Chapter 66
The music played over and over again. Aisha slowly rose from her seat, withdrawing her vacant gaze from the wall.
‘…So he’s not coming after all.’
Like a face devoid of tear stains, her heart had long since regained its calm. Still, for some reason, Aisha remained in the lounge, waiting for someone. She waited through the entirety of eight songs.
‘If I leave alone, rumors will surely spread.’
It was the first ball she had attended since her engagement—and it was no less than the National Foundation Festival Ball. Regardless of the situation between her and Ian, Aisha didn’t want to worry her family any further, nor did she want their family name being talked about by others.
‘…Would he come if I asked him to?’
Hesitating near the exit, Aisha thought about summoning Ian through an attendant and pulled back the curtain slightly. Unlike the dim lounge, the banquet hall was dazzlingly bright, adorned with huge chandeliers. She blinked a few times at the light.
‘Where is he…? Ah.’
Just as she poked her head out to search for an attendant, her eyes scanned the hall—perhaps to see if Ian was nearby. And before long, she spotted a head of unmistakable blond hair.
Ian was just reaching out his hand to Helen. At that sight, Aisha felt her fingertips turn cold. Though she couldn’t make out the faces clearly from the distance, there were at least dozens of eyes turned toward Ian and Helen.
As she watched them move toward the center of the hall together, Aisha quietly let go of the curtain and stepped back into the lounge.
She thought she might’ve made eye contact with someone whose blue eyes glowed chillingly before the curtain completely fell, but she didn’t bother checking. Pressing her slightly aching chest, Aisha turned back toward the couch and walked away.
Judging from everyone’s attention, stepping out now would only add to the gossip. She clasped her slightly trembling hands and let out a small sigh as she looked outside.
‘When will I be able to leave?’
Even the beautifully glowing moon looked like a crumbling clump of sand, prompting her to close her eyes. With darkness swallowing her vision, the stabs in her chest grew more distinct than before. But perhaps because she’d already been torn apart by the situation with Helen, it wasn’t unbearable. Her expression didn’t change.
Clink.
Though the room was silent, the sound of something shattering echoed from somewhere—like glass breaking into tiny shards. Even the things that hadn’t yet fallen were now visibly cracked and on the verge of collapse.
Yet, no one noticed the state of that unseen thing. Aisha simply calmed her breath, letting the beautiful melody from outside fill the long passage of time.
Meanwhile…
— You bastard! You embarrassed Aisha by bringing that woman to your engagement ceremony, and now this? If you don’t explain yourself immediately—no, I’ll kill you on the spot, so get ready…!
In his office, Ian’s hand gripped the letter so tightly that it was crumpled worse than his furrowed brow. The letter was from Daniel, the second son of House Parden, and it was practically a declaration of war, filled with curses. But Ian had no time to concern himself with Daniel’s insults. He had far more pressing problems stacked before him.
— So it’s true, huh? I mean, if he’s bold enough to make it that obvious, showing off the necklace too… Poor Lady Aisha.
— Ian. I’m not really in a position to lecture you, but… shouldn’t you be more careful with your actions? You and Count Parden often clash at council meetings, but you should at least maintain basic decorum.
The rumors about Helen and Ian had begun to spread from the very first day of the National Foundation Festival. By the end, they were treated as fact, talked about everywhere like a wildfire in winter. Even Ian, the subject himself, had heard the rumors multiple times.
Ian was fully aware that the scandal had originated from his own misconduct. Not only had he been apart from Aisha from day one of the festival, he had even danced with Helen in front of countless people. It was obvious that those already suspicious of their relationship would jump at the chance to gossip.
He’d never felt more foolish in his life. But at the time, he hadn’t hesitated at all. He had extended his hand to Helen right after seeing Aisha’s face peeking out from the lounge. Her calm demeanor as she scanned the hall made him unable to sit still.
‘…Why isn’t she crying?’
Ian thought that expression didn’t suit Aisha. If she was going to act indifferent, she should at least show a hurt expression and cry because of him. What did that lifeless, emotionless face mean?
But his impulsive action had failed. Aisha had looked momentarily startled when she saw him holding Helen’s hand, but then she simply turned away and went back into the lounge.
Thud.
Ian slammed his fist on the desk, recalling her retreat behind the curtain. He had wanted to lash out even then. But that day, he couldn’t bring himself to be angry with her.
— …Should we go home? I’m not feeling well.
After finishing the dance with Helen, he had rushed to the lounge, but Aisha greeted him with a calm face and asked if they could leave. Even with a smile. Ian had an uneasy feeling, but his lips wouldn’t move.
— I don’t think I’ve fully recovered. Aside from the final day when Their Majesties will attend, I likely won’t be able to come to any more events. I’m sorry, Ian. Please understand.
In the carriage, she had spoken softly about her health, asking for his understanding. Ian had wanted to yell at her not to feign illness and to attend all the festival events with him—but his lips remained sealed.
After that, Aisha really stayed in House Parden for the entire festival, only appearing on the final day. Ian had hoped to spend time alone with her on the last night of the ball, but aside from two dances, she remained at the side of the Count and Countess of Parden. Had she been with her brothers, Ian might’ve managed to pry her away, but he couldn’t touch her while she was with the count and countess.
‘Now that I think about it…’
Holding his throbbing forehead, Ian’s gaze slowly returned to his desk. A blank piece of paper with Aisha’s name written in elegant script lay spread before him. It had been three days since the festival ended, and Ian was on the verge of losing his mind from anxiety. He had finally resolved to send her a letter, using the excuse of explaining the rumors.
Gripping his lips tightly, Ian picked up the pen he had thrown aside. But before he could dip it in ink and write the first word, an unwanted guest appeared.
“My great master summons you.”
The guest delivered his master’s command with the same arrogant face as before, pointing toward a carriage outside. It was a summons Ian could never refuse. Without having written a single word, he followed the guest and got into the carriage.
Ian was taken directly to the imperial palace. As expected, the one waiting for him was none other than the supreme ruler—the Emperor of the Empire.
“Marquis. Welcome.”
“Your Majesty, the Sun of the Empire, I greet you.”
“That’s enough formality. Have a seat. Chamberlain, leave us.”
Rather than the audience hall, the Emperor had Ian received in a private palace chamber and quickly dismissed the attendants. Ian sat down in the offered chair, slightly bowing his head until the Emperor began speaking.
“I called you, Marquis, because… I have a request.”
No sooner had the door closed than the Emperor began. Ian, already guessing who this “request” would be about, bit his lip and bowed his head.
“Please speak, Your Majesty.”
“First, thank you for doing what I asked through the chamberlain. I hear you’ve helped young Helen quite a bit.”
The Emperor’s praise was nothing but pressure for Ian. Now that the scandal had erupted, he wanted nothing more to do with Helen, save for the Mistycus sapphire matter.
“And I hear you danced with her on the first day of the festival… Thanks to you, she seems to be settling well into noble society. That makes me glad.”
The Emperor clearly wished for Ian and Helen’s relationship to continue. Even though he noticed Ian’s darkened expression, he went on.
“But I hear that after the first day, you didn’t even greet her…”
“…”
“Is it because of your fiancée? Come to think of it, I heard Lady Parden only appeared on the last day after the first. So, hmm…”
Ian grew uneasy as the Emperor brought up Aisha. But this was not someone he could treat casually, so he kept his expression neutral and said:
“Your Majesty, if you have something to say, please speak freely.”
“Since you insist… I’ll be direct.”
“…”
“Have you considered breaking off your engagement to Lady Parden?”
The moment the word breakup left the Emperor’s mouth, Ian’s carefully composed expression shattered. His vision went white as he clenched his trembling hands under the table and stared at the Emperor.
“If you break the engagement and marry Helen, I will do much for you. Of course, the Empress and my children may resent you, but I’ll see you well compensated. Not openly, of course, but I’ll support the marquisate in many ways.”
“……”
“Hah… I wasn’t like this before. But now that I’m older, I can’t help but care even if she’s illegitimate. Her mother is a disgrace, sure, but in the end, I’m her father. And Helen is only a year older than Catherine… If she were a boy, I wouldn’t be this worried. Tsk.”
Even realizing how unreasonable he sounded, the Emperor laughed awkwardly, justifying himself with fatherly love. But that was the extent of it. Despite Ian’s increasingly pale expression, the Emperor didn’t withdraw his demand. Instead, he pushed harder.
“I heard that although you grew up together, you have no romantic interest in Lady Parden. Politically, you and Count Parden are at odds too. Speaking from experience—when your wife’s family becomes a burden, it’s a real headache. You can’t cut ties easily when it’s blood. It’s exhausting.”
