Chapter 42

[You must have had a long journey. It is truly a pleasure to meet you in person. Was your journey peaceful?]  

The King of Sahel was a robust and magnanimous-looking man.  

Draped in a robe as white as a swan’s feather and wearing a uniquely crafted golden crown resembling interwoven palm leaves, he exuded a peculiar charm.  

Taking the King’s hand, Chase greeted him in fluent Sahelian.  

[Thanks to you. Thank you for the warm welcome.]  

The King’s already large eyes widened even further in surprise.  

[Oh, you speak our language?]  

[Only a little. Not enough to boast.]  

Chase lightly patted Sabrina’s shoulder as he spoke.

[However, my aide is highly proficient in Sahelian, so she will be of great help. Sabrina?]  

Sabrina smiled warmly and greeted him.  

[Greetings, Your Majesty. I am Sabrina Wintlet, Chief Aide. It is an honor to meet you, and I look forward to working with you.]  

The King laughed heartily and extended his hand for a handshake.  

[Since the diplomatic relations between Sahel and Belfort are still relatively new, I was worried there might be a language barrier. But to think someone so fluent in our language is part of Belfort’s Imperial Court—I am delighted.]  

[We’ve also brought capable interpreters along to ensure that no linguistic barriers hinder our diplomacy.]  

[Good. I look forward to working with you.]  

Shaking her hand firmly, the King turned to Chase.  

[Shall we begin with a meal? All friendships start by eating and drinking together!]  

[That sounds wonderful. I’ve heard Sahel’s fish dishes are particularly renowned, and I’m excited to try them.]  

[You won’t be disappointed. Come this way.]  

***

“Ah, I’m so full. Did I eat too much? I have to fit into a dress later.”  

Sabrina rubbed her bloated stomach and threw herself onto the soft bed.  

“Still, it was delicious…I have no regrets.”

Fortunately, Chase’s first foreign visit since his coronation was proceeding exceptionally smoothly. Thanks to the Sahelians’ simple and easygoing nature, the atmosphere remained warm and amicable regardless of what was said.  

And the food!  

The unique flavors, difficult to find in Belfort, had thoroughly stimulated her appetite.  

“The schedule is also going perfectly without any disruptions…”  

Sabrina exhaled a short sigh as she reviewed the itinerary.  

Later that evening, there was a wedding followed by three days of non-stop banquets. Chase and Sabrina were only scheduled to attend the first day.  

‘The rest of the time will be spent investigating Heider.’  

Checking the time, Sabrina slowly got up. It was time to start getting ready.  

As she stepped out of her room, young maids with cheerful smiles approached her.  

[We’ll help you change into your outfit.]  

[Thank you.]  

Sabrina picked out a light blue dress she had prepared for the day. With its frills and ribbon details, it was far more extravagant than what she usually wore.  

‘I brought the prettiest one I had, but… Is it too much?’  

Standing in front of the unfamiliar mirror and holding the dress against her body, she felt a sudden wave of hesitation.  

But what could she do now?  

It wasn’t as if she could return to Belfort to fetch another dress.  

‘It’s fine. It’s just a dress.’  

Swallowing her embarrassment, Sabrina changed into the new dress with the maids’ help.  

The moment she stood in front of the mirror, touching the hem of her skirt, the maids exclaimed behind her.

[You look stunning!]  

The dress, reminiscent of Sahel’s ocean, had a mesmerizing and beautiful hue that caught everyone’s attention. Its design highlighted her figure in a sensual way while the frills added a touch of charm.  

Turning this way and that, Sabrina made a strange expression.  

‘It doesn’t look as over-the-top as I thought.’  

She wondered what Chase would think.  

Imagining him waiting for her, perfectly dressed, suddenly made her chest tighten.  

‘What’s wrong with me?’  

Shaking off the unfamiliar feeling, Sabrina untied her hair just as there was a knock at the door.  

Knock, knock.  

“Who is it?”  

“It’s me.”  

The voice was unmistakably familiar. Without hesitation, Sabrina opened the door wide.  

“What brings you to my room, Sir Clayton?”  

“I… have something to discuss…”  

Clayton’s words trailed off as he spotted Sabrina. Standing in the hallway, he silently took in her appearance.  

Turning her back to him, Sabrina put on her ornate earrings and replied,  

“Come in. I’ll send the maids away.”  

After dismissing the maids, Sabrina plopped down on the sofa in the sitting area.  

“What’s the matter?”  

Clayton entered the room, closing the door behind him with a creak. For a moment, he simply stared at her with a dazed expression.  

Sabrina met his gaze calmly. He was dressed in his usual knight’s uniform, complete with a black cape.  

“Are you not attending the ball tonight, Sir Clayton?”  

“…”  

“Sir?”  

Only when she called him again did Clayton snap out of his thoughts and nod.  

“Yes. That’s actually what I came to talk about.”  

“Where will you be, then?”  

“I plan to take a few subordinates and head to the harbor. Some of our men, disguised as vagrants and laborers, will infiltrate Evenheim’s merchant ships.”  

Speaking about work seemed to restore Clayton’s composure as he explained his plan clearly.  

“If we find any significant evidence, I’ll report it immediately.”  

“And His Majesty?”  

“He’s already been informed. I thought it would be good for you to know as well.”  

“Thank you.”  

Clayton took a step back, signaling the end of their conversation. Just as he reached for the doorknob, a thought flashed through Sabrina’s mind.  

‘Maybe I should ask Clayton.’  

“Sir Clayton.” 

She called, stopping him.  

Turning back, he looked at her curiously.  

“How do I… look today?”  

Clayton frowned slightly.  

“…What do you mean?”  

“I mean the dress. Does it look too much?”  

Sabrina straightened her posture and met his gaze directly. A strange breeze seemed to pass between them.  

After a long pause, Clayton finally spoke.  

“You look…”  

Choosing his words carefully, he continued.  

“…as you always do.”  

With that, Clayton left the room, leaving Sabrina with a puzzled expression.  

“As I always do? What’s that supposed to mean?”  

Did he mean it didn’t look over-the-top?  

Or… was he saying that even after all this effort, I looked no different than usual?  

Sabrina tilted her head as she stood before the mirror. Clayton’s ambiguous reaction had suddenly deflated her confidence.  

“Maybe it’s not that great… He could’ve just said it looked nice.”  

She spun around abruptly.  

‘Whatever. It’s just work. Who cares about the dress?’

***

Dressed in a navy formal suit with his hair neatly combed back, Chase adjusted his appearance in front of the mirror several times.  

‘Did I tone it down too much? I didn’t want to go overboard, so I kept it simple.’  

Normally, he wouldn’t have paid much attention to the details of his outfit, but today, even the buttons on his suit seemed to stand out.  

It was his first banquet since realizing his feelings for Sabrina.  

In other words, it was his chance to make the best possible impression.  

‘I have to look my best tonight.’  

Resolving to give it his all, Chase arrived at the venue earlier than planned. Normally, Sabrina would escort him, but tonight, he wanted to do things differently.  

This time, he was determined to go all out.  

‘She’ll come down those stairs.’  

Standing at the base of the staircase, Chase felt his heartbeat quicken.  

Waiting for someone, he realized, was a surprisingly sweet experience.  

Feeling a pleasant tension, he clenched and unclenched his fists a few times. Despite having attended countless banquets with Sabrina as his partner, he couldn’t seem to calm his nerves.  

Then it happened.  

Sensing commotion above, Chase looked up sharply.  

Moments later, Sabrina appeared, crossing the corridor in a sea-colored dress.  

“…”  

Standing at the top of the stairs, holding the hem of her flowing skirt, Sabrina looked almost unreal.  

When her gaze met his from across the distance, their eyes locked.  

Thump.  

Chase’s heart, unable to bear the weight, tumbled down.  

“Your Majesty?”  

Spotting him waiting at the base of the staircase, Sabrina’s eyes widened.  

“Have you been waiting long? If you’d told me, I would’ve come out right away…”  

Looking at the central grandfather clock in the hall, there was still plenty of time before the scheduled hour.  

‘I thought I came out quite early… Why is he here so soon?’  

Feeling a sense of urgency, Sabrina quickened her steps. She wanted to descend quickly, but the voluminous hem of her dress made every step a careful endeavor.  

Click, click.  

Just as she was nearing the bottom of the staircase—  

Slip.  

The tip of Sabrina’s shoe caught on the front hem of her skirt.  

“Ah!”  

Her body tilted, losing balance.  

She braced herself for the worst, thinking she might be seriously hurt.  

As she felt her body lift into the air, she tightly shut her eyes.  

Thud.  

A solid embrace caught her perfectly. Not even a hint of pain reached her.  

The arms around her back and waist tightened slightly as her body pressed closely against the figure supporting her.  

‘A pleasant scent.’  

The deep, clean fragrance wafting from the nape of his neck left Sabrina momentarily dazed. It was a scent that seemed to dig deep into her heart.  

“Be careful, Sabrina.”  

A deep voice gently scattered above her head.  

It was only then that Sabrina realized she was firmly held in Chase’s arms.  

“I-I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”  

Flustered, Sabrina wriggled to stand on her own. Chase slowly released the arms that had securely held her, setting her safely on the ground.  

Sabrina quickly adjusted his attire and asked,  

“Are you hurt anywhere?”  

“That’s what I should be asking you.” 

Chase replied, frowning in concern.  

“Are you injured?”  

Sabrina shook her head quickly.  

“No, thanks to you. I’m fine.”  

Straightening her skirt with her hands, Sabrina stood upright and spoke again.  

“Then let’s move along…”  

“You look dazzlingly beautiful today.”  

The unexpected compliment made Sabrina’s eyes widen in surprise.  

Unprepared and caught off guard, the praise hit her with far more impact than usual.  

Her face turned a deep red, uncharacteristic of her usual composure. She couldn’t even muster a thank-you or brush it off gracefully. Instead, she froze awkwardly.  

“I wanted to tell you as soon as I saw you, but I missed the timing.” 

Chase said with a soft smile, extending his arm.  

“Then, shall we go?”