This kind of sudden physical contact was a first. No matter how angry he got, Coral had always maintained strict politeness until now.
Ashika struggled to break free with all her might, but couldn’t move an inch. Coral pressed his body even closer and glared down at her with furious eyes.
“How meticulously you’ve drawn the line between us.”
Ashika had never worn her hair down or dressed casually at any of their meetings.
Her perfect hairstyle and attire, almost untouchable—these clearly revealed Ashika’s psychological aversion.
“I’ve been patient long enough. What kind of man would leave his fiancée alone for two whole years?”
“Let me go. If you have something to say, let’s talk when you’re sober.”
“I am perfectly sober, Lady Igraine.”
“What kind of rude behavior is this?”
“Please understand that my passion is overwhelming. I’ve held you in my heart for a full two years. If our wedding date hadn’t been set, I couldn’t have waited this long.”
“Ha, what…?”
“Does it sound like a lie? Do you think I’m not sincere?”
The moment Ashika’s eyes met Coral’s, her heart sank.
His eyes, filled with anger and heat, were fiercer than ever before. For the first time, seeing the dark, viscous emotions hidden within them sent chills down her spine.
‘W-what is this?’
This was a public place. Just beyond the curtain, through a single door, was the reception hall where nobles from the capital had gathered. She thought that surely Coral wouldn’t do anything to her in such a place.
But that was a misconception. Ashika froze as she felt a strong grip on the nape of her neck. It had been a long time since she’d rejected even kisses from him.
“Let go. There are people outside.”
“That’s right. There are people outside. If you scream, something quite amusing will happen. They’ll say Lady Igraine and her fiancé were caught entangled and fighting indecorously at the Empress Dowager’s reception.”
His humid breath, mixed with the smell of alcohol, approached. The weight pressing down on her body and the man’s hands firmly gripping her.
No matter how hard she struggled, Coral wouldn’t budge. Fear flooded her as she realized she couldn’t overcome a man’s strength. Trapped, Ashika blurted out urgently:
“What about Glenoa Schwern!”
The lips approaching her cheek stopped. Ashika felt both afraid and flabbergasted.
“Don’t you think it’s shameless to claim sincerity under these circumstances?”
“Ah.”
Contrary to her expectation that he would be surprised, Coral’s reaction was minimal. Ashika was even more bewildered.
“So you knew. Is that why that woman came all the way here?”
“No, that’s not…”
“How did it feel? Finding out that the fiancé you’ve been ignoring all this time has been seeing a woman who looks exactly like Lady Igraine?”
Ashika’s eyes widened in shock.
Even in the dimness, her black pupils shone distinctly. Those obsidian-like eyes without a single impurity. Coral’s gaze was fixed on those beautiful eyes that left such a strong impression.
“A substitute is just a substitute. No matter what, it can never be the real thing.”
A chilling light flashed in his gleaming gray eyes. Ashika involuntarily flinched and trembled.
‘This man is for real.’
Coral was unapologetic, even while admitting he’d been playing with a doll that replaced her. He seemed almost pleased about being caught. It didn’t seem normal at all.
“I don’t keep count of every woman who crosses my path. But if it makes you jealous, I’d be delighted.”
“Did you think you could stain my honor and my family’s name and get away with it so easily?”
“And? You’re going to dismiss me over just this much?”
A scoffing sound escaped him. His expression said, “Ah, so that’s it.”
“If I were going to give up that easily, I wouldn’t have waited two years.”
The arm around her waist moved up her back. Coral didn’t care that Ashika’s face had turned pale.
The breath almost touching her earlobe gave her goosebumps. She couldn’t scream for fear of staining her family’s honor, nor could she break free on her own.
Knowing this, Coral trapped Ashika in his arms and freely pressed his lips against her exposed white neck.
“Stop… stop it…”
Her delicate voice trembled. A voice barely forced out while gasping for breath in fear. Just as she desperately tried to push him away…
With a clatter, the door opened roughly. For a moment, bright light spilled in from the reception hall, then was instantly blocked by the curtain again.
“Pardon the intrusion.”
The familiar voice immediately broke the tense atmosphere. Coral, who had been holding Ashika captive, looked up.
Ashika was frozen in shock, gasping for breath. She couldn’t even process that the man who appeared before them was Talion, or feel the shame of the situation.
She simply stared back at those deep blue eyes watching her, stiff and rigid. Eyes with an unusual fierceness swirling within them.
A voice feigning calmness resonated deeply.
“Lord Oclein. Your lover is desperately looking for you outside.”
“Duke Talion?”
Coral frowned as he confirmed who had appeared behind him. He wondered why, of all people, Talion was here.
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but your lover has been making my aide quite exhausted insisting on coming here. Shouldn’t the person who caused the problem step up to resolve it?”
“What are you talking about? You’re falsely accusing me with a non-existent lover.”
“Ah, you’re going to deny it? That’s not what Kalf heard.”
“And why would the Duke…”
While Coral was distracted by Drushia, Ashika pushed him away with all her might.
“Lady Igraine!”
Coral tried to grab Ashika, but a solid arm suddenly appeared to block him. It was Drushia.
“Duke Talion! What do you think you’re doing?!”
Coral let out an angry shout. But Drushia’s gaze was following Ashika.
While Drushia blocked Coral, Ashika tried to flee from the balcony.
However, Drushia grabbed the doorknob before she could. He had blocked Coral but also prevented Ashika from going outside.
Ashika backed away with a startled face. To the corner opposite Coral, away from Drushia.
Her black pupils shook uncontrollably like a trapped deer. Ashika’s shoulders were rising and falling rapidly. Drushia’s face slightly creased.
“Catch your breath.”
He showed both his hands, indicating he had no intention of approaching.
“And fix your clothes and hair.”
His tone was gruff, not at all friendly. Those few terse words brought Ashika back to her senses.
“Ah.”
Ashika belatedly realized how unstable her condition was.
She had almost rushed out and exposed her disheveled appearance in the middle of the reception hall. But she couldn’t bring herself to thank him.
Ashika straightened her clothes and carefully arranged her hair to make sure no strands were out of place.
Drushia’s gaze watched her hands as they trembled yet persistently fixed her appearance. His expression was inscrutable—what he was thinking or why he had intervened was impossible to tell.
After composing herself, Ashika was finally able to leave the balcony.
The atmosphere in the reception hall was heated. Barring any unusual events, it would continue past midnight into dawn.
Ashika moved toward the exit. Neither the people filling the hall, the glittering lights, nor the lively music could hold her back.
As she was just leaving through the door, Ashika’s steps quickened. The only thought in her mind was to leave this place immediately.
“Miss?”
Jeanne, who had been waiting outside, was surprised by Ashika’s unusual appearance.
“Bring the carriage. Let’s go home.”
Ashika was breathless even saying those few words. Jeanne noticed something was wrong but suppressed her curiosity.
“What about your coat?”
Only then did Ashika realize she had rushed out without retrieving her coat. Seeing her frozen expression, Jeanne quietly nodded.
“I’ll send someone to get it. The carriage will take some time to arrive, so you should rest a bit.”
Jeanne guided Ashika to a bench in one corner of the garden.
“…Thank you.”
For not asking anything. Though she pretended to be calm, the moment she sat on the bench, all strength left her body.
Today, for the first time, Ashika had felt fear toward Coral. She also realized for the first time how threatening a man’s bare face could be when he cast aside propriety.
‘How can I face him again? What if he acts like this again?’
Her mind cleared in the cool night air. As her thoughts became more lucid, the answer to her situation became increasingly ambiguous.
“Lady Igraine.”
What broke Ashika’s contemplation was a woman’s voice. The kind of voice that’s hard to forget once heard.
“Lady Schwern, what brings you here?”
Though considerably surprised, no emotion showed on Ashika’s face. She had thought Glenoa might follow her, and indeed, Glenoa had moved quickly.
“I have something to tell you.”
Glenoa’s gaze turned to Jeanne who was nearby.
“Jeanne is my knight. Whatever we discuss must be in the presence of my knight.”
Jeanne was maintaining a distance of a few steps so as not to disturb Ashika’s rest.
At the mention that the escort couldn’t be separated, the corners of Glenoa’s mouth turned up.
‘The more people who hear, the better.’
With such a confident face, she took another step closer to Ashika. Jeanne also narrowed the distance to Ashika as the stranger approached.
Glenoa paid no attention to Jeanne. Though called a knight, she was just a woman in light formal uniform. Glenoa didn’t find her intimidating.
“Do you really intend to marry Coral?”
“What impertinence—”
As Jeanne was about to step forward, Ashika raised her hand to stop her. Ashika looked at Glenoa without blinking.
Though both were called ladies, the status difference between Ashika, the heir to a ducal family, and Glenoa, a fallen noble, was like heaven and earth. Normally, Glenoa wouldn’t even be able to request a meeting with Ashika.
“Why should I answer that question?”
Ashika’s voice remained cool. There was not the slightest hint of agitation in her expression as she looked at Glenoa.
“Are you really asking because you don’t know? Of course, Coral wouldn’t have told you about me.”
Glenoa took a deep breath and finally revealed the truth, struggling to suppress a triumphant smile.
“One year. That’s how long I’ve been with Coral. I heard you’ve been engaged for almost two years, but Coral spent half that time with me.”
“And?”
A chill ran down Glenoa’s spine. Suddenly facing a wall. She needed some reaction to continue the conversation, but Ashika merely asked back calmly, like an emotionless statue.
