CH 89

Jeremy continued calmly.

“When I think of the Drua family, it always seems to me that there is a heavy stone hanging in the corner of my heart.”

In the end, Raymond spoke with an icy face, from which even the sneer disappeared.

“The only thing I have spared was the life of Drua. You can exist in this world, but nothing more.”

Raymond’s black eyes flashed like an animal aiming at the throat of its prey.

Due to his vivid reaction, the nobles hastily lowered their eyes.

In an instant, even the music stopped flowing.

I should have said that I invited Jeremy myself, but I didn’t have time.

If I were an Empress, I would have tried to calm Raymond’s anger without fear of the consequences, but now there would be no excuse for such a step.

The young lady will reread the Emperor, it will end badly.

I saw Jeremy bow his head in dismay.

Raymond bit his lip. Have you thought of calling the knights?

“There should be no squabbling here on a day like this. Rise your head, heir of Drua.”

I turned to Raymond with a surprised face.

Why did you suddenly change your mind?

“The music stopped because of me. Sorry for the tainted atmosphere, Lady Croft,” Raymond told me.

“It’s okay, sire.”

I looked at the musicians to start playing again. A soft waltz sounded at the hall and the faces of the nobility, who had previously tensed, also relaxed.

I turned to Jeremy.

I was afraid that he would come face to face with Raymond. I wondered if he had turned pale in this life and death situation. I gave him a worried look, but Jeremy looked fine, contrary to my fears.

Jeremy lifted his head and smiled at me as our eyes met.

The worry vanished immediately, and a strange smile crept across his face.

I looked into his eyes, throwing a hint:

You knew that you shouldn’t appear before the Emperor. And you came.

“By the way, why did Duke Drua’s successor suddenly invite Lady Sios to dance? Do you two know each other?”

Raymond’s question ended our short exchange of views.

“It’s nothing like this, Your Majesty. This is the first time I see him.”

Lisa blurted out immediately. There was no lie on her tense face.

But why did Jeremy go to Lisa?

He knew perfectly well that Lisa couldn’t accept his request.

“The fathers of our families are having business meetings more and more often, and I too, with all my heart, desired to make friends with Lady Sios.”

Jeremy spoke fluently, looking at Lisa.

“Since the heads of our houses are so close to each other, wouldn’t it be great for the heirs to also make a connection?”

Marquis Sios and Duke Drua are now on the one side?

Surprised by the unexpected combination, I stumbled to the side, and Raymond’s eyebrows raised in bewilderment and annoyance.

And Lisa’s eyes trembled as if she were shocked.

“Wait a minute… What is your father’s relationship with Marquis Sios?”

Jeremy interrupted Lisa and pulled something out of his pocket.

“This is a pocket watch he dropped during his last visit. It has the seal of the Sios family, and this business seemed very important. That is why I brought it today.”

“…”

“I wanted to hand them over to young Lady Sios.”

Jeremy added softly, as if to be kind.

An engraved seal of the Sios family.

With such solid proof in hand, Lisa could no longer deny what Jeremy said.

Whether she knew or not, their fathers had a connection.

Lisa, no longer able to put on a good face, took the pocket watch from Jeremy’s hands with a stern expression.

“What a misunderstanding… Thank you for taking care of this.”

“A misunderstanding… So how about you dance and talk with me? I want to befriend Lady Sios.”

Lisa looked at Jeremy coldly. However, Jeremy just smiled dazzlingly, as if he wasn’t worried about the threat of those eyes.

Lisa just stared at Jeremy’s provocation for a while, leaving her unanswered. After that, she still squeezed out a smile and said:

“Since the young lord saying so, there is nothing wrong with one dance.”

Raymond thought Lisa would fight to the end, but it turned out differently.

Are Jeremy and Lisa really dancing together?

I was confused by this.

Jeremy smiled maliciously as he passed me and reached for Lisa.

“It is an honor.”

Finally, the two joined hands and headed to the center of the hall.

There are many couples gathered there, dancing hand in hand.

Lisa gave a sarcastic look, but there was no more reaction.

Guided by a soft hand, Lisa turned and hugged Jeremy.

It was she who subsequently turned the situation around, while they simply danced in silence.

She looked at Jeremy and spoke with a laugh:

“You dance well for a mercenary.”

Jeremy’s hand holding Lisa’s waist flinched.

He smiled, looking at Lisa, at her feigned innocence.

“I see you know so much about my past, which was deeply hidden from people.”

Secret meetings of Marquis Sios and Duke Drua.

At first, she pretended to be hearing this for the first time, but now it became clear that Lisa knew everything.

If not, how did she know his past?

Marquis Sios has probably dug in this direction.

“I think the influence of the Sios family is really strong. It’s only been a day or so since the Marquis and I crossed paths, but I’m impressed that you already know everything about my past.”

Lisa laughed at Jeremy.

“What could we not find out with so many resources? We have your full dossier in our hands.”

“Oh, you threaten me now, how scared I am, oh.”

Jeremy whispered softly.

Contrary to his words, the amber eyes looking at her were confident.

It was like she was trying to find the beats for herself.

“Do you think I’m not capable of this?”

Jeremy’s grinning face twitched slightly.

“Of course, we must not take it to extremes. If Jeremy doesn’t come to me first, nothing bad will happen.”

“Do I look like a person thirsting for such an adventure?”

“Is not it so? You just looked like a person who seeks to complicate my life.”

“Ah. I just wanted so badly to meet Lady Sios. Otherwise, why did I sneak into the party at Croft’s house, where no one invited me?”

Jeremy leaned closer to Lisa.

And, as if whispering words of love to her, he softly said in her ear:

“Don’t you know? The Croft estate is like an enemy’s bet for me. To appear in such a place is a risk to life. So please trust me Lady Sios.”

If she wa a little more stupid, she would have believed that his words were true.

However, Lisa walked on thin ice all her life and perfectly developed her instincts.

She pushed his hand away with a displeased face.