If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight Chapter 51

My thoughts quickly grew hazy. My mind, flushed with embarrassment and ecstasy, was in a daze.

 

His lips pulled away, and our foreheads gently rubbed together. It was a tacit signal—permission to open my eyes. We kept our gazes locked as we shared sweet, shallow breaths in close proximity. The eye contact, as intense as the kiss, made my chest heave.

 

“Sasha…”

 

Especially when he looked at me with those golden eyes, they seemed both dazed with rapture and unwaveringly persistent, as if he’d even forgotten to blink.

 

My heart, hidden inside my pounding chest, grew turbulent and stirred up all sorts of emotions. At this moment, I felt as if I desperately wanted to plead with Regen more pitifully than anyone else in the world, and at the same time, like a tyrant no one could defy, I wanted to command him. I wanted to beg for his heart and crave his body.

 

In the end, I did neither. Instead, I quietly closed my eyes. Understanding my intention, Regen parted his lips and once again pressed himself inside me. With each fierce kiss, I was swept away, helpless, like sand on the shore battered by waves. When I wavered, Regen quickly supported me in his arms.

 

“Hold onto my neck.”

 

It seemed this was what I had wanted. I hurriedly wrapped my arms around him, clinging desperately as if nothing else in the world existed, making our kiss even hotter and deeper.

 

In my mind, on the verge of vaporizing, I thought. Why do I never get tired of this and only crave it more? Do these feelings and desires ever have an end? I had no idea.

 

My first love was still ongoing, and it’s still one-sided.

 

✦

A few weeks later, the true nature of what Sister Orlette had ‘prepared as one of the older sisters of the imperial family’ was revealed.

 

“The first imperial princesses’ regular tea time… Attendance required for all princesses…”

 

The invitation, devoid of any flowery language, was so typical of Sister Orlette. Of course, the location was her quarters, the Amethyst Room, and it was scheduled for the following week. It would be in the height of spring.

 

“So, it’s going to be a beauty contest.”

 

“We’ll have to prepare thoroughly.”

 

The maids in my quarters steeled themselves at the thought of all seven princesses gathering in one place.

 

When the day finally arrived, I instructed the maids to make my appearance as neat as possible. I had my platinum blonde hair pinned up and chose a dress that emphasized calmness and elegance over flamboyance. I wore an ivory satin dress accented with chocolate-colored lace and ribbons, hoping those warm colors would soften my cold image.

 

“Your Highness looks beautiful no matter what you wear.”

 

“It’ll be a landslide victory.”

 

“Go and show them who’s boss.”

 

I smiled, lowering my eyebrows at my combative maids.

 

“I’m not going there to fight.”

 

“But Your Highness isn’t the type to avoid a fight if it comes to you, right?”

 

“That’s true.”

 

Honestly, the maids are a perfect match for their princess, so who am I to say anything?

 

I chose a ring for my finger. Hamel offered the rose-patterned ring I wore at banquets, but I declined and put on a plain gemstone ring instead. “It’s a trustworthy gathering, so it seems unnecessary.”

 

Since Sister Orlette was hosting, it would be rude to wear a ring with poison in it. Thus, I left my room, more eager for social interaction than ever before.

 

“Have a good time, Your Highness.”

 

The Amethyst Room was located on the same floor of the same annex building. Upon arrival, Sister Orlette’s maid guided Regen and me separately. It seemed the knights would wait in another lounge, so only the princesses could converse freely.

 

The parlor for the tea time was magnificent, with the entire south wall made of lattice windows opening onto a balcony. In the afternoon, it was a perfect place to enjoy the pouring spring sunlight and the beautiful garden.

 

A stunning beauty greeted me in the parlor. Sister Orlette, wearing a sleek silver-gray dress that draped along her silhouette, looked sophisticated with long, mismatched black pearl earrings dangling from her earlobes.

 

“Welcome, Sasha. How kind of you to arrive early.”

 

“Looks like I’m the first one here.”

 

Thanks to that, I had time to converse comfortably with Sister Orlette, without worrying about others watching. I slowly walked along the wall, scanning the interior.

 

“Sister Lette, is this room really soundproof?”

 

“Of course. If it weren’t, I’d have lost my head by now.”

 

“Fair point.”

 

I, too, casually toss around the word ‘mad emperor’ in my conversation and yet still remain alive. If anything, Sister Orlette would be even more daring than I am.

 

“Has any princess declined to attend?”

 

“No.”

 

“As expected, no one handles the imperial family in line like you, Sister Lette.”

 

That was as far as our casual conversation went. Before long, the other sister began to arrive.

 

The princesses took their assigned seats around the massive table at the center of the parlor. The order was set clockwise by birth: Vivian, Orlette, Gwendellin, Lilliana, me, Nanaen, and Shumel. It hit me again about the reality of the number of princesses decreasing from eight to seven. While everyone sat in solemn silence, the maids stacked the table high with desserts.

 

Sister Orlette, holding a steaming teacup, was the first to speak. “I’m sure you all know why I’ve called you here today. I wanted to foster sisterly friendship among us.”

 

“Are you serious?”

 

The one who snapped back was Lilliana. Her searing lemon-yellow hair was tied up high, and her battle-ready red dress made her, seated next to me, look even fiercer. Ever since Sehera left, that’s how the seating worked out. Lilliana shot me a sideways glare, her exaggeratedly offended expression plain for all to see.

 

While I calmly sipped my tea, Sister Orlette handled it smoothly. “Lilli, fix your expression. You’re not looking pretty.”

 

Lilliana flinched and relaxed her expression.

 

Just then, someone raised her hand as if asking for permission to speak. It was the youngest, Shumel, with her caramel-colored hair braided on both sides and tied into round donut-like buns. “Can we do free seating? Shushu is allergic to deer.”

 

“Oh my, Shushu. But what if nobody wants to sit next to you? Wouldn’t you feel hurt?”

 

“No way! Who could hate sitting next to the kind, cute Shushu?”

 

Shumel and Nanaen started their usual noisy bickering. It was the perfect moment for me to offer a diplomatic solution.

 

“In gatherings like this, the host usually arranges seating to consider friendships and rivalries among guests.”

 

Voices of agreement quickly followed.

 

“What a surprise, you’re actually saying something I agree with. Sister Lette, I’d like to avoid sitting next to Sasha next time. Please consider that for the second gathering.”

 

“Me too… If you put me next to Sasha, I’ll just skip the gathering.”

 

After Lilliana, even Gwendellin publicly voiced her dislike for me. Lilliana was clearly delighted by that.

 

“With such a bad reputation, you should just sit alone. Or better yet, why don’t you just not come at all for the sake of peace among the sisters?”

 

“Honestly, if Sasha doesn’t come, everyone might be happier…”

 

Given my temperament, I’d exercised great patience so far. I put my teacup down. “Well, for all the talk of bonding, at least you two seem to be getting along.”

 

“What? Why would I be friends with Sister Gwendellin? That would be so beneath me.”

 

“…!”

 

Everyone at the table was shocked by Lilliana’s harsh words. Gwendellin glared at me with eyes that looked ready to burst into tears, as if I were the one who had hurt her. The target of her resentment wasn’t Lilliana, but me.

 

“Why are you always like this to me?”

 

“…”

 

I was speechless. It was Lilliana who said the cruel words, yet I was the one being blamed.

 

Sister Vivian weakly waved her hand. “This is why I gave up on organizing princess gatherings back in the day…”

 

“I see. Huh? But why is Sister Vivi’s tea a different color?”