EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 151

Chapter 151

 

I wanted to greet him warmly right away, but I quickly hid my smile and approached.

Allen must have been really thirsty; he downed a glass of champagne from my tray in one go.

And just as he was about to grab another one…

“Oh? Jack! Over here.”

Good grief. One thing led to another.

All I wanted was to check on Kenneth Pettier, but now, not only Allen—Jack was here too…

“My apologies for being late.”

I had been looking down when I heard a deep voice, completely changed from puberty, and I was startled.

Come to think of it, in the past, I had only seen Jack from afar. I had never heard his voice this close before.

“Um, Sir Allen, if it’s not too much trouble, may I have this dance?”

Just then, a young lady with flushed cheeks approached us.

At first, Allen seemed a little taken aback by her shy request, but he soon nodded.

Seeing him escort the lady so naturally left me a little dazed.

He used to be so hot-tempered as a child, but now he was completely different.

‘I heard he’s popular, but I didn’t expect this.’

Diana’s letter suddenly came to mind. To be precise, the part where she complained about her older brother turning into a flirt.

I was quietly amused for a moment, but then I reflexively lifted my head as Jack reached for a champagne glass from my tray.

‘Wow…’

Even as a child, he seemed to grow taller by the day.

But now, I had to tilt my head back just to see his face properly.

His broad shoulders and strong build showed how much training he had undergone. His tanned skin, sharp features, and perfectly symmetrical face—there was no trace left of the skinny, weak boy from before.

Both Allen and Jack had grown into jaw-droppingly handsome men.

‘I feel oddly proud.’

I wasn’t the one who raised them, but I couldn’t help feeling a little pleased.

Sensing my gaze, Jack frowned slightly and looked at me.

For a moment, I tensed up.

“Aren’t you leaving?”

“…Huh?”

“I’m asking if you plan to just stand there.”

“Oh.”

His curt tone snapped me back to reality.

I quickly lowered my head and took a step back from Jack, glancing toward Kenneth.

‘He’s gone!’

At some point, Kenneth Pettier had moved.

I scanned the hall, turning my body when…

“Wait.”

Jack grabbed my wrist.

“Now that I think about it, I don’t recognize your face…”

“I was hired temporarily for the lady’s birthday party today. Now, if you’ll excuse me!”

I brushed off his suspicion with a half-hearted reply and quickly turned away.

I had just spotted Kenneth leaving the ballroom.

I hurried after him and saw him waiting for his carriage outside.

He was grumbling to himself about how he had brought an expensive gift, yet no one had paid him any attention.

‘So his family really didn’t go bankrupt.’

That meant the artifact was likely in the Pettier estate rather than the emperor’s treasury.

Confirming Kenneth’s departure, I nodded to myself.

It was disappointing that his downfall hadn’t happened, but as someone searching for the artifact, it was far easier to infiltrate a declining noble household than the imperial vault.

So, in the end, this worked out better for me.

‘But something still feels off.’

From the survival of the Pettier family to Lucio’s absence.

The changes in the timeline nagged at me like a splinter under my skin.

Maybe that’s why, instead of returning, my steps unconsciously led me toward the duchy’s maze garden.

It had been the same in the past.

After completing my mission, I had impulsively wandered into the famous maze garden to take a break.

And that’s when I had unexpectedly run into Lucio while gazing at the moon.

‘Now that I think about it…’

The last time I infiltrated the duchy, Lucio had called me by name.

Which meant that even now, just a few months earlier, he might have already known me.

That realization made things even more confusing.

On this day in the past, when Lucio and I had first met, he had stared at me intensely, as if trying to confirm something.

Even when I hastily apologized and left, he had continued watching me.

I looked up at the sky. The same half-moon as that night shone brightly.

But unlike then, I was the only one here.

Had it really been a coincidence that I came to the duchy on Diana’s birthday?

My thoughts grew more tangled.

 

***

 

A few days later, in the Kingdom of Riven.

“I refuse.”

Lucio’s firm answer made Serphin momentarily hold her breath.

She stared at the young nobleman before her…his perfect features, his noble air.

No. She must have misheard him.

“I think I misheard just now…”

“…”

“No, perhaps you misheard, Young Duke.”

Frustrated by Lucio’s impassive face, Serphin spoke again.

“Young Duke, if you become mine, the Elard Duchy will be elevated to the empire’s sole grand duchy. You will gain power beyond anything you can currently imagine—”

“I did not mishear. I refuse.”

This time, too, his answer was immediate.

Serphin’s expression twisted in disbelief.

She had just offered him the position of royal consort.

‘And he rejected it so easily…?’

She couldn’t believe it.

She was convinced that she would become the next empress. And because of that, she had assumed Lucio would naturally accept.

Until now, she had waited patiently for him to approach her.

But with Nicholas rising in power at an alarming rate, she had grown impatient.

It infuriated her to feel pressured by an illegitimate child, but she had decided to use this as an opportunity—offering her hand to Lucio first.

She had been sure he would never refuse.

‘So why is he giving such a foolish answer…?’

For a moment, rage flared up inside her, but Serphin forced herself to imagine the benevolent image of herself as the future empress who would lead the empire. She decided to give him one more chance.

“Young Duke.”

“If you have nothing more to say, I will take my leave.”

But Lucio, showing no interest in her efforts, stood up without hesitation.

Seeing him head straight for the door without even waiting for her permission almost made her laugh in disbelief.

“But.”

“…?”

Just as he was about to leave, his hand on the doorknob, Lucio suddenly stopped and slowly turned around.

“Who told you that I don’t believe in love?”

Serphin was momentarily dumbfounded by his unexpected words, but then she recalled what she had said just a moment ago.

⟨The Young Duke and I do not believe in love, so I think we could have a perfectly successful marriage.〉

Even as she replayed those words, she still saw no issue with them. When she blinked in confusion, Lucio let out a quiet sigh.

“Your Highness, have you forgotten what kind of marriage my parents had?”

Only then did she remember something she had overlooked.

Duke Elad, who risked his life to go to war to oust the incompetent Duke, returned as a hero.

Despite strong opposition from his retainers and even an imperial matchmaking offer, he had chosen a woman of fallen noble status, who was practically a commoner. That woman became the current Duchess of Elard.

It was an old story, and Serphin had never paid it much attention.

No—if anything, she had thought it was foolish.

Had the duke accepted the imperial match and married a lady from a prestigious family, he could have ruled his house even more flawlessly.

‘Not to mention, he could have wielded far more influence within noble society.’

People often said that Duke Elard and his son, Lucio, resembled each other not just in appearance but in personality as well.

But she had never expected Lucio to say something like this.

Wasn’t he always cold and indifferent?

“Your Highness, I believe in love. I always have.”

Lucio spoke firmly, as if making sure she wouldn’t misunderstand.

Then, looking utterly at ease, he opened the door and walked out.

“…Ha.”

It was only after a long moment that Serphin let out something between a sigh and a dry laugh.

She felt as if someone had struck her hard on the head.

This was the first time she had ever suffered such humiliation, and her expression hardened instinctively.

But.

“Do you think I’ll give up on you that easily?”

Not only was Lucio an exceptionally handsome man, but he also possessed refined social grace, remarkable skill, and an impeccable aristocratic bearing.

He was the perfect man to stand beside her.

She had never wanted anyone as much as she wanted him.

Serphin’s eyes gleamed sharply, filled with greed and fury.

 

***

 

“Young Duke.”

As soon as Lucio stepped outside, his aide, Nyx, immediately appeared by his side.

“What did the princess want?”

Lucio walked briskly down the long corridor but suddenly halted, casting a sharp glance at Nyx.

Realizing his mistake, Nyx quickly bowed his head.

Even though they were in an independent palace reserved for the imperial delegation, he had spoken carelessly without considering potential eavesdroppers.

Still, he couldn’t help but be curious. The princess, who had been solely focused on negotiations since their arrival, had secretly summoned Lucio.

Now certain that no one else was around, Lucio let out a short sigh and spoke.

“It was a waste of time. She only spouted nonsense. More importantly, what about the Fifth Prince?”

“We’ve made contact. He said he will arrange a meeting soon.”

“Hmm.”

“Ah, but…”

Lucio had just resumed walking when he frowned slightly at Nyx’s hesitant tone.

“What is it?”

“Well, there’s news from the empire…”

“The empire?”

“Yes, it’s just that…”

Nyx hesitated, glancing at Lucio’s expression.

‘It seems my lord is unaware of this…’

No, he was almost certain. If Lucio had known, he wouldn’t have come to the Kingdom of Riven.

Nyx was sure of it, but seeing how exhausted Lucio looked, he struggled to find the words.

Yet, under the increasingly cold gaze directed at him, Nyx finally squeezed his eyes shut and forced the words out.

“The Grand Princess of Belus has arrived in the empire.”