Chapter 24

Yesterday, I spent the entire day listening to Bonita tell me many things about Petros.

She mentioned that the practice of dining separately and not even seeing each other’s faces had only been going on for eight years, and that Lady Lestro used to be a very kind and affectionate person.

After the tragic accident that took the lives of the duke and duchess, significant changes swept through the House of Petros.

Perhaps all of this could be resolved if Dante’s curse is lifted.

“Marion, while I’m at the banquet, could you go out with Yggdrasil and gather these items?”

The lizard stretched its neck and skimmed over the note.

“What is this?”

The lizard looked at me with wide, inquisitive eyes.

“Do you know magic?”

“Of course not. Yggdrasil, you need to get only the best quality items. Since you’re sensitive to odors, you can select them properly, right?”

“That’s a piece of cake! Leave it to me!”

Yggdrasil patted its round belly confidently.

“Here’s some money.”

Marion gazed at me with eyes that seemed ready to well up.

“My lady, where did you get money…?”

I understood her reaction.

Until now, I hadn’t received a single penny from the Count’s family.

“… The madam gave it to me. She told me to buy what I need for the wedding preparations.”

Lady Lestro did what even my own father and mother wouldn’t do.

I’m probably the only bride ever who came to get married with nothing but myself.

“My lady…”

Marion, knowing how I felt, trailed off.

Her eyes looking at me were moist.

“Why are you crying? I don’t get why humans tear up so easily.”

I wiped her face, which was already a mess with tears and snot.

Honestly, always acting tough with just words.

“Marion, please take care of this. And while you’re out, buy whatever you need, too—clothes, shoes, anything.”

“I’m fine, my lady.”

I glanced at Marion’s worn-out shoes.

Would the people who mistreated me have taken good care of Marion?

Marion smiled sheepishly.

“Then, with gratitude, I’ll just buy a pair of shoes!”

Seeing Marion’s cheeks flush, I couldn’t help but smile along.

<b>* * *</b>

After I sent Marion and the lizard out, Bonita came to fetch me not long after.

Since our deep conversation yesterday, it seemed that Bonita’s gaze toward me had changed.

“Have all the guests arrived?” I asked.

“Not yet. However, His Highness the Crown Prince has requested to see you and His Grace the Duke before the banquet begins.”

Well, it’s the Crown Prince—a request we couldn’t refuse.

I took a deep breath and stood.

“I’ve sent Marion on an errand.”

“I’ve been informed.”

I nodded and asked nervously, “Does it look good on me?”

It was a dress pulled from the pile of gifts sent from Petros.

It was a bit big, but it was the first dress tailored just for me.

The same went for the shoes.

Amazingly, the shoes fit perfectly.

I wouldn’t have to wear ill-fitting shoes that hurt my feet anymore.

Bonita gave a faint smile.

“Yes, it suits you well. But you should gain a bit more weight.”

“I’m working on it,” I said, fiddling with my wrist.

“But it really does look good on you. The two of them put a lot of thought into it.”

“Pardon?”

“His Grace and the madam put a lot of effort into selecting the boutique and choosing the dress design. It’s been a long time since the two of them enjoyed tea together so amicably.”

My eyes widened at Bonita’s words.

I thought they had just had a subordinate pick something randomly.

So that wasn’t the case…

I touched the necklace.

It was one of the items from the gift set.

“Then this, too…”

“Yes, my lady. His Grace personally chose it after much deliberation. Do you like it?”

It was the necklace I had checked in the mirror several times.

It had a main gemstone that matched the color of my eyes, surrounded by clear diamonds. Even to me, who knew little about such things, it looked precious.

“Yes. I like this one the most.”

Bonita smiled.

“Please be sure to tell His Grace that, my lady. I believe it’s the gift he put the most effort into.”

“I will.”

My conversation with Bonita eased all my tension.

No one in this mansion rejects me.

I was filled with an unknown confidence.

In the hall, Dante was waiting for me with an expressionless face.

He was wearing a silver mask instead of his usual black one.

It made his appearance seem much brighter than before.

Moreover, his formal uniform gave him a softer image.

I took my hand off the necklace and gracefully descended the stairs.

“Your Grace,” I called.

“My lady,” Dante replied in a gentle voice.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for you to keep calling me ‘Your Grace.’ Please call me Dante.”

“Oh, right.”

“Please call me Chloe as well.”

Dante looked straight at me.

His unusually red eyes shone as they looked at me.

“Thank you for the necklace, Dante.”

Dante’s eyes widened.

“It’s my favorite among the things you gave me. I want to wear it every day.”

It was a necklace made just for Chloe, who had never been loved by anyone.

I felt as if my previously denied existence was now being accepted.

Whatever Dante’s intentions were, that’s how it felt to me.

“I’m glad,” Dante said in a sweet voice.

Putting aside my hesitation, I took Dante’s arm.

We naturally linked arms and stepped out of the lobby.

The banquet hall was connected to a glass greenhouse.

Under the splendid chandeliers sparkling like the Milky Way, Crown Prince Werner was waiting for us.

“Welcome, both of you,” he said.

Dante spoke as if incredulous. “This is my house, Your Highness.”

“I’ve rented this hall from Lady Lestro for today, so at least for today, consider this hall mine.”

Werner smiled with his eyes.

In the novel, Werner was portrayed as quite a sly character.

Every word he said pierced Illyae’s heart.

In fact…… he was so handsome that it seemed his face completed everything.

An overwhelmingly beautiful appearance that could only be explained by being the male protagonist.

“I wanted a chance to talk before people arrive,” he said.

“Please, go ahead,” Dante replied coldly.

Werner sipped his champagne.

The sweet liquid undoubtedly flowed over Werner’s lips.

Even that was protagonist-like.

“I’ll ask directly, Lady Chloe. What kind of person is Lady Illyae?”

I coughed slightly.

Asking something like this all of a sudden?

“The imperial family has selected Lady Illyae as a candidate for crown princess. But even if it’s a political marriage, I feel I should know about the other party.”

For a moment, Dante’s eyebrow twitched.

“Why not ask her directly about such things?” Dante suggested.

“She wouldn’t be honest herself, would she? So, Lady Chloe, is Lady Illyae someone who can be truthful about such questions?”

The Illyae I know……

She was deceitful, selfish, and only cared about herself.

And she’d do anything for her own gain.

She even had the audacity to ask me to make her my attendant.

In one word, she was a total nuisance.

How should I explain this?

In the original story, Illyae and Crown Prince Werner’s love deepens as they, along with Dante, fight off creatures that come through the weakened barrier.

My one word could change that destiny.

“The Illyae I see and the Illyae Your Highness sees are probably different people,” I said.

“What do you mean by that? Are you saying Lady Illyae lies to me?”

“No, I mean that the way Illyae treats me is different from how she treats Your Highness. That’s true for most people, actually.”

I answered vaguely.

If I meddle wrongly with destiny, I could ruin everything.

Moreover, the war against them was highly dangerous, so if Illyae with her holy power could help, we needed to utilize that power.

So I took a step back.

Werner narrowed his eyes and looked at me.

“Then are you the same? Do you treat me differently from how you treat the Duke?”

Uh, isn’t that obvious?

Just as Dante’s way of treating me is different from how he treats Illyae or the Crown Prince.

Dante also looked at me, seeming curious about my answer.

As I didn’t answer, Werner asked again.

“How do you treat Dante, my lady?”

Why is he curious about that?

As Werner pressed me like an overly curious protagonist, I couldn’t give any answer.

Just then, the first guest arrived, right on time.

It was Illyae, who had piqued the Crown Prince’s curiosity.