The air in the hall thied.
The princess’s words nded with siderable weight, and the journalist who’d dared to ask the questio a cold sweat trickle down his spine.
His face drained of some color as his mind raced to find an escape from the mess he’d stumbled into.
He’d made a mistake.
Questioning the future queen of Valenfort in front of the entire nobility and press wasn’t something just anyone could get away with.
At best, he might be brushed off. At worst… well, Valenfort’s dungeons werely known for their hospitality.
The silenly amplified the tension.
The journalist opened his mouth, scrambling for a diplomatic response, but before he could get a word out, an ued sound cut him off.
“Fufufu~”
Princess Iris raised a hand to her lips a out a soft, melodic ugh, as if she’d just heard a delightful joke.
“Oh, don’t make that face,” she said, her tone light and pyful. “I was only kidding.”
The journalist felt the ground steady beh his feet again.
“O-of course, Yhness…”
Iris gave him a warm, friendly gnce before turning back to the crowd.
“I uand there might be doubts,” she tinued, her voice clear and steady. “After all, it’s not every day you get to see a war hero like Non Rook in the flesh.”
Murmurs rippled through the room again.
Excitement, disbelief, and fasation danced in the eyes of those present.
“However…” Iris smiled with quiet pride, lifting her wine gss slightly, “I assure you, the man standing beside me is, without a doubt, the hero of Valenfort.”
Her words sparked another wave of otion.
Journalists scribbled furiously in their notebooks, while others whispered headlines already taking shape for tomorrow’s papers:
[War Hero Non Rook Makes First Public Appearance!]
[firmed: Non Rook, the Man Behind the Frontline Victories]
[Princess Iris and Valenfort’s Hero: Strategic Alliance or Something More?]
The scratg of quills on paper filled the air as reporters vied to capture the moment first.
Amid the cmor, a bolder journalist raised his voice to stand out.
“Yhness!”
Iris turo him with a curious look, silently granting him permission to speak.
“Could ye an exclusive interview with the war hero Non Rook?”
Heads snapped up instantly, i piqued among the other reporters.
…What a pain, Non thought, keeping his face a bnk mask as he shot a sidelong g the princess.
Iris tilted her head gracefully, as if mulling over the request.
“Oh, I’m afraid that’s not up to me,” she said with a sweet smile. “If you want an interview, you’ll have to ask him directly.”
All eyes swung to Non.
But before anyone could open their mouth, Iris added swiftly:
“Of course… Non’s been rather tied up tely with some iigations, so his schedule’s pretty packed.”
The hint was unmistakable.
Not an ht “no,” but vague enough to disce any immediate push.
A few journalists clicked their tongues in frustration, though none pressed further. After all, the st thing anyone wanted was to overstep with the future queen and earn her displeasure.
With that, the focus shifted back to the princess, and the questions veered toward other topics—mostly her future reign.
“Yhness, in your speech, you mentioned being the future queen. As the you of your siblings, how do you feel about that?”
Iris’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Isn’t it the most logical choice?”
Her tone was breezy, but the fiden her voice was unshakable.
“As the you, I ensure a long period of rule,” she expined calmly. “And besides… I’ve proven my leadership with results.”
Her smile widened just a touch.
“Many of my projects have been resounding successes. Isn’t it natural for Valenfort to want a ruler who keep delivering prosperity?”
Her answer was so poised and calcuted that even those who might’ve doubted her couldn’t muster an immediate ter.
Appuse followed swiftly.
Non, who’d stayed silent at her side this whole time, tinued pying the part of a shadow.
He had no iion of getting more involved than necessary.
But then…
“Hero Non Rook.”
A journalist’s voice sliced through the versation, yanking everyone’s attention ba.
Non turned his head slightly, realizing every gaze in the room was now fixed on him.
The journalist swallowed hard, fully aware of the pressure bearing down on him, but he stood his ground.
“We’ve heard tless tales of your battlefield exploits,” he said, choosing his words carefully, “but until now, you’ve never shown yourself publicly… Why have you chosen to step into the spotlight now?”
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
The bustle died.
The murmurs faded.
And the eyes of nobles and journalists alike locked onto Non with bated breath.
Emily, standing nearby, felt the tension spike again.
That… wasn’t just any question.
Iris said nothing.
But the smile on her face vanished.
Her sky-blue eyes settled on the journalist with an unmasked chill.
For a moment, the air grew stifling.
Non, sensing the weight of the situatio out an internal sigh.
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