Duke Cesare's Villa Sortone was truly a masterpiece.
Since the time when he was Count de Como, the Villa Sortone, which the King had granted him, was renowned as the most beautiful mansion in the capital.
A rose garden carefully tended, an interior finished with white marble and a frescoed ceiling hand-painted by the best painters.
A small fountain and pond with elegantly placed marble statues. It was a place that could be called a paradise on earth without feeling out of place.
This was a small palace where Leo III confessed his affection and love for his then-overflowing government, Rubina, and it was a work of art that preserved the passion of the past.
Their son, who inherited his father's passion and his mother's taste for luxury, further enriched Villa Sortone with even more rich furnishings and meticulous tastes.
“As expected, the Duke’s residence is magnificent! Did he do any major renovations with the money he received from the Pisano estate?”
Isabella's partner, Iacopo Attendolo, whom she had worked hard to recruit, let out an exclamation of shame from the side.
Isabella frowned slightly. That was all he could say about such a beautiful piece of architecture, or rather, a work of art.
But Isabella decided to be generous. Iacopo was still needed.
Because she had to bring Iacopo to rescue Leticia, who would never have entered this party under normal circumstances.
Isabella gave Ippolito as Leticia's partner, who had failed to secure an invitation.
Ippolito grumbled, "Do I have to be partners with such an ugly person?" but was quickly silenced by Isabella's attack, "Can you find a woman to go with you on your own?"
Naturally, the seat next to Isabella was empty, so they had no choice but to drag along a rascal like Iacopo.
After today, Iacopo Attendolo and the likes will be gone forever, and Isabella will become the mistress of this beautiful, pure white marble mansion.
A day or so, she could endure it. She was a very patient woman.
“How are you, Miss?”
Cesare removed the two hands that were covering Ariadne's eyes. A beautiful garden full of May roses in full bloom appeared before Ariadne's eyes.
It was not just something that was grown, but a work of art that was meticulously trimmed and cared for by a skilled gardener.
"Ah!"
It was such a beauty that even Ariadne, who was indifferent to such things, could not help but express her admiration.
“...It’s so beautiful.”
Cesare lightly kissed Ariadne's cheek.
“The first rose dress I sent you was inspired by this garden.”
He stroked her hair. Today's Ariadne was dazzling. From head to toe, she was all Cesare's work.
He meticulously selected and personally sent all the clothes Ariadne was going to wear today.
A light green dress like a newly sprouting rose leaf, a fresh rose corsage and hair ornament, and a ruby necklace and earring set as if a dove were pretending to be a fresh rose itself.
His beautiful lady had black hair that was tied back in thick curls, and the lively movement that swayed with her every movement was captivating.
“My rose lady.”
Cesare couldn't hold it in any longer and kissed the tip of Ariadne's hair. He wanted this moment to last forever.
“Everything I have is yours.”
It was the greatest confession Cesare could make. Ariadne smiled and said,
“Cesare, why are you suddenly being so nice to me?”
She added.
“It’s like you’ve become a different person.”
If you pass over this, you're an idiot. Cesare answered without even licking his lips.
“I realized what true love is.”
He gently escorted her to the banquet hall of Villa Sortone.
“I love beautiful things. But in the end, the joy I get from owning them has its limits.”
It was half true, half false.
Cesare thought of the countless lovers he had conquered, and the many more nameless women he had conquered but never became lovers.
He considered conquest to be a possession. And those women were all petty now.
“I’ve been wondering what I could give you. You have so much, that jewels and silk don’t seem to mean anything to you.”
He didn't need any more conquests, he just needed this woman.
“I want to show you something beautiful. I want to see your happy expression.”
He wanted to see Ariadne's smile. He wanted to hold her hand, touch her skin, and rub their cheeks.
Cesare considered this to be essentially different from possessiveness, but he did not realize that they ultimately had a great deal in common.
“Today is a day just for you. Let’s enjoy it.”
Cesare's eyes closed and he smiled faintly.
"Thank you."
Ariadne also smiled back. It was a real smile.
Cesare's assurance that today was a day just for Ariadne proved true.
Duke Cesare and Count de Mare entered hand in hand across the center of the grand hall of the Villa Sortone, which had been set up as a ballroom.
Everyone present could not hold back their exclamations of awe at the sight of Ariadne, who looked like a rosebud in early summer, and at the sight of Duke Cesare escorting her with such care.
“He treats her so preciously.”
"That thing I saw last time...”
“People can make mistakes! Isn’t it okay to reflect and do better?”
“Honestly, if you do that much, I think I can tolerate it once. How much did you spend on this birthday party?”
“That’s true.”
And Cesare, who knew well that Ariadne was tired of mixing with random people, divided the second floor of the ballroom and made a VIP section.
Only a very small number of people were allowed to enter that VIP seat.
Those invited to private gatherings usually held behind the scenes at balls are decided based on their friendship with the host and their social standing.
But today was different.
Duchess Rubina, who was by far the most socially prominent of the day and Cesare's biological mother, was not even invited under the pretext of a 'party for young friends'.
Cesare threw a party entirely for Ariadne, and access to the VIP section was limited to Ariadne's close friends.
If he was her friend, she wouldn't exclude him just because he didn't like him.
Both Baldessar siblings, including Raphael, also received invitations.
"Ari!"
Julia de Baldessar, who had come up first, greeted Ariadne with a smile.
Ariadne also greeted Julia with a bright smile.
“Julia!”
"Happy birthday!"
The other ladies also gathered to celebrate Ariadne's birthday. Gabriele greeted her along with her fiancé.
“Ari, you look so pretty today! Say hello, this is Petruchio de Montefeltro, my fiancé.”
Ariadne also answered with a bright smile.
“I have heard much from you. It is an honor to meet you, Your Excellency the Marquis of Montefeltro.”
“It is an honor for me to meet the famous person of the capital, Countess de Mare.”
Raphael, who attended the event escorting Julia, was also speechless as he admired Ariadne's beauty.
Meanwhile, Felicite and Cornelia came and celebrated Ariadne's birthday.
Cesare smiled and whispered softly to Ariadne.
“It would be better for you if I took a break.”
“Ah... That’s a bit...”
Ariadne's friends are not only friendly to Cesare.
If she wants to chat comfortably, it would be better if Cesare isn't there.
However, Ariadne felt bad for Cesare because she excluded him from the party he threw and went to play with her friends.
Cesare, who noticed her intentions, struck the player.
“It’s okay. I have to go and see the guests too.”
“...Really?”
Cesare answered her with a light kiss on her cheek.
“Of course. The host has a role to play. Our debutante girl, have fun.”
It was a lie that he said he would go and look around the guests.
The second floor's separate VIP section was created not only for Ariadne but also for Cesare himself.
At today's ball, there was someone Cesare absolutely must not meet.
'I guess I'll have to go back after killing some time in the corner of the second floor.'
It was a little upsetting to think of that annoying Baldessar guy hanging around Ari, but he suppressed it for a while because of his own actions.
He crawled out onto the curtained balcony, seemingly alone and unconcerned about being noticed.
“You are truly a difficult person to meet.”
Cesare turned around in surprise. It was a familiar voice, clear and gentle, but laced with anger.
A beautiful, angelic girl with neatly braided, wavy flaxen hair stood on the balcony, glaring at him.
“...Isabella de Mare.”
He forced a smile onto his lips.
“How did you get up here?”
It was something he blurted out in panic, and he regretted it as soon as he said it.
Since the time when he was Count de Como, the Villa Sortone, which the King had granted him, was renowned as the most beautiful mansion in the capital.
A rose garden carefully tended, an interior finished with white marble and a frescoed ceiling hand-painted by the best painters.
A small fountain and pond with elegantly placed marble statues. It was a place that could be called a paradise on earth without feeling out of place.
This was a small palace where Leo III confessed his affection and love for his then-overflowing government, Rubina, and it was a work of art that preserved the passion of the past.
Their son, who inherited his father's passion and his mother's taste for luxury, further enriched Villa Sortone with even more rich furnishings and meticulous tastes.
“As expected, the Duke’s residence is magnificent! Did he do any major renovations with the money he received from the Pisano estate?”
Isabella's partner, Iacopo Attendolo, whom she had worked hard to recruit, let out an exclamation of shame from the side.
Isabella frowned slightly. That was all he could say about such a beautiful piece of architecture, or rather, a work of art.
But Isabella decided to be generous. Iacopo was still needed.
Because she had to bring Iacopo to rescue Leticia, who would never have entered this party under normal circumstances.
Isabella gave Ippolito as Leticia's partner, who had failed to secure an invitation.
Ippolito grumbled, "Do I have to be partners with such an ugly person?" but was quickly silenced by Isabella's attack, "Can you find a woman to go with you on your own?"
Naturally, the seat next to Isabella was empty, so they had no choice but to drag along a rascal like Iacopo.
After today, Iacopo Attendolo and the likes will be gone forever, and Isabella will become the mistress of this beautiful, pure white marble mansion.
A day or so, she could endure it. She was a very patient woman.
***
“How are you, Miss?”
Cesare removed the two hands that were covering Ariadne's eyes. A beautiful garden full of May roses in full bloom appeared before Ariadne's eyes.
It was not just something that was grown, but a work of art that was meticulously trimmed and cared for by a skilled gardener.
"Ah!"
It was such a beauty that even Ariadne, who was indifferent to such things, could not help but express her admiration.
“...It’s so beautiful.”
Cesare lightly kissed Ariadne's cheek.
“The first rose dress I sent you was inspired by this garden.”
He stroked her hair. Today's Ariadne was dazzling. From head to toe, she was all Cesare's work.
He meticulously selected and personally sent all the clothes Ariadne was going to wear today.
A light green dress like a newly sprouting rose leaf, a fresh rose corsage and hair ornament, and a ruby necklace and earring set as if a dove were pretending to be a fresh rose itself.
His beautiful lady had black hair that was tied back in thick curls, and the lively movement that swayed with her every movement was captivating.
“My rose lady.”
Cesare couldn't hold it in any longer and kissed the tip of Ariadne's hair. He wanted this moment to last forever.
“Everything I have is yours.”
It was the greatest confession Cesare could make. Ariadne smiled and said,
“Cesare, why are you suddenly being so nice to me?”
She added.
“It’s like you’ve become a different person.”
If you pass over this, you're an idiot. Cesare answered without even licking his lips.
“I realized what true love is.”
He gently escorted her to the banquet hall of Villa Sortone.
“I love beautiful things. But in the end, the joy I get from owning them has its limits.”
It was half true, half false.
Cesare thought of the countless lovers he had conquered, and the many more nameless women he had conquered but never became lovers.
He considered conquest to be a possession. And those women were all petty now.
“I’ve been wondering what I could give you. You have so much, that jewels and silk don’t seem to mean anything to you.”
He didn't need any more conquests, he just needed this woman.
“I want to show you something beautiful. I want to see your happy expression.”
He wanted to see Ariadne's smile. He wanted to hold her hand, touch her skin, and rub their cheeks.
Cesare considered this to be essentially different from possessiveness, but he did not realize that they ultimately had a great deal in common.
“Today is a day just for you. Let’s enjoy it.”
Cesare's eyes closed and he smiled faintly.
"Thank you."
Ariadne also smiled back. It was a real smile.
***
Cesare's assurance that today was a day just for Ariadne proved true.
Duke Cesare and Count de Mare entered hand in hand across the center of the grand hall of the Villa Sortone, which had been set up as a ballroom.
Everyone present could not hold back their exclamations of awe at the sight of Ariadne, who looked like a rosebud in early summer, and at the sight of Duke Cesare escorting her with such care.
“He treats her so preciously.”
"That thing I saw last time...”
“People can make mistakes! Isn’t it okay to reflect and do better?”
“Honestly, if you do that much, I think I can tolerate it once. How much did you spend on this birthday party?”
“That’s true.”
And Cesare, who knew well that Ariadne was tired of mixing with random people, divided the second floor of the ballroom and made a VIP section.
Only a very small number of people were allowed to enter that VIP seat.
Those invited to private gatherings usually held behind the scenes at balls are decided based on their friendship with the host and their social standing.
But today was different.
Duchess Rubina, who was by far the most socially prominent of the day and Cesare's biological mother, was not even invited under the pretext of a 'party for young friends'.
Cesare threw a party entirely for Ariadne, and access to the VIP section was limited to Ariadne's close friends.
If he was her friend, she wouldn't exclude him just because he didn't like him.
Both Baldessar siblings, including Raphael, also received invitations.
"Ari!"
Julia de Baldessar, who had come up first, greeted Ariadne with a smile.
Ariadne also greeted Julia with a bright smile.
“Julia!”
"Happy birthday!"
The other ladies also gathered to celebrate Ariadne's birthday. Gabriele greeted her along with her fiancé.
“Ari, you look so pretty today! Say hello, this is Petruchio de Montefeltro, my fiancé.”
Ariadne also answered with a bright smile.
“I have heard much from you. It is an honor to meet you, Your Excellency the Marquis of Montefeltro.”
“It is an honor for me to meet the famous person of the capital, Countess de Mare.”
Raphael, who attended the event escorting Julia, was also speechless as he admired Ariadne's beauty.
Meanwhile, Felicite and Cornelia came and celebrated Ariadne's birthday.
Cesare smiled and whispered softly to Ariadne.
“It would be better for you if I took a break.”
“Ah... That’s a bit...”
Ariadne's friends are not only friendly to Cesare.
If she wants to chat comfortably, it would be better if Cesare isn't there.
However, Ariadne felt bad for Cesare because she excluded him from the party he threw and went to play with her friends.
Cesare, who noticed her intentions, struck the player.
“It’s okay. I have to go and see the guests too.”
“...Really?”
Cesare answered her with a light kiss on her cheek.
“Of course. The host has a role to play. Our debutante girl, have fun.”
***
It was a lie that he said he would go and look around the guests.
The second floor's separate VIP section was created not only for Ariadne but also for Cesare himself.
At today's ball, there was someone Cesare absolutely must not meet.
'I guess I'll have to go back after killing some time in the corner of the second floor.'
It was a little upsetting to think of that annoying Baldessar guy hanging around Ari, but he suppressed it for a while because of his own actions.
He crawled out onto the curtained balcony, seemingly alone and unconcerned about being noticed.
“You are truly a difficult person to meet.”
Cesare turned around in surprise. It was a familiar voice, clear and gentle, but laced with anger.
A beautiful, angelic girl with neatly braided, wavy flaxen hair stood on the balcony, glaring at him.
“...Isabella de Mare.”
He forced a smile onto his lips.
“How did you get up here?”
It was something he blurted out in panic, and he regretted it as soon as he said it.
Ah, I shouldn't have said that first.
As expected, the angry woman unleashed a sharp attack.
“Is that all you can say after seeing my face?!”
“No, no. I did that because I thought you might have had a hard time coming up.”
Cesare, in a panic, pulled up his smoothest mask. A pleasant tenor voice came out of the tip of his nose.
“I was so careless. How have you been?”
Isabella held back from snapping at him to see if he was doing well. She had come today to try again with this man.
If she pushed too hard, her prey would run away. She decided to appeal to sympathy instead.
“Do you know how lonely I was?”
"This."
Cesare felt the clammy swamp closing in on him.
But there was no escape route available right now.
He glanced furtively at the curtained balcony entrance.
This balcony was separated from the VIP seating on the second floor by a thick red velvet curtain and was separated from the general public's view of the ballroom on the first floor by a high railing and its position high up against the ceiling.
It was safe from sight. It was a structure where you just had to be careful about sound.
Cesare looked around for a corner to escape to and decided to appease Isabella to avoid the danger that was right in front of him.
“Your pretty face is badly damaged. I was bad.”
His tone was exceedingly affectionate. Isabella bowed her head as she heard those words.
“Ugh...!”
As expected, the angry woman unleashed a sharp attack.
“Is that all you can say after seeing my face?!”
“No, no. I did that because I thought you might have had a hard time coming up.”
Cesare, in a panic, pulled up his smoothest mask. A pleasant tenor voice came out of the tip of his nose.
“I was so careless. How have you been?”
Isabella held back from snapping at him to see if he was doing well. She had come today to try again with this man.
If she pushed too hard, her prey would run away. She decided to appeal to sympathy instead.
“Do you know how lonely I was?”
"This."
Cesare felt the clammy swamp closing in on him.
But there was no escape route available right now.
He glanced furtively at the curtained balcony entrance.
This balcony was separated from the VIP seating on the second floor by a thick red velvet curtain and was separated from the general public's view of the ballroom on the first floor by a high railing and its position high up against the ceiling.
It was safe from sight. It was a structure where you just had to be careful about sound.
Cesare looked around for a corner to escape to and decided to appease Isabella to avoid the danger that was right in front of him.
“Your pretty face is badly damaged. I was bad.”
His tone was exceedingly affectionate. Isabella bowed her head as she heard those words.
“Ugh...!”
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