Chapter 37

I wore a pure white dress that bared my shoulders completely, a large ruby brooch—matched to Sister Elga’s eye color—pinned to my chest. In my hair: a silver accessory intricately woven with a cascade of diamonds.

“Perfect.”

In the mirror stood a radiant Minuelle with soft pink hair cascading down, her eyes sparkling with life as if she’d never collapsed earlier that day.

‘Damn, I’m falling for my own face.’

No fiancé? Who cares—I’m gorgeous! I’m the best!  

Chanting this spell to myself, I sprang up and declared with renewed energy:

“Alright, let’s go!”

Theodore had already returned to his cousin’s dressing room to escort her, but Ramande was still waiting with Sister Elga and me.

“You look beautiful, Minuelle.”

Just like he had on Juela’s wedding day, Ramande gently clasped my hand. A faint warmth—his divine power—flowed into me, along with silent encouragement.

I didn’t reply with words. Instead, I gave him a soft, grateful smile.  

Ramande, who understood me better than anyone else, smiled back.

That’s when—  

Knock, knock.

The sudden knock shattered the tender atmosphere.  

No, “shattered” didn’t do it justice—because the moment the door opened, the mood crumbled beyond repair.

“What brings you here, Your Highness?” Sister Elga asked coolly.

My gaze, sharp and unimpressed, slid over the figure of Esadien standing beyond Ramande’s shoulder.

‘What does he think he’s doing now?’

He had changed into formalwear in a hue similar to the dress I had thrown away earlier. In his hand, he held the gloves—the gloves—that had slapped his cheek.

“I came to escort Minuelle…”

“The Young Grand Duchess of Karnian will be accompanying Minuelle as her partner.”

I whistled inwardly, impressed at how well Ramande shut Esadien down without any prompting.

‘Oho.’

I let out an inward whistle of appreciation. I hadn’t even asked, and Sister Elga was already blocking Esadien like a pro.

But Esadien didn’t back down.

“Step aside. I’ll speak with her directly.”

As he attempted to push past Ramande, I subtly shook my head at Elga.

‘Just get rid of him already.’

Sister Elga, ever attuned to her sister’s will, spoke clearly.

“Your Highness, the young lord’s words stand.”

“Young lord, is it…”

“We will be sending the official notice of the annulment shortly.”

“Annulment…?”

His dazed, unfocused eyes snapped to me.  

I, of course, ignored him completely.

“…Did she say annulment just now?”

He asked again, this time more clearly. When he reached for my arm—  

Sister Elga blocked him in one swift, decisive move.

“As a loyal subject of His Majesty the Emperor, I respectfully ask that you do not cause a scene today, Your Highness. Please take your leave.”

“…I only ask for a moment to speak with Minuelle—”

“Your Highness, this is a joyous occasion. I would rather not see it marred by rudeness.”

Faced with the cold, unyielding aura radiating from Sister Elga, Esadien finally seemed to understand she wasn’t going to budge.

He stepped back reluctantly, but his gaze—like a nail driven deep—remained fixed on me.

I, however, never looked back.

* * *

When I entered the ballroom with Sister Elga, a wave of quiet murmuring spread through the room.

‘I didn’t know my coming-of-age would be such a hot topic…’

Come to think of it, some of the ladies who had attended Theodore’s cousin’s tea party would be here too.  

Which meant there were definitely witnesses to Esadien popping out of Lapheche’s carriage like a surprise gift.

“Are you alright?” Sister Elga asked with a hint of concern.

“Of course~.”

‘Let them whisper. What could they possibly do?’

That’s what I wanted to say, but I softened it a bit.  

After all, my public persona was “the lovely little sister,” and I had a duty to preserve Sister Elga’s vision of me.

“No matter what they say, I’m still the Lady of House Karnian.”

Right—I may have forgotten because of all the prince nonsense, but I was the Grand Duchess’ daughter.  

Among the nobility, I stood firmly at the top of the food chain.

“…Our baby’s all grown up.”

Sister Elga’s usual composure held, but her voice trembled ever so slightly—just enough for someone standing right beside her to notice.

“Uh…”

I wasn’t sure exactly what had moved her to tears, but I smiled and curtsied low.

“May I have this dance, Lady Karnian?”

“It would be the honor of my life, Lady Karnian.”

Even a simple gesture—one hand over her heart and a bow—was sharply executed with the poise of a knight known far and wide.  

Sister Elga might look cold, but she played the part quite well.

After dancing with my sister, I greeted our parents’ friends and Elga’s acquaintances.  

I even made small talk with Theodore’s cousin and dragged Ramande—who’d been trying to flee—to the dance floor.

When I finally sat down to catch my breath, a group of young ladies approached me.  

Among them was the bright and innocent-seeming girl I’d seen bickering with Theodore’s cousin at the tea party.

“Lady Larique, enjoying yourself?”

“Yes, Lady Karnian! Thank you for earlier. Dancing with the Young Lady felt like a dream!”

“I’ve always thought my sister was amazing, too. May I call you by your name, Lady?”

“Oh my! Then please call me René!”

The lively René eagerly introduced me to her friends, one of whom asked: “I heard you were engaged to the Third Prince… Why did you come with the Young Lady instead?”

“Lu–Lucienne! That’s not appropriate!”

René quickly tried to stop her, but I didn’t mind. I simply filed the name Lucienne Levimer away for later.

“His Highness Esadien seems to have feelings for someone else. Once I realized that, I let him go.”

By then, a sizable crowd had gathered around me, and the murmuring spread further.

“You mean… you’re breaking off the engagement?”

“But still, isn’t that… rather extreme?”

‘So old-fashioned.’

Though I clicked my tongue inwardly, I wore a sweet smile as I replied: “Is there a reason to keep loving someone whose heart belongs to another?”

What did I lack, after all?

“But wasn’t that engagement arranged by your families? Wouldn’t His Majesty be angry?”

Hah. Would the Emperor really dare show anger toward House Karnian?  

Over a child’s engagement? When the fault was theirs to begin with?

I was about to answer with a smirk when—

“Minuelle.”

Esadien strode in through the crowd, parting people like the sea.

Taller than the other young men, his presence and near-ethereal beauty made the ladies’ fans flutter in their hands.

Sitting in the center of the group like the pistil of a flower, I reluctantly rose and curtsied.

“I greet His Highness, the Third Prince.”

No matter how reclusive I’d become, he was still a member of the royal family.  

The others followed suit, lifting their skirts and bowing in turn.

But Esadien, as if blind to everyone else, was looking only at me.

‘Ugh, why does he keep showing up like this?’

Falling out of love was truly a frightening thing. That gaze I used to welcome now only grated on my nerves.

“Minuelle, just now… was the Young Lady speaking your will as well?”

“Yes.”

I answered plainly and sat right back down.  

Whether he accepted it or not, I didn’t care. Standing up straight like that was exhausting, after all.

Esadien wore a deliberately grave expression, but my eyes just narrowed further.

‘Don’t ruin the mood—just leave already. Shoo, shoo!’

“Are you serious?”

He asked again.

‘What is wrong with this man?’

I couldn’t make sense of his behavior—until a comment from earlier suddenly resurfaced in my mind, clearing my headache like a breeze through fog:

“Wouldn’t His Majesty be angry?”

The Karnian family had always been loyal to the imperial house, but human nature was what it was—given the means, anyone would want to secure a tighter alliance.  

In that regard, engagement was an ideal political tool.

From the beginning, all Esadien ever wanted from me was just enough to maintain a political marriage.  

So what he really wanted now was the Karnian name and its power.

‘There’s no other reason it could be.’

It was both shameless and, oddly enough, a relief.

‘Good. Now I don’t have to hold back.’

Which was why I could answer his next question so sweetly.

“Is it truly your will, Minuelle?”

“Of course.”

Looking up at him from where I sat strained my neck a little.

Come to think of it, he wasn’t even considerate enough to think of things like that.  

I had definitely been blinded—dazzled by his face and wrapped in layers of delusion.

With a wry smile, I added gently:

“So please, stop calling me by name… Your Highness.”

“…You really mean it.”

His clenched hands trembled.

“You said you loved me.”

“I did.”

“You said you’d never change.”

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

‘What is this, a public trial?’

I was already drained, but I had no intention of backing down from a fight I chose to start.

Tilting my head to the most delicate, graceful angle I could muster, I fluttered my lashes.

“But, Your Highness… you met with someone else while saying you didn’t know how you felt about me.”

Whispers.

“And when I asked you about your relationship with her, you didn’t even give me an answer.”

More whispers.

Now the crowd was clearly seeing Esadien as the worst kind of playboy.

“T-that was…”

“Or perhaps you can tell me now. Why did you lie to me while meeting another woman?”

I waited.

But Esadien said nothing.

The noble ladies’ fans fluttered wildly once again.  

I smiled faintly, as if barely holding back tears.

“Even wine changes when the cork is left off too long, you know.”

Esadien had no words left.  

After several heavy breaths, he pulled something from his coat.

“Take this, at least. It’s something I gave to you.”

Of course. Those gloves again.

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake.’

What did he do, curse it? Why was he so obsessed with returning it?

He really wanted me to accept a gift I’d already thrown in his face? In front of all these people?

“…Alright.”

Yes. I accepted it.

“Here.”

Then I flagged down a passing servant with a tray.

“Throw this away for me, please.”

The gloves were gone, just like that.

“What are you—!”

Esadien snapped.

Behind him, I spotted Lapheche, standing awkwardly at the edge of the crowd, clearly unsure what to do.

I beamed.

“Lady Celeste! Over here!”

The room collectively held its breath.

Everyone was waiting to see what would happen next.