# Chapter 22
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The night on the islands was more colorful, rich and noisy than ever.
Even as I rode the carriage through the city, the music, laughter, and aroma of sizzling street food never stopped wafting through the air.
Thanks to that, my stomach shook even more when I leaned against the wall and suffered nausea.
If hell exists, it must be here.
The desire to return to Ezelot emerged with great intensity.
"If anyone sees you, they will think you are going to a house of mourning."
Rick, who had been silently turning the pages of a book in front of him, finally spoke.
Unfortunately, I didn't even have the energy to respond.
It was so hard on my stomach that even if there was no mirror, I could imagine how ruined my skin would be.
"Did you sleep?"
"no.
"I was so nervous I couldn't sleep for a moment."
"I would be very faint if I met Your Majesty face to face."
It didn't take long to pass through the southern gate of the castle connected to the city and arrive at Cassandra Hall.
As I crossed the bright and busy space and arrived at the majestic castle, I felt my nausea getting even worse.
Rick, who held my hand to support my wobbly leg, frowned with an expression of incomprehension.
"Hey, Kate.
What the hell are you doing?
"Did you have a stomach ache after staying up all night?"
"I would feel calm if it was just a simple stomach ache...
...
.
"I've been starving since last night because I was afraid my face would swell and my legs wouldn't have the strength."
“It really varies.
"Take my arm and lean on me."
In fact, he was already half reclining.
"Thanks, Rick.
"I really like Rick, the best in the world."
"Stop saying horrible things."
Skipping meals the day before a feast was something most women had to endure.
Although the dress line is more fluid and looks good, how can someone bear this pain as if they were eating a meal?
Thanks to this, I could clearly see that this method was a very fatal move for me.
From now on, even though my belly is a little bigger and I look less pretty, I have to have dinner the night before.
"Walking like this makes me feel like a fragile flower in a greenhouse."
"Stop talking nonsense and walk properly since you arrived in the hallway."
And his eyes widened in surprise at Rick's words.
"Professor Rick Ezelott and Count Ezelott's Lady Katrina Ezelott are entering!"
It felt like only 30 seconds had passed, but we had already arrived, right?
I grabbed Rick's arm tightly and searched my eyes for the location of my mother and Charonte.
That's why I don't want to go to crowded places.
"If you find the mother, tell me.
When I took the food and ate it, I was told to ask permission and eat it...
...
.
"If I stay here any longer, I will starve."
"My mother enters with my father just before Her Majesty enters.
"Your father should already be with you in the nearby break room."
This cannot be possible.
I clung to Rick's arm with a half-crying face.
"So you can't just stay by my side until Charon arrives?"
"It won't be a problem.
"As long as you can take it."
Cassandra Hall was the largest single-story building in the empire, filled with breathtaking luxury and interior decorations draped in gold leaf.
A quick glance shows that the room was packed with famous artists, merchants and high-ranking nobles who had read about the subject in newspapers and theaters.
If I looked up, I felt like I would be blinded by the huge chandelier, and if I looked down, I felt lost because I didn't know where to go.
This stuffy feeling was no different even if I was next to Rick.
“Professor Ezelot, this is Dr.
Brihemden.
Dr Brihemden?
This is the professor Ezelot I told you about before.
A young master of physics and astronomy.
“I heard you’re also interested in history studies recently.
"I'm a little interested in it, but I don't dare show it off."
"haha!
"For a genius like a teacher to come from the historical Ezelot family, isn't that proof that Ezelot was blessed by God?"
"I also agree.
It is an honor to meet you, Professor Ezelot.
I am...
...
."
While the academy's best doctors fawned over Rick, I took a bite of the fragrant Mont Blanc that was placed on the table.
I had heard it was popular, but I had no idea that five or six middle-aged and elderly people would flock to it non-stop.
I slowly left the space where school and local ties mixed.
It was considered shameful for a noble woman to leave the center of the room and stay close to the wall, so she had to move between the tables alone.
I didn't really care how the people around me looked at me, but I was sure that if my mother saw me, I would pester her.
Although some familiar noble ladies greeted me briefly, they were limited to just greetings, and not even the usual greetings were exchanged.
What's it like to save Nezar's lover?
I don't know what I've been doing for 5 years.
"Duke Calmion Entera and Lady Charon Entera of the Duchy of Entera are entering!"
It was then.
Many eyes scattered here and there turned to the stairs.
The person who appeared with the introduction was a tall, middle-aged woman with incomparable beauty.
Long silver hair flowing like waves, skin as transparent as glass, and even gently curved eyes.
I blinked blankly at Charon's figure, which looked like a peony in bloom.
I always feel this, but it is not a beauty that one can dare to be of this world.
Charon walked slowly through the people exclaiming in admiration and finally caught up with me.
Without exaggerating, everyone within 5 meters was looking at her.
Charon, who received a glass of champagne, greeted me with a face as bright as sunlight, as if he had never had an arrogant expression.
"Kate!
I'm glad I found this quickly.
"This is my first time at a crowded party with so many people, so I was almost alone."
Charon, who came to the side, crossed his arms and walked quickly.
I looked at Duke Entera, who was walking away, and opened my mouth.
Suddenly, the duke's shadow was no longer visible as people approached him like a swarm of bees.
"Charon, shouldn't we say hello to His Excellency?"
"Your father is very busy because he has many nobles to deal with.
There's plenty of time, so you can say hello later.
How is Kate?
"For some reason, I don't look good today."
Charon, with a tearful face, reached out and touched my forehead.
In the past, he was about the same level as my eyes, but perhaps due to genetics, he grew a lot and his chin was a little higher.
Ezelot must have the gene to be tall, so why am I the only one like that?
"I've been starving since last night, so I'm a little dizzy.
"The speed isn't good."
"Didn't you do this during your debutante?
No matter how much I think about it, I don't think Kate should skip meals.
If you don't mind, go to the terrace...
...
."
Charon's consolation did not end properly.
This is because a man who suddenly appeared came between her and me.
"Excuse me, ladies as beautiful as flowers.
"If you don't mind, may I join the conversation?"
It was easy to guess the owner of that greasy voice even without checking his face.
Marquis Philfrontes Audrine.
He was a man who was promised to marry Charon.
Charon recognized him and reached out to pull me by the shoulder.
It was a face that clearly showed an expression of discomfort to anyone who saw it.
But whether she was openly cautious or not, Marquis Philfronts still looked at Charon and me alternately with a smiling face.
Thanks to that, I was the only one left between the two, feeling embarrassed.
Hey, I brought a fan to use for times like this!
Naturally I covered my mouth with the fan I was holding.
And out of courtesy, he smiled softly and lowered his head.
But Charon was different from me.
She spoke to the marquis in a high-pitched voice.
"What's going on?"
"You two were talking so happily that I walked up to you at the risk of being rude to you, wondering what was going on."
"If you know you are rude, please come back."
"haha!
Of course, I wasn't planning on asking Lady Charon.
Lady Katrina?
I answered his call with a somewhat shocked expression.
"Yes."
"It's great to see you after so long in such an official setting.
I thought you were an angel descending from heaven.
What do you think?
"I think they invited me to my birthday banquet, but I was really upset because I didn't get a response."
Marquis Philfronts was the man who ran the largest business in the empire, so the scale of the banquet must have been very large.
There is no way I, who barely had my debutante, could attend such an event.
Most of all, I didn't want to get too involved with this man.
This is because the Marquis Philfronts in front of me was a man as cunning as Rockherd, or even more so.
"I was really bad at that time.
"If you invite me again next year, I will definitely accept."
"Oh, you must stand by what you just said.
"I will definitely remember that and send you an invitation next year."
"Of course."
Since I was hiding behind a fan, I didn't need to force the corners of my mouth to lift.
Charon's face was still cold as he said something uncivil.
With that icy gaze, Marquis Philfronts shook his shoulders with a sincere smile on his face.
"Ha, I hate to say this, but when you're not around, Lady Charon often feels like a cat that hasn't been touched by a human.
You know what?
"Why did you scratch me because I accidentally touched the back of my hand last time?"
Marquis Pilfronts shook his head and showed me the back of his hand.
I just raised my eyebrows slightly and pretended to be sad.
"Why don't you be careful not to touch the back of your hand?"
“As people live, they make mistakes and things like that.
Even so, as it was a wound made by Lady Charon, I treated it very carefully, without even applying disinfectant.
Thanks to this, the marks still remain."
"You did a great job!"
Marquis Pilfronts seemed to enjoy Charon's piercing gaze at him.
Charon was more valuable to me than this grumpy, snobbish man, so I blurted out the pun that stretched out like a snake's tongue.
"Could you answer with a little more sincerity?"
"Wow, you did a great job!"
Charon covered his mouth and laughed at my response.
Then he snuggled closer to me with a satisfied expression.
A man who constantly expresses his great interest and a woman who doesn't even care about this man.
Why do men want to harass the woman they like?
I couldn't understand anything.
At that moment, a loud trumpet sound was heard.
The next person to appear was a middle-aged man with black hair and a cape embroidered with gold thread.
There is only one person in the world who can look so splendid.
"His Majesty the Emperor is entering!"
All the participants in the hall bowed their heads.
The noisy party venue was suddenly enveloped in silence.
I also lowered my head to the well-polished marble floor and heard the dull footsteps.
"Everyone, stand up."
The emperor, sitting on a golden chair, spoke a long sentence with a solemn expression.
But I couldn't focus on what the emperor was saying.
That's because my heart was pounding like it was going to explode at the thought of coming face to face with Nezar, who would soon appear.
What is it about five years that makes people tremble so much?
I took a deep breath and laid my head on Charon's shoulder.
"Kate?
Why are you doing this?
"Are you still not feeling well?"
I shook my head and lowered my head deeper.
At the same time, the front door of the hall, which was tightly closed, opened.
It was the appearance of the protagonists who led the victory.