Chapter 66

Alfonso smiled and placed his hand against Ariadne's palm to compare their sizes.

"With such small hands, it would be impossible to pick grapes, right? You could only pick one at a time?"

Ariadne lifted her palm, changing the reference point from the base of her palm connected to her wrist to the tips of her fingers.

"Look at it this way, they’re not that small! And it’s not that my hands are small, it’s that yours are big!"

The two were lost in their own sweet world when a man approached and abruptly grabbed Ariadne’s wrist.

"......!"

Ariadne froze like a deer, and Alfonso instinctively stepped between her and the man. The stranger’s hand tightly gripped Ariadne’s wrist, where her bracelet was, causing it to dig into her skin. Almost simultaneously, Alfonso’s large hand grabbed the man’s arm, who was dressed as a ‘plague doctor’.

"Whoever you are, let go of her hand."

The ‘plague doctor’ felt the strength in Alfonso’s grip and the pressure on his forearm, making his hand lose its strength. He gritted his teeth and released Ariadne’s wrist. As Ariadne took a step back, the ‘plague doctor’ finally lifted his mask to reveal his face.

"Count de Como!"

"Count de Como, indeed."

Cesare glanced at Alfonso and sneered.

"Our noble little sun of the kingdom, are you revealing your true identity even on the day of the masquerade ball? Why don’t you just shout that you’re a prince?"

Alfonso was wearing a bauta mask that revealed half his face and a costume so elegant that anyone would recognize him as a prince.

"Since it’s the masquerade ball, you won’t force the rustic etiquette for royalty, will you?"

Prince Alfonso coldly ignored the mocking Cesare, busy checking on the startled Ariadne. Instead, the freed Ariadne confronted Cesare.

"Count de Como! What are you doing?"

"I came to save you. The one who should let go is Prince Alfonso."

"What do you mean?"

Ariadne, almost leaning against Alfonso, asked. Cesare, looking at Alfonso, sneered deeply.

"‘Prince of Gold,’ where did you leave the Grand Duchess Larissa to come here and seduce an innocent maiden?"

Prince Alfonso was momentarily speechless and stiffened. His hand, which had been on Ariadne’s shoulder, lifted slightly.

"Don’t drive a nail into the poor Etruscan lady’s heart. Let go of her now and go find your noble foreign grand duchess."

While Alfonso was speechless, Cesare turned back to Ariadne.

"Little lady, leave that milk-scented boy and come with me."

This time, instead of forcibly grabbing her wrist, he extended his hand. His right hand, always wearing a deer leather glove, hovered in the air, waiting for Ariadne. Ariadne, instead of taking his hand, calmly responded.

"Is Grand Duchess Larissa a state guest from the Grand Duchy of Valois?"

Cesare looked at Alfonso, bewildered.

"Didn’t you even tell her who the state guest is?"

Alfonso’s face turned bright red. He thought he had carefully considered every step of this matter to avoid any issues. He hadn’t lied or crossed any lines. However, it was undeniable that he hadn’t told Ariadne who the state guest was or why she was looking for San Carlo. He just didn’t think it was necessary to go into such detail. But Alfonso and Ariadne usually shared everything, no matter how trivial.

Why did I hide it? But Ariadne calmly turned to Alfonso and said,

"If she’s such an important person, it’s only natural to go find her. I’ll help too."

Cesare, who expected Ariadne to be jealous and angry, was the one who was flustered.

"Miss!"

He took another step toward Ariadne.

"Aren’t you upset? That guy can’t see you! He’s currently in marriage talks with the Grand Duchy of Gallico! He’s going to shake your heart, marry a foreign ruler’s daughter, and leave you! You’re being used!"

Cesare expected a reaction this time, but Ariadne didn’t flinch. Instead, she sternly said to Cesare,

"Count Cesare, there seems to be a misunderstanding. Prince Alfonso and I have no relationship."

Alfonso, standing beside her, was more surprised than Cesare.

"I’ve never received a proposal, and we’ve never met privately out of personal interest."

It was true that he had never received a proposal, but had they ever met without personal interest? He had never done so. Reflecting on his conscience, it was always nine parts selfishness and one part duty. Was it different for her?

"Please don’t taint a good friendship with baseless suspicions."

Alfonso swallowed hard. Friendship, yes, friendship. Was that what she saw in him? He hadn’t thought of their relationship as a friendship. At first, maybe, but not anymore.

But do I have the right to ask for more from her? Bound by duty, what can I offer her?

Ariadne continued,

"And you, what right do you have to interfere in my private life, which has nothing to do with you?"

Alfonso had many things to protect, but Cesare was a free man. Alfonso had his country, his people, and his mother, but Cesare had nothing so pressing.

So he could impulsively shout,

"Consider me your suitor. I can propose to you, damn it. I will, if you want me to!"

The declaration surprised Alfonso the most, but Cesare himself seemed surprised by his own words. Having said it, Cesare took another step toward Ariadne.

"I’ll send a proposal. I’ll send it to Cardinal de Mare tomorrow morning. So now, get away from that guy. I can’t stand to see it."

Count Cesare had proposed to many women throughout his life. Often on the first day he met them, whether they were commoners, foreigners, or married women. This reputation as a womanizer only made his proposals more effective. Women were delighted by the mere fact that the word ‘marriage’ came from the mouth of this womanizer, regardless of the reality of marrying him, and they opened their hearts wide. This often led them straight to his bed. But this was the most concrete proposal he had ever made, and the one with the highest chance of becoming a real marriage. Their statuses matched, their ages were appropriate, and most importantly, Cesare’s willingness to fulfill his promise was higher than ever. However, this was also the most coldly rejected proposal he had ever made.

"Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah!"

The maiden who received the proposal laughed maniacally at an old fountain in a secluded garden. She couldn’t control her laughter and tried to wipe away the tears that streamed down her face, but her mask got in the way.

"Don’t say things you don’t mean, Count Cesare."

She took a step back, looking at Cesare through her mask. Cesare was confused.

He couldn’t gauge what expression she was making behind her white mask. The terrifying blankness of the volto mask stimulated his fear.

"I know your heart is lighter than a reed. Don’t tie yourself to someone like me; live freely."

Ariadne thought this life was dramatically different from her previous one. She was running from an engagement with Cesare as if avoiding a plague, yet here he was, boldly proposing to her. What a cruel twist of fate!

If he had done this in her previous life, she would have been overjoyed and done everything she could for him. But not now. She believed that while the arrangement of events could change, human nature could not. And here stood Cesare, who didn’t know about her previous life, fuming at the comment about his heart being lighter than a reed.

"What? I’m light? Heartless? Miss, you don’t know me well enough."

Even in the midst of this, he added a sly remark.

"And what’s wrong with you being my bride? You’re perfect."

Alfonso, watching this scene, felt a surge of anger toward Cesare. It was true that he was in marriage talks with the Grand Duchess of Valois, but it was still just talks.

He wasn’t engaged, and he didn’t have other women like the scoundrel in front of him.

Alfonso was always composed. He was taught that it was despicable to discuss a man’s private matters in front of a lady. But whenever Ariadne was involved, he lost all the education he had received, or rather, his naturally cautious nature.

"Count de Como, shut your dirty mouth. While you accuse me of using Ariadne, have you ever reflected on your own behavior? Do you have the right to propose to a noble lady?"

Alfonso blocked Cesare with his body, shielding Ariadne from his view. Alfonso was transitioning from a boy to a full-fledged young man. His tall stature and broad shoulders gave him a commanding presence.

"Stop flirting with ladies like it’s a game. Your scandals have reached the palace. Is the matter with Mrs. Ragusa settled?"

Not the miller’s wife who sent the resentful letter, but the commoner widow he had played with before her. Cesare flared up when the name of a woman he had settled with over six months ago was mentioned.

"Why bring up old matters here? It’s all in the past!"

Cesare, forgetting his manners, shot back. But Alfonso’s attack was sharp. Not because of his eloquence, but because Cesare’s behavior was too easy to attack.

"To make such a loud fuss and then call it the past? Have you ever taken responsibility for anything in your life? It’s only natural that your father doesn’t acknowledge you! What kind of trouble would he get into if he did?"

"Damn you...!"

Cesare raised his fist but couldn’t bring himself to hit Alfonso. He wasn’t crazy enough to hit the prince in the palace. The one who ended the conflict was Ariadne.

"Enough!"

She looked up at Alfonso.

"Let’s go. We need to find the Grand Duchess of Valois. I’ll help."

When Alfonso didn’t respond, she pulled his sleeve and led him away from the fountain. Sometimes, out of pride, people do foolish things even when they know better. It was best to separate them. Alfonso wasn’t the type to stubbornly insist on his way when a woman was right. He silently followed Ariadne’s lead and left.

Ariadne led Alfonso away, leaving Cesare alone by the fountain. Fuming with anger, he kicked a stone on the ground.

"Damn!"

The stone hit the fountain and bounced off loudly. He kicked the fountain a few more times, shaking with rage. He couldn’t pinpoint what was most infuriating.

The rejected proposal? The fact that the woman left with Prince Alfonso? The criticism from Alfonso?

But the fuming Cesare eventually left the garden. In the darkness, Isabella, who had been watching everything with shining eyes, remained.