~Chapter 01~
‘Maybe it’s time for me to leave.’
The royal banquet celebrating the victory of the Kifren War was dazzling to the point that it hurt her eyes. It was suffocating to stand alone by the wall, unnoticed and without a single invitation to dance.
Harriet quietly glanced around, trying to escape unnoticed.
Her uncle, Viscount Listerwell, was nearby, introducing his son, Aston, to various acquaintances. He had no interest in Harriet. Not that he ever did.
‘Where are Aunt and Bella?’
Her aunt was nowhere to be seen. She was probably in a separate room with other ladies, kicking off her shoes and chatting away.
Harriet scanned the group of young men gathered together. Bella was sure to be there.
As expected, Bella was at the center of attention, surrounded by an even larger group of men along with her friends.
‘The golden rose of Genoa, as always.’
Harriet pressed her lips together to keep a smirk from showing.
Did those men know the truth behind that angelic smile?
Now that she had confirmed that her uncle’s family was busy with their own matters, Harriet turned toward the exit.
But just then, the lights went out.
“Huh? What’s happening?”
“A blackout?”
People murmured in confusion, looking around. Of course, no one was as startled as Harriet, who had been trying to sneak away.
Soon, the royal event coordinator shouted.
“Please remain calm! We will turn on the emergency lights shortly!”
The servants swiftly lit oil lamps as though they were ready for such an occasion. A sharp-witted conductor directed the musicians, and a serenade-like violin melody began to flow. The soft glow of the lamps added a romantic atmosphere.
With their worries eased, people soon realized what this blackout meant.
“Oh! This must be for the brooch event!”
“I heard turning off the lights at banquets is a new trend, but I didn’t expect the imperial family to do it too.”
“Well, now that the war is over, it’s time for people to find their partners, isn’t it? Haha.”
The latest fashion in noble romance involved men secretly pinning a brooch onto the dress of the woman they admired.
The woman would later discover the brooch, and a few days later, the man would approach her, saying, “I came to retrieve what I left.”
Some would be delighted, others disappointed. More often, they feel disappointment.
“It’s fun to see which lady receives the most brooches.”
“Bella will probably win again, don’t you think?”
Harriet chuckled as she stood still, careful not to be knocked over by the excited crowd.
‘She’ll act all flustered with too many brooches while secretly enjoying it. And some of the ladies will be upset about it.’
The men wouldn’t have it easy either. Bella was sweet to all but always kept a firm boundary with those who openly pursued her.
‘If it were me, I’d be so grateful I might cry.’
Harriet sighed bitterly.
If someone pinned a brooch to her dress, she would marry them without hesitation—unless they had a truly terrible flaw. Anything to escape her life as an unwanted guest in her uncle’s home.
But there was no chance of that happening.
“Oh my! Who’s this?”
“Kyaa!”
Screams filled the air as women reacted with a mix of shyness and charm. Harriet sighed lightly, waiting for the lights to come back on, indifferent to an event that had nothing to do with her.
About five minutes later, the chandeliers flickered and then illuminated the hall once more.
The orchestra seamlessly resumed its previous piece, while the guests eagerly checked their dresses to see the results of the game.
Harriet let out a small, unnoticed chuckle and resumed her quiet exit—until Bella suddenly called out.
“Oh my, Harriet! What’s that?”
Bella, who had been quite far away just moments ago, was now only a few steps from her, pointing at her dress.
‘When did she get here?’
Harriet couldn’t hide her surprise and looked down at the spot Bella was pointing to.
On her dress, which she had picked out for tonight’s event, there was a lavish ruby brooch attached to the hem.
“What, what’s this?”
Frozen in shock, Harriet stared wide-eyed at the brooch, while Bella approached with a delighted grin.
“Someone must want to confess to you! A ruby this red—it must be someone very passionate!”
“Huh? N-No way…”
“Do you have any idea who it might be?”
“N-No! Not at all! They must have made a mistake. It was really dark.”
“No way! Harriet, you’re so humble.”
Bella laughed like she had just heard the funniest joke, playfully nudging Harriet’s shoulder.
Her laughter drew the attention of her friends and admirers, who quickly gathered around.
Of course, their gazes toward Harriet were far from friendly.
“How interesting. Who could it be? The man who wants to confess to Harriet.”
“Well, people do have all sorts of tastes.”
“Well, everyone has different tastes.”
“Is this really a matter of taste? It’s about reputation.”
Each joke thrown her way had a sharp edge, making it hard to ignore. But as always, Harriet had no choice but to pretend she didn’t understand. There was no one here who would take her side anyway.
Instead, she carefully removed the bright red ruby brooch from her dress and examined it.
The large ruby itself was worth a lot, but the craftsmanship of the platinum setting and the quality of the diamonds embroidered on it were also exceptional.
‘The design is a bit outdated. So, it’s probably an older man.’
Of course. There was no way a decent man her age would gather the courage to confess to her.
The man was likely much older, possibly someone who had already been married. He might have children, be disabled, or even be unattractive.
‘But he must be rich.’
The brooch alone would be worth a lot, and someone who could afford to lose it without a second thought would have money.
That’s enough for her.
If the owner of this brooch had given it to her intentionally and not by mistake, Harriet decided she would gladly accept his proposal.
Even if a 50-year-old man approached her, she wouldn’t be surprised.
A marriage where a man’s wealth and a woman’s youth were exchanged was considered crude by some, but to Harriet, it was an opportunity she didn’t deserve to reject.
“That’s such a beautiful brooch. Who could the owner be? I did see a few men wearing ruby brooches tonight…”
Bella’s sweet voice pulled Harriet out of her thoughts. Bella’s friends and followers were also trying to recall which men had worn ruby brooches that evening.
Harriet didn’t want Bella to know how desperately she longed for marriage.
“No, I’m sure it’s just a mistake. I should keep it safe and return it later. It looks expensive.”
“Hmm… then why don’t you wear it on your chest for now? If it was a mistake, the person should have a way to recognize their error.”
“Huh?”
Bella had a point, but Harriet hesitated. If this truly was a misunderstanding, how embarrassing would it be for both the owner and herself?
As Harriet hesitated, Bella’s close friend Carolyn sneered.
“Maybe Harriet wants to keep the brooch for herself, and we just ruined her plan by bringing it up.”
“N-no! That’s not it at all!”
In the end, Harriet gave up and pinned the brooch to her chest as Bella suggested.
A little embarrassment didn’t matter anymore. Her reputation couldn’t get any worse anyway.
“This should make it obvious to everyone, right?”
“Of course! But I believe this will lead to a romantic confession. Harriet, you’re so sweet and adorable!”
Bella pulled Harriet into a tight hug.
To outsiders, they looked like loving cousin sisters.
Harriet forced a weak smile, lightly gripping Bella’s arm. If no one had been watching, she would have shoved her away.
“Bella, you’re the truly kind one. Just like your parents.”
“That’s right. If it were me…”
“Oh, come on! If we keep saying things like this, we’ll make Bella look bad.”
Ignoring Harriet’s feelings, Bella simply smiled brightly and modestly replied.
“What do you mean? You guys always praise me too much.”
