Chapter 8 Part 5

Daisy Quennie wore an expression full of genuine apology, with no malice whatsoever. When she tilted her head, it almost seemed like she was pretending to be naïve, as if she knew nothing at all.

It had been a while since I’d seen her, but it seemed nothing had changed. Even if she didn’t harbor any ill intentions toward me, the subtle gesture of wrapping her arm around Halo Cart’s, as though showing him off, was just the same as before.

However, what angered me wasn’t the inexplicable hostility or the sense of superiority she seemed to have, thinking she had Halo Cart wrapped around her finger. It was her behavior, as though she still saw me as the foolish woman clinging to Halo Cart, that was the most insulting. When I realized this, I could truly feel what it was like to be at a loss for words in utter disbelief.

“Hmm, it seems I was lacking in consideration…”

When I didn’t show any sign of agreeing or disagreeing, Daisy subtly added a comment, labeling me as the “lady attending the ball without a partner.” Had it not been for Harten’s suggestion, that statement would have been true, so it wasn’t entirely a false statement.

In all my social events, including those at the palace, the number of times I had attended with a proper partner could be counted on one hand. Until my engagement to Halo Cart, my family members alternated as my partners, and since Halo Cart didn’t attend parties with me, it had become awkward for me to attend events with a partner now.

Therefore, the title of “lady attending the ball without a partner” wasn’t a disgrace in my case. I had already been labeled an oddball in the social scene, so this was hardly something to be ashamed of. Besides, not only me, but other “oddballs” also found partners to be a hassle.

If Daisy had intended to insult me with that remark, it would have had no effect. Perhaps because you’re the heroine of a story and never have to attend a ball without a partner, but for me, it’s an everyday occurrence. Are you really trying to criticize me for that? I was more than ready to laugh at her. In fact, I wanted to turn the question back on Daisy Quennie.

“Is there a rule that says you can’t attend a ball without a partner?”

Though she made it sound like a sensitive question, pretending to be considerate and caring, when you think about it, what was the difference between her saying “You came without a partner? Oh my, how shocking,” and just phrasing it more elegantly? Now, her hypocritical attitude just seemed absurd.

However, my small act of revenge was stopped by someone else. Just as I was standing with my back to the door, a hand reached out from behind me and placed itself firmly on my shoulder, cutting me off before I could say anything.

“It seems so, Lady. I also think that was quite an inconsiderate question.”

There was no need to check who it was based on the tone of the voice. How many people could speak so openly to Daisy Quennie, a noblewoman of high rank? And how many would have the freedom to act so familiarly toward me?

I couldn’t help but feel a bit like a child calling for her mother in a petty argument, but still, there was a sense of reassurance. No matter what, Harten was standing by me in this moment, even if he would eventually fall for Daisy Quennie. Of course, it was a bit annoying that he had taken my place, but still.

“I see the star of Endeavor. I am Lady from the Knight’s…”

“I told you to skip the formalities, Rose.”

Despite the gentle tone of his voice, his eyes were devoid of any trace of a smile. The hand around my shoulder kept closing the distance between us. Being pulled along by him, I found myself in an odd position, almost leaning against him. Daisy Quennie, flustered at first, quickly recovered and forced a smile, her eyes curving as she grinned.

“I see the star of Endeavor. I am Daisy Quennie of the Quennie family, greeting you.”

“Nice to meet you.”

From the casual “Rose” title to the uncomfortably informal nature of our interaction, I started to feel the tension building as I wondered how they would salvage this situation. Harten, however, received the greetings with such ease that it almost seemed too calm. Well, he did manage a slight smile, keeping the bare minimum of politeness, so calling it “calm” might not be entirely accurate. It seemed that both Daisy Quennie and Halo Cart noticed that too.

“Are you two partners at tonight’s ball?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I answered Daisy Quennie’s question. Seeing Harten glance at me with a look that clearly said he wasn’t going to answer, I had no choice but to speak up. Daisy Quennie shot me a glance, and then, with a bright smile, she linked arms with her partner. …Is it just me, or does it seem like she’s using Halo Cart as a means to silence me? Am I being overly sensitive?

Whether he knew he was being used or not, Halo Cart maintained an indifferent expression the entire time. Actually, now that I looked closely, it seemed like he was distracted by something else. His gaze had become unfocused, fixated on something in the distance.

The persistent gaze was subtly drifting away from Harten and me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that his eyes were lingering near my shoulder.

As Daisy Quennie asked Harten various questions, she soon realized she wasn’t getting any answers and fell silent. With her silence, no one else took the lead in the conversation. An eerie quiet settled deep in the garden.

In that stillness, the hand that had been resting on my shoulder moved away. The hand dropped naturally, as if it had relaxed, but not before gently brushing against the back of my hand once before pulling away. It was as if it had just accidentally brushed against me. But when the contact happened again, and then a third time, I realized it was no accident.

Harten, just like before, still wore a displeased expression. His smirk and narrowed eyes held my attention. It was a look I hadn’t seen in a long time—one that seemed to read my thoughts, the same expression he used when I would drift off in thought.

“You’re lost in thought, aren’t you?”

His voice, a low murmur mixed with his breath, held me captive. It wasn’t enough to physically bind me; it seemed as though he was trying to claim even my thoughts. At times, I couldn’t help but think he was preparing to swallow me whole. Even in these fragmented memories, he still had such a strong influence on me.

I tilted my head slightly, then smiled mechanically. They were such unpleasant people that I probably just wanted to escape into other thoughts for a while. This moment of escape was enough. I decided that it was time to observe the bare minimum of etiquette and leave.

“It’s about time we enter. If we wait any longer, I might feel bad for Lady Kerlan.”

“…I see. Then I’ll excuse myself first.”

Neither Halo Cart nor Daisy Quennie were people I wanted to deal with anymore. In the past, I had lingered around them out of some petty desire for revenge, but as time passed, it all just became bothersome.

Honestly, I wished we would never have to face each other again, as if we were strangers. I didn’t care how they lived, as long as they didn’t cause me any harm. Just as I’ve done up until now, I would continue to do so.

I clasped Harten’s hand, which was half a step ahead of mine. The warmth from his touch was comforting. His fingers gently interlaced with mine, filling the space between us. The feeling of our palms meeting, though slightly ticklish, was comforting, and I held onto his hand tightly in return.

After walking for a long time, we returned to the entrance of the ballroom, only to find that the number of nobles waiting to enter was too large. We had to turn back. Even though the ball had already been going on for over an hour, the line of carriages still stretched on, and it seemed like we would have to wait another hour to enter.

Due to Harten’s status, we couldn’t just stand among the nobles, so we took one of the open rooms designated for the event. Without the prying eyes of the crowd, the atmosphere between Harten and me relaxed considerably. With fewer things to worry about, I felt more at ease and began chatting with Harten in a more comfortable manner.

“Miss.”

“Yes?”

“Do you remember when you took me to the mansion before?”

I nodded with certainty. It was a memory I had revisited countless times in his absence. Though it had faded with time, it was a fragment of the past I could never forget.

My meeting with Harten could be seen as the first crossroads in my life. At the moment when the two memories began to coexist, I had been given two choices.

The first was, of course, to continue living as I had been, swept along by the flow of fate. It meant standing by and watching the world unfold from a third-party perspective once again. The first choice was to do nothing but protect my own body in the final moments, refraining from intervening in any other situation.

But I wanted to change. I wanted to defy fate, to take revenge on those who had hurt me under the guise of destiny, and twist that fate.

Back then, Harten’s transformation was my only hope and comfort. Originally, Harten was supposed to be saved by Daisy Quennie and fall in love with her, yet he never once took his eyes off me. That unwavering gaze gave me confidence, making me feel that my choice wasn’t wrong.

That’s why I wanted to bless his future. All my hope for the future came from him, and so I wished for his future to be the same.

“Yet the memories of the past, which visited me again and again, clung to my steps. I had already experienced how cruelly fate could arrive. It might have been my carelessness, or my arrogance, but the moment when the hope of ‘maybe?’ was trampled down remained unforgettable. Even the hope that came from Harten was shattered in an instant in the face of that.

I hold Harten dear in my own way. I cherish him deeply when he tells me he wanted to return and see me again. But I also knew that I had to be cautious. I couldn’t place my last hope in him, not knowing when and in what way fate might take him from me.

“Is what you said back then still valid?”

It was a moment that always resurfaced during nights when I scribbled letters with no one to send them to. Any memory, whenever I was consumed by longing, would always bring me comfort. I had never forgotten the words, whether mine or his. However, with all those memories, I found myself unable to understand his question. I tilted my head.

“…Which one?”

Harten looked at me, smiling more brightly than ever. Unlike before, when he was merely pretending to smile, his eyes softened and curved, creating a complete, genuine smile.

“You said you wanted revenge.”

His wide smile showed no trace of negativity. His whispering voice was sweet, and the smile that still lingered on his face was beautiful.

“Is that thought still valid, Miss?”

It’s strange that a verse from the Bible came to mind at that moment. “The devil that tempts man is so beautiful.”