61
Why are you causing a commotion by inserting yourself in the middle?
I felt the urge to escape immediately, but I couldn’t be sure if my neck would stay safely in its place if I actually did so.
‘It’s probably better to greet him quickly and leave.’
I stood up from my seat and chose to show courtesy to the Second Prince.
“Elze Lepherian, I greet the Second Prince.”
“…”
The Second Prince turned to look at me with narrowed eyes.
His gaze passed over me indifferently, like someone glancing at a bug beneath their feet.
It was filled with disdain.
Understandably so.
Elze Lepherian, the infamous villainess in the social circle.
She was merely a petty noble at best.
There was no corner left untouched by her mischief.
In normal circumstances, I wouldn’t dare to even offer greetings to the royal family, let alone receive an invitation to such a club.
Despite that, the Second Prince couldn’t completely ignore my greeting.
“…Fine.”
He nodded roughly, acknowledging my greeting.
A deep sense of shame passed over his stern face.
After all, he must have wanted to ignore me until the end.
Yet, he had to acknowledge my greeting under Dante’s pressure.
The Second Prince composed his expression and turned to the other members.
“Anyway, today we have a new member.”
Pointing to a corner of the club, he exclaimed with an energetic voice, “Let’s welcome Count Luneburg with applause!”
At the same time, a man emerged among the crowd.
He was a youthful young man with light brown hair and elegant purple eyes, possessing a refined beauty.
It was Benedict, impeccably dressed in a neat suit.
Dante’s forehead creased in irritation.
“…Why did that brat crawl in here?”
“…”
I glanced briefly at Dante from the corner of my eye.
Lately, I’ve been wondering, why does Dante dislike Benedict so much?
The female lead of the original work hasn’t even appeared yet, so there’s no reason for Dante to dislike Benedict.
Was there a slight clash at the debutante party?
But back then, it seemed like Dante was the one being overly sensitive, rather than Benedict being at fault…
But more importantly…
‘Surprisingly, Benedict tied his hair neatly.’
It looked much better.
At that moment, as if sensing my gaze, Benedict turned towards this direction.
‘Oh.’
Our eyes met.
And then.
Benedict glanced at me with a subtle smile.
“Huh?”
I widened my eyes.
At the same time, the Second Prince spoke cheerfully.
“It’s truly an honor to be able to introduce Count Luneburg as a member of our club.”
“It’s indeed an honor for me to be able to join as a member of the club.”
Benedict replied courteously.
Upon hearing this, the Second Prince burst into laughter.
“Oh, isn’t that too modest of you? It’s a well-known fact that Shmaikel Vander has a strong grip on the imperial market, even a passing child would know…”
“You flatter me.”
“Flattery? No! His Imperial Majesty also holds Count Luneburg in very high esteem. So, you see…”
The Second Prince continued to praise Benedict at length.
Well, even if the praise was getting tiresome to listen to.
It seemed to be a fact that Benedict was highly regarded in the imperial court.
But then.
Clack!
The sound of a match striking against a matchbox echoed loudly.
“…”
“…”
People turned to Dante with puzzled expressions.
By the way, I’m included in those ‘people’.
Dante, who had suddenly pulled out a cigarette, skillfully lit it up.
“Hu―.”
After taking a satisfying drag from his cigarette, Dante exhaled a long stream of smoke.
Then he smiled lazily.
“Oh, excuse me.”
With a completely unapologetic face, Dante offered an apology.
“After hearing so much excessive praise, I felt nauseous.”
“What, what did you say?”
“Because of the queasiness, I had to smoke.”
“Look here, you rascal!”
The enraged Second Prince raised his voice.
Understandably, smoking indoors was a clear breach of etiquette.
Moreover, wasn’t this supposed to be a moment to introduce a new member to the club?
Dante’s attitude was not only ignoring the Second Prince but also Benedict perfectly.
Nevertheless, regardless of the Second Prince’s anger, Dante took another long drag from his cigarette.
Then he blew the smoke directly into the Second Prince’s face.
“Cough, cough!”
The Second Prince, who had inhaled the smoke directly, coughed uncontrollably.
Dante smirked arrogantly as he stared at the coughing prince.
“Why don’t I offer one to the Second Prince as well?”
“Now…!”
The Second Prince barely managed to suppress his emotions before shouting.
In that regard, he managed to maintain some semblance of aristocracy.
Dante had already completely dominated the situation.
He realized that getting more excited would only make him appear more pitiful.
Suppressing his anger, the Second Prince demanded firmly.
“Right now, put out the cigarette.”
The only problem was that the person he was dealing with was Dante.
As moody as ever, he snapped at Dante.
“Then would you mind getting rid of that annoying praise?”
I really didn’t want to get involved in this colossal clash of egos.
You know?
Anyone would want to avoid being caught in the crossfire of a whale fight, right?
But…
“Cough.”
…Of all times, why does this cough have to come now?
It’s all Dante’s fault.
He’s smoking heavily next to me, and my weak lungs couldn’t take it anymore…
But that’s beside the point.
Objectively describing the current situation, amidst the tense standoff between the Second Prince and Dante,
Did I really have to cough so inconsiderately…?
‘I hope my throat isn’t going to betray me now.’
I pondered as I looked at Dante.
“…”
Dante silently stared at me.
His gaze was mysterious.
It seemed apologetic and self-deprecating, those reddish eyes.
Hmm, it seems like I misunderstood.
There’s no way Dante could feel such emotions, right?
“I’m sorry.”
I apologized hastily.
Upon hearing that, Dante frowned and retorted.
“What’s there to be sorry about?”
Then he tossed the cigarette to the floor and stomped it out with his boot.
The burn mark from the cigarette remained vividly on the luxurious carpet.
…What on earth is going on?
I was just dumbfounded.
Meanwhile, Dante casually dismissed the damage I caused to the carpet.
“Oh, well.”
He folded his eyelids and smiled brightly.
“Compensating for the damaged carpet is the least a guest can do, right?”
At his blatant sarcasm, the Second Prince’s face contorted in anger.
* * *
After that.
It seemed the Second Prince had made up his mind to ignore Dante.
Since introducing Benedict, he hadn’t uttered a single word.
Well, I think it was a wise choice.
Mixing words with Dante would only escalate the situation.
‘I should be careful too.’
This time, I didn’t pretend to know Benedict.
Instead, I sat up straight, making sure not to meet Benedict’s eyes.
It seemed Dante was strangely on edge since facing Benedict.
“…”
But this time, it was Benedict who caused trouble.
‘Why is he acting like that?’
As soon as Benedict noticed me avoiding him, his expression stiffened…
My heart chilled every time his displeased purple eyes passed over me.
“So.”
Fortunately, the Second Prince seemed desperate to assert control over the club.
To avoid Benedict’s gaze, I deliberately focused more on the Second Prince.
Even though Dante had ignored me several times already.
Still, the Second Prince persisted in speaking.
“For today’s play, I’ve commissioned a script from a playwright.”
“Really? You’ve commissioned a script?”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Perhaps to change the chilly atmosphere, the nobles quickly engaged in conversation.
Only then did the slightly relaxed Second Prince stand up.
“Please wait a moment while the stage is prepared for the play. I need to go prepare myself as well.”
Oh.
I widened my eyes.
I’d heard rumors that he enjoyed theater, but I didn’t know he would personally participate.
As some people left to prepare, Dante, who briefly glanced at Benedict, smiled coldly.
“Seeing you again, Count Luneburg.”
“I greet Marquis Offenheir.”
Benedict responded with an elegant smile.
Dante shrugged.
“Meeting a Count here is regrettable. I’d rather not have met you here.”
“Well, I agree with you on that.”
Benedict’s smile deepened slightly.
“I heard that Marquis rarely attends the club, so it was a rare occasion to join.”
62
“Really? That’s a shame. Seems like you’re quite intimate with the Second Prince?”
In response to Dante’s pointed question, Benedict replied politely.
“Well, we’re just trying to maintain courtesy towards each other. Simply not crossing the line can often keep relationships between people quite smooth, don’t you think?”
Neither of them backed down.
I glanced back and forth between the two men with a tired expression.
Seriously… why are they like this…?
Everything would be fine if they could just leave me out of it for once…
The people around us all looked uncomfortable, as if they were sitting on thorns.
‘I really didn’t expect to be in the same position as the esteemed members of the club.’
But then, at that moment…
“Have you been waiting long?”
The Second Prince returned.
He was now dressed elaborately for the occasion.
Wearing a wig dyed white and adorned in costumes reminiscent of those worn a hundred years ago, he looked like he belonged on stage.
Not only the Second Prince, but the other members who had left their seats were also dressed in stage costumes.
“Please enjoy the play.”
With a smiling face, the Second Prince headed towards the stage.
Then, as he glanced at me briefly, his sparkling eyes swept up and down, and his lips curved like a crescent moon.
‘What’s this?’
I furrowed my brow.
It was a gaze full of eager excitement, as if he were expecting something.
* * *
Before long, I realized why the Second Prince had personally commissioned the playwright for the script.
It was understandable.
“Oh, just look at that vulgar display!”
“Doesn’t that woman know anything besides clinging to men?”
…No matter where I looked, the content of the play was aimed at me.
The gist of it was roughly this:
A countryside girl named “Laura,” who had nothing to offer besides her beautiful appearance, becomes involved in one-night stands with wealthy and high-status men out of greed for money.
As she cannot bear her own extravagance and gradually falls into ruin, she ends up being abandoned by the men.
Meanwhile, Laura’s counterpart, “Marquis Alburton,” was portrayed as a flawless gentleman.
Really, doesn’t it reveal the clear fear of openly criticizing Dante?
It’s all just aimed at me.
“Look, Marquis Alburton.”
The Second Prince, on stage, looked straight at me as he delivered his lines.
“After replacing the fake doll with a new one, this one seems to last a bit longer.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Of course, I won’t deny that this doll is beautiful, but in the end, it’s still just a doll.”
The Second Prince’s eyes towards me sparkled strangely.
“It’s no use paying too much attention to a doll.”
“How could you say something so harsh!”
The actress playing the role of Laura, whose name I didn’t know, stiffened her face, pretending to be ashamed.
No matter how you look at it.
It was clearly a play designed to insult me.
However, I didn’t feel too bad while watching the play.
For one, the blatant malice was something I had encountered far too often before.
But more than anything…
‘…It’s so boring.’
The acting was so mediocre that I was on the verge of yawning.
I desperately tried to focus my eyes to fend off the encroaching drowsiness.
But my eyelids felt as heavy as stones…
‘I mustn’t doze off. I mustn’t…’
I pinched my hand several times and even splashed cold water on my face.
Then, as I blinked my eyes once and opened them…
Bam!
Suddenly, the stage was in chaos.
“Ahh! Your Highness, the Second Prince!”
“What in the world is this behavior!”
Ladies and gentlemen screamed in unison.
I stared blankly at the scene unfolding before me.
And then…
Dante stormed onto the stage, gripping the Second Prince by the collar… Is this real?
What on earth?
“Let go of this! Now!”
The Second Prince tried to maintain his dignity somehow.
Unfortunately, being helplessly suspended by the collar made him look ridiculous…
“Why are you doing this? Huh?”
The Second Prince raised his voice in frustration.
“If only you had behaved yourself!”
“What nonsense is this?”
Dante retorted with a mocking tone.
“You shouldn’t blame others for your own incompetence.”
“W-what?”
“I simply don’t like wasting time.”
Dante’s eyes sparkled fiercely.
“This play is too dull. If I continue watching, my eyes might rot.”
“How dare you speak to me like that…!”
“So, how about changing the playwright next time?” Dante twisted his lips slightly, a clear smirk apparent on his skin.
“Well, if there are issues with the planning itself, there’s not much we can do,” the Second Prince’s face flushed with embarrassment.
Dante continued to provoke the Second Prince.
“Anyway, how about wrapping up the play around here? Your Highness, what do you think?”
“…”
For a moment, my pupils twitched.
This play was solely designed to mock me.
If it were a misunderstanding, the Second Prince wouldn’t have directly accused me of being ‘stabbed’ like that.
Also, if Dante had gotten angry or admitted inadvertently…
‘He must think of me as a vulgar woman’
Dante would have admitted to himself.
But Dante didn’t do that.
Instead, he simply claimed that the reason for the disturbance was because he was ‘bored’.
So, in the end, that man…
‘…Wrapped me up.’
I clenched my lips tightly.
Why would he do that?
Confronting the Second Prince, taking all the blame upon himself… Was there a reason he had to do that?
Don’t do that.
If you keep behaving like that, you might seem a bit serious about me.
In that paltry affection you show me, there might be some sincerity mixed in.
…I might as well delude myself.
“Your Grace.”
My lips moved on their own for a moment.
Dante, who had been mocking the Second Prince, looked at me, momentarily taken aback.
Suppressing the emotions rising up to my throat,
I smiled brightly at Dante.
“…Shall we just go back?”
It was just one sentence, but it was enough.
“Hmm.”
Dante narrowed his eyes, then immediately released his grip.
Thud!
The Second Prince tumbled to the ground like a leaf in the wind, utterly pathetic.
Dante, who had been looking down at him with disdain, delicately folded his eyelids and smiled.
“Alright then, let’s go.”
Dante leaped off the stage and escorted me to make it easier for me to stand up.
“Let’s go.”
I gazed at Dante silently.
That man would surely someday drive me to hell.
Why now, then?
Why did I feel like I was being saved by this man…?
Is that why?
Despite knowing it shouldn’t be like this.
…Right now, I wanted to lean on Dante.
* * *
So Elze and Dante left the club.
The Second Prince, left behind, shouted in frustration, waving his arms.
“She’s gone mad for that woman!”
“Are you alright, Your Highness?”
“Ugh, what a mess!”
Nobles rushed to support the Second Prince.
In the midst of it all, Benedict stood still, as if rooted to the spot.
The events that had just transpired flashed through his mind.
Elze, watching the play that insulted her with a blank face.
Dante, decisively grabbing the Second Prince by the collar.
…And himself, sitting quietly in his place.
‘Could I have helped Lady Lepherian as much as that man, even if I had intervened?’
Probably not.
And that would have been the sensible reaction.
Benedict and Elze were only business partners who had engaged in a few transactions together.
There was no reason for him to assist Elze when she was being insulted.
Furthermore, he was not in a position to only care about Elze.
Benedict was primarily a merchant, and to successfully lead his business, he needed to manage his connections well.
Maintaining good relations with the Second Prince and other nobles required him to remain silent in that situation.
But still.
‘It’s annoying.’
Benedict clenched his teeth.
He felt strangely upset.
63
Throughout the return journey to the boarding school, Elze remained silent.
And Dante found that silence oddly irritating.
“Darling.”
At his call, Elze raised her head briefly.
In the darkness of the carriage, only her honey-colored eyes shimmered faintly.
It was a sweet shade of light that he wanted to swallow up in one gulp.
“…,”
A powerful impulse surged within him.
An irrational impulse to pull her close, to devour those crimson lips without leaving a trace.
Dante suppressed that impulse tightly and threw a question.
“Why are you upset?”
“…”
In response to that question, Elze pursed her lips with a complicated expression.
For a moment.
“You shouldn’t have done that.”
“What?”
Dante doubted his ears.
“What did you just say?”
Elze, after taking a deep breath, looked at Dante with calm eyes.
“I told you it’s unreasonable for you to clash with the Second Prince just because of someone like me.”
“Darling, why are you speaking like that?”
Dante retorted with a sharp tone.
“What do you mean, ‘someone like you’?”
“That’s…”
Elze, as if trying to say something, tightly shut her lips.
Her face seemed to say there was no need to care about whatever she said or whatever insult she received.
Looking at that expression, Dante felt strangely twisted inside.
“In that case, what about me?”
Dante clenched his fists tightly.
“You’re saying I should have just stayed still while watching you being insulted with my own eyes?”
“…”
Elze silently stared at Dante.
Her honey-colored eyes were filled only with a puzzled expression.
‘Why are you getting mad at me?’
‘Were we ever in such a relationship?’
…As if asking such questions.
“That guy was talking nonsense about you. Should I have just tolerated that?”
“Yes.”
Elze replied firmly.
Dante let out a bewildered laugh.
“Well, this is…”
“I don’t want the Marquis to be misunderstood because of me.”
“…”
Dante, who was about to reflexively get angry, suddenly shut his mouth.
Elze just said, ‘I don’t want Dante to be misunderstood.’
And for some reason, that statement…
Sounds like Elze is worried about him.
“What do you mean by that?”
“The Marquis…”
Elze, who had momentarily blurred her words, spoke seriously.
“In fact, you’re quite affectionate.”
There was a silence.
“…”
“…”
A moment passed.
In a somewhat incredulous tone, Dante interjected, “Me?”
“…”
It seemed that Elze was also puzzled by the question.
Her pretty pumpkin-colored eyes shook as if experiencing an earthquake.
Watching her reaction, Dante felt like laughing for some reason.
“Are you mocking me, darling?”
“Well, um…”
Elze stumbled over her words unknowingly.
“I mean, it must have been uncomfortable for you when the Second Prince said unpleasant things because of me.”
Dante quietly observed Elze.
Come to think of it, it’s been a while since he saw Elze so flustered.
At the same time, Elze glanced out the window.
It was a clear attempt to avoid eye contact.
A tiny voice flowed out.
“I just wanted to thank you for taking my side… that’s what I meant.”
“…”
For a moment, Dante felt a bit dazed.
Through the glass, he saw Elze squinting her eyes and then opening them again.
Why?
Elze, gazing fixedly at the dark streets beyond, seemed so endearing, as if she were about to go mad.
Even in this situation, Elze was considering his feelings first.
Annoying yet somewhat…
pleasing.
“No, darling.”
On impulse, Dante reached out and turned Elze towards him.
She looked a bit flustered.
As he gazed at her expression, an inexplicable sense of satisfaction washed over him.
It had been a while since she showed such raw emotion behind her usual mask-like smile.
Dante stared at her expression as if savoring it for a while.
And then.
“I should pay attention.”
He lightly kissed her eyelids.
The sensation of her thin eyelids trembling could be felt.
…It was insanely good.
Dante’s lips smoothly grazed over her forehead, then down her prominent nose.
As they lingered between her lips, Elze stiffened her shoulders.
“Hm.”
A stifled moan rose from the depths of her throat.
Elze, who had been swaying in Dante’s arms for a while, suddenly resisted, her breath catching.
“…Wait.”
Dante met Elze’s eyes and smiled mischievously.
“Why?”
Watching her tremble with pleasure in his embrace was incredibly satisfying.
From head to toe, just like this…
…If he could devour her completely, leaving not a single strand of hair untouched, it would be perfect.
“Do you remember when you did that to me before?”
“Huh? …What?”
“Since you’re my lover, you said no one at boarding school should touch you, right?”
Ah.
Elze blinked her eyes with a stabbed expression.
Dante reached out and slowly straightened out her disheveled clothes caused by their passionate exchange.
“If you really consider yourself my lover…”
As he delved deeper, the precious pearl buttons, already several of them lost, gently caressed by Dante’s fingertips, caused him to smile faintly.
“…Beyond boarding school, to anyone in this empire.”
Inside the dark carriage.
Only his crimson eyes sparkled vividly.
“You shouldn’t just let being ignored slide.”
“Marquis.”
“Isn’t that right?”
Looking up at him with an inscrutable gaze, Elze nodded slowly.
Dante’s smile grew a little deeper.
“Alright.”
Dante kissed her cheek with a loud smack.
Then he whispered softly into her ear.
“Darling, I’m excited right now.”
“…?”
Elze glanced at Dante with a disgusted look for a moment.
Dante burst into laughter loudly.
“I can’t hold it in anymore, can I?”
“…?”
Deep wrinkles formed on Elze’s forehead.
But even that was brief.
Taking a short breath, Elze gently rested her forehead against his chest.
“…Not in the carriage.”
“Then is it okay in the bedroom?”
“Do you really have to hear the answer from my lips?”
The grumbling was also brief.
Elze closed her eyes tightly and nodded.
At that moment.
Dante’s pupils sank into darkness.
* * *
‘…I wonder if a quickie is really possible.’
I thought blankly as I stared at the ceiling.
As soon as we got off the carriage, Dante hugged me and immediately pushed me into the bedroom.
There wasn’t even time to undress.
Dante delved into me as I was.
[Ah…!]
Breaths mixed in disarray.
Skin heating up with friction.
Kisses pouring down like rain.
Sensations as if my entire body were melting away.
‘I thought I was really going to collapse yesterday…’
As if to compensate for the long time we hadn’t been intimate, Dante persisted relentlessly.
We reached climax several times, and halfway through, overwhelmed by the pleasure that turned my head snow-white, I sobbed.
Finally, I fell asleep in Dante’s arms as if I had fainted.
As I recalled his hands sweeping over my body and caressing me, I felt the sensation of my stomach tightening again.
Honestly, I didn’t know Dante would desire me so desperately.
He’s a man who can satisfy his desires anywhere, even if it’s not with me.
But the sore waist, the trembling thighs, and the body marked with kisses all over, proved that last night was not a dream.
And above all…
‘The fact that this man is still by my side…’
I rolled my eyes only to find Dante lying beside me.
The old Dante would have made excuses and left me alone after satisfying his desires, but the current Dante was sound asleep by my side.
As I gazed at Dante’s sleeping face for a while, I began to move my body gingerly.
‘Maybe I should get up.’
The sun had already risen, and perhaps due to the ordeal of last night, I felt thirsty.
I carefully got up from the bed.
And then…
“Darling, where are you going?”
There was a ghostly arm wrapping around my waist.
It was Dante.
64
The red eyes, filled with sleepiness, seemed somewhat gentler than usual.
“My throat is dry.”
“Mm…”
Dante, with a response or perhaps a teasing sound, rested his head on my bare thigh.
Then he whispered quietly.
“Just stay like this… a little longer.”
With those words.
Dante fell soundly asleep again.
“…”
His face, quietly closed eyes, seemed almost helpless, like that of a young boy.
As I silently looked down at Dante, I felt a strange sense of unease.
‘Definitely… it’s different from the original.’
I reconsidered Dante’s actions.
For me, who should have been treated as nothing more than a plaything, he hosted a debutante ball.
He took me to the Diorlance Club, frequented by social elites.
And, just because I felt insulted, he confronted the second prince, a member of the imperial family.
‘…This is not normal.’
Dante is showing a kindness towards me that should only be reserved for the female protagonist of the original work.
The only issue is that I can’t predict how Dante’s inexplicable kindness will affect my escape.
“…”
The feeling of being forced to take a jewel that I shouldn’t have and the anxiety of not knowing when the owner would come to retrieve it made my heart turn cold.
3. In the Burning Twilight
After the events at the Diorlance Club, several things happened. Rumor has it that the Emperor was quite furious.
[How can you behave so rudely towards the son of Emperor in front of others!]
Even though he was aging and securing his position, the Emperor’s anger still pierced like a blade.
[No matter how lacking that guy may be, he’s still Emperor’s son!]
However, Dante did not bat an eyelash.
[I’m sure the Second Prince is very pleased.]
Rather, he playfully scratched the Emperor’s insides while smiling round and round.
[Because there is a father who loves the Second Prince so much.]
[What did you say?!]
[Just that the Second Prince mentioned that people should each uphold their own principles.]
Looking at the wide-eyed Emperor, Dante shrugged his shoulders as if teasing.
[If you’re parents, shouldn’t you at least pretend to love your children equally? Isn’t that the parents’ code of conduct?]
[Marquis Offenheir!]
Whether the Emperor liked it or not, Dante continued with his words.
[If you wish, I will apologize to the Second Prince. However…]
In the red eyes staring at the Emperor, a mischievous delight twinkled.
[Due to some hurt feelings, I might unintentionally loosen the leashes of the organizations I control…]
[Are you threatening the Emperor right now?]
[Well, I don’t know.]
Whether it was a threat or not, Dante continued with his words.
Dante, who had pretended to hesitate for a moment, smiled brightly.
[Yeah, you could say it’s a threat.]
[Marquis!]
…And so the argument went back and forth.
Although it was said that the Emperor was about to collapse from anger and seizures, in reality, there were no significant sanctions imposed, so it seemed that they couldn’t really touch Dante this time.
Instead, the Second Prince came to Dante.
[I’m really sorry about what happened at the club this time.]
Bowing deeply, he shamefully apologized, and the rumor of his apology spread like wildfire.
Anyway, time flowed like water.
Before I knew it, a whole year had passed, and summer had returned once again.
Dante was busy expanding his business in all directions.
I, on the other hand, had quite a grip on the boarding school.
Furthermore, the deal I had proposed to Benedict was a considerable success.
<Palazzo, the Spice from Schmaikel Dominates the Empire!>
It was headline news on the economic section of the newspaper.
As I unfolded the newspaper, I carefully read through the article beneath the headline.
<Schmaikel’s top-end spice, Palazzo, ambitiously launched by the upper class, has started cultivation in the Glenndale region of the northern empire. As soon as Palazzo entered the market, it began to overwhelmingly push out Quinnes, making the latter pale in comparison to its rich flavor despite its name as the ‘Black Gold.’ Currently, Palazzo is gaining high popularity among both commoners and nobles, based on its relatively low price and abundant aroma. According to a survey by the newspaper, about 80% of the imperial citizens are known to use Palazzo…>
‘Well, not bad.’
After reading the article carefully, I folded the newspaper with a satisfied expression and set it aside.
The Palazzo business had truly hit the jackpot.
Quinnes had been a luxury spice used mainly by nobles.
Palazzo, on the other hand, had a flavor almost identical to Quinnes but was priced at a third of the cost.
This made it affordable even for commoners.
Moreover, in the process of introducing Palazzo, Benedict had put quite a bit of thought into it.
He had supplied Palazzo for free to Leventra, a restaurant that was the most popular in the area.
After directly comparing Palazzo with Quinnes at Leventra,
[Palazzo has a flavor that is in no way inferior to Quinnes.]
He guaranteed the quality of Palazzo and added,
[From now on, our Leventra restaurant will use Palazzo instead of Quinnes.]
… made together with the bombshell declaration.
Whether Benedict had lobbied from behind or if Palazzo truly possessed such flavor, or perhaps both, I couldn’t say.
Branded as “a fragrance certified by Leventra,” Palazzo flew off the shelves as if it had sprouted wings.
Shumichael’s Top left an immense impact, and I, too, received considerable profits.
With just the profits I received, I could pass as one of the wealthiest in the estate.
‘This is excellent.’
The day of my escape from the boarding school.
At least I wouldn’t be held back due to lack of funds.
But then, a sharp knock.
“Come in.”
I replied nonchalantly.
A maid entered, bowing deeply towards me.
In her hands were bundles of packages.
“Miss Elze, your mail has arrived. Oh, and the pie you ordered too.”
“Leave them there.”
“Yes.”
The maid placed the bundles on the table and bowed once again before retreating.
I gazed down at the pie box absentmindedly, then opened the lid.
A sweet fragrance wafted up to my nose.
‘It’s not cherry pie today.’
Instead, inside the box was a pecan pie, its surface glistening with moisture.
Seeing it wasn’t cherry pie, there didn’t seem to be any special news.
I hadn’t visited the pie shop anymore.
To be precise, I pretended to be a regular, periodically ordering pies, but I didn’t conduct business there directly.
Instead, I would send the maid to buy them and communicate through hidden notes in the pies.
Ever since I almost got caught by Dante, I felt I needed to be more cautious.
Well, the effort seemed to have paid off to some extent…
‘It seems I’ve gained a fair amount of trust from Dante.’
Dante had been entrusting me with overseeing most aspects of the boarding school recently.
Of course, he checked in regularly and sometimes sent Liam to see how things were running at the boarding school.
Still, entrusting me with the overall management of the boarding school, apart from just student management, was a significant gain.
For example…
I glanced over one of the letters I had received and raised an eyebrow.
‘A letter like this.’
It was a rare request for resignation.
Written in a stiff hand on luxurious stationery, the sender’s name was inscribed:
<Acting Steward for Count Martin, Gary Baker.>
Gary Baker had been Count Martin’s butler.
And now, the butler had become the acting steward for Count Martin, and a resignation request from Brigitte had arrived under the acting steward’s name…
‘It’s time.’
I smirked sharply.
Yes, it was time for Brigitte to return to her place.
* * *
I attended the afternoon tea time at three o’clock for the first time in a long while.
The transparent sunlight pouring in through the spacious windows.
The elegant music flowing softly from the speakers.
Students occupied various plush sofas, enjoying sophisticated pastries and fragrant black tea while engaging in conversation.
The scene wasn’t much different from what I had seen before.
Except for one thing.
That was Brigitte.
“Have you seen the flowers blooming in the garden? They’re so beautiful.”
“Count Martin’s wife mentioned it, so I think I’ll go take a look.”
She was actively leading the conversation, unlike before.
Her expression was bright, and her voice lively.
Contrary to the depiction in the novel, Brigitte’s spirit seemed quite healthy.
It was because I had carefully looked after her during her stay at the boarding school, ensuring her mental well-being didn’t deteriorate.
And now.
‘It’s time to reap the fruits of that labor.’
65
Thunk.
I took a step forward.
The sound of my shoe heel hitting the marble floor echoed sharply.
The students, who had been engrossed in conversation, reflexively turned towards me.
“…”
“…”
As soon as they spotted me, the students reflexively fell silent.
Among them, only Brigitte wore a welcoming expression.
“Oh my goodness, Elze!”
Brigitte, who had sprung up from her seat, hurriedly approached me with quick steps.
“What brings you here?”
Instead of responding to Brigitte’s question, I simply smiled gently, looking at her like that.
“I came because I missed Bri.”
“Oh…”
Brigitte’s cheeks flushed slightly in an instant.
I didn’t hide my pleased expression.
Now we were close enough to address each other by name.
I even called Brigitte “Bri” as a nickname.
“And I have a gift for Bri too.”
“A gift?”
Brigitte perked up her ears.
“Yes.”
Nodding, I calmly replied.
“Starting tomorrow, Bri will be discharged.”
“…”
“…”
Silence fell once again.
The students’ eyes were filled with astonishment.
Brigitte was no exception.
With a stunned expression, she looked at me as if she had been hit on the head.
“What? W-what did you just say…?”
Brigitte stammered in disbelief.
I kindly repeated myself.
“I said that starting tomorrow, Bri will be discharged.”
“I-Is that… true?!”
Excited, Brigitte raised her voice.
“Of course.”
After answering earnestly, I asked Brigitte, “By the way, could you spare a moment? There are some things I need to inform you about regarding your discharge, and I also need to get your discharge agreement.”
“Yes! Of course!”
Brigitte nodded vigorously.
I turned slightly.
“Let’s go to my office then.”
“Uh, sure.”
Brigitte followed me hastily.
Dozens of pairs of eyes stubbornly followed us from behind as we left the living room.
Those gazes were filled with envy and jealousy towards the departing resident.
And I…
‘I’m envious.’
Brigitte, who could legally escape from this hell.
…I was so envious.
* * *
“Would you like to start by reading this?”
Entering my office, I handed Brigitte the discharge request sent by Count Martin.
Brigitte swallowed dryly as she accepted it.
The hand trembling as it opened the letter made it take at least a minute to retrieve the discharge request from the envelope.
I waited patiently.
Brigitte finally unfolded the discharge request.
“…”
She read the contents with trembling eyes.
Then, she closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath.
“Ah…”
After a moment, Brigitte, with an indescribable expression, looked at me.
After pursing her lips for a while, Brigitte finally spoke as if she had to force the words out.
“My husband… he’s… he’s dead.”
Starting with that, Brigitte rambled on.
“So he… told me to come back. To help Joseph, my son… to take over the position of the Countess as the acting Countess…”
Joseph Martin.
He was the only surviving child of Count Martin.
After the carriage accident that killed Count Martin and his wife, the title was inherited by the four-year-old boy.
“I see.”
I nodded calmly and asked Brigitte casually, “Should I express condolences for your husband’s death?”
“…”
Brigitte, who was momentarily speechless, burst into laughter.
“As if!”
Brigitte muttered almost crazily in a laughter-mixed voice.
“I’m so happy! To finally be able to get out of this boarding school, I thought I’d rot here for the rest of my life…!”
As she laughed for a while,
Tears fell from Brigitte’s eyes.
“Oh dear.”
She quickly wiped her tears.
“I’m sorry. It’s supposed to be a happy day, but I’m being a downer… No, but why am I crying? I…”
Brigitte stared at me, not knowing what to do.
Watching her like that, I spread my arms lightly.
“Come here, Bri.”
“…”
Brigitte’s eyes widened significantly.
Hesitantly, she approached me and hugged me tightly.
I gently stroked her back.
“You’ve been through a lot.”
“…”
“Really.”
Brigitte bit her lip.
She was trying to suppress her emotions somehow.
But.
“How could you.”
To finally be able to escape from this dreadful place.
To bask in the warm sunlight and gentle Brize, and to go wherever I want with my own feet.
In such a situation, if one could calm down overwhelming emotions…
That person wouldn’t be human, but a saint.
“Sob, sniff…!”
At that moment, Brigitte clutched my collar tightly and burst into tears like a child.
* * *
After a while,
Brigitte, who had stopped crying, spoke up bravely.
“Thank you. I must have looked terrible.”
“You didn’t.”
I tidied up Brigitte’s disheveled hair with my hand.
Then I led her to sit down.
“Would you like a piece of pie? Eating something sweet might lift your spirits.”
“Oh… Thank you.”
I took out a piece of pie from Benedict’s and brewed tea myself.
As Brigitte picked up her fork, she chuckled.
“Is this from Pommier Pie House again?”
I shrugged.
It was just that Benedict came to mind for no reason at all.
“Yes, do you not like it?”
“No, it’s delicious.”
Brigitte, with her head tilted, cut a large piece of pie with her fork.
“I just thought Elze must really like the pies from this place. That’s why.”
After taking a bite of the pie, Brigitte spoke softly.
“I think I’ll think of Elze whenever I see pie from now on.”
“…”
I felt a little choked up for some reason.
I smiled gently.
“I’m glad to hear that. It means you won’t forget me in the future, right?”
“Oh, Elze.”
Brigitte, hearing my response, looked at me with narrowed eyes, not wanting to be angry.
“Why would you say something like that?”
After the brief reproach,
Brigitte asked me earnestly with a serious expression.
“How could I forget a friend?”
“…”
For a moment, I was speechless.
“I’ve been able to endure this hellish boarding school all this time because of Elze.”
“…Bri.”
“I’m really thankful.”
Brigitte smiled warmly at me.
“No, I’m grateful that I could be friends with Brigitte.”
…That much was sincere.
After that,
While Brigitte ate her pie, we chatted away.
“I wonder if Joseph will recognize you.”
Brigitte sighed deeply, wrapping her cheek with her hand.
“He’ll definitely recognize you.”
With my head tilted, I grinned knowingly.
“And even if he doesn’t, so what? You’ll be spending your life together with Joseph from now on.”
“…Yeah, I guess so.”
Brigitte finally looked a little relieved.
The conversation we were having now felt more like ordinary everyday talk between friends than that of a boarding school administrator and a student.
For some reason, my nose felt a bit stuffy.
* * *
After Brigitte had cleaned her plate of pie,
I handed her some documents.
“To leave, you have to go through a few procedures. First, this is a pledge not to disclose the affairs of the boarding school…”
Although my words flowed smoothly, my heart felt heavy as if burdened with stones.
‘I have to ask Brigitte for help.’
…But I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
It was a task that rivalled those of the male protagonists of this world.
Of course, it wasn’t a request so dangerous that it would jeopardize Brigitte’s safety, but still…
‘Brigitte said she considers me a friend.’
I bit my lip discreetly.
‘As soon as Brigitte showed sincerity towards me, I immediately make this kind of request… I’m selfish after all.’
Sure, I had helped Brigitte deliberately to receive assistance when needed.
But still…
However…
At that moment,
Brigitte suddenly called out to me.
“Elze.”
“Oh, yes.”
I reflexively smoothed my expression and turned to her.
Brigitte asked me with concern.
“Is there something wrong?”
“…”
For a moment, my mouth felt dry.
Although not as much as Lucian, Brigitte was also a key figure in my escape.
If Brigitte really helped me escape, she would undoubtedly be a great asset.
But still…
“It’s nothing.”
My mouth spoke out this answer on its own.
At the same time, Brigitte’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re lying.”
“…”
“There’s no way it’s nothing.”
Brigitte grabbed my hand firmly.
“In that case, there’s no way you’d have that expression on your face.”
“What expression…?”
“An expression of desperately needing help.”
