The Kingdom of Everlasting Night and the Last Ball Translation

5.1 The Winter Hunt and the Knight

“Dia, won’t you participate in the winter hunt?”

“I don’t understand why my Not-Fiance came to play so quickly.”

“I’m sorry that I’m still not bald, yet. If you’re okay with it, let’s go together.”

That day, Richardo, who had recently annulled their engagement, visited her wing.

In fact, it was only yesterday when they had annulled their engagement…

But why did he return in less than a day?

Dia stared at Richardo, whom was standing at the entrance of the room, with furrowed eyebrows.

For some reason, Richardo smiled, his blue eyes narrowed. He was well-dressed. The bright blue hunting attire, embroidered with silver thread, matched his eyes very well.

Fashitar was renowned for its craftsmanship. The lace-knitting and embroidery from that kingdom produced a luster that was as glossy as the gleam of the forest crystal itself.

—it was that beautiful. This royal hunting costume was also the product of that top-tier skill.

However, if it was embroidery, they still couldn’t hold a candle to that of the Wim territory; which was known for its ‘fairy embroidery’. That territory was directly supported by the rich magical power of the Verclair Kingdom. As beautiful as it was, Fashitar’s embroidery still failed to attain a selling price as expensive as the fairy embroidery.

It was because Fashitar’s embroidery only had aesthetics, without any magical element behind it. It wasn’t suitable of a wear for those who wanted to enhance their magical protection.

Closing the book in her hand, Dia looked up at Richardo, trying her best to act as if she was stunned.

There was no better way of escaping reality other than reading. However, she couldn’t utilize such a method at the moment. Added with Richardo’s sudden visit, she had become more anxious inwardly.

She didn’t see Noin today.

Well, he was that whimsical of a being.

He probably would only appear when Dia was on the verge of being killed.

“Your Highness, if you’re going to do winter hunting, why don’t you invite your fiancée instead? Please, be more considerate of her.”

“That of course is a fine idea, but your participation would make it better. Women who don’t go hunting can participate in a tea ceremony with my Mother. I would rather my precious sister not become those forest wolves’ feed.”

“…I’ll participate in the hunt, then. I don’t want to become the forest wolves’ food, so please bring along your fiancée and your fiancée’s relatives.”

“I know it’s bothersome to you, but you’ve made a correct decision. Alright, I shall do that.”

Richardo smiled, promising to declare Dia his sister in the future.

According to the talks of the maids who prepared breakfast that morning, it seemed that in the Royal Capital, the First Prince had decided to pursue his own happiness after he ended his engagement with Dia.

Regardless of whether or not the annulment was favorable to Dia, in the end the support and interest solely came from Richardo.

I see… that’s why he wants to make me his sister…

It was exactly for the sake of his cute little sister that he came there—to rescue her from the Queen’s tea ceremony, where she would inevitably have to disclose her broken engagement to those ladies who wanted nothing more than to hear some juicy gossip.

But, at the same time, it was all according to Richardo’s agenda, his agenda regarding his plans following the end of their engagement.

He probably wanted to show to others that Dia was akin to a little sister to him. Doing such would allow people to think they were still on good terms even after the engagement was annulled.

Therefore, when Dia died on the day of the ball, no one would suspect Richardo had anything to do with it.

You smile at me, laugh at me like this, when in truth, you want to dispose of me.

Swallowing the bitterness, she nodded to Richardo, who told her he would especially buy a new bow for that winter hunt.

That man always appeared to be calm and gentle.

As of recent, the value of life—the value of Dia’s life, had been fluctuating.

She believed that first attempt at poisoning her—which also occurred during the day of her first meeting with Noin—was a warning to her. After all, at that time, she had planned to leave the royal palace in secret.

At that time, Dia already knew she was better off leaving the palace rather than stay there as Richardo’s fiancée.

However, she had forgotten that the reason she became his fiancée was because he still had some use for her.

Did that poisoning happen merely just to prevent her from escaping or was that a warning so she wouldn’t try going against their intentions again?

I’m sure the reason Richardo needed me at that time was to gather all the supporters of Duke Gillasfi, and revert them to side back with the royalty

The second attempt at poisoning was on the day Richardo met his fateful lover.

It was very easy to figure out what was going on, without even the need of Dia attending that night’s ball.

Unlike the first time, when the intention was just to keep her at her place, the second attempt happened because she was a direct hindrance to his next move as the First Prince.

Therefore, it was likely the next poisoning attempt would happen on the first ball after the annulment of their engagement.

That day, his new partner—the Marquis’ daughter, would also be revealed.

It was the right moment for Dia to die.

…Richardo has waited patiently for a year. Our engagement has successfully been annulled, therefore, my value is no more…

The preparations for the day were steadily progressing, and those preparations were all tied to the plan to kill Dia.

…Now that I’ve agreed to participate on the hunt, it’s as if I’m walking towards Death with my own feet…

Even if she thought so, in the end, Dia had no choice—it was either the tea ceremony or the winter hunt.

Richardo came to her room accompanied with a knight. That knight would bear witness that instead of Richardo making her participate, it was she who agreed to his invitation.

The First Prince of this Kingdom was quite formidable.

“Alright then, Dia, see you later.”

“…yes, Your Highness. Thank you for your invitation.”

“You should refer to me as the way you would your cousin, but I get that you’re not accustomed to that, yet. I’m sorry if it’s sounds like I’m imposing my own selfishness on you.”

“No, it’s alright. This ‘selfishness’ is the way you show that you care, right?”

“Haha, I hope you wouldn’t mind if I start calling you Dia from now on.”

Richardo left the room, but not before he smiled and patted Dia’s head.

The figure of the Kknight waiting for Richardo in front of the room was visible, she could see the knight bowing from here.

Ah…

Dia knew the knight well.

Back then, when she ventured to the garden together with Richardo, or accompanied him on the winter hunt, the same knight would accompany them. He was a gentle escort knight.

Last fall, he got married. Soon, he would have children.

For Dia, he was one of those people she was familiar with, whose name was associated with her life. He had helped her a lot.

If Dia struggled against the ‘fate’ they had in mind for her, he would be one of those people that would suffer the consequences along with her.

The door quickly closed.

The maids chattered around Dia, about helping her change into winter hunting attire.

…this should be the time.

Dia felt suffocated.

She had abandoned everything. She had nothing left. She was all alone.

But now, she couldn’t help but wonder if that knight would also lose his life during the upcoming ball.

Despite so, she masked her true emotions, and gently smiled at the maids, asking them to help her change.

She put on a hunting coat lined with warm forest wolf fur.

Albeit participating in the hunt, Dia was a woman.

It was a dress that was easy to move in. It won’t get disentangled easily during horse riding. It also had the purpose of preventing her from falling off the horse’s back.

Looking outside the window, the sky was covered with beautiful gray clouds. It was snowing.

In that situation, the forest would soon be filled with freshly fallen snow, making it increasingly difficult to handle horse.

…no way, in that place?

She thought so and shook her head.

It was already decided that Dia would die in a place where everyone would instantly be aware of the tragedy.

Richardo wasn’t stupid enough of a prince to invite her to such a remote, suspicious, place, and stage a fatal accident during the winter hunting shortly after the annulment.

Fashitar was a small kingdom. The Princes had good relationships with each other.

The fact that there wasn’t a fight for succession was an interest to public eye.

Even so, without such throne rivalry, the human mind was still fragile and complicated. There was no knowing what would happen if they deem one of the princes was unpleasant.

That’s right…

If she wasn’t mistaken, Richardo had complained about his position once. It was only some small talk—

“—it’s really troublesome. It’s my Father who chose me as the successor, but during the days before I was officially known as such, there were those who kept challenging my right to the throne. Even though they didn’t have the right to actually determine the heir, they were blind to such a fact and continued to put me and my brothers on scales—trying to ascertain which of us was actually worthy of the throne.”

It must had been human nature.

The factions were influential.

They did so ignorantly and irresponsibly, but there was no doubt—some of those people must had harbored great malice.

“—because of that, somehow, attachment and ego are born as they started to play favorite. …For the sake of my brothers’ excellence and our good relations, I have to remain as the Crown Prince.”

Fortunately, the other Fashitar’s Princes weren’t willing to take over the throne.

The Second Prince, who excelled at martial arts, wanted to be in charge of the military. As of current, he was an experienced General.

Although political strategies weren’t his expertise, he was hailed as a top-tier General. He was quite passionate about what he did.

The Third Prince used to bitterly smile at Richardo. He never liked discussing about the throne’s inheritance because he was sure he wouldn’t win. It seemed that he was only interested in engaging in the management and distribution of the kingdom’s resources, and in dealing with merchants. Bargaining was his forte.

But, he was still young. He couldn’t help but express his love for his older brother, Richardo.

In addition, it seemed that he wasn’t good in anything else besides bargaining.

…In a sense, Richardo is destined for the throne.


***T/N: Dia, will you just let this Prince of Shit ruin you as part of his plan like this…? 🙁 I rly rly hope you won’t give up on attaining happiness once again.

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