“No matter where you go or who you meet. It doesn’t matter.”

The woman’s face hidden behind the parasol was not visible. The voice that could be heard carried no emotion.

“But I can’t bear to become a pitiful woman.”

The woman turned around.

The outline of the bones on the back of her hand was clearly visible over the lace gloves holding the parasol handle.

“Please promise me just that one thing.”

It meant she could do anything as long as she didn’t draw attention from others.

Her face, pressing her lips tightly, was resolute, and her dark brown eyes, gazing steadily without avoiding, were cold.

“What.”

Johan’s voice sank low.

“What have I done?”

Disturbed by the unexpected response, her eyes looked up at Johan intently.

It was ridiculous and laughable. To have harbored feelings for another man in front of her fiancé.

He hadn’t done anything yet. Nothing at all.

The sunlight was hot. Irritation welled up.

“……In the future. I meant please be careful.”

Ivellionne said without averting her gaze. The sunlight shattered over her blonde hair that looked just like Christian’s.

The long, thick eyelashes and the gray eyes within them. It was inevitable that Christian came to mind.

“I’m sorry if I offended you.”

Seeing his reaction, it didn’t seem like he had gone to see that woman yesterday. Ivellionne slowly turned away as she averted her gaze.

It was a marriage she had accepted thinking that if she couldn’t be with Christian, this man who resembled him wouldn’t be bad.

But this man was too different from him.

“Is that all you have to say?”

The man asked in an indifferent tone as he looked at his watch.

“Yes.”

“In the future.”

Ivellionne, who was about to take a step, stopped.

“Don’t create situations where you have to apologize.”

His incredibly cold gaze was oppressive.

Even if she was from a small country, how would a man who treated even a princess of a nation like this have treated a lowly illegitimate child?

Ivellionne felt some pity for the woman.

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Olivia was lost in thought. Suddenly, she shook her head. Her elegantly cut hair swayed at the nape of her neck.

“My lady?”

Anne called out to Olivia with concern. The young lady had been acting a bit strange since yesterday.

She couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, but something seemed off. Her flushed cheeks suggested she might have a slight fever.

It must be because the Duke had come. Moreover, he came with the Princess, his fiancée. It was understandable.

Like a candle, would love that burned so selflessly disappear in an instant when blown out?

Anne’s heart ached seeing her lady like this. However, this was something she had to tell her.

“My lady?”

As she leaned closer and raised her voice a bit, Olivia, startled, turned her rose-tinted face.

“…Ah! Anne. Did you call me?”

Olivia’s heart fluttered like a child caught doing something wrong.

It was all because of that man.

Since yesterday, that man’s face kept lingering before her eyes. It was strange.

Even the moment she opened her eyes in the morning, eyes like a sky with sleet falling hazily floated in the air.

Surprised, she shut her eyes tightly, but disconcertingly, it became even clearer. Then when she opened them again.

I must be crazy.

At that thought, her face burned up again. Unable to make eye contact with Anne for fear of being caught, she fidgeted with her fingers.

“Why? What’s the matter?”

“The carriage seems to be going down a strange road.”

“What?”

Startled, Olivia pulled back the curtain drawn because of the reporters and looked around outside.

Anne was right. The carriage that had entered the city was heading down the right avenue instead of the left towards Riverside.

Olivia opened the window towards the driver’s seat and asked.

“Where are we going now?”

“Pardon?”

The McDougall family’s coachman, taken aback by Olivia’s question, asked in return.

“The Baron said to bring you. Didn’t you know?”

“……”

This was the first she’d heard of it. Puzzled, Olivia asked again.

“Did Gerald come by?”

“They just said they were a Lancelot employee, so I’m not sure of the name, but they said it was the Baron’s order and gave me this.”

The coachman, shifting the reins to one hand, reached into his inner pocket and thrust something through the window.

It was a letter. Olivia received the clean white envelope without any decoration and looked at it for a moment.

Yesterday’s unpleasant incident once again unsettled her heart.

Could it be that he was avoiding her because yesterday’s incident was awkward?

Surely not.

Olivia soon shook her head.

He must be busy. Because he’s a busy person.

Though she was usually oblivious to such things, she couldn’t miss that look in his eyes. What he wanted was too clear.

When he revealed his feelings so plainly, how could she not know.

Olivia’s earlobes turned bright red.

She rubbed her face with her palm and picked up the postcard-sized letter. She opened the envelope and took out the contents.

The golden logo of Lancelot Company at the top of the letterhead shone brilliantly in the sunlight seeping through the curtains.

「Please bring her with utmost respect」

The slanted cursive exuded aristocratic dignity.

Though she didn’t know Edgar’s handwriting, the signature below was familiar.

His elaborate penmanship as he signed the identity verification documents at the Rondos Consulate had been impressive and etched in her memory.

It was clearly his signature.

“So where are we going?”

The man’s sweet voice inviting her to dine at Grand Blue echoed in her ear.

“He said to bring you to the Lancelot Hotel. With utmost respect.”

“!”

Olivia’s azure eyes widened for a moment.

Today was the day of the Leopold Hotel opening party that the morning newspapers and Dumblin Club members had been buzzing about.

On such a day, the carriage was heading towards Golden Avenue.

Goodness!

It was not a good sign.

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The evening on Golden Avenue always glittered with brilliant lights along with the red sunset, as usual.

Among them, the Leopold Hotel, which had completed its preparations perfectly, caught the eye with its added high-class classic beauty.

The front of the hotel was already packed with journalists, the atmosphere hot with reporting fervor.

Silver flashes lit up the crimson sky as they focused on the arriving dignitaries.

Johan, who had spent the night on the top floor of the hotel, began to dress after checking the preparation status.

As Johan put on his usual black suit, Morris recited the order of events once again in front of him.

“After the signboard ceremony and during the commemorative photo, smile. You got it? Don’t forget to smile. Your speech is after His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and please, for heaven’s sake, keep a smiling face on the podium then too-.”

“That’s enough.”

Johan cut him off as he fastened the strap of his watch to his wrist and shook it lightly.

The gold buttons on the black jacket shone in the yellow light along with his neatly combed blonde hair.

It was the signature color of the Leopold Hotel. Naturally, the dress code for the opening party was also set as gold.

Johan turned around in front of the mirror. The elegance of his noble birth flowed coldly. Morris marveled anew.

“The Princess.”

“We received word that she has departed.”

Johan nodded briefly and checked the time out of habit.

His chilly gaze fell on the watch. That was all. For a while, his inscrutable eyes remained fixed on it.

If Edgar comes,

Will Olivia come too.

Johan’s eyes twisted as he looked down at his wife’s birthday gift.

For a moment, his heart throbbed. Johan quickly averted his gaze.

Though it was a brief but intense sensation, he sensed a danger that he shouldn’t look into too deeply.

What could he do about it now.

Johan, returning to a cool gaze, smoothed the front of his jacket.

It was time for the opening party of the Leopold Hotel, which he had worked on for five years.

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The dress Catherine chose as soon as she saw it was an evening gown in champagne gold with elegant draping details.

It was a design that accentuated Anblyn’s toned figure, honed by tennis.

“You look amazing, Anne. So beautiful.”

Catherine wanted to praise her own sense.

“You too, Catherine.”

Anblyn slowly took her eyes off the mirror and gave Catherine a charming smile. Her red-painted lips were tempting.

Edgar will probably come too.

Anblyn thought of the man who was once her lover. As the head of Brite’s representative company, he would come. Then, that woman…

She earnestly hoped that the lowly illegitimate child would surely attend and grace the occasion. Anblyn turned around.

“Let’s go now.”

Anblyn linked arms with Catherine.

As she took a step, the golden fringe that hung from below her knees to her ankles opened dazzlingly, revealing her white legs.

The sound of heels on the peach-colored marble was very cheerful.

“Ivellionne.”

Catherine, wearing a satin dress overlaid with gold thread lace, smiled brightly and reached out to Ivellionne.

Ivellionne grasped Catherine’s fingertips in return.

A gold diamond necklace shone brilliantly on Ivellionne’s neck, who was wearing an elegant black dress.

Moments later, the luxurious carriage carrying the princesses left the Brite Palace and began racing towards the Leopold Hotel.

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“Are you really not going?”

“No.”

Edgar’s answer was firm as he leaned obliquely against the window frame with his arms crossed, observing the Leopold Hotel towering behind the Palais Hotel.

It seemed that all the socialites of Litten were turning out. Splendid carriages lined up like a trail of ants.

“Don’t be like that-”

“I have a prior engagement.”

Gerald jumped at Edgar’s words as he uncrossed his arms and put his hands in his pockets, turning around.

“A prior engagement? I’m your assistant, how can there be a schedule I don’t know about?”

“It’s a personal matter.”

The end of the monotonous reply lifted slightly.

What wind has blown? Gerald shot him a suspicious look.

Edgar grinned and carelessly picked up the jacket he had hung over the back of the chair.

“You attend instead, Gerald. Give my regards to Johan too.”

Edgar smiled brightly as he slipped his arm into the jacket sleeve. Just as he was about to take a step after adjusting his collar, there was a knock. It was the secretary.

“A guest has arrived.”

The secretary politely announced the arrival of an unexpected visitor.