Chapter 46
On the day of the engagement party between the Imperial Princess and Ares, the Countess of Agnes’s household was unusually busy preparing for the event.
Having finished all his own preparations, Julian headed toward the dressing room where Lucia was getting ready.
Inside, Lucia was being dressed and styled with the help of her maids.
She wore a calm, mature gown—very different from her usual lively image—and her hair was neatly tied up. She had on a pair of topaz earrings, a gift from Bern.
Though she was his own daughter by blood, Julian couldn’t help but admire her beauty.
The girl who had always seemed so young and cheerful now looked like a fully grown lady.
“My dear, one could easily believe you’re getting married tomorrow. You’re so beautiful.”
“When did you come in?”
Startled, Lucia asked with her eyes still closed for her makeup. Julian chuckled softly as he approached.
“Just now. Almost finished?”
“Yes, my lady. Just a few touches left.”
The maids moved their hands quickly, putting the finishing touches on Lucia’s makeup.
It was elegant but understated, highlighting her natural features rather than overwhelming them.
Lucia, however, found the face staring back from the mirror oddly unfamiliar.
Everyone around her complimented her beauty, yet even when she smiled back, she wasn’t sure if she was truly smiling.
She felt like a puppet being controlled by invisible strings.
“Lucas said he’d be attending the party today, so you’ll get to see your brother after a long time,” Julian said.
“Brother’s back?”
It had been almost half a year since she last saw Lucas. The news surprised her for only a moment before she understood why he’d returned.
“Right, he’s serving as Lord Lydia’s aide now. It’d be stranger if he didn’t show up to his master’s engagement party.”
“I just wish Lucas would hurry up and get married himself. He keeps ending things at the dating stage—such a worry. I hope he at least gets engaged this time.”
As Julian prepared to send off his daughter, concern for his son took her place.
He’d had relationships here and there, but never once had he spoken of engagement or marriage, which frustrated him.
“So here you are.”
At that moment, Johan appeared. He had come to fetch Julian, but froze for a moment when he saw his daughter so beautifully dressed.
“Dear, isn’t our daughter breathtaking today?”
“…Yes. Truly beautiful.”
Johan slowly approached Lucia and reached out a hand, but before touching her, he stopped himself.
Her perfectly styled hair and delicately painted face were too immaculate to disturb.
Instead, he lightly flicked the earring dangling from her ear.
“This is new.”
“It’s a gift from Bern, a few days ago. So I thought I’d wear it today.”
Johan’s brow twitched slightly, but he said nothing more and simply nodded.
“It seems he’s quite fond of you.”
“You think so too? Do you suppose he might actually like Lucia?”
Julian beamed like an excited young girl, while Lucia gave a self-deprecating smile.
Bern likes me?
Well, perhaps he liked her as his fiancée-to-be—but not as a woman.
He simply treated her with the respect due to someone who might become his fiancée.
Some might find that disappointing, but Lucia didn’t.
In fact, she found it more comfortable that way—more likable, even.
Not as a man, but as a person.
Truthfully, her reason for wearing these earrings wasn’t only courtesy toward Bern.
It was also a silent vow to herself—
to stop dreaming of fairytales and face reality with resolve.
She would let the weight of those earrings remind her to steady her wavering heart.
“It’s about time. Let’s go.”
Checking the time, Johan offered his arm to Julian.
“We’ll go on ahead. You come later with the Marquis.”
“Yes. I’ll see you at the party.”
After her parents left, Lucia looked quietly at her reflection in the mirror.
A still, tense silence filled the room—so much so that even the maids, including Sein, stood wordlessly behind her.
“My lady, Marquis Casper has arrived.”
Shortly after her parents’ departure, a servant announced Bern’s arrival.
Lucia slowly left the room and headed for the front entrance, where Bern was waiting.
His dark green hair was neatly slicked back, and he wore a different pair of glasses today, accented by a jeweled chain.
A topaz brooch—matching her earrings—was pinned to his chest.
Through his lenses, his golden eyes looked even more intelligent and refined than usual.
When Bern, checking his pocket watch, heard footsteps and looked up, he saw Lucia descending the stairs.
Noticing the earrings she wore, a soft smile curved his lips.
“You look stunning, Lucia.”
“You’re very handsome yourself, Bern.”
There was no love in their words, but they were sincere nonetheless.
Bern gently took her offered hand, brushed a light kiss over her gloved knuckles, and together they stepped into the carriage.
“I’m glad you chose to wear the earrings I gave you.”
“On a day like this, what else could I possibly wear but your gift?”
“Ha ha, is that so? I spent quite some time choosing them—it seems my taste was impeccable. The bright yellow suits you perfectly.”
Lucia lightly touched one earring. The gem felt weighty, grounding her fluttering heart.
The thought of facing Herwin at the party had unsettled her earlier—but now she felt calm.
“I’m really looking forward to this party. How about you, Lucia?”
At Bern’s question, Lucia lowered her blue eyes and replied quietly.
“…I’m looking forward to it as well.”
Her sky-blue eyes no longer wavered.
* * *
The grand engagement party hosted at the Imperial Palace was overflowing with guests.
As expected of an event celebrating the Princess’s engagement, the nobility had gathered in droves.
Arriving early, Herwin scanned the glittering ballroom.
As soon as he entered, countless eyes turned toward him.
His sharp jawline, cutting nose, and rebellious red eyes gleaming beneath his black hair—he was the very picture of dangerous allure.
With his broad chest and sculpted frame evident even beneath his clothes, there wasn’t a woman there who didn’t glance twice.
Not only was he striking, but he also came from an impeccable noble family. Among the eligible bachelors, Herwin was undoubtedly a top-tier candidate.
Many young ladies used the party as an excuse to approach him, but his cold, impenetrable demeanor kept them at bay.
That very aloofness only fanned their determination to win him over.
Then, suddenly, Herwin’s usually indifferent expression softened into a bright smile.
The change was so dazzling that several people gasped, others flushed, and a few turned to glare jealously at whoever had caused it.
The one he was smiling at was Arista—Ares’s younger sister, who was just as popular as Herwin himself.
The sight of the two together was like a painting, and those who had been watching them hungrily bit their lips in frustration.
Ignoring the murmurs, Herwin and Arista exchanged greetings after their long separation.
“You came! I thought you wouldn’t show up.”
“It’s a national event—how could I skip it? My parents couldn’t attend, so I had to represent the family.”
Her mischievous tone made Herwin chuckle.
“I heard you went to subdue monsters? Was it up north?”
“Yeah. Got back last night.”
“Oh? How was it?”
“How do you think? Just endless monster-slaying.”
Her curt answer made Arista’s violet eyes sparkle with curiosity.
“No, I mean—what kind of monsters? Were they strong? What species?”
“Ha… seriously? That’s what you care about, not how I’m doing?”
“Of course! The north is the only region where monsters appear in the Empire.”
Herwin couldn’t help but laugh.
He’d thought he was quite the sword enthusiast—but compared to Arista, he was nothing.
“Fine then. Want to come monster hunting with me next time?”
“Really?”
Her face instantly brightened, her eyes shining like amethysts. Herwin burst out laughing, and she scowled.
“What’s that laugh supposed to mean?”
“You’re just… so easy to read.”
“Are you saying I’m an easy woman?”
“No. I mean you can’t resist anything related to swords. Your only passion in life is swordsmanship.”
Arista lifted her chin proudly.
“Take away swords from Arista Lydia, and all that’s left is a corpse.”
“That extreme?”
“Obviously! I was born with a sword in my hand. Don’t forget your promise, all right? I have to see a monster with my own eyes.”
“You mean fight one, don’t you?”
“Same thing.”
She grinned mischievously.
“There you two are!”
A trio approached—Brian, Ethan, and Christine—dressed impeccably for the grand event.
Seeing Herwin, they immediately asked if he’d been hurt.
“As you can see, I’m fine.”
“Thank goodness. When we heard you went on a monster subjugation mission, we were so worried.”
“Tell me about it. Only a lunatic like you would volunteer for that,” Ethan said, shaking his head.
Herwin’s eyes curved with laughter as he glanced sideways at Arista, who returned an ‘and what do you want me to do about it?’ look.
“Arista, how do you feel about your brother’s engagement today?”
“What’s there to feel? It’s not my engagement.”
She grimaced as if tasting something bitter.
“Still, at least with him engaged, I’ll get a break from my parents’ nagging. ‘When are you going to get engaged?’—honestly, I thought I’d go mad.”
“I know exactly how that feels,” Christine sighed. “Now that we’re at a marriageable age, our parents are all worrying. But I still just want to have fun.”
“I think it’s because everyone around us is getting engaged,” Ethan added. “Some of our peers are even married now.”
“Yeah. Lately I’ve been hearing more and more matchmaking rumors. I wonder who among us will be the first to get married?” Brian mused.
At that, everyone turned their eyes toward Herwin.
Caught off guard by the sudden attention, he tilted his head.
“Why are you all looking at me?”
“Just a hunch—you seem like the type who’ll go first.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Herwin waved it off. “I don’t even have a girlfriend. If anything, I bet Ethan’ll be the first.”
Despite his protest, his friends whispered among themselves, convinced he’d be the first to fall.
“By the way, Lucia’s running late, isn’t she?”
“Yes. I’ve been keeping an eye out, but I haven’t seen her yet.”
At the mention of Lucia’s name, Herwin’s expression darkened.
He’d sent her a letter just before leaving the north—but had received no reply.
Given the timing, she should’ve gotten it three days ago.
Maybe she’d just chosen not to respond, but the thought sat uneasily in his chest.
He couldn’t shake the image of her tear-streaked face the day they parted.
