CH 21

Inside the banquet hall, people turned their attention towards the Emperor and Lady Bedos. Ian exchanged a few words with Rosetin, wearing a slightly softer expression. His gaze lingered on Rosetine for quite some time.

Beside him, Count Bedos smiled contentedly. It felt strange to watch someone who seemed to love no one else fell in love from the side.

To be exact… Should I say it hurts my heart. It was the feeling of Letenia looking at the man she loved and his lover. Funnily enough, it reminded me of my trashy ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend.

He was so in love, so happy, and the woman named Gahyeon was so pretty and adorable. As much as I hate to admit it, they looked pretty good together.

As someone who couldn’t adorn myself well and lived a mundane life without sweet and romantic dates, a simple love life felt like a luxury for me. At that time, I understood to some extent why he felt embarrassed to be seen with me and lived with that understanding.

The bigger his presence in my life, the smaller I felt. So I thought it was better that it ended like that. Since he cheated on me, I could move on without any regrets, otherwise I would have been dragged around for life.

Pushing away the unpleasant memories of my past life, I turned my attention back to Ian and Rosetin. Rosetin seemed somewhat content, not entirely disliking the private conversation that flowed naturally with the emperor.

In fact, she seemed to enjoy it. Her cheeks were slightly flushed. Like this, the love stories of the main characters were starting.

As planned, I turned to Count Bedos with a smile that looked as friendly as possible.

“Indeed, Lady Bedos, your beauty and character are truly remarkable, as expected of a member of the Bedos family. I’ve been feeling somewhat lonely lately and thought I needed someone by my side like a sister… What if Rosetin becomes my lady-in-waiting?”

Count and Countess Bedos glanced at each other in surprise. I gestured for them to answer quickly.

Rosetin would need a reason to come and go from the palace freely. Count Bedos already has his head in that direction, and it would only be a matter of time before she enters the palace.

I didn’t want to create a hostile image between the heroine and me. On the contrary, I had a genuine desire to build a suitable friendship if the opportunity arose.

“As it happens, I am in need of more attendants, and personally, I am quite fond of Rosetin. It would be nice for her to visit the palace frequently and build a friendship with both His Majesty and me.”

“…….”

“Just as you both mentioned, if Rosetine had grown up in Asha, the three of us might have had a very special connection.”

I pretended to have a magnanimous expression and tone, trying not to appear overly conscious of Ian. It was a way to convey I had no ill feelings towards Rosetin and that it was fine for them to become closer.

“If Rosetin becomes a lady-in-waiting to Her Majesty, it would be an honor for our family.”

Count Bedos, having finished judging, coldly accepted the offer. Rosetin smiled faintly and replied meekly.

“I am grateful that you see it that way, and I will do my best to serve Her Majesty to the best of my ability.”

“Rosetin, in the honor of Bedos family, you must serve the Empress very well.”

Count Bedos encouraged Rosetin with a smile that revealed his underlying satisfaction.

“Your Majesty is the object of envy and adoration for the young ladies of the Empire, and I am no different.”

Rosetine stayed by Ian’s side and continued their lively conversation. It seemed like there was a strong mutual attraction between the main characters, Rosetin seemed to have a great liking for Ian, and so is Ian for her.

My presence was completely obliterated between the two. On the surface, it was just ordinary conversation, but it created a somewhat harmonious atmosphere, reminiscent of the protagonists’ first meeting.

More and more people began to turn their attention towards us. As the atmosphere grew more relaxed, Ian politely sought my understanding.

“I hope the empress will understand me today.”

He spoke with more politeness than usual, but his expression could not have been more impassive. When I nodded slowly, he held out his hand to Rosetin to ask her to dance.

For a moment, I could feel the eyes of those around us swiftly darting back and forth between Rosetin and me. For the Emperor to ask a woman other than the Empress to dance first was clearly disrespectful of his wife, the Empress.

Today he seemed determined to thoroughly humiliate Empress Lethenia and the Bledel family in front of everyone. Sometimes pity is harder to bear than hatred.

I hated the pity in the eyes of those who looked at me, the Empress. Perhaps the real Lethenia would have thrown down the crystal goblet in front of her and walked away.

I know this because that’s exactly what I want to do right now. However, if I did, I’d be seen as a rude empress who had lost her temper and was being frivolous.

It was a familiar situation for Lethenia, but the stares of those around me as they gathered were becoming increasingly irritating. Rosetin turned her gaze to me for a moment.

Her eyes seemed to ask if it was okay. In any case, under the circumstances, I had to send her a nonchalant smile.

“His Majesty seems to have taken a liking to you, so you don’t have to worry about me.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Rosetin gingerly took Ian’s hand and the two made their way to the stage. Count and Countess Bedos’ complexions brightened even more as they realized that the Emperor left the Empress alone and was with their own daughter.

I watched in a daze as they danced together. Rosetin, who lived no differently than a commoner, danced with the most natural of movements, as if she had put in great effort.

When Ian was with me, he seemed indifferent and rigid, like a doll or a statue. However, now that he was next to the woman he loved for all the world, he looked like a romance novel hero.

The problem was what came next. Watching them, negative emotions were rising up in me, causing my heart to pound and my head to ring.

Even though this had nothing to do with my own feelings, I had reached a point of confusion about whose emotions they were. My heart sank as I realized that I would have to feel this way every time I saw them.

If I were to leave right now, everyone would think it’s because I’m jealous of the beautiful Rosetin. As I entertained the idea that this unbearable time would come to an end, I noticed Theo standing far away.

As usual, he greeted me with a friendly smile. Since when had he been there?

With all the attention on the Emperor and the young lady from the Bedos family, I felt like a nobody, standing in the background. Somehow my pride was hurt. Theo slowly approached me and extended his hand.

“May I have the honor of being the Empress’s first dance partner?”

I didn’t refuse his offer and took his hand. Holding hands with him didn’t feel bad.

He always seemed like a reliable knight protecting Lethenia. As we walked onto the stage together, the gazes of the people at the banquet hall became even more blatant.

But compared to sitting alone like a lonely statue, my mood improved significantly. Before we started dancing, Theo smiled lightly and whispered to me.

“It’s been a long time since we danced together. There are many eyes watching today, so even if you step on my foot mercilessly, I won’t show any signs of pain like I did back then.”

With his gentle consideration, my tension eased, and I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. I took his hand in mine and rested my other hand on his broad, firm shoulder.

Then his arm went around my waist, and the closeness increased, I became even more tense. He gently pulled my waist closer, narrowing the distance between us.

For a moment, the unpleasant feeling from Ian’s behavior disappeared and a new set of sensations stimulated my entire body.

I moved my feet first. I had never learned dance, but this body I possessed moved skillfully to the rhythm.

The people in the banquet hall were shocked to see the strange sight of the emperor and empress dancing with different people.

By chance, Ian and I made eye contact for a moment, but his gaze quickly shifted to Rosetin. As they spun and danced, this time I saw Rosetin’s face.

She was smiling sweetly at Ian, and at the sight of it, an emotion that had nothing to do with my true feelings rampaged through me, as if they were engulfing me.

My face was getting hotter with rising anger.

I tried to think of a pleasant thought, as I always do, but it didn’t work. I thought everything would go smoothly once the heroine appeared, but I hadn’t anticipated that controlling my emotions would be so difficult.

Lethenia’s emotions were running wild again. I stopped dancing for a moment and took a small, deep breath. Theo asked me with a worried expression.

“Are you okay?”

“I need to get out.”

Theo obediently took my hand and followed me. As we walked to the entrance, I could hear people chattering.

“Ha, what a disgrace!”

“I wonder how the country is being run. Tsk tsk.”

“Looks like the Marquis has charmed the Empress now.”

It seemed that people felt great disapproval toward the Empress dancing with a man from outside the palace. Just a while ago, they were lenient about the Emperor publicly ignoring his wife and displaying an affectionate atmosphere with the Count’s daughter.

“Poor Emperor.”

As if possessed by the voice of someone referring to the emperor, I turned my head toward Ian and Rosetin. Before I knew it, they stopped dancing and were looking at us. Ian’s gaze met mine head-on.

An overwhelming sense of hatred and resentment threatened to explode within me. Unconsciously, I paused in my steps and felt Theo’s hand tighten.

“Let’s get out of here.”

Theo’s firm voice brought me back to my senses. We walked out of the banquet hall together.