“Y-yeah… sure…”

“Oh my, Valetta. That dress looks absolutely gorgeous on you.”

“Thank you, madam. It’s been a while. Have you been well?”

Valetta gave the Marchioness of Orléans a graceful smile. The compliment that her own dress suited Valetta perfectly made Irmina’s face flush with anger.

Meanwhile, the Count and Countess of Dampierre quickly joined the conversation with the Marquise.

“By the way, Countess Dampierre, have you heard? The Grand Duke Carnies is coming tonight!”

“Oh, of course. It’s been three months since his last campaign, hasn’t it?”

Irmina’s cheeks flushed at the mention of the Grand Duke Carnies.

Meanwhile, Valetta’s heart was pounding. Her throat was dry and her hands trembled slightly.

She didn’t want to hear about Leonard. Just the mention of him made her feel sick.

Quietly, she began to walk away from the group.

“Valetta, are you all right?”

The one who expressed concern was Eric Rigius, heir to the Marquisate of Rigius, whom Valetta had met several times at previous balls.

“I-I’m fine.”

Not wanting to attract any more pity, Valetta forced a smile and took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter to wet her throat.

But drinking champagne in her current state was a mistake – it only made her stomach churn even more and her head throbbing.

“You don’t look well.”

Eric Rigius watched her closely. Behind him, Irmina stared daggers in their direction. Both she and Valetta were of marriageable age, and Irmina was eager to find a suitable husband.

Eric Rigius was an excellent candidate – handsome, broad-shouldered and the sole heir to a marquisate.

“Valetta, are you all right?”

Irmina hurried over and asked in a concerned tone, her expression gentle, though she gave Eric a flirtatious smile as she spoke. Of course, if things worked out with Grand Duke Carnies, that would be ideal.

But he had royal blood and was a celebrated hero of the Empire – a man whose position was realistically far too high for Irmina to reach.

But Eric Rigius was different. He was the highest ranking man Irmina could realistically pursue, and he possessed above-average qualities in every way.

In short, Irmina had set her sights on him.

“It’s nothing.”

All she wanted was to find a quiet place away from prying eyes and rest. The thought of seeing Leonard Carnies – who had shamelessly returned after surviving alone – made her stomach churn and her hands tremble violently.

“Excuse me for a moment, Eric. And… thank you for your kindness.”

With a graceful farewell, Valetta slipped out of the ballroom as if on the run. She ran into the garden behind Rosaria’s palace.

In the quiet garden, where not even her footsteps made a sound, Valetta bent down among the bushes and swallowed.

She hadn’t eaten all day, only the champagne she’d had earlier. After emptying her stomach, she rinsed her mouth at the fountain.

The gentle stream of water reflected the orange glow of the sunset. Valetta could hear music wafting from the illuminated Rosaria Palace.

‘What shall I tell Her Majesty…’

At least she had shown her face – that would have to be enough. Sniffling, Valetta closed her tired eyes. Just hearing Leonard’s name made it impossible to control her emotions. That was how much she had loved and depended on her brother.

‘Forget it. I won’t think about it again.’

The weather was warm and mild in May, with spring in full bloom. The rain that had fallen in the morning now lingered as a fresh scent of grass, wrapping itself softly around her shoulders.

The music drifting through the air on the breeze sounded like a lullaby. As Valetta tried to sort through her tangled emotions, the creeping fatigue made her head foggy.

Just as she did, a commotion from inside the palace reached her ears.

‘What’s going on…?’

Then she heard a sharp voice in the distance.

“The dress she wore today? It was so out of fashion that I wanted to throw it away. But everyone kept saying how beautiful it was!”

“Irmina, darling. If she looked shabby and we treated her badly, people would accuse us of mistreating a helpless girl.”

“That’s not what I mean, mother! She didn’t even have proper make-up on! And yet everyone said she was the prettiest! Even Eric Rigius!”

Irmina’s tantrum came to an abrupt halt when she spotted Valetta. Realising that Valetta had overheard her jealous tirade, her face froze. Embarrassed and blushing with shame, Irmina snapped sharply.

“What are you doing here?”

“Just standing. Why, what brings you here?”

In truth, Valetta knew exactly why Irmina had left the ballroom. Whenever they attended events together, Irmina would sneak away for a moment to cool off her frustration. Despite her desire to be the centre of attention, it was always Valetta who attracted everyone’s attention.

“Valetta. I heard you charged my uncle for the carriage fare. What made you think of that?”

“Is the House of Dampierre so poor now that it can’t afford a single carriage ride?”

“This is about your attitude!”

“Then perhaps I should also ask about common decency. The condolence money and the reward granted by the Imperial Family – when exactly were you planning to return them?”

“……”

At Valetta’s pointed question, her aunt began to look away, feigning ignorance. Then Irmina interrupted abruptly.

“Leonard Carnies is here.”

“So?”

She was furious. Knowing how much Valetta hated him, Irmina still said his name so casually – it was infuriating.

Friedrich wasn’t just anybody. Even if their relationship had been strained, even if they were no better than strangers, they were still cousins.

They had even lived under the same roof for a while – how could she be so heartless?

“You knew, didn’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You knew he’d be here. That’s why you hid here, isn’t it?”

“Irmina… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Leonard Carnies! That man is cursed!”

“Cursed?”

Irmina’s shoulders trembled as she remembered the grotesque sight she had just witnessed. This strikingly handsome hero had turned into something monstrous – something horrible beyond words.

Eager to see the glorious hero up close, she had pushed through the crowd to greet him, only to witness…

“Ugh!”

Irmina gagged. Her stomach churned. Slitted pupils and skin scaled like a snake – how could that be a man’s face? It was like…

“You must be happy, huh? Wasn’t it your wish that the Grand Duke Carnies should suffer? Well, your wish came true.”

Irmina spat out her words, dripping with sarcasm, before dragging her mother back to the palace.

If he had any sense of shame, that wretched Grand Duke Carnies would be gone by now.

“……”

Without so much as a goodbye, Irmina turned sharply and disappeared. Exhausted by Irmina’s whirlwind appearance and departure, Valetta decided to return home.

***

Valetta couldn’t make sense of what Irmina had said – that Leonard was cursed. She wanted it to be true, but she didn’t believe Irmina.

Maybe it was just something malicious she had blurted out after being caught in a jealous rage.

After all, what were the chances of someone like Leonard Carnies actually being cursed?

If anything, the mere mention of him rekindled something bitter in her. A rage she knew would burn until her last breath.

‘You killed Friedrich…and yet you have the nerve to attend a ball?’

The thought made her stomach churn. Overwhelmed with emotion, Valetta made her way to the back of the palace to find her carriage.

The sound of music and laughter emanating from the ballroom, the soft glow of glittering chandeliers – it all felt unbearably distant. Friedrich should have been there. He should have been among them, sharing their joy.

Then she saw a carriage as magnificent as any used by the royal family. Decorated with ivory accents, it was…

‘Of all people…’

Why did she have to meet Leonard Carnies? The only small mercy was that he seemed to want to avoid seeing her too – he got into his carriage in a hurry, almost as if he were fleeing.

She didn’t know why, but something inside her rebelled at the sight of his retreat. Perhaps it was a desire to hurt him.

“…So now you’re going to pretend I don’t exist?”

Valetta called to his back.

Leonard paused, one foot still on the carriage step. As he turned slowly to the side, she saw it – his face was hidden behind a mask.

“A masquerade ball? Out of season, don’t you think? Or are your days so full of joy that every one feels like a celebration?”

At Valetta’s caustic remark, Leonard slowly turned to face her. Their eyes met – golden, fierce eyes that gleamed beneath his mask like those of a sharpened beast. With shaking hands, Leonard removed the mask.

“I was cursed… and this is what I’ve become. Does this finally ease your hatred?”

His skin was that of a snake, his pupils slit, his face no longer that of man or beast, but that of a monster. Leonard Carnies, twisted by a curse, gave Valetta a bitter smile.

He knew how much she hated and resented him. So he prepared himself for her contempt. He expected her to grin, her eyes to glitter, her lips to curl into that silent, mocking smile.

But…