Watching over Obelia's Precious Jewel // WMMAP fic

Chapter 24

  "My daughter, you say?"

  Most of the people in the room shivered by how cold the emperor's voice was.

  Everyone in the ballroom fell into a deafening silence before murmurs started to stir. They stared at the three people who bowed in front of the emperor who sat on the throne.

  "That never happened," Jennette blurted out.

  "What do you mean by that?" Diana asked.

  "Father never introduced Jennette to His Majesty during the debutante party," Ijekiel explained. He rested his head on the palm of his hand. "I'm guessing this is what happened in the Lovely Princess novel."

  Those three people were Roger, Ijekiel and the main reason they stood before the emperor, Jennette.

  She glanced up to see Claude staring down at her. She flinched and looked back down. She glanced up once more and the same thing repeated.

  "I would be nervous too if I ever have to introduce myself as His Majesty's offspring," Felix said with a weak smile.

  Claude stared at Felix in confusion. "Felix, you are older than me."

  Claude's lips curled to a smirk. "Interesting," he said. "I'll hear the details in the audience room," he informed them before standing up.

  Eventually, he exited the ballroom, leaving the guests in utter disbelief.

  Jennette felt unsure about everything that was happening right now. It felt wrong of her to be standing here for some reason.

  Roger seemed to notice her troubled expression and reassured the brunette. "Stand up straighter," he told her. "No matter what they say, today is your day, Princess Jennette."

  It was weird. This whole time she dreamt of meeting her father who was not exactly her father but her uncle, but in this novel, even though she fulfilled her dream by informing Claude that she was his daughter, something felt... off about everything that was happening. 

  "Princess Jennette," she muttered under her breath before visibly shivering. "I do not know why but I don't enjoy the sound of that title being bestowed on me," she admitted.

  'Princess...,' Jennette thought. She noticed the hand that was extended in front of her.

  Ijekiel smiled charmingly at her. "Your hand, m'lady, " he said with his gentle voice.

  Lucas rolled his eyes. "Wow, he really does deserve the title 'Lord of soft charisma'," he said sarcastically.

  Ijekiel looked at the magician in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"

  "Oh, that's just a stupid nickname that the princess' friends decided to give you," Lucas explained. "But to be honest, I don't understand why they call you that."

  From the distance, a fourteen-year-old blonde girl stared at the main focus of the large room, specifically at the brunette girl who accepted the silver-haired boy's hand.

  "Athanasia..." Diana looked at her daughter sadly. 'She must feel awful seeing that in front of her.'

  "A new princess," a nobleman murmured.

  "This may be interesting," another person said.

  Jennette looked around and saw how people were staring at her, whispering to each other.

  "Look how pale she is!" a woman commented about a certain other princess' complexion while fanning herself.

  "Stop tormenting the poor thing!"