Chapter 28
Maia stepped out of the bedroom. As the hostess, she had to show her face.
Laughter could already be heard faintly in the hallway, suggesting everyone else had already gone down.
Her feet ached as she squeezed them into her high heels. Maia frowned faintly at the discomfort.
Just then, a sharp-toed shoe entered her downward gaze.
“Ah.”
A small gasp escaped someone’s lips.
Maia slowly lifted her head.
Looking down at her was a face strikingly similar to her sister’s—radiating the same vibrant beauty, though what lay beneath might be far darker.
With subtle emotional turmoil flickering within, Maia quietly spoke.
“…It’s been a while.”
Light brown eyes, wavy reddish-brown hair falling across the forehead, pale white skin, and elegant features.
Everything about him resembled Alice Keppel—except for one key difference.
“…Duchess of Western.”
Unlike his sister, who couldn’t quite hide her fiery temper and always seemed a bit irritable, the current Marquess Keppel had the calm presence of a quiet, rippling pond.
“Please, come inside. Everyone’s been waiting.”
“…There’s no need to be so polite.”
Maia forced a gentle smile, swallowing down her emotions.
Her reply made the Marquess’s eyelids tremble faintly.
“Brother! Oh my, you’re here with the Duchess of Western?”
The quiet tension between them was shattered by a loudly echoing voice.
“…Alice.”
Noticing her sister’s odd tone, the Marquess narrowed his brows slightly as he called her name.
“…Duchess? Why are you standing there?”
The Duke of Western rose from his seat and approached them upon hearing Lady Keppel’s voice.
Feeling the unpleasant gaze of the Duke, Maia walked forward with a slightly irritated expression.
“We just ran into each other. Let’s go inside.”
The Duke glanced once at the Marquess, then stepped aside to let Maia enter first.
“Ah… Duchess of Western.”
“Haha, it’s truly been ages since we’ve seen you in person!”
The nobles, who had been engaged in lively conversation, looked slightly caught off guard by Maia’s entrance.
Receiving their clearly awkward greetings, Maia returned a polite smile.
The eyes of Marquis Bastilo and Count Raian lost focus for a moment.
Dressed in a pure white gown with black hair adorned with sparkling pearls, Maia looked so stunning that even if the late princess herself had returned from the dead, it wouldn’t have been a disgrace.
“Come now! Gentlemen, you must continue the game! I’m dying of curiosity!”
Their sincere admiration was abruptly cut off by a playful voice.
Count Bastilo and Count Raian blinked as they turned to the smiling Lady Keppel.
“Ah, of course. Would you like to join us, Duchess of Western? It’s just a simple card game.”
“No, thank you. I don’t particularly enjoy games.”
Maia declined calmly with a soft smile.
Count Bastilo, sensing the warmth in his face, quickly lowered his eyes back to the cards.
“Then let’s continue the game. Enoch, are you really not going to play?”
The question was suddenly directed at the Marquess Keppel, who had been leaning against the wall, somewhat apart from the group.
He slowly shifted his gaze—first to Maia, then to his sister standing almost protectively in front of her, and finally to the Duke of Western, who looked visibly uncomfortable.
“…No. I won’t play.”
His voice was quiet but firm.
“Geez, you’re living such a dull life. Then Lady Keppel, would you serve as the judge for this round?”
“Of course! Let’s start!”
Loud conversation filled the air once again.
Maia looked displeased at the rising noise, her expression betraying her discomfort. Her feet instinctively carried her away from the commotion.
By sheer coincidence, she ended up standing near Marquess Keppel.
Ten steps apart, both leaned against the same wall in silence.
Damn it. What am I even doing?
Maia bit her lip and turned her head. The Marquess stared silently at the floor, his expression unreadable.
Until now, even if they happened to cross paths, she’d always been too busy avoiding him to really see his face.
After more than ten years, in the warmth of the fireplace and the serene atmosphere, his face—now so close and calm—felt strikingly different from how she remembered it.
But that’s only natural.
Just as I’ve changed, he has too…
Maia let out a quiet chuckle.
At that moment, the Marquess looked at her.
“Ah…”
Caught off guard, Maia blinked as their eyes met—her smile still lingering.
Seriously? Why now, of all times?
“Um, I…”
“I have a favor to ask.”
As Maia opened her mouth to explain herself, the Marquess interrupted her with a polite and unexpected request.
His light brown eyes, now filled with sincerity, met hers.
“Would you take a walk with me in the garden?”
Maia blinked in confusion for a moment before responding.
“…What?”
Elsewhere, Alice Adeline Keppel continued to nod and smile at the meaningless chatter of men while sneaking glances at the man seated beside her.
A sculpture-like beauty who shimmered softly under the reddish candlelight.
That seat beside him had always belonged to the late princess. But Alice couldn’t suppress the growing desire in her heart.
She had longed for the Duke of Western ever since she debuted in high society.
And who could blame her?
Status, wealth, looks—he lacked nothing.
‘…What did you say?’
But he already belonged to someone.
‘How presumptuous. To harbor feelings for someone owned by Her Highness the Princess.’
She had confided her feelings to a lady she trusted completely—only to receive a cold, scornful glare in return.
That’s when Alice realized.
Lucas Western belonged to Princess Rivka Calastia.
And so, she gave up. She had no interest in fighting a losing battle.
Princess Rivka was someone Alice could never surpass.
Her graceful and elegant speech. A beauty so ethereal, even standing before her felt unreal.
The emperor’s boundless favor. The empress’s fierce devotion. Unmatched power, greater than even her royal siblings.
If she had only been surface-level beauty, Alice might not have felt such awe.
But Princess Rivka possessed an undeniable presence—something that inspired reverence from all.
Yes, it was acceptable.
If it was the princess, even in defeat, Alice could accept it.
But then, the object of her secret admiration died.
Alice was shocked—but only briefly. She consoled herself: even the princess couldn’t have everything.
Until…
‘Miss! Miss Alice! Look at this, the Duke of Western is engaged to the daughter of the Hansberg merchant lord!’
‘…What?!’
It hadn’t been long since the princess’s death. And that news hit Alice like a thunderbolt.
This couldn’t be.
No. This couldn’t be happening!
‘A lowborn wench like you, engaged to the Duke of Western?!’
Alice looked down on Maia.
Her lowly status. That face, the spitting image of her vulgar mother.
But above all…
‘A bastard born of a filthy mistress!’
The daughter of Lavina Hansberg—rumored mistress to the emperor, a woman of unknown parentage.
All of it made Alice detest Maia.
Alice despised anything that defied noble principles.
Lavina Hansberg, with nothing but her seductive looks to offer.
No one knew why, but the emperor granted her every wish.
In fact, he seemed desperate to offer her more, even before she asked.
‘Don’t forget, Alice. From now on, no matter how low their status, never provoke the daughter of the Hansberg merchant lord.’
The former Marchioness Keppel had warned young Alice sternly.
Back then, Alice couldn’t understand why.
She’s just some lowborn woman who caught the emperor’s fleeting attention.
But now, she understood.
The emperor cherished Lavina Hansberg. Adored her. As much as he had loved Princess Rivka.
No—maybe even more.
Whatever she did, Lavina Hansberg had thoroughly bewitched the emperor.
