chapter 17

Amilda’s face turned bright red, and she quickly fled as if escaping.

The remaining guests cautiously watched Lucius’s reaction before smoothly covering her absence with a new topic. Everything continued as though nothing had happened.

I know a late-night banquet with alcohol isn’t exactly a place of perfect manners… but is it really normal to approach a married man like that?

Stepping away from those people, Lucius quietly thought to himself as he searched for Celia.

The discomfort he had been feeling for a while refused to go away.

The high ceiling.

The golden light of chandeliers spreading in every direction.

The circular pathways designed to let people flow naturally through the room.

Within it all, the guests moved like parts of a single structure.

Surrounded by familiar strangers, Lucius obsessively searched only for Celia.

Ha.

He had already lost count of how many times he regretted not following her when she left.

Lengthening his stride, he walked briskly through the ballroom.

Where did she go?

Then he noticed a group of men staring in the same direction.

Their hands paused halfway to raising their glasses.

Their conversations briefly halted.

And at the center of their attention stood Celia.

I thought she’d gone outside. So she was still here.

A deep sense of relief washed over him.

The moment he saw her standing beneath light so brilliant it looked like melted gold, the discomfort coiled inside him vanished instantly.

It felt as though the world brightened.

A relieved breath escaped him.

He started walking toward her, just as his heart had helplessly drifted toward her ever since he woke up.

But before he could get far, he stopped.

…Why are they looking at another man’s wife like that?

The men’s gazes toward Celia were shamelessly obvious.

He knew perfectly well that she wasn’t beautiful only in his eyes.

Her flowing silver-white hair looked noble.

Her blue eyes beneath long, elegant lashes were calm and deep like the sea.

Her slender limbs, paired with the graceful lines of her dress, only emphasized her elegance further.

Unlike the simple clothes she wore indoors or during casual outings, today’s Celia looked especially dazzling.

The dress revealed a deep neckline beneath her collarbones, while intricate pleats flowed down the center of her chest.

The soft silhouette highlighted her flawless figure and naturally drew attention.

She was breathtakingly beautiful.

Yet the vulgar glances the men kept throwing at her disturbed him.

The moment he recognized that feeling, the discomfort inside him grew into something impossible to ignore.

…I think I’m getting irritated.

Reckless anger clouds reason and disrupts rational thought.

Taking a deep breath, Lucius lowered his eyelids halfway.

Beneath that calm exterior, he carefully examined every person looking at her, categorizing their intentions one by one.

Then his gaze completed its sweep and returned to Celia.

And he couldn’t help clenching his fist.

Celia was standing with another man.

And she was smiling.

It was only a faint curve of her lips.

But it was a smile she had never once shown him since he woke up.

***

An unexpected encounter had stopped Celia in her tracks.

“I heard you went to study in the Principality of Valton.”

“Yes. I only returned recently.”

“I’ve wanted to see you.”

“I suppose I’m fortunate.”

The man before her was Fahrenheit Rowens.

He was the direct heir of Marquis Rowens from the Northern Federation Kingdom and had once been considered a potential marriage candidate for Celia.

“Though calling it a broken engagement seems a bit excessive.”

“We never actually signed any engagement contract.”

“You’re still as thorough as ever.”

“I admit that was a small joke motivated by personal feelings.”

Even in response to her stiff answer, he only smiled awkwardly.

The fact that his eyes seemed to hold no schemes or expectations was one reason Celia remembered him so clearly.

“Have you been well?”

“…I should be asking you that.”

“Have you been well?”

“As you can see, I’ve always been the same.”

Taking a glass from a servant, Fahrenheit handed another to her.

After briefly surveying the ballroom, he lowered his voice.

“You’re still surrounded by relentless attention.”

Not particularly wanting wine, Celia accepted the glass out of courtesy and gently swirled it.

The red liquid slid smoothly against the crystal.

“This is simply my everyday life.”

“Haha, I suppose it is.”

“That was a rather obvious thing for me to say.”

Scratching his head, he lowered his gaze sheepishly.

“It’s embarrassing, but seeing you again after so long has made me nervous.”

“I keep saying the wrong things.”

Celia studied him from the corner of her eye.

Although he had once been a marriage candidate, she didn’t know much about him.

Meeting only twice wasn’t enough to truly know someone.

Still, she clearly remembered his love of books and his gentle manner of speaking.

I remember thinking he wasn’t the type of man who suited me.

A small laugh escaped her.

After enduring the discord that was Lucius, getting along with anyone else hardly seemed difficult anymore.

“Celia.”

Had he somehow heard her thoughts?

The moment she turned her head, Lucius’s familiar scent enveloped her.

“I was looking for you.”

“May I ask what you’ve been doing here?”

His low voice wrapped gently around her.

“I went for a walk in the gardens.”

“Why were you looking for me?”

“Do I need a reason to look for you?”

As Lucius stepped beside her, the center of the space naturally shifted toward him.

“Weren’t you cold?”

He lightly brushed her exposed shoulder.

“I-I was fine…”

The touch against her skin was polite.

At first, Celia instinctively wanted to avoid his hand.

The Emperor wasn’t here anymore.

There was no reason to tolerate this kind of contact.

Yet when she saw the genuine concern in his eyes, she stopped herself from looking away.

As always.

Like she always had.

She tried to ignore him and turn away.

But the warmth covering her chilled shoulder held her in place.

“Who is this…?”

Fortunately, Lucius’s attention shifted to Fahrenheit.

Being forgotten by someone you had met before was a considerable insult.

Fahrenheit’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

“It seems you don’t remember me, Young Duke.”

His tone remained polite, but a bruised pride lingered beneath it.

Instead of answering, Lucius glanced toward Celia.

She received both men’s gazes with annoyance.

Of course he doesn’t know you. He lost his memories.

Though it looks like the other man took it as an insult.

He was handling people just fine earlier, so why is this becoming troublesome?

Distracted by the hand still resting on her shoulder, she introduced them without much thought.

Apparently Lucius wasn’t particularly interested either.

His response was lukewarm.

He used to act like this before.

Could some of his memories be returning?

Only a few people knew how many marriage candidates Celia had once had.

Among them, there were very few whom Lucius hadn’t openly disliked.

Ridiculous.

He hated every man who might become my fiancé.

And yet in the end, he was the one who married me.

Then, as if deliberately putting on a show, Lucius wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

The fabric of her delicate dress compressed smoothly beneath his palm.

“Lu-Lucius?”

“Celia, it’s time.”

Lowering his head, he whispered into her ear.

Startled by his warmth and scent, she instinctively covered her ear.

“We agreed to leave early tonight.”

His voice was even lower than usual, as though he were hiding candy beneath his tongue.

“Shall we go?”

Straightening up, he returned his voice to normal.

Fahrenheit, who had been speaking with Celia moments ago, looked shocked.

“Wait!”

“You’re leaving already?”

Before Celia could answer, Lucius tightened his arm around her waist slightly.

He carefully brushed aside the loose strands of hair that had fallen across her forehead.

The pearl ornament woven into her hair swayed gently.

Before she could even tense up in surprise, he naturally continued.

He pressed a kiss directly onto her forehead.

“No.”

“We’re going to see an opera.”

Lucius closed his eyes briefly.

Then, as though savoring the lingering feeling of the kiss, he slowly opened them again.

Turning to Fahrenheit, he smiled gently.

“I was told it’s an excellent show for married couples.”

The announcement struck like a bolt of lightning.

Celia’s mouth fell slightly open in shock.