Chapter 9

The Wheel of Fate

A wide-brimmed hat decorated with flowers and feathers fell to the floor, while brown hair, reflecting the sunlight, scattered wildly around her.

She had already lost her balance. If she fell backward like this, there was no doubt she would suffer a serious injury somewhere.

Just as she wondered whether her fourth life was going to end this meaninglessly after all the desperate struggles she had made simply to survive, she caught sight of a dark-brown silk vest through her swaying vision.

Then, a powerful force pulled her toward him.

Isabella gasped sharply, and at the same time, the arm wrapped around her waist tightened.

I should have been paying more attention…!

Her vivid crimson lips twisted in self-reproach.

While Isabella was blaming herself, the swift hand that had saved her from danger steadied her slender body.

Even then, she still hadn’t fully grasped what had happened.

“Do you need a little more time to calm down?”

A low voice settled beside her ear a moment later.

Isabella’s mind instantly cleared.

A shiver ran down her spine.

The moment she recognized the voice as one she had heard somewhere before, her heart dropped and her vision went hazy.

She abruptly lifted her head.

The man standing beneath the sunlight streaming through the glass ceiling was a face she knew.

Leonard van Grophius Kairan.

She never imagined she would come face-to-face with him this closely, seeing him in such vivid, three-dimensional reality.

When Isabella tried to straighten herself, Leonard’s hand supporting her slender waist tightened.

The unfamiliar warmth that spread through her body like wildfire, though only for an instant, sent another shiver down her spine.

“It seems you’ve avoided an accident. The contact just now was unavoidable, so I ask for your generosity, Lady Bruin.”

They were close enough for her to feel his breath.

Isabella could only hope he couldn’t hear the sound of her heart.

The strong thump, thump of her heartbeat wasn’t simply because her body was pressed tightly against Leonard’s chest.

She was embarrassed.

Humiliated.

But the situation had already happened.

All that remained was to deal with it.

Isabella took a deep breath and raised her head.

His eyes were still fixed directly on hers.

Leonard remained calm even after the accident.

His face showed no great disturbance.

Isabella took a step back from him.

How did things end up like this?

Even as she slowly replayed the events in her mind, neither Isabella nor Leonard looked away.

And even though she had stepped back, the distance between them was still as close as a man and woman dancing a minuet.

As dried fruit pulp and peel met hot water, their distinctive, fragrant aroma spread through the room, relaxing her tense body.

“Citron tea again. Is it popular throughout the Vilhoa Empire? Or do you simply keep finding places that serve citron tea?”

Leonard leisurely lifted the white porcelain teacup in his hand as he asked.

Isabella pretended not to notice the mischievous glint in his blue eyes.

“The moderately refreshing flavor is very useful in a dessert shop. It balances out the sweetness.”

“Marketing and strategy?”

“It suits a wide range of people’s tastes, and it also helps relieve headaches. So there isn’t much better to serve guests.”

“I see. Then was your visit today market research into a business in the same industry?”

Isabella wondered why he was so interested, but she obediently answered his question.

She couldn’t simply ignore the fact that he had saved her from potentially suffering a serious injury.

“Fairy Garden sells small and charming sweets, including candy, cotton candy, chocolate, and various other desserts. Marli is somewhat similar, but its main products are cakes that can be enjoyed with tea. So although they’re similar, they’re different.”

“Hmm. That’s somewhat different from what I thought, but it’s useful information. I’ll keep it in mind. In any case, thanks to you, today’s chance encounter has been rather enjoyable.”

At that moment, while the two exchanged glances as they tried to gauge each other’s thoughts, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the room.

Soon, someone hurried up the stairs and appeared.

It was Jeanne, who had gone down to the first-floor counter to order the desserts.

“Miss! Miss! If you knew what I just heard, you’d be shocked—Hic! You… you’ve already met him…”

Jeanne had apparently been rushing upstairs to warn Isabella that Leonard had appeared.

But the moment she noticed him herself, the color drained from her face.

Seeing her frozen expression, Isabella let out a small sigh.

“Jeanne. What about the order?”

“Ah, well… They sold out, so they’re making a new batch, and apparently it’ll take some time… But someone had ordered ahead of us, so they said it should only take about ten more minutes…”

Even while answering Isabella’s question, Jeanne couldn’t hide her nervousness.

She seemed to still be bothered by the commotion she had caused earlier.

“Th-then… I’ll go back downstairs for a while. I think I should help with the packaging…”

There were already employees in the shop, so Jeanne had no real reason to go downstairs herself.

But when Isabella nodded, Jeanne hurried down without even looking back.

Isabella looked at Leonard, who was leisurely enjoying the aroma of his tea.

As though he knew she was staring at him, he raised the corner of his mouth and spoke.

“It’s not my fault your maid ran away as though her life depended on it.”

“Sometimes, merely having a strong presence can make someone feel pressured.”

“The person with the strong presence you’re referring to would be me?”

At her meaningful answer, Leonard let out a light chuckle.

“Let’s say my presence intimidated your maid. Then what about the pressure that caused your headache?”

“……”

“It has only been two days, so perhaps you didn’t have much time to think. Since we’ve happened to meet, I’ll ask you. Have you decided how you intend to resolve the situation?”

Isabella’s pupils trembled.

At the same time, the corners of Leonard’s mouth lifted.

Her startled expression lasted only a moment.

Soon, she regained her composure.

Leonard’s smile deepened.

She recovered from emotional changes rather quickly.

Just like last time.

The girl from his childhood, who had expressed her feelings honestly and openly, was certainly nowhere to be seen.

At least, not on the surface…

There was something about this woman that kept drawing his attention and making him curious.

Isabella de Bruin.

“Are the preparations complete?”

“No problems, Miss.”

“What about the guests?”

“They’ve all entered as well.”

“…I see.”

Isabella took a deep breath and gathered her strength.

Before reaching the hall where her birthday party was being held, she needed to steel herself.

Fortunately, the calm voice of Butler Delis and the gentle lights cast across the neatly maintained garden outside the window helped ease her anxiety, if only a little.

“Let’s go.”

Isabella turned toward the door with an elegant movement.

Jeanne approached her side.

“Miss, as you instructed, Sir Ian is waiting outside with the knights.”

“The knights…?”

Perhaps surprised by Jeanne’s words, the nanny’s eyes widened.

Isabella slowly explained so that she could reassure her.

“If Tisha acts recklessly again, they need to stop her.”

It was a perfectly reasonable explanation.

Perhaps remembering what had happened to Anne recently, the nanny’s expression visibly relaxed.

In truth, the scope of stopping her also included Viscount Tyron.

But Isabella didn’t mention that.

He wouldn’t be able to attend her birthday celebration today anyway.

And even if he did come, he wouldn’t be able to bring Marquis Fitzroy, who had been his original purpose.

“Dilmun accepted the request. They said they’ll keep Marquis Fitzroy tied up. So don’t worry and focus on the party. Ah! And that jewel I mentioned before? I’ve also decided to get Dilmun’s help with that. They said it’s already been loaded onto a ship, so it’ll arrive in Vilhoa tomorrow.”

Thinking about the letter from Shannon that had arrived just moments ago, Isabella straightened her back.

For the past week, she had agonized over Leonard’s proposal.

In the end, she had decided not to take his hand.

Instead, she would trust the efforts she had made up until now.

In fact, until yesterday, she had intended to accept Leonard’s help.

But late last night, she received word that they had found the pink diamond known as the Fairy’s Heart, the jewel the emperor desperately wanted.

Isabella had then reversed her previous decision.

She decided to take a risk.

If I can just win the emperor over… everything after that shouldn’t be too difficult.

Isabella thought of the letter she had already written to the emperor.

It was resting safely inside the drawer of the bedside table.

Once tonight passed, it would be delivered to the emperor first thing tomorrow morning.

All she needed to do was block the candidates so that, no matter how much her uncle caused a commotion, he wouldn’t be able to proceed with the marriage.

The doors leading into the party hall opened.

Everyone’s eyes turned toward her.

At last, the moment that would determine the future had begun.

Meanwhile, at that very moment Isabella entered the hall, Count Seymour was staring intently at Leonard.

In his hand, while leaning against the desk, was the letter Isabella had sent him.