TPB 17

Chapter: 17

“There’s a rumor that Prince Ian is going to get married soon—before he’s even crowned Crown Prince.”

Suddenly, someone’s voice pierced her ear.

After confirming that no one she knew was nearby, her tension eased, and perhaps out of habit, her old reflexes kicked in. Even standing still, she could hear it—it might just be a habit her body remembered.

Instinctively, she turned toward the source of the sound and saw two ladies fanning themselves with silk fans. Without realizing it, she began to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Then surely the match must be Princess Sophia of Forsa, right?”

“She seems the most likely candidate. After all, she’s the queen’s favorite niece.”

“Prince Ian has decided to marry? Could it be that Princess Charlotte really won’t marry at all?”

“It’s been a while, Lady…”

Natalie wanted to listen a little longer, but a gentleman approached the two ladies to greet them, and their chatter abruptly ended.

She felt a pang of disappointment. Suddenly, she wondered what it would have been like if she had been invited to a ball like this three years ago. It would have been a true source of inspiration.

‘Without dancing a single step, I would have swept the room, eavesdropping on guests’ conversations and servants’ whispers. Then I could tell Emily and Christina about it…’

She continued her daydreams with wings of imagination, then suddenly froze. She realized with embarrassment that she had completely forgotten why she was here, succumbing to the habit of eavesdropping and indulging in fantasies.

‘Hopeless, Natalie.’

She wanted to retreat to a corner of her hotel immediately, but unfortunately, that was impossible.

‘When on earth will the princess appear?’

The ball had been underway for a while. The third dance was already starting, yet Princess Charlotte, the host, still hadn’t shown herself.

Natalie, intending to greet the princess and then return to the hotel, began to grow anxious.

Meanwhile, the music approached its climax. This song was about to end. Soon, gentlemen would be circulating again to request dances.

Natalie pressed herself against the wall, trying to move slowly to avoid them. But her legs froze after only a few steps. She spotted Dorothy holding a gentleman’s hand and gliding across the dance floor.

“Hmm. Handsome enough, but seems a little older…”

Despite Dorothy occasionally acting like a mad dog, Natalie’s instinctive protectiveness of her younger sister flared—no matter who she paired her with, she couldn’t help but feel protective.

Still, the two seemed to get along well, their conversation flowing even as they danced. Most importantly, Dorothy looked happy.

Across the floor, she saw her mother watching Dorothy. The usually anxious expression on her mother’s face had softened into a gentle smile.

Natalie couldn’t take her eyes off the smiles of her mother and sister, feeling her chest swell with emotion and a smile creeping onto her lips.

And so, she didn’t notice the shadow approaching her.

“Miss Dows, is that you?”

The sudden call of her name from behind sent chills down her spine.

Dows? Had she misheard? Her mind whirled.

She decided to leave immediately, pretending not to hear the voice and stepping forward without looking back.

“Miss Dows.”

But as soon as she moved, the voice grew louder and clearer. Only then did Natalie turn around in alarm.

“So it is you.”

“…Good evening, sir.”

The gentleman looked to be around the age of her father, with an exceptionally kind face. She had never seen him before, yet he acted as if he knew her, which only added to her confusion. She carefully chose her words to avoid causing a scene.

“It’s been a long time since I last visited Dwan. I’m embarrassed to admit that I don’t remember many faces. If I may…”

“It’s our first greeting. I am Lord Humperwood.”

“Oh… I see.”

She thought she might have heard the name before—it seemed to belong to a prominent family—but he was still just an unknown man. Her heart began to race. Her mind imagined the worst possibilities about why this middle-aged man had approached her. She forced herself to calm down and asked politely.

“So, Lord Humperwood, how do you know me…?”

“Ah, I see your dance request card is empty.”

Lord Humperwood interrupted her with a booming voice. Suddenly, all eyes seemed to turn toward her, and startled, Natalie shrank her shoulders.

“Do grant me the honor of being your partner for the next dance.”

‘Damn it. I’ve been caught.’

Natalie’s dance request card was not empty. Having attended dozens of balls, she had filled it out with fake names in advance to avoid dance requests.

Yet the lord seemed to have foreseen the behavior of young ladies disinterested in the ball.

Refusing a dance when you have no partner is considered impolite. The middle-aged man was experienced. Perhaps he was perfectly sober, but even if he were drunk, he clearly knew what he was doing.

The only certainty: if she resisted, she would be at a disadvantage for having falsified her dance card.

“…Yes. It would be my pleasure.”

Natalie gave in reluctantly, feeling as though she were swallowing molten iron. She could feel the curious eyes searching for gossip dissipate.

Lord Humperwood smiled, the kind look on his face twisting into something grotesque. Natalie immediately realized she had chosen the wrong target.

Of all dances, it had to be the waltz. The lord gripped her hand painfully and pressed his shoulder far too close.

“Sir, your shoulder is too close. Please give me some space.”

“Ah… is that so?”

Natalie’s stiff voice prompted an exaggerated reaction of surprise from the lord. He stepped back but squeezed her hand even harder. She clenched her teeth to suppress the instinctive revulsion.

Throughout the dance, Lord Humperwood kept speaking, his sticky gaze never leaving her. Natalie tried to focus on other thoughts, apologizing repeatedly that she couldn’t hear him clearly.

‘Ugh. I can’t even gouge his eyes out.’

But she could do nothing about that filthy gaze. Breathing became difficult. She might even faint if this continued.

Yet the real shock and horror awaited at the climax of the song, following a flamboyant turn.

“You’ve been pretending to be innocent, but surely dominance is your taste, isn’t it?”

“Sorry, it’s too noisy to… huh?”

Natalie, reciting her expected reply, froze. Her lips parted in horror.

Oh, God. Mother, what did I just hear?

The unpleasant man was quoting lines from a novel by David that had been discontinued three years ago.

“You were once a maid of Lady Maybel, weren’t you? I saw you at the charity ball and the racecourse. Not a peerless beauty, but your looks were memorable.”

The lord whispered creepily.

A maid of Christina? And he had the audacity to judge her appearance, yet Natalie had no time to care.

“At the time, I didn’t realize you were David.”

David? Now of all things, he appeared. Natalie prayed it was a dream.

“You were David, and your reappearance before me now must mean we are destined.”

What the hell is this crazy old man rambling about?

Natalie barely managed to swallow her scream. Even amidst panic, she kept dancing, determined not to attract attention.

“I also know what you desire.”

“Damn it… what do you know…?”

In panic, Natalie muttered a curse she imagined David might use. The lord’s face lit up with excitement.

“Ah… such a pure and youthful face, yet within, you are more lascivious than anyone.”

Natalie was speechless. The man seemed incapable of distinguishing reality from fiction—a full-blown delusional.

“I shall fulfill you.”

“……”

A pervert. A vomit-inducing pervert.

At that moment, the music ended.

Natalie immediately shook off the lord’s hand, stepped back, and made a curt bow before turning and hurrying off the dance floor. Her steps quickened with the thought of leaving.

“Natalie!”

‘Shut up!’

Without warning, the formal address became her name. At this rate, he might propose or marry her himself.

Having survived three social seasons, she had faced all sorts of nuisances and perverts. Yet tears threatened to fall.

‘I worried about running into someone who knew my face, but I never expected a crazy old pervert to recognize me…’

As she rushed forward, glancing back nervously, she saw he was still pursuing her. Despite being a royal ball guest, he maintained the composure to greet acquaintances as he steadily closed the distance—pure terror.

‘What do I do? Where can I go to lose him? If I attract more attention…’

She could feel many eyes on her. At this rate, everyone might realize that “David” had audaciously come to Dwan.

Gritting her teeth, she headed straight for a relatively deserted area.

Passing through the back gate to the garden, she realized with a shock that it was far too empty. Being chased by a pervert in such a place was another problem entirely.

Natalie frantically searched for a way out. Luckily, she spotted a guard patrolling the garden.

“Guard! Guard! Over here!”

This was truly a princess’s ball, she thought, rushing toward him.

“It seems someone dressed properly has sneaked in. Middle-aged man, please check.”

Thankfully, the guard took her desperate, urgent voice seriously and moved in her direction.

“Natalie!”

“Sir, this area isn’t open to just anyone. Please show your invitation.”

“This bastard! How dare you—”

‘Stop calling me by name!’

Catching her breath while squatting in a corner of the garden, she realized the scuffle sounded closer than she thought. The pervert had been following too closely.

Biting her lip, Natalie rose again, leaving the path and cutting through the bushes deeper into the garden. Exploring a dense garden alone at night was a miserable experience.

She wandered through the undergrowth for who knew how long.

Eventually, a wide-open space appeared before her eyes.