"Sure. I will be happy to pay a visit to Your Highness later if you are interested," Damien said with a smile.
"Then I will wait for the results," Damien said as he prepared to leave.
"Wait! No need to go," Yuria said, making all the participants knit their brows.
Yuria happily smiled and said confidently, "I think I have made up my mind for the winners. First, I would be announcing the winner of the first prize and it is none other than...Prince Tristen of our Gale Empire since he made a pill that made me truly feel from the heart."
Her words sent a tremor across the hearts of the other participants, including Maximus, who clenched his fists so tight, his nails were beginning to dig into his skin. He couldn't help but feel as if a thousand needles were pricking his heart.
He inwardly admitted that Tristen indeed came up with an ingenious pill, but he couldn't swallow the fact that Yuria didn't give any weight for their history of 7 years.
He at least expected more appreciation when he presented her with his pill, even if she never planned to choose him as the winner.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})However, Yuria didn't want to do that since she didn't want to give Maximus any false hopes and make him experience any more heartbreak.
She knew how tough it was to seek the love of someone who never had feelings for oneself in the first place. So she wanted to discourage him before things got worse for him.
"Prince Tristen, you wouldn't mind if I award you later at a suitable time and location?" Yuria had a lot of questions to ask Tristen since she felt that this pill was probably the handiwork of Damien since only he could think of something like this.
"Of course. I am not going anywhere anytime soon," Damien said with a noble smile.
Kale's expression became green with jealousy seeing how Tristen was getting too comfortable with the princess and likewise and wondered how Tristen was even able to come up with such a pill.
He wanted to shout out the fact that Tristen might have cheated, but then he knew how stupid his statement would look since everyone here witnessed Tristen concocting the pill with his own hands.
Damien then slightly bowed while looking at King Krisen and then walked away before standing among the other participants.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})"As for the second prize, I choose Prince Maximus of the Lancaster Empire," Yuria said in a graceful tone as she looked at Maximus.
Maximus smiled as he walked forward, but inwardly his heart barely had any reaction since it was not the prize he was disappointed about but himself for being not good enough to win her heart.
Still, he tried his best not to show it on his face and embarrass himself or his empire and decided to fight off this angst he was feeling.
But standing before her and looking at her dreamy face and her mystifying beauty hidden by a veil made it even harder for him to steel his heart and look her in the eye.
"Congratulations, Prince Maximus. I like the pill you had presented to me, and also I appreciate your talent for coming up with your own medical formula," Yuria said in a formal tone, to which Maximus nodded with a slight smile, "Thank you, Your Highness. It means a lot coming from you. But I still believe that I have a lot to make up for to truly deserve your appreciation. I wonder whether you would be willing to wait for me till I achieve that?"
Maximus decided to bitterly try one more attempt to waver her heart and see if she would reconsider.
Yuria easily saw through what he meant and didn't expect a prince like him to be so relentless. She said as she maintained the same tone, "Prince Maximus, you are really one of the best among the best I have ever come upon. And I personally believe that you couldn't possibly come short in any aspect and that it's my perception which could be at fault. But still, if you believe that you need to better yourself, feel free to do so, and I am sure someone who deserves your time will come along your way and give you the appreciation you deserve."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Maximus, who patiently heard her every word, finally found some closure in his heart while also realizing that her heart could never be changed for some reason. He had never seen her speak so confidently with all her heart which only made him realize that her feelings for whoever that man was so strong that he possibly would never be able to break their bond in this lifetime, nor did he intend to since he only sought her heart and didn't want any half-hearted feelings.
King Krisen nodded in appreciation, seeing that his daughter had indeed become more mature overnight and knew how to deal with such complicated things without hurting the feelings of the other party but instead made them feel better.
Damien was also glad that Yuria put her words in an elegant and kind way so that Maximus wouldn't feel himself.
Damien personally felt that Maximus was a good guy, and even if he had feelings for Yuria, he didn't hate him since he knew he couldn't stop anybody from having feelings for someone else.
All he cared about was the fact that Yuria loved him only, and that was enough to put his heart at ease. As for the rest, he decided to let Yuria handle it and sincerely hoped that Maximus finds some girl who will be apt for him.
But to the others who knew less, they were impressed by the princess' words in another way, thinking that her words were like a boost of motivation and pride to Maximus.
Kale snorted inwardly, seeing how even Maximus got at least the second prize, and hoped that he at least get the third prize so he could still have a chance.
But after Maximus left, Yuria announced the winner of the third prize, "Young master Duran, please step forward."
Hearing her words, Kale felt as if a hammer struck his soul, pushing it out and making his face look lifeless, realizing that he lost everything for real.
My dream girl...The title of Crown Prince...Noo!!!
