Chapter 4
Lately, the atmosphere in the Grand Duke’s residence had completely changed.
Laughter could now be heard echoing through halls that had once been weighed down by gloom.
Even Daisy, the maid currently arranging my hair in preparation for the first banquet I would attend since my parents’ deaths, seemed to be in especially high spirits.
“Something good happen, Daisy?” I asked.
As she braided my golden hair and hummed softly to herself, she answered cheerfully.
“I’m just so happy that the nobles who used to bother you have disappeared, my lady.”
“Right? I’m happy about that too.”
I agreed wholeheartedly.
Whether it was because my decisive stomp on his instep had worked or not, the persistent Count Daisyph had not shown his face even once since that day.
It was a deeply satisfying outcome.
See? You have to show them what happens if they cross the line.
I glanced sideways at the shoes I would be wearing to the Empress’s birthday banquet.
Hmm. Those sharp heels—perfect for disciplining any foolish noble who dared rush in without fear today.
As I stared at them for a while, Daisy, seemingly still impressed, added,
“Your charisma is really something else.”
“Oh, come on, Daisy. What’s so special about that?”
Charisma…
It wasn’t a bad word.
Though, honestly, it was my pretty shoes that had done most of the work.
Still, I smiled proudly.
“Just standing there, that killing intent pouring out of you… Honestly, it’s a little scary. But since it helped the Grand Duke’s house, I’m just glad.”
Wait. Killing intent?
I was scary?
Puzzled by her words, I studied my reflection in the mirror.
No matter how I looked, I couldn’t see any killing intent.
I didn’t think I looked that frightening…
Hmm. Maybe not scary, but perhaps a bit cold?
Unlike Ailee, my slightly upturned eyes and low-saturation violet irises could make me seem sharp.
Or maybe Daisy had found my expressionless face intimidating when I dealt with those annoying nobles.
I softened my smile as much as possible and reassured her.
“Daisy, it’s okay. I’m really not that scary.”
“Yes! If you say so, my lady, I’ll believe anything.”
“Right. I’m not scary. If anything, haven’t I been kind so far?”
“…Kind.”
Daisy trailed off.
Seeing her struggle to process that made my heart sink.
Guilt rose from deep inside me.
I… wasn’t kind?
Oh no.
Have I been neglecting Daisy?
Thinking back, it might have been true.
After my parents passed away, there had been so much to handle that I’d been on edge constantly.
The realization that I’d been inattentive to Daisy, who had done her best as my personal maid, made me feel awful.
Feeling guilty, I exaggerated my reaction as I admired the finished hairstyle and praised her loudly.
“Wow—Daisy! You’re amazing, as always. It’s beautiful!”
I gave her a big thumbs-up, and the praise seemed to work—color returned to her worried face.
Soon, she straightened proudly, shoulders lifting.
“You’ll be the most dazzling person at the banquet, my lady.”
“Of course. Who do you think I am?”
With my golden hair braided neatly to one side and a violet gemstone ornament set into it, even I had to admit I looked rather good.
No—forget modesty.
Honestly, I looked stunning.
I won’t be outshone tonight.
This would be my first banquet representing the Grand Duke’s house since my parents’ deaths.
And not just any banquet—a royal one—so I couldn’t help feeling nervous.
It was the first official event since the funeral, and I knew all too well how many eyes would be on me.
At least the marquess is coming with me.
In the original story, Layton attended alone. But since I hadn’t run away this time, it felt wrong to send him by himself.
After all, I was now the representative of the Grand Duke’s house.
Let’s just stay quiet. Quiet and unnoticed.
Don’t interfere with the original story. Go, stay quietly as if I’d never been there, and leave.
That was my goal today.
Just stay quiet, then exit.
And I was sure I had resolved to do exactly that.
…Had I?
As expected of a banquet hosted by the imperial family, glittering chandeliers hung overhead, and priceless paintings adorned the walls.
Standing there, Layton and I could practically be called the stars of the evening.
Despite the music playing, no one seemed inclined to dance. All eyes were fixed on us.
“The stares are quite blatant,” I murmured.
“Are you all right? Shall I prevent them from looking?” Layton asked.
“No, it’s fine. I’m enjoying it. I’m just assuming they’re looking because beautiful and handsome people deserve to be admired.”
I replied casually while brushing my hair back. Layton quietly nodded.
It felt nice—to be looked after like this.
If I’d come alone, those stares would have suffocated me by now.
I found myself smiling at his gentle consideration.
But… prevent them from looking?
How would one even do that?
I turned his words over in my mind, but they didn’t quite make sense. They felt oddly off, yet not enough to pinpoint why.
Still, it wasn’t important.
Just then, murmurs reached my ears, pulling me from my thoughts.
Sharp glances shot my way, accompanied by hushed whispers.
Normally irritating, but for today’s goal, I endured them.
Still, I couldn’t be sure Layton was unaffected, so I glanced at him.
He stood calmly, expression unreadable. For some reason, that didn’t ease my heart.
“Isn’t that Marquess Zynes? They say he just returned from the battlefield.”
“That Zynes—the devil, they call him.”
“Just looking at him is terrifying. I heard the war was brutal. Amazing he came back alive.”
“But what’s his connection to the House of Bennett? He’s standing with the young duchess…”
Listening to that nonsense, how much must he have endured to stand here so calmly?
I even planned to use his family’s reputation myself…
Remembering that I’d intended to scare off annoying nobles with his infamy made guilt surge within me.
I lightly tapped his arm.
His blue eyes looked down at me.
“What is it?”
“Does it bother you?” I asked.
“…Pardon?”
“I thought it might.”
He tilted his head, looking almost innocent. Seeing that, I decided to encourage him—briefly.
I didn’t want him getting hurt here.
He was someone who would take care of Ailee and me from now on. I should protect him too.
Pointing subtly toward a group of blushing young ladies nearby, I whispered,
“You’d do better listening to what those young ladies are saying than those ridiculous remarks.”
“Why would what they’re saying matter—”
“Come on, listen. I’ll repeat it word for word.”
At my gesture for him to lean closer, Layton bent down until his face was near mine.
The sudden closeness brought with it a refreshing scent that tickled my nose.
Ah—this scent. I’d noticed it before. It must be his own.
As it wafted gently, I tilted my head slightly and perfectly mimicked the whispers of the young ladies—probably not far from my own thoughts about him.
“Wow, that’s Marquess Layton Zynes? He’s so dazzling I can’t look away.”
“……”
“That was a pretty mild one. Shall I raise the intensity a bit?”
He didn’t answer. Taking his silence as permission, I continued.
“I get why they call him a devil. He’s probably more enchanting than one. Oh—this line even made my heart flutter.”
Those girls had good taste.
They looked around my age—of course they’d swoon over a handsome man.
I nodded in deep agreement and smiled at Layton.
“Listen to this kind of talk, Marquess. It’s okay.”
He finally turned and met my eyes, wearing a strange expression I’d never seen before.
…What is that look?
It was like he was barely holding back laughter—yet at the same time…
Deeply moved.
“Thanks to you, I don’t think I’ll be hurt anymore,” he said.
“Good. That’s what I wanted.”
“Haha. Then I suppose I should only listen to stories like these from now on.”
His graceful smile drew audible gasps from those watching nearby.
I, too, found myself staring, captivated by his sun-bright expression.
Ah… he’s blindingly beautiful.
Maybe, as those girls said, he really was a devil in that sense.
My heart fluttered so hard I nearly lost myself—
Until a voice from the banquet hall entrance snapped me back to reality.
“His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress enter.”
The hall fell silent.
And the man who entered was—
My uncle.
And beside him stood a face I very much did not want to see.
She looks pleased.
Seeing the Empress smiling broadly—her usually tight expression fully relaxed—I bit my lip.
I’d known since childhood that the Emperor and my father weren’t especially close.
But they weren’t on bad terms either.
After my father relinquished his claim to the throne early on, the Emperor never saw him as a threat.
In the original story, he even took care of Ailee after our parents’ deaths.
But the Empress was different.
Unable to bear children, she had always been wary of our family.
And then my father’s sudden death.
The news had come out of nowhere.
My parents had died while inspecting the ducal territory far from the capital.
The novel never explained why Father died.
The person who might have been happiest about it—
In the original story, my father’s death was merely a plot device for Ailee to meet Layton.
But this was reality to me.
I have to uncover the truth.
My instincts told me the Empress might be deeply connected to my father’s death.
As an unpleasant look crept onto my face, I quickly lowered my head.
Openly displaying hostility would be foolish.
Sure enough, even when our eyes met, the Empress turned away as if she hadn’t seen me and walked toward the noble ladies.
Whispers spread immediately.
“Did you see that? Her Majesty ignored the young duchess.”
“Well, of course. The duchess is first in line for the throne now. With no children of her own, the Empress must find her an eyesore.”
“Shh. Be quiet. Someone might hear.”
Unlike her, the Emperor brushed past the crowd of nobles and approached me.
He smiled kindly—then stiffened the moment he noticed Layton beside me.
It was brief. So brief no one else could have seen it.
But I did.
…Why that expression toward Layton?
Before I could dwell on it, the Emperor relaxed his face and spoke warmly.
“Ho ho, isn’t this my lovely niece?”
“Your Majesty. I hope you have been well.”
“My body is fine, but my heart has not been. Thinking of my niece suffering weighed heavily on me.”
“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty.”
“Think nothing of it. Just be sure to take good care of yourself.”
The consolation was fleeting.
With a sorrowful look and routine words, he turned to Layton and widened his eyes as if surprised.
“But my, who is this? Layton Zynes, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Layton Zynes, at your service.”
“As I thought. You won every battle and returned safely. Thanks to you, all these nobles can stand here tonight.”
The Emperor praised him enthusiastically, his face full of satisfaction.
Was I mistaken?
That uneasy look he’d given Layton earlier—maybe it was just my imagination.
Layton’s gentle expression showed no trace of wariness toward the Emperor.
The Emperor seemed intent on continuing the conversation, speaking further about the recent war.
Seeing me standing awkwardly, Layton subtly gestured.
“Go on. Don’t worry about me.”
He mouthed the words. I nodded slightly in response.
As he moved out of sight, I was about to step away to wet my parched throat—
“Lady Selena Bennett, where are you going?”
—if not for a man striding toward me, wearing a greasy smile and attempting to kiss the back of my hand.
