Chapter 9

Duke Tonz’ fancy carriage was running towards the Moran estate, where the garden party was being held. And inside was Roman and Cecia, both well-dressed.

The wardrobe of the two people sitting opposite each other were tailored to show anyone looking that they were partners. It was an unofficial event meant to announce the two were lovers.

“Are you nervous?”

“A little bit.”

The carriage entered the Moran estate. After a while, the door of the carriage opened, and Roman descended first. Then he reached out to Cecia.

Cecia grasped his hand and carefully got off the wagon. The eyes of the people in the party turned toward them.

“Remember, your partner isn’t just anyone.”

Roman extended his arm toward Cecia.

“So, you can have confidence.”

Cecia looked at Roman. His confident gaze was directed at her. Just because the Royne’s, formerly a commoner’s family, received the aristocratic title as a ‘Viscount’ did not mean they were accepted by the aristocratic society. Cecia hated socializing because of the nobles who thought they had different origins.

However, Roman’s eyes did not contain the arrogance that other nobles had. What a strange man. Judging by his actions, more than anyone, he was quite an arrogant man. But never once had she seen him act this way towards her. Rather, he was always considerate toward her.

Cecia linked her arm around his.

“Shall we?”

As her face brightened, a gentle smile remained around Roman’s mouth.

***

When Prillance headed toward the crowded area, it was already lively all around.

At the center was Roman. Aristocratic daughters and wives gathered around him like herds. After seeing the scene, she took a deep breath and stepped toward them.

When Prillance appeared, people’s eyes turned to her. It was because of the incoming encounter between Roman and Prillance.

In social circles, Roman and Prillance were a pair. It wasn’t a pair in the sense of a couple, but more in a bad sense, just like a needle and thread. It was a situation where wherever Roman goes, Prillance always follows.

After seeing the strange tussles between Roman and Prillance, it became a kind of spectacle for the aristocrats to see which one of the two would give up first.

Perhaps that was why as soon as she appeared, the people en route to Roman naturally gave way.

“I greet the Duke.”

“It’s been a while, Lady Weiand.”

Of course, their interaction started as it usually did. The eyes of the curious nobles were on them. But something unexpected happened next.

“Would you like a drink?”

“Thank you.”

Roman handed her a champagne first. And naturally, Prillance accepted. The current interaction was obviously not the usual.

It was strange that Roman took care of her, and that Prillance wasn’t mad at him for coming here with another partner.

“I see you came with someone else?”

Prillance bumped her glass against his and asked him in a voice that would be heard only by Roman. She drank the champagne, with a smile still hanging on her face.

“You already know but still ask.”

Roman’s mouth also had a calm smile.

“Didn’t you also come with someone else?”

“There is another man whom I have asked to be engaged with, so how could I?“

The two looked pretty friendly.

“I heard you took the walk that you couldn’t do last time.”

“…As always, you are still updated with my daily life.”

As she heard him talk about her recent activities, Prillance barely managed to straighten her face as it was about to harden by itself.

“I’m just living up to your expectations. Interest in yourself, wasn’t that what you wanted?”

He gave an unwavering face and response. Prillance gripped the champagne glass.

“Then please do one more thing that meets my expectations.”

Prillance handed over the glass of champagne she received from Roman to a servant passing by and politely raised the hem of her dress.

“Will you dance one song with me?”

Then she smiled beautifully and extended her hand toward Roman. People around her gasped. Usually, aristocratic dances were performed at the request of men. It was a virtue as an aristocrat woman to sit still and wait for the men’s invitation.

It wasn’t just the people around her who were surprised. She had always been reckless when it came to chasing him, but Prillance had never crossed societal norms before. Out of surprise, Roman, who was asked to dance by her, didn’t think to take her hand. Instead, he just kept looking at her gently bent, slightly unusual face.

“Are you going to shame a lady’s hand?”

Prillance asked once more as he showed no inclination of grasping her hand. She had no intention of stepping down. She had to unconditionally dance with Roman.

Roman, who looked bewildered for a moment, had no choice but to laugh out loud.

“It’ll be quite an honor.”

As Roman took Prillance’s hand, he thought Prillance had become quite amusing.

***

After receiving a note, Cecia left the crowded place, and went to the garden without thinking. However, it wasn’t before she arrived at the place, which was quite far from where the people gathered, that she realized this might have been a trap.

Holding her dress, her hurried pace changed into a cautious walk.

Prillance said she was just going to get a drink and come back. However, she did not show up even after some time had passed. Ver was about to move, thinking he should have gone instead of her, when he suddenly heard someone approaching.

“Is that you, Lady?”

However, neither did anyone pass by nor did Ver’s question get answered.

Cecia was staring at him.

It was her former fiancé, Ver Grant. The person she missed so much. The person she thought of every time she closed her eyes. He was here.

But even though she was happy to see him, she hid her body in the large tree in front of her. Even now, Cecia’s automatic reaction was to avoid him.

“You must never meet! Even if you cross paths, you need to pretend that you didn’t see him! Do you understand?”

That was what she had heard every day from her father, Ben, after her engagement with Ver was broken. It was a face she longed to see so much. But now that he was finally in front of her, her body reacted before her head.

And yet Ironically, even now she wanted him to come and find her.

Since they were young, Ver had always been good at seeking the hidden Cecia. Whenever they went to the market and she got lost, or whenever she sneaked out as they took a walk, when she looked back, he was always there.

Whenever she cried, he always used to guarantee he could find her anywhere. Surely, he will find her again this time.

‘Please, find me.’

Cecia closed her eyes and prayed. If Ver finds her, she will show him her happiest smile and throw herself in his arms.

Perhaps she’ll ask why he hasn’t come to visit her, crying like a child and whining in his arms. Then with a flustered face, he will wipe her tears and hold her in a strong embrace. Finally, he will kiss her forehead and tell her not to cry.

Since all the gardens here were part of the party venue, there was no guarantee that no one would come here. Hence, Ver thought it might have been a couple who was in search of a private place.

Eventually, he decided to move on and look for Prillance.

Ver’s footsteps gradually drew closer. But contrary to Cecia’s wishes, Ver soon receded into the distance.

In the end, he couldn’t find her.

Ever since their engagement was broken, he hadn’t visited her. Her body, full of tension, sank into despair.

‘Should I run? And then just embrace you from behind?’

When Cecia grasped the hem of her dress and tried to take one step forward, she was suddenly reminded of her father, Viscount Ben, and Roman who took care of her today.

Eventually, Cecia couldn’t take a single step.