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At the very least, about a month.
So this event... or whatever one might call this clownish spectacle, was planned at least a month ago.
They probably prepared for the banquet, giggling to themselves while thinking of the usual Yevgenia—that fool blinded by Raymond. What a pity.
‘I’ve just regained my senses, haven’t I?’
Yevgenia’s icy gaze turned toward Lady Nagelsmann.
Despite the considerable distance, the lady noticed it immediately, greatly flustered as she turned her head.
‘If she’s going to react like this from just a glance, what on earth gave her the confidence to start this? She could have just canceled it….’
It didn’t take long for Yevgenia’s perfectly reasonable question to be answered.
Tap, tap—
“I believe we’ve given ample time for everyone to size each other up…, so perhaps we should see the results now?”
The voices of the nobles, chattering about who suits whom with laughter and cheer, gradually died down.
As Lady Nagelsmann gave a slight wave of her hand, the attendants standing like walls approached and handed paper and fountain pens to the nobles.
Amidst the crowd writing down names with flushed faces, Yevgenia’s expression began to harden.
Glancing around. She could clearly feel the furtive glances sweeping over her under the guise of looking about.
‘Ah, this… It seems the lady didn’t act alone after all.’
Surely not all those nobles were in on it.
But she must have planted at least two or three agitators.
The problem was that Lady Nagelsmann herself was included among those agitators.
‘In that case, the mastermind behind this isn’t the lady….’
“Oh my, I’ve just received the results… It seems it wasn’t just my eyes that saw these two as the true couple. The ones who will enjoy a cool date this summer at our Nagelsmann March’s villa, famous for its golden beach, are the ones who received the most votes….”
Her skill at rambling on with a long speech, building anticipation for the protagonists’ names to be called, was quite something.
After dragging out the time to the fullest, the lady swallowed dryly, then turned her back completely on Yevgenia and announced in a bright voice.
“Lord Raymond Larson and Lady Stella Aer!”
‘That bastard Raymond, does he have no sense of propriety?’
Perhaps the nobles’ pride was quite wounded by the fact that they had been cowed by just Yevgenia’s gaze, as they clapped with noticeably fervent enthusiasm.
Raymond, whether thoughtless or lacking in sense, wore a satisfied smile and happily accepted the applause.
Stella, while wearing a bewildered expression, flushed her cheeks red and tightly clung to Raymond’s arm, moving as he led.
Everyone was doing their best in their respective positions for a single purpose: to mess with Yevgenia.
From the gazes clinging to her more blatantly than before, she sensed a vulgar excitement of ‘Please make a scene, give us something to chew on forever!’
It was a situation that could only elicit a scoff.
“……Ahh. The beautiful sheen as if light is shimmering, the smooth texture that makes one sigh just from a slight touch, and even the faintly visible wave pattern. This must undoubtedly be the precious Sahar Silk, said to arrive only a few bolts per moon from that distant foreign land! Isn’t that right, Lady Aer?”
“Ah, I, I don’t know much about these things… It’s just, Ray gave it to me as a gift, saying it would suit me… I did think it was beautiful, but I never imagined it was that precious.”
“Oh my, oh my. Some gentlemen are busy putting on airs while gifting things far inferior to this, yet Lord Raymond Larson didn’t say a word. You must truly be loved!”
Stella’s appearance, speaking softly while shyly touching her slightly reddened cheeks, was quite lovely.
If one ignored the fact that the person giving her that love was Yevgenia’s fiancé, even Yevgenia’s eyes would have seen her that way.
‘Are they all crazy together, or am I the only crazy one?’
Yevgenia, who had been quietly watching the two making all sorts of fuss, let out a ha, a laugh.
That single, small laugh instantly drew the focused gazes of the surrounding nobles.
It was proof that she had no interest whatsoever in their gilded display from the start.
“How amusing.”
Without erasing her smile, she took a step forward.
Then, the densely gathered crowd split in half—swish.
Click, click, click.
With each step Yevgenia took, the murmuring gradually died down as if someone were turning down a volume knob.
By the time she finally stood before Stella, it had grown so quiet that one could hear the breathing of Lady Nagelsmann standing beside her.
“…….”
“Ah, Lady Martyr! What brings you here?”
“No, I just heard it was so pretty and got curious. It certainly is pretty, this dress.”
An indifferent gaze swept up and down Stella’s dress.
Red wine sloshed in Yevgenia’s glass.
Tense gazes clung desperately to her hand.
As if completely unaware of the stiff atmosphere, Stella, her face filled with a smile, spoke.
“Right? I was so surprised when I first received it as a gift! Really, he always manages to surprise people.”
A light scolding that was no different from an expression of affection.
Knowing the target of that affection, Yevgenia’s smile could only grow colder.
“Really, he always manages to surprise people.”
‘In all sorts of shitty ways.’
As the sloshing wine made a light circle inside the glass.
A sky-blue suit jacket slipped between the folds of the dress.
“……Oh my, Lord Larson. Surely someone of your age knows it’s improper to intrude on a conversation between ladies?”
“That manner is only necessary for those deserving of courtesy.”
“Ah, I suppose so. The esteemed Lord Raymond Larson’s eyes must truly see the Duke’s heir well.”
At Yevgenia’s sarcasm, which shot out without the slightest restraint, Raymond’s face hardened stiffly.
She scanned Raymond, who stood firmly before Stella like a knight protecting her, with a disdainful gaze.
A tie made of Sahar Silk, cufflinks studded with sapphires, shoes the same color as Stella’s.
From head to toe, there wasn’t a single thing that didn’t match Stella.
One corner of Yevgenia’s mouth twisted up roughly as she took in Stella and Raymond alternately.
Just as a small smile was about to form on Raymond’s lips, who was keenly observing her change.
Splash—
“……Ye, Yevgenia! What are you doing?!”
Red wine splendidly stained the light blue fabric.
That once so beautiful outfit was ruined in an instant.
Lady Nagelsmann, who had been staring blankly at this, snapped back to her senses and shouted.
“Lady Martyr! What on earth is this…!”
Yevgenia’s coldly set eyes turned toward Lady Nagelsmann.
Then Lady Nagelsmann shut her mouth tightly, unable to finish her sentence.
Yevgenia, who had gracefully closed her eyes as if to show off, spoke nonchalantly.
“It seems there’s one person here who no longer fits in at this party. Don’t you agree, Lady Nagelsmann?”
“…….”
“At a party hosted by the lady, so highly praised in social circles, having someone whose attire is not even properly maintained… I fear it would only cast a poor influence on both the lady’s prestige and that of the Marquess Nagelsmann.”
Yevgenia, who had quietly lowered her gaze, handed the empty glass directly to Lady Nagelsmann.
It was an action that clearly treated her as a subordinate, yet one that couldn’t be officially contested.
Lady Nagelsmann, who had been agonizing for a while, looking alternately at the wine glass and Raymond, soon bowed her head deeply.
A trembling hand carefully, yet respectfully, accepted the glass.
“……You’re right. Thanks to Lady Martyr’s advice, my head feels much clearer.”
“Wait, Emily, why are you suddenly….”
Clap— clap—
“You two, this gentleman seems quite intoxicated, so please escort him politely outside the banquet hall. Call a carriage for him as well.”
“Emily Nagelsmann…!”
“Lord Larson, I do hope you enjoyed your time today. As for your partner…, well, it would be best to escort her together.”
Lady Nagelsmann’s dry gaze turned toward Stella.
Stella, greatly flustered and unable to keep up with the changing situation, hurriedly grabbed the end of Raymond’s sleeve.
The choice Raymond made, looking alternately at his sleeve, Lady Nagelsmann, and Yevgenia, was.
“……Yevgenia!”
Slap!
Yevgenia’s fan sharply slapped the back of Raymond’s hand, which had reached out toward her wrist.
“Oh my, what’s this. I almost got something dirty on me.”
Lightly shrugging her shoulders and preparing to leave her spot, not a trace of wavering showed on Yevgenia’s face.
In that moment, a crack—appeared on Raymond’s expressionless face, which he had maintained until then.
As if Yevgenia’s attitude of not clinging to him was more shocking than the reality of him being expelled.
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