Chapter 63
Queen Selina looked around before she said anything. The party attendees were watching intently.
The Queen decided to back down because she was a woman who cared about her image.
“It’s good to see you, Duke and Duchess of Sentoren. Enjoy the Royal Ball.”
Queen Selina left without hearing their answer, as if something urgent had come up.
Riv took a deep breath after the Queen disappeared.
“The Queen is gone, but you shouldn’t let your guard down.”
Lionel warned, hovering around her like a guard.
He continued to whisper to Riv, as if he were recalling memories from Princess Marianne’s coming-of-age ceremony.
“Riv, don’t eat anything here. Don’t even drink water. I have no intention of staying long.”
“I just said hello.”
“Now that she has seen you, we have fulfilled our summons.”
They attended the Royal Ball as the King had ordered, so they had done their job.
The King, who had ordered their presence, really had little interest in their attendance.
More people attended the Royal Ball than expected, so they decided to spend a bit more time socializing before they left.
People were very interested not only in Princess Marianne, but also in the Duke and Duchess of Sentoren.
Although Riv attended balls and socialized, she was inaccessible because she was reluctant to meet strangers.
Her past as Madame Katana amplified the mystery surrounding her.
Those who could not approach Lionel gathered in twos or threes and talked about the Duke and Duchess fervently.
“That lady is Madame Katana. No, Duchess of Sentoren.”
“She’s a good match for the Duke.”
People were amazed that the Duke of Sentoren, whose nickname was the Cold Blooded Duke, clung to her side.
The Duke of Sentoren was cold towards everyone else, but was so sweet to his wife.
“Oh my God.”
It was something no one had expected.
“Did the Duke of Sentoren always have such an aspect?”
“What is Madame Katana’s charm?”
Although Madame Katana, now Riv Sentoren, was beautiful, the palace was overflowing with beauties.
Among them were many women who were rejected after spending the night with the Duke of Sentoren. They looked at the Duchess with jealous eyes.
When the Princes and their wives arrived, their conversation ceased.
The ball started and the people danced.
A couple of princes began to dance. Lionel and Riv, who watched for about two or three songs, also joined.
They danced to one song and then moved to a break room.
Many people wanted to talk to them, but leaving politely was not as easy as they thought.
Those whose faces they could not even remember introduced themselves and followed them tenaciously into the break room.
They waited for a chance to speak, then began to pour out their words.
“Duchess of Sentoren, is that Madame Ezerca’s dress?”
“Your dress is very nice.”
“It’s fate that we met like this, would you like to visit our mansion?”
The chorus of voices stopped at once.
“Move!”
Princess Marianne’s maids drove away those who had flocked to the entrance.
And who appeared was Princess Marianne, a fairy in a bright yellow dress.
She looked around and shouted.
“All of you, get out of my way!”
At Marianne’s tantrum, the noble women all looked at each other and ran away.
Only Riv, Marianne, and Lionel were left.
Marianne gave another order.
“Lionel, you leave too.”
Lionel was amazed.
“Why do I have to leave, Princess Marianne? Do you plan to ruin the Royal Ball?”
“This is between me and Madame Katana.”
“Not Madame Katana, but Duchess of Sentoren, Princess Marianne.”
“It doesn’t matter what her name is!”
Riv stared at Marianne, who seemed to be boiling with anger. Marianne could not accept that Riv was the Duchess of Sentoren.
‘Yeah, Marianne burned me to death. The pain was excruciating.’
The memory of her death did not disappear even now, even after she had gone back in time and found happiness.
Riv tried not to offend Marianne.
Even so, she was nothing more than a trash can for Marianne’s negative emotions.
‘Persuading Marianne is useless.’
It was also impossible to understand Marianne.
Riv no longer rebuked or blamed Marianne. However, Marianne was still the object of her hatred.
“You, you should have killed yourself!”
Despite Marianne’s criticism, Riv remained silent.
Her body had experienced death anyway.
Marianne, who was fuming below her, was kind of funny.
“Why are you looking at me like that, Riv! No, Madame Katana.”
“How am I looking at you?”
“You are looking at me like I’m pitiful!”
“You must be mistaken. Have you said everything you wanted to say?”
“No, I haven’t at all!”
Marianne took deep breaths and finally brought up her purpose.
“Madame Katana, come back to the palace.”
“I am the Duchess of Sentoren, Princess Marianne.”
Marianne got angry at Riv’s calmness and stamped her foot.
“It doesn’t matter what your name is. Take off that noble lady pretense and come back to being the terrible Madame Katana! Crawl under me! Then I’ll forgive you.”
[T/N: I’m about to brick someone.]
“What do I need forgiveness for?”
Arguing with Marianne was a waste of time.
Riv was getting bored and Lionel was getting more and more dissatisfied.
“Riv, let’s go.”
“Wait!”
Enraged, Marianne took a glass of red wine from a side table and splashed it all over Riv’s silk dress.
A purpleish stain spread quickly.
Marianne was elated. Riv stared at her with a cold gaze.
“Are you done, Princess?”
“What?”
Marianne was a bit perplexed. Lionel snorted.
“Riv, you don’t have to deal with this. We’ll leave.”
“A-Are you ignoring me now? Why, why are you ignoring me, why!”
Lionel was reluctant to deal with Marianne. But Riv didn’t care what Marianne said.
Now Riv was able to overpower Marianne with one look.
‘I don’t know if this Princess will ever be satisfied with her life.’
Even if she was loved, she would only be greedy and wish for more than she already received.
Marianne would face a very miserable life.
Why was she murdered by such a princess?
Riv was terribly hated before her regression.
“I will leave now.”
“Riv! That-!”
Marianne struggled, but they still left, with Lionel holding Riv.
He looked at the stain on Riv’s dress with a very annoyed expression.
“Lionel, I think we should go home.”
“Okay.”
“The carriage?”
“It will be ready soon.”
Lionel handed her her shawl to cover up the wine stain.
“Come, let’s go back.”
Marianne followed them out of the break room, but neither of them were interested.
“Why, why aren’t you looking at me? Why!”
She was completely ignored by them.
“Why, why aren’t you talking to me, why!”
Marianne screamed relentlessly behind Lionel and Riv.
“I can’t forgive either of you!”
Marianne threw a glass at them.
The glass wasn’t thrown properly and shattered right in front of Marianne.
Riv sighed.
Looking at them, one of her maids turned blue.
“Please don’t let Princess Marianne get hurt.”
At Riv’s words, the handmaiden nodded her head and escorted Marianne away.
Marianne’s screams echoed throughout the hallway. The nobles who had been secretly spying on the commotion turned away in a hurry.
Lionel caught a royal servant and said,
“Tell the Queen and His Majesty that I have work to do and that I am leaving immediately.”
“Yes.”
Lionel comforted Riv by hugging her around the waist.
Lionel’s terrifying hardened face melted into a friendly one.
“Lionel, why do you look so happy?”
“Because we’re going back home. I was looking for a reason to leave.”
Riv was also happy to go back home.
She had lived in the palace for over 7 years, but never once thought of it as her home.
Busy banquets were not to her liking either.
Riv used to feel nauseous when surrounded by many people.
The only thing Riv got accustomed to was Lionel.
Riv left with Lionel, and the only thing she felt bad about was her dress.
Could the wine stain be completely removed?
“I really liked this dress.”
“You can always buy new ones.”
“But still.”
It was a dress that Lionel and Madame Ezerca had designed after careful consideration.
This dress made her feel happy just by looking at it. She had wanted to keep it, even if she couldn’t wear it often.
Riv stared at the wine stain. This meeting clearly left a scar.
But one thing became clear.
With this encounter, Riv knew she didn’t have to fear Marianne at all.
Even if her death came as scheduled, it wouldn’t have anything to do with Marianne.
Today’s meeting made that clear.
‘I won’t be killed by Marianne.’
Destiny had been changed.
Riv had the power to change it.
They boarded the Duke’s carriage. The carriage quickly departed the palace and left behind the carriages of the nobles who were just arriving at the royal ball.
Riv was genuinely happy that she was leaving the palace.
“There were too many bad memories there. I never wanted to stay long.”
“It’s fine, I don’t have to go to the palace for the time being.”
With Lionel by her side, that was good enough for Riv.
Lionel glanced at Riv and opened his mouth spontaneously.
“Then it would be good to go to Mont Del as soon as possible.”
Riv nodded her head.
“You said the food there is delicious?”
“It’s much more flavorful than the Royal Capital.”
Riv recalled what Lionel had told her about Mont Del. He had also shown her landscape paintings.
An image of her and Lionel standing there came to mind.
Just imagining it made her happy.
“I want to hurry up and go.”