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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: A Tale of Two Parties
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My vision blurred as I looked back and forth between the Duchess and the Duke. I offered a polite curtsy.
“Lalitt Ansi, it is an honor to meet you, Duke Claudius.”
His eyes, as blue as a frozen sea, looked straight at me.
Soon, a smile spread across his handsome face.
It was a gentle smile, different from the one he gave the Duchess.
“My apologies for being a little late.”
I quickly came to my senses and shook my head.
“Not at all. I am overjoyed that you have graced us with your presence, Your Grace.”
“I am grateful to hear you say so. And these people are…”
The Duke glanced gently past me and offered a light greeting.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Dietrich von Claudius.”
At the end of his gaze stood my parents, completely frozen.
*Ah.*
My heart swelled in that moment.
*The Duke… he’s showing consideration for my parents.*
With that single gesture, the Duke showed everyone present.
That he respected and valued Viscount and Viscountess Ansi.
…so much so that the Duke of Claudius himself would greet them first.
“I-It is an honor to meet you, Duke Claudius. I am Viscount Ansi.”
“It is truly an honor to meet you, Your Grace.”
My parents returned the Duke’s greeting.
Though their voices trembled slightly with nervousness, their expressions were incredibly bright.
After smiling at my parents once more, the Duke turned his gaze to me.
“Lady Ansi.”
“Yes.”
I answered, tense.
At the same time, the Duke politely extended his hand to me.
“If you would permit me, I would like to ask for a dance, Lady Ansi.”
“…”
In that instant.
I felt a hot surge of emotion welling up inside me.
The truth was, even though the Viscounty of Ansi’s ballroom was part of my home.
I had never had a single good memory here.
All I had ever done in this ballroom was watch Serapina and Gregory’s moods while waiting on them.
Or simply watch Serapina sparkle under everyone’s attention…
I had never once been the master of this space.
But now, it was different.
“With pleasure.”
The moment I carefully placed my hand upon the Duke’s.
I became the master of this space for the first time.
“Shall we?”
The Duke smiled and gently led me.
I proceeded to the dance floor, escorted by the Duke.
* * *
Turning back the clock, about thirty minutes before the party at the Viscounty of Ansi began.
The ballroom of the County of Gusto was utterly empty.
“…”
“…”
The atmosphere in the county was almost funereal.
The annual summer party was a very special occasion for the County of Gusto.
Parties during the social season were usually hosted by the most influential families in each region.
Which meant.
The county had always used the summer party to show off just how much influence they held in the south.
That was why the county always put a great deal of effort into their summer party.
Naturally, they had spent a considerable sum preparing for this one as well…
*I expected to lose some guests to the Ansi party, but…*
Serapina bit her lip gently.
*I never imagined the prestige of the Duchy of Claudius was this great.*
Not even an ant dared to show itself in the ballroom.
The musicians, huddled in a corner, clutched their instruments and exchanged wary glances.
The expensive, carefully prepared food grew cold.
The scene was downright dreary.
*This won’t do.*
Serapina glanced down at her hand.
An elegant card was clutched in it.
It was an invitation from the Viscounty of Ansi.
On the surface, it was because they were nobles from a neighboring territory, and their families had once discussed marriage.
The pretext was to send an invitation out of courtesy, but…
“…”
Serapina’s hand tightened around the card.
The bones on the back of her hand stood out, white.
*How infuriating.*
Serapina knew.
Sending an invitation just to get under someone’s skin was a trick she often enjoyed using herself.
However.
*Still, I can’t just stay like this.*
She couldn’t just waste time blankly in the County of Gusto’s ballroom, where not a single guest had shown up.
Right now, all the prominent figures of the south were gathered at the Viscounty of Ansi.
She had to attend that party somehow and make an impression on the other nobles.
With that in mind, Serapina called out to Gregory in a soft voice.
“Um, Gregor?”
Gregory, who had been sitting and nervously shaking his leg, glanced up.
Serapina smiled as innocently as she could.
“I’m going to go to the Ansi party.”
Until now, Gregory had never once opposed or refused anything Serapina said.
So she naturally assumed it would be the same this time.
But.
“What?!”
Serapina’s expectation was completely off the mark.
Gregory shot up from his seat, his face stern.
“Sera, what are you talking about? Have you lost your mind?”
Serapina stared at Gregory with surprised eyes.
The Gregory who had always been so gentle with her was gone.
Faced with Gregory’s menacing expression, which she had never seen before, Serapina found herself stuttering.
“G-Gregor, calm down…”
“You’re going to leave me here and go spectate at the Ansi party?”
Gregory glared at Serapina, his eyes bloodshot.
“Whose fault do you think it is that things turned out this way!”
That was right.
Duchess Claudius’s sudden declaration that she would attend the Ansi party was all because of Serapina.
If Serapina hadn’t needlessly provoked Lalitt, things wouldn’t have gotten so twisted!
He felt a fire raging inside him.
Gregory burst out in anger.
“You know what kind of pressure I’m under from my family, don’t you?”
“Gregor, I…”
“Do you know how furious my father was when he heard about this?!”
Unable to contain his anger, Gregory clenched his fists tightly.
“He told me to improve our relationship with the Duchy of Claudius, no matter what!”
It was true. Gregory had been under considerable pressure lately.
Lalitt, who had always been obedient, had suddenly changed and declared their engagement broken.
Not a single person from the County of Gusto had been invited to the Duchy of Claudius’s salon.
Of course, the Duchy had never officially stated why they were keeping their distance from the County of Gusto, but…
“Isn’t it because you had a falling out with that Lalitt wench!”
The Count had roared.
“I heard that girl is quite close to Duchess Claudius. If the Duchess is doing this out of consideration for that Lalitt girl…”
*Thud!*
Unable to contain his rage, the Count slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair.
“How do you plan to solve this problem!”
…Because of all this, Gregory was under a great deal of stress.
And now Serapina, the very cause of all this trouble, was planning to slip away from the County of Gusto’s party!
*Oh, it seems Gregor is in a really bad mood.*
Quickly reading the atmosphere, Serapina made her shoulders tremble as pathetically as possible.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“If that wasn’t your intention, then what was?!”
“I just… since the Ansi party is so successful, I wanted to see why…”
Serapina trailed off, cautiously stealing a glance at Gregory.
“We need to know their strengths so we can incorporate them into our next party, don’t you think?”
“…Sera.”
“I-I was only thinking of you…”
Gregory squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them.
His head was throbbing with heat.
Honestly, it was impossible not to know why so many people had flocked to the Ansi party.
It was because a powerhouse like Duchess Claudius was attending.
But he couldn’t bring himself to berate the delicately trembling Serapina any further…
“Then I’m going with you.”
“What?”
For a moment, a faint frown creased Serapina’s brow.
