"Estelle?"

Estelle opened her eyes, glancing towards the balcony door, her view obstructed by the imposing figure of the Crown Prince. Standing there was Rovan, holding a glass of grape juice in his right hand and a small plate of cookies in his left.

Elias remained in his position, incredibly close to Estelle, creating a scene ripe for misinterpretation.

"Lord Erlando, Lady Estelle and I are in the midst of a crucial discussion. Might I request that you grant us some privacy?" Elias's voice carried a calm authority, not bothering to turn around.

"Is that true, Estelle?" Rovan strained to catch a glimpse of her expression. Estelle felt a sharp pressure from Elias's piercing gaze, compelling her to go along with his request.

"Y-yes, we have matters to discuss regarding our official engagement," Estelle stammered. Elias's lips curled into a smile.

'No, Rovie! I don't want to be here. Please save me! I feel like this man could kill me at any moment!'

"Are you sure, Estelle? I brought the cookies you asked for." Rovan insisted, still trying to gauge her true feelings. Elias let out a sarcastic chuckle, shaking his head as he stepped back, revealing Estelle's face, which was on the verge of tears, her hands gripping the balcony railing for support.

"Captain Erlando, to whom do you owe your allegiance?" Elias turned and walked slowly towards Rovan, his presence suffocating, causing Rovan's confidence to falter.

"T-to the Kingdom of Aragon. My entire life is dedicated to the Kingdom of Aragon!" Rovan declared, his voice trembling.

"In that case, why do you dare to defy the words of Aragon's future ruler?" Elias's voice was dangerously soft as he gripped Rovan's shoulder with iron strength, making him swallow hard.

"N-no, Your Highness. Forgive me. I was merely carrying out Marquess Loraine's instructions to escort Lady Estelle at tonight's ball," Rovan stammered, feeling the crushing weight of Elias's aura.

"Is that so? Very well then, fulfill your duty." Elias's oppressive aura vanished as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by a disarming smile. He walked past Rovan, leaving a faint stain on Rovan's pristine white jacket, a silent reminder of the near-miss.

"Rovie!" Estelle rushed to Rovan, who stood frozen in place. She had never seen him so helpless before.

'What just happened? I couldn't breathe when the Crown Prince whispered to Rovan.' Estelle thought. She realized she had underestimated this world, despite being the one who had created it in the game. There was so much she didn't know, crucial information hidden in plain sight.

'It should be like in the novels I've read, where I can access character information. But nothing appears, no matter how much I try to touch the bar above their heads.'

Rovan Erlando

Affinity:100%

Mood: Terrified

Status: Noble of Aragon (Erlando House)

Relationship: Childhood friend

"Rovie, I'm so sorry. I truly am!" Estelle shook Rovan gently until he snapped out of his daze.

"No, Estelle. I should apologize for leaving you alone. I'm sorry… I'm still too weak to protect you," Rovan said, his voice filled with regret. He felt ashamed of his own trembling in the face of the Crown Prince. Though anyone else would likely feel the same when confronted by royalty.

"What are you saying, Rovie! You're the captain of the Royal Army! If you were weak, you'd be staying at home like Eric!" Estelle retorted, referencing her brother, who never bothered with martial training. Eric, as the family heir, was trained to manage the Loraine family business. It was Russel who had been trained in combat from a young age.

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"But… just now…"

"It's only natural, right? Besides, I'm very grateful to you. I owe you a debt for rescuing me from that uncomfortable situation!" Estelle took the glass and plate from Rovan, called a servant, and handed them over. They decided to leave the ball early after bidding farewell to the King and Queen.

In the carriage, they were both lost in their thoughts. Rovan berated himself for appearing weak in front of Estelle, while Estelle worried about how to ask for an explaination the engagement to Marquess and Marchioness Loraine.

The three-hour journey passed in silence, save for the sound of the horses' hooves, growing fainter as they approached the snowy region of Nevada. As they entered the outskirts of Nevada, the festival was still in full swing despite the late hour. Children played under a large tree decorated with small blue and deep red balls. Beneath it hung strings of candy, which the children eagerly grabbed.

"Rovie," Estelle called, snapping Rovan out of his reverie. He quickly plastered a smile on his face.

"What is it, Estelle?"

"Do you want to eat some snow?"

.

"Wow!"

Food stalls lined both sides of the street. There was a mini theater showing puppet performances for children. A black tent with a long line of people caught Estelle's eye. Rovan explained it was a fortune-telling tent, where a person would read your palm or simply see your aura.

'Of course, they have something like this here!'

"Do you want to try it?" Rovan asked, noticing Estelle's curiosity.

"Hmm, I'm very interested. But the line is so long…" she lamented, eyeing the lengthy queue. Rovan chuckled, amused.

'It seems Estelle likes things like this,' he thought, as Estelle eagerly pulled him towards the end of the line.

"Excuse me!" Estelle called out to the middle-aged man in front of her. The man, annoyed at the interruption, turned around with a scowl.

"Don't bother me!" he snapped. Estelle brushed it off, understanding his frustration.

'He's probably been waiting here a long time too.'

Rovan's brows furrowed as he instinctively reached for his sword, but Estelle quickly held him back, signaling she would handle it. They wore black cloaks that covered their entire bodies and heads, so it was no surprise the man didn't recognize them.

"Sir, I just want to know how much the fortune-telling costs inside. I'm afraid I might not have enough money," she said, feigning concern while checking her pouch, which was actually filled with gold coins.

"Ugh, if you don't have money, you shouldn't be at the festival!" the man spat.

Estelle's brow twitched in irritation.

'This old fool, I should slap him with a bag of gold coins!'

"It's one silver!" the man said arrogantly, flaunting a silver coin in his hand. Estelle pulled out one, then two gold coins from her pouch. The man's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Estelle's small pouch brimming with gold.

"Oh! Oh! My apologies, Lady. You must be a noble visiting Nevada to enjoy the winter festival, yes? Hahaha, my deepest apologies. Please, go ahead of me!" The man stepped back, allowing Estelle and Rovan to move forward, his eyes never leaving the gold coins.

'Visit, my foot. I need to tell Marquess to better manage his people. This is embarrassing for the Loraine family!' Estelle thought angrily. She kept her composed smile and handed the gold coins to the man, drawing the attention of other people in line.

'Um… is the gold enough?'