Chapter 9 Part 3

I knew it was sudden, and I knew I was taking up your time, yet I still couldn’t understand why he was hesitating. I wanted to snap at him, but I held back. I couldn’t tell if it was because of the alcohol or the shock from seeing Harten with Daisy that made me emotionally react, or if it was just the confusion within me.

“How did you come to know the person you’re with today?”

“…Why does Lord Cart ask that?”

He seemed momentarily surprised by my use of the title. It was a fleeting expression, almost imperceptible, but I saw it clearly as we were facing each other.

I felt a pang of irritation at his expression. It was as if he hadn’t expected me to use such a polite title, and it made me feel like he was treating the old me and the present me as if they were the same person.

“The two of you suddenly appeared as partners… To me, it’s… different…”

“……”

“Forget what I just said.”

Halo Cart, with a pained expression, looked away, focusing his gaze on his champagne glass as if he were lost in thought. It seemed like he was trying to organize his thoughts or perhaps unsure of what to say next. Watching him get lost in his own thoughts, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was wasting my time.

‘Perhaps he had come to keep me occupied at Daisy Quennie’s request,’ I thought, and suddenly, I found myself with a question I wanted to ask.

“Did Lady Daisy Quennie ask you to do this?”

“…What did you say?”

My words, direct and unfiltered, broke through Halo Cart’s previously impassive expression. It seemed as though he hadn’t even realized that his usual indifference had cracked, as he continued to meet my gaze. In the intensity of our locked eyes, I could see that his expression had shifted to one of determination.

“I asked if Lady Daisy Quennie had instructed you to find out what kind of relationship there is between His Highness the Crown Prince of Endeavor and me.”

Halo Cart, who had seemed poised to reprimand me for my impoliteness, suddenly glanced around, and then, in a lowered voice, whispered,

“Other nobles are listening. You should lower your voice…”

“Why? Is it because it’s the truth? Does playing the role of Lady Daisy Quennie’s lackey embarrass you?”

Halo Cart frowned, clearly wanting to retort. Of course, he would. Someone of his status, as ‘Lord Cart,’ couldn’t easily admit to something like that. In truth, even though he was just another fish in her aquarium, he had to appear as a prized catch to those outside the tank. That was the role they had to play.

By the standards of etiquette, my words were excessive. I wondered if I would have reacted this way if it weren’t for the Halo Cart in front of me. Looking back at the way I had always tried to stay within the boundaries of propriety, I could see that my response was overly sensitive.

But when it came to following the rules of etiquette, Halo Cart’s transgressions were no small matter. I had been the victim of an unsolicited broken engagement, and ever since, I had been the subject of gossip in the social scene. Who had compensated me for all the harm I had suffered? He, too, should turn a blind eye to this level of rudeness—unless, of course, he wanted to engage in a mud-slinging match.

“Your words are harsh, Lady.”

“Or should I call you a clover instead?”

“…!”

“Do you remember? You were once a clover at Shamrock when you participated with Lady Quennie.”

The last words caught Halo Cart completely off guard. His movements stopped abruptly, as if he had turned into a machine that had been switched off. His face stiffened, and he seemed to be processing what he had just heard, as if hoping he had misunderstood.

“That’s nonsense…”

“Don’t dismiss it as nonsense. I’m not the only one who knows about it. If you don’t believe me, should I bring that person here?”

Of course, I had to make sure that the person who knew this fact would never be present in the room. But aside from that, the information I had was good enough to stir Halo Cart up.

After all, he would never have suspected that another person who knew about it might be a clover, and even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to connect that person to Harten.

As expected, Halo Cart couldn’t hide his agitation. His face turned pale, and he fell silent. I could feel from his expression that he realized there was no way out of this situation, and that he had given in. It seemed that the last remark, laced with a bit of bravado, had been the fatal blow. Or perhaps it was because we had met face to face at Shamrock, and he simply accepted it.

“…”

An even heavier silence weighed down on my shoulders. Halo Cart’s right hand, which had been resting on the table, was now tightly gripping his glass, the tension in his hand so intense that the bones in his knuckles were visible.

“What is the reason for bringing up this story… now?”

“The one thing I’ve been wondering from the beginning is whether your questions about my relationship with the Crown Prince of Endeavor are connected to Lady Daisy Quennie.”

“I… I was just curious.”

Halo Cart hesitated for a moment before answering, and his response was weak. It didn’t clear up any of the doubts I had. With a smile, I asked him again.

“So, you’re willing to endure becoming the subject of noble gossip just because of that curiosity?”

“…”

It seemed that he had realized why I was upset, why I was angry, from my follow-up question. But it was too late. From the moment we were tied together in the middle of the ballroom, I had been in a bad mood. I could no longer bear to face that indifferent expression.

“All the effort I’ve put in over the past two years, and you’re throwing it all away in an instant. I hope we never have to face each other like this again. If you’re considerate of my feelings, you’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Once I poured out my words in a tone that wasn’t softened, I felt a bit of relief. If he were to formally protest my rudeness, it would become a matter between our families, but considering that my family had silently accepted Cart’s unilateral broken engagement request, I didn’t think they would raise an issue about this.

Would his high noble pride really get dragged into a mud-slinging fight with the Marquis family? With that thought, I felt a lot more at ease as I spoke.

I did wonder if I had said too much, but I didn’t regret it. After all, I had shattered his poker face and seen his agitation. There was still much to repay, but today, I decided to retreat for now.

In my attempt to avoid the gazes of others, I found myself walking down the hallway leading to the lounge. Most of the lounges were already full, with signs posted that the rooms were occupied by the nobles who had arrived first. I passed by the signs without much thought, debating whether I should return to look for Roxana and Lady Rowina or head toward the entrance to call for the coachman. As I turned the corner, someone suddenly grabbed my wrist.

“Lady.”

The voice, low and cautious as if worried someone else might hear, signaled its owner. I slowly turned my head to face the face I had wanted to see earlier, but now wished I didn’t have to.

“Ten.”

In the hallway, which twisted and turned, I had no idea who might be standing beyond. I responded softly to Harten’s call. He frowned slightly and gently tugged at my wrist.

“Let’s find a room; it seems you could use a break.”

His voice had returned to its usual tone as he took my hand and led me. At that moment, I debated whether to pull away from his grip and turn back or to follow his lead. Before I could make up my mind, an empty room appeared almost immediately.