Chapter 84
Watching Isabel’s bored expression, one of the young ladies spoke up.
“Oh, right, I heard Young Lord Vincent stopped by a jewelry store recently. Could he be preparing a proposal?”
“Well, they’ve been engaged for quite a while, so wedding talk should be coming up soon.”
Kyaa!
At the ensuing fuss, Isabel merely smiled and said nothing.
That alone was as good as hinting that wedding preparations were underway.
Last year, through Siegfried’s arrangement, Isabel had become engaged to Eric, the heir of Marquis Vincent.
He was the capital Lunin’s top bachelor, a man who could stand toe-to-toe with even the Duke of Crensia.
“Goodness, I’m so jealous.”
Basking in everyone’s envy, Isabel’s sour mood finally lifted.
Yes. I’ll have the most lavish wedding ever.
Not some back-alley elopement like someone.
A victor’s smile spread across Isabel’s face.
* * *
While Kaiden attended the Grand Nobles’ Assembly, invitations poured in for Reina.
In the past, she would have refused them all, but as the Duchess of Crensia, she had to set some example.
To establish a foothold in the capital soon, she couldn’t completely ignore high society.
While sorting through invitations to attend gatherings hosted by suitable families,
she blinked at an unexpected one.
“This is…”
[You are cordially invited to an opera performance hosted by the Helio Cultural Foundation.]
Reina blinked at the familiar family name.
The Helio ducal house was renowned for patronizing culture and the arts for generations.
A great noble family with fertile western lands. They were also the leader of the aristocratic faction that stood in direct opposition to the emperor.
‘How unexpected.’
The very family she had intended to approach had rolled right into her lap.
The invitation specified that both Reina and Kaiden were invited.
With a reception for VIPs planned after the opera, there was no reason to decline.
Reina set the Helio invitation aside and carefully examined the rest.
Then, seeing the one from [Lavende] she frowned.
Thanks to Ben’s prior investigation of social clubs, she already knew that Lavender’s leader was Isabel Julid Mernie.
‘The most promising club among young ladies lately…’
But with Isabel at the helm, Reina’s interest plummeted.
She had caused such a scene right before leaving Lunin. The nerve to send an invitation.
It would be nothing but trouble to attend. Reina tossed the Lavender invitation aside without a second thought.
Just as she finished narrowing down the worthwhile events, Kaiden arrived at the residence.
“What’s all this?”
Kaiden made a dismayed face at the baskets lining the table.
“You checked every single one?”
“There’s nothing else for me to do at the residence anyway.”
Reina answered casually and showed him the invitations she had set aside.
“I’ve picked a few places worth going. I really want to go to this one.”
The one she held out was the Helio family’s.
“Young Duke Helio was your academy classmate, right?”
“How did you even know that?”
“I know pretty much everything about you.”
In her previous life, she had studied everything about him. The more the emperor checked him, the harder Reina had pushed herself—using her powers—to keep pace.
Of course, she meant that time.
“Well. You didn’t know the most important thing.”
“Pardon?”
Reina turned her head and blinked. He leaned in close, gazing down at her.
“Reina, do you really think you know everything about me?”
His violet eyes glinted with a subtle light. The smile playing on his lips was especially captivating.
Kaiden had been acting strange ever since they arrived in the capital.
She wasn’t sure exactly what had changed.
She had thought she knew Kaiden completely, but in truth, she had only experienced him directly for a single year.
The…the Kaiden Crensia she had chased for ten years and the Kaiden Crensia now were different.
So she couldn’t claim to know him fully. Yet believing she did—was that arrogance, or wishful thinking?
Reina wanted to know everything about him.
Was it just habit from the past?
Or was there another reason?
Unable to withstand the whirlwind of emotions, Reina looked away.
“I-I don’t know.”
She had no idea what he was thinking.
She didn’t understand what that expression meant, either.
That uncertainty made her heart tremble incessantly.
Kaiden cupped her cheek and whispered,
“Do you want to know?”
“Pardon?”
“If you do, I can tell you little by little.”
“…”
“Do you want to know me, Reina?”
There wasn’t a trace of playfulness in his smiling eyes.
Normally, she would have laughed it off, but his persistent seriousness left her speechless.
Something had changed.
Flustered, Reina stepped back; Kaiden withdrew his hand.
“I’m always open, Reina. So when you’re ready, just give me a signal.”
His gaze remained fixed on her.
Receiving it full-force made her face burn like it was on fire. Desperate to change the subject, Reina blurted,
“H-How was the assembly?”
* * *
Hook Company’s Lunin headquarters office.
Rose, sent on Reina’s errand, waited for the other party who had yet to arrive.
A moment later, Arteon entered the office.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. There was a sudden issue at the warehouse—I had to check it.”
Covered in dust, he prompted Rose to frown.
“You certainly look it.”
As she pulled out a handkerchief, Arteon extended his hand.
“Thank y—”
But the handkerchief went to Rose’s lips.
Blocking her nose with it, Rose stared at Arteon as if to say, What are you doing?
He awkwardly withdrew his hand, pulled his own handkerchief from his inner pocket, and dusted himself off.
“Isn’t it polite to offer first?”
“I only have the one I’m using.”
Her expression screamed, Why would I give you mine when I don’t even need it, you lunatic? Arteon let out a hollow laugh.
If she weren’t Reina’s personal maid, she’d be a woman he’d have nothing to do with.
Unfortunately, the bridge between them was none other than Rose Daly.
He had wondered why Reina sent such an ill-tempered woman as her proxy.
It didn’t take long to learn the reason.
Rose was a master of disguise and possessed combat prowess rivaling most knights.
Arteon glanced at Rose, currently disguised as an old woman.
Who would guess the person before him was a lady in her twenties?
He glanced at her wrinkled hand in admiration.
“Still impressive. How did you make those skin wrinkles?”
“A family secret—I’m afraid I can’t share.”
“Shame. I was willing to pay a fair price.”
“I’ll pass. My policy is no dealings with merchants.”
Rose answered primly, elegantly lifting her teacup.
Even jokes were met with icy responses—she was a tough nut to crack.
‘She’s really prickly.’
Yet somehow, that very prickliness was oddly charming; his eyes kept drifting to her.
“So, the information?”
Cutting straight to the chase, Rose prompted Arteon to hand over a note from his pocket.
As she reached for it, he suddenly pulled it back with a teasing grin.
“What are you doing?”
“You’ll just leave the moment I give it to you.”
“What other business do we have?”
At Rose’s scowl, Arteon rested his chin on his hand and smiled with his eyes.
“Are you free this weekend?”
“Pardon?”
“I happen to have two tickets to a decent opera—if you have time…”
“I’ve already seen it.”
Before he could finish, Rose rejected him outright. He mumbled awkwardly,
“I haven’t even said which opera yet.”
