Chapter 21

Chapter 21

‘It’s so hard just to have a short conversation, man.…..’

Juliana thought over the booze.

She kept forgetting, this was a world where she was not the main character.

“Oh, my. It’s my fate.”

It was when she sighed with a frown.

“Juliana.”

“Argh!”

She nearly dropped the cocktail glass she had in her hand.

She knew who had come too close, although she didn’t look back. Juliana turned around and looked at him.

Sure enough.

The young nobleman Young-sik, who had stolen his mother’s handwriting and even used the Countess’s seal, blushed as he looked at her.

Juliana took a sip of her cocktail, staring at him, who was blushing like the boy whose first love stood before him. Her stomach was on fire and she felt like she was on the verge of death.

“You’re having a hard time finding a partner, aren’t you?”

Juliana took a step back, distancing herself from Young-sik, who was standing close enough that it seemed as if it was merely to show his courage.

Juliana spoke coldly with the intention of getting rid of him before the people’s gazes became more noticeable.

“Rick Young-sik-.”

“Do you remember my name?”

Young-sik’s round cheeks flushed more and more.

‘No. You didn’t know if I remembered your name or not?’

“I just heard from the Countess.”

Juliana said coldly. She didn’t stop drinking, and she spoke quite arrogantly.

“By the way, why don’t you go over there when there’s a lot of girls who haven’t found a partner yet?”

“My partner is…..”

‘You’re not gonna say that my partner’s here, are you?’

As if reading Juliana’s thoughts, Young-sik said the same thing after her thoughts.

“Here you are.”

“Hahaha.”

She coughed while drinking.

There were many followers, but it wasn’t the first time that anyone had spoken so openly.

‘…..no. Isn’t it the first time?’

Juliana turned around, coughing to cool off her head from all sorts of complicated thoughts.

Rick Young-sik followed her as if he was thinking of patting her on her back.

“It’s all right, Young-sik. So-.”

“Well, why don’t you call me more by my name?”

“…..what?”

Juliana turned around in a daze.

Like a person who would kneel and look at her with a bunch of roses, although there were no roses, Young-sik looked passionately with his sweaty cheeks.

Eventually, Juliana retorted sharply.

“Young-sik. Young-sik and I have nothing to do with each other. In addition, Young-sik, who stole his mother’s handwriting and sent me an invitation letter, probably won’t have any remorse. Who the hell do you think you are? I’m sure you think the Countess Elkelli’s honor and mine are insignificant.”

“Are you angry?”

Rick Young-sik did not back down or falter after hearing the blasphemous words.

He acted as if he knew everything about Juliana. Juliana noticed what type of man he was at once. There are certainly these types of followers. A person who loves and breaks up in his own head.

That’s-.

‘You’re crazy…..’

In the past, by the river, Juliana behaved just like usual. Rick Young-sik shows how tragic Juliana Auburn was and how much it worked.

He saw Juliana Auburn as a woman waiting to be saved. But this image was just an illusion. On the contrary, Juliana Auburn was a villain who liked to make fun of people like him.

‘There’s no way such a villain would like a fool like you.’

Juliana answered, biting her tongue.

“Why would I be angry with Young-sik?”

“Juliana. I wanted to see you again-, that’s what I’ve been thinking. I know I’ve done something mean. I sent you that invitation because I thought you wouldn’t come with the Duke. My mother, of course, was angry. But-.”

“But-, what? Why did you think I would come to the ball alone without my husband? Again, Young-sik insulted his mother, Countess Elkelli, and at the same time deceived me. Be ashamed of it. So let’s just end this here. I don’t want to talk to Young-sik anymore.”

“Is the Duke threatening you, Juliana? Is that why you’re doing this?”

“Young-sik!”

Juliana was startled.

With his gentle-looking face distorted, he stepped forward. And grabbed her by the wrist of the hand in which she was holding the cocktail.

Juliana squeezed the shaking cocktail tightly so as not to drop it. But it wasn’t enough. Whenever the sounds of a scuffling grew louder, people’s eyes turned to them.

Countess Elkelli, who was smiling while talking to people, froze.

And it was time for her to strode in order to put out the uproar before the people’s eyes gathered more. Young-sik, who was holding Juliana’s wrist, quickly let go.

To be exact, he was forced to let go and got hit. Evan Hilcheon was coming from behind her. As soon as his gaze fell on Young-sik’s wrist, and the two people came in contact, Young-sik felt a sharp pain.

“Ugh!”

As soon as Rick Young-sik let go, the cocktail shook and fell from Juliana’s hand.

Evan, who came in a flash, grabbed the cocktail. The glass wasn’t broken, but half of the cocktail inside spilled out and wet Evan’s hand. People roared and sneered.

‘Ah….’

Juliana turned red.

She would have been shameless if she had been in the past, but things were different now. She couldn’t do that at all.

On the other side, Rick Young-sik grabbed his half torn, ragged wrist. Blood was pooling around the sleeves of his long, thick jacket.

Rick Young-sik said, blushing. But he was also lowering his voice as if he had come to his senses.

“Duke!”

“Ah, Rick Young-sik. That’s why you shouldn’t grab a cocktail glass.”

“What are you talking about? The Duke just-!”

“Glass breaks easily. You’re strong. You’ve been hurt by the glass.”

“Rick!”

At that time, Countess Elkelli came rushing up, clutching at her skirt.

She made a fuss and scanned her son’s wrist. Evan hit him while people were looking at each other, saying, ‘Isn’t it a fight of passion?’.

“Juliana, are you alright? I heard that Rick Young-sik was trying to support you. Young-sik seems to be in a bad condition, so he can’t be able to support you.”

“I, I!”

“Rick!”

Countess Elkelli read Evan’s countenance and hit his rhythm.

She couldn’t bring down the honor of her son, who stole her handwriting and sent the invitation to the Duchess because he wanted to see Juliana again.

Fortunately, Duke Hilcheon’s intentions were the same. He didn’t seem to want to get the Duchess involved in a scandalous rumor.

Countess Elkelli barely spoke, looking at the Duke’s arrogant cold-hearted gaze.

“He’s too young to tell the difference. The Duke is here, and he wants to help the Duchess. What rudeness is that? Now Rick, apologize to these people.”

“Mother!”

“Rick! Be quiet!”

Rick gritted his teeth as if she were dealing with a little child.

Rick stared at the Duke who attacked him. In the meantime, blood was soaking in the already moist thick black jacket.

He looked around naturally.

With a frank heart, he tried to find someone who would side with him. But people were just eavesdropping on their conversations and exchanging glances at each other.

“It looks like it’s not a fight of passion this time.”

“I know Rick Young-sik is young, but I didn’t expect him to be so stubborn.”

“I don’t know. And the Great Duchess-.”

At the whispers from all around her, Juliana bowed her head with a new reddish face.

She felt such a shame and misery.

Everything was so real.

Juliana fixed her trembling gaze downward. Then, in the midst of the people’s murmurs, she found bloodstains at the feet of Rick Young-sik.

‘…..No way!’

“You’ll apologize next time.”

Embracing her shoulder, Evan smiled, raising the corners of his mouth. And he lowered his voice so that only they could hear him.

“Countess Elkelli. You have to work hard on your son’s education. Next time, the glass may cut deep into the artery.”

At the end of his elegant speech, Evan shook off his right hand wet from the cocktail. And with his dry left hand, he supported Juliana and led her out.

Juliana looked back with a puzzled glance. Apparently, half of the glass that was intact before he grabbed it was shattered and thrown at the table.

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Translator –