“It seems you liked the chef's skills, Lady Lindsay.”
At the sudden voice of an uninvited guest, Summer subtly averted her gaze. The person who approached from behind was none other than Ian Langerster, the host of this party. He had somehow managed to navigate through the throngs of people to greet her. After all, it was basic etiquette for a host to acknowledge their guests. “It’s delicious.” Summer quietly replied as she picked up another glass of wine. Ian wore a sly smile, as if he had found a particularly amusing prey. “That’s wonderful. I’m sure the chef would be delighted to hear that.” Ian Langerster pretended to be meeting Summer for the first time, using exaggerated politeness. It was clear he was teasing her. To avoid falling for his tricks, Summer responded with an intentionally aloof expression. “Please do tell him. It’s truly excellent.” “Of course. It seems that even without my presence, Lady Lindsay is already enjoying the party quite a bit.” “Yes. So if you’re busy, you’re welcome to attend to other matters.” “I’m not busy.” Ian Langerster casually retorted, leaning slightly forward. The sudden closeness made Summer take a step back, clutching her plate tightly with both hands. “It seems Lady Lindsay wishes I were busy.” “......” “It seems you’re not one to lie.” “Yes.” Summer replied curtly, her expression sour. She didn’t want to mix too much conversation with the male lead. The more connections one forms, the harder it becomes to part ways. Ian had already saved Summer, a stranger to him, once. If they built any more rapport, he would surely find a way to prevent her from leaving. Over mere words in a book. With a sigh of frustration, Summer shook her head. She needed to return to her original world and get back to work as soon as possible, but being trapped here at a party was maddening. Unaware of her feelings, Ian extended his hand. “Lady Lindsay. Would you care for our first dance today?” Before Ian could finish his sentence, the surroundings suddenly erupted into chaos. “Excuse me?” When Summer asked again, having not heard him, the party had already descended into disarray. Julian’s face was smeared with white salad dressing, and his carefully crafted dress was in shambles. Ah. Only then did Summer recall when this scene had occurred. It was the entrance of the novel’s villainess, Perotia Legacy, the only daughter of the Legacy Duke. True to her villainous role, her entrance was quite extravagant. The sound of laughter that took one’s breath away, a shining black dress under a magnificent chandelier, glimmering gray eyes, and hair as white as snow. And before her, with his head bowed in disarray, “Julian...” Summer hurriedly approached Julian and reached out. Julian’s cheek was flushed. Red blood mixed with the salad dressing smeared across his face. Food! Again with the food! The author’s keen eye for how readers would rage over food-related antics was something to resent at times like this. “Damn it.” Again! Summer pounded her fist against the transparent wall, letting out a frustrated scream. Once more, her hand could not reach Julian. Each time he suffered humiliation, the transparent wall prevented Summer from helping. This time, she couldn’t even respond to the opponent. In the novel, the three great dukes wielded power comparable to that of the emperor. Those were the Langerster, Bertrand, and Legacy dukes. So, the Legacy Duke’s daughter couldn’t just retaliate for a salad being thrown and a slap to the face. Especially since Perotia Legacy was notorious for her misdeeds. Behind her stood the Legacy Duke, and the duke and his brothers would stop at nothing if it was what their only daughter, Perotia, desired. No one could restrain her. Society was strictly divided between men and women, and it was considered a great disgrace for men to interfere in women’s affairs. Thus, there was no stopping Perotia. That was the class system and the rules of this world. “...Damn wall. I wish it would just die. This damn wall.” Summer muttered darkly, pounding her fist against the transparent, soft wall a few more times. At that moment, someone brushed past her. Ian Langerster. The male lead. He casually passed through the transparent wall and reached Julian. “What is going on here, Lady Legacy?” “Are you really siding with that woman who doesn’t even look like a noble?” “It would be wise to keep your mouth shut, Perotia Legacy.” “Duke, it’s me, Perotia.” “Ensure that the Duke’s daughter is safely escorted back to the mansion. She seems too intoxicated to even recognize who stands before her.” With Ian’s cold voice, the knights politely but firmly guided Perotia out of the banquet hall. Perotia shot Ian a resentful glare with her fiery eyes as she exited. “You’ll regret this, Duke.” The villainess’s exit. Perotia Legacy’s appearance was similar to that of a typical antagonist, but as the story progressed, she would evolve into a character with a truly twisted mind. And thus, the original story began to unfold as intended. A dramatic scene where the female lead suffers humiliation and the male lead appears just in time to save her. “I’ll lend you a room; you can use it comfortably and leave when you’re ready.” “I’m fine. My dress is ruined, and I’ll be heading back now.” “Since this happened at my party, I want to take responsibility. Please allow me.” “...Then I’ll take my leave.” Summer gritted her teeth as she watched the salad dripping from Julian’s chin. She couldn’t intervene in the story. No matter how much she kicked and punched the wall, no matter how much she struggled, the wall remained unscathed. She felt a mix of despair and helplessness. “...” Julian, now assisted by Ian, ascended the stairs. Despite his disheveled face, Julian’s gaze was filled with confidence. There was no reason for him not to be confident. In the original story, the Legacy daughter had picked a fight with Julian for no reason, claiming that poor etiquette was akin to rudeness. Then she slapped him with a plate of salad and crushed the salad, insisting he eat more of the food he loved. Thinking back on it made her furious. That rival of hers. Regardless of whether the rival was on the male lead’s side or the female lead’s side, the cliché in these romance stories was that the female lead always endured all the humiliation. “I just wanted a slightly easier path to the conclusion.” Summer lowered her head as she watched the two disappear. Yes. This world existed solely for the male and female leads. And there would need to be obstacles to solidify their love. So, she didn’t need to be so anxious alone. After all, they would be happy, and Julian would overcome all adversities to achieve success. “I am an outsider.” As soon as Summer muttered to herself, she felt a warm sensation on her shoulder. “Why do you consider yourself an outsider, my lady?” As a hand gently caressed her shoulder, she felt the soft texture of a jacket. “Duke Bertrand.” “We did agree to use each other’s names, didn’t we, Summer?” The Duke Bertrand she hadn’t seen in a long time reminded her of a single orchid. His beautiful smile, reminiscent of a painting, held no deceit. It conveyed a natural courtesy, imbued with meaning. Finding it hard to meet his gaze, Summer looked away. Unlike the supporting characters who recited their lines, the leads sometimes felt truly alive, which made her a bit awkward. “Duke Russell.” “Just Russell.” “Still,” “Russell.” “Yes, Russell.” “Since the party has turned into a mess, would you care to take a walk with me?” At Russell Bertrand’s firm suggestion, Summer finally called his name. In truth, it was something that would astonish anyone else. A countess casually calling the name of a duke from the high nobility. In this empire, where the class system was firmly established, it was an unthinkable act, but well, Summer didn’t care much since she would be grateful to be executed in this situation. With Russell Bertrand’s cautious touch and emotionless gaze, Summer eventually nodded and placed her hand on his arm. Strangely, at that moment, he felt surprisingly comfortable despite his lack of emotion. As they stepped outside, a cool breeze brushed against her cheek, bringing her back to her senses. “Thank you.” “For someone who didn’t even say thank you when I saved you, this is unexpected.” “There was a reason back then.” “I can imagine.” Walking under the dark night sky, following the lights, felt quite pleasant. As they walked along the deserted path, the only sounds filling the space were the crunching of grass beneath their feet and the gentle rustle of the wind. “Summer. May I ask you something?” “Go ahead.” As Summer walked, her mind blank, following Russell’s lead, she finally blinked and regained her focus. She had been so comfortable that she hadn’t even realized someone was beside her. “Do you have feelings for Duke Langerster?” “...Me?” Summer’s face crumpled at the absurd question. That man? She shouldn’t even touch wounds she had no confidence in healing. Ian was a person with many scars, and Summer was too busy taking care of herself. So, it was nonsense.