At first, Ricardo doubted his own eyes. But when he became certain he wasn’t seeing things, he put down the glass he was holding on the tray, almost throwing it.

“Try to challenge yourself a bit. Strange rumors are circulating because you’re keeping too far from women… Ricardo?”

Ricardo started running, leaving the crown prince behind. He could no longer enjoy what was happening downstairs like a play.

“Hey! Ricardo!”

Stuart’s calling voice grew distant, but it felt like the gap to the first floor hall wasn’t closing at all. For the first time, he could somewhat agree that the Chaplin family’s ability to move freely through space was somewhat useful.

Arriving on the first floor, breathing heavily, Lienne’s figure came into view at once.

Along with the gazes of men pouring towards her.

Suppressing an inexplicable irritation rising in his chest, he ran his hand through his hair. After slowly catching his breath, he began walking towards Lienne.

Their eyes soon met as she was looking around.

The sight of her red lips slowly parting in an “Ah…” of admiration captured his gaze.

He could feel the emotions roughly entwined in her eyes changing one after another.

Confusion, surprise, joy, and finally, relief.

Seeing Lienne like that, Ricardo realized something.

That even while conversing with the crown prince he hadn’t seen in a long time, he had been intermittently thinking of her.

For instance, when hearing words like god, death, or love.

It was when she was about to take a step towards him, her neck so white it seemed transparent under the chandelier light.

Suddenly, Walter bumped into her as if collapsing, and the yellow rose Lienne was holding fell to the floor. Ricardo flinched momentarily, even though he wasn’t the one who collided.

“Stay right there, don’t move.”

He shouted, but it was uncertain if his voice was heard in the noisy situation.

Walter picked up the fallen rose and handed it to Lienne. Their eyes met, and Lienne’s hand moved towards Walter’s hand holding the rose. The moment their hands touched, Walter and Lienne vanished like smoke before his eyes.

“Damn it.”

Ricardo spat out a rough curse and immediately approached Julian. Then he grabbed the back of Julian’s neck, who was smiling like honey about to melt towards Countess Sullivan.

“H-Hey.”

Julian resisted, but Ricardo dragged him near where Walter and Lienne had been standing, then pointed one by one at those who had witnessed the two disappearing.

“Here, here, here, and there.”

Julian shook his head. Of course, he had seen it too. Walter disappearing like smoke with some woman.

Julian quickly turned away as if he hadn’t seen anything. When had interfering in another duke’s affairs ever turned out well?

But while he might fool others, it was impossible to deceive Ricardo. It was chilling how he had somehow identified all the people who had seen Walter disappear.

“Erase it.”

Ricardo spat out the words to erase people’s memories as if ordering a killing, then glared at Julian as if urging him on. Ricardo with his jaw raised and breathing roughly in anger.

Julian began to feel curious about this dramatic change in a man who had been like an emotionless wax doll.

It was truly a strange thing.

Why was Ricardo going to such lengths to personally protect Walter’s secret? Even if he didn’t, the Chaplin family would step in to handle the situation.

Julian felt curious about all of this.

Of course, true to his reputation as an opportunist, he didn’t miss the chance before him.

“3,000 denions per person.”

Ricardo glanced at Julian with unconcealed contempt.

“Bill it to Rochester.”

Julian immediately used his family’s ability, looking into the eyes of the people Ricardo had named. Those who saw his eyes couldn’t remember what had just happened.

“What about the Second Prince? I think he saw from over there too.”

At Julian’s slightly excited question, Ricardo answered as if chewing his words, with an urgent expression.

“Ten times that.”

“Alright.”

“Hurry. We need to go to the Chaplin house right now.”

“Now? No. I’ve only just started enjoying the party.”

Even under Ricardo’s menacing gaze, Julian didn’t move readily. Somehow, he was convinced he could make a lot of money this time.

“I’ll salvage that ship that sank in the sea this time.”

As expected. Julian grinned mischievously and approached the Second Prince. After paying especially deep respects to the Second Prince, he instantly earned the price of a ship that had recently sunk into the sea, then immediately followed Ricardo.

The maid who rode with me in the carriage for a long time to the banquet hall was very quiet. She was kind, but didn’t seem willing to answer my various questions readily.

Still, I found out the most important fact.

The meaning of approaching a man with a handkerchief bearing the family crest.

Because of that, I could tell that the duchess was still quite sincere about my engagement to Ricardo.

‘I’m very sorry to disappoint the duchess.’

Of course, it wasn’t entirely my fault that the duchess’s son had such a prickly personality. No matter how indulgently I might have raised him, why would he say such nasty things?

It’s hard to ignore preferences? What’s wrong with me!

Of course, it’s his preference so it’s not for me to interfere. Even so, just to pretend to be his fiancée for a while, to refuse so firmly.

Well, he showed no promise from childhood, so his personality wouldn’t have changed much…

“We’re almost there.”

While I was inwardly cursing Ricardo, the carriage approached the main gate but didn’t even slow down.

They say Rochester is practically the law, and we passed through just based on the carriage’s insignia. Peeking through the curtain slightly to look around, I could see hundreds of carriages lined up, with perhaps a slight exaggeration.

“The carriage will stop at the very front.”

“I see…”

It seemed the place where carriages could stop was also determined by rank.

The entire Enehaus Count’s mansion was so splendid it could be called a banquet hall rather than a home.

Just as I was wondering how they made those colorful lights in the huge fountain, the carriage gradually slowed down.

“I’m only supposed to guide you to the banquet hall and then return immediately.”

No wonder a small carriage was following us.

“But I won’t leave right away. I’ll be somewhere in the banquet hall until you find the young master.”

The woman who introduced herself as Countess Korhena said that since she wasn’t officially appointed as a chaperone, she couldn’t stay by my side constantly like a real chaperone.

“I suppose I can’t… appoint you as my chaperone even now?”

She held back her words, but her eyes conveyed much. It was some comfort, if any, to know that I wasn’t the only one worried and anxious.

“You’re no longer in a position to have a chaperone.”

What could this mean? Well, acting as a chaperone for a young lady from a family without a title would more than tarnish her reputation. Everyone says it’s all for the order of noble society, but the social world of the Debrien Empire was unimaginably complex and unfriendly.

I must have looked quite gloomy. Countess Korhena gently patted the back of my hand.

“Don’t worry too much. Once inside, just present your invitation to anyone. Then immediately find the young master. When you hand over the handkerchief, the young master will take care of everything after that.”

Feeling comforted by her words, my lower lip unconsciously protruded.

“No, that expression won’t do.”

At her stern words, I quickly bit my lip.

“And don’t shake your legs either.”

“Yes…”

As I stopped my legs, which I hadn’t realized were shaking, the carriage also came to a stop.

Entering the brightest and largest building with Countess Korhena, an attendant approached to guide us. She seemed to judge that I didn’t need to draw people’s attention, as she spoke in Koppel to forbid introducing me.

I thought that was quite fortunate.

After quietly entering, she looked around and immediately pointed to a spot.

“It would be best if you stand over there.”

The place she pointed to was the center of the hall. I wanted to hide behind a pillar until the end of the banquet, but I had a task to accomplish.

“If you stand there, the young master might see you first, or if not, someone will surely approach you.”

“Alright, I understand.”

“I’ll also ask people where the young master is. If I find him first, I’ll guide you there.”

After explaining various things, she immediately moved away from my side. I felt like a buoy floating in the vast sea, but I pulled myself together.

After all, isn’t the social world of the Dermeier Empire just a place where people live?

Ignoring the few people glancing at me, I fixed my gaze straight ahead. Soon, the dazzling splendor overwhelmed me first.

The most impressive thing was undoubtedly the fresco painting that seemed poised to fill an entire wall.

I recognized the protagonist of that painting at once. He was a man I had seen with Ricardo before. Of course, I had seen him in a massive form carved into a cliff.