Even this felt like another division into first and second place, making Vivian recall her past life—a thought that consumed considerable mental energy. At this rate, she would obviously tire quickly.

As people began leaving the hall, Vivian seized the opportunity, claiming thirst as an excuse to step back. Then, pretending to get a drink, she slipped up to the second floor and hid on a balcony.

‘Sigh…… please don’t come looking for me……’

Vivian sat in a chair on the balcony behind firmly drawn curtains, massaging her aching feet. Her new shoes had aggravated her already injured and chafed feet, eliminating any desire to continue dancing. She only hoped someone would snatch Luciel away while she was hiding.

But once again, the goddess was not on her side.

“The banquet hall was a bit hot, wasn’t it? Here, I brought you a cool drink.”

Vivian nearly screamed when Luciel suddenly appeared, opening the curtain.

“H-h-how did you know I was here?”

Though it was essentially confessing she had deliberately fled from him, she was too startled to consider this.

“Hahahaha! Because we’re bound by an inescapable fate?”

“I’m not joking. How did you know I was here? Did someone tell you?”

“I’ll keep that a secret. So you can keep wondering and thinking only of me. Oh, but your feet seem to have been hurting.”

Staring blankly at Luciel, Vivian suddenly realized her posture was most unladylike. She had propped her right foot on her left knee and was massaging it. How much more humiliation would she have to endure before this ill-fated connection with him ended?

With a flushed face, Vivian hurriedly lowered her foot and smoothed her skirt. No, if he had realized a lady was having “private” time, he should have pretended not to see and walked away—she couldn’t understand why he deliberately approached her.

But Luciel seemed amused by Vivian’s clearly irritated expression. Just as she was about to snap at him:

“Did you see Vivian Raine earlier? I was so dumbfounded. I don’t know how she managed to become Sir Luciel’s partner, but that haughty expression of hers!”

Voices of several men and women chattering on the terrace below the balcony reached them. Hearing her name, Vivian’s ears perked up.

“Haven’t you heard? Vivian begged Sir Luciel to be her partner first. My goodness, does she have no pride as a lady? How desperately must she have groveled for Sir Luciel to accept?”

“Oh, a lady requesting partnership first! How desperate she must have been…… tsk, tsk.”

As one woman disparaged Vivian, a man who seemed to be her partner clicked his tongue in disbelief.

“But those two didn’t seem to get along well…… Did Vivian really make such a request?”

“Everyone knows Miss Raine has a strong pride. Coming to the Grand Fête after three years, she must have wanted to stand out that much. It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. Sir Luciel must have accepted reluctantly for the sake of a lady’s honor. She surely clung to him knowing this would happen.”

Though a relatively neutral woman raised doubts, other men and women rushed to define the relationship between Vivian and Luciel.

“When Eloise bravely tried to request one dance, Vivian suddenly rushed forward and wrapped Sir Luciel’s arm around her body. As if he belonged to her. That’s why Sir Luciel had no choice but to reject Eloise.”

“Speaking as a man, I can confidently say Sir Luciel would have preferred to be with Miss Knight. It’s obvious to anyone with eyes. Poor Sir Luciel, stuck with the wrong woman.”

“Ah, poor Eloise. Poor Luciel. I will never speak to Vivian Raine again. I’m afraid of being tainted by her wantonness.”

“Me too! No, let’s all stay away from Vivian. Being near her might make people think we too are women who don’t understand a lady’s honor.”

The other women enthusiastically agreed with the last woman’s instigation, and the men present continuously echoed their sentiments to please them as they all returned to the banquet hall.

Though the terrace below the now-empty balcony rippled with cheerful music, chattering voices, and brilliant lights, silence hung over the balcony above where two people sat.

‘What? I clung to him? I wrapped his arm around my body? Wanton? How…… how can they misunderstand so completely?’

How could rumors be inflated so maliciously?

Vivian felt the terrifying power of the monster called ‘jealousy’ on her skin. Luciel, sitting across from her, also appeared shocked by what they had just heard.

He sat frozen with his eyes wide open, just like Vivian. But to Vivian, whose insides were already twisted with anger, even this expression seemed hypocritical.

“You mentioned bringing a cool drink? Please give it to me.”

Luciel, who had been stiffly frozen, seemed to suddenly come to his senses and handed Vivian one of the glasses he was holding. Vivian downed the champagne in one gulp to calm her stomach, which felt ready to heave.

“Haah!”

Vivian placed her glass on the small round table beside her and looked directly at Luciel as she spoke.

“You heard them, right? Everyone desperately wants you. Even the men would probably accept if you asked them to dance. So please bestow such favors on others. I don’t have the slightest desire to be entangled with you. And I certainly don’t want to be caught up in such absurd rumors. Why are you doing this to me?”

But something was strange about the way Luciel stared at her. His usual easy smile had vanished, and something like anger or sadness flickered in his blood-red eyes. Vivian suddenly felt goosebumps all over her body.

“Sir Luciel?”

Only at her call did he smile gently, crinkling his eyes.

“Ah, I apologize. Seeing how loud your voice is, you seem sufficiently rested. Let’s go down and dance one more song. It would be a waste after you’ve dressed up so specially.”

Though she thought it strange, he was his usual self after all. A man who skillfully uttered unpleasant words like “loud voice” and “dressed up specially.” But Vivian had no intention of letting this slide so easily.

“Are you ignoring what I said? I’ve had enough. Honestly, you know it too. That I never proposed the Grand Fête partnership!”

“Whether that’s true or not, we are now a couple bound by partnership, and breaking it would result in even worse gossip. Of course, not for me, but for you, Miss Raine.”

Unfortunately, Luciel’s words had merit. Vivian’s true feelings no longer mattered to those people. They just needed an excuse for not becoming Luciel’s partner and a common enemy to solidify their friendships.

“Whether you maintain or break this partnership, you’ll face gossip, so maintaining it is the wiser choice for you. Even if our partnership ended, no man would request to be your partner, and you’d face all kinds of mockery. Though your feelings would be unpleasant either way, Miss Raine, if both options make you feel bad, isn’t it better to at least preserve your family’s honor?”

“That’s……!”

Vivian was about to shout but closed her mouth. It was truly frustrating and infuriating, but the Grand Fête was an event where family names were at stake. A place where even the behavior of fifteen-year-olds directly reflected on their family’s honor.

If a marriageable young lady broke her partnership and stood against the wall, she would become perfect gossip fodder for scandal-mongers.

They would spread rumors about how the only daughter of Count Raine, who had never shown her face in society before, was finally abandoned by her partner at the Grand Fête and became a pitiful sight.

It would be fortunate if the mockery ended with Vivian alone, but they would surely question Countess Raine’s qualifications, citing poor home education. Vivian absolutely could not allow that.

“So, rather be brazenly hold your head high. If you asked me to choose between jealousy and mockery, I would raise my hand for jealousy without hesitation. Being envied by others is far better than being disregarded.”

While glaring at Luciel, who looked as if he were lecturing her yet somehow wore a melancholy expression, Vivian asked:

“You speak as if you’ve experienced this yourself?”

At her words, Luciel quietly gazed back at Vivian. Though neither spoke for a long while, Vivian strangely felt as if Luciel was reproaching her.

But why? If anyone should feel resentment, it should be her—what reason could Luciel possibly have to reproach her?

“What you see isn’t always everything.”

His low, murmuring voice carried a gloominess that didn’t suit him. Just as Vivian narrowed her eyes, trying to gauge his intentions, Luciel flashed his usual smooth smile, as if refusing to allow her speculation.

“The gossip of ignorant people should go in one ear and out the other. You might feel upset, but you’re not someone who would crumble over something like this.”

His words ignited a fire in Vivian’s resolve. Though he was her enemy, what he had just said was right. She wasn’t a weak person who would crumble under such low-quality gossip. In this life, she was determined never, ever to collapse so miserably.

“You’re right. I am……”

“Because you’re Vivian Raine.”

“……”

The gaze between them was intense. Had someone seen them, they might have mistaken them for a couple deeply in love, as they stared at each other so intently they seemed deaf to the surrounding noise.

“That’s right. You know me well, d*mn you, Luciel Evanhart.”

Despite using words a noble lady should never utter, Luciel smiled as if pleased.

“Yes. I am your d*mn Luciel Evanhart, and you never crumble before me. So, keep up your strength a bit more.”