A couple of weeks passed, and it didn’t get any easier having her around, especially with the increasing frequency of our friendly conversations. At least she was careful to maintain a cool professionalism. She had mastered the art of handling my brothers and me, simultaneously giving us a sweet smile and a cold shoulder. The respect she’d demanded came naturally to me, and I even went so far as to engage in stereotypically chivalrous behavior that I’d never before considered a worthwhile use of time. There were no more threats, no more consequences. Just holding the door open for her, keeping my distance, keeping my eyes in check, and throwing myself into my work to drown the thoughts of her from my mind.
I didn’t pay her mother’s doctor bill again, but I did have the doctor keep me updated on her mother’s health. It was failing fast. She was soon completely bedridden, and though Ivetta refused to ask for help, the strain was wearing on her. Her humming, formerly a constant backdrop whenever she was working, began to disappear. There were moments when she didn’t think I was looking and she let her guard down, and I saw the growing exhaustion and anxiety. In those moments, it was all I could do to stop myself from calling her name and pulling her into my arms.
I was losing the war, and I knew it.
She’d worked at the palace for about a month when I was rudely awoken by Clavis one morning.
“Hey, Chev, get up!” he called, shaking me roughly.
I shoved his hand away and glared at him. “Go away,” I mumbled, my voice still thick with sleep.
“Can’t do that, Chev. Sariel has chosen a Belle.”
“Good for him.” I pulled the blankets up tighter around me.
“She’s being presented to us right now,” Clavis said gleefully.
I groaned and sat up. “Four-Eyes will regret this,” I muttered.
“Sorry I’m not Ivetta, but…” Clavis grinned slyly. “If I were, what would I be doing right now?”
I glared up at him. “Get out.”
“Really? That’s what she’d be doing?” he asked, his golden eyes glittering.
“Get out,” I repeated firmly, reaching for my sword.
He shrugged, but he did step back out of my reach. “Suit yourself. See you at the round table.”
If he were Ivetta, I’d be a lot less irritated at being made to wake up at this ungodly hour. I glanced at the clock as I went to the bureau. Seven o’clock. What was Sariel thinking? I grit my teeth and got dressed. Hopefully, this wouldn’t take too long, and I could be back before Ivetta arrived. There had been no further assassination attempts, but she still worried whenever I didn’t follow my normal routine.
I was the last to arrive, and I swept past Sariel and a young woman to my seat. She was older than Ivetta, probably in her twenties; a little taller than Ivetta, a little fuller in the figure, with long, wavy brown hair and big, round brown eyes. Those eyes were frightened. Sariel had no doubt been as forceful with her as he’d tried to be with Ivetta, but this woman certainly couldn’t stand up to him. She looked like a frightened rabbit, standing there under the appraising eyes of eight intimidating Noble Beasts. But, oddly enough, her dress caught my attention more than her expression. It had a long red skirt, a gold belt from the hips to just under the bust, black fabric around the chest and upper back, and white sleeves with a white ruffled collar that draped down over the bust.
I found myself picturing Ivetta in that dress.
“Thank you all for answering my summons so promptly,” Sariel began, wearing his usual thin smile. “We will now proceed with the ceremony to appoint the next Belle. To start with, the young lady’s name is Belle.”
Clavis chuckled. “Seriously?”
Sariel ignored him and continued. “Now, since this is your first meeting, I’d appreciate it if you’d all introduce yourselves, starting with you, Prince Luke.”
“Do I have to?” he complained.
“Your highness…” Sariel’s lavender eyes narrowed in undisguised disapproval. He’d been trying to whip Luke into prince material since he arrived at the palace earlier this year with very little success.
“Okay, okay, I’ll do it. I’m Luke Randolph. I’m the seventh, no, the eighth prince, or something like that.”
Idiot.
“I’m the seventh prince, Nokto Klein. You’re welcome to visit me anytime, in my bedroom.” His crimson eyes glitter slyly, but he continued, “And next up is my twin brother…”
“The sixth prince, Licht Klein.”
Yves didn’t bother waiting to see if Licht would say more. We all knew he wouldn’t.
“I’m the fifth prince, Yves Kloss. I’m telling you my name because I have to, but that doesn’t mean you get to address me by it!”
It was always about appearances with him.
Jin broke the order by speaking up next. “I’m Jin Grandet. I’m the eldest of this lot, and that makes me the first prince. We’re all problem children here, but do your best with us, okay?”
“I’m the third prince, Clavis Lelouch. Just call me Clavis, okay?” He grinned at her, his golden eyes already scheming.
“I am the second prince, Chevalier Michel,” I said coolly.
“And that makes me lucky last. I’m Leon Dompteur, and I’m Rhodolite’s fourth prince. It’s good to meet you again, Belle.”
Of course, he’d met her already. Probably on one of his many ventures to town, mingling with the commoners.
“Um, yeah, you too. But I still don’t actually know what’s going on. Why am I here?” She looked no less frightened after our introductions.
“Excuse me? You came all the way to the palace not even knowing that?” Yves asked, surprised.
“I was kidnapped, thank you very much!” she said emphatically, shooting a glare at Sariel.
“What? Sariel, did you kidnap her?” asked Luke disapprovingly.
“I am saddened to hear you say such dreadful things about me. She is here of her own free will,” Sariel said smoothly.
“I am?” she asked, watching him warily.
“You are. Aren’t you?” He gave her his frightening smile, a smile that made it clear that his words were an order, not a question. “It is a long-held tradition in Rhodolite that each new king shall be chosen by a commoner, and the commoner selected to fulfill that solemn duty is given the title of Belle.”
“And they’re called Belle because they have a pure, beautiful heart, right? That’s what allows them to make the correct choice,” she responded, finally realizing what was going on.
“Yes, that’s right,” Sariel confirmed.
“You mean I’m the next Belle?” she exclaimed.
He couldn’t have found somebody a bit more intelligent?
“That’s what I’ve been saying all this time. You will be choosing one of the princes here to be the next king of Rhodolite,” he confirmed.
She stood still, stunned. It was a bit of a tall order for her.
Clavis chuckled again. “I assume you’ve told her about dear old daddy’s death, Sariel?”
“What?” she asked, looking up at Sariel again.
Sariel sighed, irritated. “That is classified information, Clavis.”
“If she’s going to be Belle, she needs to know, doesn’t she?” Clavis asked, smiling slyly as he watched her reactions.
“Why would that be classified?” she asked.
“The kingdom is vulnerable without a king, and relations with our neighboring countries have been unstable as of late,” Sariel explained. “You understand the importance of keeping this a secret?”
She nodded. “I guess so.” But her brown eyes looked more confused than ever.
“So you accept the role of Belle?” he prompted.
“I don’t think I’m qualified-”
“Very well,” Sariel interrupted her. “Prince Leon, Prince Chevalier, if you will recognize her as Belle, please raise your hand.”
I raised my hand in silence.
“That was quick, King Highness,” Nokto commented.
“You’re our leader, though. Should you really just be agreeing like that?” asked Luke.
“I don’t care who becomes Belle. It’s irrelevant to me,” I said coolly.
“Wait, he’s your leader?” Belle asked. “But I thought-”
“The princes are divided into two factions, one centered around Prince Leon, the other centered around Prince Chevalier,” Sariel interrupted again. “One could say Prince Leon’s faction favors domestic politics, while Prince Chevalier’s faction favors foreign politics. The princes’ opinions generally converge along these two opposing viewpoints, so they often entrust their final votes to their leaders. Prince Leon, what do you think?”
We all looked at Leon, whose amber eyes met hers. “Belle, I want to know your thoughts.”
“Well, I’m glad someone’s finally asking me!” she exclaimed irritably.
So, she did have a backbone.
Leon’s calm gaze was unphased. “I think you have the capability to decide who the next king will be.”
“What makes you so sure of that? I’m nobody special. I’m just a commoner,” she said, her eyes doubtful.
“Every single Belle throughout history has been a commoner,” he said patiently.
“Okay, but I still don’t see what makes me stand out.”
“Do you know why we have this tradition? Why we let Belle decide for us?” he asked.
“No, not really.”
I glanced at the clock. This was taking far more time than necessary. But if Leon thought she was capable of this, there must be more to her.
Leon nodded and grinned at her. “Okay then, do you know how the common people refer to the royal family?”
“They call you ‘Noble Beasts,’ right?” she answered sheepishly, as if we weren’t fully aware of the title.
“Right. In the olden days, the royal family did nothing but fight amongst themselves for power. The people considered them as cruel as beasts. Ever since then, anyone with royal blood has been called a ‘Noble Beast’ by the people of Rhodolite.”
“But you’re not beasts anymore, are you? That’s all in the past, right?”
Clavis barely suppressed another chuckle.
“Not really,” Leon answered, ignoring Clavis. “Everyone here is a beast who possesses the desire to act in their own selfish interests. We’d devour others for the sake of our ambitions and our ideals, and we’d do it without batting an eyelid. And it’s also true that we’ve all been called beasts for the way we slaughter our enemies on the battlefield. Never mind that we’re still on our best behavior with you, for now.”
“For now?” she asked nervously.
“But that’s why we need Belle. We need someone with an unusually beautiful heart to show beasts like us how to become human beings. Besides, who else but someone with a pure and righteous heart is going to choose a person to be king, and not a beast?”
Every single description of Belle could be Ivetta. Every single word.
“Okay, I get what you’re saying, and you’re probably right, but I’m still struggling to see how I’m that person,” Belle said.
“Goodness me, are you saying that you doubt my judgment?” Sariel asked, feigning injury.
“Hey, don’t put words in my mouth!” she protested.
“You see? You are Belle, a commoner with a pure, righteous, beautiful heart. My words are final,” he said smugly.
“What comes next is up to you,” Leon continued. “If you really don’t like the idea, you can turn us down, but we’re pressed for time. We need a new king, and soon, and you meet the criteria for Belle. What do you want to do?”
His pointed question finally seemed to bring the matter home for her. She straightened her posture and said confidently, “I want to be Belle.”
Leon raised his hand.
“Then it’s decided,” Sariel said.
I pushed my chair back, but Clavis stopped me before I could leave.
“You may as well stay for breakfast, Chev,” he said. “What better way for Belle to get to know us all than over a meal?”
He had a point. I sighed and resigned myself to staying a bit longer.
It was nine o’clock when I returned to my room. The drapes were tied back, the bed was made, and Ivetta was busy dusting the bookshelves. There was no reason for me to be there, but then, I’d resigned myself to the fact that there was little reason for anything I did where she was concerned.
“Good morning, Prince Chevalier,” she said, looking up briefly to smile at me.
“Belle has been chosen,” I said simply, leaning back against the wall next to the door, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Oh, I see,” she said. I heard a touch of relief in her voice. She had probably worried Sariel would try to force her into the role after her mother died. It had been a concern of mine as well, which was why I’d made a point of giving him that final warning after she’d turned him down.
“Have you had breakfast yet, your highness?” she asked, turning back to me.
“Yes.”
She looked tired. There was a hint of dark circles under her eyes, which weren’t nearly as bright as usual.
“Is there something else you need me to do, your highness?” she asked nervously.
“You haven’t been humming lately.”
She stood still for a moment, thoughtful, and I found myself picturing that dress on her. It really would suit her nicely. I hadn’t given her any sort of gift since Foundation Day, and the thought had its appeal. But I would need some sort of excuse. Did we have a holiday coming up?
“I hadn’t realized,” she finally said.
“How long can you keep this up?”
She stared at me, unsure what to say, but Clavis burst through the door before I could speak again.
“Sorry, Chev, but I need to steal Ivetta for a moment,” he said, taking her hand and pulling her after him in his usual forceful manner.
“Prince Clavis-” she started, glancing back at me for help as he dragged her along.
“I’ll have her back soon. The head maid wants to see her,” Clavis said with a grin.
I said nothing. This was probably about the goodwill gala, which would begin tomorrow with a ball. Oddly enough, Ivetta hadn’t asked me about it at all. I sighed and left my room, heading toward my office. Clavis and Ivetta were already long gone, the hallway empty. My office would likely be empty, too, for a little while, at least.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEJMfnffrz
