Chapter 8

She thought to herself, ”What gift did I receive from him on my twenty-first birthday? I think it was a jewel back then, but it’s the first time I’ve seen this emerald, so he’s certainly changed the gift. Come to think of it, Eve and Angel had never thought of kidnapping me as a surprise. Why? Is there a separate rule in this world? After all, I’m not simply repeating my past. If that’s the case, how much more can I change?’

She focused on things like that while she was waving the feather fan mechanically.

Meanwhile, it was almost sunset. Stone lanterns were lit up all over the place, and the party at the spring garden at night was growing more interesting. The orchestra, which was on one side of the garden and played cheerful music throughout the party, changed the music. They played waltz music with a slow tempo.

“Oh, I guess the ball is about to start,” Angelica said gladly when she heard a familiar beat.

‘Dang it! Is there still some more on the playlist? Who the hell arranged this party?’

She was really annoyed, but she didn’t express her feelings.

She knew very well who planned this horribly long and extravagant party in great excitement for a month.

“By the way, Angel. You told the knight you had in mind to come here, right?”

“The knight that I like? I don’t know a person like that.”

“Marie, please don’t let her have any expectations. What’s the point of that bastard coming here? Only Angelica has a crush on him. I think that knight seems to be interested in you, Marie. He’s been looking askance at you all along. I’m confident!”

“Nope! Sister Marie looked at me!”

“Really? I heard you telling her you don’t have any knight in mind here.”

“…!”

Put on the spot, Angelica blushed and stared at Evelyn sharply. But Evelyn chuckled at her as if she was so funny.

Tapping her on the shoulder gently, Marianne pulled Evelyn’s arm and said, “So, who the heck is that knight she has in mind? Where is he now?”

“Hummmm… Oh I see him standing right beside the fountain. Do you see a group of knights gathered over there?”

“Oh, that guy with black hair and a black cloak?”

“No, not him. You see the man with dark purple hair across him, right? Tallest among them, with a long scar on his cheeks. That’s him. She has a crush on him. I just don’t understand why she likes him so much when there are other great guys there. I think her preferences for a man are really unique.”

Hearing Evelyin, Marianne rolled her eyes and tilted her head to the side.

Although she couldn’t clearly see him at a distance, she felt he was very familiar to her.

That knight with dark purple hair was very tall and had a long cut on his cheeks.

‘He can’t be…?’

She narrowed her eyes and stretched her neck to confirm her educated guess.

She felt like she could recognize him if he turned back a little more. But she couldn’t see his face as he was standing with his back against her. While watching him changing his posture little by little, she became all the more impatient.

In the end, she was about to step forward for a closer look when somebody said, “The sun is already setting.”

Suddenly, a large shadow stopped her.

“Lord Ober.”

Marianne stepped back and confirmed the shadow’s identity. He had disappeared into a secluded place with his subordinates a little while ago, but he came back all of a sudden and stopped her.

“You are still hanging around there. I thought you went back since you were so busy.”

“No matter how busy I was, how can I spend time at another place and not be here on a day like this?”

She replied with a gentle smile and looked back his back quickly.

“You have a good time!”

Angelica was about to leave the place, so Ober and Marianne could have some private time.

She left with Evelyn, who was slow-witted enough to stick around a little more.

Meanwhile, that knight standing near the fountain turned around for a moment.

The moment Ober bowed to see Angelica and Evelyn off, Marianne could see that knight’s face clearly even though he was standing far away…

Was it because of her mood at the moment? She felt her eyes met his.

“Looks like you’re looking for something.”

Ober spoke to Mariane when he saw her trying to look for something. As if in doubt, he also looked at his back. At that moment, her heart pounded fast as if her big secret had been detected.

She could make excuses by saying she was trying to look at that knight whom Angelica had a crush on. Her former self could have easily told him so, but she could not do so now.

She did not want to go to the trouble of reminding him of her relationship with that knight.

The little Ober knew about her, the better. As she firmly decided to get out of his claws, it would be better for her not to expose even the smallest information about her.

“Right. I was looking for a suitable spot.”

Admiring her own quick response, she changed her expression dramatically. She really seemed to be looking for it with excitement and thrill. For a woman who had never tried to curry favor with somebody, she thought she led him on very well.

“The right spot?”

“Yeah. I mean the right spot to dance with you.”

She presented her hand in white lace gloves to him.

“Aren’t you here to invite me to dance?”

Ober burst into laughter at her cute attitude.

He lightly kissed her hand and murmured without removing his lips from her fingertips.

“If I didn’t come for that purpose, it’s not a gentleman’s way to embarrass a lady.”

“Don’t lie. You won’t sit idly if I dance with another man.”

“Oops! I think I’ve been caught! I can’t hide anything from you either.”

Ober didn’t try to deny it and escorted her in a relaxed manner.

She walked along with him. When asked about the right spot she had been looking for, she urgently pointed to a suitable spot in the garden.

While walking near the fountain, she didn’t forget to check the identity of that knight once again, pretending to look at Ober.

Both of them stood in the middle of the stage. The dance began as Ober wrapped around her slender waist. The social dance was one of the basic skills that noblemen of the time were supposed to master. Following his gentle lead, she skillfully moved her feet. Dancing with him was not difficult at all. Drawing attention to her was also a no-brainer.

“You are so beautiful that I can’t take my eyes off you. You look more lovely up close.”

What made her feel uncomfortable was his breathing and gaze up close.

“I’m so much flattered by your honeyed words that I’m afraid I might pass out.”

“Well, you have charm like a pitta. You’re an innocent girl, a lovely lady, an elegant lady…. Your angry face today was like a mischievous queen. How many more expressions are hidden in it?”

Marianne felt a sting in her heart at his quasi-praise.

The closer she was to him, the more difficult it was for her to put up with her feelings.

Although she tried not to reveal her feelings, it seemed this man clearly noticed the slightest change in his sharp eyes.

“I hope you can love me, no matter how I look to you.”

“You don’t have to worry about that because you are so lovely.”

She talked too much. Reflecting on it, she leaned on his chest. Every time she made physical contact with him, she felt uncomfortable because of her memories and the tension in her previous life. However, she had no choice but to talk a lot to hide her trembling eyes.

As it happened, she smelled the strange scent of fragrance from his lapel that touched her cheeks. It was very sad for her to feel a sense of guilt and betrayal from her nostalgic memories.

“Oh and…”

He spoke as if to wake her up from depression.

“I received a report from my deputy late in the afternoon. I think I have to leave Lennox for a while because something urgent happened in my territory. I’m leaving tomorrow. I think I may have to stay there for one month.”

“Ah… so suddenly?”

‘Are you leaving Lennox? For a month, starting tomorrow?’

Trying her best to control her glistening eyes with joy, she pretended to look upset.

“Well, important things always come along without notice. I can’t predict them in most cases.”

“You have to go if it’s urgent. Please come back safely when you’re done.”

“Let me come back as soon as possible when I’m done. Let me leave two of my deputies behind here, so if something urgent comes to you, please let them know about it.”

“You can come back before that happens. I’ll be waiting for you.”

She leaned back on him, pretending to feel regret on purpose.

Only after she saw him leaving the place could she shout for joy.