TSHF 08

Chapter 08

At his playful gesture, I finally understood why people called him an eccentric.

‘If you had something like this, you should have given it to His Majesty first.’

The banquet had been underway for quite some time, and greetings with the Emperor had long since concluded!

And yet he hadn’t given him a card—but he was giving one to me?

Lowering my brows awkwardly, I smiled.

“I see! It’s such an honor to be second! But…”

After hesitating deliberately, I held the business card back out to Hyst.

The easygoing look in his eyes vanished, replaced by surprise.

“I don’t think I can accept it right now. I’m sorry!”

“Why not?”

“It’s proper etiquette to present something like this to His Majesty first!”

“That’s a troublesome bit of etiquette. I don’t like giving my card to people I’m not interested in.”

For the first time that evening, my performance nearly cracked.

Interested?

So giving me his card meant he was interested in me?

Surely he wasn’t approaching me in a romantic sense…?

I subtly examined Hyst, but there was no obvious sign of that.

I felt slightly confused.

Then why is he doing this?

If he weren’t one of tonight’s key guests, I wouldn’t have entertained him this long.

Feeling my time being wasted, I clicked my tongue inwardly while maintaining a bright smile.

“You said your purpose was promotion, didn’t you? Then why not hand out your cards to as many people as possible?”

“Hmm…”

“Oh! I just remembered I have something to attend to. Please enjoy the rest of the evening!”

I pressed the card back into his hand and tried to leave, but Hyst grabbed me.

“If I give my card to everyone, then the princess will accept mine too, right?”

“Uh… of course! If you give one to His Majesty first, I’d have no reason to refuse.”

At my answer, Hyst swept his gaze across the banquet hall.

Then he shrugged and curled his lips upward.

“It can’t be helped.”

Instinctively, I felt he was about to do something outrageous.

Not wanting to get entangled, I tried to slip away quietly—but Hyst was faster.

Snap!

He flicked his fingers sharply.

“Huh? What’s that?”

“Oh my, look up!”

A massive purple sphere suddenly appeared on the ceiling of the banquet hall.

All eyes turned upward.

In the instant it captured everyone’s attention—

The sphere burst with a loud pop, spilling out brilliant, multicolored light.

“Ah!”

“My goodness!”

From within the exploded sphere, countless sheets of paper drifted down.

Flutter, flutter—

Like flower petals.

People laughed in delight as they watched.

“Oh my, how pretty!”

“Is this an event hosted by the imperial family?”

“That seal printed here—it’s from the Magic Tower.”

“Did they co-host this? Oh, there’s writing on it.”

“Let’s see.”

Everyone reached up cheerfully to grab the falling papers.

Watching quietly, I curved my lips and clapped lightly.

“Wow—how fascinating! Promoting business cards in such a spectacular way!”

If you were going to do it, you could’ve done it earlier.

Why now of all times?

As I masked my displeasure, Hyst pointed somewhere.

“Look over there, Princess Neroli.”

On the staircase leading to the second floor stood the Emperor, holding one of the fallen cards.

Beside him was Gobard—the very person I had been searching for.

“Now you can accept my card, right?”

“…Of course.”

For a brief moment, my eyes sharpened.

So that’s where he was—speaking with the Emperor in the second-floor reception room.

I was about to head in that direction when I overheard voices nearby.

“Baron Strust. Read what it says.”

“Hmm, Magic Tower Company. Vice Director. Odgen Floric.”

“Odgen Floric? Isn’t he the Tower Master’s closest aide?”

…What now?

I paused and glanced at Hyst.

He was grinning mischievously, clearly enjoying himself.

“I told you. I don’t like giving my card to people I’m not interested in.”

“In that case—”

“Hey! Tower Master!”

A shout rang out from the other side.

“What did you just do with my business cards, huh?!”

“Yikes. He’s mad.”

Hyst waved casually at me.

“Until next time, Princess Neroli.”

With that, a light gust of wind swept through again.

I instinctively closed and opened my eyes—and Hyst had vanished.

Just as chaotic an exit as his entrance.

I glanced at the empty space where he’d stood, then lowered my gaze to the card in my hand.

The Tower Master… interested in me.

Though I couldn’t read his intentions, perhaps he could be useful.

After tucking the card away separately, I began walking again.

Everyone was distracted by the business cards.

And I had something important to do.

“Gobard!”

He had already left the banquet hall and was walking down a deserted corridor.

Tap, tap—

I hurried after him and called again.

“Gobard!”

Once again, he ignored me.

Wearing a heavy banquet dress and heels, I couldn’t possibly catch up.

If you’re going to act like that…

After watching for the right moment, I deliberately stumbled.

“Ow!”

The loud crash was intentional.

Thanks to the voluminous skirts, I wasn’t hurt at all—but I let out a pained groan anyway.

“Ah… that hurts…”

As I struggled to sit up, a firm hand suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet.

“I wondered how far you’d follow me… What do you want?”

Gobard stood before me, his voice cold.

Staring into his frozen blue eyes, I smiled foolishly.

“It’s been a while, Gobard.”

His expression twisted at my smile.

“Watch how you address me.”

“Ah… I’m sorry. Your Highness.”

At my wounded expression, Gobard clicked his tongue and roughly released my arm with a sigh.

I deliberately rubbed the spot where he’d held me so he would notice.

Gobard, how could I address you properly?

When even your name alone makes you react like that.

Suddenly, memories of our childhood surfaced—

Back when the Empress was still alive.

Gobard had cherished me, his half-sister, like his own sibling. And I had gradually opened my heart to him.

—Gobard, have you read this book?

—Of course. You want to read it too? It might be a bit difficult for you, Neroli.

—Then read it to me. And explain the hard parts.

—Haha, of course, our little princess. Come here.

But after the Empress’s funeral, Gobard changed completely.

—Gobard.

—Don’t call me that, Neroli Mivan Lorrenod.

—…

—You have that detestable Mivan blood in you too. Don’t pretend you know nothing and try to approach me.

—I… I’m not a Mivan. I’m a Lorrenod, just like you.

—Stop talking nonsense!

In that moment, Gobard truly hated me.

—To me, you’re nothing but filthy Mivan! You, Empress Tilia, and Moren! You’re nothing but my mother’s enemies!

I had no words.

At the time, I knew very well that I was not truly a Lorrenod.

After that, Gobard distanced himself from me—and I couldn’t stop him.

Eleven years passed.

And now I’ve lost my mother, just like you did.

After gazing at him for a moment, I spoke first.

“Your Highness, have you been well?”

“Did you chase me down just to ask that?”

“Not exactly…”

“Neroli Mivan Lorrenod.”

At his call, I raised my bowed head.

Gobard asked in a voice laced with emotion,

“You’re the one who left that book in front of my door, aren’t you?”

The book he used to read to me in our childhood.

“And you’re the one who slipped this inside it?”

He pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his coat.

I smiled faintly.

“So you did open the book.”

Of course you did, Gobard.

What I had inserted was a translated excerpt from my mother’s diary.

The part where she wrote of her deep guilt and regret over the Empress’s death—and her sincere apologies to Gobard.

“Your Highness, my mother always said she had no face to meet Her Majesty the Empress or you.”

“…”

“I only discovered the diary after my mother passed… I wanted to make sure you received it.”

At my whisper, Gobard silently clenched the paper in his fist.

“What meaning does this have?”

“I know what my grandfather did is unforgivable.”

I stepped closer.

“That’s why my mother and I always considered ourselves sinners before you. But now—”

“Considered yourselves?”

Gobard cut me off with a mocking laugh.

“I hated the Mivans then, and I still do now. You’re still sinners to me.”

I hurried to speak.

“The carriage incident was my grandfather’s unilateral decision. My mother, Moren, and I had nothing to do with it.”

“So you’re saying you did nothing wrong?”

He stared at me with a twisted gaze.

“No. Your crime is that you are Mivan itself.”

In that moment, I knew.

Gobard has no intention of ever accepting us.

I had hoped that showing him my mother’s diary might shake him, mend our relationship—

Like when he used to read to me as a child.

But was that only my selfish wish?

Seeing how deeply his wounds had festered, I lowered my head sorrowfully.

At my appearance, he clicked his tongue again.

“Don’t ever try such clumsy tricks with me again. Leaving you and Moren alive is the last mercy I can offer.”

“…”

“And leave this capital as soon as possible. If I ascend the throne, I cannot promise your lives.”

His voice was cold enough to freeze the air.

After delivering that warning, Gobard turned to walk away.

Thud.

From his loosened grip, my mother’s crumpled diary page fell to the floor.