Chapter 16 - An Unexpected Visitor (1/2)
Chapter 16 – An Unexpected Visitor
“A guest from the palace, My Lady,” Florinda announced not long after the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet.
I had to take a moment to think about what Florinda was talking about before understanding hit me. I clapped my hands together.
Right, Xavier told me that he’d send someone over. I guess he sent me the handkerchief.
I excitedly closed the book that I was reading and placed it on the table, before standing up from my seat.
“Where is the guest?” I asked.
“I showed him to the parlor room.”
“Thank you. I’ll head down right away.”
I smiled warmly, exited the bedroom, and headed down to the parlor room. I knocked on the door twice, and headed in to find an unfamiliar man with straight posture primly sipping a cup of tea.
He was quite good-looking. In any case, his primness somewhat intimidated me and I carefully walked towards the table.
“A pleasure to meet you,” I offered as a quiet greeting. Only then did the man stand up and return the courtesy.
“It is my pleasure, Lady Maristella. My name is Dilton Aurus, serving His Highness. I am very honored to make your acquaintance.”
“My honor as well. Do sit, Sir Dilton.”
I couldn’t imagine myself getting used to such formalities, but I awkwardly sat down. However, I didn’t see any bags or boxes next to Sir Dilton. I tilted my head in confusion, wondering if he had kept the box hidden in his inner blazer pockets.
“I deeply apologize for my sudden visit, Lady Maristella. His Highness wanted me to deliver this to the Noble Daughter of Bellafleur.”
Sir Dilton slid his hand under his jacket to pull something out. So he did have the gift hidden in his jacket, after all.
I excitedly waited for Sir Dilton to pull out a handkerchief from within his pocket. However, what he pulled out was not what I expected.
I looked at it in confusion. “What… is this?”
In his hand was a pale gray envelope that seemed to have been starched stiff. I took the envelope from him, feeling completely nonplussed.
What is this, a new type of handkerchief?
But I had never heard of such a stiff handkerchief.
What came next out of Sir Dilton’s mouth was even more shocking.
“It is an invitation, Lady Maristella.”
…Say what?
“Why the sudden invitation?”
“His Highness wishes to repay you for the handkerchief that was dirtied, My Lady. He would like to invite you to Thurman Palace.”
“…“
Thurman Palace was where the Crown Prince lived.
“R-Really?” I blurted out.
“Yes, My Lady. He asked me to find out what time would accommodate you best.”
“Um… I’m fine with any time.”
Wait, no. This isn’t right. I quickly snapped myself out of it.
“But he could have just sent the handkerchief along with you, Sir Dilton. I thought that His Highness was quite busy…”
In the novel, the Crown Prince was certainly described as a very busy person. And yet, he was inviting me out all the way to Thurman Palace because of a mere handkerchief that was dirtied at a party. Why in the world would he do that?
No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t understand what was going on through his mind. I didn’t even know how to take everything in.
“Well…”
But even the person who was supposed to be the one answering seemed to be at a loss.
Why the hecking heck?
Sir Dilton continued. “That is… His Highness was unsure as to what kind of design Lady Maristella would like, and wanted to ask you first.”
Then couldn’t I just tell him now?
“I’ll just let you know now, then,” I replied, still feeling completely vexed.
“Oh, no!” Sir Dilton quickly shook his head and stopped me. “Absolutely no need for that. His Highness, actually… he doesn’t really trust what others say.”
“Pardon me…?”
“So… he wishes to hear it directly from you, My Lady. Directly!”
Sir Dalton emphasized the word “directly”, and I was nodding my head before I could even process what was going on.
“I’m fine with that, but… I’m just concerned that His Highness might be wasting his time on me.”
“You need not worry about that at all, My Lady. His Highness is a master of time management.”