Chapter 92

A new chapter begins.

Please continue to look forward to it!

On the day of the king's birthday celebration, with the event not having taken place last year, this year's festivities were even more lively than usual. Many street vendors could be seen in the town below, bustling with people shopping and enjoying themselves. Alvis, standing on a balcony with a view of the town, sighed in relief as he observed the scene.

Suddenly, a young girl looked up. Her eyes widened, and she blinked repeatedly. By the time Alvis realized it was too late, she had already pointed at him and shouted.

"Ah!"

She continued to move her mouth, but from this distance, he couldn't hear what she was saying. However, the people around her all looked up at once, so Alvis could imagine what the girl had said. He smiled and waved.

"Really, what are you doing, Alvis?"

Turning around at the sound of a voice, Alvis saw Edward standing there with a look of exasperation. He must have come to call Alvis. Alvis waved one last time to the crowd and then stepped back. Edward closed the curtains behind him.

"Sorry... I guess I got a bit carried away."

"If you can see them, they can see you."

"I know. I just wanted to see how the town was doing."

If he had more time, he could have gone down, but that wasn't possible. The knighting ceremony was about to begin. Awarding the medals to the knights was Alvis's duty, and he couldn't be late.

"How is Elina?"

"She's still not feeling well, but she will attend the ceremony."

"...Understood, I'll go see her."

"Thank you."

For the past few days, Elina had been looking unwell. Even if it wasn't an illness, she couldn't be pushed too hard. He had told her it was fine to rest in the palace, but she seemed to have chosen her responsibilities over her health. That was just like Elina.

Heading quickly to Elina's private room in the royal palace, Alvis found Elina sitting on a sofa, with Sara looking worried.

"Elina."

"Prince Alvis?!"

"You don't have to get up."

Stopping Elina from standing, Alvis approached her and gently placed his hand on her cheek. She felt a bit warm, but not feverish. Her complexion, however, had been poor since the morning, and it was clear she was overexerting herself.

"Elina, you should rest today. Go back to the palace."

"I can't do that. I can't be absent from the knights' celebration."

"They already know how much you care for them. There's no need to worry."

"But..."

Elina was concerned about appearances. As the Crown Princess, if she were absent from the knighting ceremony, the nobles would speculate about the reason. Rumors could easily spread. But her health was more important right now.

"If you show up looking unwell, it will only fuel more speculation. If we leave it as a possibility, we can dispel any rumors later. So please, rest today... I'm asking you."

"But what about the king's party?"

After the knighting ceremony, there would be a party where Alvis was supposed to dance the first dance. Without Elina, what would he do? After a moment's thought, Alvis answered.

"I'll ask Lana."

"Eh... Not Lady Rithine?"

Alvis's answer surprised not only Elina but also Sara, who was standing behind her, and even Edward, whose presence could be felt. This wasn't surprising, as Alvis had always brought Rithine as his companion.

"Rithine is like family to me. But we are still cousins. Besides, Rithine is an unmarried princess. If she dances with me, it could lead to all sorts of rumors."

Especially for the first dance, it was common for nobles to dance with their fiancés or partners. If Alvis danced with Rithine while Elina was absent, it would naturally become a topic of gossip among the ladies. In this case, the rumors would likely involve Elina and Rithine. Alvis didn't care about the rumors, but women couldn't afford to be so careless.

"I didn't expect you to think about it this way, Alvis."

"Ed, that's one too many comments."

"You've been the one to act in a way that invites such comments."

"You..."

Alvis shot a glare at Edward, but he only smiled in response. Sighing, Alvis turned back to Elina.

"So, please rest easy."

"...Understood. Thank you, Alvis."

"I'll come back as soon as it's over. But feel free to rest beforehand. Make sure you lie down."

"Yes."

Alvis called Filarietta, who was waiting outside the room, and instructed her to send Elina back to the Crown Prince's palace. She seemed concerned about Elina's health and followed the instructions without hesitation. After seeing Elina off, Alvis called out to Dain and the others who were waiting outside the room.

"Dain, please deliver a message to the Duke of Berfias."

"Yes, sir."

"Ed."

"Understood."

Edward, who had been listening to the conversation, nodded as if he understood Alvis's intentions. As Dain and Edward left, Rex, who remained, took out a pocket watch.

"Alvis, it's almost time."

"Understood."

The knighting ceremony was about to begin. It would take place in the audience hall, and this time, Alvis would be the one awarding the medals. Even though he knew the details, he couldn't afford to make any mistakes. Most importantly, for the sake of the knights. With a sense of tension, Alvis headed to the audience hall.