CHAPTER 34
As expected, Edwin brought Lizaina to the imperial banquet.
Thanks to that, Trisha—who had managed to calm down the furious Jane—left the grand duke’s estate immediately afterward.
‘By now, the banquet should be over.’
If possible, she wanted to move while Edwin was still at the banquet, but she had no choice.
The person she was supposed to meet today had also been invited to the banquet.
That was why Trisha, while waiting for her counterpart, was riding around the capital in a black carriage with no markings.
Then, the carriage came to a brief stop.
‘They’re here.’
A polite knock sounded from outside the door.
It was almost laughable—forcing the carriage to stop, and only now acting courteous.
“I’ll get off here, then.”
“Fine.”
Quick-witted Jane stepped out of the carriage.
Trisha had brought Jane along to avoid suspicion, but she couldn’t share everything she was about to discuss.
“Rest for a bit, and come back here in an hour.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Still uneasy, Trisha pressed more money into Jane’s hand.
Jane refused insistently at first, but realizing they couldn’t waste time, she finally stepped down.
At the same time, an unidentified figure wearing a mask bowed politely and climbed into the carriage.
At first, Trisha wondered who it might be—
But now that they were face-to-face, she knew.
‘It’s the Duke of Winchester.’
In truth, there was no one else she would meet like this.
When she met her brother Lloyd, she usually used a dress shop as cover.
Jane hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.
There was no need to think further.
She only had to do what her mistress, Trisha, ordered.
Five Hours Earlier
The banquet was more extravagant than expected, but it did not satisfy Lizaina in the slightest.
Because of Hestia.
It went like this.
“The onion soup is so delicious. It’s smooth, and the flavor is wonderful.”
“Seeing you praise it so much makes me curious what kind of dishes you ate back in Solton.”
“Hestia.”
The Emperor warned her at the openly hostile remark, but Hestia’s attitude did not change.
She mocked or sabotaged every effort Lizaina made to please the Emperor.
And aside from calling her name in warning, the Emperor did not restrain her further.
Because Hestia had pointed out from the beginning that Edwin had brought not his duchess, Trisha, but his mistress, Lizaina.
“Edwin, are you so consumed by lust that you intend to trample the honor of the imperial family?”
“…Sister.”
“I trust you won’t make the same mistake again.”
It was a clear warning:
Never bring Lizaina as a partner to an official event again.
Because of that, Lizaina eventually chose silence.
‘If only Aunt’s plan had succeeded…’
If Marchioness Devon had successfully poisoned Hestia, Lizaina would never have had to endure this humiliation.
That regret burned deeply.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not feeling well.”
In the end, Lizaina had no choice but to commit the rudeness of leaving mid-meal.
Hestia’s cold gaze slowly swept over her.
As if asking what scheme she was plotting, her eyes were sharp.
Lizaina forced an innocent smile.
“I think I must excuse myself first.”
“Are you feeling that unwell?”
Though Edwin spoke kindly, annoyance was obvious on his face.
“No, I’m fine—”
“Wouldn’t it be better for you to see a physician?”
Until then, Millard—who had quietly focused only on eating—joined in.
“She is Brother Edwin’s guest, after all.”
Guest.
Not wife.
Not lover.
A guest.
The meaning was clear.
‘So I’m an uninvited intruder.’
A foreign substance that did not belong here.
That was exactly how Hestia and Millard treated Lizaina.
And since Edwin only watched helplessly, wary of the Emperor’s eyes, Lizaina felt even more miserable.
This couldn’t continue.
She hadn’t left Solton and traveled all the way to distant Efelverno for this.
‘I’m not like Mother. This won’t end with something so small.’
Repeating it like self-hypnosis, Lizaina smiled softly.
“I’m fine. It isn’t serious—just walking a little might help.”
“Then after dinner, it may be good for you to walk around with my brother.”
“What? Why would I—”
“Edwin, she’s your guest. Do you not even have that much responsibility?”
With Hestia supporting Millard’s suggestion, Edwin’s face twisted in displeasure.
“No, it’s alright.”
Before Edwin’s irritation grew, Lizaina tried to leave the banquet hall.
“However, if possible…”
Just before exiting, she carefully made a request to the Emperor.
“May I visit the Seventh Empress Consort’s palace?”
Later
“Princess Lizaina went to the Seventh Consort’s palace?”
Hearing Millard’s report, Trisha frowned.
The Seventh Consort…
‘Come to think of it…’
Even in her past life, Lizaina did not often mention that she was the Seventh Consort’s niece.
It would have been the perfect way to emphasize that she wasn’t a complete outsider in Efelverno.
Yet—
‘She acted like she wanted to hide it.’
It seemed strange, but Trisha never investigated further.
Millard, however, was different.
“It bothered me too, so I looked into it… and found something unexpected.”
“Something unexpected?”
“Curious?”
When Trisha nodded obediently, a mischievous smile spread across Millard’s lips.
“Maybe I’ll tell you if you kiss me.”
Though he spoke lightly, his violet eyes were icy.
‘Does he think I’m an idiot?’
Trisha stared calmly back.
There was no sincerity—he simply wanted to see her flustered.
Realizing that, her red lips twisted into a crooked smile.
“Keep your promise, my disciple.”
“…What?”
In the next instant, Trisha grabbed his cravat and pulled him close.
So close their breaths tangled.
Millard’s breath caught.
Her pale forehead, long lashes—
And above all, those deep crimson eyes, the kind you could never escape once you fell into them.
Millard’s violet gaze trembled.
Trisha’s lips curved slowly, softly—
Almost as if mocking him.
“Kiss? Please.”
She released his cravat.
“To be this flustered over nothing… what a rookie.”
“…”
“They say the Duke of Winchester is Efelverno’s greatest playboy. Seems it was just a rumor.”
“That can’t be…”
Millard regained himself and adjusted his disheveled cravat.
“My teacher is simply too skilled. Even the greatest flirt would be shaken for a moment.”
Then, as if admitting defeat, he gave her the answer she wanted.
“They say the Seventh Consort had a lover even before coming to Efelverno. A lover she secretly met for over ten years.”
“There was a difference in status, wasn’t there?”
“Exactly. I heard the man was a common actor.”
Not a noble and an actor—
But royalty and a common actor.
Unusual, but not unheard of.
“And?”
“Hm?”
“This isn’t the end, is it?”
Millard smiled.
As though the earlier flustered moment had never happened.
Crossing his arms, he murmured lazily.
“I’m kind of jealous.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“It’s been a while since we met, but you seem more interested in some princess than in me.”
“…”
“I’m hurt.”
His expression didn’t change at all.
Trisha simply stared at him.
There was a bit more warmth now, but his gaze was still dry.
Trisha only laughed.
“Enough nonsense.”
Then, without waiting for him, she answered herself.
“The princess is the Seventh Consort’s real daughter.”
Millard laughed—meaning she was correct.
Trisha moved on immediately.
“What did the princess take from the Seventh Consort’s palace?”
“Oh, as expected. Teacher, your instincts are unmatched.”
Millard shrugged dramatically.
“Truly incomparable.”
“So the answer is—”
“Before that.”
Millard cut her off coldly.
“If you receive something, you should give something in return.”
He was right.
Trisha had come today because she had something to give him as well.
After a brief hesitation, she spoke.
“At the upcoming Princess’s birthday banquet—”
She was just about to reveal the information—
When suddenly, the carriage stopped, and someone approached, knocking on the door.
‘Who is it?’
Before she could even question it, a familiar voice rang out.
“Are you inside, Trisha?”
Trisha froze.
Her trembling eyes shifted from Millard—
To the person outside.
“Trisha?”
Because the owner of that voice…
Was Edwin.
