CHAPTER 19
A Few Days Later.
To attend the Fenek Viscount’s party, Claire was dressed and adorned by her maids.
Normally quiet, the maids were genuinely awestruck when they saw Claire fully prepared.
“You look absolutely stunning, my lady.”
“The dress suits you so well.”
“You look just like a mermaid.”
“Really?”
Claire stood before the mirror.
Though time was short, Marie poured her artistic soul into the task. She worked tirelessly, day and night for several days, to craft the dress.
The finished product—a sky-blue off-shoulder gown—was both elegant and pure, adorned with delicate lace patterns.
The narrow hem was layered with thin fabric, flowing like waves around Claire’s legs. It resembled the tail of a mystical mermaid.
‘I knew entrusting this to Marie was the right choice.’
Claire smiled with satisfaction.
Her hair was half tied and decorated with flowers, and she wore luminous pearl earrings. Even in her own eyes, she looked beautiful.
‘I’ve never seen myself like this before.’
Neither the Marquess of Ravello nor the Duke of Mutan appreciated her dressing up, so she had never been allowed to appear this way.
But now, things were different.
‘From now on, I’m going to live the way I want.’
No more worrying about others’ opinions—she would live freely.
Claire picked up a small handbag and descended to the first floor.
Soon, the partner sent by Teddy would arrive to escort her.
‘Who could it be?’
She expected perhaps the second or third son of a noble family from the capital.
It wasn’t long before a carriage appeared in the distance.
‘…Huh?’
The deep crimson carriage heading toward the estate looked strangely familiar.
An ominous feeling swept over Claire.
That dragon emblem on the flag—could it be…?
As she recalled that dragons were the royal family’s main symbol, Claire’s face went stiff. The carriage passed through the estate gates.
A man stepped down from the carriage that had come to a halt right in front of her.
Sharp features as if sculpted by a god, black hair and blue eyes, a tall and muscular figure clad in formal military attire.
Claire recognized him immediately.
Her ex-husband’s close friend—Crown Prince Theodore.
“…Your Highness?”
“Pleasure to see you, Lady Ravello.”
Theodore smiled charmingly and extended his hand. Claire stared at him in shock.
“Your Highness, why are you here…?”
“I came to escort you.”
“But why you, of all people…?”
“I heard you were looking for a partner for the party, so someone introduced you to me.”
Theodore’s nonchalant answer left Claire speechless.
Did that mean Teddy and the Crown Prince knew each other?
‘Just how close are they? For him to show up himself… they must be quite close?’
As questions spun through her mind, she clenched her teeth at Teddy’s outrageous behavior—pairing her, a noble-born illegitimate child, with the Crown Prince.
And he had the audacity to say don’t worry?
‘Kids these days seriously don’t know limits…’
Completely unaware that the person without limits was standing right in front of her, Claire cautiously asked:
“Your Highness, do you know who I am?”
Still holding out his hand, Theodore replied:
“I heard you’re the daughter of Franz Ravello.”
“…And even so, you’re willing to go with me?”
“Of course. Is there a problem?”
There definitely was, but if Theodore didn’t think so, it wasn’t exactly an issue anymore.
‘It’s not a bad deal for me.’
Being the Crown Prince’s partner would prevent anyone from easily dismissing her—and Brian Mutan wouldn’t dare approach.
Claire hesitated, then shook her head.
“Young people these days… I mean, our generation feels very open-minded.”
“I’ve always been open-minded. Much more than you might expect.”
“Oh… I see.”
Claire tried hard to erase the memory of the young, conservative Theodore who used to react defensively whenever Priscilla so much as patted his head.
Well, maybe he’s changed as he grew up.
Now that she thought about it, Theodore wasn’t younger than her anymore. He was twenty-two; she was currently nineteen.
Sitting awkwardly across from him in the carriage, she cautiously spoke.
“May I ask you something?”
“You can ask as many things as you like.”
“…Why did you find a partner this way? Surely there are many ladies who’d love to be your escort.”
“Because I have a weird personality.”
He answered instantly.
Claire’s expression turned complicated. She remembered how he used to always pick fights with her for no reason—he had been insufferably immature.
“I’m not interested in people who want me.”
“Oh…”
“What about you, Lady Claire? Are you interested in me?”
“No.”
Claire replied without hesitation. Theodore’s expression subtly shifted.
He looked both slightly offended and like he expected the answer.
After staring quietly at her for a moment, Theodore crossed his arms and said:
“You’ll make a perfect partner for the day.”
“I look forward to it.”
“As do I.”
The carriage carrying the two soon arrived at the Viscount’s estate ballroom.
As soon as Claire entered, arm in arm with Theodore, everyone’s gaze turned toward them.
“Who’s that walking in with His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“Isn’t it rare for him to bring a partner?”
“She looks like a fairy… but who is she?”
“Wait, her face looks familiar…”
Under the chandelier lights, her golden hair shimmered like pure gold.
Her eyes were a soft shade, lighter than emerald, and her delicate features stirred a sense of déjà vu.
“Could she be… the late Duchess Mutan?”
The ghost of a woman long dead almost superimposed itself onto the young lady—but it stopped short.
Claire, standing tall with proud posture and unyielding eyes, was nothing like the docile and mild Priscilla.
“Wow, for a second I thought she came back from the dead—but on closer look, no.”
“She looks like the late Duchess… could she be the rumored Ravello bastard?”
“Oh my, you’re right! The daughter of Lord Ravello, right? They say she and the Duchess looked like twins. I guess the beauty went to the illegitimate child.”
“But still, how does a bastard become the Crown Prince’s partner…?”
Claire deliberately met the eyes of some whispering guests and smiled.
Despite this being her debut in high society, elegance and grace radiated from her.
The onlookers, stunned, could no longer find the words to gossip.
At that moment, Viscount and Viscountess Fenek hurried out to greet Theodore.
“Your Highness, it is an honor to have you at our party today.”
“We’re so grateful that you came to us first. And this young lady… who might she be…?”
Though the Viscountess already had a good guess, she asked carefully.
They had invited the illegitimate daughter at their son-in-law’s insistence—but they hadn’t expected her to arrive with the Crown Prince.
And Claire resembled Priscilla so closely, it made the viscount couple—aware of their daughter’s past affair—deeply uncomfortable.
“You invited her and don’t even know who she is?”
Theodore’s brow furrowed with annoyance. The startled couple quickly waved their hands.
“No, no! We were just caught off guard to see her with Your Highness. Of course, we recognize her now.”
“…You’re Lady Ravello, yes? It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The Viscountess reluctantly acknowledged Claire.
By calling her “Lady Ravello,” she had publicly affirmed Claire’s social standing.
As the Lady of Ravello.
“Hello, Viscount Fenek, Viscountess. It’s our first meeting, isn’t it?”
Claire smiled sweetly, observing them closely—especially the Viscount, whose face so closely resembled Priscilla’s.
She had never imagined she’d meet the parents of her ex-husband’s mistress like this.
“Haha, enjoy the evening, dear.”
“If you need anything, come find me.”
Forcing smiles, the couple offered polite words—only because they were wary of Theodore.
No matter that their son-in-law was a duke, they were still mere viscounts. They couldn’t defy the Crown Prince.
Through them, Claire clearly sensed Theodore’s power.
‘So that’s why Brian Mutan, despite hating him, never tried to keep him away from the duchy.’
Regardless of the children’s friendship, Duke Mutan despised Theodore.
He had even warned his children not to get too close to him.
‘He probably has his own guilty conscience…’
With those thoughts, Claire followed Theodore into the center of the ballroom.
Soon, nobles swarmed around the Crown Prince.
Publicly, relations between the Emperor and Theodore weren’t bad. Tobias had no desire to be seen as a villain who stole the throne from his nephew.
As a result, aside from a few high-ranking nobles who knew the inner workings, Theodore’s reputation in society remained solid.
“Your Highness, it’s been a while! Do you remember me?”
“Ah, it has been some time.”
“I have some exclusive information for you—could I have a moment?”
“I’m busy right now.”
“We’re hosting a party next week—”
“Is that so.”
Trying not to appear power-hungry or eager to build a faction, Theodore responded coolly to nobles seeking his favor.
Claire stood quietly by his side, surveying the room. Brian Mutan had not yet arrived.
‘Late again?’
She clicked her tongue inwardly, well aware of his habit of making dramatic late entrances.
When will he ever act his age…?
Thirsty, Claire quietly left Theodore’s side and crossed the ballroom to fetch a drink.
And right at that moment—someone seized the opportunity.
“Excuse me. Could we talk for a moment?”
A young noble lady blocked Claire’s path.
