Episode 72. Princess Diana's Birthday Banquet
Time passed, and it was the day of the Princess's birthday banquet.
"Then, I hope you have a good time."
Neruan bowed his head to Rose and the Grand Duke and saw them off. As always, kindly.
He hadn't been particularly rude since the day he'd made the "parasite" comment.
Instead of pressing him, Rose simply observed him.
There are people in this world who love you for no reason. However, there were also the opposite type.
Rose felt that Neruan was exactly that type of person.
'Is it uncomfortable to have more people to serve?'
She heard that Neruan was also of noble birth, though she'd said he was from a foreign land.
He was about the same age as Rose. She also wondered if it might be hurtful for Neruan, a proud nobleman, to have to treat her, a fallen noblewoman, with such respect.
"...Enough. Let's stop thinking about it.'
The more she thought about it, the more Rose felt uneasy.
“It suits you well,”
Grand Duke Artaeum said, extending his hand to Rose.
It was one of the twenty dresses the Grand Duke had bought for her on Doana’s wedding day.
He smiled faintly, quite satisfied with Rose wearing the dress he had bought her.
'Oh, it feels awkward for no reason.'
Rose avoided the Grand Duke's gaze and smiled awkwardly.
It had been days since that awkward moment with the Grand Duke, and it had been the first time she had seen him properly.
It was because she felt awkward facing the Grand Duke.
So she deliberately avoided him.
She made excuses for her meals, asking to be sent to the room where she would die, claiming to be feeling unwell.
Neruan would visit occasionally, offering to give her medicine, but she dismissed him and spent her time recuperating.
“Thank you.”
Rose gave a perfunctory greeting and gently placed her hand on the Grand Duke's.
The Grand Duke of Arteum gently held her hand.
“Are you feeling better? It’s hard to look at your face.”
The Grand Duke of Arteum stared blankly at Rose.
“I’m fine now.”
Rose felt uncomfortable under the Grand Duke’s gaze, staring straight at her. The fact that their hands were touching was equally uncomfortable.
'I’m just getting carried away... Haa, I don’t know how to look at your face.'
If Finn hadn’t come in...
She might have kissed the Grand Duke.
There had only been one man in her life, Lee Do-hyun.
She had dated him quite regularly, so this kind of drowsy atmosphere was a new experience.
'A kiss when we’re not even dating...!'
Even thinking about it again made her dizzy. Judging by the Grand Duke’s expression, he seemed to have taken that day’s events lightly, no different from his usual self. The Grand Duke had approached her quite skillfully.
As befitting a high-octane, shady novel, the Grand Duke had quite a bit of experience with women, right?
The Grand Duke of Artaeum was rumored to be a man who always lusted after new women and then destroyed them without a trace.
'Well... All the rumors about the Grand Duke have been exaggerated. This, too, might be false.'
Despite being at the center of such cruel rumors, she somehow felt the rumors were probably false.
However, she still believed he had a lot of experience with women.
She knew the Grand Duke of Artaeum lacked much romantic experience, but that didn't mean he hadn't embraced women.
No one would embrace only the woman they loved. They could spend the night together even if they weren't in love.
Rose no longer trusted men.
The idea of a century-long, mutual love was nothing more than a fairy tale.
Real love was a messy, deceptive, and chaotic affair.
This misguided thought tormented her.
A deep shadow fell over Rose's face.
The Grand Duke gazed at her face and silently stroked her hand. Rose flinched at the gentle touch of the Grand Duke and looked at him.
The Grand Duke's eyes, looking at her, felt unusually gentle.
'...What do you want from me?'
Was he just trying to soothe his loneliness? Rose looked at the Grand Duke with complicated eyes.
On the other hand, the Grand Duke's heart was still rosy.
'Are you surprised by my sudden approach?'
He knew that Rose was avoiding him because of his rash actions.
The problem was that he had moved forward after only looking at Rose's eyes.
'I'm crazy too. I wanted to kiss you first...'
It was clear that the problem was that he had approached her without asking her out.
Rose had always approached him first. She had shown her affection for him without hiding it. Of course, it was his mistake.
This time, it was his turn to make the move.
'It would be better if I confessed first,'
The Grand Duke thought, swallowing his empty water as he thought of his sweet future with Rose.
'Wow...The palace is different, isn't it?'
The palace was magnificent enough to clear even her tangled thoughts.
Arriving at the palace, Rose looked around in awe at the center of the banquet hall.
The Princess, the star of the day, entered her sight.
She was sitting on an ornately decorated chair atop a high pedestal.
The only daughter of the current Emperor.
She had inherited the imperial bloodline and possessed the imperial tradition of platinum blonde hair and sapphire-blue eyes.
'She resembles the Grand Duke of Artaeum.'
The two cousins had similar appearances, almost like twins.
Next to her sat the Emperor and Empress of the empire.
The Empress wasn't Diana's biological mother.
Her mother had died of an illness when she was young, and the person present was the Emperor's second wife.
'She looks gentle.'
Unlike the harsh-looking Emperor, she looked remarkably delicate.
As far as Rose knew, the current Emperor and Empress were also married through political arrangements.
Perhaps that was why the Empress, seated at the highest level, had a strangely hollow expression.
Rose's gaze shifted between the Emperor and the Empress before turning to Princess Diana.
Diana spotted the Grand Duke of Artaeum and gracefully raised her hand toward him. As the Princess raised her hand in greeting, everyone's attention naturally turned to Rose and the Grand Duke.
"Aren't you a daughter of the Serviat family?"
"How did you get here?"
"You're here with the Grand Duke again this time."
"I see. What's your relationship?"
"You two showed up together at Count Wence's wedding last time, didn't you?"
The nobles' gazes remained unfavorable. They glared and whispered, as if Rose had come to a place she shouldn't be.
"Let me introduce Diana."
The Grand Duke gently took Rose's hand and pulled her closer.
And just then, someone snatched Rose's hand away.
"You... what are you doing here?"
The low, rumbling voice was laced with anger.
Rose, as if expecting to run into him, turned around without a trace of surprise.
As expected, it was Eric.
Eric was staring at Rose, his eyes filled with anger. Beliana, the new Countess, was beside him.
As Eric grabbed Rose, the nobles looked at them with curiosity.
"Oh, what?"
"I wonder if their relationship hasn't been resolved yet?"
Time passed, and it was the day of the Princess's birthday banquet.
"Then, I hope you have a good time."
Neruan bowed his head to Rose and the Grand Duke and saw them off. As always, kindly.
He hadn't been particularly rude since the day he'd made the "parasite" comment.
Instead of pressing him, Rose simply observed him.
There are people in this world who love you for no reason. However, there were also the opposite type.
Rose felt that Neruan was exactly that type of person.
'Is it uncomfortable to have more people to serve?'
She heard that Neruan was also of noble birth, though she'd said he was from a foreign land.
He was about the same age as Rose. She also wondered if it might be hurtful for Neruan, a proud nobleman, to have to treat her, a fallen noblewoman, with such respect.
"...Enough. Let's stop thinking about it.'
The more she thought about it, the more Rose felt uneasy.
“It suits you well,”
Grand Duke Artaeum said, extending his hand to Rose.
It was one of the twenty dresses the Grand Duke had bought for her on Doana’s wedding day.
He smiled faintly, quite satisfied with Rose wearing the dress he had bought her.
'Oh, it feels awkward for no reason.'
Rose avoided the Grand Duke's gaze and smiled awkwardly.
It had been days since that awkward moment with the Grand Duke, and it had been the first time she had seen him properly.
It was because she felt awkward facing the Grand Duke.
So she deliberately avoided him.
She made excuses for her meals, asking to be sent to the room where she would die, claiming to be feeling unwell.
Neruan would visit occasionally, offering to give her medicine, but she dismissed him and spent her time recuperating.
“Thank you.”
Rose gave a perfunctory greeting and gently placed her hand on the Grand Duke's.
The Grand Duke of Arteum gently held her hand.
“Are you feeling better? It’s hard to look at your face.”
The Grand Duke of Arteum stared blankly at Rose.
“I’m fine now.”
Rose felt uncomfortable under the Grand Duke’s gaze, staring straight at her. The fact that their hands were touching was equally uncomfortable.
'I’m just getting carried away... Haa, I don’t know how to look at your face.'
If Finn hadn’t come in...
She might have kissed the Grand Duke.
There had only been one man in her life, Lee Do-hyun.
She had dated him quite regularly, so this kind of drowsy atmosphere was a new experience.
'A kiss when we’re not even dating...!'
Even thinking about it again made her dizzy. Judging by the Grand Duke’s expression, he seemed to have taken that day’s events lightly, no different from his usual self. The Grand Duke had approached her quite skillfully.
As befitting a high-octane, shady novel, the Grand Duke had quite a bit of experience with women, right?
The Grand Duke of Artaeum was rumored to be a man who always lusted after new women and then destroyed them without a trace.
'Well... All the rumors about the Grand Duke have been exaggerated. This, too, might be false.'
Despite being at the center of such cruel rumors, she somehow felt the rumors were probably false.
However, she still believed he had a lot of experience with women.
She knew the Grand Duke of Artaeum lacked much romantic experience, but that didn't mean he hadn't embraced women.
No one would embrace only the woman they loved. They could spend the night together even if they weren't in love.
Rose no longer trusted men.
The idea of a century-long, mutual love was nothing more than a fairy tale.
Real love was a messy, deceptive, and chaotic affair.
This misguided thought tormented her.
A deep shadow fell over Rose's face.
The Grand Duke gazed at her face and silently stroked her hand. Rose flinched at the gentle touch of the Grand Duke and looked at him.
The Grand Duke's eyes, looking at her, felt unusually gentle.
'...What do you want from me?'
Was he just trying to soothe his loneliness? Rose looked at the Grand Duke with complicated eyes.
On the other hand, the Grand Duke's heart was still rosy.
'Are you surprised by my sudden approach?'
He knew that Rose was avoiding him because of his rash actions.
The problem was that he had moved forward after only looking at Rose's eyes.
'I'm crazy too. I wanted to kiss you first...'
It was clear that the problem was that he had approached her without asking her out.
Rose had always approached him first. She had shown her affection for him without hiding it. Of course, it was his mistake.
This time, it was his turn to make the move.
'It would be better if I confessed first,'
The Grand Duke thought, swallowing his empty water as he thought of his sweet future with Rose.
***
'Wow...The palace is different, isn't it?'
The palace was magnificent enough to clear even her tangled thoughts.
Arriving at the palace, Rose looked around in awe at the center of the banquet hall.
The Princess, the star of the day, entered her sight.
She was sitting on an ornately decorated chair atop a high pedestal.
The only daughter of the current Emperor.
She had inherited the imperial bloodline and possessed the imperial tradition of platinum blonde hair and sapphire-blue eyes.
'She resembles the Grand Duke of Artaeum.'
The two cousins had similar appearances, almost like twins.
Next to her sat the Emperor and Empress of the empire.
The Empress wasn't Diana's biological mother.
Her mother had died of an illness when she was young, and the person present was the Emperor's second wife.
'She looks gentle.'
Unlike the harsh-looking Emperor, she looked remarkably delicate.
As far as Rose knew, the current Emperor and Empress were also married through political arrangements.
Perhaps that was why the Empress, seated at the highest level, had a strangely hollow expression.
Rose's gaze shifted between the Emperor and the Empress before turning to Princess Diana.
Diana spotted the Grand Duke of Artaeum and gracefully raised her hand toward him. As the Princess raised her hand in greeting, everyone's attention naturally turned to Rose and the Grand Duke.
"Aren't you a daughter of the Serviat family?"
"How did you get here?"
"You're here with the Grand Duke again this time."
"I see. What's your relationship?"
"You two showed up together at Count Wence's wedding last time, didn't you?"
The nobles' gazes remained unfavorable. They glared and whispered, as if Rose had come to a place she shouldn't be.
"Let me introduce Diana."
The Grand Duke gently took Rose's hand and pulled her closer.
And just then, someone snatched Rose's hand away.
"You... what are you doing here?"
The low, rumbling voice was laced with anger.
Rose, as if expecting to run into him, turned around without a trace of surprise.
As expected, it was Eric.
Eric was staring at Rose, his eyes filled with anger. Beliana, the new Countess, was beside him.
As Eric grabbed Rose, the nobles looked at them with curiosity.
"Oh, what?"
"I wonder if their relationship hasn't been resolved yet?"
"Tsk, tsk, what will become of the new Countess if that happens? She's pathetic."
"But it's funny. I thought the one who would be the most sloppy was the daughter of the Serviat family... but it's the complete opposite."
They covered their mouths with their fans and whispered a few words.
Rose roughly shook off Eric's grip on her.
"Let go. What are you doing in front of people?"
"Hah! Does that matter now?"
Eric's anger grew even more at her calm demeanor.
He searched for days for Rose, who had disappeared overnight.
He searched the entire capital like a mouse, but he couldn't find her.
Her traces were so vague that it was hard to tell whether she had risen to the sky or sunk to the ground.
In fact, Cedric's intervention was the reason he couldn't find Rose.
He had seen his son's ties to Rose and had taken action at this opportune moment.
Cedric knew Rose had headed to the Artaeum family.
It was none other than Cedric who had intercepted Daemon's letter.
Eric, unaware that his father was the reason he couldn't find Rose, vented his anger.
'I searched for you so long...!'
It had only been less than ten days, but for Eric, it felt like hell.
At first, he thought she was simply on a trip, but when no information emerged about her whereabouts, he grew increasingly anxious.
One day passed, then two...
As time passed, he couldn't hide his anxiety.
He desperately searched for Rose, trying to banish the terrifying thought that something might have gone wrong.
And then she showed up, perfectly fine, holding the Grand Duke's hand...!
Eric's heart burned black, and then a painful sting began to form.
“I’m Rose of the Serviat family. Eric was rude. Let me apologize on his behalf.”
Rose gave a brief greeting to Beliana, who was standing next to Eric. Beliana simply stared blankly at Rose without saying a word.
Roger took the Grand Duke's hand again and tried to leave, but Eric’s words stopped her.
“Where are you going without an apology? Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?!”
Eric’s voice came from behind her. Rose’s expression turned astonished, and she glared at Eric.
“Apology? Why should I apologize? Apologies are for the wrongdoer.”
“You were wrong, weren’t you? I clearly told you I’d come back. And yet you disappeared without a word!”
Eric spoke, his face flushed, and he looked comically aggrieved.
It couldn’t be more absurd. To be so resentful of her, with his remarried wife right beside him?
“...Eric.”
As a woman herself, Beliana felt pitiful.
“Don’t get me wrong. We’re not related anymore. Where I go is none of your business. So stop being so clingy.”
“You still like me. So how come we’re not related? You’re still my woman!”
Eric’s words stirred the banquet hall.
Everyone, including Beliana, who heard Eric’s outrageous remark, looked bewildered. How could he say such things after getting divorced?
Rose instinctively knew that Eric wouldn’t back down easily.
She didn’t want to face this truth any longer.
If she wanted to completely reject him, this was the best method.
Rose sighed and lowered her eyes.
“What should I do? I don’t like you anymore.”
Her long eyelashes shadowed beneath her eyes.
“I like the Grand Duke.”
Rose made a mocking expression and affectionately linked arms with the Grand Duke.
"But it's funny. I thought the one who would be the most sloppy was the daughter of the Serviat family... but it's the complete opposite."
They covered their mouths with their fans and whispered a few words.
Rose roughly shook off Eric's grip on her.
"Let go. What are you doing in front of people?"
"Hah! Does that matter now?"
Eric's anger grew even more at her calm demeanor.
He searched for days for Rose, who had disappeared overnight.
He searched the entire capital like a mouse, but he couldn't find her.
Her traces were so vague that it was hard to tell whether she had risen to the sky or sunk to the ground.
In fact, Cedric's intervention was the reason he couldn't find Rose.
He had seen his son's ties to Rose and had taken action at this opportune moment.
Cedric knew Rose had headed to the Artaeum family.
It was none other than Cedric who had intercepted Daemon's letter.
Eric, unaware that his father was the reason he couldn't find Rose, vented his anger.
'I searched for you so long...!'
It had only been less than ten days, but for Eric, it felt like hell.
At first, he thought she was simply on a trip, but when no information emerged about her whereabouts, he grew increasingly anxious.
One day passed, then two...
As time passed, he couldn't hide his anxiety.
He desperately searched for Rose, trying to banish the terrifying thought that something might have gone wrong.
And then she showed up, perfectly fine, holding the Grand Duke's hand...!
Eric's heart burned black, and then a painful sting began to form.
“I’m Rose of the Serviat family. Eric was rude. Let me apologize on his behalf.”
Rose gave a brief greeting to Beliana, who was standing next to Eric. Beliana simply stared blankly at Rose without saying a word.
Roger took the Grand Duke's hand again and tried to leave, but Eric’s words stopped her.
“Where are you going without an apology? Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?!”
Eric’s voice came from behind her. Rose’s expression turned astonished, and she glared at Eric.
“Apology? Why should I apologize? Apologies are for the wrongdoer.”
“You were wrong, weren’t you? I clearly told you I’d come back. And yet you disappeared without a word!”
Eric spoke, his face flushed, and he looked comically aggrieved.
It couldn’t be more absurd. To be so resentful of her, with his remarried wife right beside him?
“...Eric.”
As a woman herself, Beliana felt pitiful.
“Don’t get me wrong. We’re not related anymore. Where I go is none of your business. So stop being so clingy.”
“You still like me. So how come we’re not related? You’re still my woman!”
Eric’s words stirred the banquet hall.
Everyone, including Beliana, who heard Eric’s outrageous remark, looked bewildered. How could he say such things after getting divorced?
Rose instinctively knew that Eric wouldn’t back down easily.
She didn’t want to face this truth any longer.
If she wanted to completely reject him, this was the best method.
Rose sighed and lowered her eyes.
“What should I do? I don’t like you anymore.”
Her long eyelashes shadowed beneath her eyes.
“I like the Grand Duke.”
Rose made a mocking expression and affectionately linked arms with the Grand Duke.
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