Although she was disobeying her mother's orders, Beatrice did not want to insult Jubelian. Therefore, she had no intention to bend her will.

'How will she react once she finds out that I'm the royal princess?' Beatrice wondered with a faint smile.

"I agree that there are no men in this empire worthy enough to be your partner," the emperor quipped then, to which Beatrice raised the corners of her lips. She was surprised to realize her father had a side like this. It was her first time seeing him act so warmly toward her. Until now, he always remained distant and did not care to take his children into account. Perhaps it was the prolonged neglect that allowed the minuscule attention to take effect.

'I think it would be better if I could enter the banquet hall with Father… But he wouldn't agree to that, would he?'

Just then, the emperor suggested with a friendly smile, "In fact, I was thinking I could arrange a partner for you."

What her father said was contrary to what she was thinking. Suppressing her disappointment, Beatrice smiled. "Ah, of course."

At her daughter's meek reply, the emperor proposed with a satisfied smile. "How about the newly throned king from Lagon? I hear that he is a handsome man."

Beatrice's expression hardened. Her father was asking her to partner with a man 10 years older than her.

When Beatrice remained silent, the emperor frowned slightly. He knew that the empress would ignore him and simply change the subject if he had brought up this matter. Such was why he had called Beatrice first—so that he could convince her. As the girl's silence continued, the emperor felt his mood grow foul. 'What is this? Is she rebelling against me?' He glared at Beatrice with fierce eyes, to which she parted her lips as if to speak but closed them again.

Beatrice wanted to protest, but she had already guessed her father's intentions. After all, Lagon had caused troubles over the southern border for a long time. It was obvious that her father would try to use the banquet as an opportunity to establish a friendly relationship with the foreigners. Still, this wasn't just an ordinary banquet. This was her once-in-a-lifetime coronation ceremony and debut into the social world. Beatrice didn't want to partner with or apple-polish a man 10 years older than her on such an important day.

Moreover, she had heard that Lagon's culture was very different and that most men were lechers. A normal father wouldn't dare to show his daughter to a man from Lagon, but it seemed that her father didn't care about her or the coming-of-age ceremony. Beatrice had been aware of this, but the conversation served as a cruel confirmation.

Hot tears welled up in her eyes, and feeling heartbroken, all Beatrice wanted to do was burst into tears. Nevertheless, she suppressed the bitter feelings. She knew how her father would react the moment she showed her dismay. Instead of speaking her thoughts, she responded, "I'm sorry, but I actually have someone in mind."

"And who's that?" the emperor asked, thinking he would force her to partner with Lagon's king anyway if the man in her mind happened to be a nobody.

Receiving her father's stare head-on, Beatrice felt heavily burdened. Her words had been impulsive, so she didn't know how to respond. There was in fact, no one on her mind. But if she answered with a random name, she was bound to be coerced into entering the banquet hall with Lagon's king. Moreover, she would be putting her father in an unfavorable mood.

'I don't want to walk hand-in-hand with a Don Juan who is 10 years older than me or dance my first dance with him. I also have no intention of currying favor with him—absolutely not.'

Enveloped in a terrible feeling, Beatrice shut her eyes tight. Then, someone flashed across her mind. Even her father wouldn't be able to disagree with this person.

"I-It's my brother!"