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“What are you doing standing here instead of going in and greeting Young Lady Rosia?”
“……”
“Remember, don’t act rashly today…”
“Yes, I know. You want me to be nice to Rosia.”
The Marquess frowned at his son’s dissatisfied appearance.
The Marchioness, who was next to him, asked worriedly.
“Kadin, do you perhaps… still have feelings for her?”
“...Madam?”
“But you know. She is no longer a member of the Blanche Noble house. Besides, she recently had an engagement with the Argenta Noble house’s Prince Consort.”
“Are you two talking about Ayla right now?”
The Marquess looked back and forth between his son and wife with a bewildered expression. However, neither of them answered his question.
Finally, Kadin sighed deeply and nodded.
“I’ll just deliver the gift and come back.”
In fact, he was in no position to blame others.
He, too, was destined to be dragged into Rosia’s birthday party, as well as her wedding, just because Rosia was the Blanche Noble house’s Princess Consort.
‘Ever since Freya became like that, it’s become more uncomfortable to face her. I should just give the gift and go back quickly.’
Kadin looked around in the crowd.
Then, in the distance, he saw a place where gifts for the Princess Consort were piled up.
‘I can just put it on top of there and leave.’
Then he would go back and report to his parents that he had delivered the gift well and exchanged greetings safely.
His pace quickened when it happened.
Someone suddenly blocked his path, casting a shadow. Following that, he heard the voice he wanted to avoid the most.
“Ah, Senior Kadin!”
Only then did Kadin raise his head and look at the man in front of him.
Prince Gerard was looking down at him with a somewhat displeased face.
“Greetings.”
Kadin quickly bowed his head, trying to hide his embarrassment.
“…It’s been a while.”
Gerard stepped aside obediently, though he cast a suspicious glance. Soon after, Rosia approached him with a happy face.
“Senior Kadin, thank you for coming.”
“…Happy birthday. Here, a gift.”
Kadin frowned without realizing it as he looked at the lavishly decorated Rosia.
She looked much better than the last time he saw her. The smile unique to those who are loved bothered him for no reason.
‘She tormented Ayla so much, yet she’s doing so well on her own.’
“Oh my, you didn’t have to bring something like this… Thank you. I’ll use it well.”
Rosia’s golden eyes sparkled as if she was truly happy to receive the gift.
Seeing that, Ayla’s image came to his mind like a habit.
‘Ayla used to be so happy when I gave her a gift…’
Rosia handed his gift to a passing servant with a happy face, telling them to take good care of it as it was important.
Now that the gifts had been exchanged, he had done everything he needed to do.
Kadin hurriedly said his greetings and tried to leave.
“Then have a good day. I’ll be going now-.”
Rosia urgently grabbed his sleeve.
“Are you leaving already?”
“…Aren’t you busy? You’re the star of the show today.”
“Even so, I have time to spare for Senior Kadin. Besides…”
Rosia lowered her voice and whispered quietly, as if conscious of Gerard behind her.
“The Marquess and Marchioness would be very disappointed if they heard that you just delivered the gift and left in a hurry.”
Kadin’s eyebrows furrowed. It was blatant intimidation, no matter how you heard it.
But he couldn’t ignore Rosia’s words.
It was because Marquis Reit had left several warnings before coming here.
“You know that Rosia is your future spouse anyway. Don’t act emotionally and ruin the Noble house’s affairs.”
He sighed almost inaudibly and asked.
“…So, what do you want from me?”
The corners of Rosia’s lips turned up.
“Just dance one song with me. If you do that, I won’t hold you back any longer.”
Kadin was dumbfounded, but he couldn’t help but nod, conscious of Gerard watching them.
‘It’s better to end it with one dance before it gets more annoying.’
Just then, the melody of a soft waltz began to resonate in the banquet hall.
Kadin reluctantly bent his knees slightly and extended his hand to Rosia.
“May I have this dance?”
Then a bright smile spread across Rosia’s face.
She extended her gloved hand and carefully placed it on his palm.
“Of course.”
The two, holding hands, slowly began to move their feet to the music.
Naturally, people’s attention turned to them.
“Why is Lord Kadin with Young Lady Rosia?”
“I know, right? I thought they didn’t get along.”
“They’re just being mindful of the Noble house’s relationship. Just watch. They’ll be engaged later as if nothing happened.”
Kadin continued to dance without even looking at Rosia’s face.
Rosia glanced at Kadin and cautiously opened her mouth.
“Senior, I actually have something to tell you.”
Kadin looked at her silently, wondering what words she would use to disturb his mood again.
But her expression was different from what he expected. Her eyes were moist, and her voice trembled faintly.
Seeing that, Kadin stiffened without realizing it.
“I’ve been reflecting a lot lately. I’ve been constantly thinking about how our relationship got so twisted.”
Rosia distorted her face as if she was about to cry and lowered her head.
“You’re right, Senior. I was too mean to Ayla. I think I hated her a lot. I felt like she had taken everything away from me, including my childhood…”
Kadin’s brow furrowed at her self-reproachful words. Rosia added in a sobbing voice.
“But now I realize that no matter how much you hate someone, you shouldn’t do that. Because if you do bad things, you’ll eventually be punished.”
“……”
“Freya, too… seems to have received such punishment for tormenting Ayla. So I, too, will never lay a hand on Ayla again.”
Rosia hesitated and looked up at Kadin. An expression of apology and regret was on her face.
“If you want… I can apologize to Ayla too.”
As she said that, she put strength into Kadin’s hand that she was holding.
“Apologize to Ayla?”
“Yes. If that can resolve your anger, Senior.”
She said in a pitiful voice and lowered her head.
“And we can’t keep living like this, turning our backs on each other forever.”
Kadin flinched as if he had been stabbed in a sore spot and looked at Rosia.
“You know it too, Senior. The two of us are destined to marry each other, no matter how much we hate each other.”
“……”
“Besides, Ayla recently got engaged to Felix. But if you keep having feelings for her… it will inevitably harm them both.”
Rosia’s words were undeniable.
Kadin silently narrowed his eyes and looked at Rosia.
‘…Is she really reflecting?’
For the proud Rosia to offer to apologize to Ayla herself.
Kadin was caught up in emotions that were difficult to express at her unexpected action.
However, soon her persuasion gradually swayed his heart.
He had been on edge lately because his parents’ pressure had been increasing.
‘Rosia isn’t wrong. Looking at it coldly, this is the best option.’
Considering the Noble house’s interests, there was no better partner than Rosia.
If she was sincerely reflecting, it might be better to accept everything at this point.
Kadin took a moment to breathe in, just as he was about to answer Rosia’s proposal.
“Kyaaaa-!”
A piercing scream erupted from somewhere.
Judging by how distant the sound felt, it seemed to have come from the upper part of the mansion.
In an instant, the music stopped, and those who were dancing all turned their heads at once.
Kadin and Rosia also stopped moving and began to look in the direction from which the scream had come.
Rosia slowly lowered the hand she was holding.
The elated feeling from just now disappeared in an instant, and a cold energy flowed down her spine.
‘…It feels like someone went into my room.’
She had recently cast an intrusion prevention Magic in her room after feeling a strange sense of unease.
So that she could immediately sense if anyone other than the maid cleaning the room entered.
She bit her lip tightly and looked back at Kadin.
“I’ll… go check what’s going on.”
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