Chapter 5
No, seriously, where is this guy taking me without saying a word…! I was about to ask what he was doing, but the atmosphere felt off, so I decided to wait and see.
So, he led me to stand in front of the mirror that covered the entire niche in one corner of the exhibition room.
The room was filled with paintings, and in the mirror, we looked like figures in a frame.
A woman in a sky-blue periwinkle-colored dress with long reddish-blonde hair and wide-set red eyes, and a man with silver-gray hair standing behind her, gazing at her with piercing light blue eyes.
A pair that took your breath away just by looking at them...
What is he up to? While I was thinking that, I suddenly remembered Vibrato's dormitory supervisor. Our formidable Peanut, who made every student who broke a school rule stand in front of the mirror and recite their statement of self-reflection out loud...
"Haaa..."
I couldn't help but let out an exclamation without realizing it. Who could endure such a situation?
In front of me was a necklace, modeled after the recently popular layered pearl style.
However, instead of pearls, it was crafted with elaborately designed diamonds, forming a cascade of jewels that symbolized immutability.
It shone brilliantly around my neck. God, how much must this cost?
"Ben, this is... This is really..."
"Well done. This is my reward for making it a perfect birthday."
Benya's eyes twinkled playfully as he looked at me, not knowing how to react. My eyes in the mirror sparkled too, as tears welled up unexpectedly.
"Really... This is too much, something like this."
"I’m not going overboard. At least, not for me."
I turned around and held his hand. I could hear pounding sounds from somewhere. Maybe all the paintings were pounding too.
"It's so beautiful... I don't know how to thank you."
"I'm glad. I was worried you'd scold me and ask how much I have spent for this."
A laugh escaped my lips. As I chuckled with teary eyes, Benya laughed too and kissed my forehead, quickly and lightly. Then he added in a joking tone.
"Practice your shooting skills when you get home. That place is the best for keeping it secret."
Yes, I'll take your word for it. After a while, we walked out of the exhibition room, hand in hand. The party was about to begin.
"Let's go. Are you ready?"
"It couldn't get any better than this. By the way, what's the name of the hotel? Everyone still seems unaware."
"Don't rush it; you'll find out soon enough."
The opening ceremony was a huge success. Despite feeling nervous inside, everyone was amazed as they looked around the luxurious hotel.
The elegantly designed casino with its gentle curves and the artificial canal shopping mall, where you could ride a gondola, was especially impressive.
Outside the lobby, shop assistants from the shopping mall were selling various souvenirs, and the banquet hall and tea room were bustling with activity.
Richly dressed people were enjoying delicacies from various regions and sipping on drinks, creating a satisfying and romantic atmosphere.
"Oh, I've been talking so much that I'm starving."
"If anyone heard you, they'd believe you're usually so reserved."
"Such slander! I am a very reserved person, right, Sasha?"
"As Oppa's protector, I will refrain from talking as much as possible."
"These two...! Do you think the family head is a pushover?!"
We laughed together while holding plates of food. It had been a while since the three of us had such a fun time together. Even Benya was smiling, seeming to be in a good mood.
"By the way, happy birthday, dear brother."
"Thank you."
"In that case, let's have a congratulatory drink..."
"I was wondering when you'd suggest that."
"Tch."
Oh my goodness, it's adorable to see our duke dressed up in a uniform, pouting like that. Alcohol is truly the root of all evil, you rascal!
Just then.
"It's quite noisy. Indeed, it's Serpente."
"Your Highness."
"Sit down, sit down. It's ridiculous to greet me like that in a place like this."
His golden hair glimmered in the light, and his purple eyes looked even deeper today, possibly due to his dark blue suit.
His gaze swept across the banquet hall and then settled on my side. More specifically, it stayed on the necklace around my neck for a while before moving up to my face.
"This necklace exceeds expectations, whoever made it."
"I... I beg your pardon, Your Highness."
My heart began to race again. Once more, I felt the irony of being both pleased and reluctant about this situation. Moreover, after hearing the whole truth from Jerome, my feelings were even more complex.
Does he perhaps know too? Does he know how my mother died...
"Oh, Benya. I have something to discuss with you..."
"Yes, Your Highness."
As the pretty prince and the guest of honor retreated behind the table for a private conversation, the Parke siblings, who were standing behind the Crown Prince, approached.
"Congratulations, Duke. It was a truly magnificent opening ceremony."
Our heroine and her siscon of a younger brother. Juan seemed to have learned his lesson and presented a decent appearance, putting his past behavior to shame.
It seemed like he still believed that I had made his sister cry as he rolled his eyes and glanced in my direction.
I couldn't afford to worry about that sister complex right now.
Thankfully, Lethias didn't seem to have any romantic feelings for Adriana beyond a friendly connection, but I couldn't relax with this tension. I hoped everything would go as planned...
"Thank you, Princess. I apologize for the incident the other day."
"We are very sorry. Right, Juan?"
"...Sorry about last time, Duke."
Though Juan seemed reluctant, Lethias surprisingly accepted the apology without much fuss. Maybe he, too, had heard something from his brother.
Meanwhile, Adriana, our female lead, sat close to me and greeted me cheerfully.
"You did wonderfully, Sasha. I envy your talents. I've been thinking about the incident from the other day..."
"It's in the past, so there's nothing to worry about. You look stunning today. Thank you for coming."
"Of course, it's a masterpiece event by Serpente. It surpassed my expectations. But I haven't seen Alfonsina yet. I thought she would be with the Duke..."
Naturally, she hadn't seen her yet, as Alfonsina was getting ready to appear on a stage I had specially prepared. Just then, I caught a glimpse of Valentina's beautiful deep purple dress. I smiled and spoke up.
"Here she is."
Not just Adriana, but almost everyone in the banquet hall turned their heads to look at the two women entering through the entrance.
Valentina, wearing her amethyst jewelry on her caramel-colored curly hair, and an unfamiliar aristocratic lady shyly stepping forward while being escorted by her.
Her black straight hair was meticulously combed, shining like black pearls.
The rosy hue around her silver eyes, coupled with her elegantly curled long eyelashes, gave her a delicate and mysterious appearance.
Her transparent powdered skin, along with her dainty nostrils resembling pearls, her glossy lips, and the thin platinum necklace adorning her slender neck, all contributed to her enchanting beauty.
To top it off, the water-colored dress she wore fluttered gracefully, revealing her slender shoulders, making her the center of attention.
I felt a sense of pride when I remembered how much effort I put into selecting her dress.
Alfonsina truly resembled a porcelain doll from the East—graceful, lofty, delicate, and mysterious. Though she seemed shy and uncertain, her hesitation only accentuated her loveliness.
I quickly glanced at Lethias to gauge his reaction.
Thankfully, he had left his fiancée earlier and hadn't blurted out anything foolish like, "Who is that...?" His expression indicated that he was taken aback, his wide-open eyes adding to his charm.
As a hushed silence settled over the banquet hall, it was Benya who broke the silence first. He smiled at me as if he could read my thoughts, then spoke in a casual tone.
"This is the first time I've seen her. Is she, by any chance, His Highness's lover?"
In response, Assad also smiled and answered tactfully.
"Unfortunately, I haven’t been that lucky. There seems to be another fortunate man, but I wonder why he's hesitating."
"I was thinking the same thing."
Hearing his younger brother and the Crown Prince openly tease him, the fortunate man seemed to snap out of his stupor. Oh, our dear bear!
"Alfonsina...?"
"I-I'm sorry, I'm late. The canal outside is so beautiful...."
Even the way she made her excuses, eyes down in apparent fear, was adorable. Lethias looked as though he didn't know how to react.
"No, the canal is indeed beautiful... Uh, I mean, I'm relieved, no, pleased that you like it. Honestly, Sasha was the one who arranged everything, though..."
"T-Thank you, for your consideration."
"Hahaha, of course, we're engaged..."
Valentina was visibly trying to hold back a laugh.
And I was no different.
What on earth were they talking about? Why was the conversation heading in that direction?
I couldn't believe it, but this fool of a fiancé was behaving just as cluelessly here! Alfonsina looked even more beautiful today, and he couldn't even manage a proper compliment!
Nevertheless, it was a satisfying and proud feeling to witness these two young people, shy and conscious in each other's presence.
Ah, such a delightful sight to behold. They look so perfect together.
Could this be the beginning of a beautiful romance?
Comments
Post a Comment