chapter 14
Things moved forward at lightning speed.
Chattering nonstop to match Lebelina’s mood, Broua took her measurements. After repeatedly promising to create the most beautiful dress in the empire, Broua finished her work and left under the butler’s guidance. As soon as she was gone, Lebelina, her strength drained, collapsed into the chair beside her.
‘Deceiving people really isn’t something you should do.’
It had been none other than Broua from the Scheh Dress Shop. She was someone used to dealing with nobles, so fooling her hadn’t been easy. If Broua had taken her eyes off Tartenon and looked at Lebelina more closely, she would have surely noticed the lie.
“You look tense.”
“Ah… yes, I guess I am.”
Lebelina gave a vague reply and slumped deeper into the chair. A long chair was perfect for moments like this. Stretching her legs out fully, she felt incredibly comfortable. She even forgot Tartenon was right in front of her and let out a sigh.
‘I can’t believe I have to do something like this.’
It had already been difficult enough hiding her true personality all this time—now she even had to act on top of it. What a miserable life. Lebelina let out another deep sigh.
“What are you thinking about?”
Feeling Tartenon’s gaze on her, she straightened her posture at once. Sitting neatly with her legs together, she looked every bit the noble lady by birth. Had he not seen her earlier behavior, even Tartenon might have been completely fooled by her composed demeanor.
“Just… thinking about this and that.”
“You’re free to think whatever you want—but don’t even consider going back to that Second Prince.”
“As if I would. Unless I get hit in the head with a sword, that’s impossible.”
Answering coldly, Lebelina rose from her chair. That short rest was enough. She still had plenty to do.
Preparing for an engagement ceremony was no easy task. At least one fortunate thing was that the venue was the imperial palace, not here.
‘If I had to hold the engagement ceremony here too, I’d die of overwork.’
Since she would be leaving for the North immediately after the ceremony, Lebelina was in the middle of packing her belongings. She also sent word to her business contacts in the capital, leaving letters instructing them to come north if anything arose. There were tasks to assign one by one to the servants as well—she could have used ten bodies and still not had enough.
Fortunately, Sandy and the butler handled things efficiently even before she stepped in.
The dress would arrive tomorrow morning, and she would have to choose jewelry to match it, so she had already contacted a jeweler in advance. She planned to go there with Tartenon as well. More than anything, she needed to widely publicize in high society that the two of them made a well-matched pair—and that they were victims.
‘The jeweler and the dress shop should be enough.’
There was no need to spread the word elsewhere. Rumors would already be circulating.
Lebelina trusted both Broua’s loose tongue and the loyalty she had shown so far. The Scheh Dress Shop was frequented by many noble ladies—of course the rumors would spread.
Not long ago, Belarus had taken many ready-made dresses from there. If the talkative noble ladies started speculating about who paid for them, Lebelina would bet even her leftover lemon tart that they’d chatter endlessly about it. She found herself looking forward to tomorrow’s engagement ceremony at the imperial palace.
Tartenon, standing beside her, couldn’t take his eyes off Lebelina’s ever-changing expressions.
The imperial palace banquet hall, where the grand event was being held.
The interior, adorned with dazzling jewels of every color, reflected the wealth of whoever had rented it.
When the nobles saw the goblets and plates made of gold and silver, their eyes widened in shock.
They hadn’t heard that the imperial family was hosting this banquet. Yet such extravagant tableware meant that whoever had rented the hall possessed immense wealth.
The nobles, still unaware of the purpose of the banquet, exchanged guesses.
“If it’s not the imperial family, then it must be the Grand Duke of Speraum.”
“There’s also the Marquis Asilius family.”
“Ah, right, them too.”
They questioned passing palace attendants, but all they got was the same answer—they didn’t know who the host was.
Though curious about the host, their main interest today lay elsewhere.
“Have you heard the news?”
“Of course.”
“The Second Prince… he seems out of his mind.”
One noble whispered, and the others all agreed.
He wasn’t the Crown Prince, nor the beloved imperial princess. Yet the Second Prince, awkwardly positioned in between, had thrown away gold that had walked right up to him. The news had set high society ablaze.
The rumors had spread just yesterday, starting from the noble ladies who visited the Scheh Dress Shop.
“Madam Broua said it herself, so it must be true.”
“Oh my, he abandoned his fiancée of ten years and started seeing another woman?”
“Shh! He’s still a prince!”
“Shh? If it were my daughter, I wouldn’t stay quiet. And I hear that woman he’s seeing is of low standing.”
“I’ve heard she’s not so ordinary either.”
“Well, if a baron’s daughter managed to seduce a prince, that says enough.”
At the center of the rumors was the story that Inferno and Belarus had fallen for each other, and Lebelina had been cast aside.
“Poor Lebelina.”
One young lady spoke as if she sympathized, though she did not. She was the daughter of the Isen Marquis family, who had never gotten along with Lebelina. Though both were marquis families, Isen could never match the prestige of Asilius, and they constantly sought to surpass them.
Leading the conversation with poorly hidden delight, the Isen lady continued, and others joined in.
“Indeed. With such a scandal, shouldn’t the ‘Stella’ of high society change?”
“Stella” was the title given to the most prominent noble lady in society.
The Crown Princess couldn’t receive it, as she belonged to the imperial family. Lebelina had never once lost that prestigious title—from the time she was engaged to the Second Prince Inferno until now.
That was why she had so many enemies. Partly because her father was the prime minister—but also because she, a mere noble lady, had remained at the very top without ever stepping down.
“Calling a woman who was dumped ‘Stella’ would be inappropriate.”
Someone interrupted with a mocking tone.
It was Belarus.
Though only a baron’s daughter, she appeared in an extravagant dress. The pure white gown suited her pink hair perfectly, and the large emerald necklace around her neck matched her eyes beautifully.
The noble ladies twitched their lips upon seeing her—but fell silent when they noticed Inferno escorting her.
“I agree,” Inferno added.
The fact that he had brought Belarus into a gathering of noble ladies and married women made his intentions clear—he was solidifying their relationship.
“Your Highness, have you truly broken off your engagement with Lady Asilius?”
The Isen lady stepped forward eagerly. If the engagement was truly broken, she believed she might have a chance—after all, she thought herself far superior to someone like Belarus.
“What a pointless question.”
Inferno replied stiffly. His tone implied that they should already understand without him having to say it outright. The nobles turned their eyes away. They didn’t consider it worth responding to someone who openly admitted to disgraceful behavior.
Still, something felt off. Inferno never explicitly stated that the engagement had been broken. It seemed he had other intentions.
Having witnessed the dirty dealings of the imperial family many times, the nobles chose their words carefully. Whoever the host of this banquet was, they had a feeling something unpleasant might unfold.
“Inferno, don’t be angry. Lady Isen simply didn’t know,” Belarus said softly.
“Bella, it’s because you’re too kind that other women look down on you.”
“I’m just the daughter of a baron, after all.”
“You’re mine now. No one can treat you carelessly.”
He tightly held Belarus’s hand. She blushed shyly. Captivated by her lovely appearance, the male nobles couldn’t take their eyes off her.
Those enchanted by her looks looked at Inferno with envy. Belarus tilted her head slightly, enjoying their attention.
As her pink hair cascaded gently and swayed around her waist, the young nobles’ gazes grew dazed. It was the result of her efforts—moving among them, charming them with her wit.
Sensing their envy, Inferno lifted his chin proudly. This was a gaze he had never received while he was with Lebelina. Their long engagement had made their relationship seem ordinary—no one had envied them.
Experiencing such jealous looks for the first time, Inferno felt exhilarated. Just as he stepped forward to speak—
“The host of today’s banquet is entering!”
A palace attendant announced.
