Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Getting to know the royal

Princess Evalie smiled as she leaned on the balcony beside me, "It's a nice sight, isn't it? Do you come here often?"

I nodded "Yeah, it's a good spot for some alone time and to enjoy the view. It might be a bit chilly, but alcohol helps withstand the cold."

I hoped she'd take the hint that I preferred solitude, especially considering my reluctance to get involved with the royal family, known as attractors of bad luck in this plot.

The wind flowed through her white hair as her red eyes rested on me. I couldn't shake the bad vibe emanating from her gaze, so I decided to turn my attention back to the calming sight outside.

I really can't get a read on her, she is unpredictable as a wild cat and I don't like it....

She chuckled in response to my attemt to get her to fuck off "Well, that's good,I always bring this with me " as she revealed a small bottle of red wine and opened it.

"Of course," I sighed in a small voice as I anticipated the situation taking an unwelcome turn, seems like she was dead set on bothering me

I tried to ignore her presence, feeling the gazes of other nobles on me alongside hers.

As if I was the one bothering her , and not the opposite

Eventually, I decided to ask "Is there anything I can help you with?"

''Your father spoke quite highly of you, you know?'' She said with a small smile , with me failing to understand the correlation between the two

"It's good that he's proud of me, then," I replied, taking a swig of wine and casting a sidelong glance at her. Her unsettling smile persisted as she brought up another topic.

''I was utmost surprised when you spoke up regarding the inefficiency of the troops' drill. I was pretty interested in that. He also said you never received education on strategy and military matters in general. Is that true?'' Her smile was widening as she asked, seriously what's wrong with her and smiling?

"All that you said is the truth. Are you interested in asking me something?" I asked once again

''How did you think of the new shooting maneuver? Your father said that it improved the rate of fire by three times after only a few hours of exercise to get the troops to learn the movements''

''It doesn't take a genius to think of new ways to improve something,'' I said casually, not liking where the conversation was heading.

She leaned in, her eyes narrowing as if searching for something beneath the surface. "You're quite modest, aren't you? But I've heard your suggestions are revolutionary. That's why Sir Victor specifically wanted to talk to you about the dungeon."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite my discomfort. "What does he want to know?"

"He's curious about your insights into the dungeon. The way you described feeling observed and your decision to refrain from sending more scouts intrigued him. Sir Victor believes your perspective might be valuable for planning the raid," she explained, her tone betraying a hint of excitement.

I sighed inwardly. I had managed to avoid the topic for a while, but it seemed the dungeon was catching up with me.

"So, Favian, do you mind if I bring back these military changes to the court?" the princess inquired.

I shrugged my shoulders, taking another swig of wine. "Doesn't matter to me. You should probably ask the count, though."

She grinned. "Already did. He gave his permission."

I raised an eyebrow. "Then why bother asking me?". Does she want an excuse to have a conversation with me?

She chuckled. "Courtesy, It's always good to be considerate."

As the balcony door opened, another figure entered, catching my attention. I struggled to recall his name—Vrilian, Vriliol, or something of the sort, I welcomed him when the guests arrived . All I could remember was that he was the son of a marquis, so higher than me in the rank of nobility . I offered a casual nod in acknowledgment as he joined the small gathering on the balcony, hoping to avoid any lengthy conversation.

The newcomer sported a shit-eating grin, his blonde hair falling slightly over his forehead, and ..... I already knew that I would never get along with him.

"Princess, you have graced us with your presence. Might I also have the pleasure of welcoming Sir Favian to our gathering?" he asked, bowing to both of us.Was he trying to recruit me towards some faction? I was currently unaware of the current state of politics in the court, so I did not know how things were going over there.

The princess seemed ready to respond, but I beat her to it seeing my chance to get away from her "Oh, please, you've come just in time," I said with an impish grin.

The suddenness of my response left both the princess and the young nobleman looking a bit confused.

I smirked as I crafted a convenient escape plan. "You see, the princess came out to engage in conversation. Unfortunately, it's a bit too cold for my liking, and I was just about to head inside. You've come right on time to take my place, sparing the princess the displeasure of having her wishes unfulfilled."

The blonde noble, Vrilian, perked up with a hopeful smile "Is that so, princess?"

Damn.... he is hot over heels for her. Well, good for him.

She responded with a monotone voice and a bored look, her previous smile nowhere to be seen . "No, no need for that, Vrilian. I was going inside too." The disappointment etched on Vrilian's face was evident.

Poor bastard I could hear his heart breaking from here.

As I made my way inside, I couldn't help but notice the princess's skill in turning down people. Nevertheless, I had no intention of sticking around to witness poor Vrilian's heartbreak.

I entered the hall, feeling the collective gaze of everyone in the room upon me. Taking a swig from the bottle, I met each gaze with a nonchalant expression, making my way toward the table where my father sat. Letting out a sigh, I leaned towards him and muttered, "Can I leave early?"

Father shook his head, responding, "Not yet. Victor will come soon and call us for a private discussion. Once that's done, you can return to your room." I groaned inwardly, resigning myself to the fact that I had to endure a bit longer before seeking refuge in solitude.

After what felt like an eternity, the awaited moment arrived, and Victor, the ugly son of a biscuit I was waiting for, approached. He greeted me with a smile, and I nodded in acknowledgment. He engaged in a brief conversation with my father, about small things, that I did not care for , before something he said made my father signal for me to rise.