“It seems like people are slowly flocking towards that corner over there… Sir?”
When she turned to look, the exemplary knight that was just here a moment ago… vanished in an instant. By the time Violet was looking around hastily, those who could not approach Violet because of her partner narrowed the distance at once.
“Greetings to you, Ducal Lady Violet S. Everett. I am Zayne of House Tomil. I don’t know if you remember, but—”
“I am Chase of House Qisha. Haha, I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but I’m acquainted with Lord Roen and—”
“I am Jeniul of House Kemos. Your Ladyship, I—”
Her partner had been a more effective shield than she had originally thought. Violet briefly pondered about what it would have been like if she had used Roen as a shield-slash-partner instead.
Envious eyes—or perhaps, outright contempt—now turned to Violet.
There was a time when she once thought that the people who looked at her with envy were on her side. That was a story from a distant past.
Violet laughed again. She considered herself lucky to have been so delusional.
“May I offer you a drink? It’s a mixed carbonated drink that has only a low alcohol percentage, so women can drink it without any difficulties.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“It’s a drink made from the grapes of my region, so I can be confident of its taste.”
As she received the glass, Violet smiled awkwardly.
What exactly about this alcoholic drink can I be confident of? She shouted in her heart, yet the person in front of her could not hear. The words stayed stuck in her throat.
“Aren’t you going to drink it right away?”
“It’s a drink that’s filled with much pride, so it would be a waste to drink it all right away. I will taste it at its utmost ripeness.”
A soft yet nonetheless emotionless smile was presented to the banquet hall.
It’s a bit sad to think that she couldn’t receive goodwill at its face value, but still, Violet remained wary.
“Yes. My younger sister has a bit of a— no, has a very weak tolerance to alcohol, so I’ll be taking this glass.”
“Who dares to— huhk…! Young Duke!”
“The grapes of your household are indeed famous for their taste, Chase. Oh, I don’t have to introduce myself, do I?”
The young lord, who introduced himself as being acquainted with Roen, instantly froze the moment Roen appeared. Violet clicked her tongue.
After downing the glass right away, Roen smiled refreshingly and placed the glass on the tray of a passing servant.
“I’ll be taking my younger sister with me now. I’m thinking of using this opportunity to strengthen our brother-sister relationship, you see. I hope that’s alright with you all.”
“O-Of course.”
“But if you don’t mind, we’d like to talk to Her Ladyship a bit more…”
“Ahh, don’t worry. I know what you want to say, but I really just want to have a quick conversation with my dear sister.”
Roen pulled Violet away, and she followed him anyway. She showed very little reaction towards Roen’s behavior.
When she was still Yeon Ha-yoon, in fact, she was a heavy drinker. Very, very, slightly, she felt sorry that she couldn’t have a sip of the alcohol that was already in her hands a moment ago.
As Violet, she never drank to the point of getting plastered, so she didn’t really know whether or not she had a weak tolerance to alcohol.
“I recommend not drinking what others have given you. We don’t know if anyone would go ahead and cause some trouble during the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet, but you know, don’t you? There are scoundrels everywhere.”
“In this day and age, is there anyone who’ll actually use those means to get married?”
“Many. There’s a plethora of them, Violet. Especially when it concerns someone like you.”
“Whatever. I’m not going to drink or eat anything that other people have offered me anyway.”
“That’s unexpected. I thought you’d eat anything since all you’ve been saying all day is that you’re absolutely starving.”
“Young Lord. What exactly do you think I am?”
Roen coughed and cleared his throat.
It was a strange conversation that just kept flowing. In any case, it’s true that Roen proved to be helpful in that situation, so Violet easily relaxed her expression.
She felt a bit frustrated though. She couldn’t do anything about it, and that situation could have turned dangerous had it not been for her older brother’s intervention.
“You’re late today.”
“Ah, I came in late because there was something I needed to do. Have you been waiting for me?”
“Not a chance. You must be happy though. It seems like you’re fully enjoying the power that a duke’s heir can wield.”
“Oh, don’t be so sarcastic. Where’s Cairn by the way?”
“Apologies for sounding sarcastic, but I’m quite sincere, thank you very much. Didn’t Cairn come with you though?”
“Haaa.”
Looking like a preemptive headache had already struck him, Roen let out a long sigh. Guessing what was going on in his mind, Violet clicked her tongue.
Given that Cairn was free and had no one watching him, where would he have gone, and what kind of incident had he already caused by now?
The sighs of the brother and sister deepened further.
“It’s not that I’m expecting anything from him, but…”
“Frankly speaking, I don’t think there’s anything to expect.”
“I just hope everything will turn out alright. If he really did do something, I can just take him out of the family registry.”
“……”
Violet smiled faintly. She knew that Roen was entirely serious about that.
Cairn wasn’t that great of a man that he’d be a loss to the duchy if he’s stripped of his family name. Perhaps this would even be beneficial for both sides.
“Well, never mind about that. Where’s your partner?”
“I know, right?”
This time, Roen asked a question that made her feel down. The smile on Violet’s lips twitched slightly.
Roen shook his head.
“Good grief, that guy can’t even take care of his partner. He’s the opposite of a gentleman. If you don’t mind, Your Ladyship, will you give me the honor of escorting you?”
“……”
“Oh, come on. It’s a joke. You don’t have to make that face.”
It’s still ambiguous why Aldin left like that, so Violet didn’t know what was going on in his mind.
Roen smiled at his younger sister.
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. How about you reunite with your partner? Maybe he’s in one of the balconies.”