“Sigh.”
On a chilly spring evening, Daniel pulled his collar closer as the cold crept into his body. If he had known it would be like this, he should have worn something thicker rather than the fancy ceremonial coat.
“When is she coming anyway?”
He glared at the Count Habertz family’s annex building, which was currently being used as a banquet hall, with eyes full of discontent. As if Kisa might come out at any moment. However, no one emerged from there to head toward the garden.
Just as he thought it should be time for the banquet to start, faint festive music could be heard. It was unmistakably the orchestra’s performance.
Despite the deadline he had set having passed, not a hair of that impudent girl could be seen.
“Damn it.”
Daniel, who unconsciously muttered the curse, decided to wait just a little longer.
You never know. Kisa might have been caught up by someone and unavoidably delayed, or maybe she had just now made up her mind after struggling with her pride.
Daniel took out a case from his pocket and picked up one of the few remaining cigars inside. After cutting the cap with a knife, he lit it with a lighter.
Along with the acrid smoke, after waiting for over twenty minutes, bringing the total time spent in the park to over an hour, Daniel had to slowly admit it.
That Kisa Vansfelt would not come here.
Just what reason had put him in such a humiliating position? Daniel bit his lip as he made his way to the Count Habertz’s annex building.
Even after realizing Kisa wouldn’t come, he had stayed in the cold garden killing time out of sheer stubbornness before heading back.
Though he felt like staying put longer, when he encountered a couple sneaking out of the banquet hall into the garden, he couldn’t bear it any longer. He had zero interest in watching others’ romantic encounters.
Kisa. He murmured the name that had been increasingly disturbing his thoughts lately.
The girl who had long been his fiancée.
The young woman who was supposed to become his match soon.
When that thing that used to flutter around him like a chick whenever he visited the Vansfelt mansion said she wanted to break off the engagement, Daniel had scoffed. As if someone like you could.
In reality, Kisa’s rebellion seemed more fleeting than a chick’s fluttering wings. Until he received the engagement annulment document.
At first, he thought there must have been some mistake. But upon arriving at the Vansfelt estate and speaking with the Count, he learned that they truly wanted to break off the engagement.
Their tiresome relationship was thus severed by a mere piece of paper.
It was unacceptable. Since coming of age, Daniel had never once imagined he would marry anyone other than Kisa.
Regardless of the type or extent of affection he held in his heart, Kisa Vansfelt was the most suitable person to be his wife and the future Marchioness Lowens.
Yet the Count Vansfelt was trying to ruin that ideal future. All to curry favor with that aging lecher of a king who only chased after women.
What was even more ridiculous was that Kisa, that simpleton, was trying to leave Daniel out of jealousy toward Hazel, not realizing her father’s sinister intentions.
So he kindly informed Kisa of the cruel truth. Though at first she stubbornly refused to believe it, she would eventually have to accept it and take Daniel’s outstretched hand.
Between choosing a young, attractive man like him and an old, greedy elder, there wasn’t even a need for discussion.
Moreover, although she had temporarily lost her senses after noticing Hazel’s existence, she loved Daniel.
Therefore, her return was predetermined.
Though she made Daniel anxious by being somewhat late, the runaway chick returned to his embrace as expected.
The moment he read the letter sent by her aunt, the Countess Habertz, Daniel was convinced of this.
And when he saw Kisa here, that conviction grew even stronger.
Though it irked him that she brought another man instead of him, he felt better seeing how she had dressed up more elaborately than usual to see him.
Well, it couldn’t be helped. The banquet required bringing a partner, and it would have been difficult for her to ask him to be her partner so soon after breaking off their engagement.
According to his original plan, he wasn’t going to forgive her easily even if she begged, but in his good mood, he specially modified the plan. If she came out to the garden obediently and apologized, he would pretend to give in and accept.
Humming a tune in the dark garden while imagining such a future, what came back to him was a completely different result.
Something was strange. Why wasn’t Kisa appearing in the garden? He had clearly emphasized that this was her last chance.
This seemed excessive for mere pride typical of a well-bred young lady. Moreover, Kisa wasn’t originally someone with such strong pride.
“Wait.”
At that moment, a suspicion flashed through his mind.
Right, that man. Richard or whatever, the Count Vansfelt’s secretary who came as Kisa’s companion today.
He had forgotten about it because the man seemed so insignificant, but he was the Count’s right-hand, the Count who was trying to sell Kisa off to a foreign country.
Would the Count really send his right-hand man here merely to act as his daughter’s partner?
That couldn’t be. The man was there to act as his master’s eyes and ears, monitoring Kisa.
“So that’s it. That’s what it was…”
Now he understood why Kisa couldn’t come to the garden. How could she slip out of the banquet hall to meet Daniel with a watchdog firmly planted beside her?
At the same time, he also solved the mystery of why she had acted so coldly toward Daniel, her only lifeline, when they met at the entrance before the banquet started.
She had no choice but to act coldly. While inwardly hoping Daniel would notice her circumstances.
Internally reproaching himself for only now noticing this obvious truth, Daniel rushed into the banquet hall.
Inside, the banquet was in full swing, with various couples in the center gracefully dancing to the melody.
“Daniel!”
Just then, a woman called out his name as she approached. She was from the Grache family, who came to this banquet as his companion.
Her name… he couldn’t quite remember. Marie? It felt something like that, but he always just called her Lady Grache so there was no particular need to remember her name.
“Where have you been all this time? I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
“I apologize, Lady Grache. I had some business to attend to elsewhere.”
“I’m quite curious what business could be so important that you’d abandon your partner here before the banquet even started.”
“I’m sorry. There were such circumstances.”
While verbally engaging with the woman before him, Daniel thoroughly scanned the hall with his eyes, searching for Kisa.
Lady Grache’s face turned red with anger and humiliation at his obviously perfunctory attitude.
“…Hey. What are you trying to do with me?”
“I’m truly sorry, but my important business isn’t finished yet. So please excuse me for now.”
“Hah! This is absurd! I made the big decision to come with you despite your recent broken engagement and rumors about some commoner, and this is how you treat me!”
Hearing those words, what little guilt Daniel had felt toward Lady Grache until just moments ago completely vanished.
“Yes, this ill-mannered partner who’s treating you poorly will now disappear. Please enjoy yourself and return home as you see fit.”
“Wait! Daniel Lowens!”
Whether Lady Grache called out behind him or not, whether people around them glanced over at the commotion or not, Daniel passed by her and stepped further into the banquet hall.
She was just a woman he had picked adequately because he needed a partner for the banquet.
One of many women who had approached him at some recent banquet, only seeing his looks and background.
Apart from being nobility, how dare she speak so freely about others when her family was unremarkable and she had nothing special about her appearance, personality, or intelligence?
Then, as Daniel clicked his tongue and looked around, his gaze fixed on one spot.
Finally found her. His fiancée who had an impeccable family background and outstanding beauty.
Wearing a lilac dress and absently watching the dancers, she looked like a spring fairy.
Perhaps because he had seen her for so many years, even to Daniel’s eyes which had grown accustomed to her exceptional beauty, there was something about today’s Kisa that captured his attention.
If only it had been just Kisa there.
Daniel’s expression suddenly darkened when he saw the man standing beside Kisa, occasionally exchanging words with her.
He had been the man accompanying Kisa at this charity banquet every year, so why was such a fellow…
Though he felt the urge to immediately pull Kisa away from that shameless man’s side, he tried hard to remain calm.
It was frustrating, but clearly that man was Kisa’s current partner, and Daniel was her former fiancé who broke off their engagement a few days ago.
In other words, if he rashly tried to take Kisa away, Daniel would be the one likely to be branded as a scoundrel.
What should he do? As he stood somewhat apart from where Kisa was, quietly pondering his options, someone addressed him.
“Oh my, if it isn’t Young Lord Lowens.”
Turning around, he hurriedly made his greeting.
“I am honored to see you, Princess.”
Because that someone was the august royal, the youngest princess who received all the love and affection of the royal couple.
Looking in the direction Daniel had been watching until just now, she asked:
“Perhaps you want to meet Kisa?”
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Daniel’s mind. Come to think of it, Kisa and the youngest princess were quite close.
Moreover, she was known as someone who, unlike typical royalty, didn’t adhere strictly to formalities. If that was the case, might it be worth trying?
“Princess, I have an urgent favor to ask.”
“A favor?”
“A very important favor regarding Kisa.”
At those meaningful words, the princess’s eyes took on a strange light.
