Chapter 5

“Miss, are you really not going to the party hosted by the Yellium Barony?”

“I told you I’m not going…”

Arisha’s maid, Lily, tilted her head as she looked at Arisha, sprawled out on the bed. It was the height of the social season, yet her young lady showed no intention of leaving her bed.

“They say the floral decorations are amazing this time! My friend who works at the Yellium Barony bragged so much about it that even I got curious. She said it puts the Imperial parties to shame.”

Normally, Arisha would have brightened and said, “Really?” but today, she didn’t even move. Instead of sparkling eyes, she curled up even more under the covers, and Lily pouted, finding it all very strange.

“You remember the new necklace you had made at the boutique, right? You said you liked it because it was so shiny and pretty. You could wear it to the party, right? Yes?”

“I said I’m not going. Just go. I need to rest.”

Even though Arisha had been holed up in her room for days, she still insisted she needed to rest, so Lily had no choice but to leave. Outside the room, Lily let out a worried little hum.

“Something really must have happened that night…”

It was all thanks to Lily that Arisha had managed to return home safely after that heated night at the masquerade ball, even though her dress had been torn.

Using the code she’d agreed upon with Arisha beforehand, Lily figured out which terrace Arisha was on, quickly changed her into a spare dress she’d brought, and put a hooded robe over her to sneak her out of the masquerade hall. Up to that point, it was just like any other social season masquerade. The problem came after.

“Maybe she can’t forget that night? And she banned any talk about His Grace the Grand Duke, too.”

Arisha had forbidden her maids from speaking about Baron. The handsome war hero from the North was a hot topic among not only the noble ladies but even the maids, but ever since the masquerade, even hearing “His Grace the Grand Duke” made Arisha flinch, and eventually, she outright banned any talk about Baron in her presence.

It was obvious to anyone that Arisha hadn’t been herself since that passionate night. Lily wondered if her young lady was acting this way because she couldn’t forget the man she’d spent that night with, but then shook her head.

“No way, our young lady wouldn’t do that.”

With a dry little laugh, Lily hurried off toward the kitchen. When Arisha was in a bad mood, snacks piled high with chocolate always seemed to help.

*** 

“Ugh…”

While Lily was heading to the kitchen, Arisha was busy messing up her own hair. Not going to social events, forbidding her maids from talking about Baron—she hadn’t heard a single thing about him. So, left in the dark, she could only let her imagination run wild.

Did he go to the ball today? Would he go to the next party? Did he bring a partner? 

All these thoughts tormented Arisha

“Why am I like this…”

Not understanding herself, Arisha let out a deep sigh. After just one night together, she couldn’t get him out of her mind. She found it ridiculous—she knew he was a Grand Duke, but he, unfamiliar with the capital’s social scene, probably didn’t even know she existed.

In other words, there was a high chance she was the only one stuck remembering that night, whining like a hungry little puppy. Maybe the Grand Duke was out there, his dazzling silver hair catching the light, stealing the hearts of other young ladies.

The ladies would swoon over the Grand Duke, the new face of the social scene, and become his devoted followers. As these thoughts spiraled, Arisha pounded her soft bed in frustration.

“Argh, so annoying!”

She buried her face in her pillow, shaking her head wildly, then let herself go limp with a little whimper.

It was just one night, a fleeting moment, yet she couldn’t forget that silver hair, or the way her own reflection flickered in his eyes behind the mask, or even the single bead of sweat on his chin. She had no idea why any of it lingered so vividly.

“Will he go to the party tonight?”

The party at the Yellium Barony was a hot topic in society. As a barony that ran a trading company, rumors were everywhere that the party venue was decorated with imported goods. So, there was a good chance the Grand Duke would attend.

“Then maybe again…”

Would something like what happened at the last masquerade happen again tonight? 

As that thought crossed her mind, Arisha let out a silent scream and covered her face.

“No… no way…”

But unfortunately, there was nothing she could do about it. Just because they’d spent a night together, she couldn’t act like they were lovers, nor could she blame him if he spent another night with someone else. It was foolish to attach meaning to things that happened all the time in the capital’s social world.

“Ugh!!”

Unable to bear her frustration, Arisha let out a loud shout—while Baron was spending his day in a way completely different from what she imagined.

“Your Grace, the Marquis’s wife is fond of jewels, especially sapphires.”

“Is that so?”

At the news that Arisha’s mother liked jewels, Baron’s face brightened noticeably. To marry a lady of society, the approval of her parents was essential. Winning them over was best done with gifts, and if that gift was jewelry, Baron was all for it.

As a war hero who’d spent his life on the battlefield, Baron had plenty of money. Besides the rewards given by the Emperor, he had inherited wealth, so buying a few sapphires was no trouble at all.

“Send someone to the boutique and get the very best. I’ll pay whatever it takes, but it must be the best.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Did you find out the Marquis’s preferences?”

“The Marquis enjoys horseback riding. He’s also passionate about collecting fine horses.”

At the news that the Marquis liked horses, Baron stroked his chin, recalling a famous steed in his mind.

“Then I’ll give him an Andalusian as a gift.”

“Andalusian… you mean the horse?”

“Yes.”

At Baron’s decisive tone, Carlton bowed his head in acceptance. The Andalusian had been brought as a gift for the Emperor, but it was still Baron’s horse. It hadn’t even been added to the gift list yet, so it shouldn’t matter.

“Should I have a few dresses made and send them as gifts? I hear ladies of society love dresses.”

“That would be a perfect gift, but you do not know Miss Arisha’s measurements, Your Grace, so it seems giving a dress as a present would not be possible.

The ‘measurements’ Carlton mentioned were for fitting clothes. Bust, waist, even thigh circumference—Baron had touched and caressed all those places himself, so there was no way he didn’t know her size, but he simply nodded in silence.

Noticing his lord’s face turning bright red, Carlton quietly poured tea into the empty cup instead of asking why.

*** 

Arisha was not the only one anxiously concerned about Baron’s whereabouts. On the night of the masquerade, Evelyn, the red-haired girl who had secretly spiked Baron’s drink with a magic potion, was also on edge, watching his every move.

The problem was that ever since the masquerade, he hadn’t shown up at any social events at all. That alone made Evelyn anxious, but what bothered her even more was that she had no idea where he had gone on the night of the masquerade.

“Just where did he go?”

With her mind in a tangle, Evelyn was biting her well-manicured nails hard enough to make a sound. Next to her, her maid was fidgeting with worry, but knowing her mistress’s temper, she only looked distressed and didn’t try to stop her.

“It was supposed to be the strongest magic potion… Hey, are you sure you bought the strongest one?!”

“O-of course, Miss! I heard it directly from the mage. There’s nothing stronger in the capital, he said.”

“Really? Then where did His Grace the Grand Duke disappear to?”

Baron Frontica, the Grand Duke of Frontica, who had led the North to victory in war. Seeing him in person, Evelyn thought he truly looked like a god from the North. Broad shoulders befitting someone who’d spent his life on the battlefield, the fair skin typical of northerners, and silver hair that made that skin shine even more.

The moment she saw him ride into the capital on horseback, full of dignity, Evelyn realized it instantly. She and many other young ladies of the capital had fallen in love with him. And from that moment, Evelyn began to feel anxious.

A Grand Duke’s status, striking looks, and the honorable title of war hero. Surely, within days, he would become the most sought-after groom in the capital. She had to snatch him up before the other fox-like young ladies made their move. That’s why she even used a magic potion, something she would never normally do—but he had vanished without a trace.