Chapter 2 – Part 1

“Come in.”

At Eliana’s permission, a maid from the count’s household entered the room. She hadn’t expected Calix to be there, so she greeted him respectfully. The maid then checked on Eliana’s ankle condition again.

“Would you like to have the doctor examine you again?”

“No, I don’t think that’s necessary. The pain isn’t that bad.“

“I see. Lady Leiberte, everyone is looking for you. Lord Noah has instructed me to deliver the message.”

“Really? Then I should go now.”

Eliana stood up from the sofa. She thought she would be fine, so she stood on both legs, but her injured leg gave way, causing her to stumble.

“Ah!“

“Let me support you.”

Calix quickly reached out to steady her. However, instead of taking his hand, Eliana grabbed the top of the sofa and stood up alone.

“Thank you for your concern.”

The two of them left the room together. Even though Eliana said she could walk alone, Calix stayed close by her side, seemingly intending to accompany her to the party. A wide corridor with a thick carpet spread out before them.

“This way, Lady Leiberte. Duke Calix.”

The maid guided them from the corridor.

“Hoho.”

As they started walking in the direction she indicated, a high-pitched female laugh echoed from somewhere. It was a grating sound.

‘Rachel…’

It was undoubtedly hers. The memory of Rachel mocking her before she died made Eliana’s spine tingle for a moment.

“How could you say something so embarrassing? That’s too much.“

“What’s so embarrassing? I could say much worse.“

“Please don’t. Not here.“

“Really, don’t want me to? Even though you truly desire it?”

Crown Prince Cedric’s voice followed. Rachel’s nasal tone, laced with flirtation, came right after.

Instead of heading in the direction the maid had indicated, Eliana started walking towards the source of the voices.

“Eliana.”

Calix called out, but Eliana’s pace quickened. As she rounded the corner, she saw the hem of Rachel’s dress beneath the balcony curtains. Eliana headed straight for them.

“…!”

Rachel was the first to notice Eliana suddenly approaching. Her green eyes, which had been narrowed in amusement, widened in surprise. Her cheeks briefly trembled with shock, but she quickly regained her composure as if nothing had happened. It wasn’t the first time she’d had to control her expression.

“Eliana?”

Rachel deliberately called out Eliana’s name loudly. Cedric’s broad shoulders stiffened at the sound. He turned around.

“Eliana…”

As he turned, he noticed Calix as well, and his expression hardened noticeably. Calix greeted him, but Cedric barely acknowledged it.

“What is it? Why are you two here all of a sudden?”

He spoke accusingly as if questioning why they had sought him out. It was shameless behavior for someone caught with a mistress.

“Your Highness seems to be having a wonderful time with Rachel. I could hear the laughter all the way down the hall, so I couldn’t help but come to see.”

Cedric pushed his tongue against the inside of his cheek in response to her pointed remark.

“Isn’t it my freedom to laugh wherever I want? Do I have to worry about your opinion about that?”

His retort was cold, and the atmosphere instantly grew tense.

“Oh, Eliana, I heard you injured your leg. I was just about to come check on you.”

Rachel made an excuse, carefully watching Eliana’s reaction. She hadn’t intended to visit but felt compelled to lie. She hadn’t expected Eliana to witness her laughing with Cedric.

“Is that so?”

Eliana turned her gaze to Rachel.

“You were just a few steps away, yet you seemed unable to find me. If you intended to visit, you could have come immediately.“

“Well… I was just about to come now…”

Rachel stammered in response to Eliana’s sharp words.

“I had something to discuss with His Highness for a moment…“

“You mentioned being embarrassed earlier. Did you do something wrong to His Highness? I’m curious to know what could have made you feel that way.“

‘She heard everything. Oh no.’

Rachel felt flustered. Eliana had never confronted her like this before. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she glanced at Cedric.

“Eliana, seeing you walk so well, doesn’t it prove that Rachel didn’t need to visit you after all?”

Cedric interjected into their conversation.

“Does everyone need to rush to your side for such a minor injury? You should stop being so childish.”

Having said a word to Rachel, Cedric immediately turned his sharp words to Eliana.

“Judging by how coldly you spoke to a friend who was worried enough to visit, it certainly shows your character.“

Cedric’s blatant favoritism made Eliana’s lips curl into a bitter smile.

“Now that you mention it, Your Highness, this mansion is so vast that it’s understandable if you couldn’t find someone right before you. I should have been more understanding. It was thoughtless of me.“

Eliana’s voice dripped with sarcasm as she turned her gaze back to Rachel.

“Thank you for your concern, Rachel.”

“Ah, yes…”

Cedric scowled at Eliana’s insincere response.

“You’re making a fuss over a simple conversation. If that’s the problem, weren’t you walking alone with Duke Calix now?”

Cedric snapped at Eliana as if he had caught her in a serious offense. Seeing her appear with Calix, whom he despised, made him think she was trying to provoke his jealousy, which he found utterly laughable.

‘Now that I think about it…’

Cedric scrutinized Eliana and Calix. He had often wanted to oust Eliana from her position as his fiancée, and now an idea occurred to him.

‘I might be able to get rid of both of them in one fell swoop by linking them together. Not a bad plan.’

Cedric was quite pleased with the solution he had just devised.

“Make sure you behave properly, Eliana.”

With his malicious thoughts in mind, Cedric raised his voice even more.

‘As expected, Cedric always comes out on top.’

Rachel found Cedric’s behavior reassuring. Eliana had kept her mouth shut and didn’t respond because Cedric had spoken so forcefully.

“I’ll be heading back now.”

His voice echoed as he spoke more exaggeratedly than usual as if the guilty one was angry.

Cedric turned sharply and was the first to disappear into the party hall. Eliana, however, remained where she was, expressionless, not bothering to rush after him or worry about what others might think.

Rachel no longer wanted to be around Eliana. She felt uncomfortable.

“I’ll be going in as well.”

Rachel quickly moved toward the party hall as if she were fleeing.

***

“Lady Leiberte is coming back in.“

“My, once again, she’s entering separately from His Highness. What’s going on?”

As Eliana reentered the party hall, people whispered behind their fans. Acting as if she didn’t hear a word, Eliana walked straight to the head table and sat, keeping her head high.

Eliana didn’t glance at Cedric and instead sipped the drink before her. The strong liquor that burned her throat felt satisfying.

“Stop drinking.”

Cedric tried to stop her.

“I don’t want to see you make a fool of yourself by getting drunk.“

‘A fool, you say. You’ve been showing me that even without alcohol.’

Eliana stared into Cedric’s golden eyes and deliberately drained the rest of her glass.

“You’re a real sight today.”

He clicked his tongue.

‘Look who’s talking.’

Eliana placed the empty glass down, unaffected by his words, causing Cedric’s expression to harden. His frown brought her some satisfaction.

Calix, leaning against a wall in the party hall, observed the two. The atmosphere between them was undeniably different from before. It was even more apparent when considering Rachel’s presence alongside them.

Images of Rachel, who had often been seen laughing around Cedric, flashed through Calix’s mind.

‘So it really is an affair. He’s betraying Eliana, who has been nothing but devoted.’

As everything fell into place, Calix’s expression grew serious.

“I… I love His Highness more than anything in this world.”

After coming out of seclusion, he recalled when Eliana met him with eyes full of love. The memory of those words made Calix’s heartache once again.