Translator: Nox

Chapter 60

60. Others Do It, So You Should Too

"That's absurd! The Imperial Court Debutante held at the Imperial Palace is every girl in Euphris's dream!"

"The climax of every fairy tale is the Imperial Palace ball!"

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! It's an invitation that others can't even get their hands on!"

"You'll be a wonderful couple! We'll make sure there isn't a couple as beautiful as His and Her Highnesses there!"

Regardless of the excited chatter around her, Yuan met the eyes of Klaud, who was looking only at her with his head tilted slightly.

His violet eyes, backlit by the light, slowly scanned her from head to toe.

The shimmering hem of the dress.

The light pink silk that flowed like a wave, revealing her waistline, and the even lighter organza ribbon.

Above it, the hollow collarbone and the delicate jawline that followed her slender neck. Even the lips, painted with a faint pink as if barely touched.

Finally, when his eyes met her dainty nose and tearful black eyes, the owner of those black eyes abruptly approached him.

"I'm okay."

Her long eyelashes fluttered rapidly with her blinking eyes.

Yuan briefly glared at the invitation in Klaud's hand.

For some reason, Bolonico Euphris wanted her and wouldn't give up.

That invitation was an attempt to summon her to the Imperial Palace where he was.

She had been thinking all night about what had made her feel uncomfortable and uneasy whenever she met him, but there was only one conclusion.

First Prince Bolonico.

That broken doll of a man didn't like her husband, Klaud. He was trying to use her to bring Klaud down.

So, she shouldn't give him any room to do so.

She couldn't expose her poor, beautiful husband to danger any longer.

Not because of that 'dream of every girl.'

"I'm really okay. What's the point of me, already married, attending a Debutante? Everyone will laugh at me. I'll just stay here-"

"Who would laugh at the Lady? When she's so beautiful!"

"That's right! We want to show off our skills too!"

"The Lady is being too modest. If it were me, I'd be so excited to show off my beauty that I wouldn't be able to sleep at night!"

Thinking that Yuan's refusal was just unnecessary modesty, dressmaker Michelle and her staff jumped in from behind, arguing against her.

"Beautiful and sparkling things will all be at the Imperial Palace."

"It's been a while since you've been married and seen such splendid and wonderful things! How refreshing would it be? One of the ladies I used to work with was only invited to the Imperial Ball once, but she kept talking about it everywhere she went, even 10 years later!"

Ignoring the unnecessary meddling of those who didn't know the situation, Yuan gave Klaud a pleading look.

Klaud and Yuan's gazes collided and intertwined in the air.

Yuan hoped that Klaud would immediately silence the excitement of those who didn't know the situation.

But from his tightly closed lips came an answer that even Butler Gustav hadn't expected.

"Go."

Yuan's eyes widened at the short, concise answer.

She trembled her lips and moved closer to him.

"I'm really okay! If it's because of the dress that's already made... If I wear this dress and visit the Marquis Lev's Mansion and just have a meal with everyone, I-"

"Just go."

Klaud, who had been leaning, straightened up and strode towards her, who was close by.

Yuan, amid the cheers, was completely engulfed in Klaud's shadow.

A long finger slowly touched the ribbon on Yuan's chest.

As the ribbon swayed lightly, Yuan felt like her heart was about to burst.

His low voice slowly seeped into her ear, which was flushed with embarrassment.

"Others do it, so you should too."

Leaving behind the people who were fussing about having to completely revise the design.

Klaud leisurely left the drawing room.

Yuan couldn't bring herself to look back at Klaud as he left, and discovered the invitation in question and a thick book beneath it in the place where he had been standing.

<Collection of Academy Medical Papers>

Her nose quickly tingled, and tears welled up.

Why.

Why was he being so good to her?

Why was he being so excessively.

Unnecessarily.

Why on earth.

"Lady! Don't worry. The Emperor won't be able to commit such rudeness as before. I used to go to the Imperial Palace often with my grandmother when I was young, so I know. There are so many eyes watching in the Imperial Palace! There will be guests from neighboring countries too! Last time, he only brought his closest aides, but there are quite a few people in the Imperial Palace who are wary of His Majesty the Emperor. You just need to stay by the Master's side."

"..."

"I told you before. If he's good to you, just say thank you and accept it."

At Henna's voice, which reassured her in a friendly manner, she suppressed her expression that was about to distort and smiled bitterly.

Why did she feel so guilty the more Klaud was good to her?

How should she treat him, who was constantly exposed to danger as if he was being tested because of her?

Perhaps, as Henna said, Yuan was the same age as his beloved younger sister, Princess Apollyni, so he was more concerned about her and wanted to take care of her more, even with things like the Debutante.

Thinking that, her smile became even more bitter.

As she ruminated on the bitter and painful feelings, Yuan realized that she couldn't possibly cover up her feelings for him with the words 'just think of him as an older brother.'

Klaud wasn't an older brother to Yuan.

An older brother.

Yuan had never felt affectionate towards her cousin, Frederick, even once.

Nor had she ever thought about wanting to kiss him with affectionate feelings.

Judging from the fact that he had come all the way to Marquis Lev's territory, risking being seen by others, and that he had openly sent her an invitation.

First Prince Bolonico was not the kind of person who would give up on this strange obsession just because she refused an invitation once.

'Now that things have come to this, I need to find out what he wants when there are many eyes watching.'

There must be someone in the Mansion who is bringing news of the Mansion to that short-haired Prince.

Yuan suppressed her uneasy feelings and thought repeatedly.

Her same-age cousin, Regina Pellierse, had been looking forward to and preparing for this Debutante since she was very young.

Surely her uncle would also come to the Imperial Palace for his daughter's Debutante.

Her uncle was his man who was aligned with First Prince Bolonico, but she learned from their last meeting that he feared and distrusted Bolonico.

If she used her cowardly uncle or Marquis Compagni, whom she knew, she might be able to find out exactly what Bolonico's intentions were.

'Rather than weakly avoiding it and giving him an excuse to attack again. I need to go directly into the tiger's den and see what the reality is that is threatening His Highness.'

Yuan, clutching the book that Klaud had left behind, glared at Bolonico's handwritten invitation and bit her lip tightly.

Meanwhile, at the Pellieresse Mansion.

In the drawing room, which was busy preparing for Regina's Debutante with the Bridal payment that Klaud had sent, dressmakers and jewelry store employees had swept through.

Regina, who had deliberately gathered the daughters of prominent families, flaunted her beauty in front of them, giving the impression that she was buying all these items with Bolonico's money.

"Diamonds for a Debutante. Anyone would think that you're not just the daughter of Count Pellieresse, but a Princess. Miss Regina."

"But His Highness the First Prince must have his reasons for paying so much attention to Miss Regina. So, can we expect to see Miss Regina wearing that dazzling necklace and appearing hand-in-hand with His Highness the First Prince on the day of the Debutante?"

"Then, will I be able to greet His Highness the First Prince too?"

'For a mere Pellieresse to call me all the way here and make me an audience member.' Princess Celetina's group, who were subtly expressing their anger and sarcasm, and the daughters who envied the Pellieresse Count family, which was quite prestigious among the court nobles, sparkled with eyes that contained their own circumstances.

Curiosity. Jealousy. Anger. Sarcasm. Admiration.

Regina, facing the eyes mixed with various colors head-on, took off the glittering necklace.

It was a very difficult question to answer.

That damn Bolonico had taken the information that the cemetery in Marquis Lev's territory was suspicious and ignored her letter without even saying thank you.

But given Bolonico's personality, if it was uninteresting information in his judgment, he would have given her a furious reply saying,

[Please give me something more interesting next time, Lady Regina]

Regina counted down the days to the Debutante, which was now less than a week away, and scanned the young ladies who were sitting in this remote Mansion, enduring the discomfort for the sake of the title of 'Bolonico's hidden lover.'

She couldn't have imagined this before.

Regina, who sometimes received admiring glances from peers from lower-ranking families, was thoroughly ignored among peers from prominent families.

So, how sweet was the title of Bolonico's lover.

If she became his woman in the future and became a Princess Consort.

What if she became the Empress in the future?

The heads of the high-ranking noble families would have no choice but to bow down to her.

If Bolonico, like the absolute tyrant Emperor Igor Euphris, wielded that reckless sword, Regina, his woman, would be able to wield no less power, and no one would be able to say a word.

"Yes? Miss Regina-"

"I don't know how to fathom His Highness the Prince's heart. But I believe it."

Regina absolutely didn't want to lose these eyes mixed with envy and jealousy.

"Perhaps this Imperial Court Debutante will be the most beautiful and happiest day of my life."

Regina smiled like a fully bloomed peony.

And.

Exactly three days before the Imperial Court Debutante, which was said to be every girl in Euphris's dream, was held.

Bolonico, who had secretly invited her to a VIP play, replied to her expectations very coldly.

"You'd better find another partner now, Lady Regina."