Impossible.
My lips parted slightly in shock.
The Emperor stretched out his arms toward the knights in welcome. The man I knew showed courtesy toward the Emperor as if representing all the knights assembled.
"I salute the sun of the Empire. Edwin Lowell Vikander greets Your Majesty the Emperor."
"My proud knights have finally arrived! This banquet is for you—why are you so late?"
The man—the Grand Duke—responded calmly to the Emperor's sharp words:
"I apologize, Your Majesty. I couldn't use an ordinary sword for the oath you would preside over, so I brought the heirloom Airaruten from Vikander Territory."
The Grand Duke gestured toward the sword at his side.
His wonderful voice spread throughout the banquet hall, leaving people speechless for a moment—before noise erupted.
"Is that that sword? The treasure said to have been passed down from the fallen royal family of Lowell?"
"His Majesty coveted that sword so much! Even when he offered up the precious White Crystal Mine, the Grand Duke wouldn't part with it!"
"But what oath is His Majesty presiding over? Wasn't this supposed to be a war victory banquet?"
A suspicious commotion arose.
The Emperor laughed heartily, the corners of his mouth turning upward.
"Ha ha ha! Very well. After all, as a knight, one should have a lady to whom they can offer their honor. I'm delighted that my Grand Duke will receive a worthy lady today—so I'll grant you one wish."
A wish granted by the Emperor.
There was commotion in one corner of the banquet hall, but the Grand Duke maintained an unreadable expression.
The Emperor subtly winked at Princess Reina.
At that moment, everyone understood: ultimately, the purpose of this banquet was to bind the Grand Duke back to the imperial family.
The Emperor chuckled:
"Isn't this wonderful news? The Grand Duke who protects the Franz Empire is belatedly swearing a knight's oath to his lady. Grand Duke—swear your oath."
The Princess, wearing a pure white dress, suddenly held a large bouquet of flowers.
Just as she—who would receive the glory of all knights at the ordination ceremony—turned toward the Grand Duke...
The Grand Duke turned around as well.
Then he looked around as if searching for someone.
At some point, his gaze met mine.
The Grand Duke's eyes widened.
I took an instinctive step backward.
But the Grand Duke was faster.
Every time the Grand Duke walked, nobles parted to make way for him.
Eventually, there was only me.
"Princess Olivia Madeleine."
An alluring voice called my name.
The Grand Duke knelt on one knee before me with a graceful gesture.
The banquet hall fell as silent as if cold water had been poured over it.
I looked down at the Grand Duke.
His breathtakingly gorgeous face and red eyes filled with spring-like kindness gazed up at me.
He's strange.
When I first met him in Rahein, when he escorted me to the Crown Prince's Palace last Monday—no, even when he walked up to me just moments ago—I'd had to look up at him for so long.
Yet this tall, noble man—who commanded honor from everyone who saw him—knelt on one knee before me.
As if it were only natural for him to lower himself so I could meet his gaze.
The act of holding out the handle of his precious sword—as if he would unconditionally follow my choice—felt unreal.
I was about to slowly part my lips when—
"Unfortunately, you'll have to take back your oath, Grand Duke."
It was Leopold.
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders possessively.
The Grand Duke's eyes flashed for a moment at the action—a clear declaration of ownership.
"Are you interfering with my oath to Princess Madeleine?"
A low voice rang through the banquet hall—eerily cold, almost threatening.
"And that on an oath that even received approval from His Majesty the Emperor?"
The corners of the Grand Duke's mouth rose slightly.
Even though he was the one looking up, his red eyes gazed at Leopold as if sternly putting him in his place.
The intimidation radiating from those eyes was so overwhelming that Leopold's hand tightened on my shoulder.
I unconsciously looked up at Leopold, wincing from the pain of his grip.
He didn't even glance at me.
"...It would be wise to hear what brought the Crown Prince forward."
The Emperor mediated the tense atmosphere.
Leopold bowed his head toward the Emperor and smiled sweetly at me.
But I couldn't feel relieved—Leopold was finally acknowledging me publicly, yet he felt more distant than ever.
For the first time, Leopold openly gave me his attention. But he wrapped his arm around me, feigning intimacy, only to keep me trapped.
"The Princess is my fiancée. Do you understand that an unmarried archduke offering his oath might cause scandal for my betrothed?"
At Leopold's hardened voice, the nobles murmured:
"It doesn't look good anyway. The future Queen should be the most chaste."
"There are already one or two rumors the Princess is spreading..."
"Exactly! Thanks only to Her Majesty's favor are they maintaining their current engagement."
At some point, the nobles stopped talking abruptly.
A sharp force pierced through the crowd. A cool energy seemed to look down on everyone.
A quiet voice overwhelmed the entire atmosphere:
"What scandal could possibly attach itself to the Princess to whom I give my oath?"
"Well, that is..."
No noble dared to step forward.
The Grand Duke changed his expression and smiled warmly at me.
"Once vows are exchanged, the knight must have a first dance with his lady. Don't you think it's rather rude that you're not accompanying the Princess properly?"
My body stiffened invisibly at Leopold's dry words.
Leopold has been closer to Maria Ethel than to his actual partner—me.
My gaze fell to the floor, wondering if anyone would mention how I'd been treated as his fiancée.
"Oh, my mistake."
I raised my head at the light, regretful voice.
"I thought the Princess came alone on purpose—for me."
The corners of the Grand Duke's eyes curved playfully for just a moment.
Then he calmly turned to Leopold, speaking as if he'd never done anything improper:
"I assumed His Royal Highness was inevitably accompanying someone else. It was all my misunderstanding."
"Grand Duke—"
Leopold called out as if to warn him, but the Grand Duke didn't even look up.
"I'm certain His Highness the broad-hearted Crown Prince isn't making a fuss merely over a first dance."
Leopold gritted his teeth.
At that moment, the Grand Duke looked straight at me and added jokingly:
"...Well, what if I'd asked the Princess to marry me instead?"
What?
My eyes widened.
What is the Grand Duke saying right now?
"Grand Duke!"
Leopold shouted sharply.
But the Grand Duke simply stared back at Leopold as if asking what the problem was.
"Brother, why don't we discuss attire that doesn't conform to etiquette?"
A sickeningly sweet voice broke into the tense atmosphere.
Princess Reina.
She glared at me with a venomous expression before immediately turning to face the crowd with a bright smile.
As always, Father and Conrad—standing at a distance—said nothing.
"See, Grand Duke? What can I do? My fiancée wasn't prepared."
Even Leopold agreed with the Princess's words.
Strangely, more than anything else, I found myself concerned about those red eyes looking at me with worry.
Though he'd been so cold when looking at where those cruel words came from, his eyes were warm toward me—even though we'd only met a few times.
It's funny. What can I say about a single glance? Yet somehow... it tickles my heart.
I slowly parted my lips.
Everyone could see my white gloves sparkling in the light of the gorgeous chandelier.
The ladies were right. Until I turned twenty, no knight had ever sworn an oath to me.
Though I'd attended each ordination ceremony in a white dress, I'd always remained as still as a flower on the wall.
I didn't want to attend those banquets. But I had no choice—because I was the Crown Prince's fiancée and a Princess at the same time.
It was true I'd never received an oath. But I couldn't be told I didn't know proper etiquette.
Because my manners have always been perfect and will always remain perfect. That was the best I, as Madeleine, could do.
"If we follow the etiquette recorded in ancient texts, there can be no more perfect reenactment than what I'm wearing now."
I gently lifted the hem of my dress.
While the pure white lace gloves sparkled brilliantly, the deep red dress was perfect to replace the first Empress's white dress—said to have been soaked in the Emperor's blood.
"Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince. And Your Highness the Crown Princess."
Unlike Leopold, who glared coldly at me, Reina's face turned bright red with embarrassment.
"Thanks to the clear guidance of the two respected Royal Highnesses, I was able to receive this oath without any disturbance."
Half of it was sarcasm—but half was sincere gratitude.
Thanks to this, the controversy has been dispelled.
"But the flowers!"
Instead of the Princess, the daughter of the Marquis of Libeorn shouted.
"I cannot dare offer flowers that have withered throughout the season to honor His Majesty's knight—so I replace my sentiment with this jewel."
I removed the jeweled hairpin that held my hair in place.
Gorgeous silver hair flowed softly down my shoulders.
The purple flower with green calyx hairpin—sparkling in the chandelier light—was a gift from Ethella for this banquet.
I had no idea Ethella's gift would be used like this. I'll tell her later that I can exchange the jewelry pin for another piece if she asks.
Strangely, it seems like the Grand Duke would grant my request.
I made eye contact with the Grand Duke as I placed the jeweled pin in his palm.
"Olivia Madeleine."
I grasped the treasured sword from the Grand Duke's hand.
As I wrapped my palm around the seemingly cold handle, strange warmth instantly spread throughout my entire body.
"I gladly accept the honor of Your Excellency the Grand Duke. May my joy once again belong to your glory."
Holding the treasured sword, I bowed my head toward the Grand Duke.
Loud applause rang out from somewhere.
The Grand Duke smiled brilliantly and stood from his kneeling position—
And at that moment:
"Oh—pardon me, Princess."
The Grand Duke fell toward me as if stumbling, briefly wrapping his arms around my shoulders.
Before I could fully register the warmth that enveloped me, he pulled away with a soft smile.
Gasps of surprise came from somewhere, but I didn't care.
"My legs went numb from kneeling longer than expected."
He shrugged as if there was nothing to be done.
"I heard you possess great knightly prowess. It seems your legs are weaker than I thought."
"I know, right? By the way—you save me every time."
Saving something that almost fell. Saving someone from paying a toll.
"So, since you've saved me—please save me one more time. Would you grant me the honor of sharing the first dance with you?"
The Grand Duke extended his hand toward me.
"Can someone whose legs went numb start dancing immediately?"
"I feel better already."
The Grand Duke said shamelessly.
After allowing him to look briefly embarrassed, I replied:
"...I'll warn you in advance—I'm not good at dancing."
"You are?"
The Grand Duke smiled brilliantly.
"I'm good at everything I do with my body. Perhaps I can offer you a little assistance this time."
I slowly took the Grand Duke's hand.
While I felt a strange mixture of tension and relief, a pleasant voice came from behind:
"Congratulations, Olivia. My fiancée has been honored by the greatest knight in the Empire."
It was Leopold.
As if to indicate this wasn't over yet, the Crown Prince's eyes met the Grand Duke's in silent challenge.