assistirfilmes Chapter 31
Chapter 31
“...Are you nervous?”
“A little, yes.”
“A true man should enjoy events like this.”
... That’s a bit sexist.
I looked at Ashillya as she spoke.
She had changed her makeup and outfit and sat with her legs crossed, looking at me. She wore a dress similar to mine, in a wine color with black patterns. Her ample bosom and snow-white skin were on full display in the dress, making it difficult to know where to look.
Ashillya saw me slyly avoiding her gaze. She gave me a small smile, resting her elbow on her knee and cupping her chin as she stared intently at me.
“You should be more confident. You’re courting the Crown Princess, after all.”
“... You’re going too far with the jokes.”
“You think I’m joking?”
Suddenly, I met Ashillya’s red eyes. I couldn’t discern the emotions swirling in them, but it was easy to guess she wasn’t being sincere. After all, someone of her standing wouldn’t fall for me so quickly.
“I am joking.”
As Ashillya spoke with a playful smile, I let out a small sigh and averted my gaze. My instincts kept drawing my eyes to a certain ample, snow-white area. Ashillya seemed to notice my thoughts and leaned back in her chair.
“Don’t be so tense. There’s still plenty of time before I make my entrance.”
Ashillya was the star of this banquet. Naturally, she would be the last to enter, even after the Emperor himself. I had heard about this beforehand.
‘...This shows just how much His Majesty the Emperor fully supports Ashillya.’
Through even these small actions, he was demonstrating his support for Ashillya’s claim to the throne. As someone waiting, it was excruciating.
Knowing Ashillya’s personality, she wasn’t the type to criticize or get upset at me for relaxing, but the issue was that we were inside the Imperial Palace.
Although not palpable, Ashillya and I were not the only ones here. Many people were likely observing us from the shadows, so I had to be careful of every action.
With a stifling feeling, I let out a long sigh and briefly lifted my head, closing my eyes. I wasn’t trying to fall asleep, but rather clear my head.
***
“Presenting the eldest son of Marquis Bimela, Hellicion de Bimela, and the eldest daughter of Earl Degorsis, Pamela Jean Degorsis!!”
The knight guarding the banquet hall entrance announced in a booming voice. Eyes turned to witness the entrance of the eldest daughter of the renowned Earl Degorsis family and the son of the prestigious Marquis Bimela family.
Pamela looked around the banquet hall with an innocent, cute face. Hellicion led Pamela with a leisurely smile. Despite appearances, Pamela was inwardly frowning and sighing repeatedly.
‘This is so annoying...!’
Pamela’s original plan was to enter the banquet hall quickly. Entering late with this man would only make others suspect their relationship. However, at Hellicion’s insistence, they made a late entrance, immediately drawing various gazes, just as expected.
Of course, she had no choice but to comply with Hellicion’s demand. His help was desperately needed for her to attend this banquet.
“Let’s go this way.”
Hellicion led Pamela around without regard for her will, making her scream internally.
‘He has no consideration at all...!’
This was precisely why Hellicion was excluded from Pamela’s priorities despite being the eldest son of a prestigious Marquis family. In addition to acting selfishly, he treated women like trophies. No matter how powerful his family was, his ruined character made him no less than a disaster to Pamela.
At the same time, the two wore what seemed like matching formal attire. The dress and suit, in a deep wine color embroidered with black patterns, made them look like paintings as they appeared together.
Pamela found herself enraptured by the sight of them.
Ashillya, who became the Crown Princess today, and Felix, who was escorting her. Seeing the two of them evoked an irrepressible feeling of inferiority in Pamela.
“...So this is why he refused.”
A few days ago, when Pamela had asked Felix first, she now understood why he indirectly rejected her.
Even to her own ears, her voice sounded self-deprecating and lonely, making Pamela shudder.
What was this?
Pamela herself didn’t know why her voice came out this way. If she acted like this, wouldn’t it seem like she had feelings for Felix?
With an empty laugh, Pamela shook her head from side to side but still took in the sight of them.
She envied Ashillya’s confident appearance as she naturally accepted Felix’s escort and crossed the banquet hall. Biting her lower lip, Pamela finally whipped her head around and took a step.
No, she tried to take a step.
“...Pamela.”
At the sound of that familiar voice, her foot stuck to the ground as if glued.
A chill ran through her body. Trembling with goosebumps, Pamela unknowingly clenched her fists and slowly turned her head toward the source of the voice.
There, that man stood.
The middle-aged man with violet hair and features identical to Pamela’s was looking at her with emotionless eyes.
“...Father.”
At his voice demanding a response, Pamela forcibly opened her mouth and addressed her father. The head of House Degorsis asked, still with indifferent eyes:
“Why are you here?”
“...I came with a friend.”
Standing before her father, Pamela swallowed dryly, feeling herself shrink.
“If you’re thinking of doing anything foolish, you’d best give up on it.”
The head of House Degorsis gave that cold warning as he looked down at Pamela, and she bit her lip.
Normally, she would have let it go without a word. She knew very well how stupid it was to go against him, against her father.
But perhaps it was because she saw Ashillya. Maybe it was because she witnessed with her own eyes how Ashillya had overcome it all, unlike herself.
Defiance welled up inside Pamela.
“Why...?”
“...”
“Are you going to kill me too, like you did my mother?”
The moment she voiced her defiance, Pamela instantly regretted it, but words couldn’t be taken back once they were spoken.
At the same time, upon hearing those words, the eyes of the head of House Degorsis turned icily cold.