Raise Me, So That I Can Eat You Up - Chapter 20
Before the frozen Henry could shed a tear, I drove the point home firmly.
“If my brother finds out about this, it’ll be a big problem. Then I’d have to prevent the assassination of a royal. Farewell.”
I lifted the hem of my dress, bowed politely, and left that corridor.
Fortunately or unfortunately, it seemed Henry wasn’t following me.
‘Ah, I’m drained. Where on earth is Leon?’
As I was walking straight ahead, I heard three noble young ladies blatantly whispering about me.
“I heard she was the one who suggested breaking off the engagement first. What could she be plotting?”
“It’s all just to get attention, isn’t it?”
“It’s pitiful to see her struggling. Well, Prince Henry is too good a match for Miss Hayworth anyway. What good is being pretty?”
Since I was quiet, they all seemed to have lost their fear. Now they were openly mentioning my name.
“Even so, I wonder if Viscount Hayworth wanted to sell off his daughter like that?”
I was trying to hold back, but insulting my father? This was beyond what I could bear to hear.
Well, what can I do? Since they provoked me, I’ll have to bite back personally.
“Excuse me.”
I approached the young lady who was most enthusiastically gossiping and tapped her shoulder.
“Yes?”
“Yes, you.”
“M-Me?”
Tapping her shoulder out of the blue and saying ‘you’. The gossiping young lady’s face turned pale at my rude behavior.
“I don’t want to be rude, but I don’t know your name.”
“What did you say?”
“You seem to know me well. Let’s introduce ourselves. Would you tell me your name?”
As I stared directly into her eyes, she started trembling, seemingly dumbfounded.
“How dare you be so rude!”
“I’m sorry. I was a bit rude. But I can’t beat you in terms of rudeness.”
“What?”
“Talking about my personal affairs and even mentioning my father behind my back. I’m in awe of your rudeness.”
I smiled as brightly as a flower.
“Ah, if you have something to say, I’ll give you a chance to say it directly.”
“A-Are you talking to me?”
“Yes. I’m not interested, but I can listen. I’m more open-minded than you might think.”
Of course, she wouldn’t have anything to say. The second young lady also became mute as a fish.
See? They can’t even move when confronted face-to-face. How cowardly to only gossip behind my back.
“M-Miss Hayworth. I heard you broke off your engagement with His Highness.”
In contrast, the third young lady seemed to be a more combative type.
Well, to be honest, I rather preferred this type. It wasn’t fun to crush someone who just stammered with a red face.
“Yes. And?”
“I heard you were the one who suggested breaking it off, so why are you ambiguously flirting with His Highness?”
“Me?”
“Yes. You were making eyes at him.”
This was completely making things up.
It seems fake news spreads from such delusional young ladies.
Making eyes? If anything, it was a sneer. This was pure conjecture. I burst into laughter.
“You mean like this? This is me laughing in disbelief.”
“Are you saying you’re in disbelief at me?”
“Yes.”
The third young lady kept letting out forced laughs.
“Don’t make eyes at me. I almost felt fluttered for a moment, Miss.”
I didn’t miss the chance to mock her.
“Are you playing with me?”
“No, I don’t have time for that. I’m busy.”
“Anyway, if you’ve broken up, aren’t you strangers now?”
“That’s right.”
“Then don’t leave any room for misunderstanding. It makes you look loose.”
That’s a bit harsh. Thinking she had scored a point, the third young lady smiled triumphantly at her friends.
“Well, let’s put it that way.”Let me ask you this instead: Whether I cast seductive glances or scoff in disbelief, why does it concern you?”
“W-Well, because it ruins the atmosphere of the party.”
“You must like His Highness, don’t you?”
“What?”
“I see. You should have said so from the start.”
I smiled at the third young lady as if she was cute.
“The fact that I was His Highness’s lover means I’m quite his type. So instead of slandering me, shouldn’t you try to be like me? Wouldn’t that be more practical for you?”
“…What?”
“They say love is blind. You must see me that way because you’re determined to seduce him yourself.”
I laughed softly and advised her.
“Henry belongs to everyone. That’s why I let him go.”
Patting the shoulder of the third young lady, who was trembling with a bright red face, I said quietly.
“I wish you the best of luck.”
I could hear her fuming behind me, but I didn’t care.
Having vented my frustrations openly, I felt my blood circulation improving and the weight on my chest lifting.
“Sister, where on earth have you been?”
Finally, I saw Leon holding a cocktail glass. He looked quite irritated, probably having been searching for me for a while.
“Just a moment. I was socializing while I was out.”
“Did you make friends already?”
“Yeah. But it’s a bit annoying. They like me too much, it’s tiring.”
I took the cocktail glass and downed it in one go.
Now I feel a bit more alive. The refreshing sensation seemed to clear my insides.
“Drink slowly. It’s hopeless if you get drunk here.”
Worried that I was drinking on an empty stomach, Leon popped a piece of fruit into my mouth. The sweet juice spread in my mouth, making me feel a bit better.
“Aren’t you drinking?”
“I don’t drink while on duty.”
“As expected of my bodyguard. Reliable.”
“It’s just the basics.”
This kid, his professional consciousness is quite cute. He might be my brother, but I felt I had chosen a good bodyguard.
“Sis, isn’t the party boring? It’s just noisy.”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t mind what others say. If you’re annoyed, write it down in your notebook. I’ll take care of it quietly.”
Cute guy. I’ve already dealt with them all.
It seemed Leon had watched me fight with the young ladies, pretending not to notice.
“The carriage will be here in two hours, so let’s leave right away. We promised the little one, remember?”
“Right.”
I was feeling drained anyway.
Having experienced it directly, I think I might be more suited to raising a cutie than dealing with romantic drama.
‘I hope he’s not staying up waiting for me.’
It was past bedtime. Although it was still far from midnight, I was worried.
I wanted to quickly return home, take a warm bath, and sleep in my fluffy bed, hugging the baby dragon.
***
It was already the highlight of the ball, the dance time. As the band started playing dance music, everyone began pairing up and dancing.
I stared blankly at the people twirling around.
I had dressed up so nicely to come here, but not a single person asked me to dance.
‘Unless they’re crazy. They must be hesitant because of the circumstances.’
It was a prince’s party held at the palace annex. Perhaps it was only natural.
Even if he was a prince in name only, royalty was still royalty. There was no one brave enough to openly ask the ex-fiancée, to whom he was showing lingering affection, for a dance.
Henry didn’t ask me to dance either. But he also didn’t dance with any other woman.
Was it because of our earlier conversation? He just sat in his seat of honor, drinking and staring at me intently.
“Want to dance one song with me, Sis?”
“No thanks. I’m not that desperate.”
“What’s wrong with me?”
Even Leon let out a forced laugh, seemingly dumbfounded by his own words.
“You should go dance at least one song. I saw many young ladies eyeing you, you know?”
“What are you talking about, really. I don’t dance while on duty.”
He retorted primly, his face turning bright red. Leon was at a good age too. He must be popular, being handsome. I felt sorry that he seemed to be holding back because of me.
“Then bring me some alcohol. Your Sister is thirsty from embarrassment.”
“Geez. Alright. Stay right here. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
As Leon went to the liquor bar, I felt completely alone in this vast party hall.
I thought I wasn’t prone to loneliness, but was I wrong? I felt a bit bitter.
Well, I don’t care, but even those young ladies I had kindly advised earlier seemed to be glaring at me and sneering.
I felt a bit embarrassed, wondering if I had been too forward.
One dance song ended, and everyone exchanged greetings with their partners.
Is this how people make acquaintances and form relationships in places like this?
Among all these people, it seemed there was no one for me, and I couldn’t even find a place to rest my eyes comfortably.
‘This place doesn’t suit me.’
I just wanted to run away, feeling like this wasn’t a place where I belonged.
‘I miss Oscar.’
That ill-tempered little one who acted as if I was his entire world. Who said he only needed me. I missed him so much.
Once again, music started playing and people began to dance. Just a few more repetitions of this, and it would be time to go home.
As I was heaving a deep sigh, it happened.
“…Excuse me.”
I sensed a presence while I was staring down blankly. I opened my eyes wide in surprise.
“May I have this dance?”
It was a low voice. The man was kneeling on one knee, looking up at me with a faint smile.
The moment our eyes met, I unconsciously held my breath.
He was breathtakingly handsome.
With hair as dark as the night and an elegant face.
The man in his neat formal uniform was beautiful, almost inhuman.
Especially those red, languid eyes.
His gaze alone was so intensely captivating that I couldn’t move an inch.
“…Yes.”
Without even knowing who he was, I accepted as if bewitched. The man’s lips curved into a long arc.
He gently took my trembling hand and kissed it.
The sensation of his lips on the back of my hand and the warm body temperature.
And those eyes, looking at me as if yearning for something.
I unconsciously held my breath at the feeling that was somehow both familiar and strange.
“It’s an honor.”
Time seemed to stop, and my mind felt hazy. My clueless heart started racing.
As he stood up, he pulled my hand, leading me to the center of the hall.
The people who were dancing started to murmur.
Regardless, he bowed politely towards me.
“Don’t mind them. They’re just staring because you’re beautiful.”
“…Pardon?”
His eyes curved gently.
“You’re beautiful.”
He pulled me close by the waist and whispered softly.
“The most beautiful in the world.”
Translator
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ReadaholicBunny
If he is who I think he is, then dam! He grew up instantly.