“Cough! Cough!”
At the loud cough, he raised one eyebrow.
“Did you get sick? Just when you’re about to get engaged?”
“I’m sorry, father. It was cold in Lishan even though it was in the south. No matter how many clothes I wore, I got chills…”
The emperor raised one eyebrow. If there was only one thing Apollonia inherited from him, it was his habit. So she knew the meaning of that expression. He wondered why Apollonia, who inherited the blood of the imperial family, could not endure the cold.
“The Imperial Palace is always warm, so I didn’t expect that other regions would be this hard to bear…” Apollonia added in a shivering voice. The emperor’s expression changed from curiosity to smugness. It was a good sign. To a very subtle degree, Apollonia succeeded in appearing even more fragile in front of him.
“Go back and recuperate.”
At that short statement, the two ended their reunion.
***
‘How’s Uriel doing?’
Apollonia was lost in thought as she left the palace.
After returning from Lishan, Apollonia found a separate residence for Uriel and occasionally delivered instructions through Sid. She wanted to give him some freedom, he who had always lived in darkness.
She didn’t think anything had changed at first, but now she felt strangely empty when she couldn’t see him beside her as she did in Lishan.
He followed her in silence like a shadow and protected her at important moments. At some point, Apollonia grew particularly relaxed next to him. She had never told anyone about her mother, nor played the lyra for someone else…
Suddenly, Apollonia was reminded of how he listened to her play the lyra. Uriel had watched her poor performance so intently, as if he didn’t want to miss a thing.
‘This is not the time.’
Apollonia shook her head slightly. It wasn’t time for her mind to wander. There are other more urgent matters, including how to deal with her fiance.
“You have arrived, Your Highness.” Adrian greeted her first upon her return to the star palace.
Perhaps because her wound had healed, she greeted Apollonia with the royal etiquette that she was perfectly accustomed to.
“I’ve prepared the bath and a change of clothes. Your favorite refreshments are also being prepared, so you can enjoy them after bathing. Please call me whenever you need me.”
Did she learn Apollonia’s routine from Maya? She knew Apollonia didn’t want anyone to attend her while bathing and even knew about her favorite tea and refreshments. Besides that, she seemed to care about Apollonia’s well-being, possessing an air of joy that could not be hidden even with her perfect etiquette.
“Did anything happen?”
“There’s nothing special except for the gossip that the queens had a little quarrel. However, I would say an important event that was scheduled is drawing near.”
Apollonia nodded her head. “There will be a hunting competition soon.”
Once every five years, the emperor hosted a hunting competition to bring glory to the military. Apollonia, who lacked the ability to wield a sword or a bow, was usually required to attend and only showed her face.
But there will be a guest this year.
“The Crown Prince of Bjern is also expected to attend the hunt. I’m sure he has already departed.”
Apollonia’s face stiffened. She has not yet completed her plan to escape the prince. However, as it was the marriage of the imperial princess, it was expected that the two countries would have a lot of details to agree on. That matter wasn’t something to be easily dismissed.
She could feel Adrian looking at her, perhaps noticing her slight change in expression. Then Apollonia smiled as if it was nothing.
“And we have other guests. It’s been a long time since he participated.”
“Who is it?”
“Grand Duke of Evinhardt.”
Apollonia blinked absentmindedly.
The Evinhardts were royalty like her. Although they were her distant family, their influence could not be ignored because of their big contribution to the war. However, after the ascension of Emperor Gaius, they lived as if they were dead in their territory.
“Did my father call them?”
“It’s an official invitation, so they always receive one, but this time there’s a rumor that they’ve been asked to participate several times. I guess the Grand Duke couldn’t say no.”
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