Chapter 67

In the darkness, Isabella's eyes, which had been shining, caught sight of another glittering object.

In the place where the main characters had all left, a fleur-de-lis bracelet adorned with a red ruby and a green topaz lay on the ground. Isabella looked around and nimbly ran to pick up the bracelet. Then she hid herself back in the garden. It was something she had desperately wanted, and she never thought it would fall into her hands like this. She considered that she might be questioned later about why she had the bracelet, but decided to think about that later. After all, there was a precious jewel right in front of her. Isabella was not the kind of person who would leave such a thing behind.

‘What strange luck.’

Isabella stroked the bracelet with her hand. As expected, the object she had picked up was not in perfect condition. The six prongs that held the central red ruby in place were loose, perhaps damaged when it fell. Instinctively, Isabella raised her thumb and pressed the red ruby firmly. However, the ruby, unable to withstand the pressure from Isabella's finger, popped out of its setting.

“Oh!”

Isabella, startled, quickly picked up the ruby that had fallen to the ground and carefully placed it in her handbag along with the bracelet.

“...How frustrating.”

Once the bracelet was broken, her mood suddenly turned sour. Until then, she had thought that picking up the bracelet was a stroke of good luck and was on her way back to the ballroom. But as she walked alone in the garden, away from the secluded queen's palace, a surge of anger rose within her.

‘To think I would consider finding a broken bracelet as good luck! When did I, Isabella de Mare, become so petty?’

The prince's attention was something Isabella had always dreamed of. Her greatest wish in life was to become the crown princess. She had not been idle in her efforts. She had always carried the handkerchief of Prince Alfonso, which she had obtained through Ariadne, in her bosom, hoping to somehow connect with the prince. But her half-sister, who was a country bumpkin and not even pretty, had taken everything away. Not only the prince, but even the attention of Count Cesar, which had originally belonged to her, was now in her sister's grasp! If this was what good luck looked like, it was a far cry from what she deserved!

‘That proposal from Count Cesar was originally mine!’

Although Count Cesar had never formally sent a letter to Isabella, he had frequently mentioned the possibility of marriage to her father, Cardinal de Mare. This was not just a matter of Isabella's wishful thinking; the talks had become more concrete and the tone more serious, which was why the de Mare family had hastily brought Ariadne from the Bergamo farm. The moment Count Cesar's courtship ended was undoubtedly after or around the time of Ariadne's debutante ball.

As this thought crossed her mind, Isabella felt a strong surge of anger rising from deep within her heart. When she first realized that the prince was interested in Ariadne at the debutante ball, she was initially taken aback, and only then did she feel hurt.

‘Did I... really like Count Cesar that much?’

After a moment's consideration, Isabella shook her head. This was not so much a matter of affection for Count Cesar as it was a sense of loss over something she had once possessed. The prince was a nice-to-have, but losing Count Cesar, who had been hers, was a different story. Uncontrollable anger burned within her like a raging fire.

‘Damn Ariadne...!’

When someone else gains something she never had, it is merely a bit disappointing. If it goes a step further, one might admire or envy the other person. But when someone takes away what is hers, it is a declaration of war. People tend to remember the loss of their possessions longer than the death of their father. (Gli uomini dimenticano piuttosto la morte del padre che la perdita del patrimonio.)

‘Everything was fine without her! What makes her think she can act so superior?’

Isabella made up her mind. She would win back Count Cesar. She resolved to regain his attention. She enjoyed the power to control others, which was why she wanted Prince Alfonso, who was of a higher status than Cesar. But now, the chiseled features, deep blue eyes, and charming attitude of Cesar, along with his ability to influence the social scene, were making her incredibly envious.

‘After all, Count Cesar, despite having no chance of inheriting the throne, has no other shortcomings, does he?’

His bloodline was half undeniably noble, and he was financially very wealthy. Moreover, his presence and influence in society were more than enough to move others. Isabella did not particularly want military power, tax collection rights, or the authority to levy taxes. She simply did not want to be ignored, did not want to be in a room where someone better than her was present, and wanted the ability to ignore others and vent her frustrations when she felt like it.

‘Count Cesar... he’s just right for me, isn’t he?’

It was possible. She just needed to regain the attention of a man who had once been hers. And that half-sister, who was clueless about the situation, needed to be taught a lesson.

‘Ariadne, I won’t let you off!’

* * *

Ariadne and Alfonso walked through the maze-like garden in an awkward silence. Ariadne strode ahead quickly, but she had no destination in mind. She was simply wandering around the garden. Alfonso noticed that Ariadne was not heading anywhere in particular but followed her patiently, three steps behind.

“Ari...!”

After a long walk, Alfonso, unable to bear the tense silence, broke the quiet.

“Larissa is the second daughter of the Duke of Oudre. As Cesar said, she visited San Carlo as part of a political marriage arrangement.”

Ariadne, who had turned around, did not respond. A hellish silence ensued. But Alfonso, undeterred, mustered the courage to call her name again.

“Ari.”

The girl, who had her back turned, did not move. On the surface, Ariadne appeared calm, but inside, a storm of uncontrolled emotions was raging.

‘“Larissa”...!’

Ariadne felt a strong surge of jealousy when she realized that Alfonso had called the political marriage candidate “Larissa” rather than “Duchess Larissa” or even “Princess Larissa.”

She bit her lip in confusion. Why should I feel this way? It’s entirely possible.

‘Emotions are a luxury, emotions are a luxury.’

Ariadne repeated this to herself. She would not love anyone. In her past life, her love for Cesar had become a shackle that consumed her life. She would not make the same mistake in this life. Prince Alfonso was merely a tool. She would not love him or dedicate herself to him. She had no room for such indulgences. Survival was her only priority; everything else was secondary.

“Alfonso.”

Ariadne’s response made Alfonso straighten up.

“Yes, go on. I’m listening.”

He hesitated for a moment, then added, despite his caution:

“Are you angry because I didn’t tell you about Princess Larissa beforehand...?”

Acknowledging and admitting that his actions might have caused someone else discomfort required a great deal of courage. Alfonso was taking a bold step forward in their relationship. However, Ariadne, who was hiding behind a mask to protect herself, misinterpreted his courage as cowardly pretense.

“Alfonso, why would I get angry over something like that? We’re good friends, aren’t we?”

Ariadne turned around to face Alfonso, but her enamel mask hid her expression. She responded in the most neutral voice she could muster.

“Congratulations on the engagement talks with a fine lady. You’ll be the Duke of Valois’ son-in-law.”

Alfonso was left speechless. He wanted to tell her: Princess Larissa is a bit strange, do you know what she did today? I don’t really want to marry her. If you knew her personality, even the king and queen might reconsider this royal marriage.

But her sharp, defensive stance was pushing him away. Was my affection, my thoughts, just mine? Did I imagine that we were looking at the same thing? Do you not see me?

For the first time in his life, someone special to him was telling him that he was not special to her. Alfonso had always been in the opposite situation. With his good looks, gentle personality, outstanding achievements, and noble status, he was the so-called “golden prince.” People he didn’t even know called out his name, sought his attention, and desired his affection. Some even crossed the line. On the other hand, his kindness, no matter how small, had never been rejected.

So Alfonso had never even imagined a situation like this. He simply stared at her, speechless. Was the virtue in this moment to step back and respect her wishes, or...

Alfonso clenched his fists.

* * *

The more Isabella thought, the more her anger grew. Something was definitely wrong. Ariadne must be using some underhanded tactics.

How could it be that Ariadne, who was enjoying all the attention, was fine, while she, Isabella, was happy with just a bracelet? It was impossible.

“That cunning girl must be up to something!”

Did she resort to physical seduction? It must have been that. Ariadne had nothing to offer but her figure, and there was no other explanation for this abnormal situation.

‘How can Alfonso and Count Cesar, who show no interest in me, who am so beautiful and cute, be so infatuated with the plain Ariadne?’

It was impossible in a fair competition. There must be some unknown plot that Isabella was unaware of.

Isabella was also angry with herself for picking up a bracelet that she had lost and didn’t even realize was gone. Should she break it and throw it away...?

Just then,

- “Ah! Ah!”

- “Mm, stay still.”

Strange, sticky moans reached Isabella’s ears. They were the voices of a man and a woman.

‘What is this?’

Isabella quietly approached the source of the sound. It was a strange day, full of discoveries. In a clearing, hidden by the bushes, there was a small bench. On it, a man and a woman were entangled, the woman’s pale skin visible, and the man about to penetrate her.

‘Oh!’

Isabella covered her mouth. It wasn’t just because the man and woman were in an intimate position. The woman was partially hidden by the man and a mask, but the man, who was hurriedly trying to pull off his clothes, was unmistakably the Duke of Campa.

‘Is there really a woman who would play around with the Duke of Campa?’

While Cesar de Como was known as a “bad boy” in San Carlo, the Duke of Campa, in his late thirties, was known as a “terrible person.”

He was the only heir to the wealthy Campa family and married a virtuous and faithful noble lady as soon as he inherited the family. However, his wife, who was known for her purity and faithfulness, died less than a year after their marriage. Rumors about the cause of her death circulated.

Despite this, the Campa family could not leave the position of mistress vacant without an heir, so the Duke of Campa soon began looking for a new wife. During the engagement talks, an incident occurred at a grand mass where the Duke of Campa molested a young noble girl sitting next to him. The girl was a debutante.

This led to a duel request from the girl’s father, the Duke of Rinaldi, who was a skilled swordsman. The Duke of Campa avoided the duel by paying a large sum of money to the Duke of Rinaldi, enough to buy a luxurious mansion in San Carlo.

As a result, the Duke of Campa’s