If the Reclusive Young Lady’s Pretense Is Exposed
Episode 5
“Announcing the entrance of the young master and young lady of Viscount Roha!”
Holding my brother’s hand, I stepped into the ballroom. It was brilliantly lit and dazzlingly ornate. The moment we entered, people began swarming toward Shasha.
“Lord Roha, it’s been so long!”
Young ladies blushed as they greeted him.
“Alessandro! Why are you so late?”
Even his friends crowded around, acting overly familiar.
Shasha tried to stay by my side, but being popular is always a burden. Before long, he was swept away by the crowd and drifted far from me. I waved brightly at him.
‘Good. Now it’s time for me to slip away.’
Just as I turned around, I collided with a man standing right behind me.
“Oh! Are you all right, Lady Roha?”
“Ah, yes. I’m… fine.”
Inside, I was cursing him for standing there like an idiot, but on the outside I lowered my gaze shyly, nodding like a proper demure lady.
The man I bumped into was the young master of Count Jericho’s family. He often “happened” to run into me like this or start conversations, which made me uncomfortable. I didn’t know what he wanted, but his snake-like eyes always seemed to crawl over my body. Every encounter left me feeling disgusted. I glanced toward Shasha, but he was too busy being jostled by people to notice me.
“Looking for your brother? Shall I escort you to him?”
As if I were a five-year-old child. The way he said it so pompously made me want to gag.
“No, thank you. Hehe. With you being so excessively kind, it’s no wonder your fiancée might worry.”
I had heard rumors a few days ago that he’d had a big fight with his fiancée, the young lady of the Count Core family. At my subtle remark, his face flushed red.
“I cannot agree that kindness can be described as excessive. But if I make you uncomfortable, then…”
He pretended to be calm, but considering the rumor that his engagement had nearly been annulled, he only looked pathetic.
“Yes. I’ll accept the sentiment, Lord Jericho. I’m rather busy, so if you’ll excuse me.”
His gaze blatantly lingered on my chest as I bowed. It made my skin crawl, but I turned away as if nothing were wrong. Without evidence, I couldn’t teach that scoundrel that life is a battlefield. How unfortunate.
Though my mood had soured, I consoled myself by thinking about the book tucked against my chest.
Soon after, while Shasha was busy chatting with his friends, I slipped into the corridor.
Skipping out was my specialty. From long experience, I knew that rooms close to the ballroom were often invaded by couples seeking secret trysts, so they weren’t good choices. I walked far down the seemingly endless corridor until I found a room I liked.
Creak.
When I opened the door, there was a cozy-looking sofa, and the fireplace was still burning, as if someone had been there recently. It was the perfect room for me. The warm air pleasantly melted the chill in my body.
“Good, good. Hm-hm-hmm.”
I removed the brooch from my shawl and hummed happily.
Humming while talking was a habit from my previous life. Well, maybe not just from a previous life—any adult from South Korea tends to pick it up naturally.
“Ahem-hmm. Sorry, Brother~ But a shut-in warrior like me doesn’t need a husband~ Hmm-hmm. Shall we take out the book? Hehe. Shall we read it all up~”
Wrapping my legs in the shawl, I lay sideways on the sofa.
“This is paradise on earth. Indeed.”
Hehe. I giggled as I boldly pulled a book out from between the neckline of my off-shoulder dress.
“Ahem-hmm. The new novel by Author Alji! So good, isn’t it? So exciting, isn’t it?”
Giggling to myself, I dusted off the cover.
“Let’s start reading ‘The Devil Duke Is Obsessed With Me.’ Hehehe!”
Freely indulging in the humming Shasha hated most, I opened the cover and was instantly absorbed. I had bought the book earlier but forced myself to stop reading and save it for today.
Carefully turning each page, I was amazed at the writing. It was so vivid that I forgot whether I was at home or in the imperial palace. The descriptions were so lifelike it felt like watching with my own eyes. I swallowed hard as I turned each page.
When I finally finished the last page, I surrendered myself to a wave of emotion.
I didn’t know how much time had passed. The firewood in the fireplace had almost burned out, and the flames were weakening. I stood to add more wood when—
A strange chuckling sound echoed from somewhere. The door was closed.
Thinking it might be a ghost, goosebumps shot up my spine and I screamed.
“W-What?! Who’s there?”
But only that eerie laughter answered me. No one was visible.
In a panic, I threw my shawl over my shoulders and backed into a corner. If necessary, I would bolt out the door.
I crept toward the door and surveyed the room again. Only then did I notice the structure I’d missed earlier. Instead of being a simple square, it had an L-shape, with another space hidden deeper inside.
‘I’m… doomed.’
The laughter had come from there. Apparently, the room already had an occupant before I entered.
My face burned. This was the first time my true self had been exposed so blatantly to someone else.
The chuckling had stopped. Slowly, I approached the sofa.
‘Calm down. If I run before he sees me, that’s all that matters.’
Even if you’re dragged into a tiger’s den, you survive by keeping your wits—so said the ancient sages. I steadied myself and mapped out my escape plan.
Step 1: Quickly gather the book and shawl.
Step 2: Quietly but swiftly run to the door.
Step 3: Slip out into the garden or somewhere, fix my clothes, and return to the ballroom.
The plan was perfect—if only the book hadn’t slipped from my grasp with a thud as I tugged at my shawl.
In the now-silent room, the noise sounded far too loud. I revised my plan.
Step 0: Grab everything and flee immediately.
The frantic rustling must have echoed into the inner space. Clutching my shawl and book, I dashed toward the door.
Just as my hand was about to reach the handle, I saw it turning in slow motion.
Standing there was none other than that scoundrel, the young master of Count Jericho.
Unable to slow down, I crashed straight into him. He looked startled by my sudden appearance, but he didn’t fall.
“Lady Roha…?”
“Shh!”
He was about to call my name aloud, so I gestured urgently for him to keep quiet.
Perhaps he understood, because his voice lowered enough that whoever was deep inside the room wouldn’t hear.
Relieved, I tried to escape. But he didn’t let me go so easily.
Looking down at me, he smiled lewdly.
“Well now. I had no idea such a daring dress was hidden beneath that shawl.”
Startled, I quickly covered my shoulders. It seemed he thought I had been engaging in some steamy affair and was fleeing.
As if to prove my earlier impressions of him correct, he began speaking in a way that belittled me.
“If I’d known, I would have taken a number and waited my turn.”
“What are you talking about? Please step aside!”
“For a lady without even a fiancé to indulge in such bold romantic antics.”
The conversation dragging on was dangerous with someone still inside the room. I tried to pull my hand from his grasp while maintaining a smile, but he refused to let go.
“Let go of me. Lady Core might misunderstand.”
“My fiancée is in the ballroom right now, so there’s no need to worry.”
His greasy gaze made me shudder. Avoiding his eyes, I spoke more firmly.
“Let go.”
“I’m afraid I can’t.”
“I said let go!”
Did he think he could treat me however he pleased just because he was from a count’s family and I was only a viscount’s daughter?
Fury rose to my head, but mindful of the person inside the room, I kept my voice low. Misinterpreting my restraint as weakness, Jericho grew bolder. He must have assumed I had been fooling around and therefore lacked the moral ground to protest.
“So someone is still inside that room? Perhaps someone you’d like to keep secret. Very well. I’ll keep your secret—if you’ll grant me the same favor…”
Grant him what, exactly?
I nearly saw red. My family had always treated me like a treasured jewel. Never before had I been subjected to such humiliating words and behavior.
Should I just scream and make a scene? I hesitated. If not for the man inside, I definitely wouldn’t have held back.
If you stay silent, people treat you like a doormat. It was a universal truth. My hands trembled as I considered giving Jericho the lesson he deserved.
‘Do it? Or not?’
Just as I was about to explode with indignation, an unexpected person separated me from Jericho.
“Release her.”
The voice came from the inner part of the room.
Jericho, still wearing a smug expression, looked over my shoulder. Whether he meant to mock the other man for being the same sort of degenerate, I couldn’t tell.
But one thing I knew for certain—
The color drained completely from Jericho’s face as he saw who stood behind me.
