As spring came, green sprouts sprouted in the ground that had been asleep for a long winter.
All of Arlanta has been in a festive mood for some time.
This is because the date of marriage between the crown prince Dice and Rosabella is approaching.
“How does it look like to Hari?”
Rosabella turned to me and asked.
Along with her movements, the hem of a rich chimat dress drew a fascinating current like white foam.
I smiled as I looked at the beautiful Rosabella.
“I see Rosabella in a wedding dress like this first, so I have nothing to apologize for His Highness Dice’s jealousy.”
The people in the dressing room next to us also praised Rosabella.
The benefit of Queen Arabella to design Rosabella Velontia’s wedding dress seem to be high. With the glory of producing, this dress was in full swing.
Rosabella and I moved to a different location after the people from the dressing shop who had been on a business trip to Velontia mansion for the fitting wedding dress left.
In Velontia’s flower garden, beautiful flowers of different colors bloomed in spring.
We sat face to face with the tea table in the middle of us.
“I look forward to the wedding day. Rosabella is probably the prettiest bride in the world.”
The fragrant floral scent and the subtle tea scent behind us.
In a beautiful mixed flower garden, Rosabella smiled beautifully with a clear face.
There was no depth on her face, so I felt at ease. Until last winter, she carefully spoke to me about the burden of her responsibilities in the future.
Furthermore, Rosabella seemed to feel even more skeptical because the involvement of Velontia’s maid during the last hunt.
How did she become the crown princess if she couldn’t even properly crack down on things inside her own mansion?
Furthermore, as the mother of the future, can she embrace Arlanta?
it seemed in her doubt.
By the way, I thought that it was fortunate that Rosabella is now smiling brightly with the appearance of a happy bride-to-be without worries and anxiety.
“Thank you. I’m also looking forward to Hari’s wedding dress.”
At Rosabella’s mischievous response, I laughed haha with a slightly awkward feeling.
“I have no plans to marry right now.”
“But I think it won’t be long?”
Over time, everyone knows about Eugene and my relationship. Our story has already spread openly not only around me, but also outside.
Starting from last fall, neither Eugene nor I was trying to hide that fact, so it was natural if it was leaked.
It didn’t matter much because I had told the people around me anyway, and I thought it would be revealed to the world someday.
As expected, people are like seeing meat with water.
They were excited and gossiped about us, but they quickly changed their stance and started to pretend to be closer to me than before.
Their words and actions showed their inside and out, and my appetite was bitter.
Originally, there were many people who approached me because of my identity within Ernst’s household and my friendship with the future husband and wife of empire.
However, immediately after rumors about Eugene and me swept through the social world, there were noticeably more people who poked like tongues in their mouths in front of me.
Looking at it, the name of the Duchess of Ernst, which can be seen from behind me, seemed to be truly amazing.
Well, of course, I wasn’t the Duchess of Ernst right now, but I honestly thought that the spot would be mine someday.
Oh god. Something is very embarrassing when I say this with my mouth…
Because when I become the Duchess of Ernst, I mean Eugene and I are getting married?
When I think about it, suddenly the fever comes.
So, I quickly drank the tea in front of me. Seeing me like that, Rosabella said spitefully again.
“Oh, are you embarassed and shy? Miss Hari, it’s cute.”
“Rosabella, will you keep making fun of that?”
“Hari’s reaction is fun, so it can’t be helped.”
Anyhow, one good thing is after that, people who asked about Eugene’s marriage in front of me disappeared.
After the breakup with Rosabella, they aimed for an empty seat next to Eugene.
There were often young girls hoping to get it. Sometimes noble ladies came to me and told me the story of their daughter or nephew.
But now that people are all gone, on the one hand, it was cool.
This kind of thought was a little childish, but every time I saw the girls who revealed their dark feelings (?) toward Eugene in front of me, I wasn’t very happy.
Of course, some of them still consider me very decent, but they all took note seriously on Lavender Cordis’ accident and were all quiet.
I just dealt with people who approached me without talking in explicit way.
I didn’t reject them first anyway, because I didn’t have to go out and talk to them, and there was no reason to stay closer than necessary.
Well, of course, I know, behind the scenes, they are still talking about me excitedly.
But in fact, it didn’t matter because the attention of other people wasn’t very important to me.
If the people I care about understand and accept me like I am now, that was enough.
“I’ll see you next time on your wedding day.”
“Thank you for coming to me today. After talking with Hari, I feel very comfortable.”
Ahead of the marriage, Rosabella was very busy, so I didn’t take a long time and left Velontia’s mansion, but I didn’t go straight back to Ernst.
Today, while I was out, I was planning to visit Vastia’s mansion.
“Welcome in Hari.”
“How are you, aunt?”
As soon as I stepped inside, Mrs. Vastia greeted me.
“I’m sorry, what should I do? Louise is taking piano lessons, so I think you’ll have to wait a bit.”
“No, it’s alright, because I was earlier than expected.”
After looking at my face for a while, Mrs. Vastia invited me.
“If it’s okay, why don’t you drink tea with me while waiting for Louise?”
“I’m glad to see you.”
Naturally I did not refusing her favor.
Of course, I already had tea in Velontia, but……
Let’s just go over that.
So she and I stepped toward the drawing room alone.
******
“So, when will you send the wedding invitation?”
Pueup.
In a sudden surprise, I stop and I almost spit out the tea in my mouth.
“Why so surprised? You said you’d skip the engagement ceremony, so the only thing left is marriage.”
But Mrs. Vastia was just staring at me, still looking elegant.
Oh, what day is it today?
Now, like Rosabella, why everyone thinks that my marriage is just a few days left…
No, of course It will happen. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to marry Eugene, but what do they mean?
“I still have a lot to prepare….”
“Really, aren’t you ready to be the hostess?”
Oh, the hostess…..
While I once again lost my words to her straightforward words, Mrs. Vastia put down the teacup she was holding in her hand.
After that she is speaking in a calm voice.
“If that’s the case, you’re ready enough already. I know you’ve been dealing with Ernst’s internal affairs from before. Besides, I’ve been teaching with my own hands.”
She was right.
Actually while I’m living in the Vastia, I received several teachings and advice from her on managing a mansion.
A story like this is a bit bitter, but it’s probably because she implicitly considered me to be Johannes’ mate.
“Yes, I learned a lot from you while I was here.”
I smiled and opened my mouth.
“Now I just don’t think I’m mentally prepared yet.”
A profound scent hovered in the calm air. The liquid accumulated in the mug. There was a slice of lemon marinated in the tea.
Mrs. Vastia is silent for a moment about what she was thinking.
“Hari, this is not empty words, I think of you like a real daughter.”
Then, at her voice piercing my ear, I moved my gaze to the person I faced.
“Of course, I wanted you to be Johan’s mate, but I didn’t intend to force you at first. So, I tried to avoid expressing that premature word so it would not be a burden to you.”
As she said, I had never been unconcerned by them, even while in Vastia, or after that.
It may be the kindness peculiar to Vastia’s people not to insist on or force their opinions or hearts on others.
“I know, I don’t know how I feel about it.”
I have thought many times that maybe my rejection down to Johannes would be a betrayal to them, but even now they are still so kind to me.
“Always, I am grateful.”
I truly appreciate it.
Obviously, just because I want it all, it’s not that everyone can accept me easily.
“Hari, we sincerely wish for your happiness.”
It has been said that her whispering words to me are wholeheartedly.
“So, believe in the path you chose, look ahead and walk. It must be the right path.”
As I listened to her words, my eyes gradually became hot.
Is it because I thought there was no adult next to me to tell me this?
As if a mother was telling her daughter, I felt a little bit of a heart pounding at the softly screaming voice of her.
I smiled at her, holding back the tears that were about to leak out.
“Thank you. I hope you will always have happy things.”
*****
“Are you done talking with my mom?”
As soon as I came out of the parlor, I met Louise.
She apparently heard that I was in the room with her mother.
At other times, she would have just opened the door and came in, but somehow she seemed to be waiting for me to come out from the outside.
Louise, who was squatting in the hall, woke up from her seat when she saw me coming out of the door.
But she looked up at my face for a moment and sighed.
“My mom is usually so good. I’m going to go to play outside because it’s a nice weather today, but why is she making sister Hari cry like this?”
“No, I didn’t cry.”
“Your eyes are red, then what?”
Ugh, it looks like that. I’m not sure because I can’t see the mirror.
While I was with Mrs. Vastia, it seemed that I had become a little sentimental without my knowledge, so I was a little shy.
“Today, let’s just play in my room.”
Saying that, Louise raised her hand, grabbed my hand and dragged me.
I don’t know very well, but it seemed that she had given up on her plan to go out with me.
“Where did you wanna go?”
“Well, if I tell you in advance, it’s not fun, so next time.”
Louise said with a secret smile.
It was still questionable, but she didn’t answer to the end in the end.
After dinner at Vastia, I returned to Ernst.
I heard that both Eugene and Cabel are busy and plan to return home late.
Well, I feel like I need to drink some alcohol today. I took a bottle of wine from the cellar and poured it into a glass.
In the first place, I had no intention of drinking enough to get drunk, and I was really thinking of drinking only one drink.
But is it because I was tired of going out for a long time?
The alcohol being absorbed by my body make my eyes and my lids started to get heavy.
And when I closed my eyes several times and opened it, I felt someone’s touch on my body. I felt a little rejuvenation and opened my closed eyes.
Then, Eugene’s face, stained with the soft light, came into view.
“Brother Eugene.”
“I tried not to wake you up.”
It seems that I forgot and fall asleep.
It looks like I just closed my eyes for a moment, but when did it get dark outside like this?
“What time is it now?”
“10:30. You must be tired, you should lie down on the bed and sleep.”
Looking at me with my eyes open, Eugene took his hand from me. I fell asleep on the couch and he tried to move me to bed. It seemed to be like that.
By the way, it’s 10:30. Then two hours have passed since then?
Ugh, then, it’s not the level of Johan yet, but it seems I’m sleeping well.
I rubbed my tight eyes and looked up at Eugene standing in front of me.
Looking at Eugene’s attire, it seemed that he had just returned to the mansion.
He reached out and arranged my hair.
Even in spring, it was quite chilly at night, so his hand on my forehead was a little cool.
Eugene immediately took his hand away from me when I flinched a little for a moment without knowing it.
“Your hand is cold.”
“Sorry.”
But this time, I grabbed his hand first.
Of course, Eugene would have been able to hold on to the place he touched as long as he wanted, but I still pulled him close to my liking.
However, it seemed that Eugene not have expected that I would hug him.
I dragged my arm around Eugene’s neck as he was approaching. The cool air that Eugene had got from outside was also held in my arms.
“Hari…”
“Let’s do this a little.”
He felt that my behavior was a little sudden, and I felt that his body was stiff, so I touched his back in the sense that saying it was okay.
However, despite my efforts, Eugene’s condition did not improve.
“I’m cold.”
“I didn’t say no?”
Oh, is he trying to let me go because his body is cold?
But I rather felt better while holding him like this.
Eugene is getting warm because of me. That alone made me feel very full inside, so I hugged Eugene and laughed.
Then Eugene tossed a little, as if his throat that my breath reached was itchy.
Of course I don’t care about it. Rather, I gave more strength to my arm and hugged Eugene hard.
Eugene’s head in my arms twisted slightly to the side. Shortly thereafter, a quiet sigh leaked out of his mouth.
“You drank alone.”
Oh, he must have seen the glasses and bottles on the table now. Eugene seemed to think that my current behavior was because I was drunk.
That thought was a misunderstanding anyway, because all I drank only a glass of wine.
Still, as if Eugene gave up, he relaxed his body that was held by me and I liked it.
“You went to Velontia and Vastia today?”
“Hm.”
“Did you have a good time?”
“Yeah, it was a fun time as always.”
We had a small conversation as we lying on the sofa.
Rosabella’s wedding dress was very pretty, drinking tea with Mrs. Vastia, and the story that Louise’s piano skills improved a lot.
Eugene also told me about meeting Dice at the Imperial Palace today and the fact that Mr. Rowengreen is suffering from a headache due to a young nephew he has been in charge of lately.
“You will be tired because you went out for a long time today, so stop this and start sleeping.”
Then Eugene said to me in a quiet voice.
The time soon became 11 o’clock. But as it is right now, It was warm and I didn’t want to move somehow.
So I mumbled a little stubbornly with my face buried in Eugene’s neck.
“Shall I just sleep like this?”
Seeing that I didn’t want to move, he noticed I already washing and getting ready for bed as soon as I came back.
“Let’s just sleep like this here.”
At that moment, for some reason, Eugene groaned for a moment.
“Okay…? Will you be okay?”
Eugene, who had been gently entrusting his body to me, whispered low in my ear.
The next moment, I felt the subtle touch of his touching on my back, and I flinched unconsciously.
Yes…? What is suddenly?
Suddenly, a light suddenly lit up in my head, dulled by danger.
Eugene grabbed my arms around his neck and raised his upper body. Immediately after that, I met his eyes very close.
“There are only the two of us in this room right now, and it’s late at night.”
Every time he uttered a word, a tingling breath touched my face. Eugene’s pupils, who were facing my eyes, slid down.
“In addition, you are wearing pajamas.”
Oh…
Eugene was right.
After returning to the mansion and washing, I was in a state of changing clothes immediately.
This thin silk nightgown was something I loved because it was particularly soft to the touch, but it was somewhat inappropriate to show it to someone else.
Because it was almost underwear-like pajamas where the curves of my body are almost unchanged.
So if I wear pajamas until now when I had to go out of the room for a while, I used to put something on top of it.
But now, wasn’t I in a situation where I was drinking alone in my room and sleeping on the sofa?
So all I was wearing right now was this one piece of thin pajamas.
Only then I seemed to know why he was hardened when I hugged Eugene a while ago.
“But that’s not enough, so you even invited me to sleep together defenselessly….”
A sound that quietly flowed from Eugene’s mouth resonated in my ear.
“It’s not good enough to just leave it, I’m..”
Somehow I couldn’t breathe deeply in the eyes I faced from the front. I felt a little thirsty at the soft whisper in my ear.
“That…”
“Of course you didn’t mean that.”
Eugene ran ahead as if he knew what the excuses would come out of my mouth.
“If I pretend I don’t know and I misunderstand what you want, what would you do?”
His dark eyes, looking down at me, were extremely quiet.
It’s been a while since Eugene and me each other confirmed our hearts and became a lover.
Therefore, this is not the first time that such a strange atmosphere has been created between us.
Of course, in the meantime, Eugene always tried to stop me, but in fact, there were times when it went to a very close situation.
So, now that we’re simply talking to each other in a quiet way, we didn’t know that we didn’t need to be nervous at all.
However, while I was looking into Eugene’s eyes, somehow, my chest started beating slowly and irregularly.
This is because I instinctively sensed it.
If I start something like this, this time Eugene will never stop first.
And it’s obvious that I can’t reject him either….
“Brother! Hari! I’m here!”
So, in a sense, it might be fortunate that Cabel returned to the mansion just in time.
A blasphemous voice has been passed down through the tightly closed door.
Once in the past, he suddenly came in and seeing Eugene and I holding hands together, since then, Cabel used to announce his appearance in this way.
A bloody breath ran out of Eugene’s mouth.
After that, I unconsciously opened my eyes to the lips that were slowly pressed onto my forehead.
That was close.
However, Eugene kissed me briefly and then fell off without leaving any lingering feelings.
When I opened my eyes again, Eugene’s face with a dim smile came into my view.
“Good night.”
After leaving a lowly greeting, he stand up from above me. A little cool air came into my empty arms.
I didn’t move in the chair until Eugene left the door.
“Oh, brother. You’re still in clothes, so you just back right now?”
“Yeah. Now sleep. Lower your voice so she can rest quietly.”
“Hyuk, I see. Did you say that Hari is going to Vastia today? She must have been tired.”
The sound that had been heard from the outside gradually faded away.
I was lying still on the sofa for a while even after the lowered voice and footsteps had completely disappeared.
And only after the bell of the grandfather clock in the hallway rang 12 times, I woke up from my seat blankly.
After a while I lie in bed and I was looking at the ceiling, I dumbly covered.
However, I didn’t think I could fall asleep soon. My heart was still beating, claiming his presence.
Thank God…
I’m glad Cabel gave his attendance in a good way.
It was a little sudden, but at least I had a little more time to prepare my mind….
But when I thought about that far, I stopped for a moment. And after a while I can’t stop struggled in my room on the blanket.
Wait a minute, is my mind ready and preparation of my heart…?!
What kind of woman’s heart is ready?
I buried my face in the bed and patted the pillow with my hand. Not only my face, but my ears were all hot.
It is a night I couldn’t easily fall asleep like today.
“Yum yum yum. Huh? Why is your face like that?”
The next morning, Cabel picked up the bread from the table and asked to me as he chewing it hard.
He was looking at me as he had just stepped inside the restaurant, making a puzzled expression.
“Why is my face?”
“You haven’t seen the mirror? It’s dull as if you left it in the night.”
Gah, second brother. Isn’t that a little too much expression?
Of course I’m looking before I leave my room and I knew that my face was a little sloppy because I saw the dark circle, but it’s a gentleman way to pretend to be unaware of it!
It was, though, that we shouldn’t expect that in the first place as the target is Cabel.
“You didn’t sleep early yesterday? When I came home, my brother said that you are already sleeping.”
What am I doing, I wake up all night like you said.
But how can I say that with my mouth.
“It’s just because I’m tired.”
“Then eat meat! Meat is the best when you’re tired!”
In my words that I was tired, Cabel called the chef out loud, insisting on the “meat panacea.”
Of course I stopped him like that.
It was clear that I wasn’t Cabel, and if I ate meat from the morning, my insides would become bloated.
“My brother should eat a little more properly. Why do you stand and eat without sitting?”
“I have to go out a bit earlier today.”
What happened early in the morning in the Templars today?
No matter how it is, he is standing there like this and chewing and eating bread.
Cabel moved his body in a hurry without getting rid of all the bread he had been eating.
“I’ll come back (I’ll be back then)!”
“Already?”
Really in a hurry, Cabel tried to rush out of the dining hall with a bread in his mouth, an apple in one hand, and a jacket of the Knights Templar in the other.
“Cabel, you’re going out now?”
At that time, Eugene and Cabel met while he just entering the dining hall.
I saw Eugene, who I met for the first time since last night, and I was unwittingly dazzled.
“Yeah, take me off for breakfast and have fun the two of you!”
At Eugene’s question, Cabel, as expected, with the bread in his mouth, spit out a babbling sound.
Still, it wasn’t difficult to understand his words considering how much of bread he had chewed.
Seeing such Cabel, Eugene quietly narrowed his eyebrows.
As for Eugene, he felt uncomfortable when he saw Cabel rushing to work after not having breakfast properly.
“Eat your lunch properly.”
“Okay!”
At the end of his words, Cabel moved away and exited the dining hall.
After that, Eugene stepped in as he replacing Cabel’s vacant seat.
“Let’s sit down.”
“Yes.”
Ugh, if the second brother told me in advance that he was going to work early today, I would have pretended to overslept…
Oh, well. I couldn’t have time to talk to Cabel because I couldn’t even meet him last night.
Ugh.
“Did you have trouble at sleep?”
At that time, Eugene’s gaze crossed my face once.
“You look tired.”
I was hot with his words.
Cabel said it a while ago, but is it so obvious that I couldn’t sleep?
But in fact, it would be harder for someone else to not know what was noticeable even by the most innocent Cabel in our house.
“Oh, no? I did not. I slept very well.”
I couldn’t speak honestly and lie.
This is because if I admitted that I stayed up for some reason, that I was shaken by Eugene’s words, and I felt like I would be caught.
However, as he said calmly, my worries disappeared.
“Is that so? I didn’t sleep well.”
I looked at the face of Eugene, sitting across from me, speechless.
He put one arm on the table and staring at me with his hand squeezed his chin.
While facing his gaze like that, I felt a strangely burning throat.
Soon, the servants who entered the dining hall began to put plates and utensils on the table.
Eugene did not add any other words, and I looked away from him and turned my head as if that had not happened a little while ago.
I drank the water from the cup while maintaining as unattended as possible.
It is still spring, but it is somewhat hot.
“Hubert, then I’ll be back.”
“Please go carefully, my lady.”
That afternoon, I went out with Ethan, being seen off by Hubert.
The destination is a busy street where colorful shops are located, and as it has been year after year, a flower market was scheduled to be held there in spring.
“My lady, your hand.”
Arriving at my destination, I raised my hand to Ethan’s, grab him and got off the wagon.
The streets were already full of fragrant scents of flowers. Just smelling the scent made me feel brighter.
Well, after all, spring is great.
“There are a lot of people.”
“Because it is a flower market that is held once a year.”
I laughed at the words of Ethan, looked around and said as if passing by.
Ethan talks to me more directly than before. Of course, there was still a sense of distance between him and me.
However, I felt good because we seemed to be getting closer as time passed.
I and Ethan headed for the flower market.
The flower market, which is growing in size every year, was crowded with people coming and going just as it was located in the downtown area.
The colorful and beautiful flowers that bloomed covetously deserved to catch the gaze of those passing by.
Suddenly, I remembered what happened when I met Eugene here several years ago.
It was later that I learned of the whereabouts of the peony, which was impulsively struck to Eugene, whom I met by chance that day.
I went to the imperial palace to meet Dice and stopped by the place where Eugene, the affairs department of the palace, was working.
Of course, time has passed since then, and I talked to Eugene several times and got rid of it…
It was quite surprising that he didn’t throw away the flowers I gave him right away, but kept them for so long.
Recalling the memories of that time, I bought a peony and a freesia flower each.
“Do you need anything more?”
“No, it is enough for today, let’s stop going and back to the mansion.”
At other times, I would have traveled a little more and returned home to change my mood, but today the distance was too complicated.
Besides, yesterday’s fatigue was still not resolved, so it was difficult to stay outside for a long time.
I was satisfied with the fresh flowers I wanted, and headed to the place to take the carriage and came back.
“Huh?”
But when I walked a little longer, suddenly some yellow piece of cloth flew in front of me.
I unconsciously reached out and tried to catch it, but before I did that, Ethan moved first.
Suddenly, he stood in front of me and grabbed the flying cloth with amazing wits.
What he held in his hand was a women’s thin shawl with delicate lace embroidery.
Maybe a little while ago, the wind blew and someone seems to have missed it by mistake…
So, won’t the owner come to find it soon?
However, there were so many people around that it seemed difficult to do so.
I looked around for a while, but I did not look the person who seemed to be looking for something.
“What should I do?”
First of all, I asked him because I thought I had to hear Ethan’s opinion first.
Then he turned to me. I looked down and opened my mouth at the yellow cloth Ethan is holding in his hand.
“There is no reason to feel responsible for the lost item. I will leave it.”
Oh, oh? Is he determined?
No, of course it is but……
But I thought I’d ask him to wait a little longer.
“Oh, wait a minute! That’s ours…!”
However, Ethan and I did not have to worry about getting behind the lost items.
Because in front of us at the next moment, someone shouted out loud and approached us.
He gasp in front of Ethan and me as we saw the man who ran and asked.
“Are you looking for this shawl?”
“Hyuk, yes….”
He jumped in a hurry to see as he was out of breath and couldn’t lift his head and took his breath for a while with his knees on.
Looking at his attire, it seemed that he was not a commoner or escort, but a spirit-style noble who grew up well in a straight family.
So, did he accompanying a lady and come to find the lost item for her?
I smiled at him and opened my mouth.
“That’s fortunate because the wind doesn’t fly any further.”
“Ah, thank you. My group missed it by mistake….”
The man also raised his head and replied to see as if he had found a breathe.
But he couldn’t finish talking. The moment our eyes met in the air, the man stiffened with a hook breath.
My image was reflected in his black eyes, wide open as if he was ecstatic. The face, with his lips wide open, was dazzling as if it had fallen out.
Ah.…
This person, he fell in love with me at first sight.
It was a reaction that seemed so honestly outward that I could notice without knowing.
Until now, this experience was not at all never happened and it was not very strange.
I felt a little embarrassed and took a step back. Ethan felt something similar, so he sneaked in between me and the other guys, blocking his gaze.
Um, but is it just because of the mood?
When I look at his face like this, it seems that the day is somewhat ripe…
“Theo!”
At that moment, a thin woman’s voice rang from behind the man. I turned my head inadvertently after the sound.
Soon afterward, I was amazed at the woman’s in my sight, with my eyes wide open.
“I’m sorry for you. You just don’t have to find a shawl… Ah?”
Not knowing that her hair was getting messy, a woman who ran with steps found us and looked surprised, but that’s not exactly because she saw Ethan, It was because she saw the yellow shawl Ethan was holding.
“Ah, hey… Theo, did these people find my shawl?”
She panicked and didn’t know what to do, then quickly whispered to the man next to her.
Then, the man who was looking at me with a blank expression until then, as if he had awakened his mind, made a face that seemed to wake up from a dream.
“Oh… that’s right, these people came to me.”
“Oh, thank you.”
After hearing the man’s answer, the woman greeted us with a bright face.
“Actually, it’s something I care about, so if I lose it, I’d be a little upset. Thank you very much.”
Orange hair blowing in the wind and warm brown eyes. The slightly pale face was now reminded of joy.
“I should have said hello first, I’m sorry. I’m Theodore Kalua. This is my relative..”
“I’m Daisy Temperto.”
Listening to their introduction, I still believe she couldn’t be here, so I opened my mouth.
“I’m Hari Ernst. This is Sir Ethan Bishop, my escort knight.”
When I revealed my name instead, Ethan greeted them with a light silence.
But in fact, before I heard the introduction, I already knew who they were.
When I first saw the man’s face, I couldn’t remember it honestly, but the woman that followed was not, because I could never forget.
She was married to Cabel last life and became my newest sister, Temperto.
It is my future sister-in-law.
“Brother Cabel, are there any women you’ve been meeting these days?”
“What?”
That night, I grabbed Cabel and asked in a subtle tone.
Then Cabel suddenly showed a look as if he was hitting a stick while sleeping.
Oh, because I see that the expression is so vivid that’s answer all. It seems like there is no real woman he’s seeing right now.
When we met before and talked for a while, Daisy Temperto and Theodore Kalua told us that it hasn’t been a few days since they came up to the capital from the outskirts, watery countryside where they originally lived.
I was a little surprised by that unexpected meeting.
It is said that she came here only a few days ago, so of course she haven’t met Cabel yet…
In fact, I didn’t know anything about how Cabel and Daisy met and dated in the last life.
For some reason, It wasn’t polite to wonder about it, so I didn’t even ask.
But honestly, the combination of the two who seem completely opposite like fire and water was very surprising even now.
Well….
Of course, compared to the last life, there was a possibility that their relationship would change as well as the events of this life did not flow in the same way as my memories.
“I only live in the haze every day. Where do I meet a woman?”
“There were some young lady who sometimes comes to see brother.”
“The girls… Those girls… Hyuk, I don’t need them all!”
Huh? But why is his reaction like that?
What part of my words were provoking Cabel, suddenly he screamed out and ran out of the room like the protagonist of a novel.
Uh, huh?
What the hell are they doing that make he’s so sad and crying like that?
I couldn’t understand his words, so I looked at the place where Cabel had left and tilted my head in confusion.
******^^
“Brother, if you have time tomorrow, would you like to go to the party?”
“I don’t need a party… I don’t need it!”
“Oh, wait a minute, brother Cabel!”
No, why is he like that?
As soon as he listened to me, Cabel ran out again, pretending to be the protagonist of a romance book.
I just asked once because Miss Temperto is also attending the party tomorrow.
I mean, when I met her after going to the flower market two days ago, I remembered that Sir Kalua, who was next to her, said as if passing by.
I narrowed my eyes to see where Cabel left. Erich, who was with Penny next to him, asked with an absurd expression.
“Why is your brother doing that again?”
“I don’t know. Does he have any bad memories of the party?”
Or it could have been an extension of the work two days ago, not having a party, but having bad memories of a woman.
But he only live in the haze every day, and Cabel said that with his own mouth, where he would meet woman?
What happened to the young ladies who visited the knights templars?
“Have you ever heard of why your brother is doing that?”
“How do I know that when you don’t even know while you live with him?”
That’s the case, but maybe it’s something he can say to his younger brother even though he’s not talking to his sister, right?
“If you just leave him alone, it will be okay.”
Erich who went home from the academic institute for the weekend looked at me and said with a soft voice.
After meeting Erich after a long time, Penny was excited, panting and waving her tail.
Erich stroked the Penny and laughed at me.
“How long have you been together so far and still haven’t let go of the vain expectation that you will be able to understand your brother?”
No, on the contrary, how long time have he spent together with him, and he still been so harsh to his second brother?
Um, even after time passes, his treatment to our second son in the house is ever unchanged.
I looked at Erich and Penny with a faint gaze for a moment, then sighed.
“While coming home, please contact Louise once. These days, I’m feeling sorry that it’s hard to see your face.”
“What are you talking about? I saw her at the academic institute last week.”
“What? At the Academy?”
I opened my eyes to the first news I heard.
Erich still complained to Penny, whether he heard me or not.
“She suddenly come to me and it’s annoying. I don’t know what she’s doing.”
“Is that so?”
Johannes also graduated early, and now the only person I know at the Academy of Sciences is Erich.
But, having to go there separately…
Isn’t it something meaningful? Moreover, it’s not that close from Vastia to the Academy.
“What’s that look?”
“What is my expression?”
“It’s a strange thinking face.”
“You’re mistaken.”
But Erich crumpled his face as if he didn’t believe me.
“I’ll go to my room, so you play with Penny.”
I left Erich like that and went up the stairs with a big smile.
I thought I’d have to take a look at Louise next time I meet her.
After getting ready to go to the party the next day, I left the room, and Eugene came out at the door.
He stood waiting for me.
“I made a little effort today, how is it? Am I pretty?”
I left him and turned around from my place.
When I asked with a smiling face, Eugene followed me with a small smile and came closer.
“Yes, you’re always pretty, but today you’re especially pretty.”
A light kiss fell on my forehead.
In fact, of course, I asked him knowing he would tell me that I am pretty, but I felt good to hear the praise directly from Eugene’s mouth.
“You look cool today too.”
“That’s good.”
We’re smiling face-to-face while giving and receiving compliments of our attire, and then we stepped in front of the door.
After a while, Erich stood leaning against the landing stairs and caught my eyes.
He shook his head as if he couldn’t understand even when he found us.
“Why are parties always held from late evening to night? Everyone is cheering up.”
“Erich, if you say like that, I’m gonna think you’re old.”
I frowned and laughed at Erich’s words like an old man. He put his arm on the railing and looked at me for a moment with his head on it.
I wondered what he want to say, but he didn’t open his mouth and just looked at me.
So I also stared at him wonderingly.
After a while, Erich took his gaze away from me and said, spit out.
“Bye.”
“I’ll be back. You’re looking at the house with Penny.”
A poignant greeting continued as if he never he showed strange behavior. So I just greeted him face to face and took the steps I had stopped at with Eugene.
Still leaning against the railing of the stairs, just before hitting Erich, Eugene reached out and slammed his back head silently.
Then Erich flinched for a moment, and then quickly looked at it.
I wondered if there was something between the two that only I didn’t know, but since then, there has been no other conversation or action between them.
So I just tilted my head by myself and went down the stairs again with Eugene.
*****
Johannes and Louise, as well as Rosabella, who had just left for wedding ceremony, did not attend this party, so it was somewhat empty.
Still, there were as many people to greet, so I met all kinds of people with Eugene.
Then, it was a moment when each of us was dealing with different people apart for a while.
“Lady Ernst!”
Suddenly, I heard a loud voice calling me from the side.
Oh, was there anyone who would be happy meeting me like this? Who is it?
I felt puzzled and turned my head in the direction of the sound. The voice was so loud that not only me but the other people around me moved their eyes to the side.
It was Theodore Kalua, whom I met at the flower market a while ago.
He had a bright face as if he was very happy. I smiled and greeted him as he approached me.
“Hello, Sir Kalua. Are you here with Miss Temperto?”
“Yes, she’s chatting with other young lady now, so we fell apart for a while.”
Daisy Temperto and Theodore Kalua said they had come up to the capital to celebrate the upcoming marriage of the crown prince Dice.
Of course, they weren’t acquainted with Dice or Rosabella, but the crown prince marriage was certainly something that Arlanteans would bless.
Maybe a little bit later, the society would be more crowded than it is now with people from each region.
So it wasn’t particularly strange that the two had gone a long way because of Dice’s wedding.
However, there was another reason that they did not reveal to me that become their reason to came up to the society.
It was to find Daisy Temperto’s mate.
In my memory, the Temperto family was in debt due to their own continued business failures, and the financial situation was very poor.
However, that did not mean that Viscount Temperto left her with the idea of using her daughter to grab a cloth.
Just in their hometown, rumors that the Temperto clan was on the verge of falling seemed to have never come into a good conversation with Daisy.
Although her personality is rather timid and shy, she hides in the day severely, but Daisy Temperto has a unique feeling of a person who was loved and raised.
In her wedding day with Cabel, her parents actually seemed to care for their daughter a lot.
So, they would have sent her to the capital with a big heart, wanting to mate a little decent person to their daughter.
Because of their great devotion, they asked their relatives, Theodore Kalua, to accompany her, and now he has come to attend the party side by side with Daisy.
Of course, in the past life, there was no major event of the crown prince Dice’s marriage at this time, so the moment they came up to the society was different from now.
However, the fact that the two people came up side by side into the society was the same as my memory.
That’s why I have seen Theodore Kalua a few times before, and the day is known. However, he and I have not had such an exchange in the past life.
In addition, Theodore went back to his hometown after Daisy and Cabel got married, so I’ve forgotten him until now.
But was it a new opportunity that I accidentally grabbed her shawls that was flying in the wind a few days ago?
Theodore Kalua greetly approached me and said, expressing an overt favor, not enough to say hello.
“Actually, I wondered if I could see Lady Ernst again at the party today, and for the past few days, I was hoping for nothing. But, I’m very happy with the wind like this.”
Under the neat blonde hair, shy black eyes stand out.
The expression or look toward me is a young man who confesses his heart to a woman who longs for nothing. It seemed to be like that.
I had to feel speechless for a moment right after I met his eyes.
Whether Theodor Kalua was not good at hiding his feelings, or whether he couldn’t think he had to hide his feelings in front of other people, he showed himself to me with an embarrassingly honest face.
The problem was, I wasn’t the only one here right now.
“Oh my goodness?”
The noble lady and the young lady, whom I had chatted with a while ago, expressed their curiosity at once and lit their eyes.
Seeing their reaction, I got a bit embarrassed.
“Did you say Lady Ernst and Sir Kalua…? Maybe you’ve met separately the other day.”
“I think you said that you were with Miss Temperto, it wasn’t a few days since you came to the society.”
They seemed curious about how I and Theodore Kalua had come to know each other.
Besides, they are interested in him who shows a fresh look that does not suit the social world.
It seemed to me that I also did.
But most of all, what’s interesting to them is the fact that this innocent young man expressed an outright rational favor to me at a party with many eyes to see and ears to hear.
“That’s… I happened to go out with Daisy the other day and go outside…”
Theodore seemed suddenly confused by the attention of the people who had turned to him.
He then opened his mouth as if he felt the gaze around him. He’s not used to this situation and it seemed to me that I should help.
“Hari.”
But before I opened my mouth, Eugene, who came close to me, called me first.
With a touch on my shoulder, I turned my head and looked up at him.
“Brother.”
Other people in the room also happily greeted Eugene.
“Welcome, Duke Ernst.”
“Even if it doesn’t much, I’m waiting for when I can say hello.”
Theodore Kalua, looking at us with open eyes, suddenly opened his mouth with a brightly colored face.
“Oh, are you the brother of Lady Ernst? Somehow, you look a lot like her.”
At that moment, a laugh came out from several people around him.
But this time it was worth it. Eugene and I aren’t even siblings, but could we have similar appearances?
What he said now was probably a polite word that he brought out because he knows us as siblings.
Theodore Kalua seemed to be dull by rumors.
The girl who became Ernst’s foster daughter is finally become Eugene’s fiancee.
I thought no one in Arlanta would not know the rumors that I might be the future Duchess of Ernst.
Looking at his bright face, it seemed that he was just saying because he didn’t know it.
Eugene said, leaning his head at Theodore’s words.
“I’m her fiance now.”
“Oh, do you… yes?”
Theodore replied again and again and paused belatedly, as if he had understood Eugene’s words later.
“A fiance?”
He asked as if he couldn’t believe it.
But what surprised him was that we were engaged with the same surname.
“Hey, did you have a fiance…”
Seeing the deep hopelessness that floated on Theodore Kalua’s face, I felt embarrassed.
Ugh. I’ve never hidden the facts from him, but seeing that he’s having a face like that somehow makes me feel like I’m cheated?
Besides, the appearance of him who sees me now can only be expressed as a person who has suffered a broken heart.
Seeing us now, people around us are very interested and we already heard a gossiping sound.
Fortunately, Theodore, who soon woke up, smiled and said.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting it, so I’ll excuse me… Then I guess I just heard it wrong. You must have said that you are the Duke Ernst.”
His face was still full of heartache, and what he said right now was a feeling of condemning his misunderstanding.
However, it could have been viewed as an intent to mock Eugene and me right in front of us like we did something wrong.
Even now, people around him were staring at him with curious eyes about how Eugene would react to his words.
I explained to Eugene before the embarrassing situation continue.
“That’s Sir Kalua, whom I have encountered by chance outside. He have come up to the capitals with his relative, Ms. Temperto, for the wedding ceremony of his highness Dice. They said that it’s not that long since they came here.”
“Right.”
Fortunately, Eugene didn’t show a big reaction.
Of course, I didn’t think he would openly embarrass a young lord who made a mistake in a place like this, or making a displeasure.
Eugene’s gaze once passed by Theodore on the opposite side.
Theodore was still making the expression that he could not know the real meaning to the reactions around him.
Eugene think there was no reason to deal with him anymore, with a calm attitude, he announced that the current meeting would be ended.
“Then, I hope you have a good time today, Sir Kalua.”
“Oh… thank you.”
Still, he noticed that he had made a mistake, and the voice of Theodore that followed slightly shaken.
It was funny that if I was saying other things to him in this place now, so I also followed Eugene.
Perhaps after Eugene and I left, the others here would explain to Theodore instead.
“Sir Kalua, it was nice to meet you today. If I have a chance, I’ll say hello again later.”
Still, I didn’t feel bad about him, so I smiled little, hoping for a later date.
Theodore, seeing my smile, seemed a little relieved though.
******
“It looks like your followers have increased by one more.”
When he left, Eugene smiled and said with a small frown. He was a little bit disturbed earlier but he wasn’t feeling offended.
“It’s just because I helped him when we first met.”
“Help him, what?”
I explained to Eugene what happened last time.
Of course, it was Ethan, not me, who caught the flying shawl and gave practical help, but I decided not to tell him about it now.
Looking at it, the reason that Sir Kalua saw Eugene and me as siblings was because of our surname, but it seems that it was because of the title I called him.
That part was something I had been concerned about from before, so I was a little worried.
Would it be better to change the title from now on? I don’t think I can ever call him without brother.
Then what should I call him? Is it just with his name?
“Ugh.”
“What is it?”
“No, just….”
I was imagining that I was calling him “Eugene” out loud, and I got a little embarrassed and flushed my cheeks.
Eugene’s gaze fell on my face and I had to turn my head to the other side, avoiding his gaze.
But soon his hand grabbed my face again and turned. It wasn’t a very compelling touch, but it was enough to make eye contact with him again.
The reason his hands on my cheeks felt a little cool was probably because my face was hot.
“Tell me. I wondered why.”
He seemed to have questioned my behavior, from sudden invasion and then blushing and turning my head.
He could have just pretended not to know, but he felt grumpy to hold onto me and ask why.
Seeing the voice whispering like a child and his face with a light smile, I noticed that I was in trouble in front of him.
“No way, you wasn’t thinking of another man in front of me and blushing.”
It was a sound because I was talking about Sir Kalua a while ago.
However, as he said, the reason I showed this behavior was not because of Sir Kalua, and Eugene was not as suspicious as it was.
“It’s nothing.”
I mumbled in a cheeky tone.
However, Eugene slowly touched my face with his hand, as if waiting for me to answer.
The brutal touch that went further from my cheeks and forehead to my ears was itchy.
“Just… Duke Ernst is so cool today that I suddenly faces him and just became embarrassed to look straight ahead.”
But speaking of stubbornness, I do not lose either.
I grabbed Eugene’s hand and just looked around. Of course, he frowned in one eye as if he didn’t believe it.
Suddenly, all of this suddenly felt like nothing, so I squeezed my lips and laughed out.
Looking at me like that, Eugene smiled and we smiled at each other as if we couldn’t help it.
In the first place, he didn’t seem to have thought of getting an answer from me either.
“I am very worried because my fiancee has become dazzlingly beautiful as the days go by.”
“Are you scared that I’ll leave you and go out with someone else?”
“Yes, I’d rather trap her where only I can see her.”
When I spoke in a playful way, Eugene easily agreed and replied. I laughed out loud at his joke, whispered like a serious joke.
“If you be cool like now, I won’t go anywhere.”
This time, I reached out to Eugene’s and stroked his face.
Whenever I saw him several times a day, the affection in my heart would overflow, as it was the same now.
If we had eyes around, we would have refrained from doing this, but the place we are now is only the terrace.
So, at this moment, I was able to give a loving kiss to Eugene by lifting my heels as my heart was drawn.
“But it’s a big deal because he’s so cool even if he just breathe.”
As I spoke with a little exaggerated sigh with a sense of playfulness, Eugene laughed dimly with a frown.
“It’s a nasty thing for you to do what I should do first.”
“I’m pretty even if I just breathe?”
“You’re so pretty that it tastes like you’re gonna make me die every day.”
While I was playing like that, Eugene’s gaze suddenly slipped behind me for a while.
Who is in my back?
But before I turn my head after him, Eugene’s gaze who had been stay behind my back for a while, looked at me again.
“I’m a little dissatisfied that you don’t look pretty only in my eyes.”
Somewhere in his dark eyes with a dangerous laughter, I could see myself.
Shortly after a soft voice rang in my ears, his hands wrapped around my face and lifted me up.
This time, our lips overlapped deeper than before.
There was no reason to reject Eugene, so I gladly welcomed him and closed my eyes.
After that, I never met Theodore Kalua again.
Not only that, but also Daisy Temperto.
In the first place, I didn’t attend the party very often, and I accidentally missed them at one place.
In some ways, it was nothing to be regrettable about or to care about, but sometimes I wondered how the two would be living in this society life.
It was because there was a connection in the past life, and I also had a personal affinity for the two.
However, the area where I could help them was limited in the first place.
It was even more so when I thought of the purpose why the two came up from the countryside.
Besides, when I deliberately went to them first and helped them, there was an ambiguous side because I hadn’t established that kind of friendship yet.
Still, if I think of Cabel, who was the main man-made love marriage based on Arlanta in the past, even though it was like that, I was a little steamed.
It was even more because I had been watching with my own eyes how much he cares for his wife, Daisy.
So, a couple of times, I sent him to a party that Miss Temperto could attend, but it seemed that the two had not yet had such a meeting.
I too was a bit hesitant to act more actively, so I didn’t go forward anymore.
My thought was that if they were in a relationship then they would meet in this life as well, it would happen naturally even if someone didn’t use their hands.
So I decided to give away more than necessary attention to Cabel and Daisy.
******
“Louise, where the hell are you going to go today?”
Today I was about to visit Vastia again.
This is because Louise invited me again. She seemed to still have regrets when she was not able going to go out with me last time.
When I saw that it wasn’t brighter in broad daylight but she called me in the evening, I thought it was a party somewhere, but I couldn’t easily guess where Louise would want to go this far.
“It’s still a secret. Lena! Come on quickly.”
But Louise didn’t answer me right away again, but just secretly laughed and called the maid.
“Is it what I prepared before? Bring it now. And Eryl, you come and do some hair and give some makeup.”
I felt deep suspicion when I saw her instructing as if she had been waiting.
I don’t think she prepared this for a day or two for today’s outing.
And after a while, I was amazed to see the dress brought by Louise’s maid and opened my mouth.
“Now, Sister! Change to this quickly!”
“Wait, are you serious?”
“Of course, I really mean it. Come on, I don’t have time! Hurry up!”
“Louise…!”
My frightened voice was swept away by Louise’s annoyance and flew away, but my shocking journey with Louise began in earnest.
****^^
An hour later, I saw Louise sitting across from me and muttered desolately.
“Louise, when I see you sometimes, I think you’re really a grown up.”
If I say good, it is a great criminal, and if I say badly, there is no countermeasure.
Because I was about to stick my tongue out without knowing about her bold steps.
“Ah, what do I do with this much. Embarrassingly.”
“No, it’s not a compliment…!”
I was speechless by Louise’s reluctant reaction.
Who the hell does Louise look like?
As far as I know, there isn’t a single person in Vastia who doesn’t know where this rung will be.
Uh, um. The more I look at why, the more I think Louise looks like Cabel, but that’s probably because of the mood.
“But aren’t you looking forward to coming out? Are you excited and interested?”
Currently we were moving in a wagon.
I was surprised to see the dress Louise told me to wear, and then flagged to see the makeup she gave me from the maid.
This is the first time I’ve ever seen a dress that’s so bold and flashy and exposed. The rug is also a reddish purple color that gives off a bitter feeling instead of classy.
It was an unrecognizable outfit.
Besides, how about this dark makeup that gives the impression that it is difficult to ask for?
After dressing up, we were heading for a secret night party of the nobles.
I wondered how the hell Louise got to know a party like this, but she just laughed secretly to the end, saying there was a way to know it all.
Louise was also dressed as unconventional as me. I looked at her innocently sparkling eyes with anticipation for the future, I felt my head hurt.
She was fortunate to go out because all of the other Vastia’s family had an appointment.…
Wait.
Come to think of it, the day Louise was originally going to attend this night meeting with me, there was Mrs. Vastia in the mansion, right?
I don’t think she would have allowed her daughter to attend this evening meeting…
Ho, did she ever try to go out without her mother’s knowledge that day? If that’s the case, Louise is really a bold girl.
Suddenly, a sharp gut passed by me, and I squinted my eyes and asked her.
“To be honest, isn’t this your first time today?”
“Well, actually I’ve been there once before.”
“Oh My God.”
Even Louise’s confession that today wasn’t the first deviation was again make me stumped.
Last time, she went to a party with her childhood friend, Marianne, but it was so much fun that she really wanted to take me.
In fact, I also knew that these secret parties are prevalent among the nobles.
It was said that the number of attendees was increasing every time because there were many nobles who flocked to the society after the marriage of the crown prince Dice.
Of course, there were no cases of excessive promiscuity or poor quality because it was a party enjoyed by aristocrats with a certain identity.
But I was worried about sending Louise alone because everyone was hiding their identity with masks.
Louise couldn’t even see through my heart like that. If I don’t go to the party today, she can secretly attend, she declared it coldly to me.
So in the end, I’m now riding in a carriage alongside her like many times.
In the running wagon, Louise said,
“Huh, as planned!”
She said to me with an expression.
“Because my sister tends to look at me too young. Even so, she and I are only one year apart.”
Oh, at that moment I felt like I was hit with a head.
Yes, Louise and I were only one year apart. For some reason, I always forgot that fact because she felt like a younger sister.
Ugh, she didn’t even know it was because I had memories of my last life.
“Oh, we’re almost there. Don’t forget to cover your face before you get off.”
At Louise’s words, I narrowed my eyebrows and looked down at the mask above my knees.
In keeping with the name of the secret party, all attendees said they had to cover their faces with masks like this one.
In addition, forcibly removing other people’s masks or forcing them to dig up their identity is forbidden.
Louise explained to me that there are a few rules that say I shouldn’t try to do so, and that there are some rules, such as forced expulsion if caught doing too much behavior using anonymous power.
Listening to her, it seems like it’s a pretty well-structured party, so I feel relieved.
On the other hand, I felt a little nervous because I wanted to be able to attend a party like this.
“If we’re, let’s get crooked.”
But anyway, I couldn’t help it as long as I came here.
Now I only can come and can’t persuade her to go back, no way to go back, because this was wrong.
I got along in moderation, then took Louise back and touched her mask straight, thinking that I had to go back to Vastia.
After that, I also wore a mask that covered half of my face.
Louise even prepared a wig, saying that if I want to play properly in a place like this, I have to hide my identity.
I really raised my both hands and feet for her thorough readiness.
But even though I did this, I was a little worried that I might be discovered by other people.
Louise laughed saying it was a useless worry.
“Wouldn’t it be better to take off that cloak?”
“I just want to wear it.”
When I got off the carriage, the brilliantly twinkling lights immediately disturbed my view.
Louise took off her coat and got off in the wagon.
Wearing a gorgeous golden wig and a blue dress that reveals her collarbones, Louise looked much more mature and grown up than I thought.
I wondered if it was because of the mask that covered her face or the thick makeup, but It seemed that it was not because of that reason.
I’m like,
‘When did Louise become such an adult already?’
I was a little far away and looked at her with a somewhat vague thought.
Oh, but wait. Thinking like this, I don’t think I’m really old for some reason?
I’m not Louise’s mother or aunt. This is such a strange impression? Uh great, this is not very good.
“Well, it doesn’t matter, but now my sister is very noticeable.”
Louise come up to me and whispered then said, I looked around for a while.
And immediately realized what she meant and groaned a little.
Perhaps because of the freedom of anonymity, all of the people in this place were looking far from their usual dignity and face.
For that reason, it was a very noticeable situation that I covered myself with a cloak.
Eventually, I released the button that was fastening the hem and took off my cloak. Then, my back, which I had hide at once, became empty.
“It’s okay, because this is universal here.”
Louise laughed as if encouraging me.
Like she said, women who were dressed more unconventional than me were often seen around me, so it was comforting.
But it’s only her second attendance, and Louise looks very natural.
Could she have been here more than once?
I looked at Louise with suspicious eyes for a moment, but now I don’t want to dig something like that, so I just sighed.
“As I promised, I only have two hours to attend with you, okay?”
“Okay okay.”
Louise looked up as if not to worry.
Afterwards, we stepped inside the masked ballroom where the lights were shining.
But in less than ten minutes I want to get back in the carriage and go home as I got lost.
This is because I was not able to adapt to the atmosphere of this free-spirited party.
It was the same with people who were barely bloody, and I was embarrassed by countless numbers of men and women who showed surprisingly outright affection throughout the party.
“This party seems a little weird.”
“It’s okay, everyone is doing that by agreement. If you force yourself to do that, the manager will come and kick you out.”
But Louise was calm.
Ho, am I weird? Nowadays Is it common for young people to play like this?
Oh, but no matter how much they wear a mask, it’s like that, like the two sides of a coin, it’s so different from the noble society of the day.
“Don’t you remember all the rules I told you before? Then let’s play separately from now on. I have a good time, too.”
“Wait, Lou…!”
However, as I looked around, I was vigilant, and Louise took me away and quickly moved on.
I accidentally stopped trying to call her name.
Because we are hiding our identity now, so it seemed that we should not call our names here.
I shut up dissatisfiedly and looked at place where Louise had disappeared.
Oh, really. I didn’t believe Louise’s words that she would be quiet next to me.
Of course, as Louise insisted on me, she was old enough to cover herself, and I wasn’t even her guardian.
So it was actually okay to act separately at a party like this, but even so, I was still worried about Louise, she’s the child that I used to look after, so I couldn’t be relieved.
Ugh, but this is also a useless interference in the end.
As Louise said, on the surface anyway, I was only one year apart from her.
Still, I couldn’t be helped but to be bothered, so I took a closer look inside the party hall.
If Louise wanted it and I think it to be a rather dangerous place for her, I was thinking of taking her out somehow.
Fortunately, however, it seemed that the party was not as hot as I thought.
Considering that there are many people in attendance, management seems to be doing well in an orderly manner.
Also, those who were engaged in affection were not acting to the extent that they blushed their faces severely.
As Louise said, guests who acted somewhat excessively were immediately sanctioned by someone who seemed to be the custodian.
Although it was called a masked ball, the atmosphere was free, so people simply enjoyed drinking and talking, or went to the hall to dance to suit the duty of the ballroom, and also waged a light stake and participated in games like poker.
I wasn’t interested in any of them, so I headed to the corner of the party.
Although this is the first time I had attended such a secret party, it is amazing, but that was all.
I didn’t really want to hang out with other people here.
“What, this place. Did we come to the right place?”
“It will be right. Go over there and find her.”
But when I don’t take a step like this, and I had find two people who somewhat familiar.
Immediately after that, I was amazed and stuck to the wall.
They were covering their faces with masks like everyone else at the party, but I could see who they were all at once.
That was natural.
Because they were the second and third brothers in our house!
What, what? Why are those two here?
I waved my eyes over the mask and looked at them.
No, but do those two have the awareness that if they go here, how about the ball? If they go on with their face, don’t they think it’s over with just one?
On their forehead, ‘Cabel Ernst!’ And ‘Erich Ernst!’ look so clear.
And I think they wrote something like their name in their forehead. Am I the only one thinking that way?
HYUK, then suddenly Cabel’s gaze moved to the side where I was going, so I quickly turned my head.
Uh, ah, that’s a surprise.
Why is he looking at me in this big and spacious banquet hall? It looks like we made eye contact for a moment, but it must be an illusion?
After a while, when I thought, ‘I should get this over’, I carefully turned my head again.
Luckily, Cabel was now looking away.
Huh, I was fortunate that it was not Erich, but Cabel.
But I really don’t know why those two came here. Well, maybe Cabel and Erich come to this party too?
I heard that these secret parties are popular among the nobles these days, but I was surprised because I didn’t know that I would meet those two here.
But is it because of the mood?
Somehow, from the time they entered the hall, they were looking around as if they were looking for something.
Suddenly, Erich stepped forward and checked the face of a silver-haired woman up close.
“Oh, what is it all of a sudden?”
“What, that’s a wig.”
Erich, who looked up and down to the front of the woman, walked straight away as if he had nothing to see anymore.
At that moment, I was frightened.
Me, that child, what is it?
They’re not looking for me now, right?
But, by the way, it’s very suspicious to hold on to a silver-haired woman and check it out, right?
Great. How do those two know that I’m here?
But even though I thought so, I couldn’t hide the steaming box.
At that time, Louise was caught in my sight.
Oh, wait a minute, Louise! Erich is where she is going now! Then, if she meet him, she might be caught!
But it was my useless bias. Louise went straight toward him, as if she had originally targeted Erich.
After a while, her hand grabbed Erich’s arm. Erich said, ‘What else is this’ and he looked down at Louise with a ‘Hey’ look.
A moment later, a light of astonishment appeared on his face.
After that, the two of them talked about more, and of course, I couldn’t hear the conversation they had.
I watched Erich be dragged into Louise’s hand with an absurd face.
Then, without even knowing, I made a sound of ‘Oh’.
Lost in word, I remember when I heard that Louise went to Erich school last time.
From then on, something was awkward, but isn’t this almost like that kind of atmosphere?
I think Louise was the one who called Erich here.
Otherwise, as soon as Erich appeared in the party hall, she would not have been able to find him and catch it.
It seems that Louise told Erich in advance that she is at the party with me, and he was looking for a silver-haired woman, so it was very likely that Cabel had just followed Erich.
“Huh? Where is he?”
Not too far away, I was able to see Cabel, looking for Erich, and groping around.
Erich was taken by Louise a while ago.
So, he better not disturb them either, and just spend time in a different place like me.
In fact, at other times, I would have gone to collect Cabel (?), but now I am somewhat embarrassed, so I hesitated.
It would have been better if I had even brought a shawl to cover my body.
I was haunted, and I shifted my place before Cabel found me.
As soon as I went to the corner of the noisy hall and secured some personal safety, a sigh of relief squeezed my lips and leaked out.
Whoa, I was surprised to see a face the people I know so suddenly.
I’m going to have to stay quiet here until the time comes.
“Hi, are you alone?”
Huh? But suddenly someone talked to me from the side.
As soon as I turned my head, I saw a man wearing a fancy mask.
At first glance, the first impression seemed to resemble Eugene for some reason, so for a moment I was amazed, but of course it wasn’t Eugene.
What, when I look again, they don’t look alike at all.
It seems that I was a little bit stuck in my conscience that I was in this position because like the thief was stumbling on my feet.
“No, I’m not alone.”
I turned my head away from the man and replied with no interest. Actually I wasn’t interested in this guy either.
If he’s looking for someone to play with, there are many other girls, but I don’t know why they came to me on the wall.
However, the man did not give up easily.
“If you know who I am, you’ll want to go with me instead of the person you came with?”
No, but why do you keep talking about my companion?
I don’t think all people who come to this party are so comfortable talking. Then I will tell him a little too.
“Who are you?”
I asked as if I was interested. Then the man raised his mouth at an angle and said to me.
“Eugene Ernst.”
Ha?
I was surprised by an unexpected sound and inadvertently opened my eyes round.
Then, how he accepted my reaction, the man talked.
“Yeah, I’m the Duke of Ernst. Arlanta’s first man wielding power over nobles as the imperial right arm.”
“…..”
“Are you surprised? It’s cute. But, everyone else reacted the same way.”
I recalled what Louise had said before entering this ball venue.
‘Sometimes there are humans who pretend to be other people, but all those who don’t have much to see are bragging, so just ignore them.’
But there are really people like this.
I was ridiculous and embarrassed that such a frivolous human being imitated Eugene in front of me.
I don’t believe anyone who hears this kind of human being will believe it, so I’m glad that’s it.
Ah, it looks like it’s brown wig that this person is wearing on his head now, the outfit is the same, and he seems to have strangely followed Eugene?
When I first saw this man, it seemed that it was not just an illusion that he felt like Eugene at first glance.
If he knew I am Hari Ernst, he wouldn’t have been so shamelessly talked.
“Oh, yes. I’m not interested, so play alone.”
It was stupid to deal with more humans like this. This is a waste of time.
Even though I have nothing to do right now, it’s time to rest, and I don’t have time to give it to a imitator like this!
“Wait, are you leaving me now? I’m Eugene Ernst!”
But the man caught me as I just stepped out of the place. I coldly struck his shoulder-grabbing hand.
“What is this? Don’t touch me. And you said why I wasn’t interested? You wanna get kicked out of here?”
Like a chapped man, he let go of my hand as if he thought of the manager of the party.
I stepped back on his back.
But I was kind of annoyed to just turn around and go. So I turned back and approached him.
The man didn’t know anything and opened his mouth.
“I thought so. After all, you just bounced it once, uh…!”
Tak!
I lifted my feet and pressed hard on his instep.
As my today’s costume is unconventional, the heels of my shoes were also high as usual.
As I expected, as soon as the man was attacked by me, he screamed and bent his back as if he had been shot.
“If you’re trying to imitate him, do it more properly. Where are you, Eugene Ernst? It’s not even on the tip of your toes. It’s not funny.”
I looked down at his head and shot him a little heated words. And this time, I really left without regret.
Oh my, I’m seeing all the stars at my first secret party today.
What is that human pretending to be Eugene? Moreover, everything. Not to someone else, but in front of me.
Isn’t his ability to find victim only at this level?
Really annoying, I have had to meet a few more guys who flirt at me ever since.
Still, the rules of this place are pretty important, and I was fortunate that not everyone was struggling.
Still, bothersome things are annoying, and later I moved away, ignoring them without even answering them at all.
No, there are a lot of other pretty girls, but I don’t know the reason why they’re so hung up on me.
Is it because I’m alone? Or do I look easy?
Well, that’s weird.
Today, the maid of Louise made my make up a little bit, so when I checked the mirror, it seemed to have gathered all my help and frustration.
Oh god, my original impression was rather weak, so it could have been that way.
Then suddenly I was in the middle of the hall as I saw someone standing and stopped.
Just as I did after discovering Cabel and Erich earlier, this time he squeezed into my eyes from among many people at once.
Immediately after I stopped without knowing, I thought for a moment that I would leave the place and like a child, turn around as I did when I saw the two before.
But before I did that, we made eye contact in the air.
Like I did, he too, out of a multitude of people, accurately fixed his eye on me.
Shortly thereafter he came towards me.
I briefly felt emotionally mixed up, and then gave up soon and moved forward.
“Hi, nice gentleman.”
As soon as the distance narrowed, he opened his mouth as if to say something to me, but I hit the player first.
“Are you here alone?”
I asked with a soft voice, like all the men who had come to me did it.
Then the man’s mouth in front of me was bitten again. As if he was trying to grasp my intentions, he looked down at me for a moment.
In his gaze, I laughed playfully.
After a while, a soft breath emanated from him.
“Yes, I’m alone.”
“Hmm, It’s a party, but now I’m feeling out.”
It seemed he eventually decided to match my beat. As I looked at him, I put up with the laughter that trying to poke my lips out.
Oh, but it’s amazing.
I covered half of my face with a mask now and even wore a wig, dressed differently from usual, and darkened my makeup.
How did he recognize me at once?
“I was looking at the host. Well, is there anybody you decided to meet?”
I asked Eugene, who was covering his face with a mask, just like me.
Eugene looked down at me and slowly opened his lips.
“What if I say no?”
We hide each other’s faces like this, meet each other, pretend we don’t know each other, It seemed like he and I were the first men and women that met at the ballroom.
When I heard Eugene, I folded my eyes and laughed. And whispered, slowly sweeping his arm with my hand.
“So you want to play with me and have fun?”
At that moment, I felt that Eugene’s arm that touched by my hand became a little hard.
His eyes, which can be seen under the mask, is also a little harder than before.
It was just a moment, but the gaze sticking over my face was faintly confused as if I was seeing a stranger.
I enjoyed Eugene’s shocked rhymes.
I see what other women are doing at the ballroom right now and I follow it once I tried it, but it works surprisingly, right?
Does he have any immunity to this?
Eugene was usually a decent person, so it seemed that he would not be very familiar with these places and such explicit temptations.
“Huh? Let’s play with me.”
Oh, I shouldn’t do this, but I think it will sound fun without my knowledge.
I secretly glanced at Eugene’s arm and slipped my hand. As I smiled in my eyes and swept slowly on Eugene’s chest, his face became harder.
Soon, Eugene takes a low breath through the gap of his lips. He spit out and grabbed my hand.
Then he lowered his sound in a slow voice.
“Let’s go to where other people aren’t there.”
If someone had listened to our conversation, they could have thought that the night of a young man and woman had come to pass, but I knew that Eugene wasn’t saying that in that sense.
Ah, it was a little fun, but I guess I’m not going to match it any more. Then I should stop too.
“Then let’s go to the room and talk. The terrace was also full of people.”
I whispered to Eugene.
This is why I couldn’t get out of the hall while dealing with troublesome men.
For some reason, each terrace I opened was full of men and women who set the atmosphere to the fullest.
On the other hand, there weren’t many people who left the hall and went to the room because it wasn’t the end of the Masquerade.
So, it seemed better to talk quietly.
Of course, the room prepared in such a ball venue like this and the purpose, as everyone knows, was usually for that ‘purpose’.
However, I was just about to leave the hall and rest in a quiet place.
That said, it was dangerous to wander around in such a place alone, so until now, I just leaned around the terrace and gave up and came back inside.
Still, it would be okay with Eugene.
Anyway, we’re just talking, and I can’t talk comfortably here because of people’s ears.
At that time, suddenly, warmth evaporated over my body.
This is because Eugene took off his outerwear and put it on my shoulder.
Ah, ah! Oh, right.
I was a bit embarrassed now. Uh uh, until now, I forgot that fact and faced Eugene.
Besides, even a little while ago, it was like that.
I was a little embarrassed and uncomfortable, but fortunately, Eugene led me away without saying much.
After that, we exited the hall and entered a corridor lined with rooms.
“I saw earlier, There was also brother Cabel and Erich, did you come together?”
There was nobody in the hallway, but I whispered to Eugene and asked.
Still, whether it was because of the atmosphere, I ended up talking with a husky voice.
“No, we weren’t together. They seem to have been contacted by Louise.”
“Oh, surely it is.”
I was right about what I guessed when I saw Louise and Erich.
“Then how did you know I was here?”
I’ve become a blank sign with Eugene and asked as he watched one of the rooms then push the door open.
Eugene didn’t answer, and the two of us stepped into the room together.
Oh, a room in a place like this looks like this.
I looked around in a strange mood. This was the first time I had entered this room in this kind of ball.
In the meantime, I only used the break room, and I didn’t have to come to such a place with a man.
The soft lighting in the room, the bed with a red canopy, and the scenery inside the room.
This felt a bit weird. By the way….
“Shall I guess?”
I looked back at Eugene standing behind me and opened my mouth again. Then my black wig fluttered in the air once.
A while ago, Eugene naturally shed my questions, but it didn’t work for me.
“From the time I went to Vastia until I came to this ballroom, I heard that there’s someone who kept secretly following me, right?”
Eugene tilted his head at my wandering words.
Although both of us were implicitly speaking out, Ethan wasn’t the only one guarding me after the last Lavender Cordis incident.
I knew that Eugene would attach more people to me to escort me out of my sight, but I didn’t pretend to know that. And Eugene didn’t tell me about it.
“Well, I thought so.”
I ran across the middle of the room.
Wow, there’s even a balcony here. Did I hold this atmosphere properly?
I took off the mask on my face and looked back at Eugene. He had already revealed his bare face before me.
“Are you mad that I’m at this place?”
Seeing Eugene, who hasn’t said anything before, I asked. Then he replied this time.
“No.”
I looked at Eugene as he approached the balcony where I was.
“But I couldn’t help but come.”
I understood him like that. Maybe if it were the opposite, I would have also.
“I know. I was also worried about Louise, so I couldn’t let her come here alone.”
I looked up at Eugene as he got closer and I sat down on the railing of the balcony. Thinking that It look dangerous, Eugene came a little closer and grabbed me.
So I put my hand on his shoulder and I was able to position myself more safely and comfortably.
“Louise was taken by Johannes a while ago.”
Oh, Johannes came here too.
I don’t think Louise was even calling Johannes here, but was she still get caught? Then he and Louise know I’m here too.
However, I thought that my three brothers would take me away, but it seemed that only Louise was taken away.
Great, when I met Johannes separately later, I wanted to talk to him.
“What about brother Cabel and Erich?”
“Well, they said they were looking for you.”
“Oh, then I should go down and let them know I’m here?”
“They’re not even kids, so they’ll handle it themselves.”
That’s not the case.
I laughed at Eugene’s calm reaction, and then, as I did in the hall before, I moved my hand and wrapped my arm around his neck.
“Then shall we just play?”
“Then shall we just play?”
This time, with an unmasked bare face, I smiled and whispered, and Eugene slightly raised his mouth.
After that, a soft voice spread to my ears.
“How are you going to have fun?”
If I try to do it, I say try it and seemed like it was a joke, and it seemed to mean that he would try to do whatever I wanted to do because he would match my rhythm as I wanted.
I leaned over to Eugene and pulled him closer.
“Well, how am I supposed to have fun?”
At the end of my small whisper, my lips touched his.
Immediately after our gaze met, our lips deeply overlapped.
It was the first thing I started, but Eugene didn’t even reject it, so the kisses get more and more deeper.
By the time I was breathless like that, I pushed him a little.
“Let’s go inside. I think someone could see it.”
We’re on a balcony, so we couldn’t help but consider the gaze we might not know.
As if Eugene agreed with it, he held me up as I’m sitting on the railing.
Eugene’s coat from over my shoulder fell to the floor of the balcony. I put my arm around Eugene’s shoulder.
While he is carrying me, I lowered my lips to his exposed neck and tickled it with a peck, and for a moment his body hardened.
After a while, we entered the room and touched each other’s lips, no matter who started first.
Eugene’s hand touched my bare back, and I trembled.
The dress I wore today was completely cut on the back, so I felt the hot touch of his skin sweeping through my skin.
Today’s kiss was hotter and more intense than ever. I also hugged Eugene’s neck and responded.
After a while, a fluffy texture touched the back of my body.
He and I lay on the bed and kiss again. Then Eugene moved his hand to remove my wig.
From a while ago, it seemed to me that he didn’t like it. Underneath my black wig, my silver hair was revealed.
“My hair must have grown longer.”
“Pretty.”
As I breathe and mutter, Eugene spoke shortly and lowered his lips again.
“Yes.”
Somehow, it was an impatient kiss than usual.
He kept pushing me oddly as if he couldn’t afford it. Then his lips ran down to my neck.
The hot breath that touched my skin left my sense of touch sharply unknowingly.
I endured the groaning and tried not to hold Eugene’s hair too hard.
The fact that his breath, which was gradually descending down, stopped, is reaching my heart, It feel outstanding.
His hands, which had reached the top of my knees that had come under the hem of dress, stopped moving.
After a while, Eugene lifted his head from me.
“Why stop?”
I asked quietly, breathing irregularly and colorfully. Then Eugene replied, rubbing my cheek with his hand.
“If this continue, I don’t think I can quit on the way.”
His eyes, looking down at me, were sitting dangerously deep, embracing anything but darkness.
Just now, as if to tell me what happened so far, both Eugene and I are a little out of breath.
When Eugene tried to get out of my stomach, I sweetened my lips.
“You don’t have to quit.”
At that moment, Eugene stopped moving.
“You said that it’s your taste to be free than to be not?”
I had no intention of letting Eugene go like this.
In fact, I’ve been thinking about this since I brought him to this room. Most of all, it’s difficult for me to stop like this now.
“Then, try to be free once in a while.”
So I looked up at him and smiled with my eyes bent.
Then I whispered to him as if tempting.
“Eugene.”
It seemed certain that the word had triggered him.
Soon, Eugene kissed him with a thirsty face as if all his patience had been cut off, as if he’s trying to eat me after a bad sentence.
I gladly greet him and reached out. I tightly hugged his hot body.
The night is starting from now on.