My encounter with Enoch quickly escalated into a combative dance without either of us having to initiate it explicitly.
“Their dance is quite…,”
“That is indeed the dance of Emblem and Gray. That’s truly, truly…,”
People around us started to murmur as they watched our dance.
“It’s like a battlefield out there.”
Whenever I extended my foot, Enoch swiftly dodged and countered with a kick aimed at my shin.
In response, I pulled the hand that was leading him, throwing him off balance and diverting his attack.
However, I couldn’t overcome the strength of an adult male, who had grown unfamiliar and still suffered from growing pains over the past year.
As Enoch began to exert his strength and resist, our dance turned into something no longer resembling a dance.
“Are you serious about this?”
“Wasn’t I always?”
Enoch replied, his eyes locking with mine, the tension between us palpable.
People around us, sensing the brewing conflict, began to step back quietly.
“Bring it on, you bastard!”
“That’s exactly what I’m doing!”
In the end, our dance devolved into something more akin to a physical brawl.
Neither of us held back as we swung fists and kicked, preventing anyone from approaching us easily.
“Ugh, stop it!”
” Please, stop it right now!”
It wasn’t until members of the Balmore Marquessate, along with the late-arriving Osric Balmore, intervened—taking a few hits themselves—that the fight finally came to an end.
***
The next morning, the social news covered the incident with a slightly different focus than I had anticipated.
[It is said that Enoch Gray and Cherrya Emblem sparred not with swords, but with their fists.
In the Lutinas Empire, it’s common knowledge that a duel between Gray and Emblem is as regular as the sunrise.
However, the fact that they fought with their fists in the middle of Lady Balmore’s birthday party?
That changes everything. On that day, Enoch Gray was seen returning home with a handful of Cherrya Emblem’s thick, red hair.
Meanwhile, several people witnessed Cherrya Emblem wiping Enoch Gray’s bloody nose with a handkerchief as they both got into their carriage.
Lady Balmore may very well go down in history as the host of the most infamous party in the Lutinas Empire, one that managed to showcase a brawl between Emblem and Gray.]
I had already heard rumors that the Emperor himself laughed so hard upon reading the social news that he rolled around the palace floors in glee.
This could only mean one thing: I would soon need to prepare my coffin.
“Je-Jessia please, I beg you to spare me.”
“…….….”
“Butler, Butleeeeer!”
“…….….”
“Dad!”
“…….….”
No one met my gaze. The atmosphere in the mansion was cold, eerie, and chilling.
It felt as if everyone knew that my funeral was about to begin, and they were already preparing for it.
If this continued, I was going to die for real. In a desperate attempt to survive, I clung to my dad, the true power in this household, pleading with him.
“Dad, Dad! I’ll go to the Balmore Marquessate and apologize in person. I’ll send Olivia an apology letter every single day. And, and…”
“Cherrya.”
“Yes?”
“Come here.”
My dad quietly took my hand and led me to the table. On it was a half-written apology letter, a pen, and a glass of water.
“Everyone, leave us.”
The Emblem household members who had gathered to mourn my impending demise immediately backed away at my dad’s command.
I felt a pang of sadness at their quick retreat.
Once everyone had moved a safe distance away, my dad dropped the glass to the floor.
“…….…!”
The sharp sound of breaking glass echoed, and water splashed everywhere.
Frozen in shock, I could only stare as my dad smiled and said,
“Can you gather the water that has spilled and put it back into the broken glass?”
“No, I can’t.”
“But you have to do it. Otherwise, your mom might make this happen to you.”
“Ahhh!”
In the end, I collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. It was all over. Truly over.
The shattered glass and spilled water represented the mess I had created at the Balmore Marquessate.
My mom, who had temporarily become a duke, spent most of her time in the palace, so she wasn’t home last night and didn’t know about the incident.
However, once the news of the brawl between Enoch and me made it to the front pages of the social news, everything became urgent.
From afar, I saw a maid running toward me, bringing urgent news.
“Young Lady! Dame Melsia has arrived at the mansion’s front gate!”
“………!”
I felt like I couldn’t breathe. My mom, who was supposed to return home tomorrow, had come back early. The reason was all too clear.
“Dad, Jessia, Butler, and everyone… Thank you for everything, and I’m sorry for all the trouble my foolish self has caused you…”
I couldn’t hide my sorrow as I said my goodbyes. They say that when a person’s final moments are near, their entire life flashes before their eyes.
It wasn’t until then that I realized how much I had failed to express my love to those who had always surrounded me with affection. Slowly, I closed my eyes.
“Please be born as my family in the next life too. I promise I’ll do better then…”
“Young Lady…!”
Everyone began to weep, wiping their tears at my words. While they were all grieving together, my dad, sounding somewhat exasperated, spoke up.
“Cherrya. Get up.”
“Yes, dad.”
I had to stop avoiding reality and get up. I quickly stood up and glanced out the window.
In the distance, I could see the carriage carrying my mom approaching the mansion.
“Dad, how do I calm mom down when she’s angry?”
“Your mom usually calms down when she sees my face.”
“……..….”
Dad said this with a bright smile.
Although I had seen that beautiful smile countless times over the past eighteen years, it still made my cheeks flush. Yet, my heart felt cold.
“Dad, you never do anything that would make mom that angry in the first place.”
“Don’t you think you should try that too, Cherrya? Then mom’s anger would melt away just by looking at you.”
“As long as Enoch Gray exists in this world, that’s impossible.”
Recalling the brawl with Enoch Gray, I ground my teeth.
“This is all because Enoch Gray, who wasn’t even invited to the party, insisted on coming and asking me to dance…!”
He came supposedly to apologize, but he never had the right attitude to begin with.
Even though I didn’t accept his apology, shouldn’t he at least have the decency to maintain a respectful demeanor?
“I don’t think that’s going to be a good excuse for your mom.”
“……I guess not.”
I bowed my head, deep in thought, trying hard to come up with a way to ease mom’s anger.
This brawl was on a completely different level than the incident when I was seven, when Enoch and I had rolled around fighting.
Back then, mom had scolded me so much I cried my eyes out. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how much worse it would be this time.
“Should I raise my hands in surrender before mom arrives?”
“That might be a good idea. We’ll all back you up and say you’ve been holding your hands up since this morning.”
“As expected, only you understand me, dad…”
It’s true, only my dad truly understands me. Overwhelmed with emotion, I threw my arms around him in a tight hug.
“Huh.”
But as I hugged him tightly, I caught a glimpse over his shoulder of my mom’s fiery red hair blazing as she approached.
“Cherrya Emblem.”
Mom had arrived before I could even raise my hands.
“……….”
“……….”
My dad and I quietly wondered if she had overheard our conversation just now.
