“…Shin?”

Dante’s eyes widened.

It was just for a moment, but I clearly saw a mocking smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

However, the next moment Dante’s face turned cold as if nothing had happened.

“Really? Did you break it?”

“It doesn’t seem… to be broken.”

“Then don’t brag.”

“…Yes.”

Although I didn’t intend to brag, I obediently kept my mouth shut for now.

“So.”

Dante sighed deeply and asked.

“Did you stir things up to your satisfaction?”

At that voice, the expressions of Edward and Elena that I had last seen came to mind.

If asked if it was satisfying, it was.

The looks full of shock, anger, and betrayal were certainly pleasing to see.

But if asked if I was satisfied.

“How could I be?”

I shook my head lightly.

“I’m not satisfied. This is just the beginning.”

If I was going to end it like this, I wouldn’t have started at all.

The despair I felt as I was dying, bleeding out – I haven’t even made them taste a tenth of it yet.

“But today, thanks to Your Grace, I definitely had an enjoyable day. Thank you.”

As I bowed my head slightly in greeting, a voice dropped from above.

“You think so?”

“…Pardon?”

I looked up and hesitated for a moment.

The displeased look was gone, and Dante was smiling with the corners of his mouth raised.

“Thanks to me, you say.”

“Of course. Your Grace’s role was significant.”

Especially Lucas’s expression at the wedding ceremony was a sight to behold.

Remembering his face that had turned red like a boiled octopus, a chuckle escaped.

I admit it. If I had been alone, I wouldn’t have been able to deal such a blow to Lucas.

“Is that so?”

Dante smiled faintly and bent down.

The faint scent of shower cologne wafted over strongly.

“I’m glad you were satisfied.”

His long fingers lightly brushed the tip of my chin.

“It seems I did quite well. Me.”

At the languid touch, the fine hairs on my ears stood on end.

There was no way I couldn’t know what that gesture meant.

“…”

I felt heat suddenly rising to my cheeks.

Today, this man had kissed me.

It was the first time. Such a breathtaking feeling. It was also the first time I experienced having all my inner senses swayed by another person.

Biting the inside of my cheek, I barely managed my expression and opened my mouth.

Hoping for the most businesslike voice possible.

“If I had been alone, I wouldn’t have been able to turn the wedding ceremony upside down like that. Thanks to you, all the people of the empire will surely be talking about today. I will definitely repay this favor soon.”

Apart from how overwhelming the… kiss was, I was truly grateful that Dante had stepped in.

After all, he didn’t need to go that far for me.

“Is that so.”

He said, slowly caressing his own chin.

“You owe me a lot then.”

Owe… a lot?

At those words, I couldn’t help but tilt my head slightly.

It’s true that there are things to be exchanged between us, but the expression ‘repay’ was strange.

What we shared was a deal, not something one-sided.

Looking down at me like that, Dante frowned intently.

“What’s with that unreasonable expression?”

Thinking my thoughts had shown directly on my face, I was momentarily flustered.

Then he clicked his tongue overtly.

“…As expected, it’s not pretending.”

Tilting his head slightly, Dante said.

“It seems you really don’t remember.”

‘…Remember?’

Unable to understand at all, I blinked blankly.

An unsatisfied gaze fell on me like that. I hid my confusion and said.

“What memory are you referring to?”

No answer came.

Dante twirled the empty wine glass on his hand.

Is it my imagination that he seems as displeased as when he spoke Edward’s name?

I cautiously opened my mouth.

“Is there something I’ve forgotten? Please tell me what I’ve forgotten, so I can be sure to remember it from now on.”

“I don’t want to.”

“…Pardon?”

“Recall it. On your own.”

Looking up with confused eyes, he added arrogantly.

“That’s an order.”

“…”

And before I could answer anything, he pulled the bell cord.

“Guide her to her room.”

Dante coldly ordered the servant who appeared immediately. With an attitude completely devoid of gaps.

So I couldn’t bring myself to speak and left his office.

Walking down the corridor, I fell into serious contemplation.

‘Memory?’

Something I’ve forgotten…

There was something that suddenly came to mind.

As soon as the nerves deep in my brain were touched, pain immediately surged.

“Ugh.”

I don’t remember much about those times. The doctor said it often happens to people who have experienced great shock.

That’s what I had covered up ten years ago.

‘But that past has nothing to do with the Duke.’

Rubbing my aching forehead, I tilted my head in confusion.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Have you all heard yesterday’s news?”

“Of course. My goodness, to think that Duke Fedegrin would face such humiliation…”

“I heard the Duchess Fedegrin is wearing a neck brace. She sprained it from falling so much.”

“Oh dear, oh dear.”

The ladies clicked their tongues in feigned sympathy at the juicy gossip.

“But the most surprising part is something else.”

When one lady spoke with a serious face, everyone nodded as if they knew.

“To think that His Grace the Duke would take action!”

“Goodness, bursting into a wedding ceremony and stealing the bride… What kind of complicated story must there have been?”

“That’s what’s driving everyone crazy, not knowing. They say there was no connection at all between His Grace and that Lopez family woman who was the bride.”

“Speaking of Lopez, what’s going to happen to the Lopez Opera House now?”

At the innocent question, the ladies burst into laughter.

“What do you mean what’s going to happen? That eldest daughter wasn’t doing anything anyway, they say. No presence at all. So nothing will change.”

“How could such a young lady have bewitched His Grace?”

“That’s the biggest mystery.”

“But you know.”

Someone lowered their voice secretively.

“With things turning out like this, what’s going to happen to Her Highness the Princess?”

[This is the timeline separator]

Thud.

The Crown Prince roughly threw down the newspaper.

The flashy headline was shouting out the long-awaited scoop at the top of its lungs.

Dante Heigenberg steals the bride!

“He was strangely quiet for a while, and then he turns the empire upside down like this.”

The Crown Prince muttered in a voice full of displeasure and turned to look at his sister.

“You’re not going to cling to that bastard after seeing this mess, are you, Katarina? Your beloved seems to have lost his head over another woman.”

“…”

“Know when to quit, Kitty. If you’ve played the role of a love-struck princess enough, you should know when to stop. From now on, it’s a matter of the imperial family’s dignity.”

The Crown Prince, who had spoken firmly, strode out of the room.

In the quiet room, Princess Katarina turned to her lady-in-waiting.

“Bring me the newspaper.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

On the front page of the newspaper handed over by the lady-in-waiting, a handsome face was clearly printed.

Below it was full of articles speculating on the love story of the couple that shook the empire.

“This time.”

Katarina’s finger, which had been tracing the man’s face in the photo, poked at the silhouette of the woman resting on his shoulder.

“Is it this woman? Duke.”

The one you put forward to reject me.

Katarina lowered her gaze sadly.

She knows. The reason why the Duke cannot accept her feelings.

But still…

“You didn’t need to go this far, tarnishing your honor.”

With this incident, Dante had gained the stigma of stealing a bride from a wedding ceremony.

Of course, it’s a very small stain compared to the brilliant name of Duke Heigenberg, but a flaw is still a flaw.

A flaw gained because of that woman.

Katarina muttered, snapping shut the fan she had been habitually fluttering.

“I should at least go see her face.”

Ariana Lopez.

Glaring at the silhouette in the newspaper, obscured by the Duke, barely visible, Katarina said.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Haha. Hahaha!”

Loud laughter shook the Lopez mansion.

“This ledger is correct, right, Wilhelm?!”

“Yes, master.”

At Wilhelm’s calm answer, Edward stamped his foot hard.

“Haha, it’s done. It’s done!”

Edward’s eyes shone brightly with joy.

All the tickets were sold.

The first day had sold out long ago, but the second and third days were crucial…

Everything, all of it had been sold.

Moreover, it’s said that under the table, even black market tickets are being traded.

‘To see the stage created by this Edward Lopez!’

Edward breathed heavily, immersed in euphoria.

He had worried that because of the humiliation shown at the wedding, the nobles who value dignity might cancel their tickets, but no.

The result was exactly the opposite.

“So this is how adversity turns into opportunity!”

It was the result of human instinct’s craving for interesting gossip overriding everything else.

‘Ariana, that damned wench’s accident was actually a blessing!’

“Wilhelm! How much is the total revenue?”

“Ten million Cardina, sir.”

Having elicited another answer, Edward trembled with joy.

Ten million. Ten million Cardina.

Since inheriting the family from his bedridden father, no, even when his father led the family, such a large sum had never poured into the Lopez family coffers.

“It’s not far off.”

Edward wore a bright smile. It seemed as if his dream was right before his eyes.

“Wilhelm!”

“Yes, master.”

“Contact Veloce Tailors! Tell them to come today with their catalog!”

Veloce was a tailor shop famous for being the highest class even in the empire.

He had already had a suit made, but with this much cash in hand, there was no reason not to have even more expensive and better clothes made.

The main composer is the face and symbol of the opera house.

It wouldn’t do for someone like himself to appear in unremarkable clothes.

“Yes, master.”

Wilhelm bowed his head respectfully.

[This is the timeline separator]

Lopez Opera House, all seats sold out!

[Fierce ticketing war for St. Verdictus Day Opera, even scalpers appear…]

Heading towards the reception room, I recalled the newspaper articles I had just seen and smiled faintly.

All seats sold out, huh.

It was an achievement the current Lopez House had never accomplished before.

‘I wonder if they feel like they’re flying in the sky?’

Thinking of my dear family members, I wore an even deeper smile.

I hope they become even happier.

I hope they feel like they’re floating even higher above the clouds.

So that the impending fall will be even more painful.