Chapter 31

Jealousy (1)

The woman the crown prince had been eagerly searching for had appeared, and it was none other than the debutante’s leading lady herself, Young Lady Marie. This undoubtedly stirred the atmosphere of the debutante’s ball, and opinions on whether the two, who had quietly disappeared from the royal palace, spent a passionate night together or not became a topic of speculation.

On the second night of the debutante’s ball, when Marie appeared, the ballroom buzzed with excitement. Even among the debutantes who were taking part in the ball, the division was clear as soon as they entered the ballroom.

“Young lady of Zenferno. Is your health alright? I was quite worried since you didn’t attend the luncheon today.”

“Oh… I rested a bit because I overexerted myself yesterday. His Highness the Crown Prince also advised me not to overdo it, so thank you for your concern, Lady Troy.”

Marie gracefully accepted the subtly pointed words. She didn’t hide the fact that she was receiving the crown prince’s favor abundantly. Moreover, with the crown prince’s attitude towards her as soon as they entered the ballroom, people began to believe that the crown prince was truly in love.

And there were those who watched this scene from afar.

“Are you okay?”

The hand holding the glass trembled to the point that the contents sloshed. Seeing Illiyan, who was extremely anxious, Haint, who noticed, asked. Illiyan’s head eventually drooped when he saw Herald’s hand naturally rise to Marie’s waist.

“…”

His shoulders, devoid of energy, shook up and down.

“Are you crying?”

Even as time passed, Illiyan still didn’t raise his head. Seeing Illiyan in such distress, Haint, who hadn’t seen such an interesting event in the social circle in a long time, couldn’t help but have a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Are you really crying?”

“No… not really.”

“It seems like you’re about to cry though?”

“Mm-mm… ”

Clamping down on his molars, Illiyan’s voice was filled with tears, evident to anyone listening. Despite knowing the whole story and despite Haint’s teasing, Illiyan remained in the same position for a while.

“Enough, please. Don’t make him cry for real.” Sat, who pretended to restrain Haint, was also enjoying the situation. Everyone except Illiyan was in on it. Would people even know that these individuals, once at the academy, now played around like every day?

“Stay quiet for a moment.” Finally, the unseen Retina spoke up. Whether it was then or now, Retina was the one to stop her mischievous brothers.

“They shouldn’t make fun of you.”

Translators: Stardust. Read on moonlight novels only

She caressed the surface of the glass while looking in the direction of the prince. With a considerably relaxed face, he stood guard by Marie’s side. He didn’t leave her side even when someone came to greet them.

“He looks good.”

Leaving the sleeping prince alone, she had escaped by herself, and it seemed he genuinely liked that woman. Until now, he had always been aloof and difficult to approach. Now he appeared calm enough for his true feelings to be evident.

Perhaps that’s why so many people crowded around the prince today. Compared to yesterday, when the debutantes were first introduced to society, today’s ball, where they got to know each other, had a relatively relaxed atmosphere.

For some reason, in her inexplicable bitterness, Retina pretended to pay even less attention to them. The prince finally didn’t show any interest in me, so I should be happy. She couldn’t understand why she felt this twinge of resentment.

“Lady Cecilia, may I request a dance with you?”

While not looking towards where the prince was and continuing her conversation with others, Retina suddenly encountered Young Lord. He was the fourth son of the former Marquis Langerhans, who had been expelled from his ancestral home due to his older brother’s claim but had returned to the capital after succeeding in a mining business.

“Well…”

“I’ve brought the finest ruby jewelry for you. You must know that rubies from my mine are of higher purity than gems from anywhere else.”

“For me? Well, I assume you’re offering these to all the debutantes.” Retina chuckled as she examined various pieces of jewelry.

“Is it free?”

“What?”

“Is this, you’re just giving it to me without any compensation?”

Retina asked the straightforward question, momentarily startling the man, and then clarified her intentions.

“Yes, yes. I intended to give this to the debutante participating in the ball…”

“Then I’ll take this headpiece. Thank you.”

Why refuse if it’s free? Retina picked up a piece of jewelry from the man’s hand. She thanked him and, as if her business with him was finished, turned her back to Langerhans Young Lord. He made no attempt to stop her, simply leaving with the jewelry.

‘Lena would probably like it.’

Smiling at the sparkling ruby in her hand, Retina was pleased. She hadn’t particularly wanted the ruby, intending to reject it, but decided to take it to give to Lena, who was struggling with her dress.

After that, Retina received dance requests from various young noblemen passing by. There were more requests today compared to yesterday, perhaps because the prince was not by her side. Most of these young men had taken advantage of the Deneuve brothers, who were busy teasing Illiyan, and approached Retina.

“Nice to meet you, Lady Cecilia. I’m Raus Polin from the Polin family. I finally have the opportunity to greet an aristocrat like you.”

At that moment, a young man appeared who caught Retina’s attention, despite her normally paying little attention to men. The fact that she looked at him for more than five seconds meant he possessed quite an outstanding appearance, especially considering Retina had grown up seeing only her two older brothers.

“It’s my first time meeting someone like you at the party. I’m Retina Cecilia.”

“I don’t think my appearance is that inconspicuous… but I might not have caught your eye because there are so many remarkable people around you. I wish I had introduced myself a bit sooner.”

“You certainly seem like someone one wouldn’t easily forget after just one meeting.”

Retina said, looking at Raus, who had an unusual appearance. His hair, close to a clay color, and soft green eyes gave him an exotic look compared to the citizens of the Empire.

“My mother is from the Western Regions, which explains it. I inherited this skin color from her, and my hair and eyes from my father.”

Noticing Retina’s fixed gaze on his appearance, Raus awkwardly scratched his chin. He then took her extended hand and led her onto the dance floor with a cheerful smile.

“You accepted my dance request. Honestly, I thought you might refuse.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because you’ve been avoiding dances with young men so far. I thought you wouldn’t dance with anyone who isn’t friends with the your brothers.”

“You thought that, but you still asked me to dance.”

“If it’s something you shouldn’t do but also shouldn’t avoid, then I tend to do it anyway.”

Despite Retina’s unconventional way of speaking, Raus accepted it without a hint of surprise. Being of mixed heritage, he had a knack for gracefully navigating these sorts of situations in the Empire’s aristocratic society.

Translators: Stardust. Read on moonlight novels only

“May I ask why you accepted my dance request while rejecting those of other young men?” Raus inquired.

“It’s because I have rather high standards,” Retina replied.

“Well, that makes sense. Among all the rumors about the Deneuve family, yours is known for its exceptional looks.”

If someone else had said this, she might have found it offensive, but coming from Raus, it was understood. She was the youngest daughter of the prestigious Deneuve Duke, known for their noble lineage, immense wealth, and exceptional appearance. So, it was quite unusual for her to have low standards.

“And…” Retina continued, stealing a glance over Raus’s shoulder at the Crown Prince. He had been engaged in a casual conversation while holding his drink, but as a new song began, he turned to watch the dance floor.

“Is he what concerns you?” Retina inquired, subtly raising her finger to touch Raus’s forearm and tilting her chin upward.

“I’ve just finished my debutante ball, so I thought it’s time to enjoy the company of other people,” she said confidently. Retina raised her chin, and for a moment, she appeared rather charming. While she had avoided parties and young men due to the Crown Prince’s presence, now that he was with another young lady, she saw no reason to continue dodging them. If he had found his companion for the evening, she could find someone else.

“Are you enjoying it?” Raus asked.

Turning the conversation around, Retina offered a sly smile. Raus gave a subtle shrug with an enigmatic expression and, in accordance with the rhythm of the music, pulled Retina closer to dance. They maintained a close distance, with only a fist’s width of space between them. Retina instinctively placed her hand on his chest to protect herself from any accidental contact.

“I’m honored to be of any assistance to your amusement,” Raus replied with a smile.

“I hope this dance will be enjoyable for you.”

As the music began, Raus took Retina’s back into his hold. With Raus’s grand gestures, Retina had to arch her back slightly, her gaze directed toward the ceiling adorned with intricate paintings. However, amidst this grand dance, she couldn’t help but ponder her choice of partner.

‘Did I choose the wrong person?’ she thought to herself.

Raus danced with the energy of a seasoned dancer, sweeping the hall with his movements. Despite her initial confusion, Retina found herself following his lead, her body responding naturally to his guidance. As the dance neared its end, she was out of breath, yet her laughter remained unabated. She faced Raus, their smiles locked in, and a new emotion stirred within her—a sense of novelty, as if she were attending her first party.

A sharp, glass-shattering noise pierced through the atmosphere, seemingly originating from the spot Retina had glanced at earlier, but it was quickly drowned out by the ongoing performance.