Chapter 13
Because of his sudden statement, the corridor fell silent. He slowly walked out of the hospital room.
“Why are you leaving too?”
Grinelda said sharply, her eyes blazing.
“His Highness saved my dearest friend, so I should also go and express my gratitude. Just like you.”
Ian’s answer was somewhat forced, but Grinelda couldn’t easily refute it. Her own logic for inviting Diana was essentially the same.
“W-wait, but…!”
“Yes!”
Just as Grinelda was about to scramble for a way to get Ian to back down, Diana suddenly spoke up.
“Sir Ian should come too!”
“W-what? Your Highness, but…!”
Grinelda looked on the verge of tears, but Diana didn’t have the confidence to handle both Grinelda and Dale alone. She said firmly,
“I’ll go, Sir Ian will go. That’s how it’ll be.”
A Few Days Later
News came that Dale had been discharged, and Diana headed to the Lobais Hotel as promised.
She had often left the palace in royal carriages, but she rarely ever crossed south of the Elton River.
And even more rarely had she done so for something like an official holiday.
The Lobais Hotel, located on a high mountain facing the royal palace at the edge of the capital, was famous for its breathtaking view—said to offer a perspective overlooking the kingdom itself from above the palace.
The Lobais family’s signature hotel had become so well known that tourists from all over the country flocked to it, significantly contributing to the economy of the southern capital region.
The closer the carriage got to the hotel, the farther the royal palace seemed to recede.
Watching the palace fade into the distance made Diana feel strange.
She still clearly remembered being dragged to the Empire after a defeat in war, looking back at the palace in despair. And yet now, she was voluntarily moving away from it.
Still, somewhere in her heart, a refreshing wind seemed to be blowing—like a wall she had trapped herself behind had finally been broken down.
“…Was this how Louis felt?”
She thought of her older brother Louis, who always tried to slip outside the palace whenever he could.
Despite his often ruthless and cold demeanor, Diana could understand why he had become that way.
He was, by nature, a free soul—like a hawk soaring through the sky.
And yet, he had given up the sky for everyone else. Not a free hawk, but the crown prince for all.
“Right now, Louis is…”
I miss him, she almost said to Jerome, but trailed off. Jerome had likely thought of that for a long time already.
At that moment, Jerome, who had been reading a newspaper beside her, suddenly unfolded a page right in front of her eyes.
“Your Highness, look at this. The Kilton Newspaper is really behind the times.”
The article he showed covered Diana’s performance during the polo match.
“Other outlets already ran front-page stories about Your Highness’s achievements a week ago. Still, this one is decent. It feels sincere.”
But Diana wasn’t looking at the article.
She was looking at Jerome.
“Jerome, be honest. You just wanted to come to the hotel and have fun, didn’t you? You’re dressed like you’re heading to southern Bamus Island, not a hotel at the edge of the capital.”
“It’s a nice outfit.”
Jerome proudly displayed his flashy patterned shirt, then went back to reading the paper as if nothing had happened.
After a moment, he added casually,
“Your Highness doesn’t have friends your age of the same gender.”
“….”
Diana glared at him, then turned sharply to look out the window.
“Royalty doesn’t need friends anyway.”
In the reflection on the window, she could see Jerome glancing at her and smiling. At times like this, he reminded her of Louis, which annoyed her.
At the Lobais Hotel
Passing through the entrance made the scale of the place even more overwhelming.
“This place is probably second only to the palace in size…”
Diana and Jerome walked through the beautifully maintained gardens, admiring the exotic plants and unique architecture visible through the windows.
“As expected of the kingdom’s largest hotel chain. Did you know? All Lobais Hotel branches across the country are so popular that bookings are already full for next year.”
“…Grinelda must have really been grateful.”
“That too, but Lobais gets two birds with one stone. Just saying Your Highness visited will triple its popularity.”
“Triple? Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not Prince Louis.”
“It’s true, though.”
While they talked, their carriage finally arrived at the hotel’s main entrance.
Grinelda was waiting there. Dale stood beside her, but Ian was nowhere to be seen.
“Welcome, Your Highness.”
Dale opened the carriage door.
“Sir Dale, I’m glad to see you well.”
Diana stepped out with his assistance and greeted him warmly.
Grinelda hurried toward them.
“Your Highness! I’m so happy you came!”
Diana was now used to this level of enthusiastic physical greeting.
“Princess. I’m honored you accepted our invitation.”
“Count Lobais. It’s been a while.”
Grinelda’s striking red hair clearly came from the Count. He bowed respectfully.
Diana recalled meeting him years ago with Louis.
Back then, Louis had met the Count under royal orders to discuss reconstruction projects in the southern Elton region, which had been devastated by war.
This hotel must have been the result of those efforts.
“To build up the family so much in less than ten years is remarkable, Count Lobais.”
“Haha, it’s a short history, nothing to boast about.”
The Count smiled warmly, his expression naturally inspiring trust and goodwill.
Originally, the Lobais family had been a small construction business, not a wealthy noble house.
But during the previous Count’s time, they began rebuilding war-damaged structures, quickly rising as a new powerhouse.
Later, the current Count expanded the hotel business, solidifying the Lobais family as a major economic force during Queen Isabella’s reign.
“Father, I’ll personally escort Her Highness to her room.”
“Very well.”
Father and daughter exchanged affectionate glances. Diana felt a slight pang of envy.
Grinelda led them into the hotel lobby, where a luxurious chandelier and a grand central staircase modeled after the palace stood out.
“This staircase really reminds me of the palace.”
“Yes, many guests take commemorative photos here.”
“Do people really want to see the palace that much? There’s nothing inside it anyway. No people, no laughter. They’d be disappointed if they knew.”
Diana followed Grinelda toward the elevator.
Grinelda greeted the elevator attendant warmly, and not just him—she greeted every guest and staff member they passed.
Diana wondered why someone so kind and friendly was so hostile toward Ian.
“Your Highness, this is our best room. The view is the finest, and you may use all the rooms on this floor.”
Diana couldn’t hide her surprise.
“Impressive. The scale, and this view too. It’s incredible.”
She looked out at the capital spread far below.
“The Elton River stretches that far…”
She traced the river with her fingers against the glass as if drawing it.
The view wasn’t quite the same as looking down from the palace, but it carried a deeper emotional weight for her.
From here, the hotel stood almost at the same height as the palace, facing it directly. Had she ever looked at the palace—and the kingdom of Erden it stood in this way before?
Before the palace was the center of the kingdom, the kingdom itself embraced the palace.
That fundamental truth was something the royal family often forgot.
And so did the nobles who supported it.
That it is the people of Erden who hold them up.
“Thank you so much for the invitation, Grinelda.”
Diana said sincerely.
“It’s our honor, Your Highness.”
“Oh, what room will Jerome be staying in?”
“The aide will be staying on the lower floor. Sir Dale will be next door to him. Dale is probably already guiding him to his room.”
Diana had been curious and asked, “What kind of relationship do Sir Dale and you have? He seems so familiar with the hotel—it wouldn’t be strange to think he was part of the Lobais family.”
Grinelda’s eyes widened like a rabbit.
“Oh, I just meant you seem close.”
Diana quickly added, noticing her reaction.
At that, Grinelda’s face slowly turned red.
