Chapter 11
“I apologize if I come across as rude, but you look a bit faint, Lady. Are you having any troubles?”
Redcliffe checked my condition, expressing his worries as he saw me being light-headed. I felt my stiffened body loosen up as the tension within me was released, and I patted away the cold sweat on my forehead.
When I looked back to where the gentleman was earlier, he was already gone from that spot, all without a trace. It wasn’t the most ideal first meeting, but the most important thing was that I finally managed to meet Redcliffe. I cleared my mind and focused on the task at hand: not letting him leave right away.
“Huu… I’m feeling a bit dizzy. If you don’t mind, can you help me?”
“Alright. I’ll take you to a place where you can rest, Lady.”
With a cautious touch, Redcliffe helped me. Compared to the portrait where he had a striking appearance, he had a softer impression in person. His long hair partially covered his face and his clothes were a little old-fashioned, and because of this, his good looks were barely noticeable if you don’t take a closer look.
Redcliffe guided me to a couch inside a designated break room for guests. Mentally exhausted, I was genuinely relieved to lean back on the couch comfortably. I was still a little out of it, but I quickly remembered that Redcliffe was still by my side.
‘I can’t let him leave like this! I need to get ahold of myself!’
I looked up and saw that Redcliffe was still here. Inside the room, it was only the two of us, so it was a good chance to talk to him. I had already researched Redcliffe’s ideal type, so I recalled it carefully and spoke just as I rehearsed.
“Thank you very much for your help. Can you tell me your name? I would really like to repay your kindness.”
“No, I just did what I had to do. My name is Redcliffe Andersen. What is the name of the Lady who is as beautiful as a flower?”
Hearing his favorable response, I thought that it really was a good idea to buy that information in advance. And the notes about his ideal type had already been burned in my mind.
The first thing I did was to close my eyes as I smiled brightly, then I greeted him.
“I am Tess von Cador, Lord Redcliffe.”
“Lady Tess…”
I could feel him wavering because of the smile.
I immediately lowered my eyes shyly and decided to speak softly. It was important to act like a dainty heroine in an opera.
“I’ll stay here until the Lady is feeling better. If you need anything, please tell me.”
“Will you really hear my request?”
“Yes, I’d be happy to.”
The room seemed to get a little brighter because of Redcliffe’s smile. Did more lights get turned on?
“I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as you, Lady Tess, even though I’ve attended a lot of banquets. Don’t you normally come to these gatherings?”
“I… I’m actually a little uncomfortable with crowded places. I just like being alone at my quiet estate.”
I upped the delicate and demure image as much as I could, and I especially emphasized my preference for being alone. Our tastes should be similar, according to note number three.
“How did someone who likes quiet places end up at a party like this?”
“There’s something I’m interested in.”
Redcliffe didn’t particularly come to this party for the sake of the gathering. Other people here were interested in the auction later, and Redcliffe was interested in some items as well. I decided to actively comment on the item he wanted, according to the information I know about him.
“I like rare things.”
“The Lady and I are the same.”
“Then, what items have piqued your interest in this charity party, Lord Redcliffe?”
This charity party will also feature a very bizarre item—a red diamond that hadn’t been seen for decades. There was a pamphlet describing the items to be auctioned along with the invitation to the party.
However, I also found more information about the red diamond by requesting it at the Midnight Guild in advance, and it’s said that the red diamond had a mysterious crimson sheen that shone even more if blood was shed over it.
The red diamond’s original owner was a queen from a small kingdom that had already fallen. The queen, who loved beautiful things, ordered an alchemist with magical powers to make the most beautiful and rare thing in the world.
The alchemist gave the queen a plain, ordinary diamond. Curious about it, she asked the alchemist what was so special about the diamond, but the alchemist said something ominous, then he disappeared.
’The diamond is a living creature. The preciousness of this diamond will depend on what kind of food you feed it.’
The queen really liked the diamond that the alchemist gave her, then she began to wonder what kind of food would suit it. Rumors about the queen and the diamond flew across the country and snowballed out of control as people speculated about her treasure.
But the queen never had the chance to feed it. The royal family, which enjoyed endless pleasure and luxury, was eventually overthrown by a rebellion. The queen, carrying the diamond with her until the very end, died with it in her hands as her throat was slitted. When the blood from the queen’s throat seeped into the diamond, it became an object that fed on human blood.
The redness of the diamond was due to all the blood it had consumed. And according to the rumors about the diamond, anyone who became its master would eventually die an early death.
Perhaps Redcliffe would covet the red diamond. From the information about him given by the guild, he was the type to be curious about strange things like it.
“What I’m interested in is…”
With bated breath, I waited for Redcliffe to finish the sentence, but I was careful not to be so obvious about it.
“I heard that there’s a diamond that gleans a mysterious light.”
As expected!
If Redcliffe would buy the diamond, I’d have another excuse to approach him while saying I’m also curious about the item. If I’m lucky enough to get invited to his estate, it’ll be easier to talk to him more discreetly.
However, Redcliffe’s expression wasn’t all that bright. He continued speaking with a hint of hesitation.
“But… Maybe I won’t be able to buy the diamond.”
“How come”
“I heard that Lord Wilhelm is interested in it as well. I don’t have the confidence that I could outbid him.”
Redcliffe smiled thinly after saying this. I didn’t know that someone other than Redcliffe would like such a horrible object. I don’t really want to do this, but… I must somehow continue my connection with him. If he wasn’t confident about taking the diamond, then…
“I’m interested in the diamond, too.”
“You are, Lady Tess?”
“Yes, because like Lord Redcliffe, I also like mysterious items.”
It was time for the auction to start, so Redcliffe and I headed back to the great hall. The crowd went abuzz when they saw me enter with him.
Of course, the fact that the young lady of the von Cador Duchy was with a lowly Baron was enough to stir their interest. Redcliffe might have not been aware of the rumors circulating around Tess before he entered high society.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Are you alright?”
I bumped into a woman who was in a pink dress. When we collided, the woman dropped what she was holding in her hand, so I tried to pick it up right away. It was a coin-sized pendant that had a strange pattern engraved on it.
But it was strange. The woman looked a bit blue with anxiety, and this bothered me. Somehow, there was a sense of incompatibility in the air again, just like with the gentleman I encountered earlier in the hallway.
I was wondering if the woman was a ghost, so I looked at what other people around me were looking at, since they’d only be able to see fellow people, but it seemed like they could see her.
“Tess, where have you been?”
But then someone approached me in a hurry—it was Dalton. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him ever since I had been led away by Soph. I told him to go and just talk to his friends, but why was he looking for me again…?
“Hello, Lord Dalton of the von Cador household. My name is Redcliffe.”
“……”
The air around Dalton noticeably became sharper, making goosebumps rise up my spine. I looked at Dalton with a questioning gaze because of his obvious hostility, but Redcliffe might not have noticed it.
“I told you not to follow suspicious people.”
Huh? He did?
Dalton looked at me as though I was a lost child, then stepped in between me and Redcliffe. Even with the suspicion suddenly thrown on him, Redcliffe didn’t seem to be upset by it, seeing as he only smiled bashfully.
Well, I wanted to talk more with Redcliffe while the auction went on, but with Dalton here, that was no longer possible.
“Let’s go that way.”
Dalton began to drag me away, so I couldn’t even say goodbye to Redcliffe properly. I turned to him slightly and gave him a nod.
If I could get my hands on that diamond, then there’d still be a chance to talk to him later. Redcliffe also responded by returning her gaze. I hope I made a good enough impression on him.
When I walked forward, people moved out of the way. Was Tess really someone to be so terrified about? Anyway, in order to participate in the auction, servants handed out small panels with numbers on them. The one handed to me was number 104.
“I found the young lady who was with you earlier, but she didn’t return with you. Where did you go?”
“I felt a little tired for a while, so I went somewhere to rest.”
“Are you not feeling well? Should we go back to the castle now?”
“No…!”
That’s ridiculous. I needed to participate in this auction, but you’re saying that you’ll send me back home…
“But you hate crowded places.”
“There’s one item I’d like to have.”
“What is it?”
At that time, Lord Milend’s voice reverberated around the hall as he made an announcement.
“As we start the auction, I would like to thank you all for coming to this charity party. This auction is for the benefit of the children from the slums, so we look forward to your active participation.”