bellota’s mind: who could have given him that brooch? Simultaneously, a question she hadn’t expected herself popped out of her mouth.
“…… Are you well acquainted with Her Highness the Princess?”
Bellota was surprised by her own question, her eyes widening and her mouth closing. Seiden, too, froze for a moment at the sudden inquiry. He seemed like someone who had never imagined being asked such a question by Bellota, but soon opened his mouth.
“No, I’m not. We just went hunting together once.”
This was even more unexpected, so Bellota found herself asking again.
“Hunting?”
“…… Yes. Her Highness the Princess once used our family’s villa. I happened to visit the villa without knowing and ran into her. That day, at His Majesty’s request, we went hunting together.”
Seiden, uncharacteristically, explained the incident in a soft voice while staring intently at Bellota. Under that gaze, Bellota realized that she pried too much and felt embarrassed.
“I see.”
“If you have any more questions, please ask. I’ll answer anything.”
“No, no more questions. I just asked because you seemed close.”
“We are not close.”
Seiden denied it concisely. But that was likely just Seiden’s perspective. Princess Hestina already seemed to consider Seiden as the most familiar person in this banquet hall. Of course, it wasn’t unreasonable for her to think that way, given that she had visited his family’s villa and gone hunting with him there.
“Let’s go back to the banquet hall.”
Bellota, embarrassed by her presumptuous question, quickly turned to head back to the banquet hall to hide her face. Seiden quietly followed behind her.
