Chapter : 09
I was glancing around the banquet hall when a neatly dressed man approached me. He walked over awkwardly, but our eyes definitely met.
“Um, Lady Regfield.”
“…Young Master Dawson.”
Thankfully, his face was in Reyna’s memories. That could’ve been embarrassing.
When I recognized him, Dawson’s face brightened.
“You remember me?”
“Yes. I remember. We spoke briefly at a banquet before.”
“Haha, that’s right. I’ve been waiting for another chance to see you ever since. Looks like today’s the day.”
Dawson edged closer to my side. His steps were a little more confident than before. Closing the distance, he spoke to me in a friendly tone.
“You haven’t been attending many social gatherings, so I was quite disappointed.”
I’d been busy chasing after Cesar. And whenever I had free time, I spent it writing letters—letters that would never reach him. I don’t do pointless things like that anymore, so now I have time. Time to enjoy my life.
“I’m planning to come out more often now. I think we’ll be seeing each other a lot.”
“That’s wonderful to hear.”
As I talked with Dawson, people began to gather little by little. Of course. Is it because I’m a Regfield? The Duke of Regfield was an old and prestigious house—and they also had Rochester, a Sword Master.
They said that just Rochester’s name alone could secure loans worth millions of gold.
A nation with a Sword Master has a completely different level of national defense.
Are they trying to get on Rochester’s good side?
“I’m not sure if you remember me, but I’m Gelston of Count Tiers’ family. If you’re free this weekend—”
“Hey! Wait your turn! I was just talking with Lady Regfield!”
Dawson snapped angrily.
Hold on.
“You haven’t even asked her out yet, have you? What kind of ‘turn’ is there for asking someone on a date? If you like Lady Regfield, you ask her!”
Watching the two men argue, I realized a moment later…
Ah. Am I getting asked out right now? And by two men at the same time? Oh my. This is my first time experiencing something like this.
So this is what happens after giving up on Cesar.
“Lady Regfield, how about going to the opera with me this weekend?”
“No, milady. I hear the weather will be wonderful this weekend. How about going to the lake and boating with me?”
The two spoke over each other.
To be honest, both of them looked fine. It’s just that Rochester and Cesar were on an entirely different level—this is probably average, isn’t it? They’re tall, too. Faces that are too handsome can be a bit much. Look at Cesar—he lives up to his looks. And Rochester… well, he ended up becoming a mastermind. Anyway, they seemed like perfectly decent date partners.
Besides, I needed to show Cesar and Grace that I no longer liked Cesar.
And meeting a good man, getting married, and living well sounded nice too, right? You have to meet lots of people to know who’s worth marrying. So I answered lightly.
“I don’t know why you’re fighting. The weekend has two days, after all. Why don’t we go to the opera one day and go boating the other?”
“…Lady Regfield, you must be a genius!”
“That’s an excellent idea! Then which should we do first—”
Since Dawson spoke to me first…
“I’d like to go boating first.”
“I’ll come pick you up at eleven. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight—I’ll be too excited.”
“The opera starts at three. How about having lunch together on Sunday and then going to the opera?”
“Sounds good. There’s a restaurant I’ve been wanting to try, actually.”
It was another Jane Pick—and Jane Pick had never failed me yet. Same with that dessert café I went to with Selena.
Wow.
So this is what they mean when men fall from the sky.
Whew. This is nice.
＊ ＊ ＊
At that same time.
Cesar had also been invited to Selena’s birthday banquet. The invitation came from the imperial family, and Cesar was attending as their representative. The Crown Prince was away on business at the border, and the Emperor and Empress were too old for an event of this age group.
As a result, everyone’s attention focused on Cesar, who arrived alone.
Cesar’s gaze naturally turned toward where Reyna was.
That area was lively to begin with, and somehow Reyna, wearing a sky-blue dress, stood out immediately. She looked the same as always—except for one thing. Her eyes, which were usually swollen from crying, were sparkling.
The face that used to tremble with tears and lifeless, dark eyes now wore a pleasant smile.
Her lips, once pale and swollen from lack of sleep, were tinted pink.
The 모습 that made Cesar feel guilty was gone. Reyna’s original self was fully revealed.
So who wouldn’t think she’s pretty? Why else would Lord Regfield get so fired up about his sister’s affairs?
The words of a fellow knight came back to him. Cesar stared at Reyna with a strange look.
In many ways, the Reyna he knew and the Reyna now were different.
Come to think of it, Reyna hardly ate when she was with him, yet at the Highboard estate before, she’d eaten well. She had changed—quite a lot.
“Oh, see? I told you. Lady Regfield’s popularity is no joke.”
The fellow knight snickered and poked Cesar in the side. Cesar brushed his hand away.
“Are you regretting it now?”
“…What are you talking about.”
Cesar muttered in a low voice. It was just annoying—that’s all. The men around Reyna.
He examined them closely. He knew them too. Men who always showed up at banquets like this. Pathetic types who gathered in groups, excitedly talking about women. Why did it have to be them with Reyna?
“Looks like Lady Reyna has finally broken free of you. She’s in the prime of her youth—she was tied to you far too long.”
The knight’s words went in one ear and out the other.
When was Rochester coming, anyway? He’d been going around threatening anyone who tried to approach Reyna.
Cesar roughly ran a hand through his hair.
“What’s wrong? You don’t look so good.”
“It’s nothing.”
Cesar shook his head.
Who Reyna dated, or what kind of men they were, had nothing to do with him. Their connection had ended completely that day. Reyna was the one who cut it off—but the one who wanted it that way more than anyone was Cesar himself. So he needed to stop this foolishness.
Forcing his heavy feet to move, Cesar stepped away.
Soon, people gathered around him, and Cesar turned his attention elsewhere.
The banquet was just beginning.
＊ ＊ ＊
While the banquet went on for some time without its main guest, Selena finally appeared. Her face was pale. She looked sad—and angry, too. Because of that, no one dared approach the day’s star.
But I should be fine.
I’m Selena’s best friend.
I went up to her and spoke. When Selena turned to look at me, her face was dark. Something must’ve happened with Grace. These days, Grace was the only one who could make Selena cry—or smile. Right now, Selena’s crush on Grace burned hotter than any romance.
“Selena.”
“…Reyna.”
“Did something happen? You don’t look well. And Grace—”
“Grace isn’t coming.”
Selena cut me off coldly.
No—what now?
End Of Chapter : 09
