You Think I Won't Talk?-Chapter 30

Francois stared at the Duke for a few seconds, wondering how is it that his younger daughter had displayed such behaviour.

’He must have warned her at the very least... Orland knows I hate cheeky children...’

The Emperor did not find her words inappropriate. The problem resided in her attitude. She shouldn’t have acted so confident in front of him. As if she was better than anyone else, her facial expressions revealed condescendence towards the audience, which Francois found incredibly displeasing.

’This girl should know her place...’

As he thought this to himself, soft footsteps barely echoed in the silent room, making him turn his gaze from the Duke to the responsible.

Marianne had stepped forward, slowly and gracefully, eventually placing herself in front of him.

Standing with her eyes looking down, not daring to look him in the eyes, She took a few seconds to pause and made an elegant reverence in complete silence.

Not even her clothes made any sound as her hands moved smoothly like dancing waves to strike a fragile but grand poise. The Emperor stared at her figure holding the posture in wait for his permission to lift her head. Somehow, her deafening silence was fascinating, replacing the previous displeasure her sister had given him... with pleasant amusement.

Zeleskiaz suddenly became aware of the ongoing silence. By this time, the debutante should be paying their over-the-top respects to the Emperor, praising him as if there was no tomorrow. It was strange that the silence continued for so long on these occasions, nonetheless, it was not enough for him to bother to turn his head to the front.

"...Please raise your head."

’... Did he just... say "Please"..?’

Hearing those words... It was only then, that the Crown Prince looked at who those words were told.

Please — was a word the Emperor would never say. Not in his right mind. However, he said it to someone he had just met... quite easily.

The Prince watched the girl who stood before the Emperor. A calm, young woman, with a blank expression and dull eyes... A boring woman.

’... Why is she not speaking?’

Meanwhile the Crown Prince wondered about this, The Emperor spoke once again. Even though it had authority, he spoke politely and with a gentle tone to the woman.

"...Your Father, Duke Sylfinnier, has previously informed me of the Lady’s condition... Duke, what is the name of your daughter?"

’...Condition..?’

Although Marianne’s actions were unexpected, Orland felt proud of her bravery.

Pleased by her excellent attitude towards the Emperor, the Duke answered promptly his question.

"Your Majesty, this is my eldest daughter, the Secondborn of the Sylfinnier household, Marianne Elise Sylfinnier."

"... Lady Marianne... such a beautiful daughter... it is such a shame not to be able to hear your voice, my Lady..."

The Emperor continued to speak kindly to Marianne. Mentioning how the Duke bragged about her recently, he expressed his desire to see her get better.

When Marianne showed her gratitude with gracious gestures, The Emperor felt very pleased with how gracefully she expressed herself.

At that moment, Francois thought to himself. — ’If only one of my children resembled her a little...’

The Emperor finally understood his friend. The child he had been protecting was lovely enough to even receive a Monarch’s favour.

The last words he said to her were a blunt show of his blessings to the Lady.

"Lady Marianne, keep growing beautifully. I wish to see your growth."

Francois’s words not only made his expectations clear but, there was also another meaning only close people could be able to recognise.

Meeting with Orland’s gaze, the Emperor sent him the message with a wicked smile.

’I want to see your daughter regularly. This uncle wants to pamper the child.’ 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

The Duke, who understood the message, finally lost it. That was the last drop needed for him to surrender to the shock.

*******

Zeleskiaz did not understand the situation. He was a little curious, however, he wouldn’t ask for further explanations.

Something interesting had happened at the tedious ceremonies for once. Knowing more about it would only become bothersome.

As if nothing had happened, the Prince went back to his apathetic stance and endured the rest of the private ceremonies.

Once these were completed, they moved back to the main Ball Room. The Emperor gave the cue to the guests to start the dances energetically, which also meant a "Do whatever you want now" for the Prince.

Zeleskiaz disappeared to the corner he always used to avoid getting involved with anyone. It was a secluded place, so literally, no one paid much attention to who was there.

He observed the nobles pairing up to dance, wondering what was so fun about it while drinking a glass of wine.

The Crown Prince had learned how to dance since young. It was a must for the royals to master every area of study. He did not like it. It was a useless ability to obtain, but he learned the dance moves flawlessly as he was expected to do. Nonetheless, he had never once danced publicly. There was no special reason behind it never happening; it was simply that it was burdensome for him to invite an unknown woman to dance.

The first song was playing, and from the distance, he watched the scene of the nobles giving their all to perform a good dance. Their efforts looked pathetic to him.

Trying to appeal to their partners, the men were clumsy and the women were loose.

However, at the edge of his sights, he noticed a woman standing still with a refined posture, observing the dancing clowns.

Her tied reddish hair flowed down free like waves mixed with gold. She seemed familiar for some reason. He had no relation with any woman, so it was unusual for him to believe that he knew the woman.

While his eyes were still watching her, a man approached her from the side. As the woman slightly turned to look at the man, who apparently was asking permission to kiss her hand, he was able to discern part of her face. A face he saw not long ago was recognized.

’... That’s why she seemed familiar.’

The Crown Prince watched the whole scene. While the other man spoke to her, the woman was like a living statue. No reaction came from her.

’Sylfinnier’s... one of his daughters.’

Soon, even he was able to hear the one-sided conversation, which had attracted some eyes to the pair.

Zeleskiaz could see where this was going. From what he saw earlier, the woman did not even talk to his Father, The Emperor, the most powerful man in the Empire. So, obviously, she would not say a word to a mere noble of lower status than her own.

For an unknown reason, when the man began to raise his voice, Zeleskiaz impulsively made his way to where they stood in a moment.

The man had raised his hand to hit the woman in a fit of anger and the Crown Prince had stopped his hand from doing so. Looking at the woman’s face he was incredulous at what he saw. The girl had her eyes looking downwards, almost closed, in a calm fearless expression. To this sight, Zeleskiaz put some strength in his grip, unconsciously breaking the man’s hand.

Thanks to the scream of pain, the woman rolled her eyes to the front, but strangely, she didn’t notice the Prince’s presence at all. The woman glanced at the onlookers and the man who was about to hit her wriggle in pain, but her eyes never went to where Zeleskiaz was.

’...What the hell is this woman?’

It was an amusing reaction. He wasn’t concealing his presence, he stood right in front of her, even a newborn baby would be aware of him a mile away.

’Is she... Ignoring me?’

Amazed at the thought, he spoke for the first time today, without taking his eyes off her.

"To think a nobleman would raise their hand publicly to hit a woman... the Empire... our glory must be on the floor now..."

As he finished speaking... the woman’s eyes finally met his. Zeleskiaz could not help to show his amazement with a mischievous smirk. Pleased by the fact she realised his presence, he spoke to her while letting go of the unsightly nobleman.

"... Lady Sylfinnier... are you alright?" — He asked, almost instinctively.

As her answer, a lacklustre nod was given. She glanced at the terrified people that surrounded them and returned to the nobleman who could barely stand. Disgruntled, Zeleskiaz ordered to take him out of his sight.

She shouldn’t be paying attention to other matters given who was standing before her, however, she still watched without caring how the shameless man was taken away.

"Lady Sylfinnier." — Calling out to her with a dry tone... He finally drew her attention to where it should be.