Chapter 167 (2/2)

When I was at a loss about what to do, the duchess gracefully put down the fork and opened her mouth, “Lady Monique, why don’t you put off his invitation as you seem to be sick?”

“I think I should. Will you convey my message to the crown prince? Tell him I’m sorry.”

“Sure, my lady.”

After the servant left, I still felt dizzy for some time. It went away only after I took a deep breath several times.

Was it because of cinnamon? But I felt strange about it. Although I didn’t usually like it very much, I didn’t hate it that much. The thing is I have never felt dizzy while having cinnamon.

Though I was puzzled, I pushed aside the cinnamon dish because I felt like my dizziness would come back at the scent. Looking at me, she stood up.

“Then I must go. You don’t have to see me off. By the way…”

“Pardon?”

“I know you’re an apprentice knight, but it looks like you’re too weak for a knight candidate.”

“… Sorry.”

“Well, you don’t have to feel sorry for me. See you again next time. ”

She turned coldly and left my office quickly.

I watched blankly her fading away, then sat down on a chair only when her light blue hair was seen no more. I was very tired even though I had only had a short conversation.

I sighed, looking at the piles of documents because I still felt nauseated.

‘It’s really driving me crazy. I have so much work to do now.’

I felt like a limp noodle due to the heat. Even though I knocked my chest with my fist, it still felt stuffy. My face felt burning because of the hot air.

‘Why is it so hot? It was never as hot as now in the past.’

The drought was alleviated thanks to the heavy rain, which caused flooding, but the sweltering heat that began in May was still there.

“Whew!”

With a sigh I picked up a bunch of documents. But I could not concentrate.

After reviewing the tenth document, I got up from the seat, putting it down as I couldn’t stand the heat anymore. I felt I couldn’t do work anymore today.

The next day, I was summoned to a meeting to verify my qualifications as the crown prince’s bride, so I headed for the Imperial Palace. My father went down to the estate to take care of the damages of the drought and flooding there, so I entered the conference hall alone for the first time.

Heading to the head table, I looked around. Among the vacant seats here and there I noticed a seat reserved for the head of the Monique family. When I sat down, the young golden-haired man, who was seated already, smiled up at me.

“Good morning, Lady Monique! I look forward to your outstanding performance today. ”

“Thank you.”

When I was chatting with several members of the pro-emperor faction including Marquis Enesil, the attendant announced the arrival of the emperor and the crown prince. The moment I hurriedly stood up, I felt dizzy again. I tried to keep calm and showed due manners to them.

When everyone was seated, Duke Verita, holding a bunch of documents, stepped forward.

“Today’s agenda is about the verification of the two candidates for the crown prince’s spouse. We’re going to test how they host and manage the three-day festival of the National Founding Day. Each of them will be taking care of one whole day as the host of the banquet.”

As soon as the duke was done talking, Earl Hamel said, “Which day of the three-day festival is assigned to which one?”

“Well, I decided to leave the banquet on the first day to Duchess Lars as usual, so I think they will be in charge of the second and the third day.”

“Can they choose which day they want?”

All at once they turned their eyes at me and Jiun. As the third day was the most important, the noble faction was anxious to know who was going to host the third-day banquet.

I sighed somehow. Anyway, they were supposed to test our qualifications as the crown prince’s bride candidate, so they didn’t have to care about whether it’s second or third day of the test.

As Jiun may have hosted a bunch of banquets as the empress in the past, she would have similar results in this competition anyway.

I turned my head and looked at Jiun sitting down there. Then I said with a ritualistic smile, “I don’t care. Can you choose the date first, Lady Jena?”

“…I’m going to choose the last day then. ”

“Sure, go ahead. Let me take the second day, then.”