Chapter 6 – Part 5

When Marcus and Liese’s waltz ended, the young nobles began to dance.

Normally, they were reluctant to take the lead, watching each other’s every move, but they were obviously quite stimulated by the waltz.

Liese went to a table alone and sat down. She sipped her water, trying to calm her uncontrollably pounding heart. Thank goodness Marcus had left for the smoking room to smoke with his unexpected visitor. He was an unpleasant sight to behold.

Since the waltz had to come to an end, she couldn’t push him away and ended up kissing him helplessly, but that was the limit Liese could endure.

‘I hope he doesn’t ask me to kiss him in front of everyone’

Thinking he might demand a kiss in the near future made her hands tremble. Liese, who had her forehead touched, sighed. No matter what, she wanted to believe Marcus wouldn’t act shamelessly with so many watching eyes. For a moment, Liese hesitated.

…Marcus and shame? Those are poles apart. Among the nobles she had observed, wasn’t Marcus the most shameless of them all?

“Pardon me.”

A voice suddenly caught her attention, making her turn her head. A stranger was gesturing towards her, approaching with a smirk. Though his arrival was rather cheeky, Liese stared at him silently.

“It’s an honor to greet such a beautiful lady. I’m Murphy Jacques, from the Eastern Hading region.”

He bowed with exaggerated gestures. Liese, with proper manners, greeted him politely.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lieselote of the Brennan family.”

“Oh, Lieselote. The waltz was truly impressive. Your movements were… exquisite.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“It made onlookers really… want to jump onto the stage immediately.”

Murphy Jacques seemed to be parched as he licked his lips. Liese courteously expressed her gratitude.

“I see. Do you enjoy dancing?”

“…Haha.”

The man blinked awkwardly for a moment and then chuckled. Then he revealed his intentions with a sinister expression.

“How about dancing with me… once?”

“……”

“Let me clarify, I’m not talking about the waltz. It’s a kind of dance that can be more intimate, a bit sticky, and can even get heated.”

“I’m sorry.”

Liese, with a furrowed brow, declined awkwardly.

“Duke Baltazar doesn’t want me to dance with anyone.”

“…Ah.”

“I’ll ask him when he returns if it’s okay to dance the sticky dance as suggested by Lord Murphy, who is from the Eastern Hading region.”

“Is there even a need for that? In that case, I’ll take my leave.”

Murphy Jacques swiftly turned on his heel. Nearby, a group of men had gathered, eagerly awaiting him. Murphy Jacques, having joined them, seemed to make some excuses.

“You’re wrong. He’s just a country bumpkin who doesn’t understand art at all.”

“Why not ask her if she’s having an affair with the duke during work hours, you idiot?”

“Why bother asking such things? If it’s not a serious relationship, why not try cooking yourself?”

“Shut up.”

Listening to their laughter, Liese quietly lowered her gaze. Unable to understand. Intentionally elongating ambiguous remarks, aren’t those who don’t understand them fools?

“Hey, Chapman. You go this time. The duke won’t be able to say anything when he returns, so hurry up and go.”

Even after being Liesected, they continued to leer at Liese.

“Let’s decide with a coin toss! What if I get caught by the Duke during my turn? I don’t want to be caught.”

“Coward. Bring out the coin.”

Their attitude toward wanting to play with unfamiliar toys was quite unpleasant. Liese, feeling apprehensive about when they might approach, picked up her glass and rose from her seat.

“Lady Lieselote Brennan?”

As she was about to take a step, a friendly voice caught her ankle. Liese, who had stopped in her tracks, turned her head. Several ladies with feather fans of various colors were smiling at her.

“You seem lonely sitting alone. If it’s not a bother, may we join you?”

Liese glanced at the group, including Murphy Jacques, with a sidelong glance. They seemed disappointed, like anglers who had missed a catch. The decision didn’t take long.

“Of course. Please, have a seat.”

With a nod of agreement, the ladies chuckled and gathered around Liese.

Only then did she notice that behind the ladies were several gentlemen as well. They weren’t part of Murphy Jacques’ group, but the sight of unfamiliar men approaching with eager eyes made Liese slightly nervous.

And then…

“Lady Brennan.”

The last to reveal himself was none other than Trevor Miller. With his arm casually draped around a stoic Haley’s shoulders, he stood facing Liese.

“I suppose it’s a bit late for introductions. A pleasure to meet you. I’m Trevor Miller.”

He extended his hand with a smirk as if asking for it. Liese quietly offered the back of her hand.

“It’s nice to see you again, Lord Miller.”

“Allow me to do the honors.”

With a grin, Trevor kissed Liese’s hand. His lips lingered longer than usual, leaving them moist with an unknown liquid, be it saliva or liquor. Liese had to constantly make an effort not to contort her face with discomfort.

Then Trevor and Haley pulled up chairs and sat down. Even as they did, Haley’s sharp gaze continued to pierce Liese’s face. Liese wasn’t sure if accepting them to avoid an awkward situation was the right choice.

“I’m Melanie from the Sedwell family. I’m really glad to meet you, Lady Brennan.”

The lady sitting beside her tilted her beautifully made-up face and smiled kindly. With a quick glance, she appraised Liese’s jewelry and dress.

“I feel the same, Melanie. Nice to meet you.”

“Do you know how surprised I was when you suddenly appeared like a blue sky? To think you’re his lover… Surely you weren’t hiding in the Duke’s treasure chest all this time, were you?”

The lady’s joke burst into laughter like fireworks. Someone even grabbed their stomach and chuckled, tears glistening in their eyes.

Unable to find a reason to laugh, Liese blinked silently. All she could do was maintain a faint smile.

“By the way, where did Duke Balthazar go, leaving such a lovely lady behind?”

Trevor, still sitting arrogantly with his arm around Haley’s shoulder, looked around.

“He went to the smoking room to have a long conversation with Lord Witrock. He’ll be back soon.”

“He should hurry back. You never know which unsavory gentleman might try to snatch Lady Brennan away.”

Trevor chuckled, observing Liese with a mocking glance. Liese forced herself not to look at Trevor, who embodied an unsavory gentleman himself.

“Isn’t Witrock the family led by His Grace’s uncle? Have you met him, too?”

Lady Melanie interjected with her question. Before Liese could respond, Trevor answered on her behalf.

“Of course. Lady Brennan even attended a dinner party where only the Duke’s aides were present.”

“I’m jealous! It seems you have a truly special relationship with His Grace.”

“It’s so special that it can’t be restricted by time and place. When the dinner was in full swing, Marcus hurriedly left with her and only returned after an hour had passed.”

Trevor grinned, raising his glass to Liese with a teasing glance.

The ambiguous remark left room for interpretation, and the group fell silent as if cold water had been poured over them. Haley remained silent, but her tightly pursed lips trembled as vividly as her sharp gaze.

“By the way, Lady Brennan.”

Draining his glass, Trevor grinned with pointed teeth.

“Since everyone seems curious, may I ask a question on behalf of all? Would you like to hear it?”

“No, thank you.”

Liese cut him off abruptly. Having overheard the conversation earlier, she could guess what they were curious about. Trevor’s face, which had been smirking moments ago, tilted slightly at her unexpected Liesection.

“Liesecting without even hearing? How cheeky.”

“I don’t want to embarrass myself with witty remarks.”

“Haha. You’re quite charming but cheeky.”

“It might not be a topic His Grace would appreciate. I don’t want to be embarrassed on such a nice day, so…”

“His Grace? Why would he be? He’d be perfectly content as long as he has a woman who would spread her legs and give birth to children.”

Trevor burst into laughter, clapping his hands. The silent exchange of glances across the table was swift. Liese stiffened, then spoke tersely.

“You’ve had too much to drink, Lord Miller.”

“It’s just a joke. Don’t they make jokes even in conservative rural areas?”

“Ill manners are the same whether in the countryside or the city. Is that not a simple truth you’re aware of?”

“Please excuse me.”

She had no intention of hearing an answer. Liese stood up and left, ignoring the lingering stares behind her, and pressed her hand against her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.

‘It’s only the first day, but I didn’t expect to have such a hard time. I’ll have to deal with dozens of people like him in the future. Just thinking about the days I’ll have to endure makes my stomach churn.’

“Hey.”

Someone tapped her shoulder as she walked across the ballroom.

“You shouldn’t confront someone trying to help you like that, especially a lowly servant like you.”

Liese turned to him with a slightly pale face. Trevor, revealing his true colors, stood before her with a smug expression.

“Even if you have ulterior motives, at least play along with the act.”

“….”

“That aside, do people know about your past working under Marcus?”

The number of couples dancing in the spacious ballroom was increasing. The band’s performance was gradually getting louder, and there was no one nearby to eavesdrop on their conversation.

Despite that, Liese frowned at Trevor, who unnecessarily leaned in and whispered.

“I don’t think so.”

“Shouldn’t you be careful not to get caught? Have you decided to keep your disgraceful past a secret?”

“If you’re so curious, ask the Duke.”

“But I’d rather hear it from you than Marcus.”

“If you have nothing polite to say, Lord Miller, please refrain from speaking to me.”

Liese responded firmly with a warm yet assertive attitude. Trevor, taken aback, blinked in surprise. Then, he regained his composure and raised his chin.

“And what about you… Marcus has his orders, doesn’t he?”

“I’ll take my leave now.”

“Or perhaps it’s fine as long as you’re from a good family?”

There was no point in continuing the conversation. As she walked away, Trevor hastily blocked her path.

“What about me, then?”

Liese’s mouth fell open in shock. Trevor, already reveling in his anticipated victory, smirked.

“I’m the third son of a Viscount who doesn’t face any pressure from my family. If you want a carefree man who doesn’t care about public opinion, isn’t a Duke Balthazar too burdensome for you?”

“Please step aside. I don’t want to engage in conversation with someone who makes vulgar remarks in public.”

“Do you have any other feelings for Marcus? Are you really not seeing each other? Everyone’s curious, so tell us honestly. What kind of relationship is it?”

“If you continue to be rude, I will inform the Duke that you have made me uncomfortable in front of everyone.”

“You’re really speaking as if you were something to Marcus.”

“If you’re so curious, why don’t you find out for yourself?”

Trevor, taken aback by her unyielding response, raised his upper lip. It was a threatening gesture, but she did not look away. She didn’t want to show any signs of fear to this contemptible man.

During the uncomfortable staring match, Trevor suddenly glanced somewhere else. His expression changed as if he had seen a ghost, then he quickly turned and walked away.

Liese also didn’t give him a second glance and walked away, her back turned. Her heart was pounding. She wasn’t used to arguing or clashing with someone like this.

Her grandfather had said that the Brennan family, which had produced soldiers for generations, had a strong fighting spirit, but she didn’t feel that way at all.

She longed for the peaceful routine of pruning and mowing the grass. She wanted to go back to sitting with Ian after work, looking up at the sky. This ball was not suited for her, who couldn’t even properly adorn herself with laughter and smiles.

As she approached the refreshment table, filled with various snacks and drinks, she reached out for a glass of amber liquid.