Chapter 10

Six years have passed since Yuris went to the border.

(Today is finally the day of that fateful party...)

While having a younger maid prepare her, Aurelia was deep in thought.

Tonight is the anniversary of Aurelia's death in her past three lives.

For some reason, every time Aurelia was proposed to break off the engagement by Raul, she ended up dying on this very night.

(Well, the first time was suicide, but I really can't take being killed by collateral damage or accidents anymore...!)

Her main goal tonight is to get through it safely and see the morning.

...The reason being, there's a high probability that Yuris won't be at tonight's party.

(In my second life, Lord Yuris returned to the capital much earlier...)

I remember that by the time I was around sixteen, he had already returned to the capital and was busy with his womanizing.

Yet, he is still working at the border, two years later.

(Is he busy with work... or doesn't want to see me?)

Perhaps because she let out a bitter smile, the maid who was arranging Aurelia's hair looked up with concern.

"Miss, is there something troubling you?"

"No, I'm fine."

After telling the maid, Aurelia looked ahead.

This is her fourth time attending this party, and each time she wore a different dress.

The first time, when she was shy, she wore a simple light green dress.

The second time, when she was more sociable, she wore a vibrant rose-colored dress.

The third time, when she focused on her studies, she wore a clear light blue dress.

And this time, for her fourth attempt, Aurelia chose a pale yellow dress.

She won't be able to see Yuris tonight.

But by wearing a dress the same color as his hair, she hoped to feel a bit closer to him, almost like a wish.

(...Well, it's sad that the person I most want to see won't see me...)

She smiled and, after finishing her preparations, Aurelia was praised by her family as usual and got into the carriage to head to the venue.

(In the past, I was supposed to meet Lord Raul near the main entrance...)

And then, he would break off the engagement with her in front of another woman, and Aurelia would leave the venue without entering.

This time, she wanted to stay and chat with friends and enjoy the delicious food.

This time, Aurelia didn't bring her fiancé, so she brought a female relative as an escort. When she glanced at the usual meeting spot with Raul, no one was there.

The party venue was lavishly decorated, and the sounds of people chatting and the rustling of dresses tickled Aurelia's ears.

(In my second life, I liked this place...)

This time, she wasn't as actively social as in her second life, but she still enjoyed the lively atmosphere.

"Good evening, it's a lovely night, isn't it?"

"Oh, good evening, Lady Aurelia. Are you here alone tonight?"

"Yes, my fiancé, Lord Yuris, hasn't returned to the capital yet."

When she told this to a noble lady she knew, the lady covered her mouth with a fan and said, "Oh, that's right."

"But, Lady Aurelia, you must be happy. Lord Yuris Schneider's achievements are well-known in the capital."

"...Yes, I am proud of him."

Indeed, Yuris's accomplishments as a knight at the border were quite famous.

(In my second life, Lord Yuris was known for his womanizing, but I didn't hear much about his work as a knight...)

Still, it was a pleasant change for her fiancé to be doing well.

As she thought this, the host began the party. It seemed a famous orchestra had been invited, and the gentlemen and ladies were taking turns dancing.

"Miss, would you like to dance?"

The escort held a small card in her hand.

It was a dance reservation card, and popular young ladies would be invited to dance by various young gentlemen, using this card. Rejecting someone you didn't want to dance with by saying, "I'm already booked," with a graceful smile was a skill of a well-mannered young lady.

(...But, I'm not really invited to dance much... and if I do, I only want to dance with Lord Yuris.)

"I'll pass tonight. Lord Yuris isn't here... please find an excuse to decline for me."

"I see... it's a shame, but you are devoted to Lord Yuris, after all."

The escort, who was a married woman about five years older than Aurelia, put away the card with a sigh, respecting Aurelia's feelings.

(Dedicated... I'm not sure if that's the right word...)

After all, Aurelia didn't propose to Yuris out of pure romantic feelings.

Yuris probably thought she was a convenient choice to avoid a troublesome marriage, and their relationship wasn't as pure as the escort imagined.

While thinking this, Aurelia moved to the side to avoid getting in the way of the dancing couples, but then—

"...Excuse me, are you Lady Aurelia of the Pelle Viscount family?"

A voice she hadn't heard in a long time made Aurelia's spine tingle.

(This voice...)

The escort subtly moved Aurelia to the wall as a man approached with long strides.

Black hair, green eyes.

Unlike her previous three lives, this time she had hardly seen him at all—he was—

(Lord Raul...?)

"...Good evening, Lord Raul Gertner."

"Good evening, Lady Aurelia. ...Are you here alone?"

"Yes, my fiancé is absent today."

While smiling, Aurelia felt like clicking her tongue under her open fan.

(This time, I was supposed to have almost no contact with Lord Raul. So why now...?)

As she thought this, she remembered something.

Until her third life, Raul had a fiancée, but this time, she hadn't heard of him having one. Normally, engaged couples would dance together at the beginning of a party.

But he was alone... and approaching her on his own.

Raul smiled, a friendly expression she had rarely seen in her previous lives, and bowed.

"Is that so? I believe your fiancé is a knight stationed in the countryside."

"Yes, he is highly regarded, and I am proud of him."

"Is that so? However, no matter how excellent a knight he is, it's unacceptable to leave his fiancée alone in the capital."

(Ha, who are you to talk!)

Without a doubt, Raul had approached her because he had noticed her as a potential fiancée once the engagement talks came up.

He probably didn't have a fiancée. And in the kingdom, it was dishonorable for a man to not dance at all during a party.

So, he must have approached her, hoping to dance with her.

Aurelia felt annoyed, but her escort stepped forward.

"Excuse me, Lord Raul. Lady Aurelia plans to spend the evening alone tonight."

"That's a waste. For a beautiful woman like you to be alone..."

"...Please don't worry about Lady Aurelia. Lord Raul, you should invite other young ladies who enjoy dancing."

The escort warned him with a smile, but Raul smiled and shrugged.

"No, I would very much like to dance with Lady Aurelia. ...Would you dance with me?"

"I decline. I have no intention of dancing with any man other than Lord Yuris."

Thinking that the escort would just dodge any further attempts, Aurelia bluntly refused.

Raul, who didn't know about her changes, seemed quite surprised, blinking his eyes.

"I'm surprised. I thought you were a more demure lady. To reject me so bluntly, your fiancé must be having a hard time with you."

"That's not the case. ...Lord Yuris says he adores me even as I am, so I don't mind at all."

Annoyed by Raul's comments about Yuris, Aurelia shot back with a smile.

(...I came as a matter of etiquette, but since Lord Yuris isn't here, maybe I should just leave...)

She signaled to her escort, who nodded slightly.

"I'm sorry, Lord Raul. Lady Aurelia is about to leave the venue."

"What are you talking about? The party has just started."

"But, she has been unwell since this morning and came here despite feeling unwell. That's why..."

"Hey, are you trying to run away!?"

Normally, he would have backed off, but Raul, ignoring the escort's defense, reached out and grabbed Aurelia's wrist holding the fan.

(...What are you doing!?)

The escort called out in a low voice, but Raul pulled Aurelia's wrist without hiding his panic.

"Isn't that rude to me, a viscount? By avoiding me so openly, are you trying to embarrass me?"

(What kind of logic is that!?)

Aurelia gritted her teeth, almost tempted to slap him as she had in her third life, but she held back.

(Last time, it was just an extension of a lovers' quarrel, but this time, we're strangers, so I can't do that...)

The guests around them began to notice the commotion and looked over.

"Is that the Pelle Viscount's daughter and the Gertner Viscount?" "Why?" The whispers made her anxious. This could turn into a scandal, making her look like a woman who attracts other men despite having a fiancé.

A cold sweat trickled down Aurelia's back, and just then—