Isabella continued speaking with shining eyes, oblivious to who was outside the balcony curtain.
“Isn’t it a blow to your pride to beg for marriage from a woman who doesn’t even love you?”
Isabella looked at Cesare provocatively.
Her slender silhouette stood out like a statue in the moonlight, and her pale yellow dress with subtle patterns of silver thread gave her an other-worldly beauty.
Both Ariadne outside the curtain and Isabella inside the curtain pricked up their ears and waited for Cesare's answer.
The early moon was rising.
Cesare's high nose, bathed in moonlight, was exquisitely beautiful.
"...Is that such a hurtful thing to do, Lady de Mare?”
Cesare asked slowly. Isabella was surprised by the unexpected answer and asked back.
“Then, don’t you feel wronged, Duke Cesare?”
Cesare answered slowly.
“That’s... It doesn’t seem like something I’m the only one doing.”
"Yes?"
“Lady de Mare, aren’t you also doing the same thing right now?”
“!”
Isabella's confident face turned bright red with shame. She snapped at Cesare.
“What are you talking about now?”
Cesare said with a slight sneer.
“I doubt that Lady Isabella de Mare has come here to look down on me out of humanitarian concern that I, a stranger to you, might enter into a loveless marriage.”
He interrupted and looked Isabella up and down.
“Aren’t you trying to fill the spot your younger sister left behind right now?”
Cesare looked at Isabella and smirked openly.
“Is this the second time Miss Isabella has thrust into me?”
'!'
Ariadne pricked up her ears outside the curtain. It was something she had never heard before.
Cesare was referring to the Spring Festival incident last year when Isabella had asked him to be her partner.
He spoke firmly.
“No matter how many times you ask, my answer is the same. I tell you clearly, I am not interested in Miss Isabella.”
Isabella's pretty face turned bright red again.
“When are we talking about the enemy now?”
What Cesare said was true, so it hurt doubly. That made it even more difficult to accept.
“At that time, it was just a proposal to be my ball partner! When did I ever propose to you, Duke?”
Isabella raised her voice.
“I’m telling you the truth! Indeed, Ariadne doesn’t love you! I’m her sister, so I know everything about Ariadne that you don’t know!”
But Cesare did not give in easily.
“Since when have you two been such good sisters? You growl like a cat and a dog, and all of San Carlo knows it.”
Cesare was openly sarcastic towards Isabella.
“Did your younger sister, who you had a very bad relationship with during the day, ever go to your bedroom at night with a pillow and tell you about her fiancé, whom she didn’t love?”
Isabella gritted her teeth.
“... I have evidence!”
Unfortunately, Ariadne's bundle of letters did not arrive today.
Isabella hadn't decided whether to blow it up or not, but as she was backed into a corner, the words just came out of her mouth without her realizing it.
But Cesare did not believe a word of Isabella's.
“What evidence could there be for a heart that doesn’t love? Oh, and have you perhaps stolen a diary?”
The tongue of a man who had spent his entire life in high society was sharp.
“I’m treating you well because you’re my fiancee’s blood relative. I don’t want to hear such ridiculous things anymore.”
He looked at Isabella with a relaxed expression.
“It would be better for you to try to look good to your younger sister, Young Lady de Mare. Then, Countess de Mare’s influence will help you find a husband. I think you’re in a hurry now.”
“Ha...!”
Isabella clutched the hem of her dress in embarrassment.
Isabella, angry at Cesare's words, gave up talking about the 'letter' any further today.
That stupid piece of trash deserves to be treated. A fool like Cesare didn't need to be saved.
“You’ll regret that nonsense!”
“A person must have some leisure.”
Without even knowing what Isabella was thinking, Cesare spoke with a crescent moon smile on his lips.
“I remember that Miss Isabella de Mare was a bit more clever than this. You are of marriageable age but have nowhere to go, so it is very sad to see you making such reckless moves.”
Isabella glared at Cesare and shouted.
“You said you proposed to her and she flatly rejected you? That proposal would never work!”
But Cesare was confident.
“Let’s wait and see. Whether it’s Young Lady or me.”
Cesare turned toward the ballroom and ran his fingers through his hair.
His gestures showed his intention to slowly wrap up this event.
The candlelight that filled the ballroom reflected on his already red hair, making it glow a fiery red.
“I don’t have time to waste on such useless things. Excuse me.”
Cesare swung open the balcony curtains, his rough touch revealing a hint of irritation.
And where the curtain parted, Ariadne was wearing a dress as red as blood.
A smile appeared on Cesare's face.
“Miss, were you here?”
He approached Ariadne and put his arm around her shoulder affectionately.
“If you came, don’t come in.”
And he kissed her on the cheek.
...And Ariadne did not avoid Cesare's kiss.
Ariadne was extremely reluctant to appear intimate with Cesare in front of others unless there were compelling circumstances.
It was an action largely conscious of Alfonso's return someday.
In public places, she tried not to even hold hands unless it was a proper escort.
But Isabella is looking at her with venom filled in her amethyst eyes.
With a face that seemed to be crazy about wanting to have Cesare de Como, the past and the present overlapped.
Ariadne gave in to the temptation.
“...!”
Isabella's gaze glared directly at the kiss.
Isabella's entire body, as slender as a deer, trembled with rage. This was the first time in her life that she had experienced such humiliation.
She finally pulled out the trump card she had been saving.
“You, does Prince Alfonso know that you are doing this?”
Isabella barely managed to resist mentioning the existence of the letter directly. But that was it.
Isabella fixed her gaze straight on Ariadne with red, bloodshot eyes.
“Does your lover know that his girlfriend is having an affair with his stepbrother?”
It was Cesare, not Ariadne, who reacted first to those words.
“Hahahaha, wait a minute. Could it be that the tip you wanted to give me, Lady de Mare, was that my fiancée was dating His Highness Alfonso?”
Isabella was surprised by Cesare's calmness but answered firmly.
"Is it so!"
She glared at Cesare and shouted.
“My ambitious sister is after the Crown Princess! So there’s no way she’d let someone like you have her!”
Isabella smiled wickedly at Cesare.
“Poor guy who rushes in without knowing anything.”
But Cesare returned Isabella's laughter with a smile.
“When are we talking about the enemy?”
“Isn’t it a blow to your pride to beg for marriage from a woman who doesn’t even love you?”
Isabella looked at Cesare provocatively.
Her slender silhouette stood out like a statue in the moonlight, and her pale yellow dress with subtle patterns of silver thread gave her an other-worldly beauty.
Both Ariadne outside the curtain and Isabella inside the curtain pricked up their ears and waited for Cesare's answer.
The early moon was rising.
Cesare's high nose, bathed in moonlight, was exquisitely beautiful.
"...Is that such a hurtful thing to do, Lady de Mare?”
Cesare asked slowly. Isabella was surprised by the unexpected answer and asked back.
“Then, don’t you feel wronged, Duke Cesare?”
Cesare answered slowly.
“That’s... It doesn’t seem like something I’m the only one doing.”
"Yes?"
“Lady de Mare, aren’t you also doing the same thing right now?”
“!”
Isabella's confident face turned bright red with shame. She snapped at Cesare.
“What are you talking about now?”
Cesare said with a slight sneer.
“I doubt that Lady Isabella de Mare has come here to look down on me out of humanitarian concern that I, a stranger to you, might enter into a loveless marriage.”
He interrupted and looked Isabella up and down.
“Aren’t you trying to fill the spot your younger sister left behind right now?”
Cesare looked at Isabella and smirked openly.
“Is this the second time Miss Isabella has thrust into me?”
'!'
Ariadne pricked up her ears outside the curtain. It was something she had never heard before.
Cesare was referring to the Spring Festival incident last year when Isabella had asked him to be her partner.
He spoke firmly.
“No matter how many times you ask, my answer is the same. I tell you clearly, I am not interested in Miss Isabella.”
Isabella's pretty face turned bright red again.
“When are we talking about the enemy now?”
What Cesare said was true, so it hurt doubly. That made it even more difficult to accept.
“At that time, it was just a proposal to be my ball partner! When did I ever propose to you, Duke?”
Isabella raised her voice.
“I’m telling you the truth! Indeed, Ariadne doesn’t love you! I’m her sister, so I know everything about Ariadne that you don’t know!”
But Cesare did not give in easily.
“Since when have you two been such good sisters? You growl like a cat and a dog, and all of San Carlo knows it.”
Cesare was openly sarcastic towards Isabella.
“Did your younger sister, who you had a very bad relationship with during the day, ever go to your bedroom at night with a pillow and tell you about her fiancé, whom she didn’t love?”
Isabella gritted her teeth.
“... I have evidence!”
Unfortunately, Ariadne's bundle of letters did not arrive today.
Isabella hadn't decided whether to blow it up or not, but as she was backed into a corner, the words just came out of her mouth without her realizing it.
But Cesare did not believe a word of Isabella's.
“What evidence could there be for a heart that doesn’t love? Oh, and have you perhaps stolen a diary?”
The tongue of a man who had spent his entire life in high society was sharp.
“I’m treating you well because you’re my fiancee’s blood relative. I don’t want to hear such ridiculous things anymore.”
He looked at Isabella with a relaxed expression.
“It would be better for you to try to look good to your younger sister, Young Lady de Mare. Then, Countess de Mare’s influence will help you find a husband. I think you’re in a hurry now.”
“Ha...!”
Isabella clutched the hem of her dress in embarrassment.
Isabella, angry at Cesare's words, gave up talking about the 'letter' any further today.
That stupid piece of trash deserves to be treated. A fool like Cesare didn't need to be saved.
“You’ll regret that nonsense!”
“A person must have some leisure.”
Without even knowing what Isabella was thinking, Cesare spoke with a crescent moon smile on his lips.
“I remember that Miss Isabella de Mare was a bit more clever than this. You are of marriageable age but have nowhere to go, so it is very sad to see you making such reckless moves.”
Isabella glared at Cesare and shouted.
“You said you proposed to her and she flatly rejected you? That proposal would never work!”
But Cesare was confident.
“Let’s wait and see. Whether it’s Young Lady or me.”
Cesare turned toward the ballroom and ran his fingers through his hair.
His gestures showed his intention to slowly wrap up this event.
The candlelight that filled the ballroom reflected on his already red hair, making it glow a fiery red.
“I don’t have time to waste on such useless things. Excuse me.”
Cesare swung open the balcony curtains, his rough touch revealing a hint of irritation.
And where the curtain parted, Ariadne was wearing a dress as red as blood.
A smile appeared on Cesare's face.
“Miss, were you here?”
He approached Ariadne and put his arm around her shoulder affectionately.
“If you came, don’t come in.”
And he kissed her on the cheek.
...And Ariadne did not avoid Cesare's kiss.
Ariadne was extremely reluctant to appear intimate with Cesare in front of others unless there were compelling circumstances.
It was an action largely conscious of Alfonso's return someday.
In public places, she tried not to even hold hands unless it was a proper escort.
But Isabella is looking at her with venom filled in her amethyst eyes.
With a face that seemed to be crazy about wanting to have Cesare de Como, the past and the present overlapped.
Ariadne gave in to the temptation.
“...!”
Isabella's gaze glared directly at the kiss.
Isabella's entire body, as slender as a deer, trembled with rage. This was the first time in her life that she had experienced such humiliation.
She finally pulled out the trump card she had been saving.
“You, does Prince Alfonso know that you are doing this?”
Isabella barely managed to resist mentioning the existence of the letter directly. But that was it.
Isabella fixed her gaze straight on Ariadne with red, bloodshot eyes.
“Does your lover know that his girlfriend is having an affair with his stepbrother?”
It was Cesare, not Ariadne, who reacted first to those words.
“Hahahaha, wait a minute. Could it be that the tip you wanted to give me, Lady de Mare, was that my fiancée was dating His Highness Alfonso?”
Isabella was surprised by Cesare's calmness but answered firmly.
"Is it so!"
She glared at Cesare and shouted.
“My ambitious sister is after the Crown Princess! So there’s no way she’d let someone like you have her!”
Isabella smiled wickedly at Cesare.
“Poor guy who rushes in without knowing anything.”
But Cesare returned Isabella's laughter with a smile.
“When are we talking about the enemy?”
"Yes?"
Isabella was taken aback by Cesare's unexpectedly strong faith.
“I knew from the beginning that Ari was close to His Majesty Alfonso.”
And Cesare mistakenly thought Isabella was talking about the hunting tournament.
He spoke with confidence, believing in Ariadne as if he were an ironclad being.
“But that’s all in the past.”
He kissed the back of Ariadne's hand.
“Now she is my fiancée.”
Cesare put his arm around Ariadne's shoulders, who was wearing clothes that matched his own.
“Ariadne will become the Duchess of Pisano. The past is the past.”
While Cesare was talking, Ariadne did not say a single word.
Isabella shouted at her sister, anger flashing in her purple eyes.
“Do you really think the same as Prince Cesare?”
Isabella has seen the letters Ariadne sent to Alfonso.
Naturally, she was confident that Ariadne would reject Cesare.
“I know that’s not true!”
But Ariadne felt a wicked impulse.
Confession can be done by going to the priest after everything is over. Is there really a need to do it in front of Isabella?
“Sister...”
Ariadne opened her mouth in a small voice. A small smile appeared on her face.
“I didn’t know you wanted this guy.”
"What?"
“If you wanted him, you should have told me before the engagement.”
Isabella looked shocked. Soon a look of self-mockery crossed her face.
On the other hand, a twisted smile was hanging on Ariadne's lips.
She had a feeling that this was a bit off, but when the situation arose, she couldn't stop.
The day will come when she will defeat Isabella with her feminine charm, and that too with Cesare on her side.
It was a complete overthrow of the system, and an excitement so great that even Ariadne's patience and prudence could not keep her composure.
“It’s already too late.”
“Cesare came to me and begged me. He said that since you two became engaged, he had never forgotten me. He said that he imagined me while embracing you.”
Firecrackers went off in Ariadne's head.
“Have you ever been the object of such a hungry desire for someone?”
“Your hair is black like a crow’s.”
“This is the difference between you and me.”
Ariadne looked at Isabella and tapped Cesare.
Cesare looked down at his fiancée as she called him.
"Hmm?"
Cup.
Ariadne kissed Cesare on the lips.
It was just a light kiss, but it was the first skinship she had initiated with Cesare since her return.
Isabella's eyes widened.
Her entire body trembled, and her porcelain-white skin turned bright red from head to toe.
Her face reached up to the sky, and tears welled up in her pretty eyes.
“You...! You...!”
Cesare answered with a grin.
“The engaged couple is correctly showing affection towards each other. Is there a problem?”
Isabella spat at Cesare with an evil expression on her face.
“Sick bitch!”
Her pretty face was distorted with rage, like a demon crawling out of hell.
She tried to control her facial expression, but her facial muscles just wouldn't listen to her.
“You will regret it!”
Isabella screamed loudly and ran off the balcony.
Cesare laughed lightly.
“I think it’s been exorcised?”
“...That’s right.”
He kissed Ariadne lightly on the forehead.
“Isn’t this encouraging? Isn’t this the first time our shy girl has kissed me?”
“Be quiet. That’s not a kiss.”
“It’s historic, isn’t it?”
“Oh, come on!”
Cesare raised both hands in annoyance at Ariadne.
“Sorry, sorry. I’ll stop teasing you. Should we go and rest? I stole one of the rooms that my mother reserved.”
Ariadne nodded mechanically.
She didn't really realize what she had just done. It was somewhat, no, extremely impulsive.
She was escorted through the ballroom by Cesare and took a glass of cider from a tray carried by a palace servant and downed it.
Cesare was looking at it with eyes that were madly in love with it.
Everything seemed like a strange dream.
The day will come when she will defeat Isabella with her feminine charm, and that too with Cesare on her side.
It was a complete overthrow of the system, and an excitement so great that even Ariadne's patience and prudence could not keep her composure.
“It’s already too late.”
“Cesare came to me and begged me. He said that since you two became engaged, he had never forgotten me. He said that he imagined me while embracing you.”
Firecrackers went off in Ariadne's head.
“Have you ever been the object of such a hungry desire for someone?”
“Your hair is black like a crow’s.”
“This is the difference between you and me.”
Ariadne looked at Isabella and tapped Cesare.
Cesare looked down at his fiancée as she called him.
"Hmm?"
Cup.
Ariadne kissed Cesare on the lips.
It was just a light kiss, but it was the first skinship she had initiated with Cesare since her return.
Isabella's eyes widened.
Her entire body trembled, and her porcelain-white skin turned bright red from head to toe.
Her face reached up to the sky, and tears welled up in her pretty eyes.
“You...! You...!”
Cesare answered with a grin.
“The engaged couple is correctly showing affection towards each other. Is there a problem?”
Isabella spat at Cesare with an evil expression on her face.
“Sick bitch!”
Her pretty face was distorted with rage, like a demon crawling out of hell.
She tried to control her facial expression, but her facial muscles just wouldn't listen to her.
“You will regret it!”
Isabella screamed loudly and ran off the balcony.
Cesare laughed lightly.
“I think it’s been exorcised?”
“...That’s right.”
He kissed Ariadne lightly on the forehead.
“Isn’t this encouraging? Isn’t this the first time our shy girl has kissed me?”
“Be quiet. That’s not a kiss.”
“It’s historic, isn’t it?”
“Oh, come on!”
Cesare raised both hands in annoyance at Ariadne.
“Sorry, sorry. I’ll stop teasing you. Should we go and rest? I stole one of the rooms that my mother reserved.”
Ariadne nodded mechanically.
She didn't really realize what she had just done. It was somewhat, no, extremely impulsive.
She was escorted through the ballroom by Cesare and took a glass of cider from a tray carried by a palace servant and downed it.
Cesare was looking at it with eyes that were madly in love with it.
Everything seemed like a strange dream.
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