ATPL 44

Before Anais could finish speaking, Elliot shouted in frustration and stormed out.

His ears were red with irritation as he huffed his way down the hall.

Anais giggled and called after him, “Good night, my lord!”

Only after his footsteps faded up the stairs to the third floor did Anais let out a breathy laugh and collapse back onto the sofa.

She stared at the antique latticed ceiling for a while, then slid limply to the floor.

“What was that, really…?”

Her cheeks were as red as apples.

“Why does he say things that make people misunderstand? I almost…”

Anais shook her head quickly.

Then she shut the reception room door, headed to her private chamber, and began her nightly routine.

After soaking her mule-weary body in hot water, drying her hair, and changing into comfortable sleepwear, Anais was sure she’d fall asleep easily. It had been a long day.

But sleep wouldn’t come.

Instead of resting, Anais kept thinking about what Elliot had said.

She remembered the thick arm that had wrapped around her shoulders when she was yelling at Cesar.

She kept seeing Elliot’s ears, burning red as he stormed off, and the way his fists had clenched.

Because of all that, naturally, she couldn’t sleep.

* * *

In any case, the three of them had decided to stay in Reims for three days.

Elliot had suggested two, eager to head to the Duchy of Noise.

But Anais had begged for a week, claiming she was too exhausted, and Abelard had split the difference with a firm, “Three days.”

“Now I see why he insisted on three days…”

Anais stared coldly down at the villa’s garden from the second-floor window.

The villa sat high in the Reims hills, where a soft breeze always blew.

And in the field just beyond the garden, a man and a woman were clearly on a date, laughing and flirting in broad daylight.

The tall silver-haired man was unmistakably His Highness the Crown Prince.

And the cheerful voice squealing in front of him clearly belonged to Judy.

“Lord Abelard seems to be having a lovely time…”

If Anne were here, she’d at least scold the Crown Prince for behaving like this.

He was impressively efficient. Banished by his mother for his philandering, and already making a move on the villa caretaker’s daughter the moment Elliot Resaloniki was out of sight.

For the record, Elliot had been up training since dawn and had gone into town to visit the blacksmith, saying his sword felt loose.

Since Eternal Snow, the Resaloniki family heirloom, was stored in Anais’s mansion, he’d just picked up a standard-issue Dragon Knights’ blade for the journey.

And in the meantime, Abelard had taken to frolicking with Judy.

When had they even gotten close?

Originally, Judy had been meant to serve as Anais’s attendant while they stayed at the villa. But now Mrs. Baldwin was the one helping Anais.

“I’m so sorry, miss.”

Mrs. Baldwin looked flustered.

“My daughter hasn’t been seen since dawn…”

In fact, she’d searched for Judy that morning, hoping to send her to Anais but Judy hadn’t been in her room.

To be fair, Mrs. Baldwin didn’t really have any authority to scold her daughter.

Technically, only Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin were employed by House Fleur. Judy was more of a casual worker, paid only when there was something to do.

‘Did she even come home last night?’

The words nearly escaped Anais’s mouth, but she swallowed them. Even if Judy was just a servant, it wasn’t proper to speak too freely about another family’s daughter, especially not when it involved a young woman’s reputation.

Instead, she just shrugged.

“I hope Judy doesn’t get hurt. Lord Abelard isn’t exactly the faithful type.”

“I’ll keep an eye on her. She’s just… a little excited with so many handsome gentlemen around.”

“It’s fine. Just ask her to stop by this evening if she has the time.”

Mrs. Baldwin bowed and excused herself.

At least Anais wouldn’t have to run into Abelard during her break. That thought alone made things more bearable.

“Ah, and we received word from downtown Reims…”

Mrs. Baldwin hesitated.

“Count Rezaie has requested to join you for dinner…”

“Decline.”

“Y-yes, of course.”

Mrs. Baldwin flinched at Anais’s firm tone but nodded obediently.

Cesar Rezaie.

Anais shook her head sharply, trying to rid herself of the very thought.

She hadn’t expected this journey to be easy, but there were too many surprises cropping up.

‘Where did Number 33 even hide all that money…?’

Judy’s remark about recognizing the jewels still tugged at her thoughts. Every instinct told her the answer was here, somewhere in Reims.

In all her nineteen years, she had never thought about money this seriously.

Even if Elliot Thessaloniki was supporting her for now, it was still a debt she’d have to repay someday.

‘Judy might know something…’

* * *

“So what were you really looking for yesterday? Tell me.”

“Oh, Abel, stop!”

Judy giggled, swatting playfully at Abelard’s chest. The two looked far too cozy for people who’d met barely two days ago—technically, a day and a half.

But it didn’t matter to Judy. She was already smitten with the handsome knight she’d met yesterday.

‘Call me Abel.’

The knight who had said that was one of the three most handsome men Judy had ever seen.

The other two were that El-something who had come with him… and Count Cesar Rezaie, the mysterious fiancé of the young lady Anais.

At first, she’d been absolutely livid to think all three men might be Anais’s suitors.

‘So unfair, being such a snob but managing to collect only the most gorgeous men!’

Her frustration wasn’t entirely irrational. Anais Fleur was the same age as Judy.

Since childhood, Anais had been both her idol and her deepest source of inferiority.

Judy was considered quite pretty, even by Reims standards, but next to Anais Fleur?

There was no comparison. How could a girl who scrubbed floors all day under the hot sun compete with someone who spent her days in silks and mirrors?

She could justify the difference in looks. But their situations? That was harder.

As a child, she had enjoyed the doting affection of the Baldwins but that was only in their tiny village at the edge of Reims.

The moment she turned six, her parents handed her a rag.

“Come now, our job is to clean and polish this house.”

At first, she didn’t understand why they had to clean a house they didn’t even live in.

When she asked, “Mom, can’t we sleep here?” Mrs. Baldwin had given her a terrifying look and said,

“Don’t even think about it. That kind of talk will get you in real trouble.”

That’s when she’d realized: this big, beautiful, always-empty house didn’t belong to them.

She had assumed it was some adults-only place, seeing her parents come and go every day.

But then she saw her—that elegant girl in pretty clothes, coming and going like she owned the place.

Everyone spoke of her in awe, “Oh, Anais.” “Anais this, Anais that.”

She was effortlessly beautiful, effortlessly loved.

Judy hated watching even her own parents bow to that girl.

And she hated even more how, as Anais grew older, she became so stunning that even Judy found herself staring.

“Hey, you.”

She’d always avoided her. But last year, Anais had approached her first.

“What’s with that look in your eyes?”

“…Pardon?”

“The way you’re looking at Anais—it’s nasty.”

Gone was the polished noble voice. She had spoken like a back-alley brawler.

Judy, dumbfounded, had stepped closer—and Anais made a strange request.

“Which of these two looks more expensive?”

Was she trying to show off? Flaunt her wealth? Annoyed, Judy was ready to point at anything just to be done with it—but then thought, “What if she gives me one?”

So she picked the one that looked cleaner.

Anais had her pick a few more items, still wearing that blank expression. Then she smirked.

“Well, well. You’ve got an eye for these things after all.”