Chapter 44

“Thanks to you, the appearance of our children seems to have faded.”

“……Does any father intentionally want their children to be ignored?”

A tense momentum went back and forth between the emperor and the empress.

The couple, who could never be said to be in friendly terms, did not only hold knives in their hands, but seemed like they were always busy stabbing each other.

Anyway, now wasn’t the time to fight, so it was the emperor who cut it off.

He rose from his seat and beckoned the servant, and soon, with the sound of bells, the eyes of countless nobles gathered at the banquet hall headed toward the imperial couple sitting at the highest place.

“Today.”

The emperor, smiled leisurely and raised his glass of wine.

“A glorious occasion held to celebrate the end of the suffering of the Empire. I think I can only give this honor to one person. Oh and it just so happens that the main character has appeared at the right timing.”

The emperor read Gabriel’s mind as he looked at him.

Don’t call him.But how could that be?

‘Doesn’t it look like you’re getting along too well?’

The emperor also saw.

The vivid red color of the necklace around Hildea’s neck and the powerful energy of the message that flows softly even when he tries to hide it.

Of course, there are only a few people here who can read that energy, but it was definitely a lover check.

This person is his own woman, so don’t come near her easily.

The emperor’s lips twisted violently.

I can’t do anything.

He intended to intervene between them and break up this unpleasant marriage.

“Today’s hero has finally made his mark. Come closer, Duke Gabriel von Belkius!”

To die from suffocation just by looking at it seems to be referring to a situation like this.

My heart about to burst, my legs trembling, and even though I had prepared for this moment more than anyone so far, it was quite frightening to see so many people looking at me.

Perhaps, if it hadn’t been for a strong arm escorting me, I would have really turned around and took a step back.

“Hildea.”

Everyone cheered at the emperor’s loud call and urged Gabriel to move.

‘Yes?’

But Gabriel did not go straight to the emperor.

He looked at me instead. Rather, he looked in my direction.

Clear eyes meet.

What is it? What, what?

It was clear disloyalty that he did not move despite the emperor’s call.

I could feel the nobles around me exchanging glances as well.

But for some reason, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He stared blankly, as if tied to a rope, and the moment his lips moved, my mind was blown.

“Hildea.”

Is it also my illusion that the soft and quiet voice feels kind?

Do I feel that way because I am particularly strange today?

‘However.’

As expected, his appearance was as usual.

When our eyes meet, my jaw joint became tense, eyebrows flinched as if something is uncomfortable, and a blunt expression without a smile.

“I will go. Hildea.”

“Uh, yes.”

I realized he was talking to me because he called my name again.

“Even if you think that it is Rosé Young-ae’s request that I’m by your side this time.”

I blinked my eyes slowly. And I realized that there was one thing that was different from his usual attitude towards me.

‘He didn’t avoid looking at me.’

The distinctly intertwined gaze seemed to have even a texture.

The heavy voice of Gabriel fell as if it were a vow.

“I’m your partner during your debut .”

He reached out and I naturally put my hand on it. The subsequent action was not intended by me.

“That… … you must not forget it.”

“!”

I watched him bow down to kiss the back of my hand.

‘Oh, no.’

I thought I shouldn’t touch him. My fingertips shrunked.

Gabriel’s face, which must have been looking at it clearly, seemed to harden.

No, I don’t know if he saw it correctly.

But I did it because I was very nervous, and at that moment the unknown air made me uncomfortable.

Like my heart is going to explode.

The feet hidden in the shoes became stiff.

I stared blankly as his red lips approached me, almost touching the back of my hand, fell off without touching it.

Now, what are you doing?

Why are you acting like this?

Rose, where is she? Did she see this?

What kind of expression am I making right now?

“Now, I want you to come here. Gabriel.” (Emperor is saying this)

Normally, I would have let go of his hand right away. Why can’t I let go of his hand?

He probably wasn’t even holding on tight.

“Hildea. Please answer me.”

“… … .”

He was determined not to go until I answered.

I answered in a crawling voice.

“Everyone here knows that my partner is Gabriel.”

It was only then that I could let go. The skin that had touched touched the cold air made me feel goosebumps.

As if he had hesitated, Gabriel turned to the people who were waiting for him, and Gabriel walked in stride.

The tall figure of his back soon disappeared from view due to the people approaching him.

Oh too bad.

‘… … ?’

‘What did I think just now?’

I couldn’t believe what I was thinking.

What do you mean? Too bad?

‘To the person who’s partnering with me for a while at the request of my younger sister, Ishould be grateful even for that…….’

That was then.

“Sister!”

All thoughts fell like a broken kite at the lively voice.

“Hey, Rosé!”

All sorts of anger was about to explode.

But the funny thing was that when I saw the brightly smiling Rosériel’s face, the soaring flames turned to dust and flew away.

“Sister, sister. Are you mad at me for acting like that all of a sudden?”

Even the way she frowns was cutely adorable.

How could a female lead be this adorable?

I smirked at my own state, where even my anger had completely disappeared.

I can’t go on like this though.

I flicked my finger lightly on Rosé’s shiny forehead. Just enough to leave no marks.

“Oh, my sister.”

“Does a kid who knows that do that?”

“I, me.”

“It’s no use talking. Rosé, you’re close with Gabriel… … I know, but promises are precious too.”

Rosé, who had a grim look on her face, looked sternly at the other side, standing silently like a shadow.

Dad.

“Father.”

“!”

My father’s shoulder just flinched at my call, but his determined profile remained unchanged.

To be honest, although it’s hard to say something to him, he was also an accomplice in this case.

I narrowed my eyes.

“Even if Rosé is like that, how can father too… … .”

But the words that sounded like a grumbling stopped as if stuck in the throat.

Dad wasn’t looking at me, and even when our eyes met, he didn’t say any excuses.

“Huh, hmmm.”

You’ve been smiling comfortably with Rosé’s arms folded with you until now, but am I making you feel that uncomfortable?

Still, I thought we were getting closer, but I felt sad because I thought that was also my own misunderstanding.

As I looked at it, my father’s head turned toward me. And then he looked back in the direction of the royal family that Gabriel had walked to.

What? Are you saying that you don’t want to make eye contact just because you got angry?

It was a moment of distortion.

Hiccups!

‘Yes?’

What is this now

Now, there was only Dad, Rosé, and me here.

Because we are from the Hillington family, there were people around us to see if they could talk to us, but because we were in a distance they could not hear our conversation.

‘ Is this really Daddy?’

But Dad still has a serious expression… … .

hiccup!

…He was hiccuping.

I felt the sadness that had just hit me disappear completely. I took a light juice from the tray of a passing attendant and handed it to my father.

“… … Father, drink this.”

“Well, well, thank you.”

Dad took the glass without looking into my eyes until the end.

It was then that a streak of suspicion pierced my mind.

‘Maybe Daddy now.’

It’s not that he doesn’t want to make eye contact, but that he can’t?

‘Are you feeling sorry for me?’

Gabriel approached the emperor and turned his gaze to Hildea, which was immediately visible in the distance.

‘Before things like leeches got stuck, Rosériel stuck on her side.’

The pink-haired girl, who made eye contact even from afar, terribly winked one of her eyes, and signaled.

‘Ugh.’

Gabriel turned his head as if he had seen something horrible, and his eyes met the Empress by chance.

No, because the Empress was looking at Gabriel as if glaring from the beginning, their eyes met.

Gabriel looked at the faces of those standing around the emperor.

Some he hdidn’t know and some were familiar.

It seemed to show the current state of the empire, which was largely divided into the imperial faction and the empress faction.

“I greet you, the great sun of the Empire, Your Majesty the Emperor.”

The emperor nodded his head with a soft expression and beckoned.

Empress Dejia, on the other hand, raised her lips to one side without saying anything, and Gabriel slowly opened his mouth.