Chapter 49

Once Nine left and the gazes around us were blocked, the expressions of the young ladies, who had been watching carefully, began to shift.

Since I hadn’t reacted at all to Helena’s sneering, they must have thought I was easy prey.

The young ladies surrounding me gradually regained their ease, their eyes beginning to gleam with disdain.

In particular, Helena, the moment she realized others couldn’t see us, folded her fan and lifted my chin with its tip.

Her gaze, as if she were appraising me, wasn’t pleasant to endure.

What should I do in this situation?

The simplest way was to just put up with it and soothe Helena’s mood.

Since I didn’t say a word to her rude behavior, the young ladies thought I was frightened and began snickering at me.

I glanced once at Helena, then at the others around her, before making my decision.

I’ll just go along with her mood and let it pass.

It might tarnish the dignity of a duchess a little, but since I’m going to divorce and lay it down anyway, it wasn’t such a bad choice.

I couldn’t inherit the Count of Blueberry title immediately after the divorce, so I’d have no shield against Helena, the duke’s daughter, anyway.

Besides, I’d already spent five years at the Academy getting used to humoring her. Doing it again wouldn’t be difficult.

…And honestly, I can understand Helena’s feelings, too.

From her perspective, it must have felt like the dog she was raising suddenly swallowed her cherished ring behind her back.

“The duke’s tastes are really quite…”

Helena withdrew the fan from beneath my chin, her lips curling in a mocking smirk as she trailed off.

To girls my age, her words might have been humiliating enough to bring color to their cheeks—but to me, it hardly stung.

Because Helena’s words weren’t true.

I knew better than anyone here that Nine’s taste ran to women far more beautiful than me—like the heroine, the most stunning woman in the world.

No, actually… I’m the only one in this world who knows that.

At Helena’s sneer, the young ladies chimed in, laughing along.

“As long as you don’t become a burden to the duke’s house, which protects the Empire from monsters.”

“Or who knows? Perhaps she’s a monster herself, who bewitched the duke!”

In that moment, one young lady, as if overcome by the thrill of tormenting the duchess, crossed the line.

Even among those bullying me, silence suddenly fell.

Well, that one’s insulting.

Since the damage caused by monsters was real, comparing someone to one was considered a serious insult here.

And because she had been so swept up in her mockery, her voice rang loud and clear.

Though the girls had formed a circle to block others’ view, a few nearby people turned toward us at the sound of her voice.

As attention suddenly fell on her, the young lady clapped her hands over her mouth in horror.

“……”

Helena frowned and motioned with her hand. The girl went pale, and the other young ladies quickly pushed her to the back.

Oh dear. She’s been abandoned by Helena.

A girl cast out like that would never rejoin Helena’s circle again.

As things didn’t go her way, Helena’s eyes sharpened even more. Forcing a smile, she turned back to me.

“My, how rude. But of course, Madam will kindly forgive such a young lady’s fleeting mistake, won’t you?”

It would have been nice if she had left it at that, but naturally Helena had no intention of stopping there.

“…I’m parched. Won’t you fetch me a drink, young lady?”

Oh, don’t tell me…

Sensing her displeasure, the young ladies quickly grasped her intention and hurried to fetch a drink.

Clink.

The girl who had stepped away returned carrying two glasses of red wine.

A textbook social-scene cliché was unfolding before my eyes.

How very romance-fantasy of her.

Helena smiled broadly, her eyes glittering with anticipation as she lifted the glass.

I couldn’t help sighing. Since I’d already decided to endure it quietly, I resigned myself to letting it happen.

Ugh, but I really don’t want to.

I didn’t mind being doused in wine.

But right now, from head to toe, I was essentially a masterpiece painstakingly crafted by the duchy’s staff to look my most beautiful.

My gown, custom-made at the Psyche atelier with each stitch dearly paid for, and my accessories as well.

And of course, it had to be white—meaning the red wine would show up vividly.

If I returned home in such a ruined dress, everyone would be terribly worried.

So I silently apologized to those who had worked hard for me today, as Helena’s glass began to tilt in her hand.

The moment I stood firm, ready to accept the wine—

“……”

“……”

I met Nine’s eyes over Helena’s shoulder.

He stood tall among the nobles, looking straight at me.

Nine didn’t know the circumstances of what was happening. Why Helena was doing this to me, why I was enduring this rain of insults.

But if the wine spilled over me, it was obvious he would be worried.

Even if he believed I had given him a love potion.

Because that’s the kind of man Nine is.

And when my eyes met his, I couldn’t bring myself to just stand there and take it.

Crash!

The wineglass struck the floor and shattered into pieces.

Against my earlier resolve, I had neatly avoided the wine.

Thanks to Roana’s rehabilitation training, dodging hadn’t been hard. Just a couple of steps back was enough.

“What?”

“What happened?”

At the sound of the shattering glass, attention turned toward us again.

The young ladies around Helena froze, unsure what to do under the weight of so many eyes, and instead just watched Helena.

“…Ha.”

Helena let out a hollow laugh, about to come at me herself.

But—

“The Sun of the Empire, Master of the Continent and Descendant of the Dragon! His Majesty Grendal von Dragon enters!”

Time was up.

As the emperor and crown prince appeared, everyone in the hall bowed their heads in greeting.

“We greet the Empire’s Sun.”

“Raise your heads.”

With a wave of his hand, the emperor dismissed their greetings and began his prepared speech.

With that, Helena could no longer continue her harassment.

She shot me a venomous glare, then turned away toward Duke Oswald and his adopted heir, the young lord.

It was customary at the start of a banquet for each house to gather together.

Whew…

If she had pressed on, I wouldn’t have been able to avoid it—but the timing worked out.

Once the emperor’s address ended, music swelled, and young ladies and gentlemen began dancing together in the center of the hall.

The banquet had truly begun.

Relieved that the bullying had ended more tamely than expected, I brushed off my heavy heart and approached Nine.

Seeing me, he excused himself from Duke Regwin and came over.

Leaning down, he whispered, “Are you all right?”

Worry flickered in his eyes as he looked at me, though nothing had really happened.

I could only give him an awkward smile.

“Of course.”

By then, the first dance of the evening was drawing to a close.

Traditionally, the first dance of an imperial banquet belonged to fifteen-year-old debutantes and their partners.

As they retreated from the center, the floor was left empty again.

Then the second piece began to play.

And the second dance belonged to—

“Madam.”

—the noble couples who had married that year.

Nine extended his hand to me. Naturally, I placed mine in his, and we stepped into the center of the hall.

We were the only noble couple who had married that year.

I could feel the sting of countless eyes on us—even the emperor watched with interest.

Though I was used to dancing, worry pricked at me. They wouldn’t miss even the smallest mistake.

Unconsciously, I squeezed Nine’s hand tight.

Even as we faced each other, my gaze stayed lowered, unable to meet his eyes as I placed my hand on his shoulder.

At that moment, Nine’s arm circled my waist, pulling me close.

Startled, I looked up. He leaned in and whispered against my ear.

“Look only at me.”

Just like the moment I first fell for him, the noise of the banquet faded away.

Drawn into his dark eyes, I couldn’t look away.

As I gazed at him, Nine gazed only at me.

My ears filled with the thunder of my heartbeat.

My eyes, my mind, even my heart—were all filled with Nine.

The piercing gazes of others vanished.

I let my world contain only Nine, moving lightly with his lead.

Our steps flowed as naturally as if we had always walked side by side.

The gown shimmered beneath the brilliant lights, scattering in dazzling reflections.

And with steps as light as in a dream, I walked through that glittering space with Nine.