Chapter 12

As soon as Eric stepped into the carriage, he noticed Euphrasia’s unease.  

‘She’s utterly terrified.’  

Her trembling hand, clasped in his, was cold to the touch, as if freezing from her fingertips.  

He tried to ignore it, but it became impossible to feign indifference any longer.  

To be honest, he didn’t want to pretend he didn’t notice.  

The moment he saw her leaving the mansion, Eric realized the reason for his constant restlessness.  

Thump.  

His heart, which had been calm, suddenly surged, sending a wave of heat coursing through his body.  

The time he would spend with her as his partner at the imperial ball—  

He had been looking forward to it.  

Euphrasia, reborn under the hand of the head maid, was breathtakingly beautiful to the point of leaving him speechless.  

At that moment, he couldn’t do anything but stare at her, utterly dazed.  

He knew his stiff expression might come across as intimidating, but he couldn’t even control his own face.  

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize so much time had passed. I tried my best to ensure I wouldn’t bring shame to the Herrington family’s honor. Is this acceptable?”  

Her timid question, accompanied by a hesitant expression, brought Eric back to his senses.  

‘Did I just zone out? Me?’  

Realizing he had been momentarily captivated by her, he felt a surge of irritation.  

It was as if his pride had been wounded, or as though a deeply hidden vulnerability had been exposed to the world.  

His irritation served as an excuse for the sharpness in his tone, even as he remained conscious of her unease inside the carriage.  

When he mentioned the ‘elixir,’ he regretted it for a moment.  

Urging her to walk into the lion’s den of her own accord and then offering comfort now might seem hypocritical.  

Had I made her even more anxious with my unnecessary remark?  

But fortunately, Eric’s expectations were entirely wrong.  

Color returned to her face, and the trembling he had felt from her fingertips subsided.  

Surprised by this unexpected turn of events, Eric turned to Euphrasia, unable to hide his astonishment.  

“Have you… calmed down? You seem better.”  

“Thanks to you. You truly have a remarkable talent for irritating people with your words.”  

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”  

“Think whatever you like. Isn’t jumping to conclusions and making judgments your specialty, Your Grace?”  

“To think you know even my specialties—how flattering it is to see how much you care about me.”  

Her subtly furrowed brow and sarcastic tone were surprisingly adept.  

Of course, it couldn’t quite match Eric’s natural ability to belittle others with his words.  

Unable to come up with a retort, Euphrasia sighed in frustration, which made Eric burst into laughter, unable to hold it in any longer.  

“How unpleasant. Do you find it so entertaining to toy with people?”  

However, despite her words, Euphrasia didn’t seem genuinely upset.  

Even her slightly puffed cheeks, which she likely thought appeared threatening, only seemed amusing and endearing to Eric.  

As always, seeing the subtle defiance rise in her eyes filled Eric with a peculiar sense of satisfaction.  

He felt an inexplicable sense of victory, a childish but undeniable pride.  

Meanwhile—  

‘He’s definitely not normal.’  

Euphrasia was utterly baffled by Eric’s behavior as he suddenly leaned back, shaking with laughter after his sharp words.  

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t make sense of him.  

‘Well, he’s been like this from the start.’  

That tender and passionate night—  

Afterward, he had left for the battlefield without so much as a word, as if he’d never whispered sweet nothings to her.  

When he returned from the frontlines, he confined her to his estate on a whim.  

Now, in a sudden change of heart, he promised to give her child support and freedom if she drank the elixir.  

As Euphrasia pieced together the events in her mind, she sighed and shook her head.  

The more she thought about it, the more her head hurt. She decided it was better to give up trying to understand him.  

“We’ve arrived.”  

Lost in thought, she hadn’t noticed that the carriage had stopped.  

Eric, who had returned to his usual stoic demeanor, looked out the carriage window.  

Following his gaze, Euphrasia saw the imperial palace standing tall and resplendent in its grandeur.  

She had thought she had grown accustomed to the vast and majestic Herrington estate, but the imperial palace’s imposing aura was on an entirely different level.  

‘Finally…’ 

Snapping back to reality, Euphrasia swallowed nervously and straightened her posture.  

The weight of the situation pressed down on her, reminding her that she couldn’t afford a single mistake.  

Squeak.  

The carriage door opened smoothly, and Eric stepped out, extending his hand to Euphrasia.  

“The ball today celebrates our victory. In other words, I am the star of the evening.”  

Noticing her tense demeanor, Eric’s tone grew more relaxed.  

“Well, congratulations. You must be pleased.”  

Euphrasia tilted her head, not understanding the sudden boast.  

Pfft.  

Eric let out a low chuckle, his shoulders shaking slightly.  

Then, he met her gaze and spoke firmly.  

“So hold your head high. Walk with your chin up, your eyes proud. Look down on everyone. Let them be awed by your dignity, so much so that no one dares to approach you.”  

“Dignity… you say?”  

“As long as you’re standing by my side as my partner, you’ll be the most noble presence at this ball. Understood?”  

“Uh, I’ll try. For the honor of the Herrington family.”  

“No, that’s wrong.”  

Eric’s lips curled into a mischievous smile.  

“It’s all for you. For those pitiful fools who will insult you as an illegitimate child and whisper that you schemed your way into my side. Hold your head high and make them see your worth.”  

“Are you serious?”  

Was this shamelessness or the nobles’ typical way of mocking others under the guise of sophistication?  

Did he even realize that he was one of the very people who had insulted me like that?  

As she stared at him in disbelief, Eric’s voice rang out again.  

“You deserve it.”  

Eric knew his words contradicted his actions. But he ignored the discomfort, chalking it up to a fleeting impulse.  

He simply couldn’t stand the thought of her showing weakness in front of anyone else.  

A brief silence fell between them.  

Even after their conversation ended, Eric didn’t move away from her side.  

This proximity made Euphrasia acutely aware of the warmth spreading from her fingertips to her entire body.  

Satisfied, Eric finally smiled and began walking, carefully escorting her.  

From the moment they entered the carriage to now, she hadn’t once withdrawn her hand from his grasp.  

Deciding to ignore the thought, Euphrasia followed his lead.  

Despite their rush, the banquet had already begun.  

The imperial ballroom, celebrating the victory, was adorned with all manner of luxurious and rare items from the entrance onward.  

From within, soft music played, occasionally accompanied by the laughter of nobles who had already arrived.  

‘Almost there.’  

The opportunity to gain freedom with Louis was now just within reach.  

At the entrance of the ballroom, Euphrasia steeled herself, a faint smile forming on her lips.  

She was trying, even if awkwardly, to imitate Eric’s air of composure.  

Perhaps because he found her effort endearing, Eric’s lips curled into a similar smile.  

At that moment—  

“Duke Herrington! You’ve arrived! Please wait a moment!”  

A voice called out to Eric from the end of the hallway.  

“His Majesty has summoned you.”  

The one who called him was the chamberlain of the imperial palace.  

Eric nodded lightly and turned toward the direction of the Emperor’s quarters, taking Euphrasia’s hand to guide her.  

“Lead the way.”  

“I wasn’t informed that you would be attending with a companion today. My apologies, but…”  

The chamberlain glanced briefly at Euphrasia.  

Understanding his meaning, Euphrasia gently withdrew her hand from Eric’s grasp.  

“I’ll go ahead and wait in the ballroom.”  

Eric’s eyebrow twitched and rose slightly.  

He wasn’t fond of the idea of leaving her alone in the middle of an intense and intimidating space, one that could rival even a battlefield.  

“I’m not familiar with these kinds of events. I’ll take the time to get a feel for the atmosphere. Go ahead.”  

“Your Grace, do not keep His Majesty waiting too long.”  

However, refusing the Emperor’s summons was not an option.  

Reluctantly, Eric followed the chamberlain, who was urging him forward.  

“I’ll be back soon. Really soon. It will only take a moment. So stay in a corner and wait quietly. Don’t do anything that draws attention.”  

“Don’t worry.”  

After leaving her with a final word of advice, Eric walked away.  

Euphrasia watched his retreating figure for a moment before turning and heading toward the ballroom herself.  

She had managed to maintain her composure and act confidently in front of Eric.  

But now that she was alone, the absence of his hand brushing against her dress felt strangely empty.  

Had I grown attached to him in the brief time we had been at the palace?  

‘Get a grip, Euphrasia. Don’t forget why you’re here.’  

She steadied herself, reminding herself of her purpose, and finally stepped beneath the dazzling chandelier of the ornate ballroom.