Chapter 226
Translator: yun
Right in the middle of the banquet hall stood a small stage set up for Templars of Dance and Templars of Song to perform atop. There was no one currently performing on it probably because they were in the midst of an intermission. But sotis while the perforrs rest, there would still be Templars of Eloquence standing on the stage to relay various news from the capital, diating so discussions and announcing political agendas. Considering the fact that the Empire had been based on Ancient Greek society, it naturally had many such spaces for active discussion.
But now, people were staring at the strange foreign princess suddenly standing upon the said stage. Staring at the people around , I took a deep breath.
“My na is Ahasia and I am the Princess of Ra Harte, the Desert Kingdom.”
I recalled how I practised with Ahasia all of last night as I made myself heard.
“I’d like to say sothing about the rumours that have been spreading about recently.”
Soone raised his hand before speaking. It was an elderly templar.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, princess, but that stage is only for templars of the Empire. And I’m pretty sure the princess is not from here, no?”
The people near him started nodding in agreent. The people who were nodding their heads all seed to be slightly older templars. Their pride seed to have grown with their age and authority so it was obvious why they wouldn’t like the fact that a foreigner, even if she was of royal descent, was standing on the stage. However, if I were to back down now, all my effort would co to nothing. I’d rather garner so sympathy for myself since I was already here.
“I know. But I took the liberty of standing on this stage to tell you my truth.”
After quickly assessing the situation, I placed my hand on my chest before mustering as much remourse in my voice as I could.
“I understand that a princess from another kingdom getting caught up in a scandal on your lands wasn’t sothing you all wanted.”
I stood tall and spoke to the old gentleman who had started speaking to first before looking at those who were pitying one by one while emphasising my every word. Ahasia never spoke quickly. She spoke slowly, almost sounding as if she was relaxed.
“For the sake of myself and the honour of my kingdom, Ra Harte.”
People were gathering around in interest. Granius was also in the crowd along with ta and Soricks who went out of their way to join too. The patrols were here. Perhaps the 2nd Prince and the 5th Prince whom I couldn’t manage to spot in the crowds were here too. And Castor was definitely watching from elsewhere.
“I think most of you have gathered here because you have heard the recent rumours about . I, ‘Ahasia’, will not allow the scandal to go on any longer and am here to tell the truth. To tell you the truth, the prince ntioned in the rumours…”
This was originally ant to be Fleon’s line. No, from the start, Fleon was supposed to be the one standing atop here to announce…
Just then, startled by the sudden weight on my shoulders, I whipped my head to the side.
“Sorry I was late.”
The perpetrator’s brown hair continued to flutter. The hair looked so familiar. No, there was no way I wouldn’t recognise that brown colour.
Dane?
Why was Dane here? Without looking directly into my surprised gaze, Dane muttered as he continued to look forward. He spoke so softly only I could hear him.
“Let’s get this started.”
Dane’s hand dug into one of mine before clasping his fingers around it tightly. Dane looked back into the crowd before speaking slowly.
“I am the prince from the rumour revolving around Princess Ahasia.”
Despite the commotion from our surroundings, Dane tilted his head. Despite his sweet gaze and his familiar eyes curling kindly, I stiffened. But what his gaze carried seed different from usual.
“I’m thinking of getting engaged with her.”
Dane slowly raised his hand and stretched it out to . Though I had transford into Ahasia, his hand was headed for my cheek. When I flinched, he gave a slight smile as if to assure that it was alright.
“The first ti I saw her, I fell in love…”
Goosebumps montarily took over my skin. Was Dane really acting right now? Acting to fool all those who were here? But why was his gaze so deep it almost looked sincere?
“Hernan, you cannot hide love. You’re in love with that person.”
The words I uttered to Hernan back then ca back for .
“I have fallen deeply in love with her.”
Dane declared softly and sweetly but, at the sa ti, with a dignity I had never heard from him.
“And today, I, the 7th Prince, Dane Lowell Kaltanias, am here to spread the news of my engagent.”
Not too long ago, in my palace. Terena Palace had always been noisy. And it had always felt crowded. It wasn’t because there were a lot of people in it. The palace was large, poorly maintained and we were always shorthanded. Nevertheless, it was filled with life.
Dane and Fleon.
“You can’t even do this, little chick?”
“… What else are you expecting from an 11-year-old?”
“Brother, don’t pinch her.”
Visiting Terena Palace and staying the whole day had beco their daily routine. They would co visit early in the morning one day and only return to their palace once the stars rose in the night sky another day. It was only natural that I had my als with them. At so point, I was so used to their presence, I would be surprised every ti they needed to leave. It was only when they were leaving did I realise the sun was already setting. Other than the ti I spent sleeping by myself at night, they had always been by my side.
“What do I an to you?”
But that was until Castor slayed . After going through that hell, our world disappeared. From so point on, the ti we spent apart beca longer than the ti we spent together. With my heart and soul dead, I continued to et new people. The ti we lost slipped away from us like dust and before we knew it had ford a huge river.
And now separated by the river, we had all changed.
The change seed to have co as suddenly as showers on a beautiful sumr day. Before we could prepare ourselves, we had been forcibly separated from each other.
“Ashley, why don’t you smile anymore these days?”
I had forced myself to smile at Dane’s question.
“Dane, why have you been so busy nowadays?”
Dane had also laughed at my question back when I had been ignorant of his situation. I wondered what Dane thought back then.
“I have been working.”
Even Fleon, who hated working so much, started coming and going from the 6th Administration. Dane had been busy working in the 2nd Administration, where only the most competent of those in the Empire could work at.
“What about Dane?’
“He’s probably the busiest man in the 2nd Administration. Co to think of it. Dane, are you the only one working there?”
“What are you getting at?”
On the days they weren’t here, all I could care about was my pain and my wounds. I had always been the recipient in our relationship. It was only later in the future, yet another day when they hadn’t co to visit, did I realise what our relationship was like. To be more exact, I realised how precious they found if I had been accepting their love without even realising it all this ti. That was how much love they had showered with.
“Dane Lowell Kaltanias, the chief of the ‘Emperor’s Shadows’.”
It took a long ti to realise what they had done for . And the reason why Dane had gotten closer to Fleon in the anti was because the secret he had been hiding was overwhelming him.
“It was for you.”
While I struggled to advance to my future, Dane was fighting his own war.
But I didn’t know.
I really didn’t know. What had I given Dane and Fleon for them to cherish and love like so? I reminisced the happy mories of us being together so long ago for a long while. But after going through those ti loops, the light had faded from my eyes. What if all the mories I had lost remained within Dane?
Dane, what did he see in ? Why was he looking at with such a deep, kind gaze?
Silence befell the entire hall. In the anti, countless pairs of eyes turned to face Dane. It was as if they all could not comprehend what they just heard.
Dane was a reputable prince. He was recognised as a competent official and even managed to stand out in the 2nd Administration where only the best people could work in. Moreover, thanks to his outstanding beauty, attempts to court him never stopped.
“Co to think of it, Rebecca, Dane is the best man for this operation.”
I had always thought Dane was always ant to shine and I was right. Unlike , he shone the brightest out of the three of us.
“If Fleon really doesn’t want to do this, would it be better if we used Dane instead?”
When I had first drafted the operation, I had proposed Fleon to take the role out of mischief but I had been contemplating between two candidates– Fleon and Dane. But after finding out Dane’s secret which made feel uncomfortable around him for the first ti in my life, I was confused. That was why I proposed Fleon instead.
“The 7th Prince won’t do.”
When I had asked her candidly, Rebecca firmly rejected my idea. She had approached afterwards to explain herself. Why she thought Dane would not be the right man for the operation.
“Mistress.”
His extraordinary appearance, gentle personality and his outstanding administrative ability made Dane the perfect man–other than the fact that he was not a templar. In fact, if he had not been a prince of this country and instead another, he could have been a contender for the throne.
“The Wheel of Ro.”
But this was an Empire ruled by the powers of gods. What made the Empire special was its pride in itself, its templars and its people.
“Those people are not from the Empire.”
If I had to point out a flaw of Dane’s, it would be the fact that his mother was not from the Empire.
[The Wheel of Ro.]
Long ago, they used to be nomads and their appearance looked a lot like people of the desert kingdom. Coffee-coloured skin that could be often seen in the desert. Under the right lighting, their skin would glisten like jewels. Perhaps because their red, scarlet and erald eyes looked so enchanting, they were often referred to as those with ‘bejewelled eyes’. Hence, many theorised that they had been expelled from the desert kingdom a long ti ago.
“My prince, with all due respect… Are you going to marry a foreign princess?”
His people had been accepted by the emperor of the Empire from a few generations ago to be vassals of this empire. They then took the na of their people as their last na.
“My apologies but the prince should welco those of the Empire…”
“Right, especially since the 7th Prince is a half-blood…”
“Since they’re not from the Empire, it’s a little…”
But that was a long ti ago. The people had already assimilated into the Empire. Their reaction to this reminded of Koreans’ reaction to foreigners. That feeling of exclusivity. So, it seed like the Wheel of Ro was not welcod here.
“Dane, why are you the only one busy?”
“Well, that’s because… I’m always busy.”
The Empire which had prided itself in the powers of their gods and divinity had maintained their traditions for over a thousand years. Discrimination against those outside the Empire was arbitrary.
“Whatever you think I an, my point remains the sa.”
His engagent to Princess Ahasia would an that foreigners would imdiately be allowed to be involved in the Imperial Family. This was not how they reacted to Castor’s engagent to Ahasia in the original story. Because he wasn’t a ‘half-blood’ and the thought of foreigners involving themselves in Imperial affairs ‘again’ never crossed their minds.
“It is for this reason that the 7th Prince will not be suitable, mistress.”
That was why Dane should not have been the one to be here. Because this would only threaten his position here. Because he was not a templar and because he was a ‘half-blood’, he could never be the emperor. In other words, there were so many reasons why he should not be here.
I couldn’t help but to look up at Dane. From his long neck, to his smooth yet manly jaw, to his lips and his curling eyes. Almost imdiately, Dane tightened his grip on my hand. He seed to have felt my gaze.
“As you all know, I am not fully from the Empire. But what you are all worried about will not happen.”
Dane gently tilted his head before looking down on those who had protested.
“When I get married, I will be leaving for the desert kingdom.”
The templars kicked up a fuss. The aning behind his words were clear. He would no longer be part of the Imperial Family and he would be moving to another country.
“Y-You’re leaving the palace?”
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