Dalia unknowingly swallowed dry saliva.

It seemed that the plan to provoke jealousy using the Crown Prince might have been a mistake.

Upon reflection, it wasn’t right to provoke someone like Clayton who had a personality deficiency due to childhood trauma.

She should have just stuck to the existing methods, come what may.

As she realized she might have misjudged, her relaxed body tensed up again.

She wanted to leave this place immediately, jealousy plan or not, but it was impolite to stop dancing before the music ended, so she endured.

If only she had been transported into a parenting novel instead of a romance fantasy novel.

She had become the female lead, but the thought of spending her life catering to her husband’s whims made her feel suffocated.

Suddenly, she wanted a divorce rather than just running away.

Perhaps noticing Dalia’s state, the Crown Prince, who had been glancing at the crowd, asked.

“You seem concerned about Duke Sayer.”

“Pardon?”

“You don’t seem to be concentrating on the dance.”

“Ah.”

How could she not be concerned? She was dancing with another man while her perfectly healthy husband was right there.

Moreover, her husband was now looking at her with such a terrifying gaze as if he might devour her at any moment.

Due to her husband’s recent unpredictable behavior, all her senses were focused on Clayton, worried he might cause another incident.

Because of this, she felt sorry for Alexion, who had readily offered her the first dance.

It was understandable for him to be upset with a dance partner who couldn’t dance and couldn’t even focus. So Dalia apologized with an awkward smile.

“I’m sorry. I guess I feel uneasy dancing with Your Highness while my husband is here.”

“I don’t understand. You say you’re concerned about dancing with me while your husband is here……”

At the Crown Prince’s somewhat provocative words, Dalia looked up at the man.

“A man who openly brings his mistress to an official event?”

The man’s previously relaxed mouth corners turned upward.

One might mistakenly think he was making a joke, but his eyes weren’t smiling. The man’s eyes, which had been like blue lakes, were now cold.

Dalia, who had been quietly staring at the man’s face, furrowed her brow to discern his true intentions.

‘Could this man……’

While she couldn’t confidently say she was good at reading people, she understood what Alexion’s expression meant.

Clear hostility.

The Crown Prince disliked Clayton.

Even if she wasn’t the most perceptive person, she wasn’t so foolish as to not notice this level of hostility.

Whether it was because he had nothing to fear as the Crown Prince, or because he considered her an ally, he didn’t even try to hide his feelings from Dalia.

‘Why did he ask me to dance if he dislikes Clayton?’

Perhaps it was to provoke Clayton.

Upon this new realization, Dalia, who had been staring intently at the man’s face in silence, averted her gaze.

‘Whatever.’

Whether the Crown Prince liked him or not, Clayton was the male protagonist in this world, and the Crown Prince’s presence in the original work was so insignificant it could be summarized in one sentence.

So there shouldn’t be any problems.

As her thoughts reached this point, Dalia, who had lost interest, continued speaking in a nonchalant voice.

“Still, he’s my husband. No matter who Clayton comes here with as a partner, the fact that I’m his wife remains unchanged.”

“For someone saying that, Duke Sayer doesn’t seem to be paying much attention to his wife.”

Dalia snorted at Alexion’s provocation.

‘That can’t be. Just until now, he was staring at me as if he would kill me from over there… huh?’

As if to prove his words true, the Crown Prince slightly turned his body to show Dalia where Clayton had been standing.

What she saw was Clayton’s back as he was leaving the banquet hall.

“This time when the party is in full swing is perfect for couples to sneak out and enjoy secret rendezvous.”

Lloyd had also long since disappeared from the banquet hall.

Regardless of the truth, from the moment people noticed that both of them were gone, they would let their imaginations run wild.

Just like the Crown Prince in front of her now.

Seeing Dalia’s face suddenly harden, the Crown Prince slightly bowed his head and whispered.

“So, I was thinking……”

The man’s hand on her waist felt hot.

“Shall we go for a walk too?”

At the same time, the music that had been filling the hall gradually faded.

The man’s tone had changed.

It wasn’t the tone a Crown Prince should use with a duchess. And a walk, of all things.

He had just said with his own mouth that this was the time for secret meetings.

‘Is he suggesting we enjoy a secret rendezvous together?’

She was confused whether he was saying this because he thought a married woman was easy to play with, or if he really had been on familiar terms with her before.

‘What should I do?’

Dalia pondered. If it was for the jealousy plan, there was no need to make it look like they were enjoying a secret rendezvous.

The first dance just now should have been enough, and Clayton had already left.

‘Then should I just go along and try to find out what connection he has with the original female lead?’

But what if she ended up asking some troublesome questions?

While Dalia was hesitating to make a decision due to various complicated thoughts.

“Dalia.”

Someone called Dalia’s name.

Startled by the sudden sound of her name, Dalia flinched and moved away from the Crown Prince.

And as she turned around…

“Rachel?”

Rachel was looking at the two of them from not too far away.

She hadn’t been seen throughout the party, so Dalia thought she hadn’t attended today. But her surprise at Rachel being in the palace was short-lived.

As she examined Rachel’s face, Dalia furrowed her brow.

‘Why does she look like that?’

Rachel’s expression was indeed unusual. A wary gaze directed at the Crown Prince.

It was a cold expression she had never seen before on Rachel, who always smiled brightly.

Noticing something was off, Dalia deliberately greeted her more cheerfully.

“When did you arrive at the palace? I thought something must have come up since I couldn’t see you.”

“Around when the dancing just started. But……”

Rachel, who had been smiling at Dalia, shifted her gaze to the Crown Prince behind her.

She was looking at the man with a somewhat displeased expression. Then the Crown Prince, who had been quietly observing Rachel, took a step forward.

“It’s been a while, Lady Roman.”

“I greet Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

Rachel bowed politely to the Crown Prince who had approached the two of them.

“I heard that Duke Roman was unwell and wouldn’t be attending today.”

“It’s His Majesty the Emperor’s birthday, not just any day. Father said it would be disloyal for the Roman ducal family not to attend, so he sent me.”

“Indeed, that sounds like Duke Roman.”

The Crown Prince nodded lightly at Rachel’s words, then stepped back as if no longer interested.

“It seems Lady Roman dislikes my presence here, so I should tactfully excuse myself. Well then……”

As he finished speaking, the Crown Prince lightly kissed the back of Dalia’s hand.

“We’ll continue our unfinished conversation next time.”

Unlike before, it was a kiss that felt completely devoid of personal interest.

Dalia, who had been staring at the back of her hand where the Crown Prince’s lips had lingered, looked up.

“Rachel. Is something wrong? You’ve looked upset since earlier.”

A quiet stillness fell between Rachel and Dalia after the Crown Prince left.

Faced with Rachel’s attitude, which she had never seen before, Dalia unconsciously tried to recall if she had done something wrong.

‘What is it? Did I make a mistake?’

Or maybe she had some strange misunderstanding because Dalia had danced the first dance with the Crown Prince.

If she arrived late to the party, she might not know the full context. So, Dalia opened her mouth to explain how she ended up dancing with the Crown Prince.

“Be careful of the Crown Prince.”

But Rachel spoke faster.

“Nothing good will come to Dalia from getting involved with that man.”

“What do you mean……”

“Do you know why His Highness the Crown Prince, who is old enough to have a child by now, doesn’t even have a fiancée?”

The imperial family had traditionally practiced early marriages.

There was nothing more helpful in strengthening imperial power than producing healthy heirs.

‘Come to think of it, the Crown Prince didn’t have a partner either.’

If he were married or had a fiancée, they would have been here together today, and he wouldn’t have had the first dance with her.

So Dalia was a bit curious.

The reason why the Crown Prince, who seemed perfectly fine on the outside, didn’t even have a fiancée.

“They all died before getting married. Three of them. The cause of death for all was unexplained sudden death.”

“……What?”

She had lightly thought he might just have a severe womanizing problem. The reason for not having a fiancée was somewhat shocking.

“So be careful, Dalia.”

At Rachel’s final warning, Dalia found herself nodding vigorously without realizing it.