HBL 9

The first to look that way was Vivian, who hastily turned her head. Her eyes were filled with shock. A woman entered the venue, the host of the gathering, trailing a deep green dress.

Unlike Vivian, her hair flowed down in soft, airy waves, glistening with shine, and beneath it, her small face appeared more resolute than usual.

Her shoulders and waist were held straight, her posture flawless without the slightest hint of disorder.

“Was Lady Lois… always like that?”

Someone muttered in a stunned voice.

Vivian swallowed her shock, thinking the same thing.

The woman, who usually left an unimpressive image with her plain makeup, was now strikingly glamorous. Thanks to that, her naturally fine features stood out even more, making her appear sharp and beautiful—unlike before.

Her fierce spirit made it difficult to treat her lightly, even in jest. This time, she was nothing like Vivian, whose soft features resembled a gentle rabbit.

“But didn’t they say Lady Lois wouldn’t be attending today?”

At the whispered words, eyes glancing toward Vivian, Saronne, who had approached, responded.

“What do you mean by that? That I wouldn’t be attending?”

She denied the claim lightly and smiled brightly.

“I’m sorry I’m late. I didn’t get the chance to inform you, but I had an accident and my body is still not fully recovered…”

“An accident?”

“Yes, I recently fell down the stairs, and I haven’t fully healed yet. Since I’ve been bedridden for some time, my movements have become slower, which is why I’m late.”

Saronne smiled as if embarrassed and gently touched the sleeve of her dress. A bruise, not entirely hidden, was visible around her wrist.

The sharp-eyed guests began to feel a sense of doubt.

‘Earlier, Lady Benit clearly made it sound like Lady Lois had tried to drive her out and couldn’t come herself, didn’t she?’

Reading the reactions on everyone’s faces, Vivian couldn’t hide her unease and looked at Saronne.

‘But I heard she hadn’t eaten or moved for days!’

Even her physician had confirmed that she was suffering from depression due to the shock of her miscarriage.

‘Then… why does she look so unfazed?’

Appearing so different from usual, Saronne was calm and composed, without the slightest trace of confusion.

Even though she must have realized that Vivian and Diego had been manipulating this gathering to suit their own plans. It was as if… she knew all along this would happen.

“But it seems we have an uninvited guest here, don’t we?”

Saronne approached the place where Vivian was seated. Her gaze, fixed squarely on Vivian, held a smile.

“Lady Benit?”

“Y-yes?”

“It seems you are unfamiliar with gatherings like this, but the seat of honor is customarily reserved for the host.”

In a patronising tone, as though offering guidance to a country bumpkin, she pointed in the opposite direction.

She was pointing to where the guests had gathered and taken their seats.

“The guest seats are over there.”

Smiling with grace, Saronne walked past Vivian.

For a moment, Saronne noticed the sudden stiffness in Vivian’s expression. Saronne scoffed silently and continued towards the other guests.

“Come to think of it, things were rather lively here just moments ago. What were you all talking about?”

Most of them exchanged glances and fell silent. But as everyone hesitated to speak, one voice rang out clearly.

“I’m glad you made it safely. We were just talking about you Lady Lois.”

Leobint was already seated with perfect posture.

Though the others in the room shot him sharp looks, he didn’t seem the least bit concerned. His gaze remained fixed on Saronne, as if he were genuinely curious to see how she would respond.

“Is that so? Then I hope it wasn’t anything unpleasant. Lately, aside from Lady Benit’s visit, I’ve heard some rather absurd rumours about me.”

She smiled as though it were nothing at all, but her eyes flicked briefly — and sharply — to Vivian.

“I don’t know who’s been spreading them. But considering how far and wide those tales have travelled, it does seem rather malicious. And very intentional.”

“……”

“They’re all nonsense, so I hope none of you pay them too much mind.”

She saw Vivian clenching her teeth within her field of vision.

‘Bringing up the child I lost in that accident wouldn’t benefit her now.’

In her previous life, she insisted endlessly that she was the victim and had lost the legitimate heir, but no one believed her.

Most of the servants in the mansion either turned away from her or were too afraid to step forward.

Even without anyone directly denying or confirming it, if someone responded to questioning with mere silence, Saronne’s words were dismissed as lies.

Amid her misfortune, she was treated like a madwoman.

‘That won’t happen this time.’

Saronne was letting out a silent scoff when—

“It was I who gave Vivian the authority over this gathering. I don’t think there was any need to humiliate her like that.”

Diego, who had been watching her with distaste from earlier, cut in.

Saronne turned her head toward the person she had been ignoring all this time. His violet eyes were sharper than usual, several times harder in expression.

As their eyes met, his gaze grew even colder.

“To treat a guest of our house this way… don’t you think it’s time to stop harassing Vivian?”

“Hm? That’s odd. If we’re talking about humiliation and harassment, wasn’t it you two who acted that way in Lady Lois’s absence just a while ago?”

Before Saronne could respond, Leobint raised an eyebrow in displeasure.

As another outsider stepped in, Diego let out a sharp sigh.

“…Didn’t I say earlier that this isn’t something for Your Grace to meddle in? It’s a matter of another household.”

“And yet it was your mistress who seemed eager for someone to interfere in the affairs of another household. Isn’t that right, everyone?”

Leobint’s mouth curled into a crooked smirk. The label he had so blatantly directed at Vivian was laced with subtle disdain and contempt.

Diego stared at Leobint with a chilling gaze, annoyed by the man who had been chattering without a trace of seriousness since earlier.

Due to Leobint’s notoriety, Diego was well aware of his reputation.

The Rogue Prince. A man entangled in countless scandals, known for his unrefined speech and behavior.

So, it was clear that his sudden interference, despite having no ties to the matter, was simply out of amusement and curiosity.

“Seems you’re here just for fun to stir things up while you’re bored. Let’s stop here.”

At Diego’s warning, the amusement faded from Leobint’s expression.

“If that’s how it looked to you, then I regret it.”

But there was not a trace of sarcasm or playfulness now. Only a cold, biting expression remained.

“Lady Lois, I had hoped to speak with you more than last time. Unfortunately, the circumstances aren’t ideal.”

A gentle smile bloomed on his face, almost as if it were a lie.

As if it were time to take his leave, Leobint reached for Saronne’s hand and clasped it.

When she responded smoothly, he didn’t hesitate under the barrage of gazes and pressed his lips to the back of her hand.

Guests who had been watching with bated breath now gaped in disbelief, their mouths falling open.

No matter how many indecent scandals trailed behind him, he was known to follow his own set of rules—never showing physical contact with the opposite s*x in front of others.

For that reason, the prince had only ever offered such a gesture of greeting to elders of the royal family who shared his blood.

The two involved spoke as if nothing had happened.

“Thank you for your help the other day. I’m sorry all I can show you in return is… this.”

“Would you like to repay me?”

“Of course. If you hadn’t seen me home that day… who knows what could’ve happened…”

Saronne briefly glanced toward Diego, who was throwing a scalding glare her way.

His expression was far more sour than before—worse, even, than when she had embarrassed Vivian earlier.

“If that’s the case, there is one perfect way you can repay me right now.”

Leobint once again caught her attention, which had momentarily drifted elsewhere.

As she turned her eyes to him, he flashed a smile even more captivating than before—his face effortlessly drawing the attention of all around them.

“Just like I did that day, you can see me off.”

He added a gentle pressure to the hand he was still holding.

Even Saronne, who had played along with him as planned until now, found herself momentarily speechless at the sheer charm behind that smile.

It was that alluring.

“…Alright. It’s a shame you’re leaving so soon, but if that’s what you’d like, I’d be glad to.”

“Truly? I’m suddenly feeling like it was worth the trip, just to see you.”

Leobint beamed, seemingly unconcerned by prying eyes. It was only an act, but he seemed genuinely pleased.

“Since one of our guests is taking their leave, I’ll go and see him off.”

Saronne turned to the flustered guests and offered them a polite smile. Just before they left the gathering together—

Leobint paused and turned his gaze toward the troubled Vivian.

“To gather this many people and lead them with such poor manners… it’s quite impressive, really. Thank you, Lady Benit, for wasting two whole hours of my precious time that even others couldn’t afford to steal.”

Finishing with a face that held not the slightest trace of gratitude, he strode away with Saronne.

Silence followed in their wake for a long moment.

“…Ha.”

Diego let out a quiet scoff.

Vivian, who had been grinding her teeth in frustration, looked at him. He was staring at the spot where the two had disappeared, with quiet fury in his eyes.

After a moment, he turned to the guests, apologised, and announced the end of the gathering.

There was polite silence, but beneath it lay a simmering tension.