Chapter 7.15
At Judy Esther’s sweet plea, Marquis Emers’ stern expression softened. From birth, he had been a doting father, weak to his daughter’s love. As Judy Esther told him she loved him, his eyes turned soft and warm.
“Brother, I always feel so secure with you here. Who else is by my side but you?”
“Judy, if you change your mind, you’re free to leave His Highness at any time.”
“That will never happen.”
Richard bristled at Daniel’s words. Daniel replied calmly.
“Your Highness, one never knows what the future holds.”
“Is that so? We’ll just have to wait and see. You’ll be right by our side, for life.”
“For life, huh? That sounds nice.”
Daniel nodded, slowly sweeping his hair back. It seemed that, for now, everyone was satisfied with this outcome.
It’s a happy ending…? Judy Esther sighed in relief. But then she saw Ella surrounded by women with fierce expressions. They looked like the stepmother and stepsisters. She had assumed they wouldn’t cause any trouble at the ball, but it looked like she’d underestimated them. While everyone else’s attention was on the crown prince and herself, they’d made their move.
“Oh? Look at that.”
The three women, presumed to be the stepmother and stepsisters, grabbed Ella’s arm and dragged her out of the ballroom. Ella didn’t resist, seemingly not wanting to make a scene.
“I’m sorry, I have something urgent to take care of. I’ll see you at home later.”
Leaving those words behind, Judy Esther strode in the direction Ella had disappeared. Richard’s hand was still clasped in hers, so he had no choice but to follow along, his arm stretched out as she pulled him forward. To an onlooker, it would have looked like the crown prince was being dragged along by the lady of the House Emers.
As he was being pulled along, Richard didn’t forget to look back at the marquis with a deeply satisfied expression. But the marquis was already lost in his own world of bliss.
“Judy said she loves me more than His Highness.”
“Think whatever you like.”
The marquis clenched his fists and sniffled, while the marchioness let out a quiet sigh.
“Father, Judy said she only has me.”
“Don’t you start too, son. Your mother will die of embarrassment…”
The marchioness fluttered her fan to hide her red face.
“No matter how you look at it, I’m definitely better than Richard.”
From out of nowhere appeared a man with silver hair and red eyes, his face showing clear disapproval of the Emers father and son.
“His Highness Richard is certainly better than Your Highness, who tried to take my sister away to Rumelern.”
Daniel answered in a calm voice. The foreign guest, Calix, whom he had hosted for several days, was no pushover, just as the rumors said.
“Surely being the Empress of Rumelern is better than being the Queen of Adrian. Why are you so inflexible?”
At those words, the remaining people in the hall murmured among themselves. It was surprising enough to realize that this man with silver hair and red eyes was the Crown Prince of Rumelern. But even more shocking was that his marriage proposal had been so completely ignored by the Emers family. Most astonishing of all, the Marquis of Emers seemed to regard Calix as invisible, completely ignoring him.
“Father, have you not even considered that Judy might leave Adrian?”
“Tsk. It’s a good thing we’re in Adrian. If this were my country…”
Daniel turned to look at the marquis, nodding to show he shared the same thoughts.
“Ah, Judy! If I’m going to hold your hand at the wedding, should I start having some care treatments for my hands now?”
The marquis muttered this while glancing at his own hands. Calix frowned and asked back,
“Marquis, would you really hate it if you ended up with a grandson with mousy gray hair and muddy brown eyes?”
“…Our family has always had pink hair and green eyes.”
Daniel answered on his father’s behalf.
At that, Calix turned to look at the marchioness. Apparently, her golden hair hadn’t influenced either Judy Esther or her brother, both of whom had inherited the pink hair.
“Exactly. No matter how much I think about it, I’m sure the baby would have either silver or pink hair. But Judy keeps insisting that it’ll come out gray.”
“Besides, I think pink mixed with silver would be even more beautiful than black.” Calix squinted as he murmured to himself, a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips as he imagined children with silver hair streaked with pink.
But the Marquis of Emers was far too preoccupied worrying about his skincare to pay any attention to Calix’s remarks. In the end, the marchioness stepped in.
“Your Highness Calix, I assure you, our marquis isn’t hearing a word you say right now. Please overlook his rudeness and enjoy the rest of the evening.”
“Tsk, so that’s who Judy takes after.”
It seemed that a royal wedding announcement was imminent. Well, what could be done? Judy Esther had chosen the crown prince.
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