That day, I spent some time by the lake before returning to the mansion. I couldn’t bring myself to go back to where he was.
When I went to the dining room, the First Prince was nowhere to be seen.
“Father, where is His Highness?”
“He had matters to attend to and left early.”
That was the answer I got from Father.
So, his business was done. I suppose, now that he’s succeeded in catching my tail, he saw no further reason to linger.
The mere thought of the difficult days ahead made my head throb.
Ugh, my head…
I might’ve actually held my head in my hands. But then—
Isn’t it… a little too quiet?
The First Prince had been oddly silent.
It had been several days since Vanessa Burkell became a person of interest to him. Yet he hadn’t said a word to my family, nor had he contacted me.
I’d been tiptoeing around the mansion in dread, but it was starting to feel unnecessary.
By the third week, I reached the point of resignation.
It’s not like I’m guilty of anything. How long am I supposed to live in fear?
Any illusion of safety within the mansion had already been shattered.
“Anna, have we heard from the informant?”
“No, my lady.”
Still no word from the broker. Since I wasn’t out searching for the tiara myself like before, all I had now was time.
“I’m going out.”
I stepped outside for the first time in a while—for myself.
For a change of pace, I chose the opera. Once I arrived at the theater, I noticed a lot of familiar faces.
The nobles looked at me with intrigue.
“Isn’t that Lady Burkell?”
“What is she doing here? She never even watches the performances.”
When I turned to look at the whispering onlookers, they fell silent.
If you’re curious, just ask.
How did the Vanessa of this world end up with such a reputation?
If the First Prince laughed at that ‘I could live with laws’ comment, well… that says it all.
It was strange. Judging from Father’s occasional habits and how Milan treated that commoner boy, the people in this world didn’t seem so different at their core.
So why was Vanessa’s personality so vastly different? Isn’t that why others view me so poorly?
“Isn’t it obvious?”
I had just rounded the corner of the theater when I caught the end of a conversation—about me.
“When Lady Burkell shows up somewhere she usually doesn’t go, there’s got to be a reason.”
“You don’t think—?”
“It has to be because of His Highness.”
What nonsense.
I turned the corner and greeted them.
“Good evening.”
“L-Lady Burkell?”
I smiled brightly at the startled ladies.
“You two came to see the performance together?”
“Ah… yes.”
“I came alone. I actually really like opera.”
It wasn’t a lie. Maybe not this world’s me, but still.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of story it is.”
I answered without being asked—to let them know I’d heard everything. Just so there’d be no misunderstanding.
As their expressions turned awkward, I gave them a gentle smile and turned my head—only to meet the eyes of someone watching from a short distance.
Rose?
She must’ve come to see the opera with a friend. I walked over to her.
“Hello, Lady Farrell.”
I gave her a genuinely warm smile. I still wanted to be close to her.
“Fancy meeting you here, Lady Farrell.”
“Yes…”
She looked puzzled, slightly wary.
“You enjoy opera, Lady Burkell?”
“Oh, so you heard. I’m trying to pick up a new hobby.”
“…I see.”
She nodded, still with that skeptical look in her eyes. I was just about to keep the conversation going when—
Suddenly, the theater became noisy. As I turned to the commotion, I spotted a familiar face.
Andreas?
It was the Second Prince, accompanied by his attendants. Had he also come to see the opera?
“We pay our respects to His Highness, the Second Prince.”
The nobles bowed, and I followed suit.
As I straightened, I noticed several nobles looking at me. Then back at the Second Prince.
It was easy to guess what they were thinking.
How frustrating. Now those earlier comments from the noblewomen seemed even more believable.
Rose and I locked eyes again.
“You enjoy the opera,” she said—same words, but a very different tone.
She looked at me like she finally understood something.
“It’s true, Lady Farrell.”
“There’s no need for such formalities at a casual outing,” she replied.
I was about to try explaining, at least to Rose, when the Second Prince’s voice interrupted.
I turned—and met his eyes. His previously smiling expression stiffened slightly upon seeing me.
Ah…
Was he thinking the same thing?
It felt like both the nobles and Andreas were harboring the same misunderstanding.
…Fine.
I decided not to care.
No need for excuses. I’d just act in a way that showed the truth.
I smiled confidently as he approached.
“What a coincidence, meeting Your Highness in a place like this.”
He looked even more radiant than he had at the mansion’s drawing room.
Maybe it was the theater lighting. His golden hair gleamed like melted honey, and the white suit made his refined appearance even more striking.
Though not as tall as the First Prince, he stood with a dignified build right in front of me. His voice dropped as he asked,
“Is it truly a coincidence?”
“Yes. Without a doubt.”
I answered firmly.
“I just wanted to see the opera. I didn’t expect to see you here. I know it might be a bit awkward, but… could you pretend I’m not here?”
“I remember what you said at the mansion. You’re not going back on that now, are you?”
“I’m serious. You have to believe me.”
Sure, I could’ve left to show I had no interest in being entangled with him.
But I didn’t want to ruin my night out just because he happened to be here.
After giving me a suspicious look, the Second Prince finally turned away.
“I hope you’ll focus on the opera, then.”
He left those words behind, sounding utterly drained.
I decided to look on the bright side. At least it wasn’t the First Prince I’d run into, right?
Even after the Second Prince left, people kept staring at me, but I ignored them and walked into the theater.
The opera was more provocative than expected. It told the story of a man in a perfect, arranged marriage who falls in love with a wandering dancer.
So… adultery?
Though he initially tries to push the dancer away to remain loyal to his wife, he slowly falls under her spell.
I became completely absorbed. Soon, the 30-minute intermission arrived.
How is this going to end…?
I got up.
Like the others, I headed to the bar for some wine—but quickly stepped back outside. The bar was crowded, and the fresh air was more appealing.
There were plenty of people outside the theater too, likely here for different shows. As I searched for a quiet spot, I ended up walking all the way to a secluded corner.
No one else was there.
“Why does it feel like this isn’t helping at all?”
I muttered to myself. The unease still hadn’t lifted.
But I had a feeling I knew the reason.
It’s probably because of the Second Prince.
Thanks to that encounter, I’d drawn everyone’s attention again.
Would the other me not have cared at all about this kind of attention?
As I was about to sit on a bench, I heard a soft laugh.
A familiar laugh.
Andreas?
A woman’s voice followed. Their voices grew closer.
I instinctively ducked behind a bush. I didn’t want to run into them. My body just moved on its own.
He had someone with him?
I was sure he’d been sitting alone in the box seats. And a woman, at that?
Through the leaves, I could see them clearly.
Lady Bullin, daughter of Count Bullin.
He was holding her hand.
So Andreas had a lover?
It wasn’t odd. He and I had no relationship. It just caught me off guard to see it so plainly.
“Aren’t you going back inside? You stepped out in the middle of the show,” Lady Bullin asked him hesitantly.
“It’s fine. I didn’t come because I wanted to see the opera.”
Seriously? I came because I did want to see it…
While he had no real interest in the performance, I was the one being misunderstood. The injustice stung even more.
But then—if he didn’t come for the opera…
I narrowed my eyes, watching more closely.
It did seem like his mind was elsewhere. As he toyed with a strand of her hair, his smile was gentle.
Ah…
I could tell where his attention lay.
That was not a casual touch. It was intimate. I knew that kind of gaze all too well.
Because that’s how he used to look at me—in the world I came from.
Don’t tell me he came here tonight for a date with Lady Bullin?
I hadn’t even noticed. They weren’t seated together. If they were meeting here in secret, maybe it was a hidden romance.
“If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have to meet you in secret like this,” he said regretfully.
Then, the Second Prince placed a kiss on her cheek.
Once, then twice.
…
It felt like I’d seen something I wasn’t meant to witness.
I had a feeling I knew exactly who she was.
After a few light kisses, he paused and looked into her eyes.
Then their lips met.
