The Sweet Alpha Crown Prince Loves Me So Much

The second day of the banquet continued with the belated birthday celebration for the Crown Prince following his engagement ceremony. Simultaneously, a festival was held in the heart of the imperial city.

Whenever there were celebrations or mourning events, various goods from the imperial palace’s generously stocked warehouses were distributed under diverse pretexts. 

The commoners gathered to sing, dance, and compete over games, enjoying lively evenings rivaling those within the palace walls. Their revelry, a distant echo of the opulent celebration within the palace walls, reached even the highest towers as flickering lights and muffled sounds of merriment.

Ayla, perched high within one such tower, remained oblivious to the joyous clamor, her gaze fixed on a distant point below, even her nursemaid’s calls failing to reach her ears.

Down below, the impeccably dressed Crown Prince and Prince were seated beside the Emperor and Empress, enjoying a performance by a troupe of dancers.

Carl applauded enthusiastically as he watched the performers execute difficult acrobatics with grace and agility. But his attention would always return to the Empress, his brow furrowing with concern whenever she shifted uncomfortably, his attentiveness to her well-being mirroring a devoted son’s.

“Princess, princess…”

It filled Ayla with a burning envy.

Ayla herself couldn’t pinpoint the source of her envy. Was it the Empress, showered with attention not just from her husband and son but now also from Carl Lindbergh? Or was it Carl Lindbergh himself, the envy-inducing fiancé who would one day become the Empress of Heineken?

“Princess Ayla!”

“Hm?”

“How many times do I have to call your name before you pay attention? You’ve always been lost in thought, but it’s gotten worse since we arrived here.” The nursemaid pinched Ayla’s arm, appearing exasperated.

“

, Nanny. I’m not a child anymore, stop that.”

Ayla rubbed the spot where she’d been pinched.

“Then act your age and stop worrying me. Today, you must absolutely mingle with the noble young masters without fail. Even yesterday, you were practically glued to the wall—

.” The nursemaid clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

Unlike Carl’s engagement ceremony attended solely by elite nobles, more young people gathered at the Crown Prince’s birthday celebration. The nursemaid couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity. She devoted all her efforts to dressing Ayla like a spirit of the lotus flower.

The white dress accentuated Ayla’s ample bosom and slender waist, while the floral crown was obtained through relentless persuasion of the King of Leva.

“If you don’t secure yourself a suitable match this time, your only other opportunity will be at the wedding. With numerous unmarried Omegas from various kingdoms attending, how can our princess, who has nothing to show except her figure, stand out amidst such competition?”

The nursemaid’s blunt words stung Ayla’s pride.

“An Alpha who’s seen Carl Lindbergh, a near dominant Omega at his prime, isn’t going to be interested in a late-blooming, almost 25-year-old Omega like you, Princess. Naturally, the Princess must take the initiative. Let your pheromones do some work, discreetly drop your handkerchief, and maybe emphasize your decolletage while you’re at it.”

The nursemaid, her mouth hidden behind her fan, puffed out her chest in a suggestive manner that made Ayla’s stomach churn.

The sheer vulgarity of it all snapped something within Ayla.

“I take it my father has promised you a hefty reward if you manage to marry me off?” 

The nursemaid flinched and turned away guiltily. “That’s not true. I only wish for your happiness, Princess.”

Sadly, Ayla couldn’t detect even a shred of sincerity in her words. She pursed her lips and looked up to see Carl Lindbergh gently touching Theresa’s belly with wonder while Adrian gazed at them adoringly.

Perhaps they were feeling the baby kick? How old-fashioned. Pregnancy was so commonplace; it naturally occurred when an Omega and Alpha mated during heat. What was there to marvel about?

Ayla gritted her teeth.

“Princess, the dancers have finished. It will soon turn into a social gathering, so you should move along too.”

Just as Ayla was about to lash out at the nursemaid for pushing her like a worn-out merchandise on clearance, someone grabbed the nursemaid’s wrist.

The scent of fresh mint lightly brushed Ayla’s nose.

“I couldn’t help but overhear, but it seems unclear who is the master and who is the servant here.” The speaker’s blue eyes sparkled, framed by golden waves of hair.

Leia led Ayla to a small dome-shaped greenhouse within the garden before releasing her grip on Ayla’s wrist.

“Forgive me, was that out of line? You seemed uncomfortable.” 

Ayla shook her head, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground. She was less ashamed by the nursemaid’s crass words and more by her own silence in the face of them.

“I was just mimicking my brother. He has a knack for intervening whenever someone’s being treated unfairly.”

Dressed not in finery but in a tailored pantsuit of fine wool, more befitting a knight than a princess, Leia settled onto a nearby bench.  

“…It was impressive,” Ayla murmured, unable to bring herself to sit beside Leia and remained standing instead.

“What was?”

“I heard the Crown Prince’s foster brother owes his life to your brother’s intervention. During the engagement ceremony, no less. Stepping out like that to help a stranger… Not many would have done the same.”

Leia nodded in agreement.

“That boy is impulsive about everything. He pretends to be cautious, but he often makes clumsy mistakes. Nonetheless, it’s commendable that his actions stem from concern for others rather than personal gain.”

As Ayla silently responded, Leia gently took her hand and pulled her closer.

“It must be chilly standing near the entrance. Come sit with me.”

Although Ayla thought it wasn’t appropriate to sit so close to Leia, she hesitated to move to another seat.

“What’s your name?” Leia asked while unfastening the cord securing her cloak around her neck.

“Ayla Leva.”

“Ah, the eldest daughter of the Leva Kingdom. I’ve heard much about you, and I must say, you’re even more beautiful than described.”

With her hair tied up high against the backdrop of the setting sun, Leia complimented Ayla without even looking at her properly. Ayla gave a humorless laugh.

“Please, spare me the empty compliments. I’m well aware of how exaggerated those rumors about my appearance tend to be.”

Exhausted by her nursemaid’s antics and her own insecurities, Ayla felt a strange sense of relief wash over her. She leaned back against a planter, unconcerned about soiling her dress.

The setting sun dipped below the horizon, a few stray gray clouds trailing behind.

“Because of this orange hair, they used to call me a bird of paradise, painting me as they pleased – a wilting flower one day, a ripened fruit the next. Now they say I resemble an orange, about to fall from its branch.” 

It was laughable, really, considering the source of these rumors was none other than her own father. 

As Ayla chuckled self-deprecatingly, Leia frowned and asked what was funny.

Embarrassed, Ayla busied herself trying to wriggle out of her winter boots. Her nursemaid would be looking for her, and her father would be furious if she returned empty-handed, yet Ayla couldn’t bring herself to care. 

The boots, with their intricate laces and ornate decorations, refused to budge.

As tears welled up in Ayla’s eyes over her seemingly futile life, Leia reached out and loosened the bootlaces while saying, “You’re beautiful just as you are, Princess. Your hair color matches the sky perfectly. Right now.”

Ayla’s face flushed red.

“And now your face matches the sunset as well,” Leia chuckled. She slipped the boots off and gently massaged her stocking-clad feet. 

They were small, delicate, and soft, untouched by the rigors of training, smelling faintly of… baby powder?

“Pay no mind to those who compare you to flowers and birds,” Leia said, her voice firm. Embarrassed, Ayla managed a weak response.

“I’d have to cut ties with most everyone then.”

Her parents, her nursemaid, even her retainers…

Leia gazed down at Ayla, her expression softening as if she’d glimpsed a kindred spirit.

“And if you find yourself without a place to go after you’ve cut those ties, come to Lindbergh. I’ll make sure everything is taken care of before the Princess arrives.”

Ayla couldn’t hide her surprise at this unexpected offer. “Is that some kind of proposal?”

Her question was valid since historically, marriage had been the only reason for a princess from one kingdom to move to another.

Leia shook her head, and Ayla felt slightly disappointed despite expecting such a response. “Isn’t it too heavy to propose upon first meeting someone? Of course, there are those who wouldn’t mind.”

Thinking about Adrian Heineken’s reputation spreading throughout the imperial palace, Leia hoped Carl would receive a proper proposal before their wedding.

“Then why would you say such a thing?” Ayla asked, sounding somewhat annoyed.

Leia smiled, a bright, open expression that instantly dispelled the tension. Her smile was contagious.

“Carl paved the way for my own escape from Lindbergh, so I owe him one. My brother might not need any favors repaid, so instead, I’d like to offer you that same escape hatch, Princess. If you ever feel fed up with everything and want to quit, please come find me.”