CHAPTER 67…………………………………
The fortunate thing was that all the effort I had put in had paid off—the result looked amazing. Even to my own eyes, my appearance shone like never before.
‘I didn’t put this much effort into my look for my wedding with Leandro.’
My lovely pink hair, which had previously drawn remarks for standing out, now harmonized beautifully with my extravagant attire.
“My goodness! You’re the first person to pull off my dress this well, Edel!”
“Edel, you look stunning! It suits you perfectly!”
Miranda and Diana didn’t hold back their compliments. The ambassador couple and the staff added a few words as well. They likely intended to boost my spirits, and I couldn’t deny it worked.
Well then, having dressed up this much, I might as well enjoy it to the fullest. I took a slow lap around the banquet hall.
“So this is your daughter. Congratulations again on this miraculous occasion.”
Nobles who seemed close to Ambassador Leocq came to greet him.
“Thank you. Allow me to formally introduce my daughter, Diana.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
“She takes after you quite a bit, Ambassador.”
“I hear that often. And as you may know, this is Miss Edel Wallace. She is the benefactor who found my daughter.”
“Ah… I see.”
Unlike when the ambassador introduced Diana, their reaction to me was lukewarm. They kept glancing behind, toward the Cassius family.
‘They’re wary that being friendly with me might offend the Duke’s family.’
Ignoring me entirely would also be ignoring Ambassador Leocq, which would be awkward for them.
The same attitude carried on with several people who came to greet the ambassador couple afterward. I mostly spoke only with the ambassador family, neither receiving warmth nor coldness from the rest.
Well, I had anticipated this. Though I had a few acquaintances from attending occasional gatherings in the Cassius territories, I barely knew anyone in the capital.
‘As long as I see Terrence, that’s enough.’
I decided to wait just a bit longer for Terrence to appear, cheer and congratulate him heartily, and then return to the embassy.
The secondary goal—showing myself confidently in front of people—had already been achieved. At least, while some might look at me with envy or hostility, no one was openly dismissive.
Just when I was about to feel satisfied, someone spoke to me—for the first time, directly to me, not through Ambassador Leocq.
“I almost didn’t recognize you.”
Unexpected, yet somehow exactly as I’d hoped.
“I didn’t know you’d attend this banquet.”
The duke, dressed neatly in formal attire unlike usual, addressed me.
Since it was an official event, I gave him the courtesy I had rarely shown before.
“Duke of the Iron Wall of the Empire, Cassius, it is an honor to see you.”
The duke’s expression was slightly grim.
“Do as you usually do.”
“Yes.”
“I’m handling the debt as you ordered.”
He meant recovering the money the Wallace family had borrowed. I had heard that they were unable to return home because even their estate had been seized.
“Until they see reason and work themselves, there’s no way the money will come.”
The Wallace family had been in debt even before I married. They had survived barely with money borrowed from Cassius.
“Right, I don’t expect to get it anyway.”
“For the record, I have no obligation or willingness to repay on your behalf.”
“I understand, I understand.”
“….”
“….”
After a few words, silence fell. Yes, the duke and I were not speaking warmly; our earlier tension over the late duchess’s letter had only temporarily eased the strain.
‘I haven’t even received a proper apology for the cold treatment over the past two years.’
The duke had only offered a vague “I regret it” regarding that matter. That was likely the limit of Edmon Cassius.
People don’t change easily. For him to admit wrongdoing to Joshua and think about apologizing was already significant progress.
‘And that was only possible because of the letter from his beloved wife and the fact that the steward was important to him.’
I was neither, so it was better not to expect anything. I didn’t intend to extract an apology from the Cassius family.
Soon enough, I would leave. I was staying only to fulfill Terrence’s wish and a promise I had made to someone long ago.
The duke suddenly gestured toward his family, as if recalling something.
“By the way, my son also has something he wants to say to you.”
Could it be Leandro? But the hesitant figure approaching was Leandro’s younger brother, Rehaim.
“Hello, sister-in-law.”
“…Just call me by name.”
“Yes, Miss Edel. I didn’t have a chance to properly say this before, but thank you for finding my mother’s letter. It brought back old memories and truly made me happy.”
Polite? Honestly, it felt a bit gross.
“Just know that I appreciate it.”
I wish he’d also feel a bit of remorse.
“Even outside the family, I hope you live long and prosper in all you do.”
He offered a grand farewell, but seemed awkward and quickly fled afterward.
“Gross.”
The expressionless Duke Cassius voiced the exact same thought I had.
“Leandro seemed to meet you separately on the day he ran off. Did he thank you?”
“No. But it’s fine. I don’t really want to hear it.”
“My son, yet so ungrateful. Anyway, Edel, live well… and that—”
The duke, giving me a formal farewell, suddenly twisted his face in shock. Something had caught his eye.
“Princess, if it’s alright, may I have the second dance with you after the banquet begins…?”
Some bold fellow was trying to flirt with Riena. Brazen. Her first dance was obviously reserved for the crown prince or the three Cassius men, so he was going for the second.
Crash! The glass in the duke’s hand shattered, spilling champagne everywhere.
“Go quickly.”
“I’ll see you later if needed.”
I nudged him, and the Duke of Cassius rushed to protect his daughter.
‘Turning over a new leaf doesn’t stop him from being a doting father.’
Still, he didn’t draw a sword or grab anyone by the collar; just a fierce look to intimidate the brat. Some progress had been made. Maybe he learned a bit from Joshua’s example…?
At that moment, a voice from the imperial attendants echoed—from the second-floor entrance, not the main one the nobles used.
“The Empress and the Crown Prince are arriving!”
Everyone in the hall immediately bowed. Soon, the Empress and the Crown Prince appeared before us, walking with regal composure.
“We greet Your Majesty and Your Highness!”
The somewhat weary Empress raised her arm, and the crowd straightened their posture.
“Thank you all for attending. The Emperor is delayed due to official matters, so I have been ordered to begin the banquet in his stead. Enjoy yourselves freely.”
A birthday banquet for the Emperor, yet it began without him. No one openly questioned this, but the guests exchanged curious glances.
“Glory to Astaroth.”
“Glory to Astaroth!”
After observing the crowd echo her greeting, the Empress moved to the throne overlooking the hall, and the orchestra began. Whispering voices were drowned out by the music, occasionally audible.
“Seems their Majesties aren’t on good terms.”
“I hear the Emperor has been holding secret meetings with only his closest aides recently.”
“So that’s why he’s deliberately late for the Empress’s banquet?”
“Perhaps. But something is definitely about to happen.”
Indeed, something would. Soon, the Emperor would appear with another son.
‘Then the Empress will be angry, the Crown Prince silent, and the nobles flustered…’
Even Riena, as a regressor, would be shocked. Terrence’s full public appearance was unprecedented in her first-life timeline.
I glanced toward Riena. She was happily greeting her childhood friend and current lover, Crown Prince Mikhail.
‘Good timing.’
Though they’d known each other since childhood, their official relationship was recent. Watching them closely revealed why.
“Your Highness! My daughter is still a child.”
Duke Cassius, blocking Riena and the Crown Prince, spoke loudly.
Putting aside the fact that Riena had already undergone the coming-of-age ceremony, this was an entertaining scene, so I listened carefully. The music had just ended, making their conversation clear.
“Father-in-law, calm down for now.”
Indeed, the hero of the novel was no pushover. Even the fearsome Duke Cassius couldn’t faze him, and he brushed off the remark with a smile.
“Who’s your father-in-law?”
“You soon will be. Riena promised to marry me, pinky swear.”
Flustered, Riena shouted,
“That was when we were children! And it wasn’t exactly a promise to marry!”
There were complicated circumstances behind this. Riena, sharp in many ways, was notably naive in romance; she had said, “We’ll always be together (as friends),” which the Crown Prince had taken as a marriage promise.
‘Not that it really matters.’
Just a youthful, heartwarming romance that made onlookers smile.
“Let’s go, Riena!”
Seeing that his daughter was near this wolfish man, Duke Cassius grabbed her arm and pulled her along.
“F-Father! Your Highness, see you later!”
The Crown Prince waved at his departing lover with a smile, but as soon as he turned, the smile vanished entirely.
‘Huh?’
Our eyes met—mine and the Crown Prince’s.
