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Chapter 92. Bait (9)
As Elusiana’s footsteps sounded further, Aster took out the lisianthus necklace sticking out of his shit pocket.
“Huu, I almost got caught.”
Thinking that he should be more careful in the future, he carefully kept the lisianthus necklace and put it in his pocket.
“Anyway, I’m in trouble.”
Two people who he didn’t want them to meet, now had already met each other. He even sent a letter to give her a vacation so she wouldn’t meet Genoyer. Still, it became meaningless because she went to work even before checking the letter.
Looking at him pretending to be friendly, he seems to have noticed something already. He just hoped it was just a guess, but that was nothing more than wishful thinking.
“Come to think of it, that b*stard a little while ago. Did he put his hand on Lusi’s shoulder? Whose body does that b*stard dare touch?”
Aster, who jumped up from the bed, couldn’t hold back his anger and released his killing intent. Soon, his aura slowly spread out and filled the room, and after a while, things around him began to explode one by one.
* * *
Elusiana, struggling to keep her feet from falling, headed straight home. When she arrived at home, she saw the silhouette she had become accustomed to. But Elusiana ignored that person neatly.
“Elusiana! Elusiana Lottie Waieos! It’s tonight. Please come with me!”
Elusiana quickly moved to the annex of the mansion, with Eirin desperate shouts echoing in her ears. The unmanaged grass mingled with weeds and tangled at the hem of her dress. It was a mess, just like her chaotic head.
“…I’ll wait for you. I will… wait for you… to come. Please…”
Elusiana burst open the annex door, where she had just arrived. She went inside without looking back. Bang!
“Sigh.”
Only then did the voice that had been bothering her fade away. She was already not feeling fine, but when Eirin’s request, which was close to a threat, was added, her heart became very heavy.
* * *
As the early evening passed and the moon rose, it became a complete night. Eirin, fully dressed, had already been standing in front of the Waieos Mansion for hours.
“…Elusiana.”
How much did she shout for her voice to become hoarse? But she couldn’t delay any longer.
“I have to tell Lady Camilla about the situation right now.”
Now that it became impossible to take Elusiana, she had no choice but to beg for Camilla’s mercy once again.
Eirin bit her chapped lips and hurriedly climbed into the carriage.  Her resentful gaze was on the Waieos Mansion for a while.
* * *
The splendid chandelier and the music that flowed gently beneath it. The tables at the edge of the hall were filled with various snacks and drinks. The laughter of nobles who were busy building friendships didn’t stop at the wide and soft sofa in front of it. And in the middle of the empty place, men and women were dancing in pairs.
The red-haired woman, who was looking at them with languid eyes, groaned as if she were talking to herself. “Can you go out like this?”
“Are you saying I should be hiding?”
Camilla answered as her red lips curled seductively. “Only a few days ago, you sneaked in like a stray cat.”
Genoyer, who wrinkled his forehead slightly, laughed. “It was for you, Camilla. You must have misunderstood my consideration.”
“Ah, was that so?”
“Did you really want to have an affair with me? I’m sorry, Camilla. I don’t want to get entangled with Lord Noel. His sword is quite sharp.”
Her mouth was smiling, but Camilla’s eyes were sharper than before. She was persistent in digging into Genoyer’s inner thoughts. But soon, she clicked her tongue short and bent her eyes gently.
“Well, okay. I’ll pretend to be deceived. Yes, such consideration is not so bad.”
“…So, why can’t I still see the lady who you said was coming?”
“You pretended you weren’t interested. I guess you secretly care about it.”
Camilla, who picked up a bottle of green-tinted champagne from the tray of a servant passing by her, frowned her eyebrows as if to hold back her laughter.
It was then. Just in time, Camilla, facing the hall entrance, saw a woman looking around. “Ah, there she is.”
“Where?”
Genoyer, who turned his head toward the hall entrance at Camilla’s glance, tilted his head. “No way. Do you mean the woman in that light blue dress?”
“That’s right.”
Genoyer narrowed his eyes at the firm answer as if he had nothing more to think about. It’s someone else. Then, where is the woman called Elusiana that I saw during the day? Is she simply just a maid?
He thought that the woman he had seen at the Grand Duchy Sestein was the ‘woman the Grand Duke interested in’ as Camilla had said. He had already confirmed Aster’s reaction too. But that’s the woman that Aster really cares about?
“Umm, but why did she come alone? I definitely told her to come with that person.”
Only then could Genoyer guess how the current situation was going at Camilla’s words, which were reciting low as if she were muttering.
“Why? Did you ask her to come with someone?”
“The woman you are curious about. She’s supposed to bring her.”
“You mean Elusiana?”
“You, how did you know your name?”
Camilla told Genoyer that her target was the Grand Duke’s maid, but she never mentioned her name. Her eyes flashed with surprise and interest. But before she knew it, she had no choice but to turn her attention to Eirin’s greeting.
“L-Lady Camilla…”
“Welcome, Lady Eirin. You’ve worked hard, haven’t you?”
Camilla’s friendly tone reminded Eirin of how she had been ignored by Elusiana. I already begged so much. But she completely ignored me. As if she had already completely forgotten that she had appeared in front of Elusiana for the first time in more than ten years and made a rude request, only Elusiana’s cold back and cold heart remained in her mind like soot, encouraging her resentment.
Eirin, who was choked up, said as she bit her lips. “…Thank you for understanding my heart, Lady Camilla. I was worried I couldn’t keep my promise, but you’re so generous. I really don’t know how to express my gratitude.”
“Huh? What do you mean?” Camilla put on a puzzled expression and slightly lowered her head. “You’re not saying that Lady Waieos isn’t coming, are you?”
“I-I’m sorry, Lady Camilla. Elusiana is not coming. I visited her every day and asked her to come, but she stubbornly refused and slammed the door…?”
Eirin felt Camilla’s hand, which was pressing her shoulder. Her eyes, which were expressing resentment, turned to Camilla as if she were chasing her mother. But what faced her was a smiling but not smiling face. At that cold stare, Eirin felt a chill run down one side of her chest.
“L-Lady Camilla?”
“I was looking forward to spending time with you, but it’s a shame.”
“Yes? W-what do you mean by that? Don’t you understand me?”
“I understand, Lady Eirin.”
Contrary to the friendly words, Camilla’s eyes were cold.
“I-I really did my best, Lady Camilla.”
“Yes, I know. That you tried.”
There was a little expectation in Eirin’s eyes, who were terrified of her.
“T-then, will you forgive me? No, I made a mistake. P-please give me another chance. I’ll keep my promise this time. At all costs, to bring Elusiana in front of Lady—”
Camilla shook her head slowly, looking embarrassed. “You’re greatly mistaken about something, Lady Eirin. The one who broke our promise is you.”
“…Yes? W-what do you mean?”
“I don’t stick around with people who break promises. If you’ve done your best, there’s no way you’ll fail. That’s all I can say.”
“B-but Lady Camilla, I-I really!”
Eirin desperately clung to Camilla. Camilla’s eyebrows furrowed, but Eirin had no time to care. If I get thrown out like this, I’ll be the second wife of an old noble.
It was worse than death. She would rather die a hundred times than be like that. That’s why she had to please Camilla. She had to change her mind somehow. As long as Lady Camilla accepts it, I don’t care what else happens.
However, contrary to Eirin’s thought, the eyes of the nobles, who were paying keen attention to the conversation between the two, were cold.
“Oh my, what is she doing now to make it worse?”
“I know, right? Lady Camilla must be really embarrassed.”
“I think she tried to cover up her mistakes, but what else is she asking Lady Camilla to do without knowing her subject?”
“She’s really shameless. Tsk.”
The sound of their clicked tongue sounded like a loud drum in her ear. Eirin finally came to her senses. Reflexively looking around her, her shoulders jumped in surprise. The eyes that looked at her with disgust were fierce. Their eyes, clinging to her as if they were going to cut her flesh, were terrifying.
N-now… what was I doing? Eirin’s face, who sat on the floor, holding Camilla’s arm, became contemplative.
At that time, a friendly and worried tone was heard. It sounded warm at first, but it was like a dagger with a sharp blade.
“Why don’t you go back now? Everyone feels uncomfortable.”
Eirin ran through the crowd as if she were out of her mind. Looking at her like that, Genoyer gently stretched the corners of her mouth.
“What an interesting lady.”
“Why? Do you like it?” Camilla, who slightly wrinkled her forehead, looked nervously. “Don’t touch her.”
“Aren’t you going to dispose of her anyway?”
“That’s why. Stop caring about her.”
“You mean you don’t want to have it, but you don’t want to give it to someone else?”
“It’s just my way of venting my anger.”
“Ah, really?”
Genoyer’s eyes smiled meaningfully, and followed Eirin’s back as she barely managed to get out of the hall.