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~Chapter 42~
“…You.”
Dane’s voice was low. Ian grinned slyly and pointed toward the balcony.
“If you’re curious, how about talking over there? A private chat with the Grand Duke’s heir—my hands are shaking!”
Without even glancing at Amelia, Dane walked to the balcony with Ian.
Amelia’s face turned bright red as she watched them leave.
‘He didn’t even look at me?’
Around the hall, noble ladies hiding behind their fans began to whisper and laugh.
“She always called herself the flower of the capital, but she couldn’t even catch his eye.”
“Ha, even if she’s the Empress Dowager’s envoy, she’s still the daughter of a mistress. No matter how pretty, she’s just a rose without roots.”
But Amelia turned to the crowd with a dazzling smile—so beautiful even the ones who mocked her went silent.
She took a wine glass from her maid, took a sip, and then spilled the rest right onto the dress of the noblewoman who had been mocking her.
“Kyaa!”
As the woman screamed, Amelia put down her glass, pretending to be surprised.
“Oh my, my hand slipped. The Empress Dowager always says, ‘One careless mistake can destroy an entire family.’”
“W-what?”
She lowered her voice and whispered,
“Lady Irene, I heard you have a pile of secret debt papers in your wardrobe.”
The countess’s face went pale.
“You even pawned your jewels to pay off your gambling debts… If the Empress Dowager finds out, your family’s finished.”
“P-please, anything but that…”
“Watch your tongue from now on. If you want to keep it.”
Amelia then turned and, with elegant grace, offered her hand to another young noble.
“Lord Churello, will you dance with me?”
With her long eyelashes and sparkling eyes, she smiled. The young man blushed as he took her hand.
“It’s an honor, Lady Hayden!”
As the waltz began, Amelia danced beautifully in the middle of the hall.
“How lovely!”
“She really is the flower of the capital!”
Just like that, the mood in the hall changed, and everyone was praising her.
Still smiling, Amelia signaled to her attendant, Lux, who stood near a column.
‘Find out exactly what they’re talking about.’
Lux, with green hair, nodded and silently moved toward the balcony where Dane and Ian had gone.
Inside the balcony Ian led them to, Dane narrowed his eyes—someone else was already there.
“Actually, he knows more about it than I do.”
Ian laughed and introduced a boy in servant’s clothes, with black hair and a serious look.
The boy bowed.
“Nice to meet you, Your Highness. My name is Drake Everitt.”
“Everitt?”
Dane’s eyes sharpened, as if checking if Drake was the kidnapper.
“Yes, Your Highness. I’m the heir of the Everitt family. Of course, I haven’t kidnapped Lady Mowin or her sister…”
Drake pulled a small item from his pocket—a piece of blue ribbon.
‘That’s…?’
Dane remembered seeing Nina wearing a blue ribbon in her hair the morning he and Camilla said goodbye.
“I have a clue about their whereabouts.”
Dane’s eyes turned cold.
“How?”
“I’ve been hiding my identity and working as a servant for House Mowin, our enemy.”
Ian slapped Drake on the back.
“What an honest friend!”
But Drake just kept talking.
“This kidnapping was a plan by Lady Mowin to frame my family and destroy us.”
“She used her own daughters as bait to ruin her enemies?”
Dane’s fist tightened.
“Maybe even Baron Mowin doesn’t know what’s really going on. If you go to the place I tell you, please save the two ladies and clear my family’s name.”
“Is that all you want?”
Drake hesitated, then quietly said,
“Please, bring Nina… I mean, both ladies back safely.”
Dane nodded, noticing Drake slipped and said Nina’s name.
‘So that’s how it is.’
“Alright. I accept your deal.”
“Please, Your Highness! I know where they are! The Everitt family—!”
“Father.”
Dane walked up to the Grand Duke, who was sitting at the main table, talking with Baron Mowin.
“Ah, Dane. Are you enjoying your party? Making lots of friends?”
“I’d like to start the search now.”
“…What?”
“I don’t see any point in staying at this party any longer.”
“I haven’t given you permission to lead the knights yet.”
Dane turned to Baron Mowin.
“Sir.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I’d like to temporarily lead your knights. What do you say?”
“…Excuse me?”
The baron was shocked—Dane was basically taking control of his knights.
The baron’s mustache twitched.
‘This boy dares…’
“With all respect, Your Highness, I can’t just hand over my knights to you…”
“Is it because I’m not related to your family and have no right to command them?”
“That’s… basically it.”
Dane strode across the hall and stood in front of Amelia.
“Oh, Your Highness?”
She fluttered her pretty eyelashes.
“Lady Amelia, will you come over here for a moment?”
“…!”
Amelia smiled brightly and nodded.
“Of course, Your Highness.”
‘My charm worked!’
She was full of hope, remembering the Empress Dowager’s order. But where they went seemed odd.
“Lady Amelia is the Empress Dowager’s envoy, so she’s a valuable witness.”
‘What?’
Amelia looked at Dane in surprise, but he still didn’t glance her way as he declared,
“I, Dane Valerian Escalus, want to propose marriage to your daughter.”
The whole hall gasped.
The Grand Duke shouted in shock.
“Dane!”
Baron Mowin’s eyes flashed, and he smiled like a wolf.
“You… mean that?”
“Everyone here, including Lady Amelia, will witness this proposal. If I become your son-in-law, I can borrow your knights, can’t I?”
“Ha! Of course. It’s an honor!”
Amelia’s trembling eyes turned to Dane.
But he didn’t look back and quickly left the hall with the baron.
After that, everything happened fast. Dane led the Mowin knights to the place Drake told him about.
When they saw smoke rising, they realized there was a fire.
‘There it is.’
Dane told half the search party to bring water from the canal to fight the fire, then led the rescue team himself.
Hearing Nina’s screams through the vent, they were able to rescue everyone in time.
“So, you’re saying I’m your fiancée now.”
“…Are you joking?!”
As Dane laughed, Camilla felt dizzy.
‘This is crazy.’
Riding the horse, Dane’s story sounded unbelievable.
‘And Lady Amelia, who was brought as a witness…’
She was just as much a villain as the original Camilla, making Nina’s life harder.
Unlike Camilla, Amelia never got her hands dirty—she used others and plotted in the shadows.
Now Dane had really stirred up a hornet’s nest. But as he rode cheerfully, he asked,
“What, you don’t want to marry me?”
“That’s…!”
Camilla bit her lip.
‘I don’t hate it.’
That was the biggest problem of all.
