Now I couldn't deny it.

He must have felt nervous about Zerkan as a reason.

'I can't help it because I'm so handsome....'

There must be no special reason other than that. This is a natural reaction. Everyone has no choice but to stand in front of Zerkan.

It was time to make that decision and come to my senses.

'...!'

Suddenly, Zerkan bowed his head and came closer. like kissing.

I was so startled that I closed my eyes tightly and trembled, but I heard a low voice in my ear.

"I want you to put your arms around me. Are you okay?"

Strangely, that voice felt so secretive that it gave me goosebumps on my neck and shoulders.

Moreover, the scent of freesia that permeates the tip of the nose today was particularly sweet.

"Yes...!"

Raphine unknowingly answered Zerkan's arm and put her arms around her, answering like a desperate loyalist.

He felt his hard muscles through his arms and elbows, his face burning.

Seeing Raffine like that, Zerkan had a look of disappointment for a moment.

No one noticed the subtle change, but if Percy, who had a knack for reading Zerkan's expression, saw it, he would say, 'Oh, Your Majesty. Do you have any regrets?' It was a face you could have asked.

Zerkan felt sorry for Raphine, who trembled and folded her arms. If I had known that I would hate it this much, I wouldn't have suggested it.

'Do you not want to touch me?'

To be honest, I was stunned.

Raphine when she was young ran with her arms wide open from a distance just by looking at her face.

Then, he sent a commanding gaze, saying, 'Hug!'

It wasn't just that. Whenever he had a chance, he forced an answer by saying, 'You should marry me.'

But now, even touching it makes me shiver....

I wondered if there was something wrong with me. It was self-congratulatory, but the reputation wasn't bad.

'Then the problem is with my appearance....'

Zerkan headed to the hall where the banquet was held with Raphine with a complicated mind.

The main character of the banquet was Prince Antonio, and the host was Empress Rebecca.

It is said that the emperor and his wife did not attend and only sent a present to Prince Antonio.

When Rafine and the Crown Prince entered together with their arms crossed, people started to gossip and glance at the two of them.

"Oh my, didn't you two dance at the coming-of-age ceremony last time?"

"Iknow, right. To attend as a partner this time too...."

"You get along pretty well, don't you?"

"Miss Rafine said she hasn't decided on her betrothal yet...."

There were various speculations.

However, Raphine had no time to pay attention to the gazes of others who looked at her.

All of his nerves were focused on the arm that was in contact with Zerkan and the nose that was permeated with a subtle scent.

'This scent.... Going crazy.'

How do people smell like this?

Raphine swallowed her saliva, trying to calm herself down.

Zerkan held up a glass and handed it to Raffine.

Raphine took the glass and sip it with her uncrossed arms as if waiting.

Now that I'm an adult, I was able to drink any kind of alcohol freely. I can't taste anything because I'm so nervous right now....

At that moment, Adrian and Violet, who were together from afar, approached.

"You two get along better than you think?"

Adrian spoke awkwardly in the tone of reading an Imperial book. At those words, Violet's expression crumpled.

"Adrian. What nonsense is that? No one hangs out with our Raphine. shut up."

"... I'm sorry."

Adrian apologized quickly and then smiled awkwardly. Violet glared at Zerkan as if displeased, then turned to look at the arms of the two people with their arms crossed.

"My Majesty the Crown Prince, look at me for a moment."

Violet chinked, and Raphine unwrapped her arms as if waiting.

"Bye."

When he gestured like he was pushing his back like that, Zerkan followed Violet with a creepy face.

As they moved away from sight, Raphine exhaled a sigh of relief and took another glass of wine and gulped it in.

"Raphine! If you drink like that...!"

Adrian sighed and dried his mouth, then shut his mouth. Raphine realized that she had a very strong drink just like her mother.

"Oppa, don't drink anything like alcohol."

"... yes."

Raphine tapped Adrian's shoulder as if comforting him.

At that moment, someone approached Raphine.

"Miss Raphine."

It was Empress Rebecca, who sent the invitation to Raphine herself. Raphine looked at her right away and bowed her knees to show her formal courtesy.

Empress Rebecca looked at him with a bright smile.

"Thank you for inviting me. Our Prince Antonio wanted to invite you."

"It is an honor, My Majesty."

"Hmm.... By the way, I didn't know you would come as the Crown Prince's partner."

Raphine was bewildered by her resentful tone.

Empress Rebecca looked at Adrian standing next to Raphine and said as if asking for forgiveness.

"I want to talk to Ms. Raphine separately for a while...."

"Of course, my lord."

As Raphine nodded politely, the Empress took her to one side as if waiting.

It was a place full of several nobles, and Rebecca started introducing Raffine to each of them.

As they greeted each other, they all seemed close to the empress.

'Now what is the situation?'

Raphine was very embarrassed by the contrived feeling.

Empress Rebecca was like a mother-in-law who always introduced her daughter-in-law.

But it wasn't the only strange thing.

'These nobles introduced by the empress... It's a little strange.'

Raphine was shocked as if she had been hit by a large stone, but struggled to capture her expression.

This was because the nobles introduced by Empress Rebecca were all antagonistic to Viscount Tedler.

'Of course, I knew that Empress Rebecca and Viscount Tedler had a bad relationship, but....'

People judged that the rift between Empress Rebecca and Viscount Tedler was deep, but Raphine had a slightly different opinion.

'After all, the two have the same goal.'

To make Prince Antonio the emperor.

As such, it was expected that the two would work together in the end.

However, the relationship between Empress Rebecca and Viscount Tedler seemed to be worse than expected.

'It seems that Empress Rebecca is trying to form a new power with Viscount Tedler and hostile nobles....'

I've been busy with the holy things lately, so I haven't been able to look at the political situation in the capital, so I'm surprised that such a structure has been formed so quickly.

In fact, it was a bad situation for Raphine.

The enemy that only had to deal with was split into two. Of course, the opponent's strength will be weakened that much, but since they are so cunning, I had to be more nervous.

It was when Empress Rebecca was arrested and greeted the nobles.

"Mother!"

Prince Antonio, who saw the two of them from afar and ran to them, called the Empress with an angry expression.

Raphine formally bowed her knees to greet her.

Antonio replies bluntly, then glares at Empress Rebecca with an irritated expression on her face.

'How old is that guy, is he complaining to his mother?'

Raphine twitched her tongue inwardly, blaming Antonio.

Empress Rebecca also had a puzzled face.

Prince Antonio whispered something to Empress Rebecca in her ear and said to Raffine.

"Hmm, I don't have to hold onto my mother anymore. Tea, you better talk to me."

"...."

Raphine didn't like it very much, but it was better than being with Empress Rebecca, so she nodded.

Prince Antonio stopped on his way to the terrace and just took Raffine to a less crowded corner.

It seems that he remembered the story of the terrace we had last time.

Anyway, it didn't matter as it was more comfortable to talk in a public place.

"Who did you partner with?"

Antonio asked, holding out his glass of wine.

Raphine responded calmly by giving a glance to some people who were looking at him.

"Tell me the Crown Prince."

"What?"

Antonio slammed the glass he was holding in displeasure.

'What, why?'

Raphine looked at him strangely, and Antonio coughed heavily.

Then he said in a simmering voice.

"Last time, I danced with my brother.... Will you come with me as a partner until my birthday?"

what about that?

Raphine looked at Antonio, wondering why he was there. When our eyes met, Antonio quickly turned his head.

"... If you're thinking of making me jealous, stop. Even if you don't do that, I'm jealous enough."

All of a sudden, my spine became stiff.

'for a moment. Boy please....'

I thought it was weird last time too, but this is a bit....