Princess And The Savage King {Liskook}

Chapter 8

Proud and huge, the Kurkan’s boats and ships touched the soil of Estia. From the distance, she could tell that they came with gifts.

As Lisa watched the glistening white diamonds, which loosely hang on the wooden ships, her vision became hazy. She suddenly remembered the scarce amount of food she had eaten that day—only a handful of wild berries and a cup of tea.

To her utter annoyance, she had been commanded to control her diet more than usual to achieve an even thinner waist. Her maids felt sorry for feeding her such meager meals, but they had to obey orders from above.

Queen Cerdina herself supervised the princess’ meals. Should she find out that Lisa consumed even a mere crumb more than what she’d set for her, both her and kitchen maids would suffer such horrendous consequences.

To Cerdina, Lisa was a mere tool, not a human. In order to please the numerous nobles and the visiting Kurkans, Lisa was required to be outstandingly beautiful, especially today.

The discomfort was almost unbearable, Lisa grimaced as she supported her weight by holding on to the banister. She felt dizzy from the pain her tight corset squeezing her empty stomach caused. The fabric digging to her skin, she knew it would leave marks by the time the banquet ends.

Her eyebrows furrowed as her vision swayed. Afraid of messing up her perfectly rouged face, she forced herself to straighten her expression.

On the corner, Countess Melissa watched the princess with pitiful eyes. The suffering this child had gone through…

Among the palace’s subordinates, she had been with Lisa the longest. Seeing Lisa’s thin frame shake, she immediately realized what was happening. Approaching her hastily, Countess Melissa quickly supported the princess’ collapsing weight.

Lisa could barely manage to stand. However, unaware of their mistress’ struggle, the other maids continued to admire Lisa’s beauty.

“Princess!” One maid squealed, “Look at how beautiful you are.”

“You’re the only one who can pull off this dress so magnificently.”

“What if the Kurkans fall in love with you?”

Baroness Sinael was the one who spoke last, and upon hearing her comment, Countess Melissa lightly reprimanded her, giving her her most venomous glare.

After a few adjustments here and there, the princess was finally ready at last. Sporting a straight face, she headed off to the royal palace with several maids in tow.

***

The main hall was the most splendid part of Estia’s royal palace. The ceiling was painted with frescoes pertaining to Estia’s rich history, the marble columns were inscribed with different kinds of detailed carvings, and the throne was made of gold, ivory and precious gems.

Several esteemed guests had gathered there, but as soon as she entered, Lisa became the center of their attention. She walked faster, making her way to a discreet corner, trying not to bump into any other royal who’d arrived before her.

Blain smiled crookedly as he spotted Lisa walking around the room. He’d been so busy preparing the countermeasure plans for the Kurkans that they hadn’t been able to see her after returning from hunting. He made a mental note to talk to her after the meeting was over.

Feeling his eyes on her, Lisa averted her eyes and, instead, went up to her father and greeted him. Then, she greeted Cerdina, and after acknowledging Blain’s presence with a nod, took the seat designated for her.

Shortly after, the powerful sound of the trumpet rang out; the bustling hall went silent.

Everyone held their breath—their eyes glued at the magnificent doors of the hall. No one dared to blink, for this was a history unraveling before their very eyes.