CH 133

His bewildered eyes wandered through the air for a moment.

Aria put her hand on Lloyd’s shoulder and followed the steps she had been working hard on. They were hugging for a while, as if it was actually part of the dance.

Lloyd danced slowly following Aria’s movements, and then skillfully took the initiative. As he began to lead the dance, Aria’s awkward movements were instantly offset.

A soft melody divided the banquet hall.

The shimmering skirt, as if sprinkled with starlight, fluttered in the air as if casting the Milky Way.

“I heard the Grand Prince fell in love at first sight and chased after her. The rumors are convincing, she is a beautiful woman.”

“I heard about it, but I didn’t know that such an appearance could exist in the world.”

“Because she’s a beauty outside of the norm, I think it makes her feel more special.”

“Not only the looks, but the atmosphere… It makes me wonder if she is human just like us.”

Aria heard some nobles muttering openly.

‘That’s better.’

She wanted to hear what they were thinking.

The banquet hall was the easiest place to get information and gossip. The nobles really liked to talk, and Aria’s ears could hear the whispers.

‘I used to acquire information in the same way in my previous life.’

Count Cortez, who knows the power of information, ordered her to do so.

‘I’m using this thanks to you.’

Aria sneered and listened to them. The nobles who could not even make a sound at the last banquet because they were terrified, were chattering now.

“Isn’t this actually the first time that Grand Princess Valentine has appeared in public?”

“Isn’t she supposed to live without ties with family or acquaintances for the rest of her life?”

“That’s right. That’s what I’ve heard too. Being locked up inside the Grand Duchy, she won’t be able to take even a single step out in her life…”

“Why is this generation different?”

Aria’s origin was shrouded in a veil, but there was no reason for it to become a major issue. It was impossible since she first appeared in the Imperial Palace.

“By the way, have you all heard of the rumor that the Grand Duchess had risen from her sickbed?”

A young woman’s voice whispered, lowering the volume even further.

“Oh, that’s not a rumor, it’s true. She didn’t attend the banquet in person, but she stayed in the Imperial Palace for a while.”

Another woman further explained. Her voice was confident, as if she was proud to know what others didn’t know. Most of them probably didn’t know about it, as only the Grand Duke and her were in an audience with the Emperor.

“Really?”

“She didn’t pass away?”

Then the ladies who had gathered around her were startled, raising their voice and making a fuss.

“Then maybe… the devil’s curse that was passed down from generation to generation has been lifted?”

“Well, the truth is something only the Valentine knows. But, I’m sure something has gone wrong.”

“Actually, the Grand Prince even received a medal the other day. He defeated the gutter rat invading the Imperial Palace, right?”

“If you think about it, it doesn’t seem like they have committed such a bad thing to be called the devil, but it’s strange.”

To their surprise, they began to question why Valentine was called the devil. It was what Aria intended.

Even so, the ladies’ reaction afterwards was not what she intended at all.

“Oh, what a shame…”

As one of the ladies muttered with sincerity, the sound of chuckling laughter spread as if they were making fun of that said lady.

“And, I see, Lady had a crush on the Grand Prince, didn’t you?”

“Oh, that’s not it! It’s just an unrequited love. He has been taken. Valentine’s bloodlines are famous for their natural beauty.”

“But what are you regretting about?”

The Lady was silent and the people around her burst into laughter once more.

“Well, where can there be many of those people?”

After a while, a woman spoke in a laughter-filled voice.

“If they had known it was going to be like this, everyone would have thought that they would just make themselves a Valentine’s sacrifice.”

‘As expected.’

Aria’s strange sense of incongruity was not an illusion.

“He has tremendous strength, wealth, status and beauty. Everyone must be eagerly waiting for the two of them to get a divorce.”

“Why would Lady Leshan do such a thing to the Grand Princess? She’s been known for having a crush on the Grand Prince since her academy days.”

Aria stumbled as her feet got caught for a moment. Startled, Lloyd pulled her back and supported her, asking.

“Are you okay?”

Was it like that? Was it because she liked Lloyd?

‘But I remember that in my past life, she always interrupted and talked malicious things about Valentine…….’

Aria naturally thought that Lady Leshan was like that because she wanted to get people’s attention.

But turns out it was something she did because she liked Lloyd.

‘…… why?’

Wasn’t Lady Leshan supposed to get angry when people gossip about the person she had a crush on? Or, at least ignore it.

It was something that was incomprehensible for Aria.

– …… You’re popular, Lloyd.

Aria looked up at her husband with squinted eyes and said so.

Lloyd, whose ears aren’t as good as hers, didn’t seem to understand why she was suddenly saying that to him.

“You still can’t concentrate, do your legs hurt?”

And no matter what the others were saying, he worried for Aria first. He had just seen her stagger and he seemed to have misunderstood her.

“Can I bring you some more comfortable shoes?”

Aria, who somehow felt troubled, nodded her head. She probably needed a moment to clear her mind.

In fact, her shoes were so high that her legs hurt.

“What’s with your lips?”

Aria’s lips, unconsciously pouting, were sticking out like a beak. Lloyd let out a small laugh seeing her with a sullen expression.

“Cute.”

And he stroked her hair lightly, then said,

“Wait a minute.”

He quickly left the banquet hall.

Aria let out a deep sigh as Lloyd’s hand touched her briefly and moved the hair that had fallen off her head.

‘Remarriage…….’

She was working hard to find the traces of the siren. To live.

But the possibility of dying without treating her body was always in her mind. Because the words ‘forever’ or ‘never’ are inapplicable in this world.

‘When I die, I should wish Lloyd happiness. Don’t let go of himself like the past life…….’

At that time, she hopes there was someone who loves him enough to entrust him completely. Someone who he can depend on, share their hearts, and be together for the rest of their lives.

‘My feeling has become so deep.’

It was when she was thinking bitterly like that.

When Lloyd was present, the Lords who didn’t even make a sound, chatted as if they were waiting as soon as he left the place.

“Hey, He’ll eat you up. Eat you.”

“Even so, does it make any sense to receive a medal from His Majesty? It must have been for the sake of his own safety, not for the Imperial Palace, that he would have killed the gutter rat.”

“Hero what hero, then can every Tom, Dick and Harry be a hero?”

“Even women’s eyes can’t see it either. His eyes and lips are like a playboy, but they’re screaming saying he’s cool.”

“Actually, wasn’t it because of the devil’s curse that made him strong? So if the curse was lifted, wouldn’t it mean that he became weaker?”

“Then I think I can win…”

Aria was dumbfounded. As Valentine began to be treated as a hero from the always villain role, some openly dissatisfied people appeared.

Aria seemed to know the reason. Since he’s a hero, he started to look blissful.

‘Really, what a mess.’

It was then.

“Grand Princess.”

As if attacked by Aria appearing at the banquet, Lady Leshan, who she had not seen, suddenly appeared in front of Aria.

With a murderous expression. As if she would swing her fist towards Aria.

“Thanks to Grand Princess, I have learned a lot in life.”

“……”

“You are young, but how intelligent and ingenious. I learned a lot.”

Lady Leshan, who opened her mouth like that, whispered into Aria’s ear so that no one could hear it.

“Perhaps it was because your body was not well. No matter where you were born from, you must have gone through a lot of hardships in the world.”

But when she finally uttered those words, Aria had no choice but to empty her complicated head in an instant.

‘This isn’t it.’

She wanted Lloyd to be happy among good people. She hoped that he would be proudly recognized in front of everyone that he was the hero who actually saved mankind. She hoped for him to get rid of the stigma of being the devil.

‘But why do I have to listen to this?’

Aria touched her forehead. They were very eager to bite him from all sides.

As long as he was praised as a hero, everything would work out. She was foolish to think that.

‘Some got jealous, some slander, some ridicule…….’

If a hero was like this, it would have been better to wear the stigma of being the devil.

“What? Suddenly, how rude…”

“Rude? Do you want to show me what’s really rude?”

It was then. Natalie appeared as the savior, and stood in front of Aria.

Aria said,

– Princess, it’s okay.

“What?”

– Leave it to me.

Aria raised her head after she had bowed for a moment and sent a message to the Princess.. It was a very calm voice, and as if it expressed her feelings, it sounded eerie.

Lady Leshan, whose face had turned white from the moment the Princess appeared, hesitated and snapped back.

“What are you going to do?”

The Princess raised her eyebrows and asked.

– If the hero is actually everyone’s fool, I have to get a new hero story.

“Ha, you?”

Aria seemed to reassure the Princess by grabbing her hand tightly and then letting it go. Then, the Princess took her hand and pulled it back.

“Do you want to get scolded? Very scolded.”

Scol, scolded…… ? Aria, who was pushed behind Natalie’s back, widened her eyes like a rabbit.

“You’re trying to take my role again. I’m the Mistress of the Imperial Palace? As Lady Leshan admitted.”

Natalie raised her hand without hesitation, exposing her gleaming fangs.

And she swung it.

The sound of her hand cleaving the air was so great that she can see why Vincent likened her to a bear.

“Kyaak!”

Lady Leshan didn’t just turn her head, but collapsed to the floor.

Aria couldn’t keep her mouth shut.

“How refreshing!”

– N, no, you don’t have to hit her…….

“Tsk, it’s because you’re so weak-minded. Actually, just by looking at it, it doesn’t suit you. You’re like a deer.”

A, a deer?

“Let’s go, little deer.”

– What?

Aria was dragged by the Princess’ hands.