CH 91

Aronia looked at Cersinia, who greeted her first with a puzzled face. 

The posture of Cersinia facing her was upright as if she would never bend over, and her smile went beyond arrogant and looked confident. It was as if she was told that the Grand Duke was on her back and looked down on Aronia. 

Cersinia is only a commoner who has nothing to choose from. So Aronia couldn’t comprehend the way she acts right now. There’s no way Aronia could let it go the way she trusted the Grand Duke and become arrogant. 

“I’m Aronia Blenzuan from Count Blenzuan.”

Aronia smirked, emphasizing her status as the count’s daughter, soaked in the sense of superiority. Even when she introduced herself, she looked at Cersinia, who only spoke her name without a single title, as if to ridicule her. 

“Ben, can you find May? I think we should be ready to go back.”

Cersinia deliberately asked Ben to leave his seat. It was because she thought she had to deal with Aronia. 

Aronia’s eyes complained, ‘You dare to be the Grand Duke’s fiancée?’. Her face, which looked like she had a lot to say just by looking at it, seemed like she would fight Cersinia properly if Ben wasn’t there. 

Cersinia neither wanted to avoid the fight she was walking into nor did she want to be an easy target. The moment she received this ring, she knew very well that this kind of complaint was bound to happen. 

“All right.”

Ben did not express any doubt when he saw Cersinia’s determined gaze. He was worried about leaving her alone, but it was something she wanted. 

He took her hot hand once tightly and left. But he was nervous, and as he walked, he turned his head to look at Cersinia and signal that she had to seek the momentum to run right away if anything happened. 

* * *

“I think the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet worsened because of someone.”

Aronia shot her out of rising jealousy. 

‘Didn’t she just manipulate the Grand Duke to like her?’

Jealousy soared at the attitude of the Grand Duke, who moved gently at Cersinia’s request. 

‘The Grand Duke acted as if it was difficult for him to show a smile before… But now, even before moving his steps, he held that woman’s hand tightly.’

Aronia was going crazy because she was jealous of everything. 

I was going crazy because I was jealous of everything.

“I’m glad that Your Majesty the Empress Dowager personally sent me the invitation.”

As soon as Ben disappeared from his seat, Aronia put a knife in her mouth. It was something she already expected, so Cersinia responded flexibly. 

“The Empress Dowager…?”

Aronia was perplexed. She thought Cersinia was attending as the Grand Duke’s partner, but she was invited by Empress Dowager. Aronia didn’t expect it. 

“But, what Lady just said before. It wasn’t referring to me, who came as a guest of Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, right?”

Cersinia took the invitation from the pocket inside Ben’s coat she was wearing and put it on the table. 

“…”

Aronia froze. Her blue eyes trembled as she looked at the envelope on the table. The envelope engraved with the symbol of the Empire was obviously sent by the Imperial family. 

“Lady, it’s not like you’re insulting Your Majesty the Empress Dowager.”

Cersinia smiled softly. She went through all sorts of hardships for three years. This kind of quarrel only looked cute in her eyes. 

“W-What kind of…”

Aronia, who was stuttering in surprise, was furious. 

“I know. There’s no way Lady would have insulted the Imperial family.”

* * *

Cersinia’s narrowed eyes were questioning her that much. Aronia’s face turned red from shame, and she shut her mouth immediately. 

‘Now that I see it, she can’t hide all her emotions.’

She thought Aronia only showed her feelings for liking someone openly, but Aronia couldn’t hide all of her emotions. The way she stared at her while biting her lips was a sign that she was now angry. Cersinia was in the point of regretting that she had accepted the quarrel with a lower level than she had thought for nothing. 

“I don’t know why the Grand Duke keeps you by his side.”

Aronia, glaring at Cersinia as her eyes fell out, raised her chin. She sarcastically sneered at her because she couldn’t finish her. 

Cersinia was silent. There was no emotional agitation. It was obvious words that didn’t go beyond her expectations. She knew that Aronia wasn’t happy about her because she liked Ben. Still, Cersinia didn’t know she would say it openly at the banquet. Cersinia couldn’t tell if she was being bold or foolish. 

“With my family, I can be a strong power for the Grand Duke, but what can you do for the Grand Duke?”

Aronia laughed at her, thinking that Cersinia lost her energy when she had no answer. 

“Do I have to do something for him?”

Cersinia asked her with an expression that she didn’t really understand her word’s meaning. 

If Ben wants and needs anything, she will be happy to do it. 

If it was a power, she had the intention to increase her power. 

But it was something Ben didn’t want. 

‘Even Ben wanted to give up the title of Grand Duke and live a normal life to be with me.’

But would Aronia have shown this much interest in him if he had not been a Grand Duke?

Furthermore, she’s helping him out with her family’s power, not her own. 

If there is no fence called a family, what is left of Aronia?

Cersinia somehow felt pity for Aronia. 

“Are you feeling proud of what you only receive?”

Aronia was amazed by her absurd answer. She can’t believe this woman is attached to the Grand Duke. In her mind, Cersinia is only a woman who approached the Grand Duke for his wealth. 

“Lady, how many things did you earn by yourself now?”

Cersinia smiled slowly and took a sip of wine from the glass on the table. 

“Hmph. I have so many things that I don’t have to parasitize a man like someone else.”

Aronia snorted and crossed her arms.

“Really?”

She put the glass down silently on the table and took a step toward Aronia.

“What’s left to Lady except for your family name?”

Cersinia took one step more. As if her crimson eyes strangled her, Aronia took a step back without realizing it. 

“A-Are you scaring me now?!”

Cersinia laughed at Aronia, who raised her voice. 

“Aside from Blenzuan, is there anyone who remembers the name Aronia?”

“How dare you mention my family when you’re so humble!” Aronia shouted out.  

Cersinia, who had come close to her face before she knew it, slowly bowed her back and whispered in Aronia’s ear. 

“I know. You lost to that humble person.”

“T-This!”

Aronia reached out to Cersinia as if she couldn’t stand her anger because of the insult. Her movement was too slow, so Cersinia took a leisurely step back. She thought about getting caught, but she didn’t want to be humiliated like the way she ignored her when they first met at the mansion. 

“You, you…!”

Aronia’s face suddenly heated up, perhaps ashamed of her hand gesture in the air. She was just like a ripe tomato. 

“I guess there was a bug.”

As Cersinia’s eyes were on the surrounding people, she turned around as if nothing had happened. 

“…yes, the Grand Duke should know your wicked and devious intentions.”

Grabbing the hem of her dress tightly in anger, Aronia spits out her words. 

The dance song that filled the hall ended. When Cersinia looked at the center of the hall, Verne and the Crown Prince were taking a step back and greeting each other. 

It was time to go back.

“I’m done introducing myself, right?”

Cersinia shrugged her shoulders. 

“W-What?”

“Think carefully what you would have done if he wasn’t the Grand Duke.”

If Ben hadn’t been the Grand Duke in the first place, Aronia wouldn’t have been so greedy. Just by showing off that she can add power to his family, Aronia told her that what she wants is a high seat next to him. 

“What do you know! You ruined the Grand Duke’s future. The Grand Duke would have gained more power from me if it wasn’t for you!”

Aronia’s eyes trembled as she was annoyed that she had been pushed by a woman like this and that she had been denied her feelings. 

“Don’t project your greed on him.”

Cersinia faced Aronia with a cold, hard expression on her face. 

It was Aronia’s own greed and deception to give him the power that he didn’t even want. 

‘Didn’t the former Grand Duke do the same?’

He even took people that didn’t want to go with him, detained them forcibly, brainwashed them, and made them live in someone else’s name. 

Cersinia didn’t want to hurt Ben the same way. 

“He’s not the tool to make your family’s dreams come true.”

Her fierce gaze warned Aronia. If she crosses this line, Cersinia won’t stay still. 

The nobles who had gathered in the center to dance returned to their seats one by one. More and more eyes were watching the two of them. 

Cersinia silently stared at Aronia, who was huffing and puffing. Then she saw Ben walking hastily at her with May in the distance. Perhaps Aronia also saw him, but she only stared at Cersinia silently for a long time and turned around. Cersinia thought she would get angry, but Aronia was unexpectedly quiet. 

‘Was it too much?’

She scratched her cheek as she watched Aronia’s back as she was moving away. But she didn’t want to be an easy target, so she had no regrets. 

“Did you fight with her? Is it because the Grand Duke smiled in the parlor back then?”

May, who came close to her before she knew it, whispered secretly in her ear.

“No way.”

She replied no, but it was the same that it had an impact at that time. It was true that Cersinia was a little more emotional than usual. 

“Are you okay?”

He looked carefully at Cersinia and asked with a worried face.

“Of course.”

She smiled at him holding her hand before she knew it. She didn’t know how many times an event like this would happen because of her outstanding lover, but it didn’t matter. It was a path that she chose for herself. 

Cersinia exchanged glances with Verne. Verne nodded her head slightly as if she understood the meaning to come out. Then Cersinia left the banquet hall with Ben and May. 

“It was fun, Your Highness. Goodbye.”

With her face red like a girl in love, Verne left the banquet hall after saying goodbye to Limapheus. Limapheus looked at the back of Verne, who disappeared without any time to say anything as if possessed.