/
“I need to take a look at you for a moment, will you come closer?”
Countess Millard smiled kindly, as if to tell me not to worry.
I nodded and followed her instructions. That moment.
Knock.
A knock was heard outside.
“Madam, the parts you mentioned are ready.”
Outside the door the servant called Countess Millard.
“Oh, things are not going well. I’ll have to look into it next time… Lady, are you going back to the mansion now?”
Countess Millard smiled perplexed.
“I don’t think you’ll be able to enjoy the party as it is, after what you’ve seen today, and above all else, the Marquis seems to avoid me, so I don’t think you will stay any longer.”
It was new information. Argen avoids Countess Millard? With this personality?
That’s why he didn’t want to come to the party today.
“The Marquis seems to have come to pick me up, so I think it will be difficult to enjoy the party.”
“Then I’ll send a letter to Evantes next time.”
If you do that, I’d be thankful.
“You said you had something to show at the party, but it’s a pity that I couldn’t see something important.”
At that moment a dark look appeared on the Countess’s face, but soon she smiled as gracefully as she had before.
“It was nothing. I was just trying to airlift expensive wines and have a tasting party.”
“I see.”
I got two sets of clothes from the Countess, not even able to check out the event the party host had organized. I was embarrassed to just go back.
After talking with the Countess, I left the room.
When I came out, Argen looked up and saw me.
‘Where’s Richard and why are you alone?’
I was relieved to see that one of my uncomfortable opponents was gone.
“What are you doing there?”
As I stared at Argen, standing still, he raised his eyebrows.
‘Are you asking me to come closer?’
I didn’t want to get too close to Argen, so I approached him with an unwilling feeling.
The Countess looked at us like that and smiled softly.
“You two look good together. Then I’ll leave.”
We don’t get along. She has bad eyesight.
The Countess looked at us, smiled softly, and led her maids away.
As the disturbances around him disappeared, Argen broke the silence as if he was waiting.
“You said you’d explain when you got back.”
“… Here?”
“Then?”
Argen spoke as if he had been waiting for that.
I sighed and said.
“So, what’s happened is….”
I started the story with Richard killing Young master Paello.
“It was not what the Marquis thought. So I lost my mind for a moment… .”
Richard hugged me and kissed me.
The more I spoke, the more strange it felt. I’m sure it’s unfair, but I’m starting to feel like I’m having an affair.
Maybe I wasn’t the only one who felt it, but Argen’s complexion darkened as well.
I coughed and turned away.
“It doesn’t matter now. He knows that I am Rosie.”
“Were the rumors of having a secret meeting with the paladin general in the Northern castle true?”
“What?”
What is this all of a sudden?
“Is that why you two were so close?”
“Is that possible? In the first place, I had a bad relationship with that person.”
Argen looked in disbelief.
“But Marquis, aren’t you surprised that he knows who I am?”
“I already guessed that.”
“You guessed it? how?”
“Well. The way he sees you…”
He wrinkled his brow rather than speaking.
“We should go back.”
What? Why don’t you even talk? It’s one of the ways to drive people crazy in the world.
“And in the future, you won’t have to work like this any more.”
“What? why?”
“When the Crown Princess returns, I will beg her to let me meet the savior.”
I opened my eyes wide at the words I didn’t know I could hear.
“You did this because you didn’t want to ask the Crown Princess. But why are you suddenly doing it?”
“I have changed my mind.”
Suddenly? why?
I wondered what the wind was blowing.
“That can wait. I have already made an appointment with the Countess Millard.”
“What?”
“That’s why I came to this party in the first place, right?”
Argen showed a dissatisfied look as if he had forgotten the purpose alone.
What’s the matter?
“If this doesn’t work, you can ask Her Highness”
I ignored Argen, who had a bad expression on his face, and walked ahead.
“Let’s go back. You’re not going?”
Argen sighed and followed me in slow steps.
*****
Count Millard’s last party was lavishly decorated.
Wine glasses stacked high like a pyramid, and when wine was poured from above, streams of water flowed down like a waterfall.
Because the chandelier lit the wine, it felt like a jewel with a unique color, and it was beautiful.
The nobles marveled at the sight.
So, the Countess’s party ended happily for everyone.
But even after the party was over, there was only one person with a dissatisfied face.
“This is different from the promise.”
It was Countess Millard.
A dark banquet hall where the party was over and the lights of the chandeliers went out.
The gentle smile everyone knew in Countess Millard’s face had disappeared, and the grumpy expression on her face appeared.
“The plan was messed up and it was difficult to get things right. Thanks to that, we wasted only expensive wine that was not planned.”
“……”
“Tell me something, Commander.”
The Countess Millard raised her voice and saw the man standing by the circular pillar supporting the banquet hall.
The man’s side face received the moonlight coming from the window, giving off a more holy atmosphere.
No one would be able to deny the beauty of his looks.
The holy atmosphere was like an angel sent by God, but the face that charmed people was like a devil.
“It wasn’t wine you were going to show the guests at the party today.”
“……”
“Why did the plans change?”
This party was designed to show the Countess Millard slaying a demon worshiper in front of everyone.
Richard and Countess Millard made some kind of deal.
She wanted to catch a demon worshiper and be recognized by a ‘savior’, so Richard decided to help.
At that time, Richard left such words meaningless.
“Don’t worry, madam. There is still plenty of time.”
“Don’t worry about it after you screwed up today? How can I trust you when you’ve been like this since our first day together?”
“Madam.”
She raised her voice, and Richard called out to her in a voice without pitch.
Unlike the Countess, his voice was not emotional, but there was a strong sense of intimidation that made the words incomprehensible.
“I understand, and I hope you won’t make any strange mistakes next time.”
“Of course.”
The man was a difficult person to understand.
The world praises a man as a god, but the Countess knew that Richard was not as good as rumor had it.
****
The next day after the Countess’ party, a letter came from her.
It was a formal request to meet.
An appointment was made for a time to meet
Seven o’clock in the evening a week later.
It was rare that the meeting time of the nobles was delayed even though it was not a dinner party.
However, the Countess was said to be in good spirits in the evening.
So the day of the appointment came.
“I see you again, Camilla.”
“… Why are you here?”
I arrive at the Millard residence on time, but the Countess I expected is not there.
“The Countess will be a little late due to circumstances.”
How do you know that?
“I’ll go inside and wait, okay. It was nice to meet you.”
He’s someone I don’t want to talk to.
As I turned to leave, Richard moved sideways and blocked me.
“Let’s talk for a moment.”
“Step aside.”
“Rosie.”
When the man called my name, I reflexively raised my head.
As if he liked it, Richard smiled brightly.
“You’re finally looking at me.”