Chapter 12
The light from the chandeliers spilling out of the banquet hall fell upon him. Through the branches swaying in the late May breeze, Lian’s expression appeared as calm as ever. And just as most of the carriages had been cleared away, he slipped his hand into his vest pocket once more.
If you say you’re fine, then why do you keep checking the time?
Holding a heavy pouch of gold coins in his hands, he stared toward the entrance of the hall. At that moment, the head attendant—who had been nowhere to be seen for a while—stepped out to the doorway and began looking around.
“Don’t spend money on something that won’t bring any return.”
Leaning halfway against the carriage, Lian’s face was filled with disdain.
“If you’re trying to bribe someone, that amount won’t be nearly enough. Besides, you hate doing this kind of dirty work.”
“I’m glad you know what I’m trying to do. Then you must also know why.”
“You’ll be criticized no matter when you request an audience anyway. Why waste money on a head attendant you’ll only see once?”
“I don’t think that’s something you should say, my lord, considering how much money you’ve spent on something just as fleeting.”
The butler, whose face had grown noticeably gaunt over the past few days, spoke while alluding to the estate’s worsening finances compared to last year. Despite frequently breaking into cold sweats and coughing lately, he still managed the ledgers meticulously.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust others—he simply said it gave him peace of mind. Erga chose not to point out that the two meant the same thing.
“Investment is something you make when no one else is paying attention.”
From the beginning, this deal had been doomed. Erga regretted not securing alliances with the noble ladies who had shown interest in his lord earlier.
“If everyone is uninterested, perhaps there’s a reason for that.”
Though it was a serious and respectful piece of advice—unlike his usual tone—it was quickly drowned out by the sound of hooves as a carriage passed through the main gate. Erga instinctively turned toward the sound. A carriage bearing the grand golden rose emblem of Critia came to a stop at the entrance.
After confirming whose carriage it was, Erga glanced sideways at his lord. Lian hated waiting more than anything. As expected, he was staring intently at the carriage, lips pressed tightly together.
Surely, since he spent so much money, he won’t act recklessly like usual. As long as he doesn’t get angry, that’ll be enough.
Please, let today pass without incident.
As Lian’s expression gradually hardened, Erga began to feel uneasy. It wasn’t just the two of them who were surprised by her arrival. The nobles also seemed to guess who was inside the carriage.
Soon, the door opened, and long, wavy brown hair cascading down to her waist shimmered into view. A ribbon, looped neatly around her head and tied at the back, fluttered softly in the night breeze.
At last, the dress that the salon owner had boasted was the masterpiece of a lifetime revealed itself. Her pale skin made the sunset-colored gown shine even more brilliantly. Reflections of jewels sparkling under the moonlight drew both admiration and envy from the crowd.
“Critia really is something. That dress must cost a fortune. She looks stunning.”
“Well, it suits her… but still. Isn’t it a bit much to come alone to a banquet?”
“That may be true, but if I could wear a dress like that, I wouldn’t care about a little gossip. Would you?”
Their chatter was loud enough to reach even Lian, who stood some distance away. He had expected the dress to suit her when he bought it—but it being this perfect was the problem. Surrounded by those eager to find fault with her, Illiana stood alone with quiet dignity.
Clasping her hands tightly together, Illiana looked around as if searching for someone. Lian immediately knew who she was looking for.
Since she made me wait, maybe I should let her wait a bit too.
Out of petty spite, he left her standing alone for a moment. Yet strangely, he couldn’t look away.
Starting from the beige shoes peeking out beneath the dress, his gaze traveled upward—to her slender waist, the delicate lace rising and falling near her chest with each breath, the soft strands of hair brushing along her collarbone, and finally to her pale pink lips.
Had he ever looked at her this closely before?
“It suits her better than I expected.”
At his quiet remark breaking the silence, Erga turned to him in surprise. Just moments ago, he had clearly been irritated with the young lady. Even as Erga tilted his head in confusion, Lian’s gaze remained fixed on Illiana.
At that moment, their eyes met. Seeing her blue eyes filled with delight, he straightened his previously tilted posture and walked straight toward her.
“No way… He’s not her partner, is he?”
The whispering crowd fell into stunned silence once again at Lian’s approach. At first, they assumed he was simply going to greet her. No one had imagined that Duke Lian Gotri would extend his hand to his former fiancée.
“Let’s go inside.”
And to top it off, he even smiled brightly.
Gasps of shock echoed throughout the hall. Everyone had been curious about who the duke’s partner would be. No one expected it to be Illiana Critia.
“Thank you.”
An unbelievable scene unfolded before their eyes. Leaving the stunned onlookers behind, the two disappeared into the hall together.
Amid the flood of arriving guests, Illiana still managed to command attention. Through the lace covering her neck and wrists, glimpses of her fair skin showed—making it all the more alluring.
Every young nobleman at the entrance had their eyes on her. Some even sighed in envy of Lian standing beside her, only to quickly look away when their partners shot them sharp glares.
Older noblewomen and aristocrats clicked their tongues in disapproval. The women didn’t bother hiding their displeasure, while the men made ridiculous excuses, claiming it was only her outfit that caught their attention.
Of course, no one could deny that the expensive dress suited her perfectly. But not a single person dared approach her.
Because beside her stood Duke Lian—his gaze as sharp as a drawn blade.
“I expected as much, but this turned out to be quite the grand entrance.”
Lian spoke indifferently, as if it were nothing. With people crowding around them, finding a seat proved difficult.
His narrowed eyes scanned the room like a predator searching for prey. Eventually, he spotted a clean, empty table no one had taken.
“Over there.”
Pointing to a corner, he began walking. Illiana, eager to escape the chaos, silently followed. As soon as they sat down, a servant approached with a tray of champagne. Lian picked up two glasses and handed one to her.
“Thank you.”
Lian began observing her with a detached gaze. Her shoulders were stiff with tension, her fingers fidgeted around the glass, and her eyes trembled.
It was hard to believe she was the same woman who had demanded a breakup from Cedric and rejected his proposal. Unaware that he was watching her, Illiana remained visibly uneasy.
As if she had come to a place she didn’t belong.
What is she so worried about when I’m right here?
As long as he was by her side, Illiana was safe tonight. Even if the rumors spreading lately—that the emperor intended to abandon him—were true, that fact wouldn’t change. For now, Lian Gotri still stood first in line for the imperial succession.
That unchanging truth still held for tonight.
Unless someone was insane enough to declare open war against him, no one in this hall would dare touch her.
“I’m telling you, I was really shocked. I didn’t see it wrong at the plaza.”
“But Duke Gotri? Everyone knows he and Viscount Piaget don’t get along.”
Of course, whispers behind their backs were another matter.
Only when her anxiety reached its peak did he finally realize what the problem was. The murmuring of noblewomen spread from one table to another. Those who had already danced with their partners sat in corners, gossiping about the biggest issue of the night.
He had intended to protect her reputation through the banquet once she accepted his proposal. But the attention she drew was far greater than expected. As he drifted into thought, Erga’s nagging resurfaced in his mind.
“The biggest problem with your reputation, Duke, is the rumor that you’re impotent. At least try to build some connections with people.”
Having spent more time on distant battlefields than in the capital, all kinds of rumors surrounded Lian. Most were nothing more than idle entertainment for bored nobles.
Rejected ladies and slighted young lords quickly spread gossip. Vulgar rumors were more than enough to fill the front page of weekly bulletins. Lian had always ignored such nonsense, just as he did now.
Who would bother caring about the chatter of people with nothing better to do?
But others thought differently. In an empire without a crown prince, he was the greatest controversy and topic of interest. People even cared about what he had for breakfast that morning.
As a result, an unspoken agreement had formed—to ensure that no one could have him. It was the first time the royal family and the nobility, usually at odds, had reached a consensus.
However, with tonight’s appearance together, all those rumors—including the one about him being impotent—vanished instantly.
And instead, every arrow turned toward Illiana.
For example…
