Amidst people chattering.
Fleur is standing alone.
She looked around slowly.
The Ladies and Young Ladies who, until not long ago, ran up to her as soon as they saw her and talked to her, are no longer around.
Only hateful glances have been directed at her.
This was expected from the moment she decided to appear at the ballroom with Largo. So she thought she had to prepared her heart to some extentâ.
âI guess not.â
Fleur smiled and gripped the fan.
Actually, it was natural for people to treat her coldly.
Itâs ridiculous that sheâs a Countess, but sheâs preparing to divorce the Count because itâs not enough for her to be the Crown Princeâs woman. Then she abandoned the Crown Prince and appeared with the 2nd Prince.
How could it be any worse?
In the meantime, people have congratulated Fleur because they thought that she could become the Crown Princeâs wife, but people couldnât treat Fleur with kindness, who had abandoned the Crown Prince and sat next to the 2nd Prince.
It was natural.
Fleur took a deep breath, struggling to regain her composure.
Looking around like that, she suddenly turned to Ophelia.
âOphelia.â
She was one of the biggest reasons why she has changed like this.
Itâs that woman.
Ophelia was glittering as if the lights were pouring on her. So Fleur was even angrier. Sheâs a bad girl, a really bad and vicious woman, but why she caught everyoneâs attention!
Everyone seemed to have forgotten that Ophelia had harrassed them. Forgetting all the past, they praises Ophelia who has changed. Fleur became angry and sad at the same time.
No matter how hard she tried, it didnât seem like she could even reach Opheliaâs toes.
âNo, thatâs not true.â
Itâs different now.
Now thatâs sheâs joined hands with 2nd Prince.
And now she is aiming for the position of Empress.
Fleur was able to bring everything that Ophelia had.
âIs it Theo?â
That kid should do well.
Fleur thought, still clutching at the fan.
It was at this time.
âEveryoneâs here!â
Largo has appeared.
Appearing with an exaggerated attitude, he put his hand on Sylvesterâs shoulder.
Whatâs wrong with him?
Fleur looked nervously at Largo.
Fleur wasnât the only one who wondered why this guy was doing this.
Ophelia, Sylvester, and Callian also looked at Largo with absurd expressions.
But Largo remained calm.
âI feel like I have to say this here. I have prepared a very great present for you guys.â
Largo smiled meanly and grabbed Sylvesterâs shoulder tighter.
Sylvester looked at his hand on his shoulder, then stepped back and shook it off. Largo narrowed his brow slightly.
âOriginally, I didnât want to give you this gift, but seeing what the Duke is saying today, I think I should give it to you.â
Heâs literally going to give him a real present he wasnât supposed to give him because he was rude.
What is that?
Everyone focused on Largoâs next words.
âI will bring Duchess Ophelia Ryzen to the temple trial.â
Tsk.
Ophelia was expecting this to come out.
But she didnât expect him to speak in such a public place.
Is it because itâs more effective if he declare it in public?
People were all buzzing. Some of them responded that it was natural, while others raised their voices saying what was going on.
The former were those who didnât like Ophelia very much, and the latter were those who were completely on the side of Ophelia.
A distinctly different reactions. A chaos.
In the meantime, Sylvester, Callian, and Ophelia are just standing there.
Sylvester, who came to his senses first, opened his mouth.
âMy wifeââ
He brushed his hair with a rather angry expression.
âYou bring her to temple trial?â
âYeah!â
âFor what reason?â
Sylvester was really annoyed.
After listening to Ophelia, he knew that Largo was going to bring Ophelia to the Temple Trial.
In this case, it is usually delivered in writing or contacted directly from the temple.
I mean, donât humiliate yourself in public in such a crowded place!
So annoyed Sylvester opened his eyes sharply and glared at Largo.
âWe canât hold a trial without a clear reason. Of course it doesnât make sense to be referred.â
Largo, who was slightly startled by those eyes, rubs his shoulders and flattens his shoulders.
âThe Duchess of Ophelia recently enjoyed using black magic.â
âIâve never enjoyed using it though.â
Ophelia stepped in.
âDonât lie. Everyone knows that youâve been using black magic for your own benefits.â
What a nonsense!
She wanted to shout, but Ophelia tried to hold back. Because there were many eyes to see.
âThereâs a lot of evidence. Itâs possible enough to say it for days.â
It must be all fabricated evidence.
Ophelia feel dizzy.
âSo, Iâll see you in the trial in two days.â
It seems that the trial has already been scheduled. Then there is no stopping the trial from taking place.
First of all, she have to accept the trial and find a way out from thereâ.
Ophelia touched her forehead. She sighs again.
âIsnât it fun?â
Largo smirked at such Ophelia.
âItâs a great present, isnât it?â
Before moving on, he looked at Sylvester who annoyed, Ophelia who surprised, and the people who were murmuring.
âThen Iâll be on my way. Have a fun night!â
Watching his back as he left, Callian, who had been silent the whole time, opened his mouth.
âWhen are you going to start the fire?â
He gritted his teeth.
âThat shameless bastard.â
******
âWhooââ
Riding the carriage, I sighed and buried my face in my hands.
A trial in two days.
It gets a little terrifying.
It is unlikely that I will be punished for using black magic. Even Largo wouldnât blame it.
All he wants is my soul. That is, whether or not my soul was changed.
It is clear that soul will be detected in the trial.
And I canât avoid it.
I bit my nails in a nervousness.
âOphelia?â
At this time, Sylvester, who came in with the carriage door open, spoke to me.
âWhatâs the matter?â
He sat right next to me and poked his head out, as if he sensed my nervousness.
âAre you doing this because of the trial?â
I didnât answer, but Sylvester seems to think so.
âI told you thereâs nothing to worry about. I donât think itâs a big deal.â
He said putting his hand on mine. As I felt the warm body temperature, my heart, which was beating fast, calmed down a little. However, that didnât mean that the anxiety was completely gone.
âRight, itâs not a big dealâ¦â
Haa.
I sighed and bowed my head. Sylvester asked again.
âBut whatâs wrong with you?â
He narrowed his eyes and looked at me.
âDonât tell me, youâ¦â
He raised my chin and made me raise my head.
âAre you hiding something from me?â
The moment I met his blue eyes, I had no choice but to hold my breath.
Because Sylvester seemed more sincere than anyone else.
Yeah, Sylvester was always sincere.
He didnât lie to me, he told me everything honestly, and he always look at me first.
To keep lying to him like thisâ.
âMy conscience hurts so much.â
It wasnât the right thing to do.
Whoo. I took a deep breath.
Then I turned a little bit and sat face to face with Sylvester.
âYes, I do.â
My hand on my thigh trembled. But I didnât stop talking.
âAnd itâs really big.â
Sylvester pressed the flesh inside his mouth with his tongue and narrowed his brows slightly.
âTell me.â
I gently raised my eyes.
âWill you forgive me?â
âLetâs hear what it is first.â
âAh, really!â
When I burst into a rage, Sylvester finally let go of his expression and laughed.
âItâs a joke.â
He put his hand on the top of my head, then patted my head and said.
âI can accept whatever lies you told me. So tell me.â
I was relieved to hear that.
Can I really tell him?
I bit my lip.
But I couldnât keep it hidden like this.
Because now that the trial is about to be held.
I have to prevent the fact that Iâm a different person somehow.
It was right to ask Sylvester for help.
And itâs too hurt to keep hiding from Sylvesterâ.
âActuallyââ
I swallowed dry saliva.
âIâm not the real Ophelia.â