“Etienne hasn’t arrived yet. As the time is almost up, she’ll come soon. Right now, this place is all about Etienne’s words. Everyone is curious about who Etienne’s partner will be.”

Hae-na casually smoothed her dress. She hoped Fernando would take a moment to look at her face.
Even though there’s jealousy in Hae-na’s heart for liking Etienne, she adorned herself in a vibrant dress with the hope that if Fernando sees her once, it would be nice.

However, Fernando remained indifferent and didn’t give her a single glance. Hae-na tightly gripped her awkward dress.

“Fernando.”

Feeling that she wouldn’t gain even a small piece of Fernando’s heart if she continued like this, Hae-na grabbed his shoulders and directed his gaze towards her.

“Look at me, Fernando.”

Fernando reluctantly looked at her, and Hae-na nodded, continuing to speak.

“I’ve been watching you all along. I know you don’t care about that kind of thing.”

She had already said similar things before, and every time, Fernando acted as if it had nothing to do with him.

“Instead, consider the situation. You are the successor of the Supraherga family. Even if it’s not Etienne, you have to marry another woman. I’m more suitable as your partner than other women.”

Hae-na objectively spoke about Fernando’s situation, putting aside her feelings.

“You can’t always look at Etienne purely. Now you’re not a sixteen-year-old boy anymore…”

Hae-na stood side by side with Fernando. In a position where they could look at the door together, she continued speaking rhythmically.

“If Etienne comes in here holding someone’s hand, you should look at me.”

Fernando didn’t respond, but Hae-na emphasized once again that now she shouldn’t avoid him.
Liking Etienne might have turned out well. If she were a different woman, she might have already become Fernando’s lover, but since both princes are interested in Etienne…

“So, if Etienne becomes someone’s lover…”

If, during the debutante ball, she shows up holding someone’s hand as if declaring marriage, it implies that she met that person with marriage in mind. Perhaps that person will be Prince Leharat, so Fernando will be hers.

While Hae-na was carefully concealing her feelings and speaking, the door opened, and Etienne, whom everyone had been waiting for, appeared.

Hae-na’s gaze quickly scanned Etienne and the person next to her. And she couldn’t hide her bewildered expression.

“How…”

Entering the venue for the debutante ball, Etienne… was alone.

An hour before going to the debutante ball, Etienne was supposed to go with Leharat.

Already having asked her to be his lover, and due to Leharat kissing her again when she woke up, she couldn’t use the excuse of not remembering.

Originally, she had no intention of reversing their relationship, but Leharat nailed her down so she couldn’t escape.

As Etienne, dressed up and receiving Leharat’s compliments, was about to get on the carriage, she stopped all her actions.

“I’ve changed my mind.”

Leharat, looking at the carriage and then turning to Etienne, pursed his lips expressionlessly.

“As long as you don’t refuse to be with me.”
In response to Leharat’s indifferent answer, Etienne laughed and took his hand, pulling him.

“Let’s talk somewhere else.”

Unable to move with her own thoughts, Etienne requested him to move, and Leharat followed without a word.

“It’s okay to arrive late at the ball when you’re dating Etienne.”

Alexa will probably care. Leharat’s gaze quickly swept past the carriage and Etienne, as if trying to guess what she was thinking.

Etienne, after making Leharat who followed her sit alone on a deserted garden bench, paced back and forth in front of him.

“I definitely saw Prince Ludvi at the fountain. He’s not the culprit, but no matter how I think about it, it feels strange.”

“I thought we were going to talk about the ball… Ludvi?”

In response to Leharat’s question, Etienne stood squarely in front of him.

“So, shall we keep it a secret a bit?”

“Keep it a secret? About us dating? Shall we reveal it when Ludvi proposes?”

“No. It’s better to try the method that the Queen Mama told us about. Of course, just because I say it doesn’t mean Ludvi will accept it as it is, but since Queen Mama said she would help, we can try.”

“In the end, you’re going to the ball alone, and you’ll accept Ludvi’s proposal.”
Leharat grumbled discontentedly, but Etienne, lost in thought, didn’t hear him. She suddenly turned to Leharat.

“I have something I’m curious about.”

“If it’s about me, anything…”

“What is Ludvi’s ability?”

Leharat sighed deeply, observing Etienne who showed no interest in their relationship.