CH 53

Chapter 53

It was the afternoon of the next day.

Citrina was in the ballroom with Desian. After everyone entered, a pointed silence ensued.

Citrina knew that the mood around them had sharpened. In other words, they were the only ones laughing and talking.

“There are no people around us.”

“There isn’t.”

Desian didn’t really look bothered. His aloof attitude, as if he knew everything, worked well for him.

“When will Aaron arrive?”

“He’ll be busy now since he’s been knighted.”

“You two are close, aren’t you…?”

Recalling the contents of the book she read in her past life, she felt deeply touched.

“Yeah.”

Speaking to her, Desian smiled.

“I’m glad.”

Citrina was lost in her thoughts.

Meanwhile, the other nobles couldn’t even speak properly.

Most nobles denied the reality that Desian Pietro was in attendance at the princess’s homecoming ball. Some were side-stepping away from Citrina and Desian like crabs.

There was no hint that they were trying to figure out who Citrina was.

‘That’s because the atmosphere isn’t good.’

Citrina knew as well that the rumors about Desian were bad. And she knew that his kindness was suspicious. But that was about it.

“What bad things have you done?”

She rummaged slowly through her clutch. This clutch was also a collaboration with a leatherworker.

If business went well, she was planning to sell it to everybody, especially the commercial class. So the accessories she brought must be somewhere inside the bag.

“…bad things?”

“What? You really did something?”

At Desian’s gloomy voice, Citrina stopped digging through the clutch.

Desian was rather lucky.

Just in time, relief appeared.

” Aaron Fioran Pietro of the Pietro Duchy is entering.”

A voice in the distance called out that Lord Aaron had arrived could be heard.

And the man who drew the public’s attention, all the while wearing accessories designed by Citrina, slowly approached them.

“I’m here, Citrina!”

It was Aaron alright. He smiled brightly and waved.

When the lively and bright Aaron appeared, the atmosphere smoothly changed.

“Welcome, no, greetings, Lord Aaron.” [T.L. Note: Citrina originally uses casual language and then switches to a more formal tone.]

“You’re here.” [Aaron uses casual language]

There was a stark contrast.

Most of the nobles retreated a step further.

Still, the air was warm, friendly, and quite like a family. Was that really Duke Desian Pietro, the devil of war? It was almost like that.

She whispered very softly.

“You look great today.”

“I was in the garden looking around! Am I late?”

“No, you’re not late.”

Aaron was a perfect example of sociability for all men. So it was fairly likely her name would spread because of him.

‘… you even did things I did not ask for.’

Citrina looked closely at Aaron and laughed. Seeing as there was a bit of sweat on his forehead, he must have been in a hurry.

Going to wipe the sweat away, Citrina paused.

There were a lot of eyes on them, so she couldn’t speak informally or wipe the sweat off his forehead like normal.

Was someone reading her mind?

“Here, a handkerchief.”

It was Desian. His tone was sort of stiff. But he held out the handkerchief to Aaron quickly.

“…Oh?”

“Wipe it up, Aaron,”

“You have sweat on your brow.”

Citrina whispered. Aaron nodded slowly, eyes wide open.

And he extended both of his hands at an awfully sluggish pace.

“You have to take it properly.”

Aaron took Desian’s handkerchief at once. He wiped his forehead in a hurry.

‘They’re both cute.’

Was this brotherly affection?

Thinking of the future that took place in the original work and that would never happen, Citrina giggled.

Even inside the ballroom, the three of them were enclosed in a friendly and intimate world

-I’m here too!

Gemma whispered.

And amid the silently astonished guests, one person calmly walked towards the three.

-clack, clack-

The sound of heels moved lightly across the marble floor.

“It’s been a while, D, Duke, and…long time no see, Citrina.”

Few people could intrude into the space between Desian and Citrina.

Besides, there was only one person she knew with that cheerful tone.

“Your Highness the Princess?”

“It’s been a while.”

“I greet you, Your Highness.”

After Aaron and Desian, Citrina grinned at Princess Iana and greeted her.

“…the three of you are together, right?”

Iana was certain. The delusion in her heart was correct.

This…was love. Even if no one believed it, this was definitely love.

Princess Iana smiled unexpectedly.

“Your Highness, it’s good to see you…”

“It looks like you get along well, Citrina.”

“Yes. As I said in the garden last time, we are childhood friends.”

Iana covered her mouth with her hand as she watched Citrina. Her gaze swept by Desian, then Citrina, and then Aaron.

The blue diamond bracelet Citrina had gifted him was visible on his wrist.

“Then, it’s a love triangle…”

Citrina looked proudly at the bracelet and missed Iana’s mutterings.

Aaron shuddered with an inexplicable chill.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

Citrina asked.

A flash of enlightenment struck Iana’s mind.

Twin brothers, one woman, in a relationship, together.

She gulped. Although she was covering her face with a fan, her gums were getting dry from smiling too much.

‘Hey, what shall we do? Should I support Desian, or should it be Aaron?!’

But Princess Iana was clear-cut.

She decided to support Desian.

“Ah, it’s nothing, Citrina.”

Citrina couldn’t figure out what the princess was talking about. Desian was the only person who heard the word love triangle.

Desian laughed softly.

‘This could become interesting.’

He tucked a lock of Citrina’s hair behind her ear with a seemingly friendly face.

Her earrings glistened as a few strands of hair fell from past her ear in front of the gemstones. The small earrings were made of opals.

“Thanks.”

Citrina calmly accepted Desian’s touch.

Fortunately, everyone was staring at them, so Citrina was starting to feel that bringing Desian as a partner was a successful marketing move.

“Don’t mention it, Rina.”

Iana, who was looking at them with a wavering gaze, asked carefully.

“Rina?”

“Yes, it’s a nickname, Your Highness.”

Iana’s eyes grew so big, they couldn’t get any bigger.

This was love.

“Th, then enjoy it, alright? I’ll be rooting for you.”

“…rooting for me?”

“Yup.”

Iana went back to her seat. A handful of frozen aristocratic ladies were gathered around there. They were not the low-ranking ladies that were present at the princess’s earlier homecoming party.

‘I can feel their stares.’

Because of her friendship with the princess, her future was more secure.

From now on, things would depend on Citrina’s capability.

However…….

No matter how much she thought about it, Iana’s attitude was too much.

What exactly was it about Citrina that Iana admired so much?

“Rina, what are you thinking about?”

Desian asked Citrina, handing her a glass of wine.

“Um… I was thinking I was going to get rich?”

“That’s a great thought, Citrina!”

Aaron chimed in and raised his wine glass. Citrina also raised her glass. Their glasses clinked together.

“Then can I show off my sleeve garter now?” [T. L. Note: This sounds weird, but it phonetically says “sleeve garter” in Korean. ]

“Yeah. How are you going to show it off?”

Aaron clenched his fist and flexed his arm up. Maybe it was because he was a knight, but his bicep swelled up a lot.

Wasn’t it unfair that he had such an innocent face and such a good body?

“Like this.”

Aaron smiled bashfully.

Citrina looked around with a smile on her face. Some men were looking over with jealous faces, while women looked with elated eyes.

“Yeah. That’s a success.”

She had Desian’s sponsorship, and they frequented her shop.

With all of this, the ball could end perfectly.

But there was one surprising variable.

This variable erupted right at the end of the ball.