“I’ll think about it.”

Ariel turned away from Marian’s group and walked away quickly. Somehow, she could still feel contemptuous gazes piercing the back of her head, and laughter seemed to echo in her ears. 

The insults directed at her were tolerable. More concerning was the certainty that her parents would scold her for tarnishing the Naiad family’s dignity if she became a laughingstock like this. 

Moreover, while rumors of being a “lifeless stone” persisted, finding her next marriage prospect would be difficult.

“Maximus Roysel…!”

Her hands trembled with rage at Maximus Roysel, who had spread malicious rumors about her. How dare someone like Maximus Roysel damage the image of herself, a Naiad lady, to this extent. 

Though anger seemed to consume her, Ariel closed her eyes tightly and suppressed her emotions. She needed to find a way to solve the problem instead. She couldn’t let the Naiad honor she had painstakingly built collapse in a single moment like this.

‘Asking Maximus Roysel to correct the rumors would be useless.’

Looking at how rumors had spread through society so far, it was always the same pattern. Sensational rumors spread quickly, and even if the person involved corrected them later, those corrections never gained traction. Only the initial sensational rumors spread like wildfire.

So even if Maximus Roysel denied it now, the rumor that Ariel was a lifeless stone wouldn’t die down. Rather, additional talk might emerge that the Naiad family had pressured Maximus Roysel.

“What should I do? How can I…”

Lost in thought, Ariel nearly collided with a young lady in front of her.

“I’m sorry.”

Ariel immediately apologized. But the young lady seemed completely distracted by something else, paying no attention to Ariel’s near collision. Curious about what had captured her attention so thoroughly, Ariel also turned her gaze in that direction. There stood Marquis Harkshien with various women around him.

The most notorious playboy in society, Latnon Harkshien.

A smile crossed Ariel’s face upon spotting him. A good idea had occurred to her. A very good way to rid herself of the rumors clinging to her.

For Ariel, who had lived her entire life as a noble lady, that marquis famous for his debauchery had been her top person to avoid until now. Moreover, she had maintained even more distance due to an uncomfortable incident with him in the past. 

But right now, he was the best way to put an end to the rumors surrounding her. Therefore, she went to Marquis Harkshien without hesitation.

“I’ve never seen such a lifeless stone of a woman.”

While heading toward the marquis, a familiar voice reached her from somewhere. It was the voice of the root cause of all this trouble—her former fiancé, Maximus Roysel.

“Even though she’s a Naiad, that woman doesn’t even feel like a woman.”

“I was going to marry her for the Naiad family’s money and honor, but it was impossible to actually marry her.”

Even though Ariel was passing right in front of him, he spoke even more dramatically, trying to shift all blame for the broken engagement onto Ariel. Of course, Ariel wasn’t entirely without grievance. She had simply been nervous about her first intimate contact, and she hadn’t actually been intimate enough with Maximus Roysel for him to call her a lifeless stone.

‘Still, doesn’t that man have even a shred of shame?’

To so casually say he had tried to marry her for the Naiad money and honor. He seemed to give no consideration to how people around him would view him. How else could he speak so thoughtlessly? 

Perhaps breaking off the engagement had been fortunate after all.

Ariel suppressed her desire to march up to Maximus Roysel immediately and demand he correct his statements. If he asked what there was to correct and insisted it was the truth, she would only find herself in more trouble. So Ariel stuck to her original plan and called upon someone who could silence the rumors Maximus Roysel was spreading.

“Marquis Harkshien.”

Latnon Harkshien’s blue eyes, which seemed to contain the ocean itself, turned toward Ariel. His face combined skin like white jade with golden hair that shone almost divinely and blue eyes. His appearance was incomparably superior to other men attending the ball. Even those who might disagree would admit he was more beautiful than most women.

“What business does Lady Naiad have with me?”

“…I have something to discuss with you briefly.”

Ariel looked around with an uncomfortable expression. The perceptive marquis rose from his seat and naturally offered his arm to escort her. He also didn’t forget to bid farewell to the women around him, promising to see them again.

Marquis Harkshien, who always drew many women’s gazes, led Ariel to the terrace. It was where people went to enjoy light trysts during balls in full swing.

‘Naturally choosing such a place—that’s so like Marquis Harkshien.’

Once the terrace door closed, Marquis Harkshien’s gentle smile from moments before vanished completely as he spoke mockingly while looking at Ariel.

“What reason does the illustrious Lady Naiad have for seeking out someone as vulgar as me?”

Ariel broke into a cold sweat at Marquis Harkshien’s barbed words.

* * *

The rumors surrounding Marquis Harkshien were tremendous. He had affairs with married women, spent nights with multiple women, some baron’s daughter had demanded her fiancé break their engagement to meet with Marquis Harkshien, all women regardless of age fell for his charm, women who spent one night with him couldn’t forget him and yearned for him every night… mostly stories like these.

Consequently, wherever women gathered, talk of Marquis Harkshien never failed to come up. Most of it involved wanting to spend even one night with him, or how ecstatic previous nights with him had been.

But Ariel was a bit different.

“What do you think about Marquis Harkshien?”

“Marquis Harkshien?”

This had been the source of trouble. Ariel, raised under the Naiad family’s strict education, had made a mistake she would never normally make.

That day, Ariel had drunk a few sips of alcohol. Even so, to forget everything she had been taught over just those few sips. She still regretted it, but Ariel at the time had spoken dismissively of the marquis who stood at the opposite end of the spectrum from her.

“I really don’t understand why they like such a man.”

He was handsome, but she didn’t think appearance was everything about a person. Moreover, the rumors surrounding him were…

“A-Ariel!”

Though puzzled by the sudden voice calling her, Ariel didn’t stop speaking.

“I think he’s someone I wouldn’t want to get close to.”

“Oh ho.”

At the unfamiliar man’s voice from behind, Ariel turned around. There, unfortunately, stood Marquis Harkshien. Though not on the guest list, Marquis Harkshien had arrived unexpectedly with other women and had overheard everything.

She suddenly felt completely sober. But words couldn’t be taken back.

“You could think that way. Especially if you’re that Lady Naiad.”

Marquis Harkshien simply chuckled and walked past. Though Ariel tried to hastily offer an apology, he was already disappearing with women on both arms.

‘What the…’

Seeing this, Ariel didn’t follow him.

‘Thinking that way about such a debauched marquis isn’t wrong.’

‘I don’t really need to apologize. It’s not like I said anything untrue.’

The next day, when Ariel sobered up, she regretted letting it slide so terribly. But she couldn’t go apologize to him by exposing her own shame either.

“How could I say that! That I don’t understand why people like him, that I don’t want to get close to him—apologize for saying that!”

In the end, since he made no particular mention of it, the matter was glossed over. She could only hope Marquis Harkshien would forget about that day.

* * *

‘I really should have apologized back then.’

Never touching alcohol again since then had been a very wise decision.

Who would have thought the day would come when she would seek him out first.

“Before anything else, I want to apologize for my previous rudeness.”

“You wouldn’t have come to find me at a time when many eyes are on you just to apologize.”

Ariel couldn’t refute his words. Her current situation was very bad. Because of that damn Maximus Roysel.

“You’re right. Actually, I came because I have a favor to ask of you.”

Ariel thought beating around the bush would only waste time. He already knew about her situation.

Marquis Harkshien muttered “I thought so” under his breath while unable to hide his curiosity. 

What could possibly have happened for Ariel, who was at the center of rumors, to seek out someone she had said she didn’t want to get close to?