The Reality She wasn't ready to Accept

[The Imperial Palace of Avenor — Continuation — Ballroom]

Elly trembled as she sat beside Emperor Arvellan, her entire body shaking beneath the elegant golden gown. The absurdity of what was happening was slowly becoming impossible to ignore. She had pinched herself, and it had hurt. The people surrounding her were real. The warmth of the ballroom, the voices, the music, even the faint scent of flowers drifting through the air—all of it felt painfully real.

'H-How is this possible?'

Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her dress as she stared ahead.

'Why am I Princess Levara? Why am I here? Why isn't this a dream?'

She wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, but even that felt impossible. Just hours ago, she had been crying over Levara's death in a church and somehow become the woman she had been mourning.

It made no sense, it's completly absurd.

“Your Highness?”

Kaein's voice brought her back to reality.

Elly turned slightly and saw him kneeling beside her. His expression remained composed, but there was clear concern in his blue eyes as he looked at her.

“Your Highness, are you feeling unwell?”

Elly stared at him without answering and looked around the ballroom. The people who had been celebrating only moments ago were now watching her. Some whispered quietly behind their hands.

“What's wrong with Her Highness?”

“Is the Princess unwell?”

"Do we need to call the doctor?”

Their voices reached Elly despite their attempts to keep them low and her heart began beating even faster. She looked at Kaein again, then toward Emperor Arvellan as his crimson eyes were impossible to read.

There was no obvious concern on his face, no panic, no confusion. He simply observed her with the calmness of a man who had spent his entire life learning how to conceal his emotions.

Elly swallowed and then Kaein spoke again, his voice quieter this time.

“Your Highness...”

She looked at him as he remained kneeling beside her, his expression stern but his voice unexpectedly gentle.

“Please bear with it for a little while. If you are feeling unwell, we can leave. But please...give me a little time to arrange it properly.”

Elly didn't know what to say, she wanted to stand up and run from this ridiculous palace, find the nearest mirror, scream at herself, and somehow force herself awake.

But she couldn't, she didn't know how much longer she could pretend but somewhere in her heart she could not let her princess reputation go down. Not even in this absurd dream which looks more real.

'Just bear a little Elly, once I sleep, I will go back to my reality.'

She desperately clung to that thought because accepting anything else was far too frightening. Maybe she had simply died from too much grief and created this impossible world inside her mind.

And if that was the case, then eventually...she would wake up. She just needed to hold on until then.

Elly slowly lifted her head again, forcing herself to wear the calm expression everyone expected from the Crown Princess. Her fingers relaxed against the armrest, her shoulders straightened, and she quietly composed herself. No one needed to know what was happening inside her head.

The fear was still there but she couldn't allow hundreds of people to see it.

The birthday celebration continued around her. Music filled the grand ballroom while servants moved between the guests with trays of champagne and delicate desserts. Politicians stood in small groups, discussing government matters beneath polite smiles, while nobles exchanged gossip and compliments. Cameras occasionally flashed from the designated media area, capturing every important moment of the Emperor's fifty-fifth birthday.

Elly remained seated beside her father, trying desperately to behave like Princess Levara and then, from somewhere among the crowd, she heard a familiar voice.

"Oh...Sir Elias."

Elly's eyes instinctively followed the direction of the voice and a man had just entered the ballroom.

Elias Montreve.

The son of the Prime Minister Lucan Montreve.

And, according to the headlines and rumours, the man who had been beside her for most of her life.

He wasn't the kind of man people would immediately describe as breathtakingly handsome. His features were pleasant rather than striking, with neatly styled dark-brown hair, sharp brown eyes, a straight nose, and a well-defined jaw that gave his face a serious appearance.

He was tall and lean, dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit with a deep burgundy tie that matched the imperial colors, yet there was something about him that made people notice him.

Elias walked as though the entire ballroom belonged to him.

His shoulders were straight, his chin slightly raised, and his expression carried an effortless confidence that bordered dangerously close to arrogance. He didn't need to demand attention, he simply expected it.

Beside him walked a young woman.

Narissa Daven.

Elly's eyes immediately moved toward her.

Narissa looked almost like the complete opposite of Elias.

She had long, soft chestnut-brown hair that fell in loose waves down her back, bright hazel eyes, and a small, delicate face framed by naturally rosy cheeks. Her lips curved easily into a cheerful smile, giving her an almost innocent and bubbly appearance. She wore a pale blue gown decorated wth subtle silver embroidery, and every movement she made seemed light and effortless.

She looked like the kind of girl who could walk into a room full of strangers and somehow make everyone feel comfortable within minutes.

And yet...Elly's gaze lingered on the way Narissa walked beside Elias.

They weren't holding hands, they weren't doing anything inappropriate but they were close enough that anyone paying attention would notice.

"Why is he making his entrance with some other woman?"

Emperor Arvellan's voice came low beside her, quiet enough that only Elly could hear.

Elly immediately glanced at him, the Emperor was still staring at Elias and Narissa, his crimson eyes carrying the same unreadable expression he had worn all evening.

Then his gaze shifted briefly toward Elly.

"Who is that woman?"

Elly could not say anything and then Kaein leaned slightly forward from behind them.

"She is the daughter of a junior politician Thomas Daven, Your Majesty."

The Emperor's expression didn't change.

"Thomas daven..."

He repeated the words quietly, almost as though he were committing the name to memory.

Meanwhile, Elias and Narissa had finally reached the throne. Elias stepped forward first. He placed his hand over his chest and bowed slightly before the Emperor.

"Greetings, Your Majesty. I wish you a happy fifty-fifth birthday and many more birthdays to come. May you continue to lead Avenor with strength and wisdom for many years."

His voice was smooth and confident and there was nothing nervous about him.

Even while standing before the Emperor of Avenor, Elias carried himself with the same proud confidence he had displayed when he entered the ballroom, as though he belonged among the most powerful people in the nation.

Emperor Arvellan remained silent for several seconds.

Elias was still bowing, and the silence stretched long enough for several nearby guests to begin exchanging uncertain glances but the Emperor didn't tell him to rise.

He simply stared at him, coldly and unreadably, then, at last, Arvellan spoke.

"Thank you."

That was all.

Elias slowly straightened himself as a faint smile appeared on his lips, but his eyes remained fixed on the Emperor.

Narissa stepped forward next and bowed respectfully, her bright expression becoming slightly more nervous beneath the Emperor's intimidating gaze.

"Greetings, Your Majesty. I wish you a very happy birthday, may you remain healthy and continue to guide our nation for many years."

Arvellan gave her a brief glance.

"Thank you."

Narissa immediately smiled and stepped back beside Elias and then Elias turned toward Elly, their eyes met. For some reason, the moment their gazes locked, Elly felt a strange ache in her chest.

She didn't understand it but somewhere inside Levara's body, something seemed to recognize him.

A warmth, a familiarity and a strange sense of belonging that didn't belong to Elly. Her fingers slowly curled against the armrest.

'Why am I feeling uneasy?'

Before she could make sense of the strange sensation, Elias smiled at her.

"Greetings, Your Highness. You look absolutely gorgeous today."

His compliment sounded effortless, practiced almost. Elly simply nodded, unsure of what else she was supposed to say.

"Thank you, Sir Elias."

Elias stepped closer, then, with a small smile, he extended his hand toward her. "It would be my greatest honor to have a dance with my princess."

Elly's eyes immediately dropped to his outstretched hand and then she looked back at his face as her heart suddenly began beating louder.

She didn't know why.

There was nothing threatening about his expression, nothing obviously wrong with his request, he was Princess Levara's fiancé, yet something inside her screamed not to take his hand.

Her fingers tightened against the armrest.

"Elias..."

Emperor Arvellan's voice suddenly cut through the moment.

Elias turned his head toward him, the Emperor stared at him coldly, his crimson eyes carrying a warning that made the air around them feel heavier.

"Princess Levara is not feeling well enough to dance."

Elias's expression changed slightly as he glanced toward Elly.

"Oh..." His voice softened immediately. "May I know what happened to the Princess?"

Elly looked up at him.

"A little cold."

She had no idea whether that was convincing, but it was the first excuse that came to her mind. Elias stared at her for a moment before a faint smile touched his lips.

"Please take care of yourself, my princess. You know..." His voice became gentler. "How much my heart aches whenever I see you in pain."

The words were sweet, almost painfully sweet. Any woman hearing them might have felt loved but Elly's heart clenched painfully, her stomach tightened, and an inexplicable discomfort spread through her chest.

She couldn't understand why.

Why did those words make her want to step away from him? Why did his concern feel wrong? Why did her body react as though it remembered something her mind didn't?

Elly forced a small smile.

"I hope you enjoy the party."

Elias's smile faltered and his eyes remained on her for another second before he finally nodded.

"Of course, Your Highness."

He stepped back beside Narissa. Elly watched him leave, her expression remaining perfectly composed but beneath it her chest tightened.

What is wrong with me?

She glanced toward Elias again, he was already speaking to another guest, smiling politely as though nothing had happened and beside him, Narissa was laughing softly at something he had said.

Everything looked normal, yet Elly couldn't shake the feeling that the moment Elias had reached his hand toward her...something inside Levara had been afraid.

But for Elly, that wasn't the real concern.

Elias, Narissa, the strange ache in her chest, the unfamiliar reactions of Levara's body...none of it mattered as much as the question that had been haunting her since she felt the dream too real.

'How am I going to wake up from this?'