Chapter 15
Despite her infamous status as a stepmother, Adriana stood beside her younger brother throughout the funeral, looking pale and melancholic.
On the other hand, Juan, faced with the death of his biological mother, appeared surprisingly impassive. From the memorial service to the conclusion of the burial, he didn't shed a single tear.
"Ducal Prince."
As mourners gathered around Adriana to offer their condolences, Juan leaned against a wall overlooking the Parke area of the cemetery, sipping wine.
When I approached him, he lifted his gaze and regarded me with hollow eyes.
"What words of comfort can I offer... It must be a difficult time for you."
"...Thank you."
His reply was curt, and Juan lowered his arms from the wall, straightening up. The intense and eccentric demeanor he often exuded had vanished.
"She wasn't going to survive much longer anyway."
"I heard she had pneumonia..."
"True, but her health had many complications. I doubt anyone here is truly mourning."
"What do you mean?"
"You're unaware of my mother's reputation."
There was a mix of bitterness and nostalgia in his pink-hued eyes. After a brief pause, I cautiously addressed him.
"Rumors often get blown out of proportion. The princess appears genuinely sorrowful..."
"That's just because she's so frail-hearted. The rumors aren't far from the truth. If she hadn't been ailing, she might have harmed her stepdaughter by now. She's always been cruelly abusive of her since her childhood."
Is that why you appear so composed? Because she was the mother who tormented your stepsister so relentlessly?
"Are you all right with that? I mean... I made a mistake that night at the banquet due to being drunk..."
I wonder how your beloved stepsister will react when she learns about your feelings for me. Suppressing a laugh, I shook my head.
"Don't worry about it. You likely have plenty of other concerns to occupy your thoughts..."
"I'm sorry."
"Hmm?"
"I mean... I know it was foolish. I shouldn't have provoked him like that..."
Scratching his head, Juan added awkwardly, casting a concerned glance my way. Everyone seems to want to spin their own version of events...
"Juan."
"Ah, Noona."
Adriana, who had quietly approached us, observed the two of us in turns for a brief moment. Just as I was preparing to speak, she beat me to it and addressed her brother.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was just telling her about how terrible of a stepmother our mother was to you."
Adriana's eyes widened slightly at Juan's blunt response. However, her expression soon softened into a gentle smile.
"Don't do that. It's all in the past. You've just always supported me."
Was that addition meant for my ears? Adriana's gaze eventually shifted to me, who stood a distance away.
"I didn't expect to see Sasha here."
"My condolences, Princess."
"Ari."
At that moment, Alfonsina approached us with her fiancé. Not only Lethias but also the Crown Prince and our Snake-eyed were present together.
Naturally, the attention of the two siblings was drawn in that direction, albeit for different reasons.
"My condolences, Prince. Princess. Everyone was quite boisterous."
"Indeed. Shouldn't we at least maintain a semblance of solemnity?"
Adriana let out a subdued sigh as Assad and Lethias playfully tossed their words.
"I'm truly sorry. I know there's no ill intent, but..."
"Hey, Benya."
Juan, who had been idly tracing his lips as if trying to deny his own existence, suddenly spoke up, causing all eyes to turn toward him. Juan's tone was surprisingly confrontational as he continued:
"I offer a heartfelt apology for my behavior at the banquet. I was recklessly drunk."
Benya, who had been silently smoking a cigarette and pretending to listen, furrowed his brows slightly before sighing.
"It's quite inappropriate to apologize in this manner on a day like today."
"..."
"But fine... What if I were to entertain your request for a duel? You'll end up seriously hurt if you continue acting impulsively without thinking."
It was somewhat unexpected for him to offer sincere advice rather than sarcasm or provocation. Juan's face turned a shade redder, but he didn't offer a retort. Instead, Assad smirked and clicked his tongue.
"Exactly. I thought it was only the Duke who had to contend with a drinking problem, but how intoxicated were you to create such a ruckus in the palace, even with your sister trying to stop you? If not for someone’s timely intervention, we might have been holding your funeral by now."
That someone’s timely intervention was me. Juan's cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of red.
"I'm not in any position to face you, Your Highness. By the way, due to that... I do have a tea prepared that I'd like to extend to Sasha as a token of gratitude."
His usual chuuni-like trait had transformed into a modest demeanor worthy of receiving an award. Before anyone could voice their surprise, Lethias chimed in, irritated.
"Hey, Your Highness, why drag me into this? I've been diligently maintaining my sobriety record. Isn't that right, Sasha? Ever since you appeared, I really..."
"Why does it seem like you lot can't regain your sense of decorum without the assistance of this sophisticated lady? Aren't you all exhausted from looking after these uncouth aristocrats?"
"I've just come to accept it as my destiny."
When I playfully responded to Assad's jest, a low ripple of laughter spread through the group. In the meantime, Adriana shifted her attention to me and changed the topic.
"Sasha, did you place that golden lily?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Thank you. I'm glad Sasha could make it."
Adriana's tone was slightly ambiguous as she looked directly into my eyes and offered a smile.
"It might sound impolite, but in many ways, Sasha reminds me of my mother. If she were still alive, she and Sasha could have been quite kindred spirits..."
Alfonsina, who had been observing her friend silently, widened her eyes. It was a reaction anyone would have.
Being likened to the deceased Duchess. Everyone was well aware of the differences in our appearances, so there was no need to point it out.
A woman who had taken on the role of mistress and assumed the position of Duchess through marriage, and a woman who was under suspicion for allegedly poisoning her husband under questionable circumstances – I could see the compatibility there.
Are you trying to brush it aside like that? A faint smile tugged at the corners of my lips. What a pity. I had even thought we might become friends.
"It's an honor to be compared to the Duchess."
"I truly mean it. Sasha is truly..."
"Perhaps if I were her, I would have descended from the afterlife the moment I saw my daughter's suffering."
An awkward silence settled over us, difficult to describe. Adriana looked at me with a bewildered expression, her gaze flickering with uncertainty. I put on a look of exaggerated regret.
"Oh dear, did I get it wrong? Your mother, who is so similar to me..."
"Well, even if you don't misunderstand... Isn't it rather disrespectful to the deceased?"
Adriana's tone squeezed slightly, and she cast a reproachful glance over my shoulder, at Benya. Did she expect him to scold me right then and there?
I apologize, but we don't share that kind of master-servant dynamic.
"Oh my, my apologies. It's just that the Ducal Prince mentioned something a while ago, so I got carried away... I should refrain from speaking presumptuously."
"Well, I certainly spoke quite candidly about our family matters."
Juan, who had been observing his sister with a similarly perplexed expression as Alfonsina, interjected and cast a worried look at me.
It was as if my feelings of unease were of greater concern to him than preserving his late mother's honor. And, of course, Benya chimed in belatedly, which only deepened Juan's worried expression.
"Did she have an interest in your family affairs?"
"That's why I spoke freely. She didn't inquire beforehand... She was simply offering her condolences and expressing sympathy... Then, while I was explaining why things unfolded that day, everything about our family spilled out..."
What was he talking about? Adriana's gaze, of course, grew increasingly stern at Juan's baffling behavior, as he tried to cover me up with nonsensical explanations.
As for me, I was struggling to contain my laughter. Glancing at Benya, it seemed he was in no different state than I was.
"You're on a different level from those of us who used to complain at other people's funerals. Isn't that right, Hyung?"
"Damn, that’s indeed our Sasha. Well, there's just something about Sasha that makes people open up to her."
Lethias, unaware of the situation, nodded with a sense of accomplishment.
This prompted the Crown Prince, who had been keeping a watchful eye on me, to intervene with a playful tone that lightened the mood.
"It does seem that way. Speaking of which, if you ever come across useful information while extracting confessions from unsavory nobles, you should feel free to share a bit with me. It would make identifying the ones with horns on their heads much easier." (Assad)
"Are you asking a noble’s vassal from another house to become your spy, Your Highness? And so casually, too?" (Benya)
"I'm not asking all that casually. Do you take me for a cheapskate like yourself?"(Assad)
"Hmm. Consider it, Sasha. We'll devise something and then split the reward between us." (Benya)
"I... I didn't even think of that." (Assad)
As Assad groaned and rubbed his temples, Benya unabashedly raised the corners of his mouth, draped his arm over my shoulders, and regarded me with a gaze that felt as though he were scrutinizing my very soul.
I could sense the main leads, as we stand side by side, watching us.
"Shall we make our exit?"
His soft whisper sent a shiver through my ears. I nodded, attempting to calm the rapid beating of my heart. I just wanted to escape this place of death as soon as possible.
"Hyung, let's go. And what about you, Your Highness?"
"I should be going as well. My condolences once again. If you ever need assistance, don't hesitate to reach out."
After exchanging another round of formal condolences and comforting words, we left the cemetery.
* * *
"Here, this one's for our Ducal Prince!"
"Put that bottle away."
"Don't be such a killjoy! It's customary to have a drink after attending a funeral. You should have a cold one too, Duke."
"I'd love to, but..."
"You want to do it?"
"No, I mean, I don't drink! I've got a sobriety record to maintain, and I can't break it now! Get lost, Satan!"
After leaving the funeral home and saying our farewells to Alfonsina, we somehow ended up at a small restaurant near the hotel. It was all thanks to Lethias's unexpected persistence.
The place was a spot I'd been to with Valentina before, more of a hideaway that combined a pub and a bowling alley rather than a conventional restaurant.
No matter the day, the pub, which was usually quiet, was bustling with people today.
At a glance, you could see men exuding a Night Butterfly-like aura, drinking and enjoying themselves while engaging in loud conversations.
Only the three of us were eating, and the owner who usually greeted us was nowhere to be seen.
Yann, who was often around, was now serving. And Yann appeared to be on a mission to get both Benya and Lethias to have a drink.
Whose birthday was it? I took the glass Valentina handed me and clinked it lightly against hers. The contents were an emerald-hued absinthe.
"All these people..."
"Yes. These are the key executives of the club, including me."
"That construction supervisor has quite the side gigs."
"At times, even on his day off from construction, he listens to their confessions."
Is that so? I momentarily envisioned the construction supervisor donning priestly robes, which brought a chuckle to my lips. Valentina joined in, giggling, and patted my back.
"But does beer even count as alcohol?"
"Hyung, you're..."
"I was just curious."
"Come on, enough bickering. Let's all enjoy a drink together, shall we?"
"I told you to drop it. This noise is unbearable. Why is everyone here?"
"We're here because your brother called us."
Benya and I both turned to Lethias at the same time when Yann, as the club's leader, responded quickly while serving. Lethias had a somewhat embarrassed smile on his face as he scratched his head.
"I didn't mean for us all to gather here today..."
There had to be a reason he had us gathered for a meal. What on earth happened that prompted our duke to issue such a summons?
Could something have occurred that I'm not aware of? Ugh, with all of them congregated like this, it truly resembled a band of misfits.
Setting my glass down gently, I cast a scrutinizing gaze at Benya. However, he misunderstood my intention.
"Can you not light that cigarette while we're eating?"
I hadn't necessarily been craving that, but with everyone refraining from smoking, it felt like I was gaining a small victory. Thanks, guys!
"Hey... To be honest, that's not what you really wanted to talk about, right?"
"Exactly, exactly!"
"Everyone, am I right? If there's anyone here unfamiliar with noble customs, just look at this overly sophisticated guy right here..."
"Noisy waiter. Just bring me a beer."
"Yes."
Yann, maintaining a tight-lipped expression, saluted with theatrical flair before dashing off to fetch the beer with evident excitement. Lethias's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"Can I have a beer?"
"No. But before that, why don't you just go ahead and tell us what all this is about? Why did you gather us like this?"
"I didn't plan to gather everyone like this..."
"Then why did you ask us to gather?"
"I just have something important to share..."
"So what's this big revelation?"
"It's not exactly a revelation..."
"Hyung, are you playing a guessing game with me?"
"... no."
Valentina and I observed with suppressed laughter as Lethias scratched his head, momentarily hesitated, and then seemingly made up his mind.
After quickly downing a shot of juice, he energetically hopped onto a chair.
"Alright, alright! Pay attention, everyone! Listen up! Because I've got something important to tell you!"
Comments
Post a Comment