HRNGDS 49

~Chapter 49~

People chatted, completely unaware of how furious Evelyn was inside.

“Anyway, Lady Evelyn will be the one to receive the blessing, won’t she?”

“Of course. The High Priest only listens to Hadin.”

“Poor Delphina. It’s her engagement day, but even as the wife of a high-ranking noble, she won’t get the blessing.”

Then someone gasped.

“Huh…?”

“Who are they?”

“Th-that’s Delphina!”

All eyes turned to the entrance.

Most nobles had already arrived. The only ones left were the Northern Duke’s group.

“They’re arriving even later than the royals!”

“Are they… could they be the Northern Duke’s people? No way… Are you saying the Duke looks like that?”

“He’s… too handsome!”

That was the end of the chatter. Just like Delphina when she had first seen Elcayan, no one could find the words to describe his face.

Everyone blinked in a daze.

Evelyn had expected this reaction. Women blushed; even the men looked impressed.

People’s reaction to beauty was the same in any era.

‘It’s fine. If Elcayan gets all the attention, Delphina will fade into the background.’

Compared to Elcayan, Delphina’s presence would surely be insignificant.

She could tolerate that.

But then the gazes focused on Elcayan shifted… to the woman standing beside him.

“Who is that?”

“That dress… how much did it cost?”

Even while standing next to Elcayan, Delphina’s presence didn’t falter at all.

In fact, she seemed to match him perfectly.

Her soft pink hair and the blend of white and pale pink in her dress harmonized beautifully. The backless design was striking despite the lack of ornate patterns.

The simple satin material highlighted Delphina’s pure and elegant aura.

Evelyn clenched her teeth as she looked at her.

But the most shocked person was Kassen.

He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.

His eyes were locked on Delphina and Elcayan’s hands.

They were holding hands like a couple truly in love.

Delphina was smiling at Elcayan with a radiant expression.

That smile shocked everyone.

“She can smile… like that? So brightly… so beautifully?”

Kassen thought suddenly,

‘Why did I ever betray Delphina?’

He bit his lower lip hard.

‘Because…’

Because he hadn’t valued her.

Over time, as he watched Evelyn treat Delphina with disdain, he too had started to see her as insignificant.

‘To survive in society, you either need strong support like Duke Rikaion… or be powerful yourself.’

Delphina had neither.

So who would blame him for betraying her?

When he had left her for Evelyn, he promised himself he wouldn’t regret it.

But now… things had changed.

‘The Delphina who had no backing now has the strongest ally of all.’

Kalik Arknay, the strongest knight.

‘If I’d known this would happen…’

He would never have left her.

If he hadn’t, the radiant Delphina now would have been standing next to him.

Hot rage bubbled inside him like molten lava.

He was angry at Elcayan.

‘Delphina was mine. She was mine… but now she’s been stolen by him.’

Delphina could feel everyone’s eyes on her.

She and Elcayan were the center of attention at the banquet.

Everyone held their breath as they watched them.

‘This is the first time I’ve ever been looked at like this.’

Elcayan extended his hand to her, and Delphina took it.

“Everyone’s staring at you, Delphina.”

Delphina blinked in surprise.

“Me? Not you, Elcayan?”

“No. Look over there—Prince Johannes and Marquis Huat’s gaze is especially intense.”

She followed his eyes.

Sure enough, Johannes was looking at her with a deep, warm gaze.

‘It’s been a long time since I saw the First Prince…’

Their eyes met, and Johannes smiled softly.

Delphina quickly looked away.

The empress—Johannes’ mother—had died in the Rikaion carriage accident.

‘I just… can’t bring myself to look at him.’

Back then, before regaining her memories, she believed talking to the royal family would make her abandoned by her family.

The Duke of Rikaion had always told her to stay away from them.

‘He’d get especially angry whenever a letter from Johannes came.’

So she had deliberately avoided Johannes.

She turned her head away again, only to meet the sharp, suspicious gaze of the Second Prince, Piaget.

Elcayan led her toward the center of the banquet hall.

The emperor spoke in a timid voice.

“Elcayan, Delphina…”

They stepped forward together.

Elcayan whispered a warning.

“This might be tiring for you.”

“Huh?”

Then the emperor began to speak.

“Congratulations on your engagement… May you live without quarrels and stay close until your marriage…”

And he kept speaking.

For a very, very long time.

“Delphina, are you okay?”

Elcayan’s voice brought her back to reality.

“H-huh.”

The emperor’s speech had been so long it felt like one of those boring school principal speeches from her past life.

She looked around and realized she wasn’t the only one zoning out.

“The emperor’s speeches are painfully long,” Elcayan muttered.

“At least it’s finally over.”

He supported her as the music for the first dance began.

Elcayan, a masterful actor, looked at her with loving eyes as he held her hand and led her.

Some of the noblewomen squealed.

“Oh my god, I didn’t know the Duke was this handsome!”

“He’s unbelievably good-looking.”

“And Delphina… she’s actually beautiful. Even next to someone like the Duke, her beauty doesn’t fade.”

“She was always pretty back at the academy too. Evelyn…”

“Shh, be quiet.”

Elcayan leaned close to Delphina’s ear and whispered,

“Delphina, how do you feel?”

“Wh-what?”

She looked at him, startled.

Whenever his face was that close, her heart raced uncontrollably.

‘I don’t think Elcayan even realizes how dangerous his face is…’

Her cheeks flushed, and she fanned herself lightly.

He wasn’t wrong, though.

The stares from all around felt so hot they could burn holes in her.

‘Kassen, Evelyn, and the noble faction’s crowd are watching us the most intensely.’

Delphina whispered back in Elcayan’s ear,

“People really are staring at us.”

“And Marquis Huat’s heir definitely sees me as his enemy now.”

Elcayan smiled brightly as he said it.

‘How can someone be happy about being hated?’

Sometimes Delphina understood why people called Elcayan the cold-hearted Northern Duke.

“Then let’s make him even angrier.”

Delphina almost laughed.

‘What a wicked line… but I love it.’

She needed someone like him—cruel and unshakable—for her revenge.

Some young ladies even wavered on their feet as Elcayan smiled like a painting.

Delphina shyly lowered her head.

‘I like being here, next to Elcayan.’

She really was the type to enjoy showing off her lover in front of others.