Chapter 56

The situation became even more interesting when I entered the banquet hall with people's eyes following us.

The people who filled the great hall walked away like a split sea and looked at the three of us with puzzled faces.

"This is the Lombardy family...."

The inside of the banquet hall was quiet enough to hear someone mutter clearly in my ears.

But it was weird.

Even though so many people were watching us, no one really came.

Everyone was a few steps away and chatted among themselves.

Grandfather even looked around the center with a relaxed expression as if this situation was familiar.

And all those who have eye contact with my grandfather either avoid their eyes or bow their heads.

Like the reaction when they met a beast.

Meanwhile, the female nobles couldn't take their eyes off my father.4

I looked up at my father holding my right hand.

Taller than other men, a thin body, white skin, and fine brown hair that reach down to the shoulders are tied together in one form.7

In particular, his gentle green eyes with long eyelashes sparkled in the banquet lights.

In a word, it would be a handsome man with a warm atmosphere.

My father looked at me like he felt my gaze looking at him.

And he showed a comfortable smile.

Perhaps it seemed to mean that I didn't have to be nervous.

However, his smile that was meant to relieve my nervous affected the woman who was looking at my father, not at me.

Here and there, I saw the girls with shaky legs staggered by my father's smiling face.19

And surprisingly, there was 'me' that caught as much attention as my father and grandfather did.

"Is that kid, the daughter of Gallahan Lombardy?"

"Oh, so cute. After all, she is a Lombardy's children……."

"She looks like her father!"

Fortunately, the first impression is good.

But immediately, other words were heard.

“She is the only daughter, right?”

“So she is the only heir right now.”2

That's what will comes to mind when my father becomes a tremendous asset in the ready-to-wear business.

And when I passed a group of old women, I heard these words too.

"Gallahan's daughter is so smart that she received privileges from the Lord itself."

"Are there any successors from Lombardy whom he accompanied to the banquet?"

“She must have been around ten years now. She's just the same age as my grandson."

And there were reactions I was waiting for.

"Who's work is that dress? It's a design I've never seen before..."

"I'll find out later. It's so cute……."

"Look at the jewels that hangover there. My God, these days, all the money in the Empire is Lombardy and Gallahan clothing stores..."

This is the best feeling, it's thrilling.

As we continued along the path that was divided like the Red Sea, a woman was standing at the end of the road.

It was Empress Rabini, wearing a blue dress with gorgeous blonde hair.

It seemed like she enjoyed being the center of social attention, she arrived separately from the Emperor and had already enjoyed the banquet.

The closer we approached the Empress, the heavier the surrounding air felt.

No one doesn't know.

That the relationship between Lombardy and Angenas is not very good.

After my grandfather publicly became Perez' guardian, for a while, the Empress was so upset about it.

At a banquet where people gathered like this, what would happen if the Empress from Angenas and the house of Lombardy meet, and everyone is swallowing their saliva.

But then, something happened that surprised everyone.

“The main character of today's banquet has come."

It was because the Empress came to us first with a beautiful and harmless smile.

Those who were expecting even a sharp cold war between the two families became awkward.

However, my grandfather greeted the Empress with a friendly smile, as if he had expected that Rabini would come out like that.

"Thank you for preparing such a beautiful and magnificent banquet, Empress."

"The Lord Gallahan of Lombardy has received His Majesty's medal, and I have to do this. Isn't it?"

With just a glance, it seemed like a neighbor who gets along well.

“Long time no see, her Majesty the Empress”

My father said hello first.

The last time my father faced the Empress, the situation wasn't very good.

The Empress used knights to break the oath to check our carriage, and my father even formally protested the Empress's actions to the Emperor.

However, I couldn't feel that feeling at all in the appearance of the Empress who smiled gently and was greeted by my father.

Then the Empress looked at me standing my father and greeted me.

"You've grown a lot while I haven't seen you, Florentia. In a few more years, the social world will be thrilled by the beautiful Lombardy lady."

Rabini, who said so, asked her grandfather.

“The children of Lombardy have decided to marry quickly since ancient times, right? What about Florentia?"

For a moment, I saw the laughing grandfather's eyes turn cold.

The Empress's remarks were just political remarks using the crowd around him.

It was meant to make the Empress appear interested in me as Astana's partner.2

"……That's an old story too. My granddaughters don't have to."

This time, the face of the Empress was hardened.

Since I heard the word 'I don't need your son' in front of me, it's okay.4

It seemed like a giggling and laughter would burst out, but the conversation with an invisible blade ended there.

It was because the Emperor arrived at the banquet hall.

The music stopped and the people who danced and talked all bowed their heads in front of the Emperor.

However, the interior of the hall, which seemed narrow, started to loosen up in an instant.

Emperor Jovanes was not alone.

He was walking with a black-haired beautiful boy.

He is tall, wears remarkably luxurious clothes, and the expressionless face that puts everyone down has a charm that makes viewers unable to take their eyes off of it.

People could quickly infer the boy's identity.

"Uh, uh, isn't that kids?"

"His Majesty the Second Prince?"

I was amazed by the people.

In the meantime, everyone knew of the existence of the Second Prince, but no one had seen the Second Prince.

It's seemed that the Empress thoroughly excluded Perez from the Imperial Family, and the Emperor kept it that way.

However, today the Emperor made the Second Prince attend the founding banquet.

He brought him himself.

The impact was tremendous.

Right now, the Emperor officially introduced the existence of the Second Prince to the nobles of the Empire, and he said to the Empress not to rule out the Second Prince again.

I turned my head and looked at the Empress.

Her face is distorted, compared to the face that hardened in the conversation with my grandfather a while ago.2

It told me how shocked she was, with trembling eyelids and her white face.

'Annoying.'

A terrifying sound comes from the Empress mutter.

I quietly half-step walked away from the Empress.

Perez, who she tried to kill by putting him in a separate palace and feeding him with poison, is not enough to accept Poirak Palace in the east.

Now whether she likes it or not, she can no longer ignore Perez as the Empress of the Empire.

Besides, it would be even more upsetting that all of this was the Emperor's will that she believed in.

Emperor Jovanes had many things he didn't like in many ways, but this time it was a nice shot.

Sue, sue.

Emperor and Perez were walking to where the Empress and we were standing.

The figure of Perez, who was hidden by the large Jovanes, is now starting to be seen.

This guy was growing up a lot.

He hasn't been able to take off his baby face yet, but the first thing I noticed that he was tall enough.

The last time I saw him, he was so small and thin that he didn't look like his age.

Kylus and Caitlyn took good care of him and he grew up very healthy.

However, the personality was the same with fewer emotions and sorrows than others, and none of the expressionless faces changed.

I was looking at Perez with a proud heart like watching our nephew after a long time, and suddenly our eyes met.

Between curiosity and amazement, the man who saw the nobles who were staring at him then looked at me too.

And I could see his eyes curled as if trying to smile.

No!

Now it is not known that he is the person we know and are always in touch with.

Of course, only my grandfather knew, because of the report from Caitlyn, but I didn't even tell my dad because I didn't want to cause worries!

I glared at Perez as hard as I could.

Do not laugh!

Don't even pretend to know!

Fortunately, Perez seemed to have noticed right away.

On the face where a small smile was about to bloom, 'Oops!' It's soon passed and returned to the expressionless face.2

Right, right. Well done!

Still, he didn't look anywhere else.

As I told him, he kept looking at me with a face that couldn't reveal his heart.

It's been a while since we've met, so you'll want to say hello.

However, it's not too late to say hello later.

When the banquet is in full swing and there are no more eyes to see.

It's been a long time for me to say hello.

"Gallahan!"

The Emperor laughed openly and called my father's name.

The difference is quite striking when my father and the Emperor stand side by side, the Emperor somewhere like bandits, and my father looks like a delicate art sculpture.3

A hand like the lid of the pot struck my father's shoulder.

"it's very hard to see your face before giving the Founding Medal?"

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty."

I felt it before, but the Emperor is very friendly

In a way, I wondered if it was a politician's habit to hide his heart and perform skillfully.

I realized one thing when I watched the Emperor joking around with my father and grandfather as if everyone was told to just listen to them.

The conversation was going on with intentionally excluding the Empress.

Even his gaze was not placed on the Empress.

Just a moment ago, I could see the Empress's face, who was tired of white, turned red with anger.

The emperor was also a very foxy person.

He has a face that seems distant from politics, and he balances Lombardy and Angenas in his two hands.

Now the Empress and Angenas were wary that the Emperor would give our family more power, so she had to give more and try to meet the Emperor's favor.

I am admiring the world of adults like that, but one side of my cheek is sore.

When I looked at the place where I could feel the gaze, it was Perez.

He was looking at me without even blinking.2

It was frustrating to pretend that we didn't know each other, and his white face reminded the past a little. (I think it's adult Perez that she remember)

I didn't hate Perez's appearance either.

Still, since I was young, I was so happy that I was a little bit helpful to myself.

It seems that exchanging letters works for me.

It was a positive response when I think about the future.

After a while, I'll go somewhere and eat half a chocolate cookie.

It was when I turned my head back while thinking so. My eyes ran into someone who was watching us.1

It was His Majesty the Emperor Jovanes.