When I quietly asked her, Ellie hesitated to answer.
“Please be honest with me. That way, I can sort out the situation.”
Faced with my firm attitude, Ellie finally nodded with difficulty.
“Yes. I heard that Count Eisenbach earnestly asked my father for a favor.”
Ellie spoke while cautiously watching my expression.
“He said that Lady Regina…… has been seeing someone lately, but he doesn’t approve of that person at all.”
Sigh.
I let out a deep sigh.
‘I knew they didn’t like Kai.’
But to go this far and arrange such a huge event?
Their overprotectiveness had gone too far.
I calmed myself and looked at Ellie.
“Thank you for being honest with me, even though you knew it might cause trouble for you later.”
“It’s nothing.”
“And I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into all this trouble because of me, Lady Ellie.”
At my apology, Ellie smiled warmly and shook her head.
“Please don’t be sorry. Actually, I also…… went through something similar. Before I happened to meet my husband and fall in love with him, my father secretly arranged a gathering to find me a husband.”
Surprised by Ellie’s confession, I looked at her. She gave me a kind smile.
“I know how betrayed I felt back then, so I thought I absolutely had to tell you, Lady Regina.”
She held my hands tightly.
“If you don’t want to get married, you don’t have to, Lady Regina. You don’t need to make a choice you don’t want just because of the expectations or pressure of those around you.”
It seemed she thought I wanted a free life, or perhaps to remain single.
I hesitated to answer her.
A brief silence fell over the lounge.
“……Actually.”
After sorting out feelings I hadn’t even understood myself, I carefully began to speak.
“At first, I wasn’t very interested in marriage or romance either. I planned to spend my whole life swinging a sword.”
I remembered Kai’s face as we laughed together atop the clock tower.
And those golden eyes that had watched me during the puppet show.
“But…… after meeting a certain man, I became curious about dating someone for the first time.”
At my confession, Ellie covered her mouth with both hands and let out a little squeal.
“Oh, my! Oh, my!”
“It’s not that I’ve seriously started thinking about marriage or fallen deeply in love yet…….”
I added shyly, and Ellie’s eyes lit up.
“Still! That’s wonderful news. And all the more reason why we shouldn’t let this party go on!”
She stood up with a determined look.
“I’ll talk to my father and Count Eisenbach, so you can go home now, Lady Regina. I’ll take care of everything afterward.”
But I shook my head.
“No.”
I stood up and straightened my clothes.
“I have to deal with my own problems. Running away isn’t what a warrior should do. I need to clear up the misunderstanding and face them head-on.”
Ellie looked surprised for a moment at my firm gaze.
But soon, she nodded with respect.
“……I understand. Then is there anything I can do to help?”
I asked Ellie for one favor.
\* \* \*
After the revelation in the lounge, Ellie returned to the ballroom with me. She quickly approached Count Benner and whispered something in his ear.
After hearing Ellie’s story, Count Benner made a face as if to say, “Goodness……” Then he looked at me and nodded as if he understood.
I returned to the ballroom.
My father and brother looked puzzled because I had spent time alone with Ellie, but I didn’t care.
I walked past their gazes and headed toward the empty dance floor in the center of the ballroom.
Everyone’s attention turned toward me.
I asked one of the musicians for permission, then struck the large drum beside him with a drumstick.
I couldn’t think of any other way to get everyone’s attention.
The room fell silent.
Everyone looked at me with puzzled expressions as I suddenly struck the drum.
“May I have your attention, please?”
I spoke in a clear, powerful voice.
“First, I would like to apologize to everyone who has come to this wonderful event.”
I bowed politely, then straightened up again.
“I have no intention of finding a husband here.”
People began to murmur.
At the same time, I saw my father and brother’s faces turn pale.
“Because……”
I looked around the room with unwavering eyes.
“There is someone else I am seriously dating right now.”
“……!”
The ballroom fell as silent as if someone had poured cold water over it.
“This party is…… a rather excessive incident arranged for my sake by the men of the Eisenbach family, including my father and brother, who failed to understand my feelings.”
Only my voice echoed through the quiet ballroom.
“So I ask that you kindly understand.”
I bowed deeply once more to apologize.
Honestly and proudly.
Rather than blaming my family for deceiving me, I was covering for them by saying it had happened because their love for me was too much, while still making my own wishes clear.
Silence continued.
My father and brother stood frozen with their mouths wide open.
Just then—
“Ha ha ha!”
A hearty laugh broke the silence.
It was Cedric von Valder, whom I had spoken with earlier. He burst out laughing and began to clap.
“Lady Regina, splendid! That was a truly wonderful declaration.”
Cedric spoke as he lightly wiped away the tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes from laughing.
“Of course! You should go to the person your heart is drawn to. Isn’t that what true love is?”
The others were swept up in the mood and began clapping as well.
Thanks to Cedric’s quick response, the mood soon softened.
Count Benner stepped forward and naturally brought the party to an end, saying, “Well, everyone heard her, didn’t you? Let’s raise a toast to the spirit of the young!”
I approached my father and brother, who were still frozen.
Then I gave them a frightening look that clearly meant, ‘We’ll talk when we get home.’
The two men flinched and shrank their shoulders.
To show them just how angry I was, I decided to go home separately from them and headed for the ballroom exit.
That was when—
“Lady Regina.”
Someone called out to stop me.
When I turned around, it was Cedric.
“Would you care to take a walk together for a moment?”
I looked puzzled.
I had just announced in public that I was seeing someone. And now he wanted to take a walk?
As if he had noticed my wariness, Cedric raised a hand and smiled.
“Please don’t misunderstand. I have no other intentions.”
Cedric spoke in the same polite, gentle tone as before.
“I simply feel a personal fondness for your bold attitude, Lady Regina, and would like to share some important information with you.”
“Information?”
“Yes.”
Cedric’s expression grew serious.
“It’s about the man you’ve taken an interest in…….”
“……?”
I furrowed my brows.
There was no way Cedric knew Kai.
“Is he incredibly handsome and charming? With dazzling golden hair…… and eyes to match?”
But at the words that came out of Cedric’s mouth next, I couldn’t help raising one eyebrow.
****
“……Only as far as the carriage stop.”
I gazed at Cedric for a moment before answering.
“Thank you.”
Cedric readily nodded.
We left the ballroom, keeping a suitable distance so that no one would get the wrong idea, and stepped out into the garden at night.
The garden of the Benner estate was beautiful.
Soft electric lights shone between the neatly trimmed shrubs, and the chirping of insects filled the quiet.
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