The hall was bustling. Under the splendid chandelier, the melody of string instruments mixed with the sound of people laughing and chatting, creating a lively atmosphere.

Rarien stood quietly at the edge of the hall, looking around. Even with their faces covered by masks, people seemed to converse freely, as if they already knew each other.

She knew no one. She had no idea what to do.

It felt as if she had been dropped n*ked on a deserted island.

‘Don’t be nervous. You’ve practiced a lot.’

Rarien took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

As always, she prepared thoroughly. She pestered Sera with questions about how the masquerade would proceed and what variables might arise, conducting prior research.

She also remembered that if they agreed to have s*x, they would go up to the guest room prepared upstairs.

What she needed now was the courage to relax and carry it out.

Perhaps it was the tight-fitting outfit that made her feel even more tense.

Her heels ached from the high shoes. Standing on tiptoe felt like being punished.

Looking down, she saw her half-exposed cleavage. Her face flushed.

‘Maybe this outfit is too revealing.’

It was the first time she had worn something so revealing. Even though no one was watching, she felt embarrassed. Rarien tried to pull up the neckline to reduce the exposure.

“Why are you covering it? Pretty things are meant to be shown.”

Sera’s advice suddenly came to mind, and her hand stopped.

‘Right, I decided to live differently. That’s how I can get Nicholas Reinhart.’

Quickly changing her mind, Rarien returned the neckline to its original state. It was embarrassing, but with her neck exposed, she found herself constantly glancing at it.

“Good luck. Have a great time. Meanwhile, I’ll have some fun wearing your nun’s habit.”

Having dressed Rarien in a gown, Sera immediately revealed her mischievous intentions and put on the nun’s habit. She said she had something to do by sneaking into the chapel wearing it.

She didn’t explain her plan in detail, but she seemed very excited and happy. It was almost suspicious, as if her goal from the start had been to steal the nun’s habit.

Whatever she did in the nun’s habit, it didn’t have her name on it. There shouldn’t be any repercussions. As they say, the one who pays is above the creator, so whatever she did shouldn’t be a problem.

They helped each other, so they just needed to focus on their own business.

Her throat was dry, perhaps from nervousness. Rarien went to the liquor bar and, after some hesitation, took the drink that most people were getting. The bubbles rising suggested it was champagne.

Seeing her reflection in the glass, Rarien flinched. Her appearance felt unfamiliar.

‘Yeah, right now I’m someone else.’

Even she couldn’t recognize herself, so no one else would.

Rarien gulped down the champagne in one go. The feeling of the carbonation going down her throat seemed to clear her previously stifled chest.

Drinking one glass on an empty stomach made her feel pleasantly tipsy. The alcohol seemed to give her the courage she lacked.

Rarien pressed her toes down firmly and steeled her resolve.

‘Now, let’s hide behind the mask and say those perverted things I learned from books without worrying about the aftermath or feeling guilty!’

It didn’t matter how he reacted. Nicholas wouldn’t know who she was.

Even if it’s a one-time s*xual intercourse, it doesn’t matter. Anyway, with a life that’s bound to end, she had no desire to pursue a serious relationship.

If I could have s*x with Nicholas even once before I die, I would have no regrets.

“Did you hear? Lord Reinhart is attending today.”

As soon as Rarien heard Nicholas’s name, she perked up her ears. Looking towards the source of the sound, she saw young ladies engrossed in gossip while sipping champagne.

“Who said that?”

“I heard it directly from Countess Austin. She mentioned that Lord Reinhart is hiding behind a mask, so someone might end up with an unexpected stroke of luck. Apparently, there’s even a prize?”

“Oh my, a prize? Is it for seducing Lord Reinhart?”

“Yes, Countess Austin is known for being quite the gambler and mischievous. The prize must be substantial. Other young ladies are in a frenzy, determined to find Lord Reinhart.”

Spreading rumors and even putting up a prize.

It seemed like an enticing bet, as the young ladies’ eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Thanks to Countess Austin’s mischievous suggestion, Nicholas became the target of the women attending this ball.

The situation had become more difficult. Rarien’s face hardened slightly.

“But why is Lord Reinhart here? A clergyman at a masquerade? Isn’t that an odd combination?”

“Maybe he’s considering returning to his family. Honestly, he’s too valuable to be wasted in the temple, both for his family and his looks.”

Returning to his family? Remembering Sera’s words that House Reinhart hadn’t given up yet, it started to make sense.

“So, is he looking for the Grand Duchess of Reinhart here?”

“It’s not something that grand… But why else would he come to a masquerade?”

Probably to enjoy himself. The young ladies giggled as they whispered.

Even Nicholas attending with impure intentions made her heart race. It was a perfect opportunity and a very dangerous situation.

A perfect man like His Excellency could easily seduce anyone if he wanted to.

Moreover, with the party host offering a prize, everyone would be targeting Nicholas.

‘What if he takes a liking to another woman instead of me?’

As the thought crossed her mind, cold sweat began to form, and she started feeling anxious.

“This will be fun. Seducing a clergyman.”

“Right? A clergyman would be a virgin, wouldn’t he?”

“Let’s find him and try to seduce him. I attend services regularly because of His Excellency.”

“Hey, you have a fiancé, don’t you? Aren’t you sorry for him?”

“Engagements can be broken anytime. If I say I’ll become the mistress of Reinhart, my father would agree.”

It was a lighthearted tone, as if they were on a treasure hunt.

Rarien was extremely displeased. Of course, she also came with impure intentions to seduce His Excellency, but seeing others blatantly doing so was distasteful.

Even though Rarien glared with all her might, the young ladies paid no attention.

There was no time to waste.

She had to move quickly before someone else snatched away Nicholas Reinhart’s virginity.

‘Where is His Excellency?’

Finding Nicholas in a crowded place was Rarien’s specialty. She always watched him from afar, blending in with the crowd.

But today, strangely, her ‘His Excellency detector’ wasn’t picking up anything.

No matter how much she looked around, thinking she might have missed a spot, she couldn’t see him. Something was off.

‘Could he have already gone upstairs?’

After the services, he was always surrounded by young ladies and noblewomen. What if the same thing happened here as soon as he entered the hall? A bad feeling crept in.

‘No, it’s just started…’

That couldn’t be. His Excellency wasn’t an animal. They would at least have a conversation and connect before proceeding to s*x.

It was still early in the party. The atmosphere hadn’t even warmed up yet, and the dance music hadn’t started.

Rarien shook her head to dispel her uneasy thoughts. She continued to look around the hall for a long time, but Nicholas was nowhere to be found. Rarien began to grow increasingly anxious.

‘Should I go upstairs?’

If he’s not here, he must be upstairs.

With a hopeful heart, she quietly climbed the stairs. As she reached the second floor, someone suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside.

Rarien was dragged along without a chance to resist. What was happening? Her vision went blurry.

“You’re not her.”

The low voice snapped her back to reality. In front of her stood a man wearing an eagle mask, scrutinizing her closely.

“What?”

“You’re not Sera Evotte, are you?”

How did he know? Her heart dropped at the sudden direct hit.

What should she say? No, who was this man to interrogate her? The sudden turn of events tangled her thoughts like a knotted thread.

“Then why did you get off Evotte’s carriage?”

“That’s not it, I, I…”

“I saw it clearly with my own eyes. Are you planning to deny it?”

This party was only accessible to those with invitations.

What should she do? If she was an outsider, she’d be kicked out, so should she claim to be Sera Evotte?

No, that’s not it. This man was already convinced she wasn’t Sera Evotte. Would lying blatantly help? What if her identity was revealed? How would she handle it? Her head throbbed.

“What’s your reason for impersonating Sera Evotte?”

“Why are you suddenly asking that?”

“Because she’s my fiancée.”

Fiancée?

If he was Sera Evotte’s fiancé, could he be… the Duke of Cervantes?

The Duke of Cervantes interfering was unexpected. She hadn’t prepared for this possibility.

Rarien recalled what she had heard from Sera over drinks.

Sera had lamented that her fiancé, the Duke of Cervantes, wasn’t interested in her and kept demanding a breakup.

But seeing him in person, he seemed quite different from what Sera had described. His blue eyes, staring at her, were so intense they seemed murderous. For someone supposedly indifferent to Sera Evotte, his tone was too agitated.

“You can’t answer, can you?”

While she was lost in thought, the Duke of Cervantes sneered, twisting his lips.

“It must be because you’re guilty.”

“……”

“Should I just take this off to confirm? If you’re not Sera Evotte, I can hand you over to the guards.”

Oh no. He reached out to remove Rarien’s mask.

She needed to shake him off and run, but her wrist was still held, and her body was frozen, unable to move.

What to do? This was a complete disaster.

Rarien squeezed her eyes shut.

“Duke Cervantes, what are you doing?”

At that moment, a familiar voice was heard. At the precise mention of his title, the Duke of Cervantes’s hand, which was about to remove the mask, halted in mid-air.