IPBYWT 54

 Chapter 54

“Ah, Miss! Look over there! They’re about to cut the cake!”

Before Yeong-sik and the others could even finish speaking, Romie gently tugged at Damia’s sleeve.

“Oh, really?”

Feeling she had scared them enough, Damia turned her gaze without hesitation.

In the center of the banquet hall, the Soro family’s attendants carefully carried in a massive cake.

The three-tiered cake, decorated with red camellias, was exquisitely elaborate, like a piece of art.

Amid everyone’s cheers, Drury took the cutting knife together with Vasili.

Vasili, who had worn a constant smile throughout, didn’t take his eyes off Drury for even a single moment.

No matter the circumstances, to the public eye, they seemed like a perfectly captivated couple.

“Congratulations, Miss Drury!”

“Wishing you both a blessed future!”

Amid the chorus of exclamations, Vasili gestured to the attendant.

The Soro family’s attendant, looking extremely tense, approached holding a small box.

On the smooth blackwood surface, the emblem of the royal family was engraved in gold.

“It’s the ring given at the time of the engagement… but…”

It seemed Drury had taken out the ring she had kept safely as a gift, specifically for today.

The reason it was the Soro family’s attendant carrying the box instead of a royal attendant must have been this.

“To place this ring on your hand in front of everyone as you come of age carries a special meaning, doesn’t it?”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Expect an even more splendid ring at the formal engagement ceremony in the capital.”

Envious murmurs rippled through the guests. Even Drury’s pale cheeks flushed with color.

Finally, Vasili reached for the blackwood box the attendant held.

All eyes followed his hand. Vasili smiled faintly, enjoying the attention, and slowly lifted the lid of the box.

And then…

“Ah…!”

A short gasp escaped Drury’s lips. In an instant, her face drained of color, despair washing over her as though the world had collapsed.

“Y-Your Highness…”

Her trembling voice sounded as if she might break into tears at any moment.

“The ring… it’s gone!”

The banquet hall fell into a frozen silence.

The guests forgot even to stir, and only a chill hung in the air.

“Lock all the doors immediately and find the culprit! No one is allowed to leave!”

The marquess’s wrathful voice boomed as if waiting for this moment.

Everything felt so natural that it seemed like a perfectly staged play was unfolding before her eyes.

Even Drury’s tearful face seemed like a mask sculpted with exquisite precision.

Damia’s gaze passed over the fussing mother and daughter and landed on Vasili.

Vasili Velotea was smiling.

He didn’t look particularly surprised. If anything, he seemed indifferent to the commotion, a faint hint of boredom flashing in his golden eyes.

“Oh dear. That ring is a royal heirloom.”

“Y-Your Highness…”

Drury’s shoulders trembled violently.

The word “heirloom” drew sighs even from among the guests.

“I cherished it so much… I never took it out of the box since I received it. So why…?”

As Drury’s tears fell, Vasili lightly patted her back.

“Well, it’s okay. What in the world could be more important than my beloved fiancée?”

Vasili glanced around the room. Despite his gentle tone, his eyes were sharp and commanding.

“After all, stealing a royal heirloom isn’t simple theft—it’s an insult to the crown itself. I’m curious to see the face of this great thief soon enough.”

As he said, stealing a royal heirloom wasn’t just a petty crime—it was an offense against the empire.

Even if the thief were caught, the Soro family would hardly escape responsibility for their lax security.

If this was all just a performance, Drury herself was taking a dangerous gamble.

Surely, she wouldn’t go to such lengths just to make trouble for Damia…

‘So whatever happens, it’s better not to assume it was taken from me.’

Still, Drury’s cryptic words kept coming back to Damia’s mind.

Meanwhile, armed knights sealed off the entrances to the banquet hall.

With the declaration that every guest’s belongings would be searched, the cheerful atmosphere vanished instantly.

Everyone swallowed their complaints, only watching each other warily.

“I have something to say.”

Breaking the silence, a young noble with a freckled face raised his hand.

Damia frowned. She recognized this man from her previous life.

He seemed to be one of those who flattered Count Fabron. A bad feeling crossed her mind.

“That maid over there… she left her place alone for a moment and hurried back. Shouldn’t we search her first?”

The man’s finger pointed squarely at Romie.

Under the barrage of eyes, Romie turned pale and trembled.

“You… now that I look, I remember you.”

Drury staggered forward, her bright blue eyes gleaming with rage.

Damia instinctively stepped in front of Romie, ready to protect her.

“We will cooperate fully with the search. Please calm down, Miss Drury.”

“Step aside. Now I remember who this maid is.”

“Excuse me?”

“Romie, wasn’t it? She had a bad habit of stealing, and you insisted on keeping her, didn’t you?”

Drury’s sharp voice stirred murmurs all around.

A poor viscount’s daughter and a maid with a history of theft—suspicious eyes flew from every direction.

“There’s no need to search any further. Just seize her for questioning, and she’ll confess in no time!”

At Drury’s fierce glance, the knights roughly grabbed Romie by the arms.

“Miss, I’m innocent! You can search me if you like!”

“You’ve probably hidden it already. Don’t worry. Soon you won’t have a choice but to tell us everything.”

If she were dragged away like this, they’d undoubtedly pin a crime on her that she hadn’t committed.

“You can’t treat my maid like a criminal out of nowhere. There’s no proof!”

“A witness said she acted suspiciously! I don’t want to suspect Miss Damia unnecessarily, so step aside!”

The crowd’s stares grew sharper. Damia shielded Romie behind her.

“You told me to rest in the guest room, right? My maid was only accompanying me.”

“So you were together the whole time? Can you prove it?”

Damia’s gaze unconsciously flicked toward Vasili. Her memory of encountering him in the guest room flashed.

What if she lied about being alone with Romie and he contradicted her?

Vasili twisted the corner of his mouth. He seemed to sense Damia’s thoughts.

“…Yes, we were together the whole time.”

“Really? Just the two of you?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Vasili chuckled, and Drury’s face contorted in anger.

Damia immediately spoke without leaving a gap.

“A royal engagement ring from His Highness is an extremely precious item. Surely you would have kept it safe.”

“Why state the obvious?”

“No matter what happens here, are you implying that a mere maid could have broken into the Marquis’ security and stolen it in such a short time?”

Drury seemed to lose her words, her lips moving slightly.

She had assumed that pushing with force would frighten Damia into silence.

“Do you dare side with that lowly maid in front of me?”

But Damia’s counter only seemed to inflame Drury further.

Drury’s pale face flushed crimson in an instant, her chin trembling.

“Miss…”

Romie shook her head slightly at Damia, as if signaling to give up.

“Seize that girl immediately!”

The marquess roared in frustration, and the hesitant knights quickly overpowered Romie.

Even as they forced her to kneel, Romie didn’t resist—perhaps because of Damia.

‘If I intervene further here, it’ll backfire. Should I fall back and seek the Duke of Sarkis’ help?’

There was no one to reason with here. Damia racked her brains desperately.

Bang!

The massive doors of the banquet hall swung open with a deafening crash.

A strong scent of blood rolled in first, followed by the appearance of a man.