Chapter 168 - Little sun of the Empire

I slowly raised my head to the familiar voice. The sun-haired blonde man stood coldly in front of my nose.

"Your Highness."

I said him not to come, but I burst into laughter at the sight of the man who came at my coming-of-age ceremony.

It seemed helpless for me to do anything about Callisto who appeared confidently with a red cape. "I greet the little sun of the Empire."

I bowed my head slightly. The Crown Prince, who didn't answer at my greeting, finally opened his mouth after a long time.

"Raise your head."

At that remark I looked up and faced him.

"I told you not to pretend you know me, but you're pretending again." "It's beautiful."

His wrong answer was caused by my hasty attitude. I understood his words a little later.

It was a dress that I wore thinking he wouldn't come, but I was embarrassed that the person who gave me the present appeared here. Even though I couldn't make eye contact with him and didn't know what to do, the Crown Prince uttered without hesitation.

"It's more than I imagined myself." ""

"It looked like that only to mebut looking around, it seems that all the guys were staring at you."

He looked at me with an expressionless face and said bluntly.

I was surprised to see the Crown Prince saying such things. I had never heard such a strange compliment, and once again I burst into laughter. I calmly decided to accept his gifts and praise.

"I don't know what to do with the hype." "I'm not kidding, Princess."

He bend his head slightly toward me and whispered with low voice.

"I just barely endured on what I wanted to do because I want gouge all the eyes out of those bastards." I frowned upon the brutal joke.

"Heep holding it in until the end of the ceremony."

"Is that what the protagonist of today is going to say?" "Or, take them to a place where I am not there."

Only then Callisto loosened up his expression, which was fiercely rigid, and then he sighed and smiled. "Alright, because you hate cruelty."

As he nodded his head, he asked suddenly "Have you got my gift?"

"Yes, there are so many presents that I don't know if I can use them all... Anyway, thank you, Your...

Highness."

"Don't feel too pressured because I picked them especially for you."

When the butler delivered the message a few days ago, I thought it was just an exaggeration, but now he really said it himself. I was dumbfounded at his arrogant look and opened my mouth.

"Whenever you come to the Duchy, do you come as it is a conquest war?"

"What, is there somewhere you want to go? Just say it. I didn't know you were so belligerent." "No, nothing."

Callisto laughed short again at my answer. Then suddenly, his gaze fell on the lower part of my chest. "But, wasn't that the one from Soleil last time?"

"Yes? What"

Following his gaze, I lowered my head and found an ancient magic necklace that I had just been worried about.

"Ah"

"It's weird."

In other words the Crown Prince commented that it didn't match to the dress.

"What is it you're so fond for? How dare you put me, the Crown Prince of the Empire, in such a humiliating situation. Shit!"

He added in an unpleasant voice. I fully understood his displeasure and answered him gently. "It's a gift from Vince."

"Vince? Who is that?

"You know the wizard from another country who helped me. Wearing a mask." "Oh, bare feet with the evil spirit"

Whether he deliberately forgot, the Crown Prince exclaimed briefly. All he could remembered was evil spirit and bare feet. I felt a little sorry for the evil spirit barefoot man behind me, so I just laughed awkwardly.

"What is it?"

Suddenly the Crown Prince asked, with his eyes slightly open. "This necklace is supposed to protect the wearer's life." "How?"

"If there is a danger around, the color of the gem in the middle changesI think it's like an amulet in

that country."

To be exact, it was to detect a change in nature caused by toxicity or magic, but I said roughly. "You gave me a similar gift just like that."

Only then the Crown Prince stop inquiring persistently and sarcastically as if he wasn't convinced. I was curious about what 'similar gift' it was, but I hurriedly took off my necklace rather than question it.

"Just wearing it."

But the moment I had just caught the silver chain, Callisto stopped me. "Why?"

"On a day like this, all sorts of guys must have crawled in. How do you know what's going to happen?" "You said it's a gift like yours."

"But you can still trust its magic abilities."

Callisto shrugged and answered cheerfully. I said so much, and I felt ashamed of my hurried attempt to

try take it off. The hand that held the silver chain was put down gently. And there was a short silence between us.

Actually, I felt it from the beginning. Like me, he was trying as hard as he could not to argue today.

It was amazing that we, who broke up two days ago as if we would never see each other again, were having such a casual conversation.

"That's enough."

I thought so. I don't think I can leave anything behind. "Your Highness."

I glanced around, and I quietly opened my mouth. "People are looking at us."

For greeting the nobility who came to celebrate my coming-of-age ceremony, the time was quite late. There were already a lot of glances from this side a while ago.

"No more"

"That's weird."

As soon as I was about to bring it up to finish the conversation, Callisto abruptly cut me off. "Clearly until yesterday, you were driving me crazy because you were mean and disgusting to me." ""

"So, I kept thinking about whether or not to go this morning."

To his shame, Callisto laughed at himself, as he had put himself in a funny position. "But the moment I saw you today, the light brightened over your hair."

"..........."

"I couldn't take my eyes off it."

He paused. He muttered softly to himself, with his eyes down, without making eye contact with me. "I thought it was obviously because of the sunlight"

"..........."

"Still even at the distance, Princess. I'm blinded."

He suddenly frowned and looked at me. And slowly reached out to me. The man's fingertips touched my head, caressing my hair and touched the strands near my ears.

"Strange. Did you put on some luminous magic?"

He tilted his head as if he really didn't know what it was going on. I looked at him because it was him with his hand that stroked my head with his shaking eyes. The Crown Prince was giving out the same impression that I had always felt.

Just as I felt about his golden hair, it wasn't much. The flowers on my head were a tiara or earrings I wear. There was enough light to reflect and to fit in his description like that.

Nevertheless, as he said, I felt strange. My heart was pounding so hardNo, I couldn't stand but to

tremble.

<SYSTEM> Would you like to check the favorability of [Callisto]? [4 Million Gold / Fame 200]

'Because it's the last time.'

I chose [4 million gold] with such rationalization and trembling hands.

<SYSTEM> Spent [4 million gold] and check the favorability of [Callisto].

(The remaining funds: 999,999,999+) [Favorability 89%]

(NOTE: PRAISE THE LORDDD!!!)

Only then could I breathe out slowly. I looked up at the shiny figures, above the red favorability's gauge bar. The emptiness and disappointment I felt last time seemed like a illusion. The fact that he didn't yet fully admire me, I was truly relieved.

"It's no big deal, Your Highness. It's probably because of the diamonds."

I managed to opened my lips and laugh, desperately trying not to cry. "I think the diamond you gave me is so valuable, Your Highness." "Really?"

"Yes." "I see."

Callisto nodded and quietly lifted his hand from my hair. "If so, then so it."

His hand that was moving away, felt as if this moment was forever. The moment when our eyes met each other.

"Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Someone's voice suddenly went in between us. Turning my head, I saw the Duke and Renald, who had gone to pick his father up, were approaching.

"I greet the little sun of the Empire."

The time, which seemed to have stopped, flew quickly at a breath. "Raise your head."

The Crown Prince gave a clear order. And when he looked at them expressionlessly, he stiffened his face and smiled that fierce smile of courtesy.

"Oh, long time no see, Duke."

"It is an infinite honor for you to attend our party in the midst of your business." "You're the ambassador of a great help to me in the future. Of course I should come." The Crown Prince said, proudly raising his chin. The Duke's eyebrows wriggled once.

"I'd like to thank you more, but I'm sorry to say that we have to start the ceremony now, Your Highness."

"Oh, indeed. Yeah, the one-time ceremony of the princess can't be delayed."

The Crown Prince soon turned his head back to me and congratulated me casually. "Happy birthday, Princess."

"Thank you."

I responded with my eyes down. Soon he turned around and took a step to his designated seat. I didn't looked at his flying red cape.

When I looked up again, I was already sitting tightly at a table prepared for countless nobles. "Now let's start the ceremony."

Starting with the Duke's stern voice, the coming-of-age ceremony finally began.