“Sister, would you like to dance a song with me?”
The one who reached out his hand to me was Ian, drawing a graceful curve with his lips.
“Ah…”
A short sigh escaped. I felt oddly disheartened though I hadn’t been expecting anyone in particular.
With some effort, I managed to gather my scattered thoughts, placed my hand on his, and managed a strained smile.
“Yes. I’d like that.”
As soon as I responded, his smile grew even wider, like a child receiving a long-awaited gift.
Holding Ian’s hand, I stepped onto the dance floor where many people had already taken their places to dance.
As we waited for the music to start with my hand on Ian’s shoulder, I suddenly felt a gaze from behind.
“?”
Glancing back, I saw Tommy looking at me with his arms crossed.
With his silver-gray eyes deepening in thought, it was hard to read his mind. It was a unusual sight since he had always been bright around me before.
After observing Tommy’s frozen expression for a moment, I looked back at Ian as the waltz began.
“Sister.”
“Yes?”
While stepping in time to the relatively light melody, Ian softly called me.
At his call, I shifted all my focus to him, careful not to step on his feet.
“About the hidden illegitimate child of the Harvest family you mentioned last time.”
“Ah. Did you find out anything?”
“Yes, I did find out, but…”
He trailed off, turning his body in time with the music which was picking up pace. Ian skillfully avoided colliding with the people next to us and hesitated before whispering in my ear.
“It seems to be related to the Dright family somehow.”
“…What?”
My voice raised a bit with the unexpected information, drawing the attention of people dancing nearby us.
Realizing my mistake, I bit my lower lip hard. My face felt hot. Seeing my face flushed as a radish, Ian chuckled and then tightened his grip on my waist.
“I expected you to be surprised… but not to this extent.”
“Be quiet.”
I shot Ian a glare, my eyes begging him to shut his ridiculous mouth.
Then, with a look of great amusement, he pretended to press his lips tightly together as if to keep from laughing, but eventually gave up.
“Anyway, getting back to the main point, it turns out the Duke of Dright has been secretly running a casino. The eldest son of the Havest family lost all of his share of the inheritance gambling there, and it seems he’s even gone into debt.”
“….”
Ian’s gaze became serious once more, and I found myself becoming serious as well.
The eldest son of the Havest family Ian mentioned seemed to be the hidden illegitimate child of the Havest family. This was because, according to the Havest family tree, there were no other siblings for Lilia.
However, the Duke of Dright running a casino? Wasn’t he known for his integrity?
While I was pondering this new information, Ian continued.
“As you know, illegitimate children are not considered official members of the family, so they can be removed from the family register at any time. That’s why the position of illegitimate children is always precarious.”
“That’s true.”
I nodded in agreement with Ian.
Illegitimate children, not being the offspring of a legal spouse, are not acknowledged as official members of the family.
Therefore, unlike the offspring of a legal spouse whose names, once entered in the family register, cannot be erased, the names of illegitimate children can be removed at any time.
This also meant in another sense that illegitimate children do not receive the protection of the family. They are considered half-members, not recognized as full members of the family.
“So, it was mentioned in a newspaper I read before that there were many crimes targeting illegitimate children.”
“As I was deeply lost in thought, the music was reaching its climax.”
“Ian skillfully led me in the dance, despite my distracted mind, and continued the conversation.”
“The eldest son of the Harvestga family requested help from the Harvest Manor three times to repay his debts, but was refused. He even wished to be erased from the family register.”
“Why? Wouldn’t it be better to remain in the family to repay the debt?”
“I’m not sure of the exact reason. It could be shame or guilt.”
He gestured as if he didn’t know in response to my question. It seemed impossible for even Ian to uncover that much.
“Exactly a week after he was removed from the family register, his body was found near the reservoir.”
“!”
“I heard the body was so severely mutilated that it was unrecognizable. Just like…”
Before he could finish his sentence, the music abruptly ended.
Why now.
I couldn’t hide my disappointment. It was cruel for the song to end just when crucial information was about to be revealed.
I wanted to hear what Ian had to say next, but since the song had ended, I couldn’t just stay glued to him. Eventually, I slowly stepped away from Ian, grasped the hem of my dress with both hands, and gently bowed. Then, as per etiquette, I offered a greeting.
“May the blessings of the Atteka Goddess be with you.”
“May the blessings of the Atteka Goddess be with you as well.”
Ian responded to my greeting by placing a hand over his chest and bowing politely.
It felt almost like playing house, which made me burst into laughter unexpectedly.
Seeing my reaction, Ian too broke into laughter and then asked, “What do you plan to do now, milady?”
“Hmm, I wonder?”
Indeed, what should I do next?
As I pondered his question, I looked around the ballroom.
Helen was engaged in a discussion with some nobles. Ruth was flatly turning down dance invitations from ladies and was having a businesslike conversation with Lilia. And Tommy was…
“Huh?”
Tommy was hurriedly leaving the banquet hall.
What’s going on?
The moment our eyes met, just before the ballroom door closed, Tommy noticed my intense gaze.
“……!”
Perhaps it was because his eyes seemed like those of someone about to cry in that instant. I found myself staring at the firmly shut ballroom door, forgetting even to breathe.
How long had I been standing there?
“Wow, look at that!”
“My goodness. Is that what they call fireworks?”
“It’s so beautiful. It’s like flowers blooming in the sky.”
Fireworks began outside the ballroom. They were so splendid that they seemed prepared just for this moment, capturing the attention of everyone inside.
I glanced at the people hurrying towards the window and the beautiful fireworks outside, then clenched my dress.
Tommy occasionally had that same look in his eyes even when he was younger.
But he never cried. It was frustrating to a point. I wished he would just cry openly, but he didn’t.
So, he likely won’t today either. He looks like he might cry any second, but he absolutely will not.
What should I do? Should I pretend I don’t know? Or should I secretly send someone to check on him?
As the fiancée of the emperor, I knew that it would certainly look bad for me to follow any man out. Therefore, given that there are already bad rumors about me, I shouldn’t do anything that could lend more credence to those rumors.
But… considering that everyone is distracted by the fireworks right now, and if I return before the fireworks end, wouldn’t it be alright?
I chewed on my lower lip as I pondered.
“Sister?”
Ian, who was looking at me confusedly, cautiously opened his mouth.
“Are you ill? Your complexion is pale…”
“Sorry, Ian. I think I need to go now.”
Having made up my mind, I replied to Ian with a trembling voice and quickly walked past him toward the banquet hall’s door.
No matter how much I thought about it, the answer was the same.
Let’s just check if everything is okay and then come back. If I ignore Tommy now, I feel like I’ll regret it for a long time.
I heard Ian’s voice from behind me, but I pretended not to hear it.
I have no time.
I arrived at the door breathlessly and glanced at the knight, who was distracted by the fireworks, then pushed the door open.
The door, which appeared very heavy, opened surprisingly easily.
Before stepping out, I glanced back at Ruth. Somehow, I felt I had to.
And my intuition was right. Ruth’s gaze, which had been fixed on Lillia until just a moment ago, had shifted to me at some point, as if the dazzling fireworks didn’t even matter.
“…….”
“…….”
After exchanging lingering looks with him for a while, I subtly smiled with my eyes.
I’ll be back soon, Ruth.
Words I couldn’t dare voice out loud were screaming to be released, but I swallowed them down and left the ballroom.
***
“Where is Tommy?”
I muttered as I walked down the empty hallway. I thought he wouldn’t go far since he’s a guest of honor and would be around the banquet hall, but I was wrong.
No matter how much I walked around the vicinity of the banquet hall, Tommy was nowhere to be seen.
After wandering around for a while, I finally decided to give up. There wasn’t much time left anyway, and continuing to look for Tommy would only waste more time.
“There’s nothing I can do.” I pushed my disappointment aside and turned to leave. But I hadn’t gone far before I had to stop again.
Slap!
A dull noise of friction came from somewhere. It was the sound of flesh hitting flesh.
“……?”
The sound was out of place in the royal palace, but I ignored it, thinking it was just a minor squabble between maids. Living as a commoner taught me not to meddle in others’ affairs unnecessarily.
Moreover, I’m not yet a member of the royal family. Therefore, I can’t reprimand the maids for fighting among themselves.
I’ll have to ask Isabella to warn the maids who fought today to be more careful next time.
I was about to simply conclude and enter the banquet hall.
“Zarna Winter! Can you truly call yourself my daughter after acting like this?” if it wasn’t for the angry shout that followed. Zarna Winter? I racked my brain over the familiar name.
“Oh, I’ve really wanted to meet the noble lady for so long, and finally, I have. I’m Zarna of the Winter earldom.”
Oh.
Only after that memory surfaced did I realize that Zarna was the name of the young lady of the Winter earldom.
Suddenly, remembering how she treated me at the tea party made me scrunch up my nose.
Even if the person being slapped was the young lady of the Winter earldom, I couldn’t pretend not to hear it.
“Happy, you say? Well…”
“I, I was wrong, Father.”
The frail voice overlapping with the haughty tone from my memory sounded so pitiful.
