Chapter – 20
Everyone who had been laughing heartily suddenly froze, their eyes widening as they turned to the closed doors of the ballroom. Even the orchestra stopped playing.
“What… what just happened?”
The ballroom fell completely silent.
Creak.
And just as everyone’s attention focused, the previously closed doors of the ballroom swung open.
“…!!”
Without any announcement or formal introduction, a familiar figure walked in from beyond the doors. Everyone’s jaws dropped in surprise.
“I don’t get why they keep talking about invitations when they weren’t supposed to attend the ball at all.”
The woman who entered muttered under her breath, clicking her tongue.
“…Lady Roisanne.”
Someone quietly spoke the name through parted lips.
The woman who had stormed into the ballroom was none other than Roisanne Reilaten, whom everyone had just been teasing and laughing about moments before.
“There she is.”
Roisanne scanned the crowd and, upon spotting Viscount Ziccelia, smiled warmly and approached.
“Ro… Roisanne.”
Though she was smiling as she approached, there was an unmistakable aura about her.
Viscount Ziccelia instinctively stepped back, a cold sweat forming.
Where had the knights guarding the ballroom entrance gone? What had that loud noise beyond the door been?
Was she coming to scold them for holding a secret wager? Or was she angry for not being invited to the ball?
Ziccelia couldn’t tell, but she sensed Roisanne was angry.
“Viscount Ziccelia.”
Roisanne stopped right in front of her.
Everyone swallowed hard, all eyes on Roisanne.
“I want to join the wager too.”
“…What?”
But what came out of Roisanne’s mouth was something entirely unexpected.
“I’m betting thirty million gold that House Reilaten will win.”
Roisanne laughed.
“And I’ll put it all on the wager.”
She had secretly brought out the Reilaten family fortune and wagered it.
The ballroom fell into complete silence. A place usually filled with noise and chatter became unnaturally quiet.
All eyes naturally turned to see Brina’s reaction. The girl who had just been smiling sweetly now bit her lip tightly, standing frozen.
“Did you hear me?”
Roisanne waved her hand in front of Viscount Ziccelia’s eyes.
Shocked by Roisanne’s sudden appearance and the enormous stake she had just thrown in, Viscount Ziccelia quickly regained her composure.
“W-what did you just say, Roisanne?”
“I said I want to join the wager.”
“Not that!”
“Not that?”
Roisanne tilted her head, trying to recall what she had said, but couldn’t remember.
Viscount Ziccelia slammed her hand against her chest in frustration.
“You just said you’re betting thirty million gold that your family will win!”
“Of course I’m betting thirty million gold that House Reilaten will win.”
Roisanne answered casually. Viscount Ziccelia gaped at her as if she had lost her mind.
She wasn’t the only one. Everyone in the ballroom looked at Roisanne in stunned disbelief.
Only Roisanne remained unfazed.
“So, are you saying you just declared war on Sir Mark by betting to win?”
Roisanne turned her head toward the trembling voice. Brina glared at her in disbelief.
“I just thought the wager would be fun, that’s all—no declaration of war.”
“You’re saying House Reilaten is declaring they’ll beat me in this wager!”
Brina Portlen’s furious voice echoed through the silent ballroom.
Brina was currently the most likely future crown princess. Even though she was not officially betrothed yet, all the nobility treated her as if she were already the crown princess.
So she wasn’t intimidated by the Reilaten family, even if they were the empire’s only dukes. And the timid half-hearted young lady in front of her was even less so.
Or at least that had been the case…
“If that’s true, then everyone betting that House Portlen will win has effectively declared war on House Reilaten, right?”
Roisanne muttered coldly, staring at Brina. At that moment, Brina felt as if someone had grabbed her throat.
Startled, Brina clutched her neck. The only sensation in her hand was the pretty necklace she had prepared for today.
It was the first time in her life she had felt such an overwhelming intimidation.
Brina’s hand trembled with fear.
Roisanne, calmly watching her, ran her hand through her hair and looked away. Only then could Brina exhale the breath she had been holding.
“Of course, that’s impossible, right?”
Roisanne smirked softly as she muttered.
Naturally, no one answered. To say yes would mean antagonizing House Reilaten; to say no would mean antagonizing House Portlen.
“This is just a simple, fun wager.”
Roisanne shrugged nonchalantly and turned away.
“Then enjoy yourselves.”
As if she had come to the ballroom only to place her wager.
Roisanne waved her hand and left the ballroom without looking back.
Some of the nobles present realized that the Reilaten duke had been secretly hiding a dangerous asset, and thought the tide of this wager might shift unexpectedly.
The rumor that Roisanne had bet thirty million gold on the wager spread rapidly. Almost immediately, an anonymous person reportedly placed fifty million gold also betting that House Reilaten would win.
As the stakes grew enormous, all the nobles became interested in the duel.
However, only Roisanne and the anonymous person had placed bets on Reilaten’s victory.
Everyone else, hoping to gain a fortune, placed bets on House Portlen winning.
The rumors spread that Sir Mark was an exceptional knight, and that Roisanne had still failed to find a knight to represent her in the duel.
Time passed, and the day before the duel arrived.
“Milady, the duel is tomorrow. What will we do? Should we consider hiring—”
“Just say ‘mercenary’ one more time.”
“M-mer… mercenary… shouldn’t we at least try to hire a hero? People are laughing, saying you haven’t found a knight to send into the duel!”
River had been trying to manage the situation cleverly.
“If this continues, we’ll lose!”
“I told you before, there are appropriate defeats in life…”
“But that thirty million gold… you know it’ll be lost!”
“Life is only about victory. I won’t allow any so-called ‘appropriate defeat.’”
Roisanne’s eyes sparkled at the mention of thirty million gold.
“Then for the sake of that thirty million gold, we have to win! We need to find a knight!”
“Why are you so passionate? It’s my duel, you know.”
“Because if you lose your thirty million gold, Milady—”
“If I lose thirty million gold?”
“The allocated jewels and ornaments will be reduced, and then—”
River couldn’t continue and fidgeted.
“Oh… it might mean you won’t get your share?”
Roisanne nodded approvingly.
“Exactly. If you’d made up some nonsense reason, I would have dismissed you immediately. From now on, always tell me the truth. Don’t lie, or you’re out.”
“U-understood, Milady.”
River nodded, taking Roisanne’s words to heart.
“By the way, did you get the library key?”
“Is the library key important right now?”
“What else is important?”
Roisanne muttered, leaning back on the sofa as if duels were of no interest to her.
“Everyone already knows I haven’t found a knight to send into the duel. How did that rumor spread?”
“Huh? Well… it’s just… people talked about it—”
“Exactly. Who started that rumor?”
“Huh? Well… uh…”
River paused, tilting her head. She had never considered who might be responsible, assuming it was natural for rumors to spread.
“I can understand how the duel against Sir Mark of House Portlen got out. But I never told anyone that I hadn’t found a knight to send.”
“Uh… really?”
River blinked in surprise. But Roisanne, as if she had suspected all along, propped her chin on her hand and closed her eyes lazily.
“…It’s about time.”
“Huh?”
No sooner had Roisanne finished her muttering than someone knocked on the door. River got up and opened it.
“Here to see Milady.”
The knight who entered the parlor was the same Reilaten knight who had suffered all sorts of mishaps at Roisanne’s hands a few days ago.
River quietly led him inside and leaned close to Roisanne.
“Milady… is this the person you were expecting?”
“No. Not him.”
Roisanne shook her head firmly.
