Bowing his head and grabbed the ends of his dress, he greeted the crown princess. Instead of wearing high heels, he opted for a more sandal like pair instead. Her gaze was piercing, as if seeing and reading his soul. She was sitting on the opposite end of the long table. Two other men were facing her as they sat on the length of the table.

“Francis Rayleigh. The final Arcleus. Please, take a seat,” she said.

It was a simple introduction. Not much more was needed. After all, who hasn’t heard of him, or more specifically, the Rayleigh household. His existence was announced in public at the Hunters Festival, and his name was plastered on the headlines of newspapers.

“Now that you all are here, I suppose we should start with introductions. I am the crown princess, you may address me as your highness.”

From her perspective, they sat left to right. Francis was on the left end, and Benjamin was on the right. And, the one in the middle was someone that he didn’t recognise.

Indeed, wearing a dress was the right choice. The other two wore tight fitting suits. They looked more like high ranking soldiers of the imperial army than suitors vying for the princess’ heart.

The man in the middle looked calm. His eyes seemed uninterested as he fidgeted with his button. But Benjamin’s glare was obvious to all.

“Let’s start from left to... No. Right to left,” she said.

“Ahem. I am Benjamin Wynt. Hero of the beast wastelands, and commander of the subjugation force that cleared it.”

He had a rather prideful tone. But it was the next person’s turn, and Haein told him to stop. The next person sighed, and spoke.

“Edmond Ren, holy knight.”

“Francis Rayleigh. Nothing much to say.”

The crown princess nodded and laughed. Benjamin Wynt was glaring daggers towards the mixed blood. It could be said that Edmond Ren was placed there as a buffer.

Plates upon plates of food were brought out by servants. A platter of cheeses, meats, breads, and grains. The princess gestured towards the variety.

“Is the food suitable?” she asked.

“Of course. What’s there to complain about? Everything is delicious. Truly, as expected,” Benjamin said.

“Good to know. I chose the menu, after all.”

“Wow, to think that the princess would have such refined tastes. Your choice is amazing. What a palate you have, your highness.”

The princess looked at him. Her eyes were downcast, as if met with an answer that didn’t suit her. She sighed.

“It's alright. The chefs have great skill, credits to them,” Francis said.

“Yeah. It's delicious,” Edmond Ren chimed in.

“Haha! Is that so?” asked Haein.

Her attitude changed, and so did Benjamin’s. She looked noticeably happier. And he had a much more sour look.

“Yeah. The chefs did great. Is this the standard of food I can expect from the palace?” asked the mixed blood.

“Of course,” replied the princess.

“What’s wrong? Not used to good food, mixed blood? Did your household not have this?” Benjamin said with a sneer.

Scoffing, he tasted the cheese. From what Francis saw, he was a proud man. Insecure, but proud nonetheless. And it seemed like he was dead set on marrying Haein. With words of praise streaming out of his mouth, flattery was his go-to strategy.

Like it was natural, the prideful man appealed to the one he wanted. The princess sighed, and chewed on her food. And they ate in silence. Though it wasn’t the result he wanted, it was good enough. Francis had learnt quite a bit just from lunchtime alone.

It seemed like Edmond Ren was of no threat at all. That narrowed down his opponents to just Benjamin Wytn alone. His grey hair draped down as he ate. It tickled his neck with every spoon he took.

“It was delicious, may the chef’s efforts be known,” Francis said.

His portion was small, as he was in charge of selecting it himself. A collection of cheeses and meats. All of which blended together on his tongue, as the sourness popped and savouriness seeped deeply.

Once the meal was over, he took his leave. Picking up the edges of his skirt, he bowed. His fringe dropped down as he tilted his head.

“Alright, goodbye, Francis,” the princess said.

“Yes, goodbye. See you later, your highness,” he replied.

“I wish you a good day. Oh, by the way, that dress looks really good on you.”

“You think so? I thank you for your praise.”

“I do hope you won’t mind if I visited you in my private time. You seem like a most interesting person.”

Her eyelashes fluttered as the words left her mouth. It seemed like she was making a show, putting on a performance for the other two. And, as her co-star, he had his role to play on the stage that she had set. Playwright, actress, stage productor. Perhaps it was his own biases but he found himself acknowledging her plan.

“Go right ahead. Although, do contact me before you come. I have preparations I need to make.”

“Hmm~ Then perhaps you would rather come to my chambers instead?”

“If you extend an invitation, I’m afraid I do not have the ability to refuse.”

She chuckled at his words. Her reaction triggered a chain event. The ends of his lips curled up upon seeing his competitor’s expression.

Francis left the dining room, as he swayed to the beat of an imaginary music. The piercing stare of Katalina landed on his back. With his skin exposed, by virtue of being an open back dress, he looked far more vulnerable than ever. That small, smooth area, unscarred and unblemished. His knight studied every bit of him, whether she was conscious of it or not.

The servants that passed by held a surprised expression, albeit momentarily. No later than several seconds later, the cold, calm facade returned. It seemed that despite everything, nothing could change facts. He was a Rayleigh. He was in a dress. The princess favoured him. His eyes were pink. And his hair was grey. Perhaps their surprise was sourced from his outfit, or from the mixed blood within him. But nonetheless, they still had to respect and treat the guest, for if he were to ever get angry, their jobs were on the line. His own reputation backed that up. After the Hunters Festival, there were no other social events to speak of. Just the cold winter, and days of studying and learning within the library of the Rayleigh manor.

He returned back to his private room, and Katalina followed him in. Surely if the princess ordered it, there was nothing wrong with those two sleeping in the same room. In the Rayleigh manor, the guards slept in a separate location, away from their masters. But there, in the royal palace? The crown princess herself ordered that arrangement, so nothing much could be done. But Francis Rayleigh was less worried about his knight than the crown princess. After all, Katalina Astiel had no reason to care. She probably felt nothing towards him. But, if she did assault him at night, then his parents would have to get involved. She sat atop her bed, not saying much.

Though it was just the first day, he was already bored. He would have spent his time being tutored by Hadel Frium, but there was no one like him there. Was it another part of the princess’ plan? To bore him out of his mind? Either way, plan or not, he stood up again.

“I’m going to the library,” Francis announced.

“Then I shall follow, my lord. But, shouldn’t you change out of that?”

“Ah... Oh, that’s right. Let’s go to the town first. Buy some clothes for you, I’ll pay.”

“Hm.”

“It’s the noble’s duty to pay for their servants. As such, it is your duty to protect me. So, draw your blade and make sure no harm comes my way.”

“I swore my loyalty to you, my lord. Even if it costs me my life, I will not fail my duty.”

“That’s good to know. Now, let's change and prepare to leave.”

He slid his hands into the dress sleeves. Short, and somewhat puffy. Perhaps unsurprisingly, his wardrobe was filled with both feminine outfits, and masculine ones. Was it because he showed up in a dress the first time they met? Or could it be something much more simple, like the whim of the crown princess? Meanwhile, she wore a tight fitting tunic and white leggings, all of which accentuated her features. And the same could be said for him. Somehow, he looked much better in a skirt than pants. Those bare, slender arms that extended out from his body, and that strange, occasional smile. He looked like a maiden that could run through a field of flowers while being lovingly pursued by a handsome prince.

There was no longer a need for him to hide his eyes or mixed blood. He rubbed a thin layer of sunblock on his skin. A soft smell emitted out from the lotion. The warm summer air hit his face, as the burning sun roasted his skin.

If he didn’t apply sunblock earlier, he would have suffered from sunburns. The heat and light pounded down on every inch of his exposed skin. At least with a dress, the air could circulate. He didn’t want to imagine what Katalina felt like with those tight fitting clothes. Walking out of the palace, he was stopped by several servants.

“Greetings, lord Francis. Why would a fair person like yourself be leaving with only your guard? Are the gentlemen not present?”

“Oh. Well, I currently don’t have any.”

“Huh? But lord Francis, you need to have them. Did your family not submit a list?”

“No. Because her highness, the crown princess, said she’ll send some tomorrow.”

“Oh, is that so? Well then, be careful. Though, I suppose your knight can protect you.”

Of course, he didn’t care if he had servants waiting for his beck and call. After all, he was not the Francis Rayleigh of old. The imposter himself had actually taken quite good care of his body and health, although the death was unexpected. But, he had to make it clear that the princess was giving him special attention. And, gossip between servants was a powerful tool.

He walked away before that palace guard could say another word. With Katalina close by, he took each step with confidence. The guard turned around and greeted another person as Francis left the palace gates.

The town was built around the palace, and was rather close by; there was no need for a carriage. Picking up the edges of the dress, he made his way down the flight of stairs that led up to the palace. Situated on a slightly higher elevation, there were two ways to get to the palace. The first, was for those who came on wheels. Whether it was a man pulling a cart, or horses pulling the king of another country. The second, was stairs that were carved out of the ground. The palace itself wasn’t that high up, only about 30 metres above the ground of the town nearby.

Capped with blue tiles, the white walls and gold windows of the palace asserted its authority. Overflowing with affluence, that was where the nobles gathered, and the imperial family lived. Townspeople often spread gossip about the siblings of the crown princess, speaking of their attractiveness. The third prince was said to be in possession of the most handsome face, with chiselled features and a sharp nose. And the second princess was said to have an appealing existence, her body developed and her face comparable to an archangel.

“My lord, we’re being tailed,” she suddenly whispered to him. He nodded, and kept his heart calm. Who could it be? The princess herself would attract too much attention, so it had to be her servant. Was it jealousy?

Francis wandered into the town, his hand held by Katalina. She took the lead on the stairs, holding his hand tight. If he fell, it wasn’t out of the question that he would meet his death. So, he happily took to her initiative. His knight was there to protect him. She was his shield. Vendors sold various candies and goods, ranging from a strange ball-on-a-stick like treat to fabrics and spices.

The first place they walked into was a boutique on a quiet street. Walking in, the bell chimed. A young woman who looked to be several years older than him was manning the counter. Arranged in a straight line were various outfits and clothes on mannequins.

“Yes, how may I help you two?”

He motioned to his knight. She stepped forward, and leaned towards the cashier. No doubt, she wouldn’t want to speak of it outloud. Whispering to the young woman, she kept glancing back at her master, making sure that he couldn’t hear. The young woman nodded, and started pulling Katalina into a separate room.

“Ah! Wait!” she called out.

“I’m bringing you to another room.”

“No, I mean, I can’t be separated from him,” she said.

“Did a mage curse you? May the blessings of the Axis help you.”

“Thank you, but no. It is my duty to protect him.”

“Hm? Ah...”

The young worker moved closer. Her eyes scoured his face.

“So you’re that mixed blood of the Rayleighs. I heard a lot about you.”

“Now that you understand, he needs to accompany us,” Katalina said.

“Well, it's your body not mine.”

“I won’t look. You don’t peek when I change.”

“My lord, I know. You’re not that type of person.”

The three of them left for the backroom. The worker pushed Katalina behind a curtain. Mutterings went on behind the blue curtain, and after a short while the young woman left.

“My lord? Are you still there?” Katalina asked from behind.

“Yes. If I get kidnapped I would at least scream.”

“That’s good to know. You won’t just be helplessly taken away. Don’t peek.”

“I won’t. Its mutual privacy.”

She chuckled. It seemed that she had become much more comfortable around him than when they first met. He could remember that glare she had. It had mostly disappeared over months. That tense anger melted, though she still refused to be informal with him.