“Come to think of it, I’ve heard that Crown Prince Ian’s dedicated perfumer is actually not a perfumer, but a woman with a pharmacist background.”

“Then it’s certain.”

No, what’s certain about that? Of course, I’m known as a perfumer to the outside world, but how does a perfumer transform into a beloved woman?

But contrary to my thoughts, everyone nodded as if that fact was tremendous evidence.

“Information about the Crown Prince’s perfumer has been particularly hard to come by and only known secretively. The Crown Prince even went so far as to prevent contact with that perfumer, supposedly to monopolize that scent.”

“That’s right. It seemed strange that a pharmacist, not a perfumer, was making perfume. Does it make sense that an unknown, even young female pharmacist is making the Crown Prince’s perfume when there are professional perfumers?”

“I heard that the Perfumers’ Guild, feeling insulted because of that pharmacist, spent a fortune bribing high nobles to help them lobby for changing the Crown Prince’s dedicated perfumer. Apparently, someone who took that money and suggested to the Crown Prince about changing the perfumer got severely rebuked.”

“It’s certain that he was keeping a perfumer close, which is unlike him. The perfume wasn’t what was important.”

“That’s right.”

Now they were talking as if it was not a rumor but confirmed information.

Of course, it’s true that Ian met me secretly and limited my information not because the perfume was important, but that was not due to love but because of the medicine he desperately needed… I couldn’t explain this. I was just frustrated.

“By the way, I wonder what kind of person that pharmacist who received the Crown Prince’s love was?”

“She must have been beautiful, surely?”

‘Beautiful? She was a very ordinary person.’

The women who were creating stories as if Ian and I had a love of the century now began to speculate about what kind of person I was.

Their talk felt like a mental attack to me. My hands and feet felt like they were curling up and melting away.

Unable to listen anymore, I told Ileana I would take a short break and left the place.

As soon as I left my seat, I shook off the goosebumps that had risen on my arms.

“They really are people with vivid imaginations… The Crown Prince and I… Puhehe.”

Just imagining it made me laugh. They might be able to say such things because they don’t know anything about our relationship, but it felt strange to become the protagonist of such an absurd rumor.

“I can’t just go back and tell them it was just a close friendship that develops between people who have shared life and death for a long time…”

Talking to myself and shaking my head repeatedly, I moved away from them.

The banquet hall had a completely different atmosphere from the imperial palace I had been visiting for Ian’s treatment.

As Ian was a member of the royal family, his bedroom was equally splendid. The walls and ceiling were decorated with murals painted by skilled artists, and large expensive-looking vases were displayed here and there.

But the banquet hall was incomparable. The walls were decorated with gold, and colorful jewels were embedded here and there, shining brilliantly.

Enormous chandeliers the size of carriages filled the ceiling of the banquet hall, centered around one massive chandelier. Even apart from the luxurious ceiling, walls, and interior decorations, there was much to see.

It would be interesting to watch the nobles adorned in extravagant attire or the band playing dazzling music.

‘There’s nothing I can do leisurely.’

But at some point, I couldn’t stand still and comfortably observe anything. It was because of the piercing gazes flying from here and there.

‘The people with Ileana were certainly friendly to me.’

There were many who were whispering to each other while looking at me. Judging by their expressions, it didn’t seem to be all good talk.

It was okay for those who lowered their voices so I couldn’t hear their whispers.

Some people raised their voices as if they wanted me to hear, saying insulting things.

“I heard she always followed Daniel around. So she must have been nearby when that accident happened.”

“I heard the accident was intentional. Otherwise, why would a perfectly fine horse act up like that?”

“Come on, I heard she was seriously injured and couldn’t wake up for over a month because of that incident.”

“Who knows? When you’re blinded by love, you might do anything.”

I wanted to go up to them and explain that it wasn’t true, but I just clutched my frustrated heart, afraid of getting involved in unnecessary fights and being picked on.

Still, when they made direct eye contact with me, they seemed embarrassed and shut their mouths.

‘Is this what high society is like? Creating rumors that don’t even exist.’

Ileana and her group, who could be considered on my side, were writing a romance novel as if Ian and I had a love of the century, while those who disliked Claire were inflating false rumors about Claire and Daniel’s relationship.

The banquet hall, though spacious, splendid, and full of sights to see, felt like a suffocating space.

People I had never met before were talking about me as if they knew me well, making me think I might go crazy if I stayed in such a place for too long.

Of course, not everyone reacted hostilely.

“Congratulations on becoming a countess.”

“Thank you.”

“I pay my respects to your brave actions.”

Anyway, today I officially received a title and a territory. Although it’s a life peerage, it was something that could exert considerable influence during my lifetime.

I had become an influential person worth getting to know. As such, there were quite a few people who came to greet me, hoping to build a relationship. I smiled at such people and received their greetings.

No sooner had the greetings ended than they started asking how I would manage the territory, where it was located, and if I needed a proxy lord, could they introduce a capable noble they knew well, which was equally perplexing.

At such times, I would respond with, “I’m not sure right now. I’ll think about it slowly.” I exchanged greetings with such people appropriately while looking for a quiet space where I could rest alone.

‘I heard there were places to rest here and there…’

Before attending the banquet, Ileana had told me about places where I could have drinks or light desserts, small rooms with chairs and mirrors for touching up makeup, or terraces that people rarely visited, but I couldn’t find the place I wanted.

‘I’m not even directionally challenged, but why do I keep getting lost in the imperial palace? I wonder if I become a fool just by entering the palace…’

I decided to give up on finding a place to rest. I leaned against a corner wall that looked relatively quiet.

‘I’m hungry and feeling stuffy.’

The dress was pretty, but it was inevitably uncomfortable and confining. The atmosphere of the banquet hall also felt stifling. The uncomfortable gazes of people I didn’t even know felt like they were constricting me.

A servant carrying drinks passed by my side. As I took off my right glove and picked up a pinkish glass, Ian came into my view.

During the conferment ceremony and when I was talking with the noble ladies, I felt like he was constantly staring at me, but I guess it was my imagination. He was in conversation with others.

Until then, I found it embarrassing to make eye contact with him because he was staring at me intently, so it was hard to look at him properly. Now that he was talking to other people, it was easier to observe his condition.

‘He’s lost a lot of weight. I’m worried if he’s even been taking his medicine properly, let alone eating meals.’

I slowly moved towards where he was to examine his condition more closely.

The dark shadows under his eyes were deep and his complexion was pale, but he was standing straight and engaging in conversation. It was both pitiful and admirable to see him enduring despite the difficulty.

‘I wonder if he’s been taking his medicine regularly.’

His complexion looked quite poor, so I was worried. Surely he hasn’t been skipping doses? That shouldn’t happen…

The medicine he was currently taking wasn’t something he could stop just because he wanted to.

‘He knows the importance of the medicine, so he must have been taking it regularly, right?’

But the uneasy feeling didn’t go away. He often had disputes with me about taking his medicine.

He often threw tantrums, threatening not to take his medicine using the excuse that I didn’t visit frequently. Although I would get angry at such times, saying he wasn’t a child to be making such threats, in the end, I would pretend to give in and visit the palace more often.

The illness Ian was suffering from was peculiar. He suffered from insomnia and high fever, and his eye color would turn red. If he didn’t take his medicine on time, he would suffer from hallucinations and visions.

The change in eye color was the least of the problems; the frequent hallucinations, visions, and high fever were the main issues.

They continuously chipped away at his life. It was dangerous enough to worry about brain damage if not properly managed. That’s why I recommended steady consumption despite concerns about side effects.