🔊 TTS Settings
[CHAPTER 109]
The Lord of the Magic Tower was entering.
Taller than most, he slowly scanned the hall from his elevated gaze.
For a moment, it seemed his ash-colored eyes met mine, but Vincent briefly blocked my view. Whether intentional or not, I couldn’t tell.
As the Ascard Count continued surveying the hall, nobles supporting him began to gather around.
“Count, why are you attending the entire ball?”
“And what about the Lord of the Magic Tower…?”
Naturally, nobles supporting the Crown Prince began to drift toward Vincent as well.
Some of them gave me disapproving glances. I realized why.
‘Because I am the Lady of Wentworth.’
And since the Duke of Wentworth clearly sided with the noble faction and the Lord of the Magic Tower, those unaware of the details would understandably feel uneasy.
“Your Highness, I will go somewhere else.”
“It’s fine, you may stay.”
“No, it’ll just be boring conversation anyway.”
Vincent gave an awkward look and gestured toward a chair on the elevated platform.
“Then stay over there. I’ll be there shortly.”
“Understood.”
I gradually slipped away from the growing crowd and headed toward the place Vincent indicated, but hesitated.
On the platform were single-seater sofas with golden trim, separated by a tea table. Clearly, these were seats for royalty.
‘Sitting here alone might make for some interesting gossip.’
I whispered to Sylvia behind me.
“You can go now.”
“Yes, Lady. Thank you.”
“Be careful.”
After Sylvia quietly disappeared, I gave up the platform and headed to the table with food and drinks.
The Lord of the Magic Tower was already in the hall, and there was no immediate need to engage him.
Approaching the table, the attendant bowed politely.
“Please tell me your preferred drink.”
The long table was covered in white lace, with golden candlesticks lined along it, interspersed with decanters of colorful drinks. From deep purple wine to amber whiskey, rose-colored sangria, golden apple juice, crimson pomegranate juice, and light green lime drinks, each shimmered under the lights.
After some thought, I chose the pomegranate drink.
“I’ll have this one.”
The attendant poured it into a glass, which I took and turned, only to hear a familiar voice approaching.
“A dress fitting for the harvest festival, truly.”
It was the voice I had heard before entering the hall. I slowly turned to see Sara Holt.
Sara Holt, in a violet dress, looked at me with a flawless smile and composed eyes—the typical socialite expression.
I matched her expression with a slight smile.
“Lady Holt, your dress is beautiful as well.”
A hint of surprise flickered across Sara Holt’s face. Understandably so; Amelia consistently ignored or got flustered by Sara Holt.
But Sara Holt quickly composed herself.
“I heard rumors that the Lady of Wentworth has changed, and it seems they were true. Maybe not all rumors should be ignored.”
Behind Sara Holt were three familiar faces: Lady Countess Polier, Lady Viscountess Tillen, and Lady Baroness Brown—the same trio I had seen at the Royce family dinner party. They always seemed to be together.
Unlike Sara Holt, who looked at me confidently, these three avoided my gaze. They must have heard about the night I was in danger at the Royce house.
I greeted them anyway.
“Hello.”
Lady Polier nodded and responded hesitantly.
“Ah, hello. Lady of Wentworth.”
Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Sara Holt glanced between me and Lady Polier, then returned to her main point.
“By the way, why are you here, Lady of Wentworth?”
I looked at her questioningly. She smiled faintly and gestured toward the terrace where the Lord of the Magic Tower stood.
“This seems to be your place. And it seems the Duchess is there as well.”
‘Ah.’ I had been deliberately avoiding that direction, but Sara Holt pointed it out, forcing me to glance over. Not only the Duchess of Wentworth, but also Aiden was there.
Noticing them, Sara Holt faded from my focus. I tried to move subtly, but Aiden approached with heavy footsteps.
“Amelia! If you’re coming, come greet me properly!”
Seeing the ladies with me, his tone shifted.
“Ah, hmm. You were chatting with the lovely ladies, weren’t you?”
Aiden suddenly buttoned his open suit and straightened his attire.
“Greetings. As for me, I am Aiden Wentworth, heir of the Wentworth family—one of the three ducal families in the empire…”
“Excuse me.”
Sara Holt avoided Aiden’s gaze and gradually left with the other ladies.
‘Hmm… even in a quarrel, it’s clearer who I dislike more—her or Aiden.’
But there was no time to ponder; Aiden glared at me as if I were responsible for his embarrassment.
“How badly must you have treated those ladies to deserve this?”
“Not really—”
“Brother, you do have a fiancée, you know.”
“Ah, enough! Stop standing there! Follow me! Don’t you know where you belong?”
Aiden grabbed my wrist and led me toward the opposite terrace, where nobles of the noble faction had gathered. At the center was the Lord of the Magic Tower, and the atmosphere was tense.
They were likely hesitant to speak directly to him. Normally, the Duke of Wentworth would handle the nobles and the conversation with the Lord of the Magic Tower, but with him absent, the situation was awkward.
Unwittingly, I found myself in this uncomfortable setting.
Eric had not yet debuted and could not attend the night ball.
Even as a noble of the noble faction, I was not welcomed. Amelia’s original reputation was poor, and as the fiancée of the Crown Prince, who had long admired the heir, my presence made them uneasy.
‘No place seems available.’
Seeing this firsthand was more bitter and awkward than I expected. Still, it was manageable.
‘I hope Sylvia is handling things well.’
Just then, I flinched at a gaze directed at me. The Lord of the Magic Tower, Count Ascard, was smiling at me. He seemed to be excusing himself to a noble speaking to him.
‘Ah.’
In the next moment, he took a step forward. Surely, he was coming toward me.
‘How do I avoid him? Run? No, that would be too strange. If I need to confront him, I have to face him. But what if I say something odd…’
On the surface, I pretended to look elsewhere, but inside I was in turmoil.
Step by step, step by step, step by step.
Even without looking, I could tell. The Lord of the Magic Tower was approaching. Aiden was busy pestering a noble lady, and the Duchess completely ignored me.
Vincent was surrounded by far more people than the Lord of the Magic Tower. I resigned myself—there was no one to help me. At that moment, the hall was filled with the voice of the steward.
“His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, and Her Imperial Highness the Empress Dowager are entering!”
