Otillia’s heart almost stopped beating at that moment, then immediately began pounding wildly against her chest.
That scent! It was so clear, so vivid, that even across the carriage and the various smells mixed on the street, she would never mistake it!
That was Ian’s scent!
Even though it was very, very faint.
“Stop the carriage!”
Otillia used almost all her strength to suppress the urge to jump directly out of the carriage.
Although the driver didn’t know what had happened, he was a loyal driver.
The carriage slowly came to a halt.
Hurriedly stepping out, Otillia stared intently at the direction in which the Connalt carriage was receding.
She needed to confirm, and she also needed to understand why Ian’s scent appeared on that Duke’s Daughter.
Was Ian related to the Connalt family? Or had that Miss been in contact with Ian? Countless guesses churned in her mind.
“Miss, what’s wrong?” the personal maid asked cautiously.
“……Nothing, I just mistook someone. Let’s go……”
Otillia gave a heartfelt smile as she returned to the carriage, her deep blue eyes shining brilliantly.
However, the accompanying maid had a kind of illusion that the Miss’s smile was quite ‘pathological’.
***
The next day, Imperial Palace, Consort Selection Banquet Hall.
Giant crystal chandeliers reflected brilliant light, illuminating the banquet hall inlaid with gold leaf and stained glass as if it were day. The air was filled with the cloying aroma of expensive perfume, fresh flowers, and exquisite food, with soft court music flowing through it.
Aristocratic girls in splendid attire and beautiful jewelry were like blooming, delicate flowers, some smiling reservedly, others talking in low voices, but their eyes all involuntarily drifted toward the empty main seat at the head of the hall.
That place belonged to today’s protagonist, the newly returned Third Prince.
Otillia Filimon was undoubtedly one of the most dazzling presences in the hall.
An ice-blue off-the-shoulder long dress adorned with diamond chips perfectly outlined her tall and graceful figure. Her brilliant blonde hair was gathered into an elegant yet lively bun, revealing her long, fair neck.
She wore a perfectly appropriate smile on her face.
Otillia skillfully mingled among several familiar noble ladies and young misses, her conversation witty and her demeanor elegant, attracting countless admiring or envious gazes.
However, her seemingly casual steps were actually moving towards a certain direction without leaving a trace.
In a corner of the Consort Selection Banquet, Shirleyviel Connalt stared blankly out the window.
Today, Sherivelle wore a conservatively styled light purple court dress. Her soft, silver-white long hair was not overly decorated, merely tied loosely with a silk ribbon of the same color.
She lowered her head, sitting in the remote spot Old Anna had arranged for her, her Red Eyes looking somewhat emptily at her hands folded on her knees, oblivious to the surrounding noise and magnificence.
Her gaze remained locked outside the window, where a jet-black Black Cat was being carefully held in the arms of an attendant, standing in the Shadow Transformation of a pillar.
The Black Cat lay quietly, still with its eyes closed and its back turned toward her.
Sherivelle’s eyes dimmed, and her fingers tightened unconsciously.
He was still ignoring her……
“Miss Connalt?”
A pleasant voice rang out beside her.
Sherivelle was slightly startled and looked up. Entering her sight was a beautiful face as bright as sunshine and a pair of excessively beautiful deep blue eyes.
Otillia sat down naturally in the empty seat next to her: “Good day, Miss Connalt. I am Otillia Filimon.”
Sherivelle blinked, feeling a bit at a loss.
She was not good at dealing with such proactive greetings, especially when the other party was so radiant, making her instinctively feel a trace of pressure.
She nodded gently, her voice as thin as a mosquito: “……Good day.”
“Is this Miss Connalt’s first time in the Imperial Capital?”
That’s right, it’s very clear. This girl indeed has Ian’s scent on her!
This discovery made Otillia’s heart beat a few points faster.
“……Yes.”
Sherivelle responded perfunctorily, her mind not on the conversation at all.
She stole another glance at the Black Cat outside the window. Seeing him still maintaining that posture, she pursed her lips in disappointment.
She wanted to go back, back to the house; at least there, she would be closer to the kitty……
Otillia took in her distraction and dejection. Following her gaze, she also saw the Black Cat and felt a slight sense of doubt in her heart: “Does Miss Connalt like cats? Actually, I also……”
***
Her words were interrupted by a sudden surge in music and a slight commotion.
The side door of the banquet hall opened, and the Chamberlain announced loudly: “The Third Prince arrives—!”
All conversation died down instantly, and almost everyone turned their gaze toward the entrance.
Then, a figure appeared at the door.
The person was tall, but for a man, a bit too slender.
The Third ‘Prince’ wore a crisp, dark blue guard-style formal suit decorated with silver sashes, highlighting a somewhat thin figure.
Shoulder-length golden hair was combed meticulously, and the facial features were so exquisite they were almost beautiful. With fair skin, a pair of violet eyes scanned the room with a bit of laziness and nonchalance.
It was her—yes, her.
Her appearance was undoubtedly extremely outstanding, but that overly exquisite beauty and the lack of hard lines between the brows caused a sense of strangeness to rise in the hearts of some sharp-eyed nobles.
Third Prince? ……Arthur Reinhardt?
Why does it feel like……
Otillia also raised an eyebrow slightly.
This ‘Third Prince’ gave her a strange feeling, lacking the masculine majesty of a prince and instead possessing more of a…… neutral or even feminine temperament?
Moreover, when those violet eyes looked at people, they always made her feel a bit too…… uh…… chilled?
Especially when she swept her gaze over the exceptionally beautiful girls present.
The Third ‘Prince’ walked composedly toward the main seat, merely waving a hand casually at the people’s salutations. However, her gaze was like someone picking out treasures, searching through the crowd.
Thus, this protagonist of the plot was naturally drawn by the attention of the two Female Leads: Otillia Filimon, with her brilliant blonde hair and bright, dazzling beauty, and Shirleyviel Connalt, with her silver hair and Red Eyes, as lovable as a fawn.
A hint of an interested smile curled at the corner of the Third ‘Prince’s’ mouth, and a flash of unmasked appreciation appeared in the violet eyes.
“Two beautiful young ladies,”
The Third ‘Prince’ spoke. Her voice was clear but carried a deliberately lowered magnetic quality.
‘Arthur Reinhardt’ bowed slightly, her posture elegant and appropriate.
“I am Arthur. I wonder if I might have the honor of knowing your names? Miss Filimon’s brightness is dazzling, and Miss Connalt’s…… purity is like fresh snow, soul-stirring.”
Such direct and even slightly flirtatious praise seemed quite rude in a formal setting.
Faint, suppressed gasps and whispers came from the surroundings.
Otillia’s brow furrowed imperceptibly. She stood up and performed a standard curtsy: “Your Highness overpraises us. Otillia Filimon, greetings to Your Highness.”
Her tone was calm and flat, a formalized response.