Chapter 44

“Yes. I’ll be more careful with my behavior from now on.”

“…”

Anne-Marie replied in a cold, emotionless voice.

Lavinia’s eyes widened, and she bit her lip hard.

“…I want to go home.”

She spun around and hurried out of the Cream Hall as though fleeing.

Rita watched the scene in bewilderment before recalling the etiquette she’d memorized by rote.

When a guest leaves, the host should see them off.

At the same time, she discreetly checked the time.

It was almost the hour Lindsay had promised to bring Leonhardt to the Cream Hall.

“Hannah, please take Anton to the physician. Anne, could you wait here for a little while? I’ll go see Lady Duyireborg off.”

After confirming that Hannah had gone over to Anton, Rita hurried after Lavinia.

She vaguely heard Anne-Marie saying there was no need to escort the girl, but she pretended not to hear and left the Cream Dome.

Lavinia was stomping angrily down the hallway.

She was walking as fast as she could without actually running, but because she was so petite, her strides were short.

Lilietta caught up to her easily.

“Lady Duyireborg.”

“Don’t try to stop me! I’m going home!”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

“H-Huh?”

“I’m here to see you off. That’s proper etiquette.”

With only those words, Rita fell into step beside her.

Gradually, Lavinia slowed down until they were walking at an ordinary pace.

The girl stole several glances at Lilietta with her light-green eyes before finally making up her mind and looking straight at her.

“Hey.”

“…”

“I really meant what I said back there. That shooting… that Magic Gunsmanship… I’m interested now. I liked it. I want to learn it too, so teach me.”

“No.”

“What?!”

“We just talked about who deserves to hold a gun. Only someone who understands its power and meaning, and who can take responsibility for the consequences, has the right to wield one.”

Without even turning to look at Lavinia, Rita calmly added,

“You lack both awareness and responsibility, Lady Duyireborg. You shouldn’t hold a gun.”

“W-What do you mean I’m lacking?! How rude!”

Lavinia shouted indignantly.

Lilietta didn’t even bother responding.

Lavinia stopped dead in her tracks and stamped her foot.

“Apologize right now! And tell me you’ll teach me!”

“No.”

“I said do it! Do you know who I am? I’m the daughter of House Duyireborg! How dare you ignore my—”

“You seem to have forgotten something.”

Lilietta calmly turned to face her.

“I am also the daughter of a duke, Lady Duyireborg. I have absolutely no reason to obey your orders.”

“…!”

Lavinia froze in shock.

She had grown up watching everyone bow the moment she invoked her family’s status.

Even Anne-Marie had eventually yielded after she played that card.

“Y-You’re really refusing to listen to me?”

“Yes.”

“I’m telling my mother! The Duke of Duyireborg is going to hear about this! Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

“Then I’ll tell my father. I wonder if you’ll still be okay once the Duke of Lascaille hears about this.”

Lilietta answered with complete indifference.

Lavinia could only gape at her like a stunned rabbit.

Rita opened the front door.

“Have a safe trip home, Lady Duyireborg.”

Lavinia alternated between staring blankly at the open doorway and Lilietta’s calm expression.

Then, suddenly trembling all over, she shouted,

“J-Just you wait!”

With that, she bolted outside.

The escort knights and maids from House Duyireborg, who had been waiting beside the carriage in the garden, hurried to receive her.

Just what am I supposed to ‘wait’ for?

Watching the pink-haired girl disappear into the carriage, Lilietta merely shrugged and closed the door.

When she returned to the Cream Dome, Anton and Hannah were waiting near the entrance.

Standing quietly beside them was Lindsay, who gave her a respectful nod.

If Lindsay is back…

Through the half-open doors, she caught sight of a familiar profile of golden hair.

Leonhardt was standing directly in front of Anne-Marie.

Anne-Marie looked up at him blankly.

A man and woman meeting again for the first time after an unwanted broken engagement.

Alone in the ballroom.

Silence filled the space between them as their eyes quietly met.

…Getting involved any further would just be meddling.

Lilietta lightly tapped Anton on the back.

He jumped in surprise.

She raised a finger to her lips.

Shh.

Then she gestured for him to follow.

Anton looked between the ballroom and Lilietta.

Fortunately, he wasn’t completely oblivious.

With a long sigh, he quietly followed her.

Hannah and Lindsay naturally came after them.

Only after moving to the garden house did Rita finally speak.

“Anton, how’s your shoulder?”

“Ah… y-yes. It’s fine. The doctor said there’s nothing wrong.”

“I’m really sorry about earlier. I didn’t do it on purpose. That’s exactly why I wanted to practice…”

“I figured as much. I kept wondering why someone who could already dance so well wanted lessons.”

Anton gave an awkward smile.

After hesitating for a moment, his cheeks reddened slightly.

“Um… w-would you like to keep practicing? I’d be happy to help.”

“I’d love to, but are you sure?”

“Of course! I wasn’t seriously hurt or anything!”

Whether it was enthusiasm or ulterior motives was impossible to tell.

The eager young man stretched out his hand.

Seeing him, Rita suddenly remembered Beacon’s one and only junior member.

“Of course I’m fine! This doesn’t even hurt. O-Ow! Sis, don’t actually stab me to check! I’m not just acting tough!”

Luca Pascal.

She missed him.

A faint smile appeared on Rita’s face as she accepted Anton’s hand.

“Then I’ll take you up on that. Thank you.”

Seeing the fleeting look of wistful affection that crossed her face, Anton completely lost his composure.

In the middle of the next waltz, he accidentally stepped on Rita’s foot.

A second later—

She instinctively flipped him over her shoulder.

Only after hitting the floor did Anton finally come back to his senses.

Three Days Before House Lascaille Arrived in the Capital

The newest footman of House Lascaille, Ethan, was among the servants sent ahead to prepare the family’s townhouse before their masters arrived.

Because he had reached the capital a full week before the ducal family, he never heard the stories about Lilietta’s incredible marksmanship during the hunting competition.

Had he socialized more with the other servants—or cared even a little about the young lady—he would have heard after the family settled into the capital.

Instead…

He had been busy with something else.

April 7, 1770.

Three days before House Lascaille arrived in the imperial capital.

At the most secluded section of the towering wall surrounding the imperial palace of the Kairam Empire…

Ethan stepped out from the shadows and approached the palace wall.

Running a hand through his hair, his golden-brown locks instantly turned snow white.

He rubbed beneath his eyes.

The gray-blue irises disappeared, revealing their true color—

Crimson red.

Stretching lazily, he took a short running start and vaulted onto the palace wall.

Dozens of layers of defensive magic began activating…

Only to immediately fall silent after recognizing the key-shaped pendant hanging around his neck.

Without encountering the slightest resistance, Ethan jumped into the palace grounds.

The next instant…

He melted into the shadows.

Concealed within darkness, he slipped past patrolling guards and knights before making his way deep into the imperial palace.

His destination was Onyx Palace—

The residence of the Crown Prince, second only to the Emperor’s palace in terms of security.

Entering through an open balcony, Ethan casually walked inside.

Across the room, a man sat on a sofa, leisurely drinking wine.

Ethan sat opposite him as though he belonged there.

“Pour me a glass too.”

Without a word, the man filled an empty glass.

Ethan gulped it down like beer.

“Ahh… Now that’s good. As expected, the Crown Prince drinks the finest wine. Another one.”

“Did you come here just to drink?”

“Partly. Oh, and here’s the regular report.”

Ethan casually tossed over a bundle of papers.

While the man silently read through them, Ethan emptied another glass before licking his lips.

“Boss.”

“…”

“There’s something I didn’t put in the report.”

The man merely raised his eyes.

They were shadowed golden eyes.

For some reason, Ethan always thought they resembled a sun that had burned itself into cold ashes.

He continued.

“I was originally planning to keep this to myself until I was certain. But… I just can’t be certain no matter how much I think about it.”

“Get to the point.”

“Damn, you’re always so stingy with words. You weren’t this insufferable when Rita was around.”

Behind the fluttering report, those golden eyes flashed sharply.

Ethan knew exactly which word had provoked him.

Not that it mattered.

He was about to say something far worse.

“Fine. Here’s the point.”

“I found someone… who might be Rita Pascal.”

The man stopped turning the pages.

Before he could grab him by the collar, Ethan hurriedly continued.

“You heard that House Lascaille’s missing daughter suddenly came back, right? I went to check whether she might be a Returned One.”

“…And then I saw the maid serving beside her.”

Ethan pulled a photograph from inside his coat and slid it across the table.

The report slipped from the man’s trembling hand.

Slowly…

Very carefully…

He picked up the photograph.

A crooked smile spread across Ethan’s lips.

“They look alike, don’t they?”