Chapter 6: TIVFME

Chapter 6

“Miss!”

Startled, Adeline tried to explain the situation to Vanessa, but she was a step too late.

With her injured ankle, there was no way she could properly chase after her.

“If you force yourself to walk like that, your ankle will only get worse—”

“Your Grace. That's enough. Please stop.”

Kael stepped closer after noticing the condition of her ankle.

But Adeline cut him off in the coldest voice she had ever used.

“I'll take care of my own body, so I'd appreciate it if you stopped here tonight. Have you already forgotten what I told you in the imperial garden?”

“...”

“Sophia is like a real younger sister to me. I wanted to give her the best debutante ball possible.”

“...”

“But because Your Grace suddenly appeared, everyone inside is talking about us and stealing glances at us.”

“...”

“You've taken away the spotlight that should belong to the true star of tonight. On the most precious day she'll remember for the rest of her life.”

“...”

“So please... stop turning me into a terrible older sister. I'm asking you sincerely.”

Vanessa—who was destined to end up with Kael—had walked away completely misunderstanding the situation.

That was enough to exhaust the last of Adeline's patience.

Not only was she terrified that she might lose her chance to finally end this long possession, but she also felt guilty that Sophia's debutante had been thrown into chaos because of Kael's unexpected appearance.

Feeling as though something heavy were clogging her chest, Adeline left the terrace and returned to the ballroom.

The damage had already been done.

But she still had to try and fix it.

After returning inside, Adeline called over a nearby maid and led her into a hidden alcove at the corner of the hall.

“My lady!”

“Shh. Please keep one of my gloves safe.”

“My lady, it's swollen terribly. At this point you need to return to your room and call for a physician—”

“Absolutely not. I refuse to ruin Sophia's debutante any further.”

Sitting on a long sofa, Adeline stretched out her leg and removed one of her long gloves before tightly wrapping it around her swollen ankle.

Having spent years watching Leo constantly return home covered in wounds from sword training, she knew quite a bit about first aid.

In truth, her ankle was bad enough that she should have rested immediately, just as the maid had said.

She also knew that binding it tightly and continuing to walk would only make the pain much worse later.

But she had no other choice.

“Have you seen Lady Felix?”

“I saw her heading from the corridor toward the main hall, my lady.”

Taking a deep breath, Adeline rose from the sofa with a determined expression.

Every step sent a sharp pain shooting through her ankle, but she endured it, walking as gracefully as if she weren't injured at all.

Did she already go somewhere else?

Vanessa was nowhere to be found in the main hall either.

“Ah, Lady Leta!”

Just as she desperately searched for Vanessa, she spotted one of the young ladies who had witnessed the scene with Kael.

As expected, the girl was already surrounded by several others, eagerly recounting what she had seen.

It wasn't just Vanessa's misunderstanding she needed to clear up.

She had to clear up Lady Leta's as well.

Adeline hurried over.

“Oh, Lady Adeline. We were just talking about you.”

“About what you saw earlier, please—”

“Don't worry. It wasn't a proposal, was it? Lady Kara and I completely misunderstood.”

“I'm relieved the misunderstanding has been cleared up. But... how?”

She couldn't help wondering what had happened.

Did the Grand Duke explain it? No... that's not like him.

Kael wasn't the type to bother clearing up misunderstandings.

And Adeline herself had only just arrived.

“Oh, Lady Vanessa explained everything.”

“Lady Felix did?”

“Hehe. Yes.”

Adeline blinked her wide eyes.

Vanessa?

The same Vanessa who had run away with tears welling in her eyes had gone around telling everyone it wasn't a proposal.

The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

Something feels wrong.

The looks directed at her by Lady Leta and the surrounding nobles were different now.

Just moments ago they had been curious and fascinated by her relationship with Kael.

Now...

There was surprise.

Disapproval.

Not a trace of goodwill remained.

“...Do you happen to know where Lady Felix is now?”

“I'm not sure. She may have gone back to the corridor.”

After thanking them, Adeline turned away.

As she walked off, she caught sight of the group huddling even closer together to whisper among themselves.

“Ah...”

The pain in her ankle worsened as she changed direction.

Before the injury grew worse, she needed to find Vanessa quickly and understand what on earth was happening.

There she is.

Vanessa, dressed in an orange gown, was speaking with a young baron's wife and the woman's younger sister.

“What? Really?”

“I know, Baroness. It was shocking for me too. I knew His Grace was cold, but I never imagined he was someone to be feared.”

“Exactly! And the person controlling him is the Grand Duke of Inver himself. Just what kind of weakness is she exploiting so viciously...?”

As Adeline drew closer, she could hear every word.

Approaching from behind, neither Vanessa nor the Baroness noticed her.

“I don't know exactly what weakness she has over him. But even if I did, I'd never reveal it. It would only hurt His Grace.”

“Oh my, how noble of you.”

“But one thing is certain. His Grace knelt on one knee with a face full of disgust and asked, 'Is this enough?' Meanwhile, Lady Tien looked down at him with the most chilling smile.”

“My goodness...”

“He said he'd already danced with her at the ball and pretended to be her lover just as she'd demanded. He even asked how much longer he had to keep this up before she'd finally let him go.”

“So His Grace was acting against his will? That explains it! Everyone thought he seemed completely unlike himself— Ah!”

Only then did the Baroness notice Adeline.

She let out an undignified shriek.

Every person in the corridor immediately turned toward the Baroness...

...toward Adeline...

...and toward Vanessa.

What...? Why? Why is Vanessa doing this? She's slandering me? Because of the Grand Duke?

Adeline couldn't understand.

The Vanessa of the original novel had been regarded as practically a saint.

She was kind to everyone.

She had even tried to forgive the original Adeline after Adeline had attempted to kill her.

Yet now...

Vanessa looked like the villainess.

And Adeline looked like the heroine.

Someone who had absolutely no reason to do this was causing trouble instead.

“Lady Tien,” Vanessa said with a resolute expression, “I don't know what hold you have over His Grace, but please let him go. Why would a lady from such a distinguished family commit such cruel acts? Why are you blackmailing His Grace?”

Adeline merely frowned, trying to piece everything together.

So... instead of saying it was a proposal... she's been telling everyone I was blackmailing the Grand Duke? That the reason he's acting so strangely toward me is because I'm threatening him?

The more the puzzle pieces came together...

...the deeper her frown became.

Wait... what? Vanessa would actually do something like this? The villain isn't her—it's me...

Then realization suddenly struck.

That's right. I'm the villainess! Of course! I'm supposed to be the villainess!

“Lady Tien. Evil deeds will always—”

“Lady Felix!”

Adeline interrupted excitedly.

“That's it! Why didn't I think of it sooner? Please spread that story everywhere. Can you tell everyone here tonight?”

“...What?”

This time it was Vanessa whose eyes shook violently.

From her perspective, she was spreading malicious rumors.

Yet the victim herself was asking her to spread them even further.

She wondered if Adeline was plotting some kind of counterattack.

But Adeline was completely sincere.

She genuinely wanted the rumors to spread.

If everyone believes this, then all those rumors about the Grand Duke being interested in me will disappear. I'll become known as the vicious woman who even has the Grand Duke of Inver wrapped around her finger. My reputation will sink lower and lower every time the story spreads. Then he won't be able to talk about that marriage contract anymore. Everyone would think he only married me because I blackmailed him.

The more she thought about it...

...the more perfect the plan became.

She almost regretted not thinking of it herself.

“This is perfect, Lady Felix. This is exactly what I needed!”

“W-What are you talking about?!”

With an expression of complete satisfaction, Adeline even grabbed both of Vanessa's hands tightly.

Vanessa alone stood frozen in utter confusion.

“Hahaha!”

At that very moment—

Something unbelievable happened.

The loud, hearty laughter belonged to...

Kael.

Adeline and Vanessa, who had been so absorbed in their conversation that they hadn't noticed him approaching...

Everyone watching from the corridor...

All of them stared at him with mouths hanging open.

The ruthless ruler of the North—

A man famous for his merciless nature on the battlefield—

Was laughing openly and brilliantly.

No one had ever seen such a sight.

Nor had anyone believed they ever would.

The dazzling smile that settled upon the face so often praised as being worthy of a god's son captivated everyone present.

“So you dislike being associated with me that much?”

Kael asked, still smiling.

“So much that you'd gladly welcome rumors certain to bring you the worst possible outcome?”

Adeline could only stare blankly at him.

The words reached the tip of her tongue...

Yet no sound came out.

It was as though she were still trapped in the lingering image of his smile.

“I noticed there was a little rat eavesdropping on our conversation earlier,” Kael said.

“I didn't think much of it at the time.”

“But had I known she'd go around spreading such nonsense...”

“I should have cut off her tail.”

The voice he used with Vanessa was nothing like the one he used with Adeline.

It was colder than ever before.

Sharper.

The very voice and gaze everyone knew.

Vanessa's face turned deathly pale.

Without another glance at her, Kael walked straight toward Adeline.

“What you said to me earlier has been on my mind.”

“But after witnessing what just happened...”

“I've decided to change my strategy.”

“Strategy? What do you mean?”

“I'll have to earn some points.”

“With you.”

Still utterly confused, Adeline simply stared at him.

Kael chuckled softly before walking across the hall.

He stopped before Sophia and bowed elegantly.

“Lady Delphine.”

“Would you grant me the honor of sharing the first dance of your debutante?”

Gasps echoed throughout the ballroom.

The Grand Duke of Inver...

As the partner for the most important dance of a debutante.

It was an unimaginable honor.

A blessing beyond compare.

“Of course, Your Grace.”

Sophia took his offered hand with a shy smile, unable to hide either her joy or astonishment.

The Grand Duke of Inver—

The man who never attended social parties...

The man who only danced when personally ordered by the Emperor or the Crown Prince...

Had become the first dance partner of an ordinary count's daughter.

Only because of Adeline.

Simply because she had said...

...that she didn't want to become the terrible older sister who stole the spotlight from Sophia.