Alfonso laughed as he compared the size of his hand to Ariadne’s.

“With such a small hand, you think you can pick grapes? Would you be able to pick even one bunch at a time?”

Ariadne adjusted her hand, presenting the fingertips rather than the palm attached to the wrist as a reference point.

“If you look at it this way, it’s not too small! It’s just that your hand is big, not that mine is small!”

What brought the couple back from their sweet world was a man who approached them boldly and grabbed Ariadne’s wrist.

“…!”

Startled like a deer, Ariadne froze, and Alfonso instinctively stood between her and the man.

The unknown man’s hand squeezed her braceletadorned wrist, pushing the bracelet into her skin. Almost at the same time, she winced in pain, and Alfonso’s large hand clamped onto the arm of the man wearing the ‘Plague Doctor’ mask.

“Whoever you are, let go of her.”

Caught in Alfonso’s firm grip, the ‘Plague Doctor’ felt the nerves in his forearm being squeezed and his hand strength draining. He clenched his teeth and let go of Ariadne’s wrist.

As Ariadne stepped back upon being released, the ‘Plague Doctor’ finally raised his mask halfway to reveal his face.

“Count de Como!”

“It’s Count de Como.”

Cesare sneered at Alfonso.

“Does our noble kingdom’s little sun tend to reveal his identity even on the day of the masked ball? You might as well shout out that you’re the prince.”

It was a reference to Alfonso wearing a bauta mask that revealed half of his face and dressed so opulently that anyone would declare him a prince.

“I hope you won’t force the etiquette on royalty on such a rustic masked ball day.”

Prince Alfonso coldly dismissed Cesare’s mockery. He was busy checking on Ariadne who had been startled.

However, Ariadne who had just been released, retorted at Cesare.

“Count de Como! What are you doing?”

“I came to save the lady. It’s Prince Alfonso who should let go of her, not me.”

“What does that mean?”

Ariadne, almost clinging to Alfonso, questioned Cesare, who looked at Alfonso and sneered.

“‘Golden Prince’, where did you ditch Princess Lariesa and why were you seducing this innocent maiden?”

Prince Alfonso froze for a moment, forgetting what to say. His hand that had been wrapping Ariadne’s shoulder drifted a little into the air.

“Spare the poor Etruscan lady the heartache and let her go now. Go find your noble foreign princess.”

While Alfonso remained silent, Cesare turned to Ariadne again.

“Little lady, leave that milky boy and come with me.”

This time, instead of forcibly grabbing Ariadne’s wrist, he extended his hand to her.

His right hand, always clad in a deer skin glove, hung in the air waiting for Ariadne.

However, Ariadne calmly questioned instead of taking Cesare’s waiting hand.

“Is Princess Lariesa the state guest from the Principality of Baloa?”

Cesare looked at Alfonso as if he couldn’t believe it.

“He didn’t tell you who the state guest is?”

Alfonso’s face turned beet red.

He had thought he had acted considerately in every step related to this incident. He had not lied, nor had he done anything over the line.

But it was undeniable that he had not told Ariadne who the state guest was and why she was visiting San Carlo.

He just thought there was no need to tell such trivial details. At least, that’s what he thought. But Alfonso and Ariadne always shared all the trivial things.

Yes, why did I hide it?

However, Ariadne calmly looked back at Alfonso and said,

“If that’s the case, of course you should go find her. I’ll come with you.”

The one who was rather taken aback was Cesare, who had expected Ariadne to get angry with jealousy.

“Miss!”

He took another step closer to Ariadne.

“Aren’t you even upset? That bastard can’t meet you! Negotiations are currently underway for his engagement with the Grand Duchess of the Gallic kingdom! He’ll shake your heart and then marry the daughter of a foreign monarch, leaving you! You are being used!”

This time, Cesare truly expected a response from Ariadne. However, Ariadne remained unmoved. Instead, she fixed him with a stern gaze and spoke firmly.

“Count Cesare, it seems there’s a misunderstanding. Prince Alfonso and I have no relationship.”

The one more surprised by her resolute statement was Alfonso, not Cesare.

“We’ve never had a courtship proposal, nor have we met with any romantic intentions.”

Indeed, there had been no courtship proposal. But had they truly met without romantic intentions? He could not remember such a time.

If he was to examine his conscience, it was always nine parts affection and one part propriety. Was it not the same for her?

“Please do not distort a good friendship.”

At this remark, Alfonso swallowed his breath. Friendship, yes, friendship. Maybe it was friendship in her eyes.

He had not thought of their relationship as friendship. At first, maybe, but not for a while now.

But did he, bound by duty, have the right to ask her for more? What could he, tied by obligations, offer her?

Ariadne concluded her speech.