Chapter 25
“Your Grace, the Grand Duke.”
Jelrak sat down beside me and gazed at the stage in the distance.
“I didn’t know you had an interest in theater.”
“Ah, well, I’m not particularly interested.”
I should’ve just gone home quietly.
I should’ve gotten into the carriage and gone straight home!
“You’re not interested, yet here you are at the theater. And then you met me.”
“……”
“That sounds quite dramatic in itself.”
“No, actually, I’m a theater fanatic. I can’t live without plays.”
I quickly changed my expression and nodded furiously. That’s when Jelrak started chuckling and shook his head.
What? Why is he laughing? Am I that funny?
“You really are…”
“……”
“Amusing. You always make me laugh.”
This is dangerous territory.
I had to change the mood quickly.
“Your Grace, I heard you’re very busy preparing for Saint Obenri’s Day.”
I mean, if he’s so busy, what’s he doing at a theater?
“That’s true. I am busy.”
I didn’t say the rest out loud, but rolled my eyes suggestively. Jelrak looked at me with a languid expression and spoke.
“Actually, I didn’t come to watch a play. I came to scout the theater. During the festival, there’ll be an opera about the life of Saint Obenri.”
“An opera?”
“Do you like opera?”
Truthfully, I’d never seen an opera in my life. I’d only caught glimpses on TV.
I had to think carefully. If I said yes, he’d definitely invite me to see it with him.
That couldn’t happen.
“No.”
“Then I suppose we’ll cancel it.”
His response made me jump.
“What do you mean?”
“You said you don’t like opera, so I’ll fire the cast and cancel the entire performance.”
“What? Excuse me?!”
“Since you said you love theater, we’ll switch to a play instead.”
“Don’t say ridiculous things! I love it, I really love it. Wow, why are you so extreme?”
As I protested, Jelrak finally relaxed his expression.
“Did you know?”
“……”
“You’re cute and funny.”
His sudden words made my ears flush red.
Ugh, this is driving me crazy.
Eckla, where are you? Did you get lost printing that pamphlet?
Yeah. I’ll use her as an excuse to escape.
As I looked around nervously, Jelrak spoke in a relaxed tone.
“Looking for someone?”
“Ah, yes. I came with Eckla. She said she’d bring a pamphlet but hasn’t come back. This place is so big… maybe she got lost. Eckla’s terrible with directions. Oh no, I’d better go look for her.”
It was a good plan.
Just as I stood up discreetly, Jelrak raised a long, straight finger and pointed somewhere.
“There she is.”
“……”
Where he pointed, Eckla was sitting with a young man and Orié, all in a row.
“Haha… when did Eckla get down there? I should go bring her back.”
“Why?”
“Eckla’s very shy. She was really looking forward to this play, but sitting with strangers will make her uncomfortable. She won’t be able to focus.”
I mumbled nervously, trying to make my excuse. Jelrak spoke again.
“Shy, you say?”
“Yes. If we leave her there, she might cry.”
“Your maid looks quite cheerful.”
Looking closely, I recognized the man sitting beside Eckla.
I think I saw him when he dropped me off at home. The coachman, right?
“……”
Wow. I can hear her laughing from all the way over here.
She’s having the time of her life!
“If she’s enjoying herself, why interrupt? Especially if she’s someone you care about.”
Left with no choice, I dropped my shoulders.
In the end, I had to sit next to Jelrak and watch the play alone with him.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
“Father, may I come in for a moment?”
That evening, I steeled myself and headed down to Father’s study.
I couldn’t waste any more time. Saint Obenri’s Day was quickly approaching, and instead of drifting apart, Jelrak and I were somehow getting closer.
At this rate, I might truly vanish.
“What are you working on?”
“Ribe.”
I can’t tell you how long I’d spent preparing myself before entering his study.
But when I finally stood before him, I could barely speak.
“As you can see.”
He gave a tired smile, gesturing to the documents scattered across his desk.
“You seem busy. In that case, I’ll come back—”
“No, Ribe. Sit down.”
As I turned to leave, Father stood up and took off his glasses.
“Is there something you want to talk about?”
“No, it’s just… Aren’t you going to the Imperial Palace in a few days?”
“Yes, they’ve summoned a meeting for the annual event.”
“You’ll be away from home for quite a while, then.”
“Rekten isn’t exactly nearby.”
He stopped there and slowly smiled at me.
“You seem to have something in mind.”
“Huh? Oh, no.”
I waved my hands frantically, but he continued.
“Oliver mentioned it too. He told me to buy you some shoes while I’m in Rekten.”
“Shoes?”
“Apparently they’re very popular among ladies. A new shoemaker in Rekten is supposedly quite skilled.”
“Ah.”
Father kept the conversation going kindly, but none of it really registered with me.
As long as shoes fit, I didn’t care much—and I already had more than enough of them.
As I fiddled with my fingers, lost in thought—
“Ribe, what did you really want to say?”
“Would it be alright to invite Sir Nathan Palamedes to dinner tomorrow evening?”
I blurted it out.
“Sir Palamedes?”
Father looked up with a puzzled expression.
“Yes.”
In the original story, Nathan Palamedes was my fiancé.
He enraged me by falling in love with Leoni, rejecting the villainess Riberata, and proposing to Leoni instead.
So why would I want to invite him to dinner?
Well, in this life, he hadn’t shown up at all.
I needed him to avoid Jelrak’s radar, but instead Adrian appeared—and the man I was supposed to be engaged to hadn’t even made an entrance.
Not that Nathan was really my type. He was too talkative and emotional.
But that didn’t matter right now!
“Ribe.”
Father called my name gently, clearly preparing for a more serious conversation.
“May I ask why you want to invite Sir Palamedes?”
“Well…”
Where should I even start?
Because he’s supposed to be my fiancé?
Of course I couldn’t say that. He’d think I’d gone mad.
Think… what connection did Nathan and Riberata have?
Ah, right—Palamedes’ family was known for their love of the arts.
They built opera houses, sponsored musicians, and introduced great artists to the royal court.
Yes, that’s it.
“I’ve recently taken an interest in music.”
“Music?”
Father looked even more bewildered than before.
“My, something’s different about you lately.”
His words made my heart sink.
Of course it’s strange.
Because I’m not the Riberata you know.
“……Haha.”
“I remember when you used to care only about dresses, jewelry, and shoes. I couldn’t believe it when you started discussing philosophy.”
“Huh?”
“Oliver told me you wore colorless dresses on purpose to criticize and satirize the vanity of women. I had no idea you were so thoughtful.”
That’s how it got twisted?
I just wore a weird dress to look like a beggar, and now I’m a deep thinker?
“No, I didn’t mean to criticize—”
“And now you’re into music? Oh my, what’s happening to my daughter?”
He looked at me with a strangely emotional expression.
“Hahaha, well, I’m trying to broaden my interests. I’d like to invite Sir Palamedes and have a serious conversation with him.”
I clasped my hands together and fluttered my lashes.
“Before you leave for the Imperial Palace. Is that alright?”
Perfect. He seemed happy that I was taking an interest in music, and my excuse was believable.
Nathan and I were destined to be engaged anyway, so I just had to make sure he didn’t cross paths with Leoni before the wedding.
…Or so I thought.
“I’m sorry, Ribe. I’m afraid it won’t be possible to invite Sir Palamedes to dinner.”
