Chapter 31
⌜Outside the banquet hall, the eleventh room.
I’ll be waiting.⌟
There was a note written in Edin’s handwriting.
‘Edin went out of his way to give a note through Rose?’
I looked toward Edin, who still seemed surrounded by people, making it hard for him to move.
When did he even write this note and give it to Rose?
Something felt suspicious.
I lightly touched my wrist. A burning sensation radiated from the pendant.
‘This is ominous. I should talk to the person directly.’
First, I needed to check on Rose, who looked uneasy and unwell. Then I could interrogate her about whether Edin really gave her this note.
I approached her and spoke softly.
“Rose, would you like to step outside for a bit? You look tired, and the air in here seems a little stifling.”
“No, I’m fine… I feel just like usual. But everyone I meet keeps….”
She didn’t finish her sentence, shaking her head by herself, and without greeting anyone, began wandering around the hall again.
No matter how I thought about it, this wasn’t the sociable Rose I knew.
She drifted away from the groups of nobles as if intoxicated, spilling wine on her dress clumsily while trying to drink it.
Seeing her like she was in a trance, unable to compose herself, worried me.
I approached her and spoke again.
“Shall we get some fresh air together? The Leodid estate looks beautiful from the terrace.”
“…….”
“Miss Rose? Are you really not feeling unwell?”
“I’m fine. I’m okay. I’d like to rest together…”
She staggered a little but walked ahead.
Then she flung open the terrace doors and ran to the railing.
‘What if she stumbles and falls?’
It was so precarious that, despite knowing it might be rude, I grabbed her wrist tightly.
“The railing is slippery. Please step back a little.”
“Ah, Miss Daphne, you’re really kind. Yes, it’s better to be careful.”
Perhaps thanks to the fresh air, her speech was clearer than before.
I met her gaze. I couldn’t be entirely sure, but a suspicion had taken root.
‘I knew it.’
Her usually sharp eyes were different.
A foggy, cloudy aura lingered, and she couldn’t even properly lift her eyelids.
Could it be that someone cast a spell on her?
‘What do I do? Even if it’s a minor spell, I don’t know how to break it.’
Gradually, the strength drained from Rose’s body, the same one that had been full of energy and words just moments ago.
“Rowan… that note…”
She collapsed before finishing her sentence.
Luckily, I had grabbed her before she could fall off the railing.
Even lifting her on my own was difficult.
I had no choice but to partially open the terrace door and call for help from nearby people.
“Help! Miss Rose suddenly collapsed!”
Gentlemen nearby rushed over and helped support her.
Because she was wearing a party dress and completely limp, it took two people to hold her up.
“Find the maid of the Hampton family! Hurry!”
I frantically searched for her personal maid.
She couldn’t have come to the banquet alone, yet her maid was nowhere to be seen.
In the end, I handed her over to a flustered Emma.
“Take care of her for a moment. They’re calling a physician.”
“Understood. Don’t worry and return to the hall, Miss.”
“Yes, it’s almost time for Rachel’s birthday banquet anyway.”
Fortunately, other nearby maids came to assist and support her as well.
Pushed by the crowd, I returned to the banquet hall and began searching for Edin.
But he was nowhere in the midst of the people.
‘Rose clearly collapsed while hinting that Rowan was involved with the note. That means it’s a fake note. And Edin isn’t here either…’
Something had happened. Concluding my deduction, I ran outside the hall again.
Rachel’s birthday banquet would officially start in ten minutes, but that no longer mattered to me.
I began checking each room from the first one.
If a noble was resting inside, I apologized; if the room was empty, I moved on to the next.
When I opened the ninth room, I finally found Edin inside.
“…Your Highness.”
“Daphne!”
He seemed to have been searching for someone too, breathing heavily.
Edin hurried over and suddenly hugged me.
Only then did he seem relieved, taking a deep breath.
“I thought something terrible had happened… really…”
He couldn’t finish his sentence, trembling while holding me.
“Did you also receive a note, Your Highness?”
“No. Emma, your maid, came and said you were in serious trouble. I hurried following her instructions…”
“…What? Emma is currently taking care of Rose. And I’m perfectly fine.”
A rising sense of dread made me push him away and look around the room.
Then I understood why he had clutched me in such panic.
On the floor was a torn piece of a sky-blue dress.
The silk fabric, overlaid with lace like stars in the night sky, was exactly like mine.
“Oh my… how did this happen…”
I pulled at the dress. The tear was obvious.
How could someone get so close and tear the clothes without me noticing?
Goosebumps ran over my body, and shock swept through me, ending at my throat.
Edin, who had now noticed my dress, frowned as well.
“Who did this…?”
“Where is Emma, the maid who guided Your Highness?”
“She came in with me…”
At that moment, a click sounded—the window opened.
The previously closed window swung open, leaving only small footprints behind.
“It was a scheme.”
The words escaped my mouth almost instinctively.
“Someone tried to disrupt us and harm me. And the one behind it is…”
I lowered Edin’s shoulders toward me.
It was an embarrassing posture, but necessary to whisper.
“It has to be Rowan. Rose fell under a spell too!”
Edin straightened up and, as if he had anticipated it, turned his gaze away with a sigh.
“That’s despicable.”
“Yes, I think so too. Actually, resolving this is important, but to free Rose from the spell, we’ll need a magician.”
I pleaded earnestly.
“It doesn’t seem like a deep spell. It looks simple, but I don’t know how to break it. Could we save Rose first and deal with the rest later?”
“…Lead the way. I’ll assess the situation and either call a magician or handle it with my own abilities.”
I guided him to the room where Rose was resting.
As we moved in silence, the banquet hall echoed with loud music.
Rachel’s birthday banquet had begun.
No matter how many important people I could meet, I didn’t want to go there.
After seeing Edin’s parents, I had grown afraid of magic being used to harm someone.
My fear of Rose being unable to return to normal only grew.
“This is the room.”
I opened the door without relaxing my tension.
“Oh, Your Highness! Miss, you haven’t entered?”
“Yes, I was worried. Rose isn’t feeling well at all.”
The maids stepped aside.
I looked for Rose’s usual maid, but she hadn’t appeared yet.
‘What on earth happened?’
I stepped back so Edin could check Rose’s condition.
He cautiously checked her pulse.
The bracelet he wore vibrated slightly.
If she had simply fainted, it wouldn’t have reacted.
“As expected, it’s a spell. But it will wear off with time.”
“Really? We don’t need to call a magician?”
“No, her mind will return shortly.”
As soon as Edin finished speaking, Rose opened her eyes.
Her round eyes widened, and she sat up.
Looking around, she exclaimed in confusion.
“Where am I? I just dozed off while getting ready for the banquet… Daphne! Why are you here?”
It was clear—Rose had been under a spell.
She remembered nothing of what had happened today.
