Chapter 20: Chapter 19

Episode 19

Translator: missme Editor: Aru

“If this is not mere speculation but the truth, then your situation becomes much better.”

Needless to say, if this regularity becomes the truth, then saving Ari will be twice as easy rather than staying in such a jagged situation.

I don’t need to be nervous all day but just have to be ready at a certain duration of the day and the chances and efficiency of avoiding the crisis, of course, increased, also Ari’s behavioural constraints will be loosened.

It was favourable for both Ari and me.

“Don’t stay away from me today, just in case. Let’s check in the evening and make a clear decision.”

“Yes, Eonni.”

Then there was a glimpse of Sir Davery’s anxious voice. Looking back, Jinny, the maid who had dropped a vase, was kneeling on the floor.

After exchanging glances with Ari, I approached and comforted Jinny. There were also many scapegoat-victims of this world attempting to kill Ari.

***

A four-day series of birthday parties will be held at the same time as an aristocratic coming-of-age ceremony.

Today was the second day of the banquet.

I almost forgot the fact and spent time with Ari, as I was suddenly carried off by Bessie, who appeared at one point, and suddenly I was faced with a dressing-up time.

It was only at the banquet hall that Ari and I were reunited after a brief break-up.

“You’re looking really gorgeous, Eonni.”

Bessie dressed me today in a red dress that clung to the upper body and spread generously downwards.

The hair was naturally loose and no ornament was used.

As an accessory, I only had one simple and easy-to-use earring, but even that looked fancy enough, perhaps because of the color of the dress.

I stared at Ari, whose eyes glowed as she stared at me.

Ari was wearing a decent white dress today, similar to what she wore yesterday.

Although I lent my dress because she stayed here without a plan, it really suited her like her own dress.

The hair was braided and a pearl necklace was worn on the exposed neck.

Looking at her, I said, “You’re pretty, too.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Right, Sir Davery?”

Sir Davery, whose name was called, turned this way.

As he attended a banquet as my escort, so rather than a tailcoat, he was wearing his comfortable clothes and partial armour.

He cocked his head.

“Yes, good.”

“I felt no sincerity in your answer.”

“Both of you are dazzling, so this Davery Shack is having a hard time even to take a peek, as it dazzles me.”

“Okay then.”

Ari giggled a little at Sir Davery’s reply. I could feel the attention of people around us focused on Ari.

Of course, it was not easy for me, as I felt harsh gazes on my skin because of their stares.

Yesterday, the centre of attention would have been Ash, but today it was on Ari and me.

‘I wonder if Ash will arrive today.’

Ash hasn’t come down to the banquet hall yet. If he had planned to attend, he would have come to escort me earlier, so there’s a high possibility that he would not attend.

I heard from the butler that he woke up around lunchtime and moved from his bedroom to his office, but he said Ash had not come out for a meal, which implied that he will spend time in his office today.

‘I expected it, but…’

I shrugged my shoulders, puzzled. At first, Ash often used to show his face only on the first day of a banquet, even if it was a seven-day banquet. I had wondered if he would do that even at the banquet where he is the main personality, but I guess the answer is yes.

In fact, Ash should have appeared at the banquet hall earlier today to follow the development of the book.

Then, he watched Agrita persistently throughout the banquet and later killed the two young men who asked for her dance.

However, such a sequence seemed to be ignored.

Anyway, it would also be absurd if Ash came out and followed the book smoothly, even though many things were wrong from the beginning.

I let go of my lingering feelings and fumbled with my watch.

It’s half-past six.

It’s time for Ari to face a new crisis.

Nothing has happened yet since the vase accident around lunchtime.

Now, if something happens sooner or later and upholds quietly until tomorrow morning, then regularity is almost true. Therefore, my job right now is waiting for the moment.

‘But what danger might come?’’

Suddenly I was a little curious.

It’s time for the world to try to kill Ari, but I’ve worked hard to clean up all that could be a threat in the banquet hall.

Here it was a kind of safe zone, with not only statues that could fall, but even carpets.

Ari won’t go out there to put herself in danger like she did yesterday. Sir Davery will save her no matter what happens, but what the hell is going on?

Someone spoke to me when I was thinking that.

“Nice to meet you, Princess. You’re still so beautiful today.”

I peered at an unfamiliar voice. It was a young man dressed up in a grey tailcoat.

“You shine the most in this vast banquet hall.”

“Thank you. But you are?”

The man’s face stood out as much as his voice. I think I’m seeing him for the first time.

“Oh, I said hello last time but it seems like you don’t remember.”

The man who smiled awkwardly continued.

“I’m the eldest son of Count Kami, Rigaa Kami. It’s an honour to see you again, princess Lydia.”

“Ah, Son of Kami. Yes, it’s good to see you, too.”

The man had a faint impression.

After hearing his self-introduction, still, nothing comes to mind, so I will probably not remember it again the next time we meet.

The man, who had no way of knowing my thoughts, glanced beside me and said,

“But I don’t see the Duke today.”

“It seems he was busy with his work.”

“I see.”

The man smiled big and wide.

Unlike his blurred features, his smiling face was surprisingly distinctive. It’s slightly… vulgar…?

No, with such features, he can’t be like that.

While I felt guilty for nothing, the conversation continued.

“It’s not an easy job to take over the family. I’m already exhausted from the successors’ class, haha.”

“I see.”

“I respect him a lot. Oh, would you like a drink?”

His manner looks vulgar… No, I can’t even read his expressions.

With his own distinctive smile, he held out a glass of drink he was holding.

He appeared with one in both hands, apparently thinking of giving one to me from the beginning.

There was no particular reason to refuse, so I reached for it. It was also when I was thirsty.

It was then.

“You can’t take that!!”

A shrill voice spread out at the scene of the banquet.

I hesitated in astonishment. The man might have been surprised, but he could see that he dropped the glass he was holding.

Clink, clink!

Sir Davery quickly pulled me behind him, so no debris nor drinks splashed on me.

Instead, some of the red drinks tainted my shoes.

While I and Sir Davery were asking if we were all right at the same time, the main character with a shrill voice came this way.

“You are…”

“You dirty bastard.”

A number of eyes, including myself, turned to one place. A young woman dressed in a light pink dress with dark brown hair was staring at the man as if she were going to kill him.

Her red lips were chapped.

“I didn’t know you’d even try to play such a dirty trick on the princess.”

“Lady Daanda, what the hell is this?”

“What did you do? That’s what you’re trying to do.”

Ha, the woman with a tongue-tied smile continued in an exuberant tone.

“You don’t think I know that you’ve put a pill in the glass you were about to hand to the princess?”

“Oh, my God.”

“Drugs?”

The surroundings were agitated. I opened my eyes wide, too.

Even the fool could know that the pill they were discussing doesn’t mean the pill you take when you’re sick.

The man immediately denied it.

“What the hell does that mean, Lady? What do you mean drugs!?”

“Are you going to play the same trick as last time and be brazen?”

“Didn’t I say that it was a misunderstanding!?”

Shaking his head in frustration, this unfaithful looking man glanced around.

“Everyone, please listen. The lady now is having an absurd misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding?”

Before I knew it, people were huddled around. The man raised his voice to the crowd.

“I helped a drunken woman on the terrace at one of our last banquets. But she’s doing this to me because she had misinterpreted it.”

“That’s right, someone was drunk. It was because you drugged the glass and gave it to her!”

“I’ve told you many times that’s a misunderstanding. It’s my mistake to give a woman a hard drink without knowing she’s so weak, but what do you mean drug?”

The man went on to appeal to his surroundings.

“I didn’t know it was a strong liquor because it was sweet. The woman who drank too much and got drunk made a little mistake in front of me that day. I understand that it was embarrassing and shameful to show indecent behaviour to strangers under the influence of alcohol. But I can’t believe I’m being framed like this. It’s really unfair.”

“Oh, that’s a lie you’ve……”

“It’s not a lie. Lady, I’ve had enough. I understood the shame that she must have felt, and I thought I should understand Lady who only listened to her friend’s words. But isn’t this going too far? I will not stand still any longer if you slander me without any more importance and discredit me!”

The woman’s face turned pale. The man’s attitude of denying the charges was very imposing.

It was hard to imagine that he was lying.

If that was acting, the man could take the path as a theatrical actor.

While my surroundings were whispering in confusion, I made eye contact with Ari.

“What do you think, Ari?”

“I don’t know. What about you, eonni?”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I knew.”

I felt a sincere hatred standing with a woman who was staring at a man fiercely.

But it was true that there was no evidence, as the man said, to give her a hand in the woman’s argument.

Words can make any doubt. The problem is that it is important.

I looked down at the broken glass shards and drinks on the floor.

The story would have been a lot easier if that glass had been intact.

It would have been over if I had fed that drink to anyone.

If the man hadn’t been surprised and dropped the glass….

‘Huh? Hold on.’

Huh, did he really drop it by mistake?

Maybe he didn’t slip his hand because he was surprised, but the moment I heard the woman’s voice, he purposely…….

By the time I was wrapped up with this crazy thought, Sir Davery stepped out.

“Excuse me, but let me ask you one thing.”

“To……me?”

“Yes. Do you happen to know what medicine this young man used?”

“……I don’t know the name, but I know the effect. It makes the body to get tired and lose memory partially.”

The woman bit her lips.

“If I hadn’t found him on the way that day, he’d done something terrible to my friend. And she wouldn’t even remember. Everything he says is a shameless lie!”

“Lady!”

“Calm down.”

Sir Davery stepped in between and separated the two. A few words followed.

“I understand roughly the type of medicine. Then I’ll have to ask for some help now.”

“Help ……?”

Someone muttered while watching the situation. Sir Davery smiled as the answer.

In a while, Ash came down to the banquet hall.