Chapter 14

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Sir Carlz opened his eyes wide in surprise, then let out a long sjgh.

“It seems like you heard some useless gossip. Yes. It’s true. The Duke of Welch provided military support to the Knights of Morte on the battlefield, and in return, demanded an engagement to his daughter. Victor had no choice but to accept.”

Her heart sank. She lowered her eyes.

“What people said was actually true…”

“But the engagement is long over!”

As Carlz hurriedly leaned over, the chariot rattled violently from side to side.

“Oh!”

Carlz shook his head.

“As soon as the Duke of Welch learned that His Majesty was ill, he broke off the engagement. After that, the Grand Duke married you. Nanael Welch is no longer tied to His Majesty.”

‘But didn’t the ladies say that they were forced to break up?’

It was not difficult to imagine Nanael and Victor as a married couple. They would’ve been a really good pair…

Suddenly, she felt sick to her stomach and put down the meat skewer she was eating. Carlz turned pale.

“Madame, you didn’t finish your food…”

She looked away with a gloomy expression.

She was ashamed that she was worried all the time. She didn’t want Victor to know about her lowly feelings.

She begged Carlz.

“Please don’t tell the Grand Duke that I asked about Lady Welch.”

Carlz looked at her.

After all, he was Victor’s knight. Any happenings were to be reported to his master.

But really, if Victor looked at her with disappointment, she wouldn’t be able to stand it.

She had no choice but to say something she didn’t really mean.

“If you ever tell him…”

“?”

“I’m going to cut ties with you.”

Carlz gasped and dropped his skewer.

***

She gazed at the luxurious mansion with clouded eyes.

The Estate of Catalonia.

It was the residence of a Marquis family, who were famous for being the most wealthy in the Empire.

The ‘Golden Room’ of the Catalonia estate, where jewels were piled taller than a man, was a favorite topic of discussion among minstrels*.

[*E/N: A minstrel was a medieval entertainer. Originally describing any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool, the term later came to mean an entertainer who sang songs and played musical instruments.]

But to her, it was just torture.

After she entered the ballroom, she greeted the Marquis of Catalonia, then immediately hid along the wall. The Marquis’ chandelier, which was made of beautiful and expensive crystals, helped distract her for a few moments.

However, Lady Welch’s voice was too loud to ignore.

“The Grand Duke of Morte is like every woman’s dream.”

“Isn’t he the greatest knight on the continent? Besides, who could resist that dignified look! The knights in the fairytales are nothing compared to him.”

“Nowadays, the Grand Duke has been quiet, so will we hear good news soon, Nanael?”

“Oh my, how could you ask me that? How shameful!”

Following the sound of teetering laughter, Lady Welch covered her mouth with a fan and smiled like a flower.

Amarion couldn’t take it anymore.

She picked up a glass of champagne and sat in a chair the furthest away from Lady Welch she could find.

After Carlz rebuked Count Minfield, no one was openly hostile, but their curiosity and ridicule was still there. She bowed her head.

‘Away from the spotlight is where I belong.’

At that moment, a shadow fell over her feet.

“Your highness, Grand Duchess.”

‘…Is someone trying to talk to me?’

She was startled and instinctively raised her head.

It was the first time she had ever seen a young lady willingly stand in front of her. She was wearing a stunningly gorgeous dress, paired with a sapphire necklace that had such large jewels it made you gasp.

Her long black hair was curly, but strangely sparkly. It was laced with small jewels. The moment Amarion saw the dazzling diamond circlet on her head, she forgot her manners and opened her mouth.

It was the first time she had seen such an expensive outfit, even though she attended social events every day.

Was she the Imperial Princess?

Oblivious to her thoughts, the lady sat next to her without hesitation.

“Forgive my rudeness, my lady. I am Catalina Catalonia, daughter of the Marquis.”

Catalina hurriedly stopped her from saying hello.

“Please sit down. I also broke etiquette.”

She called over an attendant with a graceful gesture, and picked up a champagne glass. Amarion stared blankly at her profile.

‘Why is she talking to me? There’s nothing beneficial about being close to me right now.’

‘Is she here to mock me, too?’

“Forgive my rudeness, but why are you here?”

When asked, Catalina answered sternly.

“They are really rude. Isn’t that right?”

Her glare was directed towards the center of the ballroom. At the end of that glare was Lady Welch. Amarion was startled.

It was the first time anyone other than her had criticized Lady Welch. Catalina spoke with a harsh attitude that didn’t suit her appearance.

“I didn’t want them to defile my family’s salon, but I couldn’t uninvite them because the Welch Knights are their escort. I apologize again for the rudeness, your highness.”

“Oh, no.”

‘Thank you for your kind words, though.’

She swallowed those words with a small smile. Catalina misinterpreted her smile as a grimace and explained.

“Nanael Welch has pretended to be the hostess of the Grand Duchy for a long time now. Every time the Grand Duke made a contribution on the battlefield, she showed off as if it were her doing. Even his real wife isn’t so arrogant.”

“Is that so…”

Amarion nodded, feeling strange joy that someone else hated Nanael as much as her.

Catalina clenched her fists.

“Then the Grand Duke got married, so she started spreading rumors that when the Grand Duke gets better, she will be the next Grand Duchess. It’s so absurd and low…”

Catalina shivered at her own words and emptied her glass in one gulp. Amarion was overwhelmed by the momentum and just nodded her head.

Unlike many women in the social world, she didn’t like Nanael.

Catalina put down her glass with a clinking sound.

“Your highness is the rightful hostess of the Morte estate. What she does is not honorable. I’m sorry that I’m expressing my frustrations to her highness, who came from a foreign country.”

Amarion glanced at Catarina.

She seemed to be a woman who took great pride in being an Imperial.

Wearing a fancy dress and cursing dishonor, she looked like a true aristocrat.

Before she could even think, words spilled out of her mouth.

“Catalina is truly noble.”

“Is that so?”

Catalina smiled softly.

The jewels in her hair followed her movements and shone brilliantly. The wealth of her family was apparent just by looking at her.

Catalina spoke with a serious expression.

“I do not forget the rights and obligations I have as the successor of Catalonia. Unlike someone…”

‘Rights and obligations…’

Amarion nodded her head without saying a word.

After that, for the first time in the social world, she laughed and chatted freely.

***

Catalina.

Thanks to her, Amarion wasn’t in a bad mood today.

After dinner, she washed with unscented water to get the stench of perfume off her body. After she put on a shirt, everything became a little fuzzy.

Catalina pretended that all the rumors were nonsense, but Nanael Welch was someone who could truly stand beside Victor.

She was the daughter of an allied family, and the most popular socialite in the Empire.

Maybe she was Victor’s lover, and would become the Grand Duchess, replacing Amarion.

‘I’m a Grand Duchess that can’t even act like a hostess…’

She had come here after she was sold off, because of her duty to the Amari estate.

So this kind of suffering was just something to be endured.

She crouched down next to the bed, holding her sword.

She had a hard life, full of struggles. She was used to being alone.

Still, the reason why she felt so sad was probably because Victor was so kind.

It was the first time that she had someone like him in her life.

“Sigh…”

As she buried her head in her arms, the bedroom door suddenly swung open.

“Marion!”

Victor walked in and looked at her eagerly.

She greeted him awkwardly.

“Welcome, Grand Duke…”

“What happened?”

He stopped right in front of her.

He moved in front of her gaze, trying to get her to look at him. She kept avoiding his eyes.

“What happened?”

“Oh, what?”

“You’re not looking at me.”

She closed her eyes tightly and hugged her sword as if it were her lifeline. Every time she saw Victor, useless thoughts flooded in and she couldn’t look at him at all.

When she stubbornly refused to look at him, he stopped moving.

“…Do you know that we haven’t been able to talk properly for a few days?”

“It’s because I’m tired…”

“The servants say that if you are in the dining hall, you go upstairs when I come.”

She bit her lip.

It was a mansion full of many people, but only two masters. She would have to face him eventually.

She hardened her expression and lifted her head.

Victor had terribly sunken eyes.

She smiled, swallowing her rising sadness.

“It’s because I really wanted to rest. Nothing happened.”

***