While preparing for the party, time passed quickly. Selfius told me not to attend the party because I wasn’t feeling well and to rest in the bedroom. I thought he would throw a tantrum and insist on coming to the party, but surprisingly, he agreed to rest without any fuss.
‘He must be really unwell.’
The charity party, held for a good cause, was well-attended. The Great Hall was packed.
“I never thought a party would be held at my mansion.”
Terdeo, dressed elegantly, muttered in surprise as he looked around the crowded hall.
“Even those who weren’t invited said they wanted to attend because it was for a good cause. Since it wasn’t a secret party, we welcomed everyone.”
“Is the donation collected through an auction?”
“Yes. We’ll auction off the cherished items people brought, and the money raised, along with part of my inheritance, will be donated.”
After a brief remark, I looked around the hall.
“The Adieu Plan. Honestly, I didn’t expect my reputation to improve this much.”
Crack. Terdeo’s thick eyebrows arched sharply. He seemed to be holding back what he wanted to say.
“How many days are left until the trial?”
“Five days now.”
“Public opinion has completely turned in your favor.”
Terdeo tilted his head with a lazy attitude as he looked around the bustling hall.
“I don’t like admitting it, but it was a good plan.”
Despite his words, his voice was tinged with dissatisfaction. Just as I was about to burst into laughter, the music signaling the start of the party began.
“Should we dance?”
“Normally, the hosts should lead the dance.”
“I never thought I’d be dancing with a woman at a party.”
Terdeo, who had never been seen dancing before the regression or after, extended his hand to me. I gently placed my hand in his and laughed playfully. As we descended the stairs, I could feel the attention of the gathered crowd. The moment we stood in the center of the hall, Terdeo roughly grabbed my waist and pulled me into his embrace.
“You can check for yourself if I can dance.”
His smile was handsome, but his breath, which felt hot against my skin, made me tense. I started to dance, gliding as if in a trance. I was confident in my dancing skills, having practiced a lot with Sif before the regression, but something felt off. The large hand on my waist, the face so close to mine, and my rapidly beating heart were all too distracting.
‘Was it always like this when I danced with Sif?’
It felt completely different. My nerves were scattered, and I struggled to keep up. As our breaths intertwined, my body stiffened with tension. The hem of my dress fluttered elegantly like rippling waves. Terdeo danced exceptionally well, despite my distraction.
“You dance very well.”
“Maybe you’re more nervous than I am.”
Terdeo whispered in a low, playful voice that only I could hear. It sounded good.
“To ease your tension, I’ll tell you a story you’ll like.”
Terdeo pulled me even closer, leaving no space between us. I couldn’t help but take a short, sharp breath.
“The man we talked to this morning.”
“...?”
The man we talked to this morning? I recalled our conversation.
“...Are you talking about Sif?”
“Yes. That common knight. When he saw me today, his face turned pale. It seems he didn’t know I was the chief organizer.”
Terdeo sneered coldly. His hot breath touched my hair as he laughed.
“I gave him special treatment.”
“Special treatment?”
“I gave him the opportunity to spar with me. He’s probably busy treating his sprained ankles and wrists right now.”
Anyone who saw him would call him a devil. But I knew all his actions were for my benefit.
“I plan to break his bones cleanly after he recovers and returns to training. If he comes back again, I’ll damage his spine.”
Terdeo muttered seriously, his face expressionless. Strangely, his seriousness made me smile.
“Your reputation might get even worse, though.”
“My reputation is already a mess. Adding one more won’t make a difference. Besides, I don’t care about rumors, and if people stay away because of them, it’s better for me.”
I leaned my forehead against his broad chest, a smile on my lips. His body stiffened at the sudden contact. Terdeo’s heart was beating rapidly and loudly.
“Thank you.”
“Compared to what you’ve done for the Laphéon family, it’s nothing.”
With that, the first song ended. Even though the music had stopped, we didn’t pull away from each other, as if time had frozen. The commotion around us snapped me back to reality. I lifted my head from Terdeo’s chest.
“Your Highness, the Duchess. You and His Highness the Duke look so well together.”
“I’ve never seen His Highness dance with anyone before.”
“You two are truly the best couple in our empire.”
“It’s an honor to attend such a wonderful charity party.”
I stared at where Terdeo had disappeared for a while before turning to the people around me.
“Thank you for saying my husband and I look good together.”
I usually ignored such comments, but today, this social interaction was the goal. I answered with all my effort and mingled with the crowd. *** The party was in full swing. The food we prepared received high praise, and the auction was a success. With so many people attending, the items brought for the auction were quite impressive. Rare accessories by famous designers, or the final works of famous painters now impossible to find, and precious jewels from the ancient royal family of a neighboring empire. There were all sorts of unique items that couldn’t be found anywhere else. People naturally got excited, and the amount of donations collected was enormous. Adding my inherited wealth made it even more significant. I could already picture Selfius bringing me a newspaper with my knight on the front page tomorrow morning.
‘But is Selfius okay?’
Since the purpose of the party was achieved, could I go see Selfius now? As I was about to move, Rebecca approached me with a worried expression.
“Your Highness, Duchess! Oh, is something wrong? Everyone is praising this charity party, so why do you look so troubled?”
“Rebecca.”
“Do you need anything? Just tell me!”
“I was about to leave for a moment. Could you cover for me if anyone asks?”
“Leave? Where are you going? Are you feeling unwell? I’ll bring you some medicine!”
Rebecca looked ready to rush off immediately.
“No, not me. Selfius seemed unwell this morning, as if he had a stomachache.”
“Oh, Master Selfius?”
Rebecca covered her mouth in surprise and looked around.
“I haven’t seen Master Selfius today. He’s not at the party.”
“Yes, he said he was resting because he wasn’t feeling well. Since the purpose of this party is over, I thought I’d go check on him.”
“If that’s the case, I’ll go check on Master Selfius!”
“Rebecca, you?”
I widened my eyes in surprise, and Rebecca lightly tapped her chest as if to say, “Leave it to me.”
“You are the host of this party, Your Highness. It’s not good to leave. I’ll go check on Master Selfius and come back. If he’s really unwell, you can go see him then.”
“But I feel bad asking you to do that.”
“Your Highness, you’re so kind! I’m a maid here to assist you.”
Rebecca laughed lightly and put down her champagne glass.
“Thank you, Rebecca.”
“I’ll be right back!”
Rebecca waved and left. With Rebecca going, my worries melted away like snow.
‘I’m lucky to have Rebecca.’
I sighed in relief, brushing my hand over my chest. Just then, a confident voice called out from below.
“Your Highness, Duchess.”
I turned my head and saw a young girl standing there, slightly taller than Selfius.
‘Is she calling me?’
I looked around, but I couldn’t see her parents.
“Did you call me?”
“I greet Your Highness, Duchess.”
Despite her young voice, her tone was mature. The girl, who was dressed beautifully, introduced herself with a proper bow.
“I am Mariam React, the adopted daughter of the React Viscount.”
“You were adopted by the Viscount from another empire two years ago, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Is there something you want to tell me?”
“First, isn’t Selfius attending today’s party?”
Selfius? My eyes widened at the mention of his name by Mariam.
“You know Selfius?”
She said she had something to tell me... Could it be!
‘Selfius’s lover?’
My heart raced. However, Mariam’s voice remained flat and emotionless.
“We attend the same academy and take the same classes. That’s all.”
Did my anticipation show on my face? Mariam clearly defined her relationship with Selfius.
“Selfius couldn’t attend the party today because he’s unwell.”
“H, unwell?”
Mariam snorted and rolled her eyes, a gesture that didn’t fit her age.
“I’m leaving this empire soon to return to where I originally came from. I have some things to do before I go.”
Mariam turned her head as if she was disgusted, and her gaze lingered on a spot.
“...?”
I followed her gaze and saw three young noblemen of Selfius’s age gathered, chatting happily.
‘Why is she looking at them?’
“Hasn’t Selfius been acting strange lately?”
“Strange?”
“Think about it. He must have been acting strange.”
Mariam’s voice was full of certainty. Suddenly, my heart sank.
“Don’t tell me.”
Mariam narrowed her eyes and frowned as she looked at me.
“You didn’t know Selfius was acting strange?”
“What’s wrong with Selfius?”
We attend the same academy, she said.
‘Could it be...’
Did someone discover Selfius’s curse? Or did he prick himself with the earring and bleed again, despite my warning? In a few seconds, the worst scenarios unfolded in my mind.
“At the academy, Selfius...”
“...”
“What happened?”
I swallowed hard. Mariam pressed her lips together and stared at me for a long time. Just as I was about to urge her to speak, she bowed her head and began.
“I didn’t want to get involved in this. If I cause unnecessary trouble, I won’t be able to return to where I came from. So, I ignored it until now. After all, I’m in the same boat.”
“What do you mean...?”
“But I wanted to help Selfius. He reminds me of a friend I had at the orphanage.”
Mariam lifted her head. Her face, though young, was filled with determination and resolve.
“Selfius. The reason he didn’t come to the academy today or attend this party isn’t because he’s unwell.”
What does she mean?
“To put it bluntly.”
Mariam turned her head again, looking at the same spot.