Chapter 23
The heavily secured door opened easily with a click.
Baran’s face, crumpled with frustration, lit up with joy in an instant.
“Your Grace…”
“You must not get tired of this. How long were you planning to keep knocking?”
“I’m sorry. But I’ve sent people repeatedly, and now I’ve come myself. I conveyed your words, but they didn’t budge an inch. They’re ignoring your message, so I had no way or excuse to send them away.”
Irritation dripped from his voice and eyes.
Despite Aden’s tone, Baran remained calm and said his piece.
Aden stared at his stubborn aide for a moment, then sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
His tousled hair and the furrowed lines on his forehead clearly showed his frustration.
“This is ridiculous. Why can’t I refuse to meet an unwelcome guest in my own castle?”
“There are too many eyes on us. It’s not just some random visitor, it’s a formally approved audience.”
“I never approved an audience for that woman. I approved an audience for the delegation that resolved the long-standing dispute in the Bullywood region.”
“That delegation was put together by the Duke of Bozbourne.”
“The Bozbourne family was involved, so they had to handle it. Besides, just because I approved the audience doesn’t mean they can ignore my reason for postponing.”
“You’re not wrong, but the rumors, especially after the last banquet, have drawn too much attention. If we leave it like this, worse stories will spread.”
Aden looked at Baran, who calmly rebutted his points, then closed his eyes.
Even someone as composed as Aden couldn’t fully hide his rising irritation.
“No matter how unpleasant it is, you need to deal with it. If the knot remains tangled, other threads will get messy too. You need to either cut it or untangle it. Running away won’t solve anything, and you know that.”
Baran’s calm and steady words made Aden sigh.
The wrinkles on Aden’s face slowly smoothed out.
He lowered his hand after running it through his hair, leaving his once neat hair disheveled.
Aden clicked his tongue in annoyance and turned around.
“We should just ban the Bozbourne family from entering. What a nuisance.”
Baran watched Aden head towards the living room, a sigh of relief escaping his lips.
Having managed to persuade his stubborn master, Baran quickly followed after Aden.
They walked swiftly down the corridor, with Baran opening the living room door for Aden without missing a beat.
Many eyes in the living room turned to Aden as he entered.
Scanning the room, Aden’s gaze landed on Bellieta, who sat in the center, smiling at him.
Despite knowing her true nature, Aden couldn’t help but smirk at her fake smile.
“Grand Duke Rippleton…”
“Everyone except Lady Bozbourne, leave and wait outside.”
“Pardon?”
“Didn’t you hear me? I don’t like crowds. If you want to talk to me, leave only Lady Bozbourne here and everyone else, get out.”
At Aden’s sudden command, the people around Bellieta looked startled and confused.
A man with a protruding belly glanced awkwardly at Bellieta.
She looked steadily at Aden with her emotionless eyes before smiling softly.
“Please, go. I can handle this.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, there’s no problem. Just wait outside.”
“Understood.”
With Bellieta’s permission, the man with the protruding belly led the others out of the room.
As the noisy, chaotic atmosphere cleared, silence settled in the room, and Aden’s footsteps echoed.
The sound of his shoes broke the quiet, reverberating loudly.
Bellieta’s eyes followed Aden’s steps as he approached.
Aden took a seat opposite Bellieta and gracefully crossed his long legs.
The fluidity of his movements gave off a cool, effortless vibe.
“You’re looking at me with such scary eyes. Despite everything, I am still your fiancée.”
“I heard that the Bozbourne Duke called off the engagement unilaterally.”
“Technically, it’s not off yet. We’ve only reached an agreement, not finalized it.”
Aden twisted his lips in a mocking smile.
Bellieta’s eyebrows slowly rose at his blatant ridicule.
Not long ago, this man had been blindly devoted to her.
With the support cut off and Rippleton isolated, Aden had to beg a mere noblewoman for help to survive.
To Aden, Bellieta was his lifeline. Winning her over was essential to saving Rippleton.
But in just a few months, the situation had changed.
Bozbourne had thought they had Rippleton in the palm of their hand, but they lost it in an instant. Aden’s attitude toward Bozbourne had changed as well. All this started with the support from Brilloxen.
“Yeah, an agreement. Next time, it would be nice if it would be a final decision. Then you wouldn’t be calling yourself my fiancée.”
“Regardless of the circumstances, we’re still engaged. I hope you’ll refrain from any rude behavior and treat me accordingly.”
Bellieta straightened her back, sinking into the chair as she leaned back, mimicking Aden’s graceful leg-crossing in a manner that reeked of arrogance.
The sweet, innocent Bellieta. The kind, courteous Lady of Bozbourne. The beloved daughter of the empire.
None of those personas were present now. Only the arrogant demeanor of a high-ranking noble was left.
Aden, knowing Bellieta’s true nature, found her attitude familiar. She was much like the Duke of Bozbourne, with an ingrained sense of authority and a superiority complex. That was Bellieta’s essence.
“Rude behavior, huh? What are you referring to exactly?”
“For example, making me wait for hours in a place full of onlookers like today. And…”
Bellieta trailed off, lowering her chin slightly. Her narrowed eyebrows revealed her displeasure.
“Like dancing with my best friend at a party without even informing your fiancée.”
“So, you came all this way just to say that?”
Aden stood up, signaling he found no further value in the conversation.
Aden grabbed his disheveled suit with both hands and straightened it out firmly, showing he didn’t want to give Bellieta any openings.
“Who I dance with at a party isn’t your concern, Princess. Didn’t you also dance with another man without asking me?”
“There’s a bit of a difference.”
Bellieta stood up and faced Aden directly.
“I did not dance with the rumored involved partner, but the Grand Duck did dance with someone who was rumored to be copying me, my friend Sierra.”
Aden’s eyebrows twitched when Sierra’s name came up.
“Thanks to that, I got embarrassed. It’s not just the rumors; there are quite a few people who see me as the loser. People badmouth Sierra for copying me, but ironically, they see me as the loser for losing my fiancé.”
“Are you saying that’s my fault?”
“No, it’s not your fault. It’s because I have so much recognition and fame in the nobility and social circles.”
Bellieta’s gesture, lightly resting her hand over her heart, looked quite arrogant.
Even at a young age, having just come of age, the arrogance of a high-ranking noblewoman radiated from Bellieta.
As the only daughter of Bozbourne, she had been treated like a princess, not less than the emperor’s daughter.
“So, what I’d like to ask is for you to be careful in whatever actions you take in the future. I don’t want to be the subject of malicious gossip like last time, especially not involving Sierra.”
Bellieta gave a quiet, sweet smile after emphasizing her last point.
Aden watched her quietly and then curled his lips in a smirk.
Bellieta’s eyes sparkled at having gotten the better of Aden.
“I’m relieved you understand…”
“So, what you’re trying to say is not to avoid making things awkward for me, but to avoid situations where Sierra stands out more than you.”
“…What did you just say?”
Bellietta’s face, which had been smiling in victory, hardened.
While Bellietta, who had hit the nail on the head, stopped, Aden stepped back and widened the distance.
Aden faced Bellieta with a cold expression and softly began to speak.
“I don’t think that’s really necessary. I’ve got pretty good judgment when it comes to people. Even when others are deceived by you, I see through your true nature. Unlike others, Lady Brilloxen, whom I saw with my own eyes, did not do dirty things like use others to make herself stand out. She’s genuine and passionate. So, don’t overthink things and maybe it’s time for you to leave.”
Aden moved toward the door and twisted the handle.
Turning his back on the slightly ajar door, he faced Bellieta.
A crooked smirk played at his lips.
“In Hermonia, there’s a raven that devours those who harm others with lies. If you don’t want to be eaten, you’d better leave quickly.”
“What, what…?”
“Oh.”
As he turned, Aden let out a brief exclamation and spread his fingers.
His fingers pointed at papers on the desk, not at Bellieta.
“Leave that behind.”
Thunk.
The door shut.
