“Ma’am, have you heard the news?”
Amy asked me suddenly as she fixed my hair.
“You must tell me what you mean so I can answer whether I heard or not.”
I looked at Amy's reflection in the mirror and asked her.
Amy looked a little scared for some reason.
“It is said that a group of orcs has appeared on the northern border of Astir, causing a great commotion.”
'So this is why most of Leon's close associates, except Calsen, have disappeared in recent days.'
I heard that one might encounter a monster in remote places like deep in the mountains, if they were really unlucky, but Amy said that this was the first time a group of monsters had appeared in a human-inhabited area.
I listened attentively to Amy and Mary talking at length, and, unlike usual, they were frightened.
Then Mary asked me in astonishment: “Madam, are you not afraid at all?”
“Hmm...of course I'm scared.”
Actually, I wasn't surprised because I know the story of the novel.
Contrary to my words, my reflection in the mirror seemed overly calm.
'The monsters are finally starting to approach populated areas.'
This marked the beginning of the Age of Great Beasts.
‘Should I try to find more holy things that Saint will find before that day comes?’
Maybe there is something sacred that can help me.
Some things that protected Cassia from monsters ran through my mind.
If I find it, I may not need to rely on Leon.
'Cassia has holy power, and Leon will protect her, so she'll be fine, right?'
I felt a little guilty about Cassia, but my life matters too.
I don't have time to worry about Cassia, who has the ability to protect herf and has someone to protect her as well.
While eating with Leon, while we were eating dessert, Leon seemed distracted.
He definitely feels frustrated about not being able to lead the situation directly because of the people's eyes.
Although, out of respect for him, I said I would eat alone on the pretext of feeling unwell, he insisted on eating food and dessert together.
While we were eating dessert, an imperial order arrived.
Due to the appearance of a group of monsters in Aster, an emergency meeting of the central nobles had been called, and the order was requiring Leon's mandatory attendance.
If Leon attends, it will be the first meeting attended by the Duke of Astaire, whose seat has always been vacant.
“No, I can't, I won't go!”
Leon expressed his disapproval vehemently, jumping and screaming until he confused the Imperial Envoy, who turned around in confusion.
The envoy left quickly, as if he had fulfilled his mission.
But even after the envoy left, Leon did not calm down.
Calsen closed his mouth and looked at me and then at Leon alternately, seeming to want me to leave.
I remembered the trembling that Leon couldn't hide when we went to the capital before, so his behavior didn't seem like an act.
There was some honesty in it.
But his failure to attend such an important matter, a meeting that marks the beginning of everything, will make him deeply hated.
The influence of the imperial family remains strong.
'Shall I play the wise wife?'
“Leon, sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do.
People who do great things don’t easily show their emotions.”
I felt proud of myf and nodded as I met Leon's ambiguous gaze.
'Am I not too mature?'
“Then, come with me.”
Leon looked at me calmly and spoke.
"What?"
The answer came out of me without thinking.
"No, I mean, I misspoke.
What did you say, Leon?"
I added quickly, watching his expression.
“I said, 'Let's go together.' I don't know why, but I feel safe with Bill.”
Leon smiled slyly.
I looked at him seriously and then nodded reluctantly.
“But, on one condition.
If we cannot return from the capital today, I would rather stay in a hotel than at the Marquis’ house.”
Leon's smiling face turned into an emotionless expression.
I tilted my head as if to ask why that was so.
He quickly showed a silly smile and nodded enthusiastically.
"I don't like the Marquis either.
He's scary."
'The Marquis is not scary-looking.
Isn't he handsome and friendly?'
But if Leon says so, so be it.
“But if you two come to the capital and don’t stay at the Marquis’s house, the Marquis will feel sad.”
Calsen was speaking because he didn't want to give the Marquis a chance to criticize us, not because he cared about the Marquis's grief.
Normally, I would love to follow Calsen's wish for Leon's sake, but I really don't want to go to the Marquis' house.
“Do as you say Bill Bill!”
Leon shouted as he looked at Calsen with frightening eyes.
After we decided to go together, we quickly finished the preparations and I traveled with Leon to the capital.
Since it was Leon's first time attending the nobles' meeting, the tension was clearly visible on Calsen's face.
Upon our arrival in the capital, we stayed in a luxury hotel overlooking the Imperial Palace.
Leon tried to delay going to the palace in various ways, but Calsen almost dragged him into the meeting.
I was left alone, sitting aimlessly on the couch, and then went out with Amy and Mary to explore the capital.
Mary, with her already round eyes, stared with even greater astonishment at the crowded streets and the many people.
But Amy, as on our previous visit to the capital, did not show much reaction.
“Don't you find this exciting?”
Amy looked at me calmly at my sudden question.
“I don't like crowded places.”
A fleeting look of anger appeared on her face and then disappeared.
This was not an ordinary feeling.
For a moment, I felt the same anger and fear on Amy's face that I had felt for Leon.
Maybe she's more connected to Leon than I thought.
If Amy is one of the people who followed Leon from the capital to Aster, it means that Leon placed an important figure next to me.
But this character kept the events of the temple a secret.
'Does this mean that her feelings towards me have changed a little?'
Suddenly, Amy felt so loved.
“Amy.”
I clung to her arm in a gentle tone.
Amy tried to free her arm with a look of distaste and looked at me with strange eyes.
“Your Highness, there seems to be more people than usual today.
For your safety, how about we go back to the hotel?”
One of the guard knights following us asked me.
I didn't want to risk staying, so I agreed and we went back to the hotel.
“Bill!”
I stopped in surprise when I heard a voice calling me, and I looked towards the source of the voice.
There was a handsome man with sharp features looking at me.
When I turned around, he confirmed it was Bill and smiled and approached.
His sharp features turned soft in an instant.
'Who is this?'
I unconsciously stepped back as he approached, and one of the guard knights stood in front of me.
“Go away.”
“You're the ones who should stay away.
If you do this, Belle won't stay calm.”
He was trying to look at me from among the guards, pretending he knew me.
‘What is he doing?
Is he immortal?
Why does he act like this?
'I don't even know him!'
I quickly turned around and headed towards the hotel.
"B, Bill!
Bill, why are you walking?
Me, me, Lucas."
'Lucas or someone else, I don't know you!'
“Belle, are you going to act like this?
You and I…what’s our relationship…”
“Stop!”
I quickly stopped his words and signaled to the guards to move away.
I knew what he was going to say, and with people's eyes focused on us, I had to silence him.
'I hope that's not true, Bill.'
“Follow me quietly.”
I told him in a low voice.
He nodded contentedly.
I took him to the hotel and we sat in a small reception room next to the bedroom.
When I looked at him, his features, though severe, were very beautiful.
“So, what do I have to do with you?
Repeat what you were going to say.”
"Belle, you've completely changed.
You couldn't even meet my eyes before."
'Because I'm not that Belle, so speak quickly.'
“Did you really forget?
Or are you acting like this because I rejected your confession of love?”
'What?
A love confession?’ I felt pain in the back of my neck and sudden dizziness.
Why doesn't this bad feeling avoid me?
'With someone as super handsome as Leon, have you ever fallen in love with someone with that appearance?
'Hey Belle, what have you been doing?'