2. If you love me, approach me first.

The New Year’s festival was the largest festival enjoyed by all citizens of the empire, regardless of gender and age, as well as people of all ages, as well as to declare their status, rejoice that they had spent the year safely, and pray for safety in the coming year as well.

After completing the harvest of farming that year, people start preparing for the New Year’s festival, hoping that if it is a bad harvest, they will be able to harvest a good harvest next year with joy and gratitude.

Even if the family is poor, on New Year’s Day, they make new clothes, decorate the house, and make a small altar to the god they believe in and offer offerings.

In an empire that guaranteed freedom of religion, it was a settled custom that different gods were believed in each house, even in the same village.

Among them, the god the Estroa family believes in is the god of peace and well-being.

Every year on the first day of the new year, Emperor sets up an altar at the top of the highest tower in the Imperial City, and offers fresh wheat harvested that year, a piece of young calf meat, and a bottle of wine made from grapes harvested that year to the god, offering peace and well-being for the year.

After a short memorial service, the emperor burns wheat and meat so that there are no ashes left by the power of the emperor. The important thing here was to burn it so that there were no ashes left. Because only then can you believe that it has been delivered to God.

Wine is not burned. Believing that it was a gift that God gave back to humans with blessings.

And the wine is distributed little by little to the nobles at the New Year’s celebration held that evening.

But how many people can drink a bottle of wine?

Therefore, the people who could drink this wine, filled with the blessings of God and the energy of peace and well-being, were specified.

Right away, the person who becomes an adult in that year. In other words, receiving this drink is a coming-of-age ceremony for the Noble of this world.

Originally, in this world, when your birthday passes, you become one year older.

However, in the year of adulthood, those who receive alcohol as a blessing from the emperor are recognized as adults a little early. In other words, you can get married as well as drink.

‘I went through all that hard work just to have a cup of this…’

The blue jewel-encrusted silver cup had a little wine on the bottom. It’s not just one drink, it’s a sip.

‘It’s not a world where God’s right is particularly strong…What’s so important about alcohol with God’s blessings?’

However, my older sisters and older brothers didn’t think so, and they were making faces of emotion when they saw the day the emperor personally poured the drink to me. How to say, faces like parents attending a kindergarten graduation ceremony?

‘How old am I?’

Okay. Let’s pretend to be filial.

I thought so and looked at the emperor who was giving a long congratulatory speech on a high platform with a glass in one hand.

Whether it’s the headmaster, the officiant, or the emperor. Why on earth do people become talkative when they go up high?

After waiting for a while, there were signs that the congratulatory speech would finally come to an end. I looked at the emperor full of energy.

“I hope that no more unsavory things will happen this year, and I hope that not only those who stand here, but all the people of the empire will receive infinite glory and blessings under the name of Estroa.”

After speaking, the emperor raised the cup he was holding high. He first drank the God-blessed wine, and then I as well as the young men and young ladies standing below the podium drank the same. Then the Nobles who were watching us poured out thunderous applause.

“Long live Estroa!”

“Blessed the Empire!”

Now that the tasting of the blessed wine was over, it was time for the prom to begin in earnest. After returning the silver cup to the attendant holding the tray, I hurried back to my family.

“You’re grown up now, Nell.”

“It would have been great if our parents were here with you…”

After my parents passed away, my older brother, who acted as a parent to me, seemed to have a special feeling. I felt like I would cry if I left my teary green eyes alone, so I pointed to the hall in the middle with a fuss.

“Ah, it looks like His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress are dancing.”

The conductor of the court orchestra lowered his baton into the air, and the performance of a dance song began. Only the emperor and the empress were dancing in the center of the spacious hall. At this time, it was polite to refrain from chatting and watch the two people dance.

Even if it’s polite and educated, I wonder if anyone would dare to do anything else while the emperor and his wife are dancing.

‘Still, I can look away for a moment.’

With my hands clasped together, I pretended to appreciate the emperor couple’s dance and turned my eyes from side to side.

It was to see the splendor of the imperial palace, which would never come again, but there was a person who caught my attention passing by a colorfully shining chandelier, golden candles, and a tapestry covering the white marble wall.

It was Leonhard and the second princess.

‘surely…They don’t seem to get along very well. He looks more like an escort knight than a partner?’

The second Princess and the Marquis Ajas. Since both are unmarried, People have been talking loudly ever since rumors spread that he was escorting the second princess.

‘Already engaged. No, they will do it in the future. No, they have already set a wedding date.’

Considering the status and position of the two, they were a couple that went well together. Because of this, many people speculated that it was only a matter of timing and that the two would eventually get engaged, and I also thought there was some possibility.

However, when I saw the two people entering together, I had a strong feeling that today’s escort was just politeness. Because the two dress codes don’t match at all.

‘It was a sudden decision, so even if the clothes are unavoidable, you’re bound to get the same accessories…’

One is black, the other is white. The points are silver and blue, gold and red. Even the flowers that decorated the princess’s hair and the boutonniere of his uniform were different. It was hard to go that far, even by accident.

That was intentionally avoided. No, should I say that it’s not just about avoiding it, it’s like shouting ‘We don’t have any relationship, so don’t misunderstand?’

Before the banquet, I couldn’t even see the men who had been giggling, saying that they were betting all their fortunes on ‘those two are getting engaged’, as if to listen to me.

‘But if that’s the case, why did Leon apply for an escort?’

‘Hmm. I don’t know! Either way, it’s none of my business.’

clap, clap, clap!

‘Ah, it looks like the dance is over.’

I almost couldn’t even clap because I was distracted. Fortunately, I blended well with the others at the right time, and the Emperor and Empress went up to the highest chair on the podium, and the first prince and second prince of the lower stages came down alone.

‘Will the first prince dance with Marquis Calvin again? Oh no. She was sick and couldn’t attend today.’

Unlike the second prince descending from the podium with his partner, the first prince, who entered alone without a partner, was coming this way alone across the hall. It looks like you’re asking your temporary partner to dance. Who will he dance with?

‘So far, the first prince has never escorted a woman other than the Marquis of Calvin…Maybe today’s choice will give some hint?’

‘For example, a fiancee…’

‘Huh, What is it, why are you coming to me?’

‘Isn’t it? Am I mistaken?’ who’s behind me? I looked back, but there was only a stone pillar there.

In the beginning, our family settled in a little corner. My rumors aren’t good, so there’s nothing good about being seen by people.

“Nell… What is it? Why is His Highness the first prince coming to you?”

Perhaps sensing something strange, my little brother, who served as my escort today, stuck right next to me and whispered softly.

I felt burdened by the focus on this direction before I knew it, so I answered with ventriloquism. While maintaining a smile on the outside.

(TL: The art of ventriloquism in which a person speaks without using mouth or lip movements.)

“Do you see that in your eyes too?”

As if our guesses were not mistaken, finally, The first prince stopped in front of me.

Then, he gently closed his blood-red eyes that gave me goosebumps, and bent over and held out his hand to me.

“Will you give me the honor to share my first dance? Raenel.”

He was very friendly, calling me by my first name, not my last name. I was surprised and my mouth was wide open, but what was the reaction of the people around me?

“Oh, my God. Is it true that His Highness the First Prince asked Lady Howard to dance? Aren’t my eyes wrong?”

“When did His Highness the First Prince and Lady Howard get to know each other? I’ve never heard of it before.”

“Doesn’t it mean that Count Howard is the first prince’s power…?”

“Even so, it probably isn’t a family that would show sincerity like that.”

I’d like to say something to you if you’re badmouthing my family right now, but the first prince was smiling right in front of me.

I shouldn’t hold this hand. My reason is shouting hard. But how dare a fringe young lady, who has no fiancé to keep her loyalty and has no power, refuse the first prince’s request for dance?

I smiled brightly on the outside and grabbed the hem of my skirt to greet him politely.

“It is an honor for me. However, I’m worried that my dancing skills aren’t good enough, and I’m afraid I’ll harm Your Highness.”

“You don’t have to be so humble. I had already heard of how wonderful the young lady’s dancing skills were. You received a rose from Marquis Ajas after performing the first dance of the debutant.”

‘Why are you bringing Leonhard’s name up here?’

I almost looked back where he was. Then people would have written a crazy drama of the century. I hurried to take the first prince’s hand before he could say anything more.

“There is a separate Royal Rose for the dance, but I don’t know what to do to compliment you. Please, Lady, you will try not to break your Highness’ expectations.”

“That lady’s voice is still the same. Now that you’ve received the blessing drink, you’d better fix that habit.”

‘In front of me, only in front of me!’

“I’ll try my best.”

I can feel the corners of my mouth trembling.

‘Oh, I’m tired, I’m really tired.’

‘I never thought the day would come when I would stand in this central hall.’

The eyes flying from all directions could not be so stinging.

‘Oh, I feel dizzy!’

I greeted the first prince while holding back my desire to collapse. Then he took my hand, put my hand on his shoulder, and moved our feet slowly to the dance song that began softly.

‘Left foot, right foot. left foot, right foot. One turn here.’

The only thought in my head was that I couldn’t make a mistake in a place where so many people, even the emperor, and empress, were watching. So I’m taking steps with all my nerves focused on my feet, and unlike me, the first prince led me with a very relaxed face.

The moment I tried to find some time to relax, thinking that he was not wearing the title of the first prince. The first prince whispered in my ear with his characteristic low voice.

“You were quite disliked by the second princess, weren’t you?”

I almost forgot the situation and almost screamed. Because who is it for?

“Your Highness…how do you know that…?”

I asked quietly using ventriloquism just in case anyone would hear it, but my voice seemed so funny. The smile drawn by the corners of the first prince’s lips became thicker.

“Because I also have ears and eyes. Wherever I go, everyone talks about you, so how can I didn’t know?”

“So, did Your Highness want to mock me too?”

It’s like a neighborhood book. After all, the capital of this guy, it would be best to get rid of it quickly.

“No, the opposite. It is not you I am trying to mock.”

“What? What’s the opposite?”

“My lovely sister.”

At that moment The first prince’s gaze was directed somewhere. It was a place I had seen before, so I could see who was standing where his gaze was directed without having to check.

“It seems to be working already.”

‘What? What do you mean?’

As if he noticed my question that I hadn’t spoken out, The first prince’s eyes widened with a pleasant light.

“I’ll turn you that way, so you can see for yourself.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the first prince took my hand and turned my body around. I slowly rotated to the rhythm of the slow dance music. I knew in advance which direction to look. I was able to see where the first prince told me to look.

But it wasn’t the second princess that caught my eye.

Leonhard’s blue eyes, which caught my glancing eye in an instant, were facing me intensely as if he would not let it be, even if he wanted to be under the illusion that he was not looking at me.