46
“…”
“…”
Dante and I fell into silence side by side.
Viscount Craig once again pursued the lady.
“Let’s stop fooling around and go together.”
“Oh, no, I…”
The opposing woman weakly resisted, but it seemed that Viscount Craig paid no heed to her objections.
Judging by the hearty laughter, he didn’t seem to be listening with his ears either.
“Well, isn’t it natural for bees and butterflies to get entangled in flowers?”
I felt a sickening sensation twisting in my stomach.
Indeed.
Lucien, who once trusted and followed that small-minded cousin like a parent, was still confined in a dark, gloomy cell.
If it weren’t for Lucien, that leech-like fellow, who would have never set foot in this splendid banquet hall, was now swaggering around.
Everything about Lucien had been taken away.
“That bastard…”
Dante, cursing under his breath, tried to stand up again.
In fact, Viscount Craig’s attitude was a blatant rudeness toward the host.
If, by any chance, rumors spread about this incident, the host would have to handle the aftermath.
I called Dante.
“Marquis.”
“Oh, what?”
Dante, who reflexively raised his voice, checked my expression and managed to suppress his irritation.
Although I didn’t know for sure without looking in the mirror, my expression seemed anything but gentle.
“As expected, can we just leave them alone?”
After taking a short breath, I calmly spoke.
“In that case, as the organizer of this debutante party, there’s something I really want to do.”
“Hmm, I don’t know what it is.”
Dante, with a strange look, nodded as if acknowledging it.
“Do as you wish.”
“Thank you.”
I stood up from my seat.
I picked up the champagne glass on the table and walked briskly towards the balcony.
Just below the balcony, a well-hidden spot behind lush garden trees came into view.
Inside, a lady and a gentleman were standing as if they were trying to hide.
However, the expressions of the two were quite contrasting.
“Please, Viscount Craig…”
“Well, what’s wrong? It’s a good time for each other during these occasions. Right?”
The lady looked bewildered, and the gentleman was relentless in trying to allure her.
I pulled my head out and gauged the positions of the two.
Since they were clearly visible from the protruding balcony, there seemed to be no hindrance to what I was about to do.
‘All right.’
With an expressionless face, I tilted the champagne glass.
Shwooosh!
Translucent champagne poured down directly over Viscount Craig’s head.
“Ah!”
The viscount jumped up like a frog dropped into boiling water.
Then, with a disgusted expression, he looked up.
“Well, what the!”
His carefully styled hair and sophisticated suit were all a mess.
It seemed that champagne had gotten into his eyes, as he couldn’t open them properly.
The sight was quite satisfying.
“You…!”
Viscount Craig, hastily wiping his face with his sleeve, scowled.
“Lady Lepherian! What on earth are you doing!”
“What am I doing?”
I replied nonchalantly without raising an eyebrow.
“I just gave water to the flowers.”
“No, what nonsense is this!”
“If it’s natural for bees and butterflies to get entangled with flowers…”
To my rhetorical question, Viscount Craig made a bewildered expression.
Whether he liked it or not, I shrugged.
“Then, isn’t it natural for flowers to drink water?”
“Hey, Lady Lepherian!”
The viscount, unable to control his anger, raised his voice.
But sadly, he couldn’t reprimand me to the end.
“Who are you yelling at right now?”
Behind me, Dante leaned his head forward.
“Oh, Marquis Offenheir?!”
As soon as he confirmed the other party, the color drained from the viscount’s face.
But only for a moment.
The viscount raised his head stiffly.
“Di-did you just see that?”
His clenched fists looked determined, as if he were a general leading a million enemies in battle.
However, saying that while covered in champagne made him look a bit comical.
“Lady Lepherian intentionally poured champagne on me! How could she commit such an outrage…!”
But Dante, leaning against the railing with his chin in his hand, responded disdainfully.
“Viscount Craig, is the viscount always this shameless?”
“Yes?”
“That’s right. The most effective card the viscount currently holds is the title of Acting Duke Kalleid.”
As if poking a sore spot, Viscount Craig’s face turned red with embarrassment.
But Dante didn’t stop there.
“Dare to believe in that insignificant Acting Duke position and dare to create a scandal at our debutante, relying on such a theme.”
Dante’s gaze sank coldly.
“You’re running towards me to offer an apology, aren’t you?”
“Scandal, you say! I didn’t do anything…!”
“Really? Did you really do nothing?”
Dante smiled beautifully, tilting his head.
Just by looking intently, the pressure was immense.
The viscount’s legs began to tremble.
“Well, people don’t change easily.”
“Hoo, Marquis….”
“But even if a knife is stuck in your back, it might wake you up.”
Dante spoke languidly, leaning his chin on the railing.
“Mumbling as if your mouth is a hole gets on other people’s nerves. Don’t you think so?”
“…”
Whatever he had imagined, Viscount Craig’s face turned a pale blue.
A laughter-mixed voice fell like a sharp blade.
“Viscount, you should behave yourself better.”
“…”
“It’s your debutante after all; maybe you kept quiet to avoid causing more trouble.”
Facing the silent viscount, Dante asked kindly.
“No response, huh?”
Viscount Craig looked up at Dante with fear in his eyes.
After a long time of biting his lips.
“Yes, I understand.”
The viscount nodded, gritting his teeth.
Only after extracting an answer from the viscount’s mouth, Dante snapped his fingers.
“Then get lost.”
As Dante’s words dropped like thunder, Viscount Craig hurriedly retreated.
The lady left alone stared at me, frozen, then quickly left after a brief bow.
I watched her retreating figure absentmindedly.
‘How different is our situation?’
That thought suddenly crossed my mind.
If Dante wasn’t my lover, I wouldn’t have been able to smile and endure such ridicule.
However.
My chest felt suffocating, as if crushed by a rock.
In the end, I had to live cautiously, always watching someone’s eyes, trying not to offend them…
‘I’m the same.’
I bit my lip tightly.
At that moment.
“Darling.”
A soft voice echoed.
I snapped back to attention as if cold water had been poured on me.
Right.
Dante was beside me.
The man who could twist my neck at any moment.
… A shiver ran down my spine.
“Yes, Marquis.”
I reflexively turned to Dante.
Thunk.
Along with it, his outstretched index finger poked my cheek.
… Dante extended his index finger as if waiting for me to turn my head.
“Oh, it’s so soft.”
Dante, who had been poking my cheek repeatedly, gave me a teasing smile.
I stared at Dante with cold eyes.
‘Was this man always this cheesy?’
But Dante didn’t stop there.
With both hands, he started squeezing my cheeks.
“Huhaim, i hon jom… (Marquis, stop…)”
I tried to resist Dante, holding both my cheeks in his hands.
Nevertheless, Dante didn’t stop playing with my cheeks for a long time.
Anyone looking at me would think my cheeks were made of clay.
47
I felt my mouth go dry.
Right in front of me, a cleverly concealed trap was laid.
If I accidentally stepped on it…
‘I’ll immediately be interrogated about my relationship with Lucian.’
Though the reason was unknown, Dante had been acting quite sensitive towards Lucian lately.
So, what should I do here and now?
“What? Duke Kalleid? I never thought of that.”
I widened my eyes in apparent surprise and looked directly at Dante.
“Oh, right. Viscount Craig was Kaled Marquis’s cousin. I forgot.”
“…”
Dante’s tense expression softened a bit for a moment.
Observing him closely, I shrugged my shoulders as if I knew nothing.
“Well, that guy is a bit annoying, to be honest.”
“Annoying? Why?”
“He believes in his humble status and wealth, and he’s truly repulsive, flirting with women just because he’s wealthy.”
I spoke somewhat cynically.
“Well, I’ve met many men like that so far.”
Yeah, countless nonsense that the family Lepherian used to throw at me.
I casually lowered my gaze.
“So, it felt a bit uncomfortable. Reminded me of the past.”
“…”
Dante looked down at me with a strange expression.
Probably trying to figure out if my words were sincere or not.
“…I’m so fortunate to have you by my side, Marquis.”
I deliberately leaned my head against Dante’s shoulder, hiding my expression.
“I’m really grateful for rescuing me from those awful men in the past.”
I deliberately used a sweeter tone, whispering softly.
“I’m so happy to be by your side, Marquis.”
While desperately trying to please Dante with words,
I couldn’t easily shake off thoughts about that lady.
The lady who had to endure mockery even from the likes of Viscount Craig.
Escaping from the annoying cage called Lepherian, I entered a slightly broader and more luxurious cage with Dante.
Of course, I was only a little better off than that lady.
I have no intention of denying Dante.
But…
…In essence, there may not be much difference between that lady and me.
But then.
“Ahem, um.”
A short fake cough was heard from behind the balcony curtain,
“Excuse me. May I come in for a moment?”
Someone asked politely.
It was Liam.
Dante frowned.
“Liam, what the hell are you doing?”
It was common courtesy to vacate the balcony when a guest was present. Especially when a man and a woman were alone on the balcony, as they might be engaged in something private.
Liam smiled awkwardly.
“I’m sorry. But it’s really urgent…”
“Just pretend it’s not urgent.”
Dante replied irritably.
“I might just kill you.”
Liam stepped into the balcony, politely opening his mouth.
“Marquis, may I borrow your ear for a moment?”
“…”
Dante gave an annoyed nod, indicating permission.
Liam whispered something softly into Dante’s ear.
The thick annoyance on Dante’s face gradually disappeared, and after a moment…
“Well, that’s why you shouldn’t deal with those rats.”
Dante burst into laughter.
Looking at Dante like that, I felt a tightening sensation in my stomach due to tension.
“So, it seems like I should leave now.”
“…”
At Liam’s cautious voice, Dante slightly furrowed his brows.
“But today is your debutante ball. Leaving my seat…”
“It’s okay.”
I reflexively replied.
The crimson eyes glanced at me briefly.
“Are you sure? Really?”
“Yes.”
I gave a bright, eye-smiling laugh.
Dante, who had been looking at me with complicated eyes, let out a long sigh.
“Phew.”
But it was only for a moment.
Dante nervously adjusted his cravat, his body rising as he stood up.
“I’m sorry, darling. I’ll make sure to settle this matter later, okay?”
“Don’t say that. The matter at hand is much more important.”
I tilted my head.
“…”
Dante, who seemed like he wanted to say something more, shook his head and left.
“Well then, excuse me, Lady Elze.”
Liam courteously bowed towards me and followed Dante.
After waiting for them to completely disappear from my sight,
I slowly wiped away the smile I had covered like a mask.
“Ah…”
Stumbling towards the chair, I collapsed into it as if crumbling.
The tension that had built up throughout the day, dealing with Dante and Benedict, finally loosened.
‘It’s okay.’
I comforted myself internally.
Rather than Dante staying by my side, claiming to be my lover and acting pitiful, I felt more at ease this way. After all, it would just be another debt for Dante.
…Yet.
‘Why do I feel so bad…’
The sincerity I couldn’t bring myself to express outwardly filled my chest like acrid smoke.
I tightly closed my eyes.
As if by doing so, I could escape from this strange discomfort.
* * *
The debutante ball had finally come to an end.
Benedict, who had been guarding a spot in the hall until the very end, raised his gaze for a moment.
His violet eyes gazed quietly at one corner of the ballroom.
At the end of his gaze stood a lady with hair braided thickly in the color of dried rose petals.
Elze Lepherian.
She was the protagonist of this debutante ball.
Just a while ago, when she went out to the balcony, she was clearly escorted by Marquis Offenheir.
But now she was alone.
“…”
The violet eyes became faint.
Benedict recalled Marquis Offenheir’s attitude towards Lady Lepherian earlier.
Although rumors spread about Marquis Offenheir treating his lovers like toys, surprisingly, he seemed to pay some attention to Lady Lepherian.
After dancing with Elze, right after they came out,
The fierce gaze Marquis Offenheir cast at her was still vivid in Benedict’s memory.
It was undoubtedly hostility.
‘Quite an amusing person.’
Benedict twisted the corner of his lips.
If he was going to expose his fangs claiming to be my partner, he should at least treat me well.
To just abandon me like that after the dance, what was that supposed to mean?
But still, if anyone approaches that woman, they will probably try to grab her as if she’s their possession.
Like a brat.
‘Interesting.’
Benedict’s smile deepened a bit.
Since the first deal with Elze, Benedict had been investigating her.
How did she know about his information and predict the situation in the Lomdio territory so accurately?
There were many questions, but there were no clear answers.
[Well, having a few secrets adds to a woman’s charm, doesn’t it?]
Benedict suddenly remembered Elze’s languid voice.
“Ha, really.”
Benedict turned with a satisfied expression.
The next deal proposed by Elze…
He really looked forward to it.
* * *
After that,
It was close to midnight when the debutante ball finally ended.
As the host of the party, I had to stay until the end.
Therefore, my actual return time was well past 1 a.m.
Sitting in a luxurious carriage, I leaned my head against the window and absentmindedly gazed at the darkened streets.
The gas lamps scattered here and there left a dim trace on my retinas.
[Um, Lady Lepherian.]
Suddenly, I recalled something that happened just before getting on the carriage.
[Marquis has given you a hint in advance.]
As I prepared to leave, a maid from Offenheir Town House discreetly whispered to me.
[Lady Lepherian, a bedroom has been prepared for you to rest comfortably.]
[…?]
[So, if you’re tired, I’ll guide you to the bedroom.]
I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been disliked by others all my life, but I could sensitively sense the hostility others held towards me.
My instincts whispered to me.
Even though she spoke politely, the maid was looking down on me.
As I stared at the maid, who was blatantly disdainful, I turned my head.
[Enough. Let’s go back to the boarding school.]
[But…]
[Right now, Marquis is not at the townhouse.]
I shrugged lightly.
[In such a situation, how can I stay comfortably at the townhouse?]
Perhaps my answer was the right one.
The subtle hostility I felt from the maid disappeared as if washed away.
‘Welcoming a woman with uncertain status as a guest of Marquis Offenheir must be quite uncomfortable.’
I sneered inwardly.
After all, I was just Dante’s lover.
I couldn’t dream of marriage, let alone becoming an official fiancee.
Therefore, the perception of society towards me was at best a lucky seat next to Dante.
48
[The carriage?]
[I’ll have it ready. Please wait a moment.]
Without a second urging, the maid hurried away.
Afterwards, the carriage was quickly prepared.
I was on my way to the damn boarding school.
“…Ah, I’m tired.”
I let out a short sigh and leaned back in the chair.
The dress draped over my body felt as heavy as wet cotton.
The high-heeled shoes I had been wearing all day tightened around my feet like a snake.
Although I felt like throwing off these shoes immediately and escaping to a place without the male protagonists of this world,
I gritted my teeth and ignored the throbbing pain in my aching feet,
‘It can’t be helped.’
I consoled myself with great difficulty.
How far had we traveled?
In the distance, Rose Cross Boarding School came into view.
Looking at that magnificent sight, my heart felt as heavy as a lump swallowed.
Squeak—clang!
The iron lattice door, delicately carved with rose vines, opened.
The carriage smoothly glided inside.
Running as if on ice, it came to a stop in front of the main building.
However,
‘Something seems strange.’
I squinted my eyes.
It was now well past 1 a.m.
However,
‘There are lights on in the main building.’
Usually, at this time, most people would be asleep.
Leaving only the gas lamps near the entrance on, most of the lights were turned off.
In addition, there was a strange commotion in the air.
Then, at that moment.
“Lady Elze!”
A security guard urgently ran towards me.
As the caretaker of Rose Cross Boarding School, I knew the faces of all the staff, but even considering that, this face seemed unusually familiar.
It was inevitable.
There were only a few security guards assigned to the annex.
“What’s going on?”
“Th-the special student…!”
At that moment, I felt my heart sink.
It was only natural since there was only one person currently held as a special student in Rose Cross Boarding School.
Lucian von Kalleid.
…The male protagonist essential for my escape.
“Why is the special student here?”
“W-well, his condition is not good. We…”
“Alright, let’s go see.”
I cut off the security guard and quickly moved forward.
In the distance, I could see maids and servants from the annex gathering clumsily.
As soon as they saw me, they fell into contemplation and lowered their heads.
As if even making eye contact with me was frightening.
“Um, Lady Elze?”
I furrowed my brows and pointed to the door with a nod.
“Open the door.”
Clang!
The door to the solitary confinement where Lucian was imprisoned opened.
The most prominent sensation was the sense of smell.
‘What is this smell…?’
I narrowed my eyes.
A pungent, herbal scent that seemed like someone was burning herbs brushed against my nose.
It was the scent of incense.
A fragrance with the power to calm an excited person.
Unlike Nix, this scent posed little harm to the human body as long as there wasn’t prolonged exposure. Doctors were known to prescribe this calming scent for medical purposes.
However.
‘There’s no trace of the calming scent around.’
If the calming scent had been burned, there should have been an incense burner in place, but it was missing.
Yet, the fragrance of the calming scent still lingered inside the cell.
In other words.
Although the calming scent had been cleared away in advance, the smell hadn’t completely dissipated.
So, why was the calming scent removed?
‘Well…’
My mind was dyed white with raging anger.
‘Probably to conceal the fact that the calming scent was burned.’
The recommended daily usage of the calming scent was no more than three hours. Yet, if the scent remained so strong, it must have been burned throughout the day.
And the most significant evidence was…
‘The frightened expressions of the staff.’
Glancing at each other, lowering their heads to avoid eye contact with me, their trembling figures were typical of those who had committed a transgression.
Tick, tock.
Approaching the bed, I looked down at Lucian.
“Lucian.”
Lucian lay sprawled on the bed.
Cold sweat clung to his pale forehead, and his breathing was shallow, as if he were having a severe nightmare.
“When I last saw him… he wasn’t in such bad condition.”
I sharply turned to the maid who was standing nearby.
“Who prescribed the calming scent to the special student?”
“W-well…!”
The maid’s face turned pale in an instant.
Looking at her, I was convinced.
“It seems like the staff acted independently.”
For now, Liam couldn’t be the culprit.
Liam was an exceptional talent to the extent that the meticulous Dante had him as a personal secretary. Given that, Liam couldn’t be unaware of Lucian’s value as a special student.
Moreover, the maid’s expression, as if she were about to faint, revealed something valuable. If even after seeing that expression, they couldn’t identify the culprit…
‘That would truly be a disgrace.’
A chilling voice flowed like ice from my lips.
“You acted on your own accord.”
“Uh, Lady Elze!”
The maid hurriedly tried to stammer out an excuse, but my hand was quicker.
Crack!
“Ack!”
A new scream burst from the maid’s mouth.
It was because I had tightly gripped her throat.
I leaned my face against the maid’s, growling softly.
“I’ve told you this before, haven’t I?”
“What? W-What are you…?”
“If anyone harms my exclusive student, they’ll never see the sunlight from tomorrow onwards.”
The maid’s eyes widened in an instant.
That’s right.
I was talking about Victor now.
Officially, it was announced that Victor resigned due to urgent matters.
However, everyone at the boarding school instinctively knew the fate that awaited Victor.
That was only natural, as those who disappeared in such a manner…
never once revealed themselves to the outside world afterward.
“Lady Elze!”
The maid desperately called my name.
“P-Please forgive me, I…”
Eyes filled with terror begged for mercy.
And I mercilessly trampled on that plea.
“It seems like the staff at the annex needs a replacement.”
“No, please, no!”
Tears began to fill the maid’s eyes.
At the same time, the guards who had been trailing behind me like shadows politely asked me a question.
“What would you like us to do, Lady Elze?”
“Do whatever you want.”
I twisted the corner of my lips.
“Lock all the staff from the annex in the underground prison.”
Instantly, despair spread over the maid’s face.
“Let me go! Lady Elze! Please, please…!”
The maid thrashed about, but she couldn’t overcome the strength of the robust guards.
Simultaneously, sporadic screams began to echo from elsewhere.
“What the hell is going on!”
“Let go! I said let go!”
The guards, obeying my orders, had presumably taken other staff members with them.
Well, after being thrown into the underground prison, Dante would take care of the rest.
Whether to kill or spare them, it was up to him.
‘And typically, Dante prefers the option of eliminating them.’
But I no longer cared about them.
To me, there was only one important person.
‘Are you sure you only smoked calming incense?’
Examining Lucian’s condition closely, I threw the question with a sharp tone.
‘I know that a person wouldn’t convulse to this extent with just calming incense.’
Originally, calming incense was developed for the treatment of patients with oversensitive nerves. When used in the right quantity and time, it didn’t put much strain on the body.
Well, it might have been available for ordinary staff to use freely, but…
‘Yes. Nothing else has been used besides calming incense.’
The guard nodded obediently.
I felt genuinely relieved.
However, it was short-lived.
I sensed tension creeping in.
“But why is the special student in this state?”
Why was Lucian lying on the bed like this?
I had to hold back the urge to scream right now.
I couldn’t comprehend the current situation at all.
Lucian was the male protagonist of this world.
Even if he had used calming incense for a long time and put a strain on his body, he shouldn’t have collapsed so easily.
Above all, he seemed relatively fine when I managed him.
It had only been a few weeks, and he had deteriorated so much…
“…That’s because…”
A guard, who had been rolling his eyes for a moment, cautiously opened his mouth.
49
“It seems that it’s due to the special student’s weakened state.”
“Weakened? Why?”
“Yes. He’s been having trouble sleeping for the past few days. I don’t know for sure, but it seemed like he was having nightmares.”
I stared at the guard, demanding an explanation.
The guard quickly continued with the explanation.
“He periodically screamed or woke up in a frenzy, seemingly disturbed by nightmares.”
“…That happened?”
“Yes. Eventually, he either stopped having nightmares altogether or refused to fall asleep.”
It was entirely new information to me.
Dante was so insistent about keeping his troubles to himself, and recently, I intentionally tried to distance myself from Lucian.
At least Liam was a reliable person when it came to handling affairs.
Still, as the personal manager in charge of Lucian, I hadn’t received such information until now…
‘Perhaps Dante deliberately blocked the information in the middle of things.’
I narrowed my eyes.
I had been quietly avoiding conflicts with Dante.
But it seemed like I needed to sort out this issue definitively.
Meanwhile, as if interpreting my silence in a different way, the guard hastily added.
“At first, Mr. Liam did recommend sleep-inducing medicine a few times. He said it was specially formulated to prevent nightmares.”
“But?”
“But… the special student kept refusing the sleeping pills, enduring through it.”
“Ah, so that’s it.”
I smirked briefly.
“He had no choice but to resort to calming incense, huh?”
Maybe because I was on edge, my words didn’t come out as smoothly.
“Screaming is noisy, and it would be troublesome if unnecessary commotion arises.”
“Uh, Lady Elzé.”
“Moreover, if he were to hit a wall and break something, it would likely become all of your responsibility.”
My smile deepened a little.
“So, whether it puts a strain on the special student’s body or not, the priority was to keep things quiet for now. Something like that, you get it?”
“….”
The guard closed his mouth, not knowing what to say.
Staring at the guard for a while, I tightly closed my eyes.
‘I got too worked up.’
After all, the guards weren’t guilty of anything.
Their role was merely to monitor and prevent students from escaping.
They didn’t get involved in things like prescribing medication in the first place.
On the contrary.
‘Considering their reaction, it seems like the mansion staff were trying to hide this incident.’
Giving quick notice of the situation was, in a way, praiseworthy.
“….”
After pondering for a moment, I pulled out the gold ring that was on my finger.
Then, I handed the ring to the guard.
“W-What is this?”
The guard’s eyes widened.
“It’s a token of appreciation for letting me know about the special student’s condition.”
I whispered gently.
“If something like this happens again in the future… you understand, right?”
“….”
For a moment, a greedy gleam appeared in the guard’s eyes.
Swallowing his dry saliva, the guard nodded respectfully.
“Of course.”
“Good. Then, you can leave now.”
I casually waved my hand.
The guard nodded and left the room with proper manners.
Now, only Lucian and I remained in the solitary cell.
“….”
I bit my lip and looked down at Lucian.
There aren’t many ways to detoxify from the tranquility fragrance.
First, the air in the room needs to be ventilated, allowing fresh air in.
And since the window is already open…
I slumped down beside Lucian’s bed.
Although the bed shook considerably, Lucian still kept his eyelids tightly closed.
Deep wrinkles formed on his forehead.
‘I guess it would be better to wake Lucian up?’
I pondered in my mind.
The most reliable way to confirm complete detoxification from the tranquility fragrance is to engage the patient in a conversation.
To check if the conversation is proceeding normally, if the thinking is clear, and if the words are pronounced clearly.
Observing these aspects is the most reliable method.
“Get up.”
I tried shaking Lucian’s body for now.
However, Lucian showed no signs of opening his eyes.
“….Ugh.”
Is he still wandering in the nightmare?
A faint groan escaped between his struggling lips.
“Your Grace, Your Grace… Haa.”
After attempting to wake Lucian a few more times, I grabbed his forehead and rubbed his cheek.
Slap!
This time, it seemed to have an effect.
Lucian’s eyelids slowly lifted.
His blurry gaze stared at me for a while.
And then.
“….Lady Lepherian.”
A muted voice flowed out.
‘I’m relieved; he can recognize people properly.’
I felt a bit relieved.
It seems Lucian’s cognitive abilities are somewhat intact.
“Yes, it’s me.”
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
Lucian blinked and flashed a subtle smile.
It was a transparent smile with no shadows.
“Did you enjoy the debutante ball?”
“….”
I tightly sealed my lips.
‘He knew.’
My stomach twisted uncontrollably.
Perhaps this emotion was anger towards myself for not protecting Lucian.
If I was going to use that man, I should have at least ensured he wouldn’t end up like this.
Due to my incompetence.
Thinking only about my reputation.
So…
“I’m sorry.”
Despite clenching my lips, I impulsively spoke.
“I am your dedicated manager, and I didn’t even know such an incident occurred.”
In response, Lucian opened his eyes a little more forcefully.
“Why blame Lady?”
“What?”
“Lady didn’t prescribe the tranquility fragrance to me. Why?”
“Well, because I didn’t properly manage the people underneath me….”
“That logic is flawed. The recent person you managed wasn’t Lady Lepherian, but someone named Liam, right?”
Even in his blurred state of mind, Lucian calmly pointed out my flaws.
“Don’t unnecessarily feel guilty.”
“Your Grace, I…”
“I don’t want to see Lady whining.”
Lucian cut me off decisively.
I stared at Lucian’s stern face with an indescribable expression.
After a moment, Lucian lightly touched his swollen cheek and chuckled.
“I’ve never been slapped by my parents, you know.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“How does it feel? To be the first person to slap the cheek of the mighty Duke Kalleid, twice.”
“…It feels quite satisfying.”
“Is that so?”
Lucian chuckled when I responded with a playful tone.
“Pfft.”
Even I, who had been watching Lucian silently, couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Seeing that he had enough leisure to joke, it seemed that his condition wasn’t entirely bad.
Playfully, I teased Lucian.
“Your Grace, have you never tried alcohol? You were underage.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Lucian started to form a pouting expression but quickly furrowed his eyebrows, giving me a rebuke.
“Are you bragging about trying alcohol now?”
“It’s not bragging; I’m just stating the facts.”
I shrugged, smiling slyly.
“But considering that you took my words as bragging, you must envy me a bit, right?”
“…”
Lucian closed his mouth discontentedly.
I reached out and tidied Lucian’s hair that clung to his forehead.
“I saw your cousin brother today.”
“…Arthur?”
“Yes. He was shamelessly flirting with another lady without even realizing I was watching.”
I responded somewhat mischievously.
“So, I poured champagne on his head. I couldn’t stand the sight.”
“What?”
Lucian’s eyes widened, and then he burst into laughter, holding his stomach.
“Really? Ahaha!”
“Yes. It seems that your Grace has no judgment when it comes to people. Trusting and following such a guy.”
“Sigh, you’re right.”
Wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes with his finger, Lucian replied.
But that was only for a moment.
His blue eyes turned cold.
“So, when I escape from here… I plan to deal with him personally.”
His voice was filled with determination.
I felt somewhat satisfied.
But then…
“By the way.”
Lucian looked at me sideways with a serious gaze.
“Since you attended the debutante ball, did you dance with many men?”
“Well, yes.”
Technically, it was only with Dante and Benedict, but generally, a debutante was expected to dance with various men during the ball.
Lucian probably knew that.
Why was he asking such an obvious question?
I looked at Lucian in confusion.
“Well, I…”
Lucian was about to say something, but he suddenly averted his gaze.
Silence ensued.
“…”
“…”
Why is he acting like that all of a sudden?
It seems like he’s struggling with something…
I raised my eyebrows after pondering for a moment.
Could it be?
“Maybe I’ll have a chance to dance with you later, Your Grace.”
I teased Lucian in a soft voice, and he responded with a lighthearted remark.
“Why later? You can dance with me now if you want.”
50
…It was the right answer.
Yes, it’s a bit regrettable that I couldn’t properly celebrate my coming-of-age ceremony. Moreover, I had the debutante ball and even danced with others. It would be strange if Lucian didn’t envy that.
Besides, considering Lucian is at such a young age, having recently come of age, I could cut him some slack, but…
“No, it’s not allowed. You need some rest now.”
I shook my head.
Upon hearing that, Lucian glanced at me without apparent displeasure.
“Is it only Lady who gets to have a debutante ball?”
“…,” I remained silent.
“I haven’t properly celebrated my coming-of-age, and I was brought here against my will, you know?”
“…”
“Oh, how pitiful.”
Mumbling to himself as if telling me how unfortunate it was, Lucian cautiously checked my reaction.
“If Lady would just dance one song, I might feel less miserable…”
“…”
Well, choosing words that sting the conscience like that is indeed a talent.
…Well, if he puts it that way.
I carefully observed Lucian’s condition.
For now, he seemed to be doing okay. The conversation flowed smoothly, and his mind seemed clear.
Finally, I sighed deeply and responded.
“I won’t even know if you step on my foot.”
At that, Lucian rose with a bright face.
“Great… Ugh.”
However, as soon as he stood up, he seemed to feel dizzy. He held his forehead and groaned, a typical side effect of the detoxifying scent.
I squinted my eyes.
“Are you really okay?”
“Well, of course.”
Lucian confidently replied, despite groaning as he held his forehead after standing up.
I raised an eyebrow as he cautiously extended his hand towards me.
It was the gentlemanly gesture of a man requesting a dance from a lady.
“May I have the honor of dancing with the lady?”
“…”
Honestly, I was still concerned about Lucian’s physical condition.
‘But dancing one song should be fine.’
I took Lucian’s hand and stood up.
“Waltz, okay?”
“Sure.”
With that brief conversation, we started dancing the waltz.
There was no music from a band, no dazzling lights. All we had was the pale moonlight pouring in from beyond the window.
Yet… It wasn’t a bad feeling.
* * *
Quietly, I looked down at Lucian’s face with closed eyes.
‘Is he asleep?’
Perhaps to keep my promise that he was fine, Lucian danced through one song. However, after just one dance, he seemed to exhaust his energy and collapsed.
Still, this time, there were no nightmares or seizures.
Lucian’s face, deep in sleep, looked peaceful.
“Have sweet dreams.”
I whispered softly, pulling the blanket up to cover Lucian’s neck.
Then I stood up.
Thud.
The door closed.
The peacefully sleeping Lucian disappeared from view through the crack in the door.
* * *
In a dark, secluded room, Dante looked down at two men sitting slumped over a desk with a cold gaze.
Their faces were completely disfigured, covered in blood.
Dante clicked his tongue with a sneer.
“Really, these guys without any decency are disgusting.”
“Ugh…”
A middle-aged man with his head buried on the desk groaned faintly.
Then Dante, with an emotionless face, grabbed the hair of the middle-aged man, lifting his head.
“Too noisy.”
Bang!
He then slammed the head back onto the desk.
The man fainted.
Dante, with a refreshing expression, murmured.
“Ah, now it’s finally quiet.”
The situation was roughly like this:
Another organization, which had agreed to deal with Dante’s organization, secretly sold goods to Dante and received hush money. After that, they attempted to disappear as quickly as possible…
[Hello?]
Somehow managing to bypass security, Dante walked into the transaction site. The two men turned to look at Dante in shock.
[Oh, Marquis Offenheir?!]
[How did you get in here?]
Dante, with his hands in his pockets, walked in confidently and addressed the two bewildered men with a cheerful voice.
[Well, it’s fine. Demanding the level of decency that a human should have from these rat bastards is too much to ask for.]
[We, uh, we…]
[But rats will be rats.]
A demonic smile spread across Dante’s handsome face.
[Being trampled to death seems fitting, doesn’t it?]
After that:
“…Did you really need to go this far?”
Liam, who was looking at the table covered in blood, let out a groan. Dante kicked the table that the two men leaned on with his toe.
“Well, if it weren’t for these bastards, there would be no need for me to come here and leave you alone at the banquet, right?”
Elze.
She stood alone on the balcony, catching Dante’s eye.
[It’s okay.]
A bright smile, masked on her face like a mask.
[Please don’t say that. There are far more important matters at hand.]
Even with that calm tone.
Elze didn’t cling to me as usual, asking me to stay by her side.
Instead, she first considered Dante’s position and generously let him go.
However, when Elze spoke like that, she strangely looked lonely.
…It felt odd that her appearance caught my eye.
It was like leaving a child alone in an unfamiliar place.
Although this deal was quite important for Dante and he knew that he needed to catch the rat bastards right away, he couldn’t bring himself to leave.
“Annoying.”
Dante clicked his tongue briefly.
Then, he took out a cigarette case from his pocket and lit one.
Tilting his head towards Liam, as if it was natural, Liam lit the cigarette with a match.
After inhaling the cigarette smoke deeply into his lungs, Dante seemed to feel somewhat relieved.
“Ah.”
After exhaling the smoke for a long time, Dante briefly lifted his gaze and looked at Liam.
“So, what about her?”
“I heard that she returned to the boarding school.”
“What?”
For a moment, his red eyes glared fiercely.
“I distinctly told her to prepare so that she can rest and come back from the townhouse, didn’t I?”
“Well, I heard that Miss Elze declined.”
“Why?”
“She said she couldn’t stay in an ownerless townhouse.”
“….”
Dante was silent for a moment.
It was indeed the truth.
Elze had no official relationship with Dante.
Not even engaged, let alone married.
If she stayed and rested in the ownerless townhouse, it would be enough to cause unnecessary misunderstandings from outsiders.
Such misunderstandings about the intimate relationship between Elze and Dante.
‘But… why does it feel so dirty like this?’
Dante felt a bit puzzled.
Currently, Elze knew her place, maintaining a clear boundary with Dante.
So there shouldn’t be any reason to feel so disgusted.
But Liam’s report was not over yet.
“Also, it’s reported that Duke Kalleid had a seizure.”
“Duke Kalleid? Why that brat?”
“According to the report, the staff at the annex administered sedatives without authorization. It’s presumed to be a side effect of that.”
“Oh, really? The brat didn’t die, huh?”
Dante shrugged his shoulders and asked Liam.
“Is he physically fine, and is he mentally sound?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Alright then.”
Dante took a long drag from his cigarette.
Liam sneakily observed Dante’s reaction.
Fortunately, Dante seemed to be in a much better mood than before.
Relieved, Liam added, “Oh, and Lady Elze has confined all the annex staff to the underground prison.”
Dante paused for a moment.
“She did?”
“Yes. Lady Elze personally investigated Duke Kalleid and punished the annex staff…”
At the same time, Dante kicked the legs of the chair where the middle-aged man was sitting.
Bam!
Thud!
The man collapsed on the floor like a ragdoll.
Dante looked back at Liam with a sinister smile.
“What the hell?”
“Sorry.”
Liam quickly lowered his head.
Honestly, this incident wasn’t Liam’s fault.
If you really wanted to point fingers, there might be some negligence in properly supervising and managing the annex staff.
In fact, they exceeded the appropriate usage time by quite a bit.
But considering Lucian’s state was already bad, it was more reasonable to think that the side effects manifested strongly due to his unfortunate condition.
However, Dante’s anger seemed to stem not from Liam’s negligence in supervision but from something else.
“Why did she personally intervene with Duke Kalleid?”
For a moment, Liam doubted his ears.
Elze had only done what she was supposed to do.
But why?
“Um, isn’t Lady Elze the manager? Naturally, she has to take care of special students in similar situations…”
“Why? Shouldn’t she personally investigate Duke Kalleid?”
Dante sarcastically retorted with a sharp tone.
“Did that damn brat do something he shouldn’t have after kicking the bucket?”
