Chapter 37. Rumors
Rumors tend to grow wings and become more exaggerated the further they spread.
And at a certain point, the truth no longer matters. People merely consume the sensational stories contained within the rumor.
“So, is Miss Lopez staying at the Winter Palace now?”
“I heard she’s confined there…….”
“Could that possibly be true?”
“They say the Lopez mansion is in chaos. From what I heard, the Grand Duke took Miss Lopez to make her his mistress. Baroness Lopez fainted on the spot…….”
“What? That’s different from what I heard. I heard he intends to formally get engaged to her.”
“That’s absurd. Miss Lopez and His Highness Grand Duke Bayern? That’s like a third-rate romance novel.”
“Well…… Miss Lopez does have noble blood flowing in her veins.”
“But, you know, I heard Marquis Anderson was there on the day Miss Lopez was kidnapped.”
“What’s that old man got to do with it?”
“He went to propose to Miss Lopez…….”
“Oh my goodness.”
“Before Miss Lopez, he troubled Miss Clemens, didn’t he? That man. I doubt he still has any conscience left.”
Those gathered at the social party, gossiping about ‘that rumor,’ now started to subtly criticize Marquis Anderson.
Marquis Anderson had a significant standing in noble society due to his wealth, but his reputation as a person was not good.
Even the King, the highest authority in the land, was known to view him unfavorably, a fact obvious to even a fool…….
“I wonder how long he can continue to live so arrogantly. What do you think?”
Many secretly anticipated his downfall with cruel hearts. Marquis Anderson himself was unaware of this.
“……But, if His Highness Grand Duke Bayern gets engaged to Miss Lopez, what will happen to Miss Philoan?”
The room fell silent at someone’s subtle question.
Iris Philoan. That name was one of the things making social figures uncomfortable these days.
After the incident at Count Lakers’ party, where Baroness Lopez caused that scene, Marquis Philoan had a serious conversation with Grand Duke Bayern―what they talked about is unknown―and then hurriedly made a public statement.
The Marquisate of Philoan wanted to form a union with the Grand Duke of Bayern through marriage, but the Grand Duke had not yet accepted…….
And while it wasn’t officially announced, it seemed King Henry also supported the wishes of the Marquisate of Philoan.
However, the key figure at the center of all this, Enoch Bayern, had made no statements and consistently ignored the Marquisate of Philoan’s requests.
Given this situation, Lady Philoan had a dark face every time she appeared at social events.
People were in a dilemma. Both Bayern and Philoan were powerful families they had to be careful around. But siding with Philoan and comforting Iris would mean displeasing Grand Duke Bayern……. Siding with Grand Duke Bayern would mean displeasing Philoan.
However, even among powerful families, the high prestige of Grand Duke Bayern was on a different level compared to the Marquisate of Philoan.
Although he was an illegitimate child, Enoch Bayern was undeniably a member of the royal family. His mother’s lineage was also far from humble.
Most importantly, Grand Duke Bayern was the greatest hero who led the war against Atreos to victory…… and in these times of ongoing threats and ambitions from Atreos, he was an indispensable figure.
Therefore, no matter how much the Marquisate of Philoan thrived under King Henry’s reign, they could not defeat Grand Duke Bayern.
Victory would be Enoch Bayern’s, as it always had been.
“Well, I think…… oh dear, speak of the devil.”
Coincidentally, at that moment, Iris Philoan appeared at the party. She was as dazzling and beautiful as ever, but her expression was gloomy, as if she were in mourning.
People began to whisper in lower voices.
“Miss Philoan must have heard the rumors about His Highness Grand Duke Bayern and Miss Lopez, right?”
“By now, she must have.”
“……It doesn’t seem like a good idea to approach Miss Philoan today.”
Everyone gathered there silently agreed and discreetly moved to a corner.
Gossiping about others’ affairs is enjoyable when it’s just talk, but it’s distressing when you get directly involved.
* * *
“What are you planning to do about these strange rumors?”
“Who told you?”
“I’ve become quite friendly with the maids.”
Enoch Bayern’s face showed a look of disbelief at my answer. It was as if he was asking since when I had become so sociable. Well, I recently realized that I can be quite sociable when necessary. Even so, I’m probably a bit more sociable than Enoch Bayern.
“Rumors are just rumors. I plan to announce our relationship soon, so it will naturally settle then.”
“……Soon, when?”
“Three…….”
“Three? In three days?”
“In three minutes.”
What?
I looked at him with wide eyes, thinking I had misheard. Just three minutes later? Really?
“Are you serious……? You’re joking, right?”
“If it were a joke, it would be fun to tease you, but unfortunately, it’s true. ……So I was just about to leave, and I hope you stay calm and don’t cause any trouble, princess kidnapped by a dragon.”
He tilted his head, meeting my eyes with a crooked smile, lifting one corner of his mouth. A handful of my hair was loosely held in his hand. I watched indifferently as he kissed it.
“When did I ever cause trouble…….”
“Really? Nothing comes to mind?”
“……Nothing.”
“In the few days you’ve stayed here, I can recall over five incidents.”
I avoided his gaze, pretending not to know. From the ‘incident’ of seeing him n*ked in the indoor garden while walking around barefoot, to almost getting trapped in a room designed as a prison while exploring the basement of this Winter Palace, to accidentally triggering a mechanism in the portrait room that revealed the location of a hidden room storing gold bars, and other such trivial and minor things that didn’t really need to be considered accidents…….
“Princess, you must have a poor memory or you’re very shameless. What do you think?”
“……I’ll behave.”
He was the homeowner, and I was his guest. To be precise, I was living off him. In this relationship, I was clearly the subordinate. So, I had no choice but to comply with what the one in power wanted.
“Good, you’ve made a wise decision. Now, I really have to go, so if you need anything, speak up now.”
……Still, this homeowner was kind. Fierce, arrogant, and mischievous, but kind. After a moment of hesitation, I looked up at him cautiously and spoke softly.
“Well, then…… could you bring my cat?”
“Cat?”
A laugh of disbelief escaped his lips. I felt my face heat up with embarrassment, but I continued speaking seriously and clearly.
“There’s a cat named Lucy who usually stays in the kitchen of the Lopez mansion. She’s about nine years old now…… and others don’t feed her well. I’m worried about how she’s doing…….”
“You really like cats, don’t you?”
He seemed amused for some reason. Well, if I could bring him joy rather than discomfort while staying with him, that would be better.
His large hand playfully ruffled my hair. I felt oddly ticklish inside.
“Alright. I’ll bring your cat.”
“……Thank you, Your Highness.”
“I’m also curious to see how chaotic the Lopez mansion is.”
……Bringing my Lucy was just a bonus; his main intention was what he had just said. The thought of how much trouble he would cause at the Lopez mansion sent chills down my spine. Not that I had any intention of stopping him.
“See you later, my fiancée.”
He turned and left with a broad smile. I stood blankly in the garden for a while, then went inside as the early summer breeze felt a bit chilly.
In this place, I constantly feel awkward even when I’m just breathing. It couldn’t be helped. The world around me had changed overnight, which was a significant event in my life.
Enoch Bayern was undoubtedly the fortune I had chosen…… but that fortune would be extremely short-lived.
So, to fully enjoy this fleeting moment of fortune in my life, it was best to adapt quickly.
The fact that I had finally left the Lopez mansion…… and that I would never return there, was now beyond doubt.
Realizing this fact suddenly made my heart pound in a strange way. It wasn’t because of anticipation or relief. Rather…… I seemed to be afraid.
This must be a habitual fear. Like a child who gets beaten every day, feeling their heart race at the sight of a cane…….
The past is behind me. Those things will never come to the forefront again. But occasionally, they will grab my shadow and hold me back.
That house was truly a nightmare for me. A nightmare I never want to experience again, a place I never want to return to.
The engagement announcement was made simply at a commemorative party for an art foundation recently sponsored by Enoch.
Despite a flood of questions from journalists and many others, Enoch ignored them all and left the party.
Silence tends to invite speculation, but it was an arrogance he could afford because he knew such things couldn’t harm him.
After leaving the party, the second place he visited was none other than the Lopez mansion.
A maid, pale with fright, greeted him, and the butler who rushed out next was just as pale.
Enoch answered the butler’s trembling question in an extremely indifferent tone.
“I’m here to pick up a cat.”
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NourElhouda
Yaaaay I’m so happy, I was worried about yhe cat all this time left alone 😭 and I’m worried about the magical box and her mother’s diary, she should have brought them, too.