Chapter 33
“Why so quiet? If you have something to say, then say it.”
Nanael pressed, her eyes sharp. The crowd’s attention was fixed on us.
I deliberately paused, then spoke in the dramatic tone of a heroine from a romance opera.
“Of course Princess Nanael must hate me. After all… it is my fault Ren oppa broke off the engagement.”
“Gasp!”
Sierra and Glaster clapped hands over their mouths at the same time.
Behind us, one of the fan girls nearly fainted at my bombshell confession.
“So you’re finally admitting it?”
Nanael narrowed her eyes, clearly suspicious of my game.
And that’s when I pulled out the ring.
“But just as Your Highness said, we’re not doing anything wrong. Nothing has truly begun yet.”
Someone in the stands recognized it immediately.
“Wait—that’s the one! The custom pink diamond Duke Ainruk commissioned from Digri, isn’t it?”
At the words “pink diamond,” Nanael’s gaze snapped toward my ring, sharp and poisonous.
So this ring was already famous, huh? Well, that makes things easier for me.
Holding it high for all to see, I announced proudly:
“Right after his annulment, Ren oppa gave me this ring and begged me to accept his feelings. He’s been chasing after me every day since, afraid I might turn him down.”
I made it sound like Alperen couldn’t live without me—though in truth, everyone was too dazzled by the ring to notice.
Then, in the fluttery voice of a heroine wavering in love, I added:
“Just look at this radiant color… How could anyone refuse it?”
Even though it sounded like I was hawking snake oil, people nodded in fierce agreement.
“She’s right. Just owning that would be worth a fortune.”
“And the gem matches the young lady’s hair. Looks like the Duke has a romantic side.”
The pink diamond sparkled brilliantly in the sun as I slid it onto my finger.
“Of course, I hesitated at first,” I went on. “He was once Your Highness’s fiancé, after all. But really—who could turn down someone as wonderful as Ren oppa?”
I swept my gaze around as if to challenge anyone to disagree. The fangirls shook their heads so violently it looked like their necks might snap.
Satisfied, I turned to smile sweetly at Nanael’s sour, twisted expression.
“Besides, thanks to Your Highness, I feel brave now. Like you said—it’s no affair. It’s a confession made after the engagement ended. Perfectly proper, don’t you agree?”
I twisted her words to my advantage and drove the nail in deeper.
“In fact, isn’t it clinging to a broken engagement that’s the real problem?”
It was as if I were announcing: Stay away from Alperen—he’s mine now.
Nanael’s eyes flared.
“She’s not wrong. The engagement ended ages ago. It was mostly political anyway,” someone in the crowd muttered.
“To be honest, if anyone strayed during that time, it wasn’t the Duke…”
In an instant, public opinion swung in my favor. Between a princess infamous for her scandals and a duke’s daughter with a spotless reputation, it wasn’t hard to guess whose words carried more weight.
I lifted my ring hand high into the air and declared:
“I’ve made my decision. I accept Duke Ainruk’s heart!”
My bright proclamation brought tears to Lottie’s eyes. She clapped loudly, and others—mistaking the commotion for the start of the race—joined in with applause.
Amid the cheers, I winked cheekily at Nanael, who glared daggers at me.
Burn, villainess. Burn.
The harder she tried to crush me, the higher I rose. It must have driven her insane.
Unable to endure it any longer, Nanael stormed out—another victory for me in this war of words.
“D-Deli…”
Lottie tugged at my sleeve, pointing nervously.
A group of noble ladies was gathered behind us.
In my sparring with Nanael, I’d completely forgotten about the rabid fangirls at my back.
They had been silent, but their expressions were terrifying.
Just as I braced myself, the leader suddenly grabbed my hand.
“Our Alperen loves sweets. Please make sure his coffee always has at least five sugar cubes. And when he’s troubled, his brows furrow exactly three centimeters—so don’t let him worry too much, or he’ll wrinkle early.”
…Why did that sound like something an ex-girlfriend would say?
And then I noticed—their eyes were all wet with tears.
So those grim expressions were just them trying to hold it in.
“Also—his left profile is more handsome. So when you take portraits, make sure the camera’s on that side.”
On and on, they recited every detail of Alperen’s life as though entrusting me with sacred knowledge. They were so serious, I couldn’t cut in.
Finally, the leader dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and declared:
“We of the Lilith Club have a rule never to oppose our lord’s choices. Now that we’ve witnessed his decision with our own eyes, we recognize Lady Rodelia Ferris as his lover.”
I wanted to ask why their approval mattered, but the solemnity of their faces made it impossible.
Lilith Club… really?
The lily flower symbolized purity and eternal love. For a group of obsessive stalker-fans, that felt a bit ironic.
The leader slipped me a card.
“If you ever need our help, don’t hesitate to call. With just a single candid photo of Alperen, we’d devote ourselves fully to supporting you.”
Her hushed, reverent tone sent chills racing down my spine.
Forget purity—this is just a bribe to let them keep stalking him up close!
But faced with an army of fangirls, I had only one option.
“Th-thank you.”
“Very good.”
At once, the Lilith Club returned to their seats.
Before them, gleaming state-of-the-art magical cameras appeared—luxury equipment for snapping every possible angle.
“Remember, ladies—observe proper etiquette. Good manners make for good pictures.”
Their stalker philosophy was terrifying, yet strangely organized.
If I made a scene now, I’d probably be tossed out of the stands.
“…Ahem. Let’s just watch the race, shall we?”
The announcer’s voice declared the match was about to begin. Pretending I hadn’t just been inducted into a cult, I fixed my eyes firmly on the competition.
I had no idea what ripple effects my very public “acceptance” of Alperen’s proposal would bring.
Meanwhile, down by the river—
“Why’s the audience so noisy?”
Aslan, about to board his boat, glanced toward the commotion.
A woman in the crowd was being applauded by everyone.
Though her face was hidden under a white lace bonnet, her long twin braids of pink hair stood out instantly.
It was such a rare hair color that Aslan recognized her right away.
He nudged Adrian’s back.
“Hey, hey, Adrian. Isn’t that your sister over there?”
Adrian had been muttering darkly to himself—something about “Who gave her that ring? I’ll find him and kill him”—when his head shot up.
“What?”
His predatory glare followed Aslan’s pointing finger.
And when his eyes landed on the ring sparkling on Rodelia’s hand—
Adrian exploded.
“Nooooooo!”
“What, now she can’t even be looked at?”
Aslan frowned, thinking Adrian was just being his usual over-the-top self.
But then, as if a second sun had fallen into the world, a blazing light flared.
Startled, Aslan turned toward it.
The source was Alperen.
He was staring at the stands with a radiant expression Aslan had never seen before.
And when that handsome face broke into a dazzling smile, it was so blinding it almost hurt.
Ugh… what the hell is this?
