(170) The main character of the party (4)
Since only upper-middle-class nobles were allowed to enter the central hall of the imperial palace, lower-class nobles enjoyed parties in the banquet hall next to the central hall.
Helena, too, could not even set foot in the central hall, but she felt no regret.
After marrying Ingo Alfreich, as she constantly thought about her family and life, she came to believe that everything was futile. She realized that no matter how hard she struggled or tried, her life was destined to be held captive and swayed this way and that by the powerful Lord of the West.
The same goes for their mother, Rachel, and younger sister, Victoria. Despite their heartache and efforts, they ultimately cannot escape the clutches of the Western Lord.
Thinking that way actually put her mind at ease.
Because she is a word that her grandfather already used and threw away.
Thanks to the downfall of the Alfreich family, Helena was now of no use whatsoever. She escaped the grasp of the Western Lord.
She felt a great sense of relief after casting off the leash she hadn't known about when she was young and naive. Even though she was in a position where she dared not even greet the royal family, and even though she could not set foot in the central hall, she was free.
Helena wishes Victoria knew this, too.
Although she could not enter the central hall, news of what was happening there was constantly being relayed. This was thanks to a certain Countess who had hired a servant to attend to her in the central hall.
“I heard that the Princess of Bronte wore a dress the same color as Her Majesty the Empress. I heard it is very gorgeous.”
“She must be crazy. How can she wear the same color as Her Majesty the Empress for a place like this?”
“I heard the youngest Princess of Bronte was clever, but I guess that isn't entirely true. She’s just a kid who wants to stand out.”
“That kid... She’s already 19.”
Helena's face burned whenever she heard stories about Victoria. It was fortunate that not many people knew that the eldest daughter of the Duke of Bronte was once here.
"They say Princess of the East received the Empress's protection.'
“I knew it. I saw her when I went to see elephants before, and she was really beautiful.”
“Ah, I was there back then, too. Those extravagant dresses didn’t feel tacky at all. I thought that a trend of flashy dresses would be sweeping the Empire for a while.”
"I had a hard time stopping my daughters from wearing blue dresses this time. There aren't many people who look good in bright blue."
Compared to Victoria's reputation hitting rock bottom, no one spoke ill of Ariana.
Helena swallowed a sigh.
Victoria saw Ariana's dress and thought, "Looks like she's wearing a red dress."
Knowing Victoria's personality, Helena could guess what her younger sibling was thinking when she made such a bold attempt.
Helena wanted to tell Victoria.
Just stay put, Victoria. Stop attacking Ariana, stop copying her, and stop caring about her. Then Ariana won't care about you anymore, either.
As soon as the party ended, Harold was summoned by Royal Consort Aelra. The Royal Consort Aelra reprimanded Harold for avoiding Victoria and not dancing with her for the first time.
“But Mother, no matter how much I think about it, I don’t think it’s Victoria.”
Victoria today was truly awful. From her attire to her aura, she was unbearably repulsive. No matter how great the cause, the thought of having to spend the rest of his life sleeping with a woman like that made him feel nauseous.
“Prince. Remember that the power of the Western Lord is essential to fulfill your wish.”
“Western Lord... Western Lord... Ha, Western Lord is the problem.”
Western Lord was doing a great deal for Harold. In a situation where Harold had to be careful because he was in the Empire, he could not ignore the Western Lord's help.
Since Western Lord had prepared for the possibility that things might go wrong, he could not let go of Western Lord's hand right now.
"Prince."
The Royal Consort Aelra gently took Harold's hand and met his eyes.
“Right now, you think only of sitting on the throne. Once you sit there, you will be able to obtain everything the Prince desires.”
Victoria screamed several times in the carriage. Rachel tried to stop her screaming daughter, but it was no use. Vulgar curses escaped from the carriage.
It was not that she did not understand Victoria's feelings. Ariana, a thorn in her side, had the Empress's protection and was asked to dance by many men. In contrast, Victoria could not dance with anyone.
But to think she would act like this just because of that. The screaming Victoria didn't feel like the daughter she knew.
Victoria, who had been screaming for quite some time, calmed down and wiped her expression by the time she arrived at the mansion. Shaking off her mother, who wanted to talk, Victoria entered her room, sat on the sofa still wearing her voluminous dress, and glared straight ahead. Although Ariana was not here, it felt as if she were sitting on the opposite sofa, smiling.
Her blood was boiling. She felt like she would go insane if she didn't grab Ariana by the hair and throw her away right then and there.
Wings...
She thought of the men surrounding Ariana.
I'm going to break it.
Geor, Averaster, and Cyrus. As long as they are here, nothing can be done to Ariana. Moreover, they even made Ariana look more noble, like precious ornaments.
The Northern Lord is hard to deal with, but he will leave the Empire soon anyway.
There were matters arranged by the Western Lord. Cyrus will not be able to stay in the Empire for long.
"But if it's Little Lord and Little Duke White, I should be able to handle them sufficiently on my own."
Isabelle and Wiona chattered away, appearing to be in a good mood.
“Wiona, did you see the Princess of Bronte’s expression when Ariana went in earlier?”
“I saw it. It looks so good even from afar, so it would have been even better to see it up close.”
“No one goes near her. Still, considering she is a Princess by name, you'd think they would make a good impression on her.”
"Isn't it because she's disgusting? For some reason, I just... felt like I didn't want to go near her."
“You went through that, too? I thought I was the only one. Ariana, how about you? Are you okay? Does it feel good to let it go?”
Ariana smiled softly and nodded because her cousin was cute as she asked with wide eyes.
“Yeah. It’s refreshing.”
"The Princess was the star of the show today. You even received the Empress's protection. From now on, proposals will be flooding in for you. Refusing them all one by one will be quite a task."
"I know, right?"
Although she had danced with Cyrus for the first time, she had not publicly announced their relationship.
Even if it had been made public, the Princess of the East, a woman under the Empress's protection, was a tempting fruit—enough to make one want to pick and eat her, even if she already had an owner.
Victoria used to be like that.
When Victoria had her debutante ball, Ariana attended the party as Viscountess Alfreich.
Victoria, dressed in an ivory dress, was beautiful, and the Empress bestowed her blessings. From the next day onwards, marriage proposals poured in for Victoria.
Victoria, who had gone out of her way to find Ariana, looked down at her with a pitiful gaze and spoke.
"It's such a shame you got married without even having a chance like this. But maybe it's actually for the best. Rejecting men who like me is such a difficult and guilt-inducing thing."
Now, even when Ariana recalls those days, her heart doesn't sink. That is because she has a family that chatters about it happily, as if it were their own business.
After Isabelle and Wiona returned to their respective rooms, saying they needed to rest, Ariana looked into the basket on the table. Inside, there was a pile of invitations that had not yet been replied to.
The social season continues until June. Starting with the Imperial Palace party, various nobles will continuously host parties of all sizes. It was a time for nobles to show off their family's connections and wealth.
Tap tap-
As she was looking through the invitations one by one, a small sound came from the window. Thin curtains were drawn on the large window, so she couldn't see clearly beyond, but Ariana felt like she knew who had come to visit.
She deliberately ignored it, and then she heard the tapping sound again. She kept ignoring it, and it kept tapping, changing the rhythm: tap tap, to to to to, tap tap tap tap.
Smiling faintly at his uncharacteristic behavior, Ariana approached the window. Without pulling back the curtain, she muttered softly.
"Where did a little rat crawl in from? How annoying."
“Wouldn’t it be nice to take an interest in and keep an eye on a talking rat at least once? It would be interesting.”
The languid voice, as always, was pleasant to hear. Ariana smiled as she pulled back the curtains and opened the window.
"Instead of coming through the main gate."
"Because I was afraid of the Little Lord."
Cyrus replied lightly, strode closer, and wrapped his arms around Ariana's waist. Holding her tightly as if pressing down on her, he devoured her lips like someone consumed by thirst.
Her delicate lips were pressed against and swallowed by his. Ariana, who had tilted her head to accept his scent, struggled to push his chest away as his kiss grew deeper.
"Lord of the North, don't you know the meaning of moderation?"
“If I had known that, I wouldn’t have committed the rudeness of sneaking in at this hour.”
"It’s a relief that you realize this is rude."
His eyes narrowed as if he were pleased. He kissed Ariana on the forehead with a smack, then reached out his hand. Ariana took his hand and walked toward the sofa.
After telling Shini to keep an eye on the place so no one could come in, they sat side by side on the sofa. Suddenly, she realized the distance between her and him.
They used to always sit facing each other, but now we sit side by side. Close enough to feel his warmth.
"I came to congratulate you on receiving the Empress's protection."
"I am deeply humbled that you took the time to look after even such minute details despite your busy schedule."
“That is how it must be. My congratulations are harder to receive than the Empress’s protection.”
They say that people who boast about themselves are narrow-minded and petty.
“That’s an accurate assessment. It was hard to resist the urge to cut off the wrists of those bastards who kept asking the Princess to dance throughout the party. Still, isn’t my patience quite something?”
"You're bragging again."
"Since you won't praise me, I guess I should at least praise myself."
Ariana turned her head to look at his face. He had been looking only at Ariana for some time.
An excessively handsome face was close by as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The spot where his breath brushed past the moment she turned her head. It felt strange to think that this was his spot now.
He met Ariana's gaze and gently rubbed the corner of her eye with his thumb.
"I can't stand it when you look at me like that."
"I thought you were patient."
"It seems it wasn't exactly like that."
“You really change your mind so easily, North...”
The end of the words was swallowed by his lips. A strong scent enveloped Ariana.
Hot, penetrating breaths entangle inside the mouth. Cold hands peeled back the clothes that had been gently wrapped around her, one by one.
Ariana’s breathing grew ragged at the warmth brushing against her skin. His lips, tracing down her neck, shoulders, and chest, were cold, yet the breath flowing from them was hot.
He greedily tasted and devoured the tender body like a beast before its prey. He gorged himself as if determined not to miss a single part of her flesh.
Ariana flailed her slender arms and hugged his solid back. Wrapped in a corrupted cloud, feeling as if her body might sink into the ground or rise into the void, she held his body tightly.
As Ariana clung to him, he smiled with satisfaction and licked his lips. At the intense gaze and the breath escaping from between his slightly parted lips, her heart pounded.
An energy that they tried to block but could not possibly stop filled the room.
Since only upper-middle-class nobles were allowed to enter the central hall of the imperial palace, lower-class nobles enjoyed parties in the banquet hall next to the central hall.
Helena, too, could not even set foot in the central hall, but she felt no regret.
After marrying Ingo Alfreich, as she constantly thought about her family and life, she came to believe that everything was futile. She realized that no matter how hard she struggled or tried, her life was destined to be held captive and swayed this way and that by the powerful Lord of the West.
The same goes for their mother, Rachel, and younger sister, Victoria. Despite their heartache and efforts, they ultimately cannot escape the clutches of the Western Lord.
Thinking that way actually put her mind at ease.
Because she is a word that her grandfather already used and threw away.
Thanks to the downfall of the Alfreich family, Helena was now of no use whatsoever. She escaped the grasp of the Western Lord.
She felt a great sense of relief after casting off the leash she hadn't known about when she was young and naive. Even though she was in a position where she dared not even greet the royal family, and even though she could not set foot in the central hall, she was free.
Helena wishes Victoria knew this, too.
Although she could not enter the central hall, news of what was happening there was constantly being relayed. This was thanks to a certain Countess who had hired a servant to attend to her in the central hall.
“I heard that the Princess of Bronte wore a dress the same color as Her Majesty the Empress. I heard it is very gorgeous.”
“She must be crazy. How can she wear the same color as Her Majesty the Empress for a place like this?”
“I heard the youngest Princess of Bronte was clever, but I guess that isn't entirely true. She’s just a kid who wants to stand out.”
“That kid... She’s already 19.”
Helena's face burned whenever she heard stories about Victoria. It was fortunate that not many people knew that the eldest daughter of the Duke of Bronte was once here.
"They say Princess of the East received the Empress's protection.'
“I knew it. I saw her when I went to see elephants before, and she was really beautiful.”
“Ah, I was there back then, too. Those extravagant dresses didn’t feel tacky at all. I thought that a trend of flashy dresses would be sweeping the Empire for a while.”
"I had a hard time stopping my daughters from wearing blue dresses this time. There aren't many people who look good in bright blue."
Compared to Victoria's reputation hitting rock bottom, no one spoke ill of Ariana.
Helena swallowed a sigh.
Victoria saw Ariana's dress and thought, "Looks like she's wearing a red dress."
Knowing Victoria's personality, Helena could guess what her younger sibling was thinking when she made such a bold attempt.
Helena wanted to tell Victoria.
Just stay put, Victoria. Stop attacking Ariana, stop copying her, and stop caring about her. Then Ariana won't care about you anymore, either.
***
As soon as the party ended, Harold was summoned by Royal Consort Aelra. The Royal Consort Aelra reprimanded Harold for avoiding Victoria and not dancing with her for the first time.
“But Mother, no matter how much I think about it, I don’t think it’s Victoria.”
Victoria today was truly awful. From her attire to her aura, she was unbearably repulsive. No matter how great the cause, the thought of having to spend the rest of his life sleeping with a woman like that made him feel nauseous.
“Prince. Remember that the power of the Western Lord is essential to fulfill your wish.”
“Western Lord... Western Lord... Ha, Western Lord is the problem.”
Western Lord was doing a great deal for Harold. In a situation where Harold had to be careful because he was in the Empire, he could not ignore the Western Lord's help.
Since Western Lord had prepared for the possibility that things might go wrong, he could not let go of Western Lord's hand right now.
"Prince."
The Royal Consort Aelra gently took Harold's hand and met his eyes.
“Right now, you think only of sitting on the throne. Once you sit there, you will be able to obtain everything the Prince desires.”
***
Victoria screamed several times in the carriage. Rachel tried to stop her screaming daughter, but it was no use. Vulgar curses escaped from the carriage.
It was not that she did not understand Victoria's feelings. Ariana, a thorn in her side, had the Empress's protection and was asked to dance by many men. In contrast, Victoria could not dance with anyone.
But to think she would act like this just because of that. The screaming Victoria didn't feel like the daughter she knew.
Victoria, who had been screaming for quite some time, calmed down and wiped her expression by the time she arrived at the mansion. Shaking off her mother, who wanted to talk, Victoria entered her room, sat on the sofa still wearing her voluminous dress, and glared straight ahead. Although Ariana was not here, it felt as if she were sitting on the opposite sofa, smiling.
Her blood was boiling. She felt like she would go insane if she didn't grab Ariana by the hair and throw her away right then and there.
Wings...
She thought of the men surrounding Ariana.
I'm going to break it.
Geor, Averaster, and Cyrus. As long as they are here, nothing can be done to Ariana. Moreover, they even made Ariana look more noble, like precious ornaments.
The Northern Lord is hard to deal with, but he will leave the Empire soon anyway.
There were matters arranged by the Western Lord. Cyrus will not be able to stay in the Empire for long.
"But if it's Little Lord and Little Duke White, I should be able to handle them sufficiently on my own."
***
Isabelle and Wiona chattered away, appearing to be in a good mood.
“Wiona, did you see the Princess of Bronte’s expression when Ariana went in earlier?”
“I saw it. It looks so good even from afar, so it would have been even better to see it up close.”
“No one goes near her. Still, considering she is a Princess by name, you'd think they would make a good impression on her.”
"Isn't it because she's disgusting? For some reason, I just... felt like I didn't want to go near her."
“You went through that, too? I thought I was the only one. Ariana, how about you? Are you okay? Does it feel good to let it go?”
Ariana smiled softly and nodded because her cousin was cute as she asked with wide eyes.
“Yeah. It’s refreshing.”
"The Princess was the star of the show today. You even received the Empress's protection. From now on, proposals will be flooding in for you. Refusing them all one by one will be quite a task."
"I know, right?"
Although she had danced with Cyrus for the first time, she had not publicly announced their relationship.
Even if it had been made public, the Princess of the East, a woman under the Empress's protection, was a tempting fruit—enough to make one want to pick and eat her, even if she already had an owner.
Victoria used to be like that.
When Victoria had her debutante ball, Ariana attended the party as Viscountess Alfreich.
Victoria, dressed in an ivory dress, was beautiful, and the Empress bestowed her blessings. From the next day onwards, marriage proposals poured in for Victoria.
Victoria, who had gone out of her way to find Ariana, looked down at her with a pitiful gaze and spoke.
"It's such a shame you got married without even having a chance like this. But maybe it's actually for the best. Rejecting men who like me is such a difficult and guilt-inducing thing."
Now, even when Ariana recalls those days, her heart doesn't sink. That is because she has a family that chatters about it happily, as if it were their own business.
After Isabelle and Wiona returned to their respective rooms, saying they needed to rest, Ariana looked into the basket on the table. Inside, there was a pile of invitations that had not yet been replied to.
The social season continues until June. Starting with the Imperial Palace party, various nobles will continuously host parties of all sizes. It was a time for nobles to show off their family's connections and wealth.
Tap tap-
As she was looking through the invitations one by one, a small sound came from the window. Thin curtains were drawn on the large window, so she couldn't see clearly beyond, but Ariana felt like she knew who had come to visit.
She deliberately ignored it, and then she heard the tapping sound again. She kept ignoring it, and it kept tapping, changing the rhythm: tap tap, to to to to, tap tap tap tap.
Smiling faintly at his uncharacteristic behavior, Ariana approached the window. Without pulling back the curtain, she muttered softly.
"Where did a little rat crawl in from? How annoying."
“Wouldn’t it be nice to take an interest in and keep an eye on a talking rat at least once? It would be interesting.”
The languid voice, as always, was pleasant to hear. Ariana smiled as she pulled back the curtains and opened the window.
"Instead of coming through the main gate."
"Because I was afraid of the Little Lord."
Cyrus replied lightly, strode closer, and wrapped his arms around Ariana's waist. Holding her tightly as if pressing down on her, he devoured her lips like someone consumed by thirst.
Her delicate lips were pressed against and swallowed by his. Ariana, who had tilted her head to accept his scent, struggled to push his chest away as his kiss grew deeper.
"Lord of the North, don't you know the meaning of moderation?"
“If I had known that, I wouldn’t have committed the rudeness of sneaking in at this hour.”
"It’s a relief that you realize this is rude."
His eyes narrowed as if he were pleased. He kissed Ariana on the forehead with a smack, then reached out his hand. Ariana took his hand and walked toward the sofa.
After telling Shini to keep an eye on the place so no one could come in, they sat side by side on the sofa. Suddenly, she realized the distance between her and him.
They used to always sit facing each other, but now we sit side by side. Close enough to feel his warmth.
"I came to congratulate you on receiving the Empress's protection."
"I am deeply humbled that you took the time to look after even such minute details despite your busy schedule."
“That is how it must be. My congratulations are harder to receive than the Empress’s protection.”
They say that people who boast about themselves are narrow-minded and petty.
“That’s an accurate assessment. It was hard to resist the urge to cut off the wrists of those bastards who kept asking the Princess to dance throughout the party. Still, isn’t my patience quite something?”
"You're bragging again."
"Since you won't praise me, I guess I should at least praise myself."
Ariana turned her head to look at his face. He had been looking only at Ariana for some time.
An excessively handsome face was close by as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The spot where his breath brushed past the moment she turned her head. It felt strange to think that this was his spot now.
He met Ariana's gaze and gently rubbed the corner of her eye with his thumb.
"I can't stand it when you look at me like that."
"I thought you were patient."
"It seems it wasn't exactly like that."
“You really change your mind so easily, North...”
The end of the words was swallowed by his lips. A strong scent enveloped Ariana.
Hot, penetrating breaths entangle inside the mouth. Cold hands peeled back the clothes that had been gently wrapped around her, one by one.
Ariana’s breathing grew ragged at the warmth brushing against her skin. His lips, tracing down her neck, shoulders, and chest, were cold, yet the breath flowing from them was hot.
He greedily tasted and devoured the tender body like a beast before its prey. He gorged himself as if determined not to miss a single part of her flesh.
Ariana flailed her slender arms and hugged his solid back. Wrapped in a corrupted cloud, feeling as if her body might sink into the ground or rise into the void, she held his body tightly.
As Ariana clung to him, he smiled with satisfaction and licked his lips. At the intense gaze and the breath escaping from between his slightly parted lips, her heart pounded.
An energy that they tried to block but could not possibly stop filled the room.
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