123.
The music had barely stopped when people began to swarm Lucian.
After all, this was a rare opportunity to approach the Duke of Kalleid, who had been keeping a low profile at his estate. Most notably, the retainers, who had been glaring at me as if they wanted to tear me away from him, were quick to seize the moment.
‘Better this way.’
I thought as I stepped back, retreating from the crowd.
With everyone’s attention now focused on Lucian, I could breathe a little easier.
‘Where can I go to avoid people?’
Scanning the surroundings, I decided to head toward the garden. It was winter, so the cold would likely keep most guests indoors, in the warmth of the ballroom.
As I made my way briskly toward the doors leading outside, someone suddenly grabbed my wrist.
Startled, I turned around and saw a familiar face.
“…Brigitte?”
It was Brigitte.
She quickly looked me over from head to toe, biting her lip as if holding back something.
“Elze, what on earth… Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, I—”
I stopped mid-sentence. I couldn’t finish the lie. My lips felt glued together, refusing to form the words.
At that moment, I realized my whole body was trembling, shaking as if my nerves were screaming in protest.
I wasn’t fine at all.
I felt like I was going mad.
But just then, the sound of footsteps echoed across the polished marble floor.
Click, clack.
A refined woman approached us slowly, her gaze cold and disdainful, like someone looking down at an insect.
It was the Empress.
After staring at me for a long, uncomfortable moment, the Empress deliberately turned away from me and greeted Brigitte instead.
“It’s been a while, Countess Martin.”
“Your Majesty, the Empress.”
Brigitte replied, bowing respectfully.
The Empress glanced at me briefly, her eyes filled with contempt.
“And why, pray tell, is the Countess associating with such a lowly woman?”
“That… that’s—”
Brigitte stammered, caught off guard.
The Empress interrupted, her tone instructive, as if she were educating a child.
“Consider this carefully, Countess. If you continue to mingle with such a disgraceful woman, the reputation of House Martin will be dragged through the mud along with hers.”
“……”
Insults and mockery flowed effortlessly from the Empress’s mouth.
I bit my lip hard.
‘Should I distance myself from Brigitte?’ I thought bitterly. I didn’t want her to face the Empress’s wrath because of me.
But… Brigitte was my only friend.
“No, Your Majesty.”
Brigitte said firmly.
“Hm?”
The Empress raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.
Though tense, Brigitte spoke with resolve.
“Elze is… my dear friend.”
“Countess Martin.”
The Empress’s eyes narrowed in disapproval.
But Brigitte didn’t back down.
“Abandoning a friend over mere rumors would mean I was never truly a friend in the first place.”
After taking a deep breath, Brigitte concluded resolutely.
“And that’s not the kind of friend I want to be.”
I stood frozen, staring at Brigitte’s back in disbelief.
Brigitte… my only friend.
I had always used her, manipulating her kindness to my advantage.
Even my attempts to help her had been calculated to win her favor.
But now…
“What’s this? You’ve all been having such a fun conversation without me?”
A sharp voice cut through the tension.
That voice—its tone and attitude were all too familiar.
‘Dante.’
My blood ran cold.
Slowly, I turned my head toward the source of the voice, and there he was—Dante, his expression anything but amused, staring directly at us.
Without hesitation, he spoke up, eyes still locked on the Empress.
“I agree with the Countess.”
His face remained neutral, but his words were aimed squarely at the Empress.
“Does Her Majesty also discard friends based on mere rumors?”
“What did you say?” The Empress’s voice rose sharply.
“I find it hard to believe the royal family, with its own scandals, would be in a position to pass such judgment,” Dante continued nonchalantly.
“How dare you, Marquis Offenheir!”
The Empress shouted, her face flushing with anger.
But Dante remained unfazed, his expression as cold as ever.
“I would advise Her Majesty to be more careful with her words. When insulting others, one should consider whether the same words could be applied to themselves.”
“Marquis, how dare you speak to me with such disrespect!”
“Oh, but I must ask Your Majesty,” Dante said, his lips curling into a deadly smile.
“who was it that dared to provoke me first?”
“……”
The Empress, taken aback by Dante’s menacing demeanor, took an involuntary step back.
Dante’s smile only grew darker.
“I’ve been trying to be patient, but it seems it was Her Majesty who decided to test my temper first.”
“…Marquis.”
“When someone reaches Your Majesty’s age and status, they should possess the wisdom to recognize when others are likely to be offended.”
Dante shrugged lightly and continued, his voice cutting through the tension.
“That way, I can at least pretend to show some respect to our esteemed royals. Isn’t that right?”
“……”
The Empress ground her teeth, visibly fuming. Dante’s words were far too insolent, especially when directed at the Empress—the mother of the empire. But this was Dante, Marquis of Offenheir. He could get away with such audacity.
Even after losing his control over the boarding school, Dante had continued to rise, solidifying his influence over the underworld to the point where even the imperial family had to tread carefully around him.
Having silenced the Empress, Dante turned his gaze toward me. I felt like a helpless rabbit caught in front of a predator.
“……”
“……”
Our eyes met.
His crimson gaze lingered on me for what felt like an eternity.
Then, a faint smile tugged at his lips, though it didn’t reach his eyes.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, my dear?”
“…Marquis,” I stammered.
“Have you been well?”
This was the man who had imprisoned me, treated me like a possession, and ultimately destroyed me. I was filled with a swirling mix of hatred, resentment, and yet… lingering affection. It was a mess of emotions, leaving me overwhelmed.
I had known, logically, that I would likely see Dante at this ball. But now that we were face-to-face…
‘I can’t calm down.’
I clenched my trembling hands into fists, trying to steady myself. But it was futile.
Dante studied me with a complicated expression.
Just then, another voice interrupted, sharp and cutting.
“What business do you have with my partner?”
Lucian.
His face was filled with tension and suspicion as he glared at Dante.
Dante, however, merely glanced at Lucian with disdain and let out a dry chuckle.
“Oh, isn’t this the bastard who kidnapped my dear?”
Calling the Duke of Kalleid a ‘bastard’ so brazenly caused Lucian’s face to twist in anger.
“Watch your words, Marquis Offenheir.”
Lucian spat, his voice cold.
But Dante didn’t care at all.
“Since earlier, it’s been the same with Her Majesty and now this bastard here. What’s with everyone?”
His crimson eyes glinted dangerously, like a predator ready to rip Lucian apart.
“It really gets on my nerves when people who should be watching their mouths run them so carelessly. Don’t you think?”
By now, the attention of everyone in the ballroom had shifted toward us. People were starting to notice the strange tension building.
“What’s happening?”
“Aren’t those the Marquis of Offenheir and the Duke of Kalleid?”
“And Her Majesty the Empress is here too!”
While the Empress and Lucian looked increasingly uncomfortable with the growing audience, Dante seemed completely indifferent, almost enjoying the situation.
With a casual shrug, Dante added.
“Anyway, that little bite from earlier stung a bit.”
“……”
Lucian’s face hardened further as more and more people began whispering.
“Could they really be fighting over Lady Lepherian?”
The murmurs and hushed voices swirled around us.
“Did Lady Lepherian really not expect this kind of scene to unfold?”
The curious and hostile stares from dozens of pairs of eyes bore down on me.
“If it were me, I wouldn’t have shown up at an imperial ball like this. Does she lack awareness or is she just pretending not to?”
Soft snickers of ridicule filled the air.
It felt as if someone was jabbing needles into my temples.
‘No…’
I struggled to keep the pounding headache at bay.
‘I need to stay unnoticed… I must remain quiet…’
At least, that’s what I had told myself.
But before I knew it, my mouth had moved on its own, and I found myself speaking.
“Excuse me.”
All eyes shifted toward me.
“……”
“……”
A suffocating silence followed. Only the elegant music from the musicians filled the tense air, grating on my nerves.
I forced myself to continue, my voice hoarse.
“May I be excused now?”
