Chapter 9:
Charity Auction (2)
“Wow—2,000 eura! We have 2,000 eura! Any higher bids? Going once—three, two, one! Sold!”
Applause broke out across the hall. But beneath it, there was shock.
Jeremy Alua—the stuttering, limping, bed-wetting Jeremy Alua—was participating in the auction?
“…Jeremy?”
Snapping back to my senses, I called his name. Even though the auction had already moved on, he still had his hand raised.
I quickly grabbed his hand and pulled it down. My heart was racing. Why had Jeremy bid on Agate’s first edition?
“Th-the novel you mentioned in the carriage earlier… th-that one, right? ‘I Am the Queen’…”
“Which country’s queen were you? The title is ‘As the Queen.’”
I bit my lip to suppress a laugh. Jeremy’s face turned bright red as his eyes darted around.
“I-I’m not a queen. I’m a m-man.”
“I know.”
“And the book I just bought… i-it’s a gift for you, Miss Rosalie.”
“Thank you. I’m really happy.”
I meant it sincerely. The fact that he noticed I wanted that book—I felt grateful to him for the first time.
Maybe… he wasn’t as bad as I had thought.
Even as I turned back toward the stage, I couldn’t hide my excitement. A first edition of Agate’s novel—for 2,000 eura! That was nearly a month’s wages for two maids.
Pressing my flushed cheeks with the back of my hand, I watched as the host lifted a small box for the audience to see.
“And now, our final item! Something truly special. A diamond and ruby earring set gifted to Princess Camille by her great-uncle on her nineteenth birthday!”
“W-what? Something that valuable…?”
“I can’t believe it. Even if she’s close with Duchess Brezé, offering royal jewelry at a charity event like this…”
Whispers spread throughout the crowd. Until now, the items—paintings by young nobles, exotic fruits, sculptures by rising artists—had never exceeded 2,000 eura.
“Starting at 5,000 eura! 6,000… 7,000… and now 10,000!”
Amounts that ordinary participants couldn’t even dare to utter filled the air.
30,000… 40,000…
Even before our family’s downfall, I had never spent such sums freely. Gerard hadn’t either.
“50,000 eura! Do we have anything higher?”
The host paced excitedly across the stage. Just as the bid was about to close—
“100,000 eura.”
A low voice cut through the room.
“D-Duke Valliere! Duke Valliere bids 100,000 eura! Any higher—no? Then—three, two, one! Sold!”
Cheers erupted.
Following the crowd’s gaze, I finally saw him.
Leaning casually by the doorway—Histein.
Tall, broad-shouldered, effortlessly elegant. As the attention turned to him, he lifted his chin slightly and smiled with ease.
He was the kind of man who could captivate not only countless women, but even men. Some commoner parents in the audience gasped in quiet admiration, as if seeing such beauty for the first time.
As if he had just finished a performance, Histein gave a slight bow—and left the hall.
I hurriedly looked around him.
But Ines… wasn’t there.
“…Thank goodness.”
“W-what is?”
I murmured without thinking, pressing down my racing heart. Jeremy looked at me in confusion.
“It’s nothing. Shall we go?”
“I-is it okay to leave?”
The charity auction concluded with a speech from Duchess Brezé. Around us, young nobles were already debating which lady Duke Valliere would gift the earrings to.
And that… was something I didn’t want to hear.
I led Jeremy out of the hall, his body drooping with exhaustion.
Then, remembering something, I stopped.
“Ah… I forgot to thank Duchess Brezé for inviting us.”
“D-do we really have to? I-I…”
“If we had arrived early and greeted her, it would be fine—but we came late. At the very least, we should thank her. It’s proper etiquette.”
“Ugh…”
Jeremy shut his eyes tightly, his hands trembling. Even his cane shook.
He clearly didn’t want to—but simply leaving would only worsen things.
“Then I’ll go alone. Wait here—I’ll be back soon.”
Jeremy nodded like a child, his eyes wide. I couldn’t help but smile faintly at the sight before walking away.
“Where is Duchess Brezé?”
Returning to the hall, I asked a staff member. She told me the duchess had briefly gone to the principal’s office.
“Can I go inside the school?”
“Yes, it’s on the third floor. Shall I guide you?”
“It’s alright—you seem busy.”
After thanking her, I entered the school building.
The hallways, now empty after the students had left, felt quiet. As I walked toward the stairs, peeking into empty classrooms, I heard voices somewhere nearby.
Could the duchess be there?
I spotted a few shadows turning a corner and moved toward them—
“Ah!”
Suddenly, a classroom door swung open, and a strong hand pulled me inside.
The force dragged me in before I could react. The door shut silently behind me, cutting off the voices outside.
“Where could he be? I must demand an explanation.”
“Calm down, Ines. There must be a reason.”
“But he told the princess he wasn’t feeling well!”
“His complexion did seem poor. Perhaps he came late to show his face at least.”
Ines.
The same attendant who had kept staring at me during the tea party.
Their footsteps gradually faded away.
Before they left completely, I had to call for help.
“W-who are you? I’ll scream—!”
I couldn’t even turn around. With so many people of different backgrounds at the event, it wouldn’t be strange for someone suspicious to slip in.
“Go ahead. You’ll only embarrass yourself.”
A warm breath brushed against the back of my neck.
I froze—and then fell silent.
I knew exactly who it was.
“…Damn. They’re coming back.”
The man clicked his tongue in irritation. The footsteps were returning.
Without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me down.
Thud.
I collapsed onto the floor. Trapped between his legs, I prayed he couldn’t hear my pounding heart.
Then, his arm left my waist.
“His—!”
“Shh.”
I couldn’t hold it back.
Histein quickly covered my mouth.
His rough palm pressed against my lips. His chest was firm against my back, his breath warm near my ear.
“Duke Valliere! Duke Valliere!”
“Stop it, Ines. He’s not here.”
“Let it go for today. He’s probably already left.”
“But the princess saw his carriage still outside!”
Ines’s voice grew increasingly sharp as she paced the hallway. Princess Camille and another attendant struggled to calm her.
“This isn’t your only chance. I know you fell for him at first sight in Laurel, but…”
“Sob… You said I was a suitable match for him. Do you know how excited I was?”
Ines stomped her foot.
Startled, my shoulders trembled—but Histein only pulled me closer, holding me firmly in place.
