‘What… kind of in-game handicap is this.’
“It seems like the Saintess is a special case. I do not know of a specific reason.”
Between Daniel scratching his cheek and Evanessa, whose expression was desperate, a chilly wind that didn’t suit May blew between them.
“… It’s my welcome ceremony, but what if I miss it?”
Evanessa suddenly became overwhelmed by everything and looked up at Daniel with hazy eyes. She saw Daniel’s pupils shaking violently.
“Wouldn’t that … cause you a lot of grief?”
Fortunately, the two of them were rescued at the hands of a manservant, who had stumbled into the forbidden area while chasing a rabbit that had intruded into the Imperial Palace.
‘I feel like I just threw away a huge opportunity with my own hands.’
Panicked by an unexpected handicap setting, Evanessa blew her opportunity to be alone with Daniel. She felt sorry for a moment, but then she shook her head and cleared away the negative thoughts.
‘Any plan that tries to do everything in a hurry, will just end up losing everything.’
Evanessa, who was being escorted by Daniel, safely reached the entrance of the Grand Hall and came to a stop. Daniel, who had revealed their identities by showing the doorkeeper their invitation, looked at her with a puzzled expression.
“Saintess? Is there something wrong?”
“Ah. We really can’t play hooky?”
Evanessa looked up at Daniel’s face with an expression that seemed to imply it was a waste.
Daniel responded by asking confusedly, “…Playing hooky?”
“It’s nothing.”
There is no way Daniel, the Knights’ leader, would join the reckless plan of the Saintess, who he had met for the first time today. While Evanessa sighed, the gatekeeper loudly called out their names.
“Saintess Evanessa Halyn and Count Daniel Kirillian are entering!”.
As she walked into the banquet hall, arm-in-arm with Daniel, the gazes fell on her like a spotlight. There seemed to be the sound of dozens of eyeballs rolling at the same time. Some of the owners of those eyes were looking at Evanessa with their mouths agape.
With a stiff expression, Evanessa stepped onto the red carpet in the center of the hall. She endured the stares and opted to walk faster. However, the persistent gazes caused the panic to set in.
Evanessa talked to Daniel in a way that resembled ventriloquism, as her eyes looked into the distance.
“Why is the atmosphere like this?”
The atmosphere of the people gathered was somewhat strange. Even when Yewon played the game, the atmosphere didn’t seem so turbid.
“You really don’t know?”
Daniel replied without moving his lips as well. To others, the two seemed to walk down the red carpet side-by-side with expressionless faces.
“Yes.”
“…Maybe because of the veil.”
It looks like they were all talking about the veil that she had taken off in a fit of irritation after it left her feeling like she had been shackled.
‘Well. The veil had become a symbol of Evanessa.’
Even in the game, there were only a few instances in which Evanessa’s bare face was revealed. That’s why Yewon turned this over on the first day of the full-fledged main story.
“I have no plans to use it in the future. Is such a reaction inevitable every time they see it?”
Only
Daniel’s shoulders shuddered while listening to the words. His neat jaw was taut.
“Please don’t make me laugh.” Daniel, who sounded almost like he was begging, stared straight ahead. His lips were twitching slightly.
‘Which part was funny….?’
Evanessa, who was embarrassed, stared straight ahead with her mouth shut. At the end of the red carpet was the platform where the imperial couple was seated. The sound of the music gradually faded. Under the attention of all the nobles in the hall, Evanessa and Daniel bowed side-by-side.
“Both of you raise your heads. Evanessa, how is your body?”, the Emperor asked with a friendly father-like face. It was a face composed of political reasons. The Empress, sitting next to the Emperor, was staring at Evanessa as if she were a strange object.
“Thanks for your consideration, my condition has greatly improved.”
“Thank goodness. Once again, welcome to the Imperial Palace. Rather than that, Daniel…”
The thundering voice of the gatekeeper was heard, right when the questioning was turning to Daniel.
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