IDNT 71

Chapter 71

Layla believed that Rainier’s goal would be achieved if she and Sonnet broke off their engagement.
That was one thing—but she didn’t feel good about Sonnet’s behavior either.
She had thought there was no way he could truly care for her, but now it seemed possible that he wasn’t just cheating—he might even be planning to kill her.

A woman with the same hair color and eye color as herself…
What if, after they married, she was truly never allowed to leave the mansion?

In the Sigmund Empire, that kind of law still formally existed. If a husband prohibited his wife from leaving the house, she couldn’t leave.
The law was originally made to protect noblewomen—
It was something they could use as an excuse when they didn’t want to go out due to poor health or similar reasons.

From the start, noble marriages were mostly contractual. After fulfilling the duty of marrying and producing children, it was common for each spouse to keep lovers separately.
Because of that, there were actually very few men who truly locked up their wives.
Among nobles, if someone really did that, it could turn into a problem between families.

But what if it were Layla?

The Count of Abier’s family had no interest in her as a person. They only wanted to take the money and diamond mine she would bring with her upon marriage.
If Sonnet, after paying the price, locked her away and slowly let her die under the excuse of illness…
Or if, like The Mermaid’s Tear, she was poisoned into a slow death through some addiction—then who could save her?

“Don’t cry.”

Layla wasn’t crying. But because of Sonnet’s actions, she felt a deep sense of despair.
She had intended to match him with Sieber anyway—him being trash wasn’t surprising. In the original story, there were plenty of awful things he had done to Sieber.
She had already half-expected that the side of him shown only to her was also fake.

But if things kept going like this, wouldn’t she actually end up marrying him?

“Young Lady.”

“Ah…”

“Young Lady, look at me.”

She looked at Rainier with a confused expression, and saw a worried look in his eyes.
Rainier was the kind of person who, no matter how much he denied it, always worried about and helped Layla.

Then why did he want her to break off her engagement with Sonnet?
He kept saying her feelings were most important, yet often acted in ways she couldn’t understand.

“Rain, what exactly are you?”

“Are you upset because of me?”

“Yes. Are you even human?”

“I am human. And if you’re upset because of me, what exactly about me is upsetting you?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“So I can fix it. If you’ve been disappointed in me.”

Realizing that Rainier was perhaps the most incomprehensible person of all made her heart sink.

“Rain.”

When Layla called, he immediately looked at her.

“Come back a little later.”

She said that, then pushed him away and headed back to her original seat.

“You’re late.”

“Where’s the Lady?”

When Layla returned, the young noblewoman was gone. Catherine, who should have been at the door, was nowhere to be seen either.

“She said she was going to the powder room.”

“I see.”

Layla was heading toward her seat when—

“Sit here.”

“How do you know when the Lady will be back?”

“She just left, so it’ll be at least ten minutes.”

The Crown Prince Anasys patted his thigh, telling Layla to sit on it.

For a moment, Layla regretted not coming back with Rainier.
At the same time, she thought ahead—if things really went wrong and she married Sonnet, how could she avoid being confined in the mansion?

“Your Highness.”

Layla didn’t sit on his thigh. Instead, she sat on the floor and looked up at him.

“If I suddenly disappear one day, what will you do?”

It was the kind of action that would appeal to the prideful, arrogant Anasys. Apparently pleased, he stroked her cheek.

“It would depend on the reason for your disappearance.”

“What if… I were locked up at home?”

“Is Lady Bruce assuming that might happen?”

“Yes.”

The Crown Prince gave her a strange look, then said,

“If the Marquess of Bruce became your husband, I suppose nothing could be done. It’s imperial law, isn’t it?”

“Ah…”

“Still, there’s no way a husband would actually imprison his wife.”

So even Anasys was no help. Layla tried to hide her disappointment.

“If you were carrying my child, things might be different.”

“How so?”

“Then the child would be brought to the Imperial Palace.”

“And me?”

“You’d stay at the marquess’ house.”

There was nothing left to be disappointed about—it was hard enough just to keep her expression neutral.

“Still, as the child’s mother, you could be summoned to the palace once a month.”

“I see.”

Just as his hand was about to touch her lips, the sound of high heels clicking came from outside. Layla quickly got up and went to her seat.

Seeing her move so quickly, Anasys chuckled as if she were a startled rabbit.

“You smell of alcohol, Lady. Sit a bit farther away.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As the door opened, he said that as if to keep up appearances. Layla, only then realizing the smell of rum on her dress, moved to the far corner of her seat.

“What were you talking about?”

“Nothing. Just watching the performance.”

When the Duke of Weimar’s daughter sat beside him, Anasys smiled.

“Come a little closer.”

“Yes.”

With makeup even more glamorous than before, the lady blushed shyly and sat closer, her shoulder brushing his. Her heart pounded from the contact.

Anasys, feeling bored, stared ahead, pretending not to notice.
But the sensation of Layla’s hair brushing against his thigh still lingered.

Even when the performance ended and it was time to leave, Rainier—disguised as the Crown Prince of Lutenberg—had not returned.

After parting with Layla, Rainier had remained standing in the corridor.
Once she left, the smile he had been forcing disappeared.

By the time the opera ended, Sonnet—once again in his black hood—and a woman with her hair and face hidden under a bonnet were leaving.
They seemed to be trying to blend into the crowd just after the show, when there were the most people.

If they were smarter, they would have left five minutes earlier, but perhaps the scene had reached its climax and they couldn’t bring themselves to go.

Rainier quietly followed them.
Sonnet and the woman walked on as if no one could see Rainier at all.

Soon, the crowd gathered in the first-floor hall.

“He was really good.”

“I know. I’d only heard about him before, but I didn’t expect him to sing that well.”

“We should invite him to the next ball at our estate.”

Everyone was praising the prima donna. The crowd was so thick it was hard to move freely, forcing people to inch forward in a slow line.

Sonnet and the woman blended in naturally among them. No one paid them any special attention.

Rainier moved closer to them.

Snap!

With a flick of Rainier’s fingers, Sonnet suddenly felt a chill.

“Oh my goodness.”

“Isn’t that the Marquess of Bruce?”

“Pfft…!”

“What on earth is he wearing?”

At that moment, Sonnet Bruce’s clothes vanished into thin air. He was left wearing only trousers, his chest fully exposed. His robe was gone as well.

“Oh my.”

The woman beside him quickly let go of his arm and looked away, her shoulders shaking as if suppressing laughter. Slowly, she slipped away into the crowd.

“Marquess Bruce?”

“What the hell is this?!”

Sonnet couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.

“Hahaha. My lord, what a sight!”

“Sonnet! Hey, it’s been a while.”

Recognizing him, people nearby approached with teasing smiles.

“Here alone to see the opera?”

“Ha…”

Sonnet ran a hand down his face, frowning.

“Want to borrow this?”

One man chuckled and offered his cloak. Sonnet snatched it roughly.

“My clothes disappeared.”