The Unemployed Prince Covets My Nephew - Chapter 8
* * *
“You can only have three candies. Promise me.”
“Okay. I promise.”
Theo extended his shortest pinky finger from his tiny hand. Hailey hooked her finger around his tiny one and made the promise.
“Eat the milk pudding as a snack, and this is for your dinner later.”
“Pudding…! Don’t worry! I’ll wait patiently while eating until you come back.”
It was the first time Hailey had left Theo alone for such a long time, so she was very worried.
She hadn’t even grabbed the candies the prince had bought while escaping. If she had known, she would have taken the candies instead of just running away.
Hailey regretted leaving the candies behind.
Instead, she went out the next day and bought as many candies as she could.
She usually gave him candy only once every two days to prevent cavities, but today she allowed three because she felt bad about leaving him alone.
She had also gone out early in the morning to buy milk pudding and prepared dinner for Theo to eat alone.
Hailey knelt down to Theo’s eye level and held both his hands.
“I’ll be back soon. I couldn’t skip this important event. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I can wait by reading a book and writing a letter to give to you.”
Theo smiled brightly to ease Hailey’s worries.
Hailey opened her arms wide toward Theo.
“Give me a hug.”
Theo wrapped his short arms around Hailey with an effort.
Hailey hugged Theo’s small, warm body tightly.
Even though the sweet scent unique to children filled her embrace, her heart felt heavy. She didn’t know why, but she felt like she needed to hold him a bit longer.
‘When I come back today, I’ll become Theo’s real mom.’
She promised herself to say, ‘From today, I’m your mom,’ when she returned.
“I’m off.”
“Okay. Hailey, come back safely!”
Leaving Theo, who was waving with a smile, Hailey turned around.
* * *
It was the most bustling day at the baron’s house in recent times. The house was crowded with maids attending to Hailey and the baroness in preparation for the banquet and ball.
The excessively luxurious evening dress seemed as complicated to wear as it looked, requiring more than four people to help put it on.
“You look so beautiful, my lady.”
The voluminous dress skirt was embroidered with flowers, which seemed excessive to Hailey, who preferred simplicity.
The dress emphasized her chest, and her hair was tightly pulled up and adorned with diamonds and pearls, making it the worst for her.
‘Where did they get the money for all this?’
While being dressed up for a long time, Hailey was busy calculating the cost in her head.
No matter how she calculated, it didn’t seem like something the baron’s household could afford.
“Just smile lightly.”
“…Like this?”
“That’s a smirk! That’s why you don’t get any offers to meet again.”
“Mother, I don’t need any of that, and I have no reason to impress them. I’m only going because you wanted to attend the royal banquet.”
The baroness cleared her throat at Hailey’s firm tone and added, ‘This is basic etiquette for a lady.’
Hailey, pulling on the white gloves made of kid leather, responded half-heartedly, ‘Yes.’
“Really. Leave those gloves alone.”
“They’re too tight. The gloves are too small.”
“Your hands are too big. Just stay still, and you’ll get used to them.”
Hailey was sick of the society that made such tiny gloves and forced everyone to wear them.
‘I just want to throw these gloves off right now.’
The carriage carrying the baroness and Hailey entered the main road heading to the palace, passing through the square.
All the carriages were heading to the palace, causing a traffic jam.
It would take a long time to get out of the jam, so Hailey wanted to take off the gloves for a while, but they were so small that it would be hard to put them back on once removed.
“I only want to attend the banquet. If we stay for the ball, we’ll be there until dawn.”
“The ball is the most important part. Attending only the banquet is out of the question.”
“Do you have a reason to find an investor at the ball? The ball is for young people anyway.”
Since the baroness wouldn’t be dancing, and the ball was for young nobles, there was no reason to stay if Hailey didn’t want to.
Of course, the ball was the highlight of the party, so no young lady would attend only the banquet.
“This is my last request. We didn’t provide you with much, but we protected you in a warm and safe home. How can you be so heartless?”
“…It’s not that, Theo is alone. He’s never been left alone at night.”
“He’s old enough to sleep alone at six.”
“Theo is five.”
The baroness cleared her throat again.
It seemed Hailey’s plan to leave before the ball had failed.
Thinking of Theo alone in the attic of the baron’s house, Hailey sighed deeply.
Meanwhile, the long line of carriages started moving, and Hailey and the baroness finally entered the grand hall of the palace.
“Baroness Langston and Lady Hailey Langston!”
It was the beginning of a very long night.
* * *
Hailey didn’t know how the banquet passed. She was so overwhelmed that she was almost dazed.
It took almost an hour for all the nobles to enter the banquet, and the baroness dragged Hailey around, making her greet people, leaving no time to drink a sip of water.
‘My mouth is going to dry out.’
All Hailey had eaten was a small dessert made with fine cheese and peaches and a glass of apple wine.
With some time left before the ball started, Hailey used the excuse that her shoes didn’t fit to escape from the baroness.
Hailey entered the lounge and immediately sat down to take off her shoes.
“Ah, I feel alive again.”
She could feel the other young ladies whispering, ‘How could she…’ upon seeing her act so freely.
Hailey didn’t care at all.
After some time, she left the lounge and was turning the corner of the hallway leading to the hall alone.
“…the departure will be around… After that, you can rest assured…”
In the distance, she saw the baroness.
But the baroness was not alone.
‘The Roman family’s servant?’
The man with her was definitely the servant who always accompanied Count Roman.
They seemed to be having a secret conversation, but the distance made it hard to hear clearly.
Count Roman had not come today. It wasn’t an event he would attend.
‘Did he come along with the young lady from the Roman family’s branch who had her debut today?’
Even so, it was strange for Count Roman’s closest servant to follow as the servant of a young lady from a branch family.
Soon, the servant discreetly looked around and walked away, and the baroness also re-entered the grand hall as if nothing had happened.
‘Why do I feel so uneasy?’
Feeling suspicious, Hailey also entered the grand hall. She could hear the music announcing the start of the ball.
She just had to endure here for an hour, two at most, before she could leave.
* * *
Hailey’s plan to leave quickly was perfect.
When the ball started, each chaperone would introduce the noblemen to dance three times.
However, Hailey was not good at dancing, and she had no intention of making an effort during this time meant for marriage prospects.
Hailey wasn’t overly dressed compared to other noble ladies. But with her striking beauty and tall stature, it wasn’t hard for the baroness to pair her with young, wealthy noblemen.
The problem was Hailey herself, who was extremely unapproachable.
“Young lady, may I have this dance…?”
“I have a child.”
“Pardon…?”
“Isn’t it a waste to use one of your three chances on me? I don’t want to waste my time either, so let’s not even try.”
Hailey dismissed him, saying she had a child, and opened her elegant feathered fan to cover her mouth.
The baroness trembled with frustration as she watched Hailey firmly plant herself against the wall.
‘Wallflower.’
It was a term used to describe someone who was thoroughly isolated at a ball, either after being rejected once or failing to find a dance partner.
For a young noble lady of marriageable age, it was the most humiliating situation, but for Hailey, it was the only way to escape this bothersome event.
As Hailey expected, no one approached her.
‘Once this song ends, I’ll tell her we should leave.’
It was then.
“Young lady.”
“…!”
“Would you honor me with a dance?”
It was that crazy prince.