Chapter 57
“What? Do I still have work left to do?”
I was puzzled, not understanding why the matron suddenly grabbed my hand and urged me inside.
“You’re the host of this banquet, aren’t you! The party’s still going strong, so you should be staying here. What are you doing fooling around in a place like this!”
“Uh… can’t I take a little break?”
“A little break? It’s been a while already!”
Wait, are you just looking for a reason to nag me?
‘Looks like I’ve finally started to get on her nerves!’
I had to act while the opportunity was here.
The matron pulled me quickly inside, but I stood firm and glanced toward the Duke.
“Duke, we haven’t been inside for long… Duke?”
However, the Duke’s expression as he looked at the matron was strange.
It was like he hadn’t expected her sudden arrival.
‘Is this the Duke’s private balcony where the matron isn’t normally allowed?’
“You! If you have any sense, you shouldn’t come out to such an open place wearing fresh flowers in your hair! What if a bug sticks to you?”
“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.”
While I was looking down over the railing into the garden lit by lanterns at night, I noticed the Marquess Penian, Count Volani, Count Kyle, and the Countess cautiously peeking inside through the open door.
“Matron, what’s going on? Why are you rushing in like that?”
“Is there some problem with His Grace the Duke or the future Duchess?”
Though they spoke calmly, their gazes were fixed on the matron, as if they were worried she might cause trouble here.
The matron seemed to realize this too and struck her chest with a fist in frustration.
“I came because I was worried about her…! Huh?”
Her eyes suddenly widened, and she pointed a finger toward the night sky beyond the railing.
“What’s that?”
“What are you talking about?”
Everyone’s gaze turned toward where the matron was pointing.
The weather was cloudy tonight, so there was no starlight or moonlight — the night sky was pitch black.
But there was a soft, fluttering red light floating in.
“…A bird?”
“No, it’s not a bird… It’s a butterfly!”
“A butterfly? Did you just say butterfly?”
No one here didn’t know the meaning of a red butterfly at this moment.
Everyone except the Duke and me rushed toward the railing, seemingly forgetting that this was the Duke’s private balcony.
“It’s real, it really is a butterfly!”
“The edges of its wings are burning!”
As the matron shouted, the crimson butterfly’s wings grew closer, and their edges flickered like flames.
Every time the butterfly fluttered its wings like a dance, sparks of red flames, like starlight, fell softly.
The fiery energy suppressing the lingering curse of the evil dragon.
This red butterfly was proof of the Divine Beast.
“The Divine Beast has returned — the Divine Beast to Ludian is back!”
“Oh my god, am I seeing things?”
“Don’t worry, madam. I can clearly see the Divine Beast too!”
Everyone cheered as the butterfly drew nearer.
‘Plum finally succeeded in metamorphosis.’
After 26 years of absence, the return of the Divine Beast was the greatest blessing Ludian’s Dukedom could have.
I quietly stepped back while looking at the happy crowd.
Of course, I was happy too. As a citizen of Pennington, I was glad the Divine Beast had returned, and that Plum had safely grown into what he was supposed to be.
But I wasn’t a formal member of this family. So I thought I’d quietly stay out of the way.
“…Huh?”
Ignoring my feelings,
Flutter flutter. Plum flew toward me, ignoring the people gathered at the railing who came to welcome the Divine Beast.
‘Ah, no. Don’t come to me!’
Did Plum not understand my desperate flailing?
He landed right on top of my head, on the iris flower decoration that gave off a sweet scent.
At that moment, the matron’s and those four’s gazes fixed on my face.
“Is it true that the Divine Beast has returned?”
The servants hurried up the stairs and flooded the balcony, their eyes now on my head as well.
“Oh my, my goodness…!”
“The Divine Beast really has returned…!”
Everyone wore amazed expressions. Some even had tears in their eyes.
All of them were looking at me.
‘This is so overwhelming! Really overwhelming!’
Why did Plum fly to me? Could it be that he recognized the person who fed him?
‘Plum, go to the Duke.’
I gestured lightly toward the Duke, but Plum clung to my hair ornament without moving, as if my hairpiece was coated in honey.
“Did the Divine Beast appear? Is that true?”
“I want to see it too! Me too!”
Vanessa and Belle suddenly appeared, pushing through the crowd.
Nervous, I raised my voice.
“Plum, go to the Duke.”
“Plum? The future Duchess’s pet caterpillar?”
Suddenly, a quiet silence fell, like cold water poured on the scene.
All the many eyes that had been fixed on me shifted to Alicia, who was buried among the crowd.
Finally freed from the crowd’s attention, I wasn’t happy at all.
Alicia pointed shakily at me and the Plum on my head.
“No wonder the caterpillar was unusual with its crimson color! That bug was the Divine Beast?”
“No, that’s… I didn’t know either.”
My lie to get out of this awkward situation was a mistake.
“So, Alicia, you say you took care of the Divine Beast while it was still a caterpillar?”
Vanessa stepped to the front, meeting my eyes with a gentle smile after pushing past dozens of servants.
Then, she placed her hand over her heart and knelt.
“I am Vanessa Ludian. I pay respects to the Fire Divine Beast Plum and to the future Duchess who returned the Divine Beast to Ludian.”
“Miss…!”
Before I could say not to, Vanessa was followed by Sir Adrian and the other servants who kneeled like a wave.
Miss Veronica awkwardly bowed her head with the elders around her, as did the four who had come onto the balcony earlier… and even the matron.
All of them knelt, bowing their heads with the Duke and me in the center.
‘…Duke!’
Desperate to escape this overwhelming situation, I looked at the Duke with pleading eyes.
Then he smiled at me. At that moment, I believed he would help me.
However—
“Elcius Ludian, I welcome the Fire Divine Beast Plum.”
The Duke was the only one standing besides me, but now he knelt on one knee in front of me, softly kissing the back of my hand.
“As the Duke responsible for Pennington, and as a citizen of this land, I give thanks to the benefactor who safely returned the Fire Divine Beast to Ludian.”
“Thank you, benefactor.”
Led by the Duke, all the servants paid their respects to me.
And now, truly, I was the only one standing alone in this overwhelming scene.
Plum, unaware of my inner turmoil, still fluttered its wings gently on my head.
In the chaos, I closed my eyes.
I thought to myself that if I fainted right now, that would be just perfect.
