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Chapter 17
I was half afraid I might have to ask Cashy to account for her actions, but fortunately the Tower Lord laughed as if he found it amusing.
“But since you startled her instead of your lady, I’ll forgive you.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll discipline her more strictly from now on. Cashy, your hand.”
So she wouldn’t get mad and kill Cashy, I folded my maid’s finger.
“Eek, I’m sorry! I’m so sorryyy!”
“Unlike your mistress, you have an amusing reaction.”
Could it be the Tower Lord was taking an interest in Cashy?
Worried about my maid’s neck, as soon as we arrived at the central hall where the ball was being held, I turned the carriage around.
“Cash, you’ll ride the carriage back.”
“But my lady—”
“There are palace maids, don’t worry. When you return you can go with your parents.”
There were other carriages behind us, so Cashy had no room to argue and had to leave.
“Were you worried I might kill your maid?”
“Did you plan to kill her?”
“No.”
“Then you wouldn’t.”
“Hmph, such a kind mistress. They say you have a reputation for cruelty.”
I pretended not to hear the Tower Lord’s muttered remark and started walking; he trotted after me.
When we approached the hall entrance the servants looked like they recognized me, but the Tower Lord seemed completely unaware.
“That’s the Tower Lord Silla Bernstein.”
I quietly told him and he shouted quickly.
“Presenting the Viscountess LeVian and the Tower Lord!”
“Did you tell the servant that so his head would be spared? Really kind of you, Rosia.”
At the announcement of “Tower Lord” everyone’s gazes turned toward us, but the Tower Lord and I stepped into the ballroom as if we felt nothing.
“By the way, Tower Lord—”
“Call me Silla.”
“Do you know me, Tower Lord? I think this is the first time we met in the salon, yet you spoke to me as if you knew me well.”
“I saw you for the first time that day too. And call me Silla.”
“Then why are you interested in me?”
The Emperor and Empress hadn’t arrived yet, so we went to a secluded corner.
“Before I saw you I wasn’t interested, but seeing you in person sparked my curiosity. The reason is simple.”
“What… is it?”
“Most people fear death, but you don’t seem afraid. And you’re going to associate closely with someone who tried to kill you — that alone begs curiosity.”
From a distance I saw my father and mother approaching.
“Silla, I’ll introduce you to my parents.”
“Rosia, I told you to call me Silla.”
He said it sharply, his eyes flashing, but I held back, remembering Ted’s advice.
— Never give the Tower Lord what he wants at once.
I didn’t know much about the Tower Lord, so I’d better follow his lead.
“Call me. ‘Silla.’”
“Roa!”
At the last second my parents had arrived, both wide-eyed at sight of the Tower Lord.
“Oh my, just as Roa described — he’s truly handsome!”
“Did Rosia tell you I was handsome?”
“Yes. When I asked what sort of partner you were, she only said ‘handsome.’ I wondered how dashing he might be, but I didn’t expect someone so beautiful.”
“I’m pleased, Rosia. I’m glad you called me handsome.”
The Tower Lord blushed slightly, which made me wince, but he kept his composure.
“Nice to meet you, Tower Lord. I am Marquis LeVian.”
“Pleased to meet you, Marquis.”
Whatever else I can’t say, the Tower Lord was very good at pretending to be normal. He’d shown the same courtesy when he first saw me.
He seemed genuinely pleased at being called handsome and kept asking me repeatedly if he was.
“Yes, you truly have exceptional looks.”
Like Cashy and many others had said.
People around us glanced at the Tower Lord, trying to find a moment to speak to him, but he kept his eyes fixed only on our family.
Soon a servant’s loud proclamation echoed through the hall.
“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor, Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, and His Crown Prince!”
When the imperial family entered, everyone fell silent, and when the Emperor raised his hand to mark the opening of the party, the chatter started up again.
The Emperor’s gaze seemed to be searching for someone, and when it reached the Tower Lord standing next to me, it stopped.
He raised an eyebrow slightly, as if surprised at something he’d heard about me.
But that wasn’t the only surprise of the day.
“Duke, if it’s not rude, would you be my sister’s partner?” the Empress asked, pointing at the Duke of Lysianthus, and the Emperor widened his eyes in surprise. But then, as if deciding the two would match, he nodded with a smile.
“That would be fine.”
Merina’s eyes, standing by her sister, sparkled.
“Excuse me, Your Majesty.”
“…What?”
“I don’t want to be the partner of Lady Merina Eikel. So if you persist, that would be rude.”
The Duke, who always spoke his mind plainly, didn’t change a bit even in front of the Empress.
Merina looked like she was about to burst into tears and the Duke left with a cold expression. He seemed to be searching for someone as he glanced around.
“Sister!”
“Kalvin.”
Oh right, my younger brother was supposed to be here too today.
“Nice to see you, sister. Who is this?”
“She’s my partner, the Tower Lord.”
“I told you to call him Silla. When will you ever call me by my name?”
I answered with a smile, and soon Merina’s sobs were heard. To smooth things over, the Emperor cried, “Play the music!”
“Viscountess LeVian.”
Then someone called my name.
As the dance began the Tower Lord led me to the floor, so I couldn’t see who had called me, but I already knew who it was.
Rexian Lysianshus.
Someone who should never loiter around me.
I pushed that thought aside and focused on the formidable opponent before me.
“Can you dance?” he asked.
“A little? I used to live in a noble household when I was young.”
“No wonder. You seem like it.”
“Really? Why?”
“You carry yourself with perfect imperial etiquette.”
The Tower Lord looked at me with an amused gaze.
“So that’s why I couldn’t kill you.”
“I’m glad there’s something about me that piqued your interest, Tower Lord.”
“When will you ever call me by my name, Rosia?”
“Will you promise not to kill me?”
Another of Ted’s pieces of advice.
— If the Tower Lord wants something from a lady, there’s room to negotiate. If you offer a condition that the Tower Lord considers fair, he’ll accept it. For instance, if I demanded a gem mine, and he judged it appropriate, he’d readily grant it.
“Hmm, I don’t know.”
So he still wasn’t willing to guarantee my life.
“Then I’ll call you later.”
“Say another condition instead.”
“I have none.”
When he said I could dance a little as if to be modest, he led smoothly, very skillfully.
“Too bad. It would’ve thrilled me to be called by my name.”
“Then why did you try to kill me?”
“I’ll tell you if you call me by my name.”
“I won’t ask anymore.”
When I smiled, the Tower Lord snorted with a small laugh.
He had an attitude that made it seem as though a worm was squirming busily.
“Rosia tried something that could’ve threatened me, so I was going to kill her. But she behaved toward me in a way I’d never seen before, so I thought I’d observe her a little longer.”
“You’re saying I’m someone who doesn’t yield to threats?”
“Yes, but you must be reasonable. My patience is short.”
The Tower Lord’s reputation as someone who takes risks for amusement fit perfectly with Ted’s words: an ‘interest-driven person.’
And one more of Ted’s tips.
— Never act like a worm in front of the Tower Lord. He sees everyone as insects, and if you behave like one, he’ll kill you.
I might meet this man again.
I needed to heighten his curiosity as much as possible right now.
“If I test your patience and you kill me here and now — would you kill me? Rosia LeVian, the daughter of Marquis LeVian?”
