TVWD 74

Chapter 74

From the open doors of the hall spilled the sparkle cast by chandeliers, the lively chatter of people, and the cheerful clinking of glasses.

But in the lobby, there were only a few of my family’s maids and servants, and Lexian and me.

Since all the guests had arrived, the maids who had been guarding the lobby dispersed, and the servants had moved to other tasks.

The hall could only be seen by turning an L-shaped corner from the entrance, so no one inside could see us.

“Thank you for inviting me, Roa.”

“It’s my honor to welcome someone as distinguished as the Duke of Risianshus.”

I called him “Duke Risianshus” to remind him that we were in a formal setting, and Lexian’s expression darkened.

He bowed his head and whispered in my ear.

“Is your partner here?”

“Unfortunately, Sir Sila couldn’t attend today. But he sent a wonderful gift instead.”

“It’s fortunate that man didn’t come. Let’s talk for a moment. It doesn’t have to be now.”

“If it’s about training, then later.”

I intentionally laughed it off lightly, but Lexian was deadly serious.

“Do not meet the Tower Master for a while, Roa.”

“My relationship with Sila is none of your concern, Lexian.”

“Roa, do you truly love the Tower Master?”

In the deep sapphire eyes, I saw myself pursing my lips.

Whenever you ask me these kinds of questions, it feels like you already know everything.

That I love you, that you once loved me too, and that you still do.

“You know you just crossed a line, right?”

But reality is cruel.

I barely had time to be happy that things had deviated from the original story before Merina got another chance to surge ahead.

“So if I say no, what then? Are you going to threaten to tell my father what I did?”

I made my voice as cold as possible and drove a spear into him.

“If you want to tell Father what I did, then go ahead. Better to be locked up at home forever than be controlled by you over it.”

“I…”

Lexian’s face twisted; he couldn’t speak right away. After moving his lips silently for a while, he took a few deep breaths.

“I wasn’t trying to torment you. I just thought… maybe the Tower Master has something on you, and I wanted to help.”

“Something on me?”

“You hate rude people. Yet that man—marriage? Romance? You thought I’d believe that?”

In those deep blue eyes looking at me—concern… and deep affection.

Standing before Lexian always sent my heart plummeting wildly.

The thing I feared had come to pass.

Lexian has realized his feelings.

“Sir Sila is a polite person. He doesn’t deserve to be insulted by you.”

“I’m not deaf, Roa. I know what he did to you at the salon.”

“First impressions don’t dictate everything. Just because our first meeting was like that—”

“Do you think I don’t know the Tower Master isn’t unrelated to the mage who appeared at the imperial hunting grounds?”

My breath caught.

I thought he had only realized his feelings for me and was recklessly pushing forward—but he understood far more.

“You came out of that illegal gambling den connected to the mage who tried to kill you.”

My mouth went dry.

Lexian leaned in again and whispered in my ear.

“Blue Bird.”

My body froze. Until now, Lexian had never figured out the name of the organization—Blue Bird.

Despite the seriousness of the moment, the gentle sunlight-like scent brushing my nose made tears threaten to fall.

“Will you still say I crossed a line?”

Straightening up slowly, Lexian looked directly into my eyes, and in his gaze was the version of me on the verge of tears.

“Rosia?”

A middle-aged woman’s voice shattered the suffocating tension. My mother.

“You two were gone so long that I came to check. Lexian, you’re here as well?”

“Yes, my lady. It’s been a while.”

Composing himself perfectly, Lexian approached my mother as if nothing had happened. He made a gesture of kissing the back of her hand and smiled.

“It seems Roa is doing well in her training, so I ended up asking her about the details. Time ran away from us.”

“Oh my, I see.”

My mother covered her mouth and laughed lightly.

“My lady, may I have the honor of escorting you?”

“I would love to accept, but today’s star is Rosia, not me.”

At her polite refusal, Lexian shrugged as if he had no choice and extended his hand to me. I lightly placed my gloved hand atop his.

As we entered, people quieted, and we walked toward the front of the hall.

“Thank you for attending the ball at the Levian estate. Though the social season has already ended, I am delighted to host this gathering. Please enjoy yourselves.”

The orchestra began tuning their instruments, and Lexian blended into the crowd as if he had never urgently pulled me aside moments ago.

“Oh, Lex! Fancy seeing you at a party.”

“I am not pleased to see you, Taylor.”

“How cold! I am always waiting for you, Lexian Risianshus!”

Marquis Taylor Nova dramatically clutched his chest as if wounded, earning laughter from those nearby.

“Lady Rosia, I didn’t get to greet you earlier.”

“Lady Levian, is that painting of a goddess a Bottirelli?”

“Milady, may I have the honor of leading you in a dance?”

People crowded around, pulling attention away from Lexian.

Calvin, who I thought was with his friends, came rushing over as soon as the orchestra began playing, glaring fiercely at the gentlemen around me.

“Sister, may I have this dance?”

“An honor, to be asked by such a fine knight.”

I would scold him later about glaring at people in such a place—hardly polite behavior—but not now.

It had been so long since I danced with my brother, and it felt nostalgic and pleasant.

“I hate the Tower Master, but I also hate all those other idiots hovering around you.”

“Heavens, Cal. Knights do curse, but watch your tongue here. And why do you dislike Sir Sila so much?”

“I just do.”

His ears reddened as he sulked like a child.

“If I knew the Commander would escort you, I would’ve stayed by your side from the start.”

“Why are you upset with Lexian? He’s your respected Commander.”

“Respecting his sword skills and liking him are two different things. Sister, from now on, only be partners with me.”

“That’s impossible, Cal. I have Sir Sila.”

Calvin pouted, then muttered something under his breath.

“Guess I’ll just kill him…”

“What was that, Cal?”

“Hmm? Nothing.”

For the rest of the ball, Calvin hovered like a guard dog, warding off any man who approached. Even his friends weren’t spared.

Lexian never even asked me to dance. As if he knew nothing. As if he cared about nothing.

That unfamiliar behavior only worsened my anxiety.

Lexian, just what do you know—and how much?

“Haa…”

“Kyuu?”

At my sigh, Lys, who had been about to leave the room, came back.

Now about the size of a small dog, Lys was allowed to roam anywhere in the Levian estate. Strong enough now, it could even open closed doors.

“Kyuu?”

Climbing onto my desk, maneuvering deftly between ink bottle, pen, and documents, the silver fox sat before me and rubbed its damp nose against mine.

“Haha, that tickles, Lys.”

Only when I laughed did Lys pull away, meeting my eyes—asking if I had worries.

“You know, Lys… I want to ask him. What exactly he knows, and how much.”

But I can’t. If I ask, it will only confirm his suspicions.

“So much has changed that I feel lost. Am I making the right choices?”

A sudden urge rose within me—to just quit everything. No matter what I do, isn’t my end already set?

Evil villainess Rosia, who torments kind Merina, dying horribly over and over, trapped in the same time loop forever.

— So do not waver. Do not give up. You are on the right path.

A soft voice resurfaced suddenly—words I didn’t know when I had heard, nor whose they were. Yet they brought inexplicable calm to my heart.

“Right. Nothing changes just by worrying.”

As I scratched his cheeks, Lys purred and flopped over.

“Then let’s move on to the next task.”

“Kyuu!”