Chapter 50
Back in her first year at the academy, they had been inseparable best friends—
until one betrayed the other so completely that they never looked each other in the face again.
That person was Bianca.
“Lucia…”
Bianca, too, seemed taken aback; her expression was filled with confusion.
An awkward silence hung between them. The sound of running water felt louder than usual in the still air.
Lucia’s complicated thoughts went blank like a clean sheet of paper the moment she saw Bianca.
But only for a moment—she quickly regained her composure and forced herself to stay calm.
They hadn’t run into each other even once at any tea party or event since their academy days, which was why Lucia had been so startled.
Still, Bianca was a noblewoman—it was only natural that she’d attend a large event like this.
“…It’s been a while.”
Lucia didn’t know what to say, but Bianca spoke first.
Lucia had expected her to turn away or make an excuse about getting lost, not to greet her outright.
So she reflexively returned the greeting.
“Yes… it really has.”
Bianca, who had widened her eyes at first, soon looked indifferent as her gaze fell on the empty seat beside Lucia.
“Is that seat taken?”
“Huh?”
“If not, I’ll sit.”
Before Lucia could even answer, Bianca sat down beside her.
It wasn’t right next to her, but close enough that saying no would have been awkward.
“Have you been doing well?”
Unlike the confused Lucia, Bianca seemed determined to continue the conversation.
Even though she knew the situation was strange, Lucia answered politely.
“I’ve just been… living normally.”
“I see…”
Silence fell again. Lucia couldn’t tell what Bianca was thinking.
“How are the others doing?”
“…They’re fine.”
“And Herwin? Are you still close with him?”
“…”
“Or did the two of you get engaged or something?”
“What are you trying to do right now? Why are you asking that?”
The way Bianca asked about an engagement sounded like mockery. Lucia glared at her.
Bianca, unbothered, met her gaze evenly before turning forward again.
“No reason. I was just curious.”
Bianca had always been a skilled actress—so much so that she could easily fool people.
Lucia studied her face carefully, wondering if she was lying again.
But Bianca’s expression had lost much of the venom it once carried.
When Lucia said nothing, Bianca began speaking to herself.
“It’s been ages since I came up to the capital, so I don’t know what’s going on anymore.
I dropped out before the second year of the academy, so I don’t have any real connections left.”
Lucia had heard that Bianca had withdrawn from the academy.
But she never knew why. Her other friends had kept quiet about it, and Lucia had never wanted to dig into it herself.
“Well, I brought it on myself. After all the awful things I did to you guys, there was no way I could live comfortably.
Even the new people I befriended didn’t like having someone who betrayed her friends around.”
Lucia thought she was finally starting to understand why Bianca had dropped out.
Bianca gave a bitter, self-deprecating laugh.
“All because of love, huh. I must’ve been blind to have done something so stupid.”
Lucia found herself looking at her. There was a faint trace of regret and loneliness on Bianca’s face.
The confident, haughty expression she’d worn when confronting Christine was gone. Now she just looked… tired.
“You’re not laughing at me?”
Suddenly Bianca turned and threw the words out.
Lucia blinked in confusion, and Bianca gave a small laugh.
“You haven’t changed at all, have you? You’re still too soft.
If it were me, I would’ve slapped you or at least cursed the moment I saw you.”
“…Why would I do that?”
“Why not? Lady Lydia or Christine definitely would have.”
Bianca laughed, though it wasn’t the kind of laugh that reached her eyes.
Soon after, she stopped and looked straight at Lucia again.
“…I’m sorry for what I did back then.”
Lucia didn’t accept the apology.
For all her kindness, she could be as sharp as a blade when it mattered.
Bianca seemed to know that—she only gave a faint, bitter smile.
“I didn’t expect you to forgive me.
I just wanted to apologize if we ever met again.”
Then she stood, as if her purpose was fulfilled.
But when Bianca turned to leave, Lucia hurriedly caught her arm.
“Why…!”
Bianca stopped and looked back at her.
“Why did you betray me?”
Lucia had heard an explanation back then—but Bianca hadn’t told her everything.
“I know you liked Herwin. But if that’s true, shouldn’t you have targeted Arista, not me?”
Bianca’s scheme had all stemmed from her feelings for Herwin.
If that was the case, it made more sense to go after Arista, the girl Herwin liked, not Lucia, his childhood friend.
Lucia wanted to hear the real reason Bianca had chosen her instead.
Bianca was silent for a moment, then raised her head.
“Because Herwin liked you.”
“…What?”
The words were unbelievable.
While Lucia stood there in shock, Bianca looked completely calm.
“At first, you bothered me too. I wanted to get rid of both you and Lady Lydia from his side at once.”
Memories flashed before Lucia’s eyes—how Bianca’s trickery had led her to disparage Arista and try to trap her.
“If my plan had worked, you both would’ve been out of Herwin’s life. It was perfect, from my point of view.”
“Then why did you suddenly—”
“Change my target?” Bianca finished for her. “Like I said—because Herwin liked you, not Lady Lydia.”
Lucia couldn’t make sense of it.
“What are you even talking about? Herwin likes Arista, not me.”
“You don’t have to lie. I’ve already given up on him.”
Apparently thinking Lucia was lying, Bianca didn’t believe her.
But when she saw Lucia’s genuinely confused and hurt expression, her eyes widened.
“Wait… you’re not lying?”
“Why would I lie about that?”
Bianca stepped closer in disbelief.
“Hold on—so you and Herwin aren’t together? You’re not engaged?
But I heard you were getting engaged!”
Bianca’s sudden excitement startled Lucia, but she tried to stay calm.
“I’m not engaged to Herwin. I’m engaged to someone else.”
“What?”
“Honestly—back then everyone said I was shameless for standing next to Herwin,
and now you’re telling me he likes me? Seriously…”
“Wait, wait, wait!”
Before Lucia could finish venting, Bianca cut in again, rubbing her temples in confusion.
“So—let me get this straight. You’re not engaged to Herwin. You’re engaged to someone else?”
Lucia nodded awkwardly, taken aback by Bianca’s overreaction.
Bianca’s eyes darted wildly.
“Why? How? Why would you—? And Herwin’s just okay with that?”
“…Why would my engagement have anything to do with him?”
“Unbelievable…”
Lucia couldn’t believe how she was the one left bewildered now.
Bianca covered her mouth with her hand and sighed repeatedly.
“Then… have you completely given up on Herwin?”
Lucia couldn’t bring herself to answer either way.
Her tightly closed lips told Bianca everything she needed to know.
“…You still like him, don’t you?”
Lucia missed her chance to deny it. Before she could speak, Bianca continued.
“Are you really okay with that?
Can you honestly live your whole life with someone else?”
No one had ever asked her that question before.
Lucia’s blue eyes wavered.
“I…”
Before she could answer, someone suddenly grabbed her shoulder from behind.
The familiar scent of musk hit her senses. A strong, broad chest appeared right before her eyes.
When she looked up, she saw the one person who shouldn’t have been here.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
His voice was low and rough, carrying a barely restrained fury.
Herwin had pulled Lucia into his arms and shoved Bianca away.
Caught off guard, Bianca stared at him—at the fierce red eyes glaring her down as he shielded Lucia behind him.
It felt like if she so much as touched Lucia, those eyes would devour her whole.
Bianca gave a small, bitter laugh.
“And you still say I was wrong to think what I did?”
She shook her head, exasperated, looking at Lucia in Herwin’s arms.
“I’m not your friend anymore, so it’s none of my business—but remember what I said.
Think carefully about who’s really right.”
“Lucia has nothing to say to you. So… get lost.”
The murderous tone in Herwin’s voice made Bianca flinch, though she tried to mask it with a scornful look.
“Bianca! Bianca!”
Just then, someone called out her name from afar, sounding anxious.
Bianca turned toward the voice.
“Calypse! I’m over here!”
She called back to her companion, then looked at Lucia and Herwin one last time.
“…Take care.”
With that, she left.
In the distance, Lucia saw her greet a man warmly.
The name Calypse and the man’s face looked strangely familiar—but before she could recall where she’d seen him, she was pulled back by a firm hand.
“You okay?”
“Huh? Oh… yeah.”
Lucia’s voice came out awkwardly. Herwin was standing so close their breaths nearly mingled.
“Damn it… of all places, I had to run into her here.”
Herwin looked furious that Lucia had met Bianca. No—there was more than anger in his tone; there was something darker.
“You left with Marquis Casper. So why are you here alone?”
Lucia stared at him, realizing only now how hot his hand felt on her shoulder.
She quickly stepped away.
“He went to get a drink. And I just happened to run into Bianca.”
Herwin’s hand hovered in midair before curling into a fist and dropping to his side.
“…I see.”
Silence fell again.
He glanced at her. Lucia avoided his gaze, and he could clearly sense the discomfort she felt around him.
Her attempt to draw a line between them stung—and frustrated him.
He couldn’t figure out what he’d done wrong, but the helpless feeling gnawed at him.
He finally spoke up.
“You’re sure Bianca didn’t do anything to you? She didn’t threaten you or anything?”
“No. Really, nothing happened. It was just a coincidence—we ran into each other for the first time since graduation.”
“…That’s a relief.”
Herwin’s tone was clipped again. This time, Lucia could hear the hurt behind it.
Feeling a pang of guilt, she quickly changed the subject.
“Anyway—what about you? What are you doing here? Did you get lost or something?”
“Well…”
Herwin hesitated for a moment. Then his red eyes fixed on hers, his expression turning serious.
“I came looking for you. There’s something I wanted to ask.”
Lucia’s blue eyes trembled.
She had been avoiding him precisely to prevent this kind of situation.
If she’d just had one more day to prepare, she might not have felt her heart pounding this hard.
But she couldn’t run anymore. She steadied herself.
“Alright. What is it? Ask me.”
Her voice sounded calm, but her heart was racing wildly.
She could only hope he couldn’t hear it.
“Are you really… going to get engaged to Marquis Casper?”
It was the question she’d expected.
“Yes. Nothing’s been made official yet, but both of us are thinking positively about it.”
“But… you met him through a formal meeting, right?
So that means you met while I was in the North—and in that short time, you’re already thinking about getting engaged?”
“That was the intention from the start. That’s what arranged meetings are for.”
“…When exactly did you meet him?”
Unlike Lucia, who stayed composed, Herwin frowned and couldn’t stay still.
He looked like he was struggling to contain something.
Lucia, seeing how restless he was, couldn’t help but blurt out:
“Why are you so curious?”
