Chapter 3

Lionel introduced himself politely.

“I am Lionel Valdr, the Minister of Defense and the Commander of the Royal Guard of Echmont. I have come to greet Your Majesty. Thank you for your long journey.”

Adele glanced at him with a sense of his noble demeanor. He was a very tall man, even among the tall people of Echmont. His neat and handsome features and deep blue eyes complemented each other well. Adele smiled lightly at him and returned the greeting.

“My name is Adelaide Gottrop. Thank you for coming to greet me.”

She turned her gaze to scan the knights and then looked at the gate in the distance. It was a reasonable distance to ride.

“The journey by ship and carriage for two months was no easy task.”

At her sudden comment, Lionel waited for her to continue rather than respond. Adele then looked at the warhorses the knights had ridden. Her heart began to race as she saw the horses.

“Do you have an extra horse?”

“Why do you ask?”

Adele turned to look at Lionel, sensing the question in his tone. He finally noticed her attire, which resembled a combination of a skirt and pants, typical of a foreign land.

“I want to ride.”

The knight who had been guarding Adele was slightly surprised and tried to dissuade her.

“Your Majesty, the warhorses are fierce. It could be dangerous.”

She had been restraining her desire to ride due to the long caravan following her. If she rode freely, it would disrupt the caravan's pace. But with the knights here to greet her, it was different. Adele smiled and replied.

“Do you dare worry about the princess of Gottrop?”

Gottrop, a nation of equestrian people, was famous for its skill in handling horses, regardless of age or gender. Lionel deduced that Adele's attire was a Gottrop-style riding outfit.

“However, the breed of horses here is different from those in Gottrop. Are you sure you will be fine?”

Adele nodded at Lionel’s words.

“There’s no need to worry. If you have an extra horse, please give it to me.”

With that, she turned and started walking towards the horses. Her determined stance suggested she would ride even if there was no extra horse. Lionel quickly followed her. Adele walked, scanning the warhorses, and soon identified the unowned one.

“That one is the horse without an owner.”

Her keen eye was impressive. Lionel, realizing it was futile to dissuade her, quickly signaled a knight to bring a mounting block. While the knight fetched it, Adele was already standing in front of the horse. The people around her were anxious, as the foreign princess looked so small in front of the massive warhorse. Lionel skillfully grabbed the horse’s reins and said to Adele.

“The mounting block is on its way, please wait a moment.”

Adele smiled at him and reached out to gently stroke the horse’s face. The warmth of the animal made her feel good.

“I should ease your worries a bit.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t need the mounting block.”

Before Lionel could protest, she moved and swiftly mounted the horse, which was taller than her, in the blink of an eye.

“……!!”

“!!”

Gasps were heard from all around. Lionel looked at her in surprise as she sat comfortably on the horse. She looked down at him and said,

“Now, let’s ride to that gate. Follow me well.”

She skillfully guided the large horse, which showed signs of readying to gallop. Lionel quickly ran to his horse and ordered the knights.

“Everyone, mount your horses and accompany the princess!”

The knights, who had been staring at Adele in shock, quickly mounted their horses at his command. Adele, confirming that Lionel had mounted, smiled and gently shook the reins.

“Let’s go!”

At the same time, the horse she was riding started galloping. The soft wind brushed her cheeks as she took a deep breath. Riding through the undulating fields, her heavy heart felt a bit lighter. The knights following her were amazed by her riding skills and struggled to keep up. Only Lionel Valdr could keep pace with her. Lionel, watching her flowing black hair, urged his horse on. When he reached her side, Adele, who had been riding ahead, turned to look at him. Their gazes met in the air. The brilliant sunlight poured over their heads.

‘What a mysterious color.’

They both thought this simultaneously and then looked forward. Leading the knights, they galloped towards the capital of Echmont. Adele, enjoying the ride, slowed down as the second gate came into view. Since riding was not gender-specific in Echmont, her riding would not be an issue. However, entering the palace in this state might be inappropriate. When Adele stopped, Lionel and the knights also halted. Lionel understood why she had stopped.

“Would you like to switch to a carriage?”

Adele nodded and looked back, and Lionel followed her gaze. The approaching carriage and wagon procession was visible in the distance. It was moving so quickly that she felt a bit guilty.

“...There’s no need to come so fast.”

At her murmur, Lionel glanced at her. Her slightly flushed cheeks, damp with sweat, made him look away. The procession sped up, seeing the princess waiting. As the carriage approached, Adele gracefully dismounted and patted the horse’s neck before thanking Lionel.

“Thanks to you, I feel a bit more at ease. Thank you.”

Lionel silently extended his hand to Adele, who was stepping onto the carriage stairs, and she placed her hand on his as usual. A light laugh was heard, and the carriage door closed. Taking a step back, he turned and walked, but suddenly stopped and looked back at the carriage. Lionel, who had been lost in thought, quickly pushed the golden eyes from his mind. His job was done here. ＊ ＊ ＊

In the carriage, Adele changed her clothes with the help of a maid. When the carriage door opened again, she was elegantly dressed in a dress, as if she had never ridden. Adele looked around as she stepped out of the carriage. Lionel Valdr, who seemed to have finished his role, was nowhere to be seen. Despite the many people, his distinctive presence was not there. Adele followed the attendant to the prepared room. The next day, a welcoming procession lined up. It was to be expected. After all, she was to become the empress, so it was necessary to make a good impression. Although it was not a particularly pleasant task for her, who had traveled without rest for two months, Adele greeted the visitors with a political smile. As the endless stream of visitors continued, Adele began to feel annoyed by noon. It was not because of the welcoming procession, but because a nobleman had brought his granddaughter to greet her, and the emperor, who should have been the representative of Echmont, was nowhere to be seen. The greeting procession, which had started early in the morning, finally ended in the late afternoon, but the emperor was still absent. A self-deprecating smile appeared on Adele’s lips as she looked out the window. Deciding not to wait any longer, she stood up.

“I’m tired. I want to take a warm bath and go to sleep. If there are any visitors, send them away and tell them to come back tomorrow.”

The maid, who was serving her, bowed politely at her clear and distinct tone. ＊ ＊ ＊

After soaking in the warm water and relieving her fatigue, Adele came out of the bathroom to find it already dark outside. Feeling her body relax, she wanted to lie down and sleep. However, when she entered her bedroom in a bathrobe, there was an unexpected visitor. It was not the emperor. The woman, who had been sitting on the sofa, slowly stood up and bowed politely.

Adele stared at the woman with wavy blonde hair that reached her waist. This was the empress’s bedroom. Guests were always received in the reception room, and the maids directed them there. How could this woman sit so confidently in the unoccupied bedroom? Moreover, Adele had instructed to turn away any visitors. Unfamiliar with Echmont’s culture, Adele decided to remain silent and observe the situation. Adele’s golden eyes glowed eerily in the dark night, contrasting with her jet-black hair, giving off a wild aura. The intense gaze between the two women was unyielding. It was Dian who stepped back first. Having completed her initial assessment of the Gottrop princess, Dian bowed politely and introduced herself.

“Hello, Your Highness. My name is Dian Poitiers.”

Hearing the name, a small note she had received earlier came to mind. A sudden wave of displeasure surged, but Adele tilted her head and smiled, then walked past Dian to sit at the vanity.

“Your clothes are wet. Dry your hair quickly.”

At Adele’s words, the maid quickly approached and began drying her hair. Dian silently watched Adele through the mirror. The witch of Gottrop, the black panther of Gottrop. These nicknames were unknown in Echmont. The two empires, separated by the sea, had little interest in each other. Conquering the other across the deep and treacherous sea would be a loss for the aggressor. Nevertheless, when Dian first saw the princess coming out of the bathroom, she was reminded of a golden-eyed predator in a dense, dark forest. A chill ran from her feet to the top of her head, but Dian was pleased.

‘Thank goodness.’

Dian’s lips curved slightly.

‘Thank goodness. This is not a face the emperor will like.’

Unable to control her expression, Dian turned to hide her face. Adele watched her through the mirror.

‘She’s smiling?’

Adele’s eyes narrowed. She had not paid much attention to the information in the small note. In Gottrop, the treatment of mistresses and illegitimate children was very harsh. Therefore, the emperor’s mistresses never approached the empress, their mother. People often judge the world based on their own experiences. Thus, Adele had not taken the emperor’s mistresses in Echmont seriously. But if someone could come to her directly... it was a different story. At that moment, Dian turned and approached, taking a towel from the maid.

“Your Highness, may I dry your hair?”

Adele looked at Dian through the mirror.

“Are you a maid?”

Dian smiled and shook her head.

“No, I am not.”

“Then why do you offer to dry my hair? Also, I clearly said not to receive any more visitors today. If you are not a maid, how did you get into my bedroom without my permission?”

Dian, taken aback by the calm and firm tone, blinked and slowly lowered the towel. Adele watched her through the mirror. Dian’s lustrous, wavy blonde hair flowed like a river, reaching her waist. Her flawless face had clear, sky-blue eyes, and her delicate shoulders looked as if they could break with a touch. She appeared to be around twenty. Her tone and expression were extremely submissive. Adele slowly stood up and turned to face Dian. Dian, who had been looking down, raised her head to meet Adele’s gaze.

“I apologize if I have upset you. I just wanted to tell you something.”

“What?”

“About the emperor’s preferences.”

“...”

At first, Adele thought she had misheard. Her brows furrowed, and her lips twitched, but she could not stop the words. Dian smiled warmly.

“I thought you might be curious about the emperor’s preferences, so I came to tell you, Your Highness.”

People freeze for a moment when faced with an unexpected situation. Before Adele could respond, Dian continued with an innocent face.

“Well... the emperor likes wavy hair. But you have straight hair. Why don’t you try curling it?”

Then, she looked at Adele’s face and added,

“Also... your complexion is so pale. What about adding a touch of blush to your cheeks?”

The tone and expression of concern only increased Adele’s irritation. The journey to Echmont was like exile for Adelaide Gottrop. She had not come willingly. Now, upon arrival, someone dared to tell her... Adele glared at Dian and smiled, her pale cheeks contrasting with her red lips, which curved into a sneer, and her golden eyes flashed. The maid, standing nearby, took a step back, but Dian did not flinch. Adele raised her hand and grabbed a handful of Dian’s lustrous blonde hair.