The Holy Lady, The Curse - Chapter 8 Part 3
However, it soon became clear that Geril’s guess was spot on. As the atmosphere of the banquet reached its peak, the Emperor appeared, and to everyone’s surprise, he and Hestina engaged in an argument.
“I’m going to participate too! That’s why I came!”
As Hestina’s excited voice echoed through the large banquet hall, all conversations in the bustling room suddenly stopped. Even Bellota, who had been greeting nobles a few steps away from Seiden since entering the hall, turned in surprise to look at where the Emperor and Hestina were. The Emperor was suppressing a sigh with an expression of annoyance and perplexity.
“Hestina. How many times has this father told you it’s not possible? Mount Tatenia is a dangerous place. I can’t let you go there without escorts. Do you understand?”
His voice was firm, and hearing that, Hestina’s face turned sorrowful.
“That’s ridiculous. Why am I the only one who can’t participate when all the other imperial family members can? I’m also Your Majesty’s child and a member of the imperial family. In case Your Majesty has forgotten, I’ll remind you that I came of age a year ago. Let me participate in the hunting festival and contribute to this meaningful donation!”
Hestina’s voice was high and fast. She was unrestrained in asserting and expressing her opinion. A born winner’s aura seemed to naturally follow behind Hestina, who always managed to get what she wanted. Bellota continued to stare at that seemingly sparkling figure.
“No matter what you say, it’s not possible. Let’s stop this conversation and enjoy the banquet.”
“I can’t give up! I’ve been waiting for this day! How do you think the people of the Empire will react if word spreads that the Princess of the Rundhardt Empire is too afraid of monsters to participate in the hunting festival? Or if rumors circulate that Your Majesty is too afraid of monsters to let your daughter participate?”
The Emperor, seemingly dumbfounded, opened his mouth to speak but then closed it, furrowing his brows. Hestina’s stubbornness had a point. Moreover, at a time like this when the signs had appeared fifteen days early, if such rumors were to spread, distrust towards the imperial family would grow.
Sensing the Emperor’s dilemma, Hestina seized the opportunity and pressed on strongly.
“Then let’s do this. You’re releasing a kurkroll for this competition, right?”
At Hestina’s exclamation, everyone looked at each other with surprised faces.
Bellota, who had been looking down for a moment thinking it was impolite to keep staring at Hestina, raised her head hesitantly. Kurkroll was a high-level monster known for its ferocity even among monsters. And also…….
“I’ll catch it and bring it back. And if I can’t catch it, I won’t insist on participating in the hunting festival ever again. Forever.”
“Oh, Hestina.”
The Emperor’s voice, trying to stop his precious youngest daughter who he had raised so carefully that she might fly away with the wind, was completely drowned out by his daughter’s relentless words.
“But if I do catch the kurkroll, please allow me to go on an outing with Sir Seiden as a reward.”
Not only the Emperor’s eyes but also those of everyone who had been openly eavesdropping on their conversation widened at those words. Bellota too slowly held her breath, feeling the air suddenly grow quiet.
Even Seiden, who had been the only one in the banquet hall uninterested in the argument between the Emperor and the Princess, raised his head with furrowed brows when he heard his name unexpectedly come up.
“Wh-what did you say?”
The Emperor barely managed to ask, and Hestina smiled confidently.
“I said, please allow me to go on an outing with Sir Seiden Blackwood. I’m old enough now to go out with a man, aren’t I?”
When his name was precisely mentioned again, Seiden’s frozen gaze quickly sought out Bellota. Into his field of vision came the figure of Bellota, standing still amidst the people who were buzzing with excitement over the provocative incident.
Bellota’s expression was calm as she looked at Hestina. Seeing that undisturbed appearance, a part of Seiden’s heart that had been harboring a vain hope for a very brief moment sank painfully.
“Where is Sir Seiden?”
The Emperor asked in confusion. The nobles naturally parted to bring Seiden into the Emperor’s view.
“Ah, there you are.”
Since the Emperor was directly calling for him, Seiden couldn’t ignore the summons and bowed his head slightly towards him.
“What on earth is this about? Why does my youngest daughter want to go on an outing with you?”
The Emperor’s voice was suspicious. It was a question asking what kind of relationship Seiden and Hestina had, and how it had progressed to this point. Not that Seiden would know the reason even if he asked.
“I don’t know either.”
Seiden gave the best answer he could, and Hestina, who had been rolling her eyes after causing a major incident, glanced at Seiden.
The Emperor looked back and forth between Seiden and Hestina with an astonished face. In that brief moment, the Emperor realized that his youngest daughter had fallen for that arrogant and rigid Holy Knight Commander. And that this Blackwood guy was responsible for half of her stubbornness about participating in the hunting festival.
Even as his head began to ache, the Emperor’s mind raced quickly. The Blackwood family was a marquis family that didn’t lack in either honor or power. And what about Seiden Blackwood? Wasn’t he the one who had achieved the unparalleled honor of becoming the youngest Sword Master? Not only that, but it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that more than half of the monsters attacking the empire met their death at Seiden’s hands. His abilities were so outstanding.
And the Emperor had once tried to bring Seiden into the imperial family but failed. Certainly, losing such a valuable asset to the Grand Temple was a massive loss for the imperial family. Seiden’s achievements since becoming the Holy Knight Commander proved this fact. In recent years, the prestige of the Grand Temple had been rising unstoppably due to Seiden Blackwood and Bellota Rosebeth.
But what if that guy married Hestina and became a member of the imperial family? He would naturally turn his back on the Grand Temple and become a force for the imperial family. Thinking about it that way, suddenly that arrogant face seemed desirable.
Besides, Hestina and Seiden were already acquainted. When Hestina had insisted on visiting the Blackwood family’s villa last time, the two had gone hunting together, so this relationship might not be just Hestina’s one-sided affection.
The probability of Hestina catching a kurkroll was zero, but wasn’t there a chance that their feelings might deepen while pretending to catch the kurkroll? Having finished his quick calculations, the Emperor heaved a deep sigh and opened his mouth.
“Truly, at this age, I find I can’t handle the stubbornness of young people.”
The Emperor looked at Hestina with the expression of a father who had surrendered to his youngest daughter’s obstinacy.
“Alright, Hestina. Since you’re so insistent, I’ll allow you to participate in the hunting festival just this once.”
Hearing that, Hestina’s eyes, which had been constantly glancing at Seiden, widened.
“Really? You can’t take it back! You’re the best, Your Majesty!”
At the same time, the banquet hall began to buzz with excitement. Everyone in the hall realized that the Emperor had just marked Seiden Blackwood as a potential son-in-law and approved of their relationship.
The Emperor glanced at Seiden. But Seiden himself was looking around seriously, his face showing no interest in whether Hestina would participate in the hunting festival or not. The Emperor interpreted this behavior as concern about future rumors, but Seiden was actually looking for Bellota, who had disappeared.
“Hmm, has it already been this time? It’s time for the fireworks to go off?”
Having drawn too much attention from many, the Emperor sent a signal to Geril, who had just returned to the banquet hall, to disperse the gazes at once. Geril faithfully obeyed the order and commanded his subordinates to set off the fireworks.
Like the Emperor had anticipated, those who were whispering about Seiden and Hestina until just now flocked to the windows and terraces to watch the fireworks of the eve of the hunting festival, which was said to be so splendid. Of course, Seiden had no interest in such things as fireworks. He tried to find Bellota in the noisy banquet hall, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Seiden gritted his teeth slightly. He was about to take a step, intending to find the room where Bellota might be staying, but suddenly something flashed before Seiden’s eyes, stopping him in his tracks. Seiden glared at the ground with a hardened face. It was because he remembered Bellota’s expression as she looked at Hestina with her usual calm face without any sign of agitation.
“……”
What was he going to do if he went? What would he… He couldn’t predict at all what kind of face Bellota would make if he explained that he and Hestina were nothing to each other. Because just as Hestina and he were nothing to each other, Bellota and he were also nothing to each other.
As he imagined Bellota’s calm face that would surely show no ripple of emotion as always, his chest tightened stupidly.
At that moment, the owner of cautious footsteps approached Seiden, who was standing still. It was Hestina. She stole a glance at Seiden’s sculpture-like profile for a moment before offering an embarrassed apology.
