“Is everything……”

I inadvertently started to ask if everything was alright but immediately closed my mouth. Eyes widened in surprise, they trembled right in front of me.

Ian, who seemed to be assessing the situation, slowly blinked his eyes and then took a sharp breath.

“I’m sorry.”

His face, close enough to touch the tip of my nose, quickly pulled away. Ian, who had risen from above me, immediately helped me up.

“I should be the one to apologize. I lost my balance all of a sudden……”

Suddenly, his breath that had brushed my lips came to mind, and embarrassment started to creep in.

I almost stole Ian’s lips, didn’t I?

“No, it’s my fault……”

Ian, looking a bit strained, messed with his hair, and suddenly turned his gaze to me. His eyes, scanning me from head to toe, were filled with anxiety.

“Are you injured anywhere?”

Except for a slight twist in my left ankle because of my shoes, I was fine. It was thanks to Ian, who quickly protected my head and back.

Huh?

My left sole felt unusually cool. I was barefoot.

“I’m fine. Are you hurt anywhere?”

I tried to sound calm as I asked, but my eyes were frantically searching for my shoe. The removed shoe was precariously hanging on the balcony railing.

After picking up Ian’s coat from the floor, I was about to move discreetly, but Ian was already in front of me.

“Were you looking for this?”

In Ian’s outstretched hand was my shoe. He came close to me and without a moment’s hesitation knelt on one knee.

“I’ll…… put it on for you.”

“Is it inconvenient?”

“Not that, but……”

Should I say it’s a bit embarrassing?

“Then may I put it on for you?”

What’s gotten into him today?

Even when I recall the early part of the original work, he wasn’t the type to act considerate towards women.

As I cocked my head and slightly lifted my dress hem, a very careful touch reached my ankle and then pulled away.

“And I am fine.”

“Huh?”

Ah, it was a response to my question about him being hurt.

I closely examined Ian, who had risen from the floor. Despite his assurance, his expression seemed ambiguous.

“Are you really alright?”

When I narrowed my eyes and asked, Ian rotated his shoulder and arm to show me.

Is he imitating what I did in front of Raymond?

“I’m not as weak as you worry, senior.”

I thought it was a joke, but his face was rather serious. Bursting into laughter, I soon met his eyes and opened my mouth.

“……Thank you.”

A faint smile appeared in Ian’s eyes.

“By the way, who’s outside that we shouldn’t go out?”

“My mother.”

“Your mother, you mean……”

“To be precise, I should say my stepmother.”

I could see Olivia and David through the slight gap in the curtains that weren’t fully closed. Olivia, who had been conversing with him at a distance, soon turned away.

It seems like Olivia has already given up on the David card.

Left alone, David seemed baffled, spinning in place not knowing what to do, then hurriedly left his spot.

“It seems safe to go out now. Ah, right. I’ll give this back.”

Ian, who had taken the coat from me, hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“I think I should go now.”

“Already?”

What did I just say?

Daisy had come to this party today. If Edwin had attended as well, it would be a golden opportunity for the two to connect, so Ian should not attract their attention or leave quickly.

That way, I could prevent any variables that might arise because of Ian.

“Do you want me to stay longer?”

Ian, who had put on a mask, asked as he took the tips of my fingers. His voice flowed like a gentle curve.

“It feels like you just got here, but you’re leaving sooner than I thought. That’s why I asked.”

“Actually, there’s someone I shouldn’t meet at this place today.”

“Who’s that?”

“Someone who’s trying to take something from me indiscriminately……”

Ian’s last words were so faint they were almost inaudible.

“Huh?”

When I asked again, Ian just fixed his gaze on me.
“Even if I wear a mask, they’ll recognize me, so I think I should go before we run into each other.”

“Alright. Then go check it out.”

“I’ll see you at the Knights, senior.”

Ian lingered for a while, turning his feet like someone who couldn’t quite pull away, then jumped straight off the terrace.

As I watched his retreating figure, a sudden doubt came to mind.

Why did he come to the party if there’s someone he shouldn’t meet?

Anyway, since I managed to get rid of that dry David, Ian’s coming here was a blessing to me.

“Thank you today, Ian.”

My small voice, out of reach to him, floated in the air and then faded away.

“Red hair. Red hair….”

Suddenly, Part 2 had begun, and everyone was wearing masks. If it had been the usual Rosebelia, she would have already left, but I had something to do.

I looked around the banquet hall for Edwin, but for some reason, the man with red hair never caught my eye.

Did Edwin not come?

“Miss Daisy, is that you?”

Daisy?

As I adjusted the mask that was slipping down, I turned toward the sound. Three women were standing in front of Daisy.

Wait? If there are three of them, could that group be….?

“Who are you?”

“Oh dear, have you not recognized me because it’s been so long?”

“Ah, perhaps….”

“Yes, it’s Camilla Maynols.”

Camilla Maynols?

The annoying girl who subtly belittled Daisy in the original?

Daisy rarely attended parties because she was frail, but when she did, she didn’t stay long. It was because of that Camilla.

The Maynols Duchy openly supported the Second Prince, positioning themselves against the neutral Eliaser Duchy in the succession framework.

Daisy and Camilla were of the same age, so they were close to rivals, and Camilla notably kept Daisy in check.

In the original story, there was no other woman by Ian’s side, so there was no supporting female character, but that didn’t mean there was no annoying existence.

If you had to pick a villainess in the novel, it would be Camilla.

“Ah, it was indeed you, Lady Camilla.”

Was Camilla the Second Prince’s fiancée?

Now that I think about it, the Second Prince was supposed to be here today….

Was the one Ian didn’t want to run into the Second Prince?

“You seem to have little interest in me, Miss Daisy.”

“I didn’t recognize you right away because you were wearing a mask.”

“I recognized Miss Daisy at a glance even with a mask. I heard you were not feeling well recently, it seems that was true.”

Wow, is she really saying that because she didn’t recognize her right away?

“No, I’m fine now.”

When Daisy spoke firmly, Camilla seemed slightly taken aback. Daisy looked straight at Camilla and spoke again.

“I think it’s not that I have little interest in Lady Camilla, but rather that Lady Camilla seems to have an excessive interest in me.”

Did Daisy just say that? In the original, Daisy never spoke to Camilla like that.

“What did you say?”

Caught off guard by Daisy’s unexpected rebuttal, the glass in Camilla’s hand wobbled. Discovering the wine swaying inside, I stealthily approached them.

“From my experience, finding someone in a large crowd is never easy. But you always find me first like this, if that’s not excessive interest then….”

Trembling, Camilla struggled to smile, then sent a subtle signal to a woman behind her.

That woman, catching Camilla’s intention, slyly nudged Camilla’s back.

“Oh dear!”

I stepped behind Daisy and quickly pulled her towards me.

At that moment, Camilla, who was pretending to stumble to spill her wine on Daisy, fell flat on the floor.

“Lady Rosebelia?”

Daisy’s question went unanswered as I quickly raised my arm.
분명 허공에 흩뿌려지는 포도주를 보았는데 왜인지 차가운 감각은 전해지지 않았다.

What’s going on?

As I flinched, at the moment I was about to lower my arm, a familiar voice settled down.

“Are both ladies alright?”

Soon, what filled my sight was the color red.