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Chapter 19
“Modest…?”
It seemed that Johannes Schultz and I had very different standards for what “modest” meant.
The banquet was the epitome of extravagance. When everyone said not to worry, it almost felt like they were teasing me.
Not long after the banquet began, noise arose outside. The garden was decorated with fresh flowers and lights, giving the atmosphere a summery evening feel.
Of course, the air was still cold.
“You’re the guest of honor, so you should make your entrance at the end. Almost all the nobles will be curious about Miss Prim,” Marilyn said, gently brushing back my hair with her fingers.
“You didn’t look well earlier. How do you feel now? A little better?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
Truthfully, I was not fine at all.
I leaned out the window to face the cold wind. Several carriages were arriving in a line, and the staff moved busily.
Joyful laughter rang out continuously.
It seemed the nobles enjoyed such banquets as part of everyday life. How leisurely.
With my slight fever and the dizzying bustle around me, my headache worsened.
When I closed the window, Marilyn spoke.
“If it’s too much, you could at least get some fresh air. If you can’t go out because it’s noisy, I can show you a quiet place.”
“Will you?”
“Yes. Since you’re not feeling well, wrap yourself in a shawl even if it’s warm.”
It was a welcome offer.
Marilyn quietly showed me a place to rest and handed me a pocket watch. She draped a shawl over my shoulders and reminded me to return by 8 o’clock.
As I left the room and walked down the corridor, I began to hear voices around a corner, chatting. It was more gossip than conversation.
Instinctively, I realized they were talking about me and hid behind a pillar.
“Where has Duke Schultz been all this time? It must have something to do with that commoner woman, right?”
The voice lowered slightly when saying “commoner.”
Another voice replied:
“Probably. They appeared together after all.”
“Maybe he was completely fooled by that shameless woman. I heard commoners even sell themselves to climb the social ladder.”
They clearly thought of commoners as some sort of street urchins.
Commoners had their own society too, and some were hardworking or even wealthy.
Anyway, the voices continued, this time higher and sharper.
“She’s a temptress. I heard that commoner woman is beautiful—it’s not impossible, I suppose.”
That’s a rumor that’s gone around incorrectly.
“Even so, I doubt he would marry her. He’s such a model nobleman, after all.”
Sadly, she was right. How could everything they said be so far from the truth?
People like that should never gamble.
“Maybe he’s changed his mind. Men can’t resist a beautiful woman,” said another oblivious lady. The atmosphere instantly grew tense, and I could feel it from behind the pillar.
“Lady Kelger has a point. But Duke Schultz wouldn’t do such a thing. He is, after all, the Duke of the Schultz family,” a voice I hadn’t heard before joined in. Calm, young-sounding, unlike the other ladies.
The ladies fell silent for a while. Soon, another voice, agreeing with the younger one, spoke:
“Yes, I think so too. Otherwise, why would he refuse the marriage arranged by the royal family?”
“I don’t think Duke Schultz would fall for a woman like that.”
“Our Lady of Hartzfeld put so much effort into that match…”
Listening to this conversation made me feel even sicker.
If I turned the corner now, I would inevitably meet them, revealing that I had overheard. It would be extremely awkward.
Well, they didn’t know me, so maybe it wouldn’t matter.
Still, it was best to avoid them. They would pressure me endlessly if I were seen.
If I couldn’t come up with a believable answer, my only option was to flee.
I turned around. I could go somewhere else.
‘Was it the right here…?’
I couldn’t clearly remember if the corridor Marilyn mentioned was on the right or left.
But usually, I had a good sense of direction.
‘Unlike the left, the right side is unlit…’
Clearly, the right led to a secluded area.
After walking for a while, I reached the corridor. The marble floor, milky with winter air, felt cold beneath me.
Sitting carefully behind a pillar, my headache eased slightly.
Just as I was about to open my eyes and check the pocket watch, I realized my sense of direction had been wrong.
Someone grabbed my wrist firmly. I was yanked upright, staring in shock at the man holding me.
Small, drooping eyes, a pointed nose. A face I didn’t know, yet somehow familiar.
He scanned me with a keen, lecherous gaze, letting it drift over my bare skin under the shawl.
He smirked.
“A spring butterfly has flown into the gentleman’s corridor. It’s winter here. Are you lost?”
“Let go. What are you doing…?”
“Or is this a honey trap? Trying to lure someone into a trap?”
He squeezed my wrist tighter.
“Hmph… I don’t recognize you. Which family’s lady are you? This corridor is off-limits to ladies. Only invited guests may enter.”
“I didn’t know. I took a wrong turn.”
It was dark, and he smelled strongly of alcohol.
Even if I screamed, no one would hear me over the noisy banquet.
It was better not to provoke him. After all, I was the one who had stepped into a forbidden space. Making a scene would only worsen things.
I quickly wiped the fear from my face.
The man muttered to himself repeatedly, flushed from alcohol.
“If a lady is frequently invited to Evanstein Castle, she would know this corridor and that it’s the gentleman’s passage.”
I looked down at my feet.
Should I just run? The heels are high, though…
Anyway, if I stood next to Johannes, this man wouldn’t even recognize me. At least, that was how it felt.
Could I take off my shoes and run…?
For now, buying time until 8 o’clock seemed the most practical. If I didn’t return, Marilyn, worried that I might ruin the banquet, would come looking for me.
“Beautiful lady, tell me only. Hmm?”
“Tell you what?”
When I calmly replied, his interest seemed to wane—but then his eyes sparkled again.
“I don’t think the royal family was invited. Could it be that this is a royal spy taking advantage of Evanstein Castle being open?”
“Of course not.”
I spoke firmly to his absurd speculation. He didn’t seem to care.
“In that case, instead of reporting you, I could play along for a while. Surely you’re not the commoner woman Duke Schultz brought?”
A sudden silence fell. When I didn’t answer, he made a strange expression.
A bad feeling shot through me. I needed to run.
“Is that so?”
“…No.”
In an instant, he grabbed my neck with his other hand and pushed me against a pillar. His grip made it hard to breathe.
I struggled, gasping, and he tilted his head.
“Judging by your expression, maybe it isn’t so?”
My breath grew shallow. His face said he wouldn’t let me go.
“What should I do? Because of you, my family’s going to have to pay a lot. The navy even investigated, and the trial looks unfavorable.”
“Wha… what?”
“I mean we’re going to be buried in debt.”
He squeezed my neck tighter. I had no idea what he was talking about.
Because of me, they had to pay? Please, don’t tell me I’m going to die here. Damn it.
Just as I was about to lose consciousness, a familiar voice echoed down the corridor.
“I didn’t think the Schultz family’s prestige had fallen this far.”
Dry as ever, yet… maybe a little angry.
