Chapter 26
<Her Majesty Queen Catherine and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Padrick request the honor of your presence at a dinner ball to grace the occasion with your light…>
“It’s common knowledge that even a three-year-old would know—Frostis is a radical member of the Rose Party.”
At Luca Brown’s words, Calyx looked away from the invitation, which bore the distinct seal of the Frostis family.
Luca added in a tone of feigned surprise.
“I’m amazed the head of such a household sent you an invitation. It’s not as if you have any personal acquaintance with him.”
Calyx, who had been listening to his friend in silence, let out a light, dry chuckle.
It was right after he noticed Luca’s hand trembling slightly as he reached for a cigar.
“I suppose the Crown Prince gave the Frostis family a nudge, wanting to catch up with his cousin after all this time.”
Pretending not to notice the underlying motive, Calyx spoke in a casual tone as he approached a bookshelf that filled an entire wall.
“Surely not… Your strained relationship is public knowledge. He wouldn’t seek you out for just that reason. Especially at such a high-profile event.”
“Then what do you think? Do you want to suggest that the noble Crown Prince called me there to settle an unfinished fistfight over a woman?”
Luca was taken aback by the blunt phrasing.
Without a change in expression, Calyx calmly pulled out a book. It was a work of decadent literature by an exiled writer from Trie.
“To be honest, I’m not the only one who thinks so; anyone with a tongue is saying the same.”
He opened the book. Page 341. Fifth line from the top.
“In that case, it would be best if I didn’t go.”
“Are you serious?”
“I have no desire to be beaten by the Crown Prince again.”
Ha. Luca let out a hollow breath.
Calyx’s hand, moving gracefully over the shelves, pulled out another book.
Page 29. Third and sixth lines from the bottom.
“Be honest with me. What exactly are you thinking? Up until a month ago, you acted like you’d risk an all-out war with the royal family for that woman. Why are you so lukewarm now?”
Another book. Page 104. The first word and the very last word.
“Have you given up? Did your interest just cool off that quickly?”
The next book. And the next.
Opening, reading, turning the page, and on to the next.
“Hey? Answer me.”
“…”
“Calyx!”
Calyx did not respond to Luca’s call. He pulled out the final book and opened it. Page 60. Second line…
“Because of your whim, an innocent woman had filth thrown at her in the street!”
The moment he successfully calculated the secret message William had left behind, Luca shouted as if vomiting the words.
Silence momentarily enveloped the study.
Calyx remained standing before the bookshelf, his back still turned to Luca.
“…”
In his mind, he retraced the message William had left within the books.
William had succeeded in securing a supply contract for merchant ships to smuggle soldiers into the capital.
All preparations were complete. On the eve of the World Expo opening ceremony, amidst the chaotic flow of goods, their merchant ships would leisurely enter the capital.
The elite soldiers, who had endured hellish training on Manbrin Island, would swiftly seize the royal castle.
Leading them would be the cursed deposed prince, Calyx Valdea.
Calyx stared blankly at the title of the book that had contained the final code.
<In Search of Lost Glory.>
The intention behind William choosing a book with such a title to leave his message was obvious.
From the start, Calyx Valdea’s role in drawing attention in the capital was only meant to last until the merchant ship contract was finalized. It was a warning to withdraw before arousing unnecessary suspicion.
It was a piece of advice laced with reproach, telling him to use that clever head of his to think carefully about what was truly important.
‘I’m sorry, William, but I came to my senses a long time ago.’
I know better than anyone why I have kept myself alive until now.
That day, what stood before him was a wall that could never be torn down, no matter what he offered.
Between him and that woman—who was like a wall, refusing to give him even a sliver of her heart—there was only a set of parallel lines that could never meet.
It felt hopeless. But in the end, he knew he could do nothing about this desire. He knew well how it would end.
‘I would only destroy myself.’
He would stop before that happened. Because he had a task more important than collapsing in front of a door that would never open.
He had thought it was a feverish desire that would blind him, but seeing how easily he could give it up, it seemed his feelings hadn’t reached that point after all.
It was a relief, really, that his emotions hadn’t grown large enough to make him plead and cling.
“What do you expect me to do about the actions of fanatics obsessed with a woman’s chastity? Luca Brown.”
Calyx spoke as he turned toward the sofa where Luca was sitting.
His tone was refreshingly indifferent for someone mentioning a woman he had once orbited like a planet in its path.
“Do you… truly mean that…?”
“It seems something regrettable will happen to you, Luca, if I don’t accept this invitation. I’ll go for your sake, so as a friend, do me a favor in return.”
“What… favor?”
A brief flash of color rose to Luca’s eyes before vanishing. He was still a friend who was clumsy at hiding his inner thoughts.
Calyx smiled brilliantly, mocking him inwardly.
“Get out of my house.”
Time flew by after that.
The day of the Frostis family’s dinner ball arrived.
“…!”
Encountering the woman who appeared before his eyes like a lie, Calyx let out a cold, thin laugh after a long silence.
He had forgotten for a while.
That the benevolent yet terrible God had never once wished for the happiness he desired.
‘We just made eye contact… and he avoided it on purpose, didn’t he?’
As if to prove that thought, Calyx focused solely on talking to the man accompanying him.
Even though Lottie was staring intently at him, he climbed the stairs leading to the mansion’s entrance without a care.
Lottie’s mouth remained agape until his figure completely vanished into the crowd.
She hadn’t expected a warm reunion, but she never imagined she would be ignored like this.
He had clearly recognized her, yet he turned his head away coldly as if he wanted to brush her out of his sight.
“The Frostis family is truly something. Knowing full well the situation you’re in, to invite that lawless man to a place where the Crown Prince is attending…”
Isabel, standing beside her, whispered in a voice only Lottie could hear.
The great-aunt’s blunt phrasing made it clear exactly how she felt about Calyx.
“And him too. Why would he just accept and show up? Without any thought for how difficult this makes things for you…”
“He probably didn’t know I was invited. If he had…”
Lottie’s voice trailed off as she looked away. Her gaze landed on the mansion entrance where Calyx had disappeared with his companion moments ago.
“If he had… he wouldn’t have come here.”
She had a feeling that was the case. Along with the thought that it wouldn’t be because he was worried about her being in a difficult position.
Her mouth felt bitter. It didn’t seem to be just because of the unpleasantness of being pushed aside like a total stranger by that man.
This was the man who had proposed to her and been rejected.
While she accepted that it was natural for him to act that way, a corner of her heart still felt heavy and stifled.
“Miss Charlotte!”
As she swallowed the grey mass of emotion down her throat, someone called Lottie’s name smoothly and approached.
“Thank you for taking the time to come, Miss Charlotte.”
It was Delinda.
Even though several nobles who knew Charlotte was the protagonist of the rumors were glancing their way, Delinda repeated the name a few more times without concern.
She was so skillful that it was hard to believe she was the same person who had clumsily pronounced Trie names in the Central Garden fifteen days ago.
“My, that dress suits you perfectly, Miss Charlotte. You look so beautiful.”
Meanwhile, she smiled innocently as if she knew nothing.
Her intentions were so transparent that Lottie had no choice but to force a smile as if she had swallowed thorns.
“Yes… well.”
In standard noble etiquette, she should have returned the compliment, but she simply couldn’t bring herself to do it.
As Lottie stood there like a wooden statue with a reluctant expression, Isabel eventually stepped in.
“Miss Delinda’s dress suits her very well too. Since it’s a blue similar to Lottie’s, the two of you standing together would look as dazzling as forest fairy sisters.”
“You flatter me, My Lady. By the way, Miss Charlotte, did you not come with a male partner today?”
Delinda asked, peeking over Lottie’s shoulder.
Normally, if she knew the situation Lottie was in, she wouldn’t have dared mention a partner, but because Delinda’s voice was so excessively innocent, even Isabel didn’t think to point it out.
When Lottie gave a slight nod, Delinda beamed.
“My mother is unwell, so I have taken on the role of hostess for today’s dinner ball. I will pair you with a partner who is perfect for you, Miss Charlotte. One cannot enter the dining hall without a partner, after all.”
“If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived, perhaps we should ask his intention first…”
“Oh dear.”
Delinda cut off Isabel’s words.
“His Royal Highness has not arrived yet. Even after he arrives, he will likely have his hands full attending to Her Majesty the Queen.”
“Ah…”
“Instead, I will pair you with a wonderful gentleman who can highlight your beauty and dignity. Most of the gentlemen who associate with the Frostis family are handsome and well-mannered!”
Delinda’s black eyes sparkled toward Lottie. To anyone else, she looked like a girl who was kind and innocent beyond measure.
Lottie stared at that face for a moment, then soon let out a cold smile.
