Chapter 7

Lisbeth took a deep breath. After taking in several long breaths, she felt a little better. Anna supported her as she slowly rose to her feet.

“Are you sure you’re really all right?”

“I’m fine. But after I greet His Majesty the King later, I’ll need to leave right away, so please prepare the carriage in advance.”

“Understood.”

After resting a little longer with her eyes closed, a palace attendant entered, bowed deeply, and delivered a message.

“The banquet will begin soon. His Majesty the King will arrive shortly, so please proceed to the banquet hall.”

At the attendant’s words, the noblewomen who had been making their final preparations flowed out of the powder room like the tide. Lisbeth, who had been sitting until the very end, finally stood up. If she entered last, she could quietly stand in a corner and slip out easily.

With Anna’s escort, Lisbeth returned to the banquet hall. The Madames who had dragged her earlier were still chatting and laughing merrily near the platform where the royal couple and Priests would be.

There was no need for her to go inside. She stood against a wall, in a secluded corner where a column hid her body. Leaning her back against the wall, she peeked past the pillar at the empty platform.

There’s no way he’ll find me among all these people. 

Lisbeth clenched her hands tightly in front of her.

A moment later, the attendants standing at the entrance of the banquet hall shouted loudly.

“His Majesty the King and Her Highness the Queen are entering!”

The King, with his slightly stern features, and the Queen, delicate and graceful, entered hand in hand. It was already well known that the two had a particularly loving marriage, so no one found it strange. Lisbeth, however, could only envy them now.

The King and Queen had loved each other passionately and, at last, found happiness together. The fact that such a bond had never been granted to her felt especially bitter today. She imagined herself and Dion in the place of the King and Queen, then was startled and quickly lowered her head.

‘Don’t imagine such nonsense, Lisbeth. That will never happen. Never, ever.’

The King, who liked efficiency, kept his greeting brief. As soon as the greeting ended, an attendant called out again.

“His Holiness the High Priest and Priest Dion are entering!”

The moment Dion’s name was heard, Lisbeth’s head snapped up automatically. Her eyes naturally followed Dion. He entered, looking straight ahead, not glancing around. His smooth black hair fluttered lightly and settled. In his clear, shining eyes, there was still a gentle warmth.

The image of young Dion from Lisbeth’s memories overlapped faintly, then faded away.

Her feet moved a little forward. Before she knew it, she had stepped two or three paces out from the wall.

It should be fine to get just a little closer. 

You are so far away—how could he possibly recognize you? So it was all right to be a little greedy, just for a moment. Right, Lisbeth.

It was as if someone was whispering in her mind.

Dion stood one step behind the joking High Priest.

‘Dion…….’

Lisbeth repeated his name silently in her mouth.

When they were children, he had been so pretty and delicate that when she teased, ‘I think you’re even prettier than me,’ Dion’s cheeks would flush bright red. Then he’d protest, ‘Miss, you’re much, much more beautiful.’

But now, ‘pretty’ was no longer the right word. The eyes, as if lost in thought; the sharply defined features, with not a single part that wasn’t beautiful. The aura he gave off just standing there captivated everyone.

Lisbeth gazed at him, entranced by the man he had become.

‘You must be happy, right?’

Meanwhile, Dion stepped forward. Now it was his turn to greet everyone.

“Once again, I greet you. I am Priest Dion.”

A low, deep voice, yet filled with resonance. Gasps and exclamations burst out here and there. The Misses, who hadn’t dared make a sound in the temple earlier, now squealed softly, “Kyaa!” all around. When Dion’s eyes, whether by chance or not, turned toward a group of young women, they forgot all decorum and squealed even louder.

Even as he watched, Dion only smiled faintly, while the High Priest behind him laughed heartily. As if he had expected this all along.

For some reason, it struck Lisbeth painfully now that he had become someone she could never reach again. The distance between her and Dion was now as far and different as the corner of this banquet hall and the brightly lit platform.

That’s enough.

Lisbeth lowered her head in resignation.

It was time to leave. The King and Queen, the High Priest, and Dion had all arrived at the banquet hall, so now everyone would truly begin to enjoy the festivities. Lisbeth knew she couldn’t pretend to be fine, dancing and chatting with people in the same space as Dion.

She walked carefully, hiding behind people and finally reaching the banquet hall doors.

Just as she was about to rush out, Lisbeth stopped for a moment. 

Just once, just one last time. 

She wanted to see Dion’s face. Her neck creaked as she turned to look back. Just one more time, at the face of her shining first love, who would still be standing on the platform……

And Lisbeth froze like a statue. As if she had met the gaze of a legendary beast and been turned to stone, she couldn’t move at all.

Dion was looking straight at her. As if he had already known she was there.

‘No way!’

Lisbeth turned and fled from the banquet hall as if running away. She didn’t even realize where she was going as she ran. She thought she heard Anna calling her, but her mind was so jumbled she couldn’t process anything. She entered a room that seemed to be a powder room, closed the door, and sank to the floor.

“Haa…… ah…….”

Burying her face in her knees, gasping for breath, she thought. 

Why—why had he looked at me? Did he really recognize me?

And she felt angry at herself for running away.

‘What did I do wrong that I have to run away? Is it this situation? If only he hadn’t disappeared back then……!’

Tears welled up at once. She didn’t care if her makeup was ruined. She was going to return to that tomb-like house anyway, so what did it matter?

He was someone who had nothing to do with her anymore. 

Ah. If I stayed in the capital, I’d keep running into him. Maybe I should just pack everything up and move somewhere quiet. I was free now. I could go somewhere no one knew me, forget everything, and live anew.

She wiped her tears roughly with the back of her hand and stood up. Hopefully, no one had seen her behavior just now. Not wanting to give anyone any reason to gossip, she glanced at herself in the mirror.