Ingrid entered the banquet hall, looking like a goddess that descended from the heavens. Like the moon that overshadows the stars whenever it appears in the night sky, every person in the room—whether men or women—paled before her beguiling grace.

  The faces of the young maidens instantly fell the moment she arrived. Today's ball was supposed to be one of their chances to find a prospective husband. But now that has been spoiled by the presence of a single individual.

  Anger and jealousy was evident in their gazes as they watched the men in the room get smitten. Some young wives could even be seen stomping and pinching their husbands after they caught them gawking at Ingrid.

  There had been a tacit agreement between the young ladies of the kingdom to ban Ingrid from attending their balls and tea parties. This is because no one ever gets to shine when she's around. Even when she only wears the most basic of clothing and abstains from wearing any sort of jewelry, she still transcends over everyone else.

  Unfortunately, today's banquet is hosted by the emperor. And the emperor was just so eager to show off the greatest jewel of their empire that he even disallowed Ingrid from wearing the veil she usually wears when going in public. In the end, they could only watch with envy as Ingrid hogged all the men’s attention.

  On the other hand, Ingrid, the subject of their envy, was standing all alone. None of the young men had the courage to approach her, and no woman wished to invite her into their circle either. So she stood there like a wallflower—a very beautiful one—in a boisterous occasion.

  But she didn’t mind being excluded. It was still better than listening to tiring compliments that she had already heard a thousand times. Nor is she in the mood to entertain the women's bitter words of flattery.

  Meanwhile, at a reserved table for high-ranking guests, a young man with eyes as striking as the blueberry night sky gazed at Ingrid with great interest. He was openly staring at Ingrid but no one paid him any mind. This includes Grand Duke Rasmus Lennox, who was well-accustomed to seeing his daughter captivate every man who laid eyes on her.

  With his power and prestige, the Grand Duke was confident that he could deter anyone who dared have ill intentions towards his precious daughter—even if it was the so-called great and barbaric prince. As long as the prince's eyes remain unclouded with indecency, his neck will be safe from the grand duke's sword.

  As a father, the grand duke couldn't be any more proud to have such a beautiful daughter. However, extreme beauty also has its price. Grand Duke Rasmus had lost count of the number of times some pests attempted to abduct Ingrid.

  It takes great power to protect a priceless treasure. And Grand Duke Rasmus' current wealth and military strength that could rival that of a kingdom is a testimony of what kind of treasure Ingrid is in his eyes. However, she treasures Ingrid not because she is the most beautiful woman in the world, but simply because she is his most beloved daughter. As a matter of fact, if it was up to him, he wished that his daughter wasn't born a beauty.

  A nail that sticks out gets hammered down. But a hammer cannot make a person lose their beauty. Thus their hammering was like a constant torture to Ingrid who continued to stick out.

  Meanwhile, the purple-eyed man kept his eyes on the beautiful Ingrid. Interest was evident in his gaze as he followed her every movement. But it was not an interest, of a man towards a woman, but more like an interest of a man to an object he wishes to acquire.

  Ingrid, who had been subjected to that gaze for a few hours now began to feel uncomfortable. Being seen as a thing instead of a person isn't new to her, but that doesn't mean that she is immune to it. She casually glanced at the owner of the pestering gaze but their eyes accidentally met.

  Prince Aleric was momentarily taken aback when his prey’s emerald eyes landed in his direction. Much to his surprise, her orbs, as captivating as the shimmering green of a calm sea, weren't those belonging to a naive and innocent princess, sheltered in her tower. Instead, her eyes which revealed a subtle annoyance were cautious and calculating.

  They indeed weren’t lying when they said that the daughter of the house of Lennox had eyes that can make a person forget one’s name. But like an aloof little bird, her gaze came as it went and proceeded to the person next to him. Then, a smile bloomed from her lips of vibrant red, and suddenly, it felt like the warm hall had become even warmer.

  Among all the ladies in the hall, Ingrid was wearing the simplest and most conservative of clothing. A purple gown in the darkest shade with long sleeves and a high neckline basically covers most of her skin. Yet, it did not stop her from out-shining even the empress in her golden robe and shining jewels.

  Consequent sighs could be heard from the people in the room as they watched the smiling goddess in a trance-like state. Even the women who were previously looking at her with a venomous gaze stood agape.

  "Quick! The painter!"

  There was a commotion among the crowd as several men were pulled by others. It was a wonder where the painters pulled their easel and canvas from but they assembled it in a blink. This didn't seem to be the first time that these painters did this. Their hands work without delay sketching here and there before the rarity which was Ingrid's smile disappeared from her lips.

  Prince Aleric watched the commotion in amusement. Amongst the young men in the room he seemed to be the only one unaffected by Ingrid's hypnotizing smile.

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  A mischievous thought suddenly crossed his mind. He grinned, satisfied by his own brilliance and stood.

  The eyes that had been on Ingrid all this time instantly shifted towards him and the warm atmosphere suddenly turned cold.

  Today's banquet was quite peculiar. Usually, whenever Ingrid is around, people rarely notice anyone else. But it seems Ingrid has finally met a strong contender. It was none other than Prince Aleric of the Empire of Aradhya—who emits a terrifying pressure akin to the sun that threatens to burn those who dare come close.

  Most nobles unconsciously distance themselves from his table despite the banquet being held for his welcome. However their eyes would fall on him from time to time like timid rabbits checking if the wolf was ready to pounce.

  With regal posture and confident strides, Crown Prince Aleric crossed the distance between him and Ingrid. He bowed in front of her with his hand held out, palm facing up—a courteous and playful smile on his lips.

  Silence swallowed the entire hall.

  Ingrid was taken aback when she saw the Prince of Aradhya approaching her. Her eyes trembled as a series of questions ran through her mind. When he bowed before her to ask for a dance, she wanted so much to decline, as she had always done with the others. Unfortunately, Prince Aleric is not someone she could reject, and he knew it as well.

  You would think there were thousands of snakes inside the room as the people broke into silent whispers.

  Prince Aleric of the Empire of Aradhya; the sole empire that managed to conquer a fourth of the continent through sheer might. And the valiant prince who made all that happen, is kneeling in front of the greatest beauty the world has ever seen.

  The Empire of Aradhya was once a small and humble kingdom. It ruled at the very edge of the west, where the sun shines golden and the ground is blessed with great bounty. The people there live in humility and contentment under the just rule of their king. That was until the death of their queen, Prince Aleric’s mother.

  Rumor has it that the queen died in an accident during a visit to their neighboring kingdom, Hedri. But none of the people believe that. They knew that the kingdom of Hedri coveted their bountiful soil and has been provoking them into war.

  It seems that the king of Aradhya knew of this as well. But there was much trickery involved in the death of his wife, and there was no clear evidence of the Kingdom of Hedri’s involvement. Furthermore, as a kingdom that reigned in peace, their military might is far weaker than that of the kingdom of Hedri whose men were seasoned in battle and toughened by the harsh living conditions of their kingdom. So the king could only put the matter to rest and mourn the death of his wife in silence.

  However, the young prince Aleric, who was but 14 back then, was not willing to accept it at all. For the sake of vengeance, he ventured to the kingdom of Hedri with only his 12 royal knights with him. Three months later, he successfully assassinated the king and the rest of his most loyal supporters. He then proceeded to gift the entire kingdom to his father, the king, in honor of his mother, the queen.

  From then on, the Empire of Aradhya began conquering lands after lands and kingdoms after kingdoms, becoming a name that everyone feared. And that same prince who spearheaded those conquests is here in their empire—in an unannounced visit that placed the entire empire on edge.

  Still they welcomed the prince with a grand feast fit for his title. For they knew the consequence would be dire if they earned his displeasure.

  Ingrid heard the sound of a sword being unsheathed and looked in the direction of her father. Weapons are banned from the banquet hall. But when it comes to the grand duke, everyone likes to pretend that his giant sword is a part of his body.

  Ingrid shook her head and looked at Elias the grand duke's closest aid with pleading eyes, to help restrain her father. Meanwhile Crown Prince Aleric, the source of the boiling trouble, was still patiently waiting for Ingrid's hand not all bothered by the grand duke's threatening glare.

  Ingrid sighed and placed her pale hand on top of Prince Aleric's palm.

  The smile on Prince Aleric’s charming face widened as he brought the back of her soft hand to his lips.

  For some reason, Ingrid felt a dark foreboding. It was as though her fate had been sealed by that kiss and her stomach churned.

  The prince pulled her close. His arm that snaked around her waist felt like an unbreakable chain that bound her. They glide towards the center of the ball room as the nervous band played a slow melody.

  No one dare dance with them. It was as if the crowd feared to tread upon the sacred ground surrounding the beautiful lady of the house of Lennox and the great and mighty prince, leaving them dancing alone at the center of the dance floor.

  “The rumors about your beauty did you no justice,” the prince remarked, his voice deep—the kind that would pull on a woman’s heartstring just from hearing them. “But on the other hand, I don’t think even the greatest of poets could construct the right words to match such unrivaled beauty.”

  There was not a hint of flattery in the prince’s voice. His tone was like that of a messenger who was simply describing what he saw as it was.

  “I am flattered, your highness,” Ingrid responded dryly. She’d heard even better compliments before, but at the end of the day, no matter how poetic they say it, it still means one thing—she’s beautiful.

  She’s not complaining, though. No one woman hates being complimented for her beauty. But as time passed, she began to dread her own visage. Though her beauty seemed to be a blessing, it was also a curse.

  The prince watched the young woman with even more interest as he watched her mind wander. It may seem that even the title of being the most powerful is not enough to hold the aloof beauty’s attention.

  As the music ended, they bowed toward each other. But before Ingrid could leave, Prince Aleric said something that made her whole body stiffen.

  “I hope my lady won’t mind me visiting your residence one of these days.”

  Ingrid looked at the handsome prince. Though he was smiling like a docile lamb, the coldness and cruelty in his eyes could not be hidden. Such eyes only belong to those whose hands were stained with the blood of thousands. Being stared down by those cold eyes, she began to break out into a cold sweat. The dread she had been feeling grew even worse.

  “You don’t need my permission for such things, your highness,” she said cooly, her voice not showing even the slightest bit of the fear she was feeling. “I do not interfere with my father’s business in court, nor do I try to influence any of his decisions regarding any military matters. Now if you’ll excuse me, your highness.”

  “But I heard he has given you permission to decide whomever you wish to marry.”

  Ingrid stopped on her track, and her wintry expression cracked. She looked at the prince as though he had grown another head.

  An amused smile appeared on Prince Aleric’s face. He kissed the back of Ingrid’s hand once again, this time lingering longer as he watched a series of emotion dance around her emerald eyes.

  “I shall see you again in a few days.”

  With that, he left the young lady, in complete daze.