[IHTTMBW] Chapter 62

The nobles presenting me with gifts suddenly brightened. Duke Gelbart strode confidently toward me, his footsteps resounding, before spreading his arms wide and exclaiming in a booming voice:

“Princess! Congratulations on your coming of age!”
“Duke Gelbart!”
“Oh, my. It feels like only yesterday when you used to call me grandfather even in official settings.”

His hearty laughter echoed throughout the hall. Duke Gelbart, the strongest man here, was a force to be reckoned with. Even in his old age, he could take down a few monsters on his own. Nobody could find the words to respond to his commanding presence.

“Bring the gift!”

The gift that was brought forth was truly extraordinary. Inside the box was a tiara adorned with a multitude of small diamonds. Both I and the other nobles were left speechless.

“My goodness!”

Receiving diamonds at a coming-of-age ceremony was the highest form of celebration. A tiara adorned with eight dazzling diamonds was a rare treasure, nearly impossible to obtain during the season of coming-of-age ceremonies.

“Grandfather!”
“Oh, so now you’re finally calling me properly, Princess! Ha ha ha!”

In the cheerful atmosphere he created, even the nobles who were hostile toward me dared not whisper their usual snide remarks.

But as if to embolden them, the king, who had remained silent, finally spoke. His cold, low voice sent a chill down my spine.

“A tiara. How fitting for a child reaching for what she can never have.”

The tiara symbolise royalty. His words, “reaching for what she can never have,” were a direct jab at my unsuitability as a member of the royal family.

Standing in front of me with his back to the king, Duke Gelbart ground his teeth audibly. From behind him, I could hear faint chuckles escaping in various directions. Those laughs were mocking me.

“...Don’t pay them any mind, Princess.”
“I’m not.”

And I truly wasn’t. I had grown used to their ridicule and the king’s refusal to even acknowledge me as a princess. It had been nineteen years, after all. I no longer had the energy to feel hurt by it.

But then, I heard whispers that pierced through my composure.

“Ha, doesn’t she look so out of place with that gift?”
“Is that why she tried to seduce the third prince?”
“Incest, they say. Truly disgraceful...”

It was a rumour about my relationship with Euphil. My expression turned cold. The idea of seduction was absurd, especially since Euphil was just ten years old. And incest? Ludicrous.

Strictly speaking, I wasn’t truly Myrthi, so it wasn’t incest in a technical sense. And the so-called seduction was merely a survival strategy on my part. But what angered me most wasn’t the rumour itself.

It was the fact that Euphil had endured far worse treatment than I ever had. He hadn’t been allowed in the royal palace and was forced to hold his coming-of-age ceremony at the academy.

“Incest? What nonsense.”
“Oh, didn’t you know?”
“It’s the reason Prince Euphil was sent to the academy…”

The room began to buzz with hushed conversations. All the rumours and gossip revolved around Euphil and me.

I bit my lip hard and came to a halt. My face, frozen with fury, made even Gelbart, Allenan, and Orzette tense.

Just as I clenched my teeth, ready to shout something in response, a resounding voice echoed throughout the hall.

“A gift for Her Highness, Princess Myrthi, for her coming-of-age celebration!”

Everyone turned to look at the entrance.

Traditionally, gifts for a coming-of-age ceremony were presented directly to the princess. It was unprecedented for a gift to be announced like this without the giver present.

When the object finally appeared, jaws dropped throughout the room.

The gift, draped on a mannequin, was carried high above the crowd by four attendants, as though it were a royal palanquin. It was a dress made entirely of diamonds.

“Oh my, how many are there?”

Someone couldn’t help but gasp aloud, voicing what everyone was thinking.

The dress, woven with tiny, exquisite diamonds, seemed to defy reality. Even the threads appeared to be crafted from diamonds. From the hem to the collar encircling the neck, the dress sparkled brilliantly, captivating all who saw it.

It took six attendants to transport the dress—four carrying it and two walking ahead and behind to escort it.

It was the ultimate tribute for a coming-of-age ceremony.

The dress was slowly lowered in front of me, and the attendant leading the way stepped forward. His long black hair was tied back, and his sharp features radiated charm and poise.

“A gift from His Highness, Prince Euphil.”
“Euphil…?”

“The message is as follows: ‘Congratulations, Myrthi. More than anyone else in this world.’”

My face flushed with emotion. It had been nine years since Euphil left, and this was the first word I’d received from him.

“He also said to inform you that he will see you soon.”

The mouths of the nobles, who had been gossiping about incest moments ago, snapped shut. Their gazes, trembling with disbelief, fixed on this dazzling symbol of opulence.

That day, I became the most celebrated figure of a blessed coming-of-age ceremony.