Chapter 5. Good Partners

“I think we’re going to be pretty good partners. This should be a suitable gift for a partner we will walk together with from now on. Will you accept it?”

Good partners.

It is true that Berenice and Roberto have made a deal. But who would call a person of low status a partner?

Roberto was treating Berenice well in every aspect.

As a fake fiancée, as a contractor.

Berenice’s pupils sank into a dark green color.

She knows that if she falls in love with Roberto, that emotion will become poison. That emotion will not just nibble at Berenice but swallow her whole.

Since she had already tasted a bitter failure once, the idea of loving someone was frightening to Berenice.

However.

“Happy…”

Berenice found everything Roberto had given her to be good.

She couldn’t help but feel excited.

***

The news of Berenice and Roberto going shopping for clothes and visiting a jewelry store together shook the social circle.

Whenever three or more people gathered, they talked about Berenice and Roberto.

Even the amount they spent became gossip in the social circle.

As a result, on the day of the birthday party of Marquis Michelov’s daughter, all attention was focused on Roberto and Berenice.

Even the hostess of the party was no exception.

There were many people circling around the entrance, waiting for Roberto and Berenice, instead of entering alone.

“Lady Dante will be coming in Duke Cyrilov’s carriage.”

“Oh, really. How far is it? Isn’t Duke Cyrilov’s mansion close by? So, clearly, the two will come separately. That would be more efficient, wouldn’t it?”

“You don’t realize how devoted Duke Cyrilov has been to Lady Dante lately.”

“But still, for a busy person…”

Conversations like that were going on.

Some bet that Berenice would come alone, while others bet that she would come with Roberto…

People were guarding the entrance even on a chilly April evening.

And the carriage people were waiting for appeared.

It was the carriage of the Cyrilov family.

“There! I told you they’d come together, right?”

The winners of the bet cheered with flushed faces.

Naturally, Berenice was behind Roberto. Amidst the pouring attention, Berenice took a deep breath and leaned on Roberto’s arm.

“It seems like there are many people today, don’t you think?”

“It does seem so. What are they all doing outside?”

“Hmm. Maybe wishing upon a falling star.”

Berenice shrugged her shoulders as she looked around the sky.

“It’s cold this evening. It’s better we go inside quickly.”

Berenice nodded her head, and Roberto escorted her inside.

“My late father and Marquis Michelov were close.”

“I’ve heard that too.”

“So Marquis Michelov still helps me a lot. Would it be okay if I greeted him along with you, Berenice?”

“You don’t have to ask each time, Roberto.”

With Berenice’s willing approval, Roberto felt much lighter. He led Berenice towards where Marquis Michelov was.

The banquet hall was adorned with delicate craftsmanship rather than grandeur.

It was decorated for the young lady’s coming-of-age ceremony.

The hostess’s vision and attention to detail stood out.

“I think the main character of this event will really like it. There is a reason why the Marchioness’s reputation was so high among noble ladies.”

“Since you say so, the Marchioness will surely like it too.”

At that moment, just before the two chatting people arrived in front of Marquis Michelov, a woman blocked their path.

***

Meanwhile, Livio, who also received an invitation from Marquis Michelov, was also seated near the banquet hall.

Thanks to Berenice’s influence, Livio refrained from attending social gatherings for a while.

Although all eyes would naturally usually focus on Livio, the noble ladies showed no interest in him.

The majority of the young nobles sided with Berenice this time because they believed that the judgments of the security guards were unfair. Among the noblewomen, some thought Berenice was excessive, but they didn’t want to get involved in the petty squabble.

But Livio, who was absorbed in observing Berenice, was completely oblivious to any animosity directed towards him.

Fearing the penalty, Livio started circling around Berenice again.

He couldn’t bring himself to admit that Berenice had no interest in him at all.

“What an ungrateful woman. When she clings to me, I should never accept her until she sheds tears and begs. Hmm. It’s a matter of honor for the Cornell family!”

Livio repeated futile vows to himself.

The increasingly intoxicated Livio emptied the glass handed to him by a passing servant, one after another. His reddening face and the blurred focus in his eyes proved that he was getting drunk.

“Um, Viscount.”

The servant tried to dissuade Livio with a blurry face.

“You should probably stop drinking.”

“What? Just because Berenice is ignoring me, you’re also ignoring me?”

The servant quickly apologized and stepped back.

He couldn’t understand what kind of rudeness it was to come to someone else’s family event and behave like that. If Marquis Michelov saw his daughter, he would probably be so happy that he would even pluck the stars in the sky.

While others might find it pathetic, Livio was losing his sense of reason due to anger and jealousy.

‘How dare she link arms with another man instead of me…’

After hearing about Berenice and Roberto’s scandal and obsessively investigating their relationship, Livio didn’t miss a single detail and found out that the two would attend Marquis Michelov’s event together.

So he decided to attend the party as well.

As he observed Berenice and Roberto with his own eyes, his stomach churned with a sense of betrayal.

The flames inside him blazed fiercely, making his head spin.

With alcohol added to the mix, his vision became dizzying.

‘Let’s just wait and see.’

Livio watched with narrowed eyes as a woman approached Berenice and Roberto.

She was the woman who went to the dress shops with Livio some time ago.

Livio chuckled and emptied all the remaining glasses on the tray with a smile.

That woman was someone Livio knew well.

As a newcomer to Lorellian, she still looked like an innocent young lady. Because of the way she was dressed, she seemed more like a noblewoman than a commoner. It was a bit awkward, though.

But how could she be compared to noble ladies who cultivated elegance and manners throughout their lives?

She’s not bad at all.

The woman who said she would work for the money Livio was paying her for, was approaching Roberto diligently.

In reality, is there a man who wouldn’t fall for a pretty woman’s charms?

Regardless of what others might think, Livio firmly believed in her.

And so, Livio entered the royal palace with a courtesan.

He knew in advance that Roberto had business there, and it was there that Cornell had to taste bitter failure.

Roberto coldly ignored the flirtatious courtesan and passed by.

This made the anxious Livio bring a courtesan all the way to Marquis Michelov’s party.

Livio wore a smile of remorse.

***

She was gorgeously dressed but subtly awkward.

Whether it was the hand holding the fan or the overly raised corner of her mouth.

Berenice scrutinized the woman without realizing it.

“You are…?”

“Long time no see, Duke Cyrilov! If I had known I would meet you here like this, I would have greeted you in advance. I…”

Berenice scrutinized Roberto.

‘Do you know her?’

Roberto’s expression turned cold. It was a look he had never shown Berenice before.

Without any response, Roberto took Berenice’s hand and walked away. He walked past the woman who approached Roberto to speak with him. The ignored woman’s embarrassed face was clearly visible to Berenice, turning red.

‘What’s going on?’

Clearly, it seemed like she was greeting someone familiar, but judging by Roberto’s reaction, it seemed like he was treating her as a stranger.

Berenice lightly tapped Roberto’s arm.

Berenice unconsciously felt relieved at the soft expression on his face, which was different from the expression he had when he looked at the woman.

So she could relax a bit.

“Do you know her?”

“No.”

The answer came without a hint of hesitation.

“Berenice, please don’t leave my side. It seems that an impure crowd has mingled here.”

Berenice nodded in response to Roberto’s added comment.

If Roberto said so, then it must be true.

It would not be right to hold Roberto responsible for the misdeeds Livio committed.

Because the Roberto that Berenice had experienced so far was not that kind of person.

She didn’t want to suspect Roberto because of a woman she had just met.

“Okay.”

Roberto faintly smiled in response to Berenice’s answer.

With that smile, Berenice buried her doubts deep within.

‘Roberto is different from Livio.’

***

Livio gritted his teeth as he watched the courtesan return from his failed attempt.

The unmatched affection between Roberto and Berenice caught his eye.

“They are like a pair of swans. They really suit each other.”

“It seems Duke Cyrilov has fallen hard for Lady Dante. To think that indifferent person would have such an expression.”

“Just recently, didn’t they visit a dress shop and jewelry store? Duke Cyrilov reportedly bought a necklace for Lady Dante.”

“Goodness. How romantic.”

People around them were praising Roberto and Berenice.

It wasn’t that long ago that they were talking about Berenice and Livio as the perfect couple.

People can be so fickle!

Livio slammed down the empty glass roughly and rummaged through his pockets.

He felt like he needed to expose Roberto’s hypocrisy somehow to make himself feel better. Otherwise, even after going back home, he felt he wouldn’t be able to sleep with both legs stretched out.