Saving The Abandoned Empress

Eleanora asked curiously.

“Nothing much. I just told him to eat more... he looks so weak and vulnerable.”

“...huh?!”

Hearing Cathain’s words, Eleanora looked behind to look at Cedrick one more time.

Because to her, she didn’t find Cedrick to be weak or vulnerable in any way.

He might not look that strong and manly like Cathain but he doesn’t look weak at all.

Just as she was about to turn her head she felt a sudden pain in her ears.

“Y-Your Highness! Why did you bite me?!”

.....

“Stop looking at others guys. Is that weakling more handsome then me? You was staring at him so deeply earlier too!”

“When did i did that?”

“Forget it... You are only allowed to stare at me.”

“...”

Eleanora was speechless. Cathain seem to be more bolder after his identity as Ain got exposed.

‘I shouldn’t have let him go so easily for deceiving me, let alone kiss...’

Eleanora’s face turned red the moment she thought about their kiss last night and touched her lips unconsciously.

And Cathain’s lips curled up as he saw her actions.

They was standing infront of the entrance and Eleanora was checking her dress briefly, when Cathain suddenly whispered to her.

“Wanna try again?”

“Huh? What?”

Cathain’s was bending down to meet Eleanora’s dumfounded blue eyes as she still couldn’t get use to his flirtings.

Ain was different but seeing Cathain like this felt a little weird to her.

Then Cathain once again took his mouth near her ears and Eleanora felt ichy in her ears as his hot breathe fall on them.

“I thought you wanted to try it again... the way you was touching your lips...”

“Am-Am not! ...It-It was horrible!”

‘W-What? My kiss was horrible?!’

Cathain felt like he has been hit by the lightings. It was his first kiss but his girl said that his skills was horrible?

Where, Eleanora’s face was complete red because of embarrassment.

She wanted beat him up like she used to do when he was Ain to her. But she can’t do that now.

In the end, Eleanora could only supress her anger and glare at Cathain, who avoided her glare because of embarrassment.

‘Just you wait and grow up a little more... then i will let you know how horrible my skills are.’

Seeing them cussing with each other, which seem no end, the guard coughed a little to get their attention.

It was time for them to enter the banquet hall.

Eleanora put her hand lightly on Cathain’s cold hand but Cathain entangled their fingers with each others, ignoring Eleanora’s protest.

After clearing his throat, the chief attendant shouted loudly.

“The Little Sun of the empire, Crown Prince Cathain De Valerian Valentino and the Moon of the Future, Eleanora Ariande La Dalton, are entering the hall!”

The door slowly opened and Eleanora smiled consciously with her back straight.

Slowly moving, they saw nobles bowing to show their manners to the next emperor and empress.

As they walked along the red carpet, they stopped in front of the platform and bowed to the emperor sitting on the throne.

“I’m honored to see you, Your Majesty.”

“I’m honored to see the emperor, the Sun of the empire.”

Both of them bowed to the emperor to show their respect.

“Raise your heads, Crown Prince and princess. I am very happy to see you, Eleanora. You look really beautiful today.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Although Eleanora thanked the emperor but in her mind was something else.

‘Why this father and son pair says the same thing?’

After Eleanora and Cathain was done with their greetings to the emperor, Emperor Valerian ordered the nobles, who was still bowing to him to raise their bodies.

When everyone fixed their eyes on the emperor, he said with a solemn expression.

“Today is the day when the crown prince grows up and comes of age. I hope you all will enjoy the banquet and bless the crown prince.”

“Congratulations, Your Majesty. Congratulations, Crown Prince.”

Everyone bowed toward the platform at once.

After letting go of Cathain’s hand, Eleanora also stepped back a few steps, spreading the skirt with one hand, and congratulated him politely.

“In accordance with the imperial tradition, I give the crown and sword to the crown prince Cathain De Valerian Valentino, who has come of age.”

Emperor Valerian spoke as he took out the shining crown from the box that the servant brought.

It was slightly lesser in size and splendor than the emperor’s crown, but it was exquisitely elegant thanks to the delicately crafted jewels.

Cathain kneeled in one knee and bowed down as the Emperor put the shining crown on his head and hand him the decorated royal sword.

Emperor Valerian smiled faintly as he helped Cathain to stood up but Cathain stood emotionless.

“Long live the Crown Prince!!!”

He faced the crowd and his red eyes searched for Eleanora, who was clapping with others to celebrate his official crowning ceremony.

After spotting Eleanora, Cathain smiled towards her and she had no choice but to smile back bitterly.

Eleanora thought as long as she didn’t draw his attention, she could avoid her upcoming fate.

Unlike the old Eleanora, she was not receiving any education as the next empress.

So, she thought that if she was intentionally keeping a low profile, there was less of a possibility that Cathain would take her as his wife instead of Jena.

Because Jena is not a mere palace maid like everyone knew at first. She was the daughter of Duke Raven.

Even when her identity wasn’t exposed, everyone liked her. She was like warm sunlight, where Eleanora was full of coldness.

Miscommunication with her father, obsession for Cathain and not getting his attention had made Eleanora more colder.

So, In this life, Eleanora wanted to keep a low profile as much as she could.

She made sure her middle name, given as the God’s prophecy, did not draw any unnecessary attention.

Eleanora was waiting for Jennifer’s appearance.

Because she was sure, Cathain would fall for her in this life too like her previous one.

When that happens, Eleanora would step back willingly and live her life as the commander and Duchess of Dalton.

But Cathain remembering the past to some level and his newly grown love for her has messed up everything.

Specially him being Ain.

Regardless of everything, what Eleanora really feared was going through the recurring memory of her past.

Even if he loves her now and she becomes his wife, the fact that Jena would come later to take her title wouldn’t disappear.

There was no guarantee that she would not follow her past fate just because he loves her.

It was today, the last day that she promised to the emperor to give him her answer.

Eleanora held her hands to hide trembling and kept staring at the man infront of her.

The crown brilliantly reflected the light of the chandelier on Cathain’s black hair.

After looking back at those who bowed deeply and paying respect to him, the emperor spoke again.

“Raise your heads. I am so happy that so many people here celebrate his coming of age. I would like to thank you all. Let’s begin the party.”

.....

“We’re honored, Your Majesty.”

Cathain hurriedly hands the crown and sword to the servant as he approached Eleanora and reached out with a light smile on his face.

“To you.”

“...”

Eleanora blankly stared at him for a moment as she was lost in his smile.

“Can I ask you for a dance to celebrate my coming of age?”

Cathain spoke and suddenly, a scene from her past came to Eleanora’s mind.

Back then Eleanora, who went to the battlefield without even being an apprentice knight just because he told her to do so had came back from the battlefield to attend his coming of age ceremony.

Among all the brilliant and beautiful looking girls, Eleanora was hiding in a corner sadly, when a hand suddenly reached out for her.

‘Can I ask you for a dance to celebrate my coming of age?’

Cathain had asked the same thing back then too.

The reason as why the past Eleanora had offered her heart despite him being cold to her was because he asked her hands for dance at the coming-of-age banquet like this.

He was the only one who, if perfunctorily, smiled at her among the people as she looked unfit as a lady in the banquet hall.

As he reached out to her who was always lonely, the past Eleanora gave him her whole heart on that day.

But now...

“It is an honor, Crown Prince.”

Eleanora shook off her idle thoughts and held his hand.

His coming-of-age ceremony was the same as in the past as was his asking her to dance and his cold hand.

She wondered if her fate was again destined to be the same as the past. Maybe the name of ‘Saintess’ was of no use to me.

It only bound her with him more tightly.

The crowd took steps back and it was only Eleanora and Cathain in the middle of the banquet hall.

When they arrived at the dancing floor, they stood face to face on the dance floor and pretty close to each other as she felt his strong grip around her waist.

The chamber orchestra members picked up their instruments and they started to moved slowly.

Cathain hold Eleanora right hand with his left hand and entangled their fingers together.

As Eleanora’s left hand rested on his right arm because she couldn’t reach his shoulders, their slow dance started grandly.

Only the man who came of age and his partner could dance the first dance.

Because of this, Eleanora and Cathain were dancing under the attention of numerous guests.

They was dancing quitely when Cathain suddenly spoke with a cold voice.

“I should change your dress designer.”

“What are you talking about?”

Eleanora barely replied, struggling to pull herself together from her concerns.

“I’m talking about your dress.”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“You don’t know?”

Cathain asked coldly, pulling her toward him when Eleanora was stepping a bit away from him.

“I can see numerous guys staring at your white shoulder and it makes me want to bite it, leave my mark for them to see.”

“What are you even saying? Have you gone crazy?”

“Really...”

After snorting with laughter, Cathain pulled her towards him tightly as he grinned strangely at her.

He put his lips close to her ear and whispered after sniffing her body smell.

“I have gone crazy for real... This is what you made me, Eleanora Ariande La Dalton. You made me a crazy jealous guy who want to kill every guy who is staring at you right at this moment.”

Saying this, Cathain turned his gaze on someone and as Eleanora also turned her head along his gaze, a boy with light blonde hair came to her view.

“... Today is the first time i have meet him.”

“First time? I remember you gladly ate his candy which he offered you during my sixth birthday.”

“...”

Eleanora was speechless because she was only two at that time. How can she remember those?

“Anyway, I don’t like him...”

Hearing Eleanora’s reply, Cathain once again looked at Cedrick and smiled in satisfaction this time.

“...??”

Eleanora raised her blue eyes and looked up at him with surprise and confusion.

Why is he so happy?

Eleanora felt goosebumps. Why did does she feels that Cathain always takes every guy around her in the wrong way?

Suddenly, As if somebody threw cold water over her body, Eleanora felt cold and nervous.

The blood flowing through her heart seemed to have frozen, and her whole body began to tremble as she noticed a girl with light blonde hair, wearing maid clothes at the second floor of the banquet hall.

‘Jennifer?!’