Chapter 5 (Part 5)

In the group of ladies, all eyes were naturally on Yuliana. Among them was also Sophia.

“Are you really dating Duke Rockbellion?”

“Yes.”

Yuliana answered leisurely with a gentle smile.

“I felt sorry for you after your engagement was broken, but you found a man quickly.”

Although Sophia’s words mixed praise with sarcasm, Yuliana merely smiled calmly, knowing well not to react. The angrier one gets, the cooler their heart should remain.

“I didn’t find him; he confessed to me.”

Yuliana’s sharp gaze met Sophia’s barbed words.

“Did you know? There’s a rumor that Duke Rockbellion is going to marry Princess Ophelia.”

Sophia spoke triumphantly.

“Yes, only someone like Princess Ophelia would suit being the Duchess of Rockbellion.”

The attacks on Yuliana continued. Selenia’s face turned red.

“What are you saying?”

“Sellie, it’s okay.”

Though Yulianna had expected this, the childishness of the attack almost made her laugh. There’s no need to get angry or cry at such words. What they want is for her to get hurt and leave. Yuliana restrained Selenia with her right arm and smiled as if it was nothing.

The ladies who were siding with Sophia were taken aback by Yuliana’s calm smile. Yuliana passed Sophia with a bright smile and started a conversation with a lady behind her.

“Lady Oliver, hello. I heard you got engaged to Young Lord Hendricks…Congratulations.”

“Thank you for your congratulations, Lady Yuliana.”

The topic shifted abruptly, and Yuliana was at the center of it.

“I felt bad for not attending your engagement ceremony due to an imperial command, so I only sent a gift.”

“It’s fine. I received many congratulations from others.”

Yuliana approached Oliver with a kind smile.

“As someone who has experienced a broken engagement, let me give you some advice: always be wary of those who covet others, even knowing they are engaged.”

Yuliana glanced at Sophia. The other ladies naturally followed suit and looked at Sophia.

“Those who covet others’ belongings tend to be shameless and laugh behind your back, saying it was your fault for losing them.”

Everyone present could sense that Yuliana’s words were intentional. Sophia bit her lip in embarrassment.

“Even if you lose your fiancé, don’t be sad. Losing a trash carriage is a blessing. Look at me; after the trash carriage passed, a golden carriage came.”

Yuliana lightly opened her fan, covering only her lips.

“And Lady Sophia and others seem to be mistaken about something.”

Yuliana looked directly at Sophia. Sophia felt nervous, not knowing what Yuliana would say.

“When I went on a mission for the empire, I learned about Young Lord Beonar and Lady Sophia. So I understood his feelings and agreed to the breakup. I wasn’t dumped. So next time, please say we mutually agreed to break up.”

Yuliana spoke with a calm expression, never losing her smile during the conversation with Sophia.

“I broke off a nine-year engagement for true love. So I bless the love between the two of you. When is the engagement ceremony? I’d like to send a congratulatory gift.”

“No need for a congratulatory gift.”

Trying not to lose to Yuliana’s relaxed smile, Sophia responded.

“So, did you seduce Duke Rockbellion, who is rumored to marry Princess Ophelia, right after breaking off your engagement?”

Yuliana looked straight at Sophia and said,

“Lady Sophia, you speak as if it’s a fact that Duke Rockbellion will marry Princess Ophelia. Are you sure about what you’re saying? If the rumors you and the other ladies mentioned are not true, can you take responsibility for spreading them?”

Yuliana’s cold gaze swept around, her voice sharp. After discovering Beonar’s infidelity following their breakup, she felt empty and bitter.

But she couldn’t understand why she had to suffer such emotions and fall into self-loathing. Their affair wasn’t her fault. The fault lay with those who had a fiery love affair while engaged.

Yuliana had intended to let it pass quietly, but the audacity of the guilty parties acting like victims was infuriating. Moreover, she was angered by the constant mention of Anthus and Princess Ophelia.

“Can you take responsibility, Lady Sophia?”

“Lia.”

In the tense atmosphere between Sophia and Yuliana, Anthus approached, affectionately calling Yuliana’s nickname.

Yuliana looked at Anthus with joy as he called her nickname.

They exchanged sweet smiles, clearly looking like a couple in matching outfits, deeply in love.

“Weren’t you supposed to greet others?”

“I missed you so much that I couldn’t help but come, Lia. Is that a problem? What were you talking about?”

“We were talking about how you’re going to marry Princess Ophelia.”

“Marriage?”

Anthus’ voice turned icy, sending chills down the listeners’ spines.

“Who said such nonsense, Lia?”

Tell me quickly, so I can end this.

“Lady Sophia mentioned it. Yan, are you marrying Princess Ophelia?”

Sophia swallowed hard at Yuliana’s words.

“Lia, please don’t listen to such nonsense. You know well that the only person I want to love and marry is you, Lady Yuliana Loengrin…”

Anthus smiled broadly, holding Lia’s hand and kissing her fingers.

“Don’t even talk to people who spread such baseless rumors.”

Sophia was flustered by the clear rebuke.

She had never imagined Duke Rockbellion would cling to Yuliana so much. She had even told Princess Ophelia that Yuliana still had feelings for Beonar. If Princess Ophelia saw this, Sophia might be ruined.

Anthus looked at Sophia with a sharp gaze.

“Are you Lady Sophia, who is about to marry the second son of Earl Hardan? It’s unbecoming of a noble lady to be swayed by such rumors. I’ll let it slide this time for Earl Hardan’s sake, but there won’t be a second time.”

Anthus’ words were like a bombshell, silencing the surroundings instantly.

“Wh… What do you mean, Duke?”

Sophia’s mind went blank.

“I recently spoke with Earl Hardan’s eldest son. He mentioned that you, Lady Sophia, is soon to marry his younger brother. Yet, the bride-to-be doesn’t know? Could it be that Earl Hardan’s eldest son lied to me?”

“There’s no way he would lie to you, Yan…”

Sophia trembled as she listened to Yuliana and Anthus’ conversation.

“So, you broke up with Young Lord Beonar. I had hoped for the best for you two. It’s a pity.”

Yuliana looked at Sophia with sympathetic eyes. Sophia lowered her head, feeling humiliated by the pity.

Sophia couldn’t respond to Yuliana and Anthus’ conversation. It was true that she was to marry Earl Hardan’s second son.

“Young Lord Beonar must feel unfortunate. Breaking off an engagement and then marrying someone else?”

“I didn’t expect that from you, Lady Sophia…”

“I knew it when she was dating someone who was engaged.”

“Why spread rumors about Princess Ophelia and Duke Rockbellion?”

The ladies around Sophia began to distance themselves and whisper. Hearing their murmurs, Sophia lowered her head further.

“Sophia, can we talk?”

“Beo…”

Beonar, who had approached unnoticed, grabbed Sophia’s wrist and quickly led her away from the scene. As soon as the two disappeared, Yuliana whispered to Anthus.

“We really are a perfect match.”

“Haven’t I always said that? I really think we’re a perfect match.”

With Sophia gone, the ladies supporting Ophelia, who had been spewing venomous words, scattered in an instant. Selenia and the other ladies began to celebrate the couple and enjoy their time together.

Then, the sound of trumpets echoed loudly, and Cloud entered, holding Crown Prince Ian in one arm and escorting Empress Monica with the other. Behind them followed Ophelia and Seria. It was the entrance of the harmonious imperial family.

Ophelia frowned fiercely upon seeing Anthus and Yuliana together affectionately. Noticing this, Cloud spoke to Ophelia.

“Ophelia, stop looking at Anthus.”

“Yes.”

“At times like this, you listen well!”

Although Ophelia was momentarily puzzled by Cloud’s words, her mind was too consumed with anger at the sight of Anthus and Yuliana.

Ophelia had adorned herself with a glamorous dress and jewelry, wanting to look beautiful for Anthus… But Anthus’s gaze was fixed solely on Yuliana.

She bit the inside of her cheek.

Ignoring Ophelia’s gaze, Anthus wrapped his arm around Yuliana’s waist and continued to look only at her. Feeling Anthus’s gaze, Yuliana shyly averted her eyes.

“You don’t know how much your shy look makes my heart flutter, do you?”

Startled by Anthus’s slightly subdued, deep voice, Yuliana lowered her head slightly to hide her flushed cheeks, but Anthus found her so adorable that he kept smiling broadly.

“Lia, can I have the first dance with you?”

“Yes.”

“Did Father allow it?”

Anthus had agreed when Matthias had sternly stated that he would take the first dance as he had given up the partner position. But Matthias had even conceded the first dance.

“Yes.”

Anthus smiled.

“Lia, shall we go to the terrace after the dance?”

“Thank you for always asking for my opinion, Yan.”

Yuliana liked that Anthus always asked or requested rather than commanded. It made her feel that her opinion was respected.

“Let’s go to the terrace…”

Yuliana gently held Anthus’s hand.

She looked up a little higher. The strange feeling of being captivated by Anthus’s ruby-red eyes made her face feel hot.

Anthus lifted Yuliana’s hair and kissed it.

Even as Cloud gave his speech, he glanced at Anthus, who hadn’t looked at him even once. Seeing Anthus entirely focused on Yuliana, Cloud clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘How did he endure for nine years?’

After Yuliana’s engagement was broken, Anthus had sprinted toward her like an unbridled horse. And he had achieved the fruit of his nine-year love. Although he tried to understand, he couldn’t shake the feeling that their friendship had vanished.

Still, seeing Anthus unable to take his eyes off Lady Yuliana, and Yuliana looking at Anthus with a bright smile, made him feel good. He decided to let go of his feelings of disappointment. No one knew better than Cloud that when one falls in love, they only see that person.