CH 16

It was late that evening when Isabelle woke up. As soon as she realized that she was lying on the bed in the room that the Duke of Cardiago had prepared for her, she immediately remembered what had happened in the study.

‘What was that butterfly? What was the woman’s voice I heard?’

Rubbing her brow, Isabelle flinched as she looked at the books neatly placed on the table. They were all things she had picked up in the study earlier or had accidentally fallen to the floor.

It was obvious that he thought they were books she had chosen and brought them to her room. She could only think of one person who would do such a thoughtful act.

‘Riggs.’

Isabelle took the books, laid them out on the bed, and rummaged through them in disbelief. Baby Deer Riggs is the Duke of Cardiago, the Emperor’s candidate.

‘Riggs, who used to buy me new books because he lost the book she lent him every time?’

Of course, Riggs was suspicious in a lot of ways. He didn’t tell her exactly where he lived, he changed jobs too often, nevertheless he was always able to bring her precious snacks.

So far, friendship was more important than such trivial questions, so she did not ask. However, now that she is vaguely aware of what he is hiding, the questions of the past fit together like a puzzle. 

Isabelle repeated exclamations as she flipped through the book. The same date and time of birth was just the beginning.

On the day of the solar eclipse when she first met Riggs, it was stated that Cardiago’s young successor left in the middle of the procession and caused many people to be concerned.

‘If at this time it was Riggs who left the procession, came to the temple, and met me for the first time…’

She got goosebumps on her arms. 

It is said that when Riggs was away for half a year to receive vocational education, Cardiago’s legitimate heir, Felix, had been in a bloodbath to take over the head of the family’s seat. 

That was precisely when Riggs reappeared exhausted, that Felix finally took the head of the family’s seat and purged the opposition.

‘This is ridiculous.’

There were already so many things that it could not be called a coincidence.

Isabelle closed the book, afraid to face her reality. As she piled them back on the desk, she heard a polite voice. It was Rosa.

“Lady. I’ll come in for a moment.”

Rosa looked regretful and apologized for not serving her properly. The maid who followed her held a delicious looking dessert in her hand.

“Tomorrow is the ball, and I was very worried because you collapsed. I hope you get well and enjoy the seat prepared for you… I brought you snacks that are good for your body, so please try them.”

Rosa put the plate in front of Isabelle. The most outstanding among them was a tart made with sweet cream and dark reddish-brown fruits.

Isabelle took a bite, thinking that the shape was somehow familiar. At that moment, she opened her eyes and couldn’t help but be amazed. 

‘This tangy texture is….’

The fruit that Riggs brought and fed her once a month was just like this one. She knew quite a bit about tree fruits and medicinal herbs, but it had a unique texture that she could not identify.

“Rosa. Can you explain the fruit on top of this tart?”

“Of course, my lady. The name of that reddish-brown berry is Cardiago Berry.”

For some reason, just the name made her nervous. 

“The Cardiago Berry tree is the only tree in the Duke’s castle full of shadow magic, and its fruit has a powerful pain-relieving effect that lasts more than a week.”

“······.”

“It has the effect of calming nightmares, curses, and soothing the mind and body. Because of its unique tangy taste and efficacy, sometimes people want to buy it, but as I said earlier, the fruits are so precious…”

“If you convert it to gold, how much would it be?”

Rosa made numbers with her fingers as if she couldn’t dare say it, but added that the volume was so small that sales were virtually impossible. Isabelle was so dumbfounded that her jaw dropped.

‘Riggs was using berries that cost more than a mansion for my menstrual cramps?’

A postman, a farmer, or a clown could not have obtained these berries, even several of them. 

She used to think that it was strange that she didn’t feel any pain throughout the whole month if she ate just one. She never imagined that it was because of a precious fruit that can only be found in Duke’s Castle.

“The Cardiago berry tart was specially ordered by the Duke, because he was concerned about the young lady’s condition. Please enjoy it.”

“Ah, you personally brought it to me.” 

Isabelle munched on a Cardiago berry tart and was convinced of two things.

First – That her childhood friend is Felix the Great Duke of Cardiago.

Second – That Felix Cardiago is making fun of her right now.

‘Riggs. I’ll see you next time, right?’

Isabelle barely managed to control her upset stomach and ate up the tart.

***

Last night, Riggs didn’t show up, but Isabelle did not ask Rosa to bring him.

“I’ll have the blue ribbon. It’ll go very well with my eyes.”

They’d see each other at the ball tonight anyway. The great Duke of Cardiago was holding a ball for Isabelle, who had been kidnapped.

‘Maybe I’ll see with my own eyes that Riggs is the Duke of Cardiago. Maybe he’ll hide it till the end.’

Thinking that her best friend, her childhood friend, had been deceiving her all this time, made her feel upset inside. On the other hand, she wondered why he hid his identity.

She was also secretly worried. In the meantime, if she piled up the homework that she had asked Riggs to do for her, it’d be waist-deep. What kind of nonsensical jokes did she make? Obscene jokes about aristocrats were punishable by imprisonment.

‘If Riggs is the Duke of Cardiago… did I propose to the Duke himself, saying that I would not be sold to the Duke of Cardiago?’

And with only a necklace that she inherited as a dowry?

No, in the first place Riggs wouldn’t have bought her if he was the Duke of Cardiago. There must have been some misunderstanding in the middle, or he intended to buy her and protect her.

‘…I need to hear it myself.’

She didn’t know what kind of reaction she would have the moment she checked the facts with her own eyes, but it was clear that it was polite to listen to him directly rather than asking others. 

Isabelle hurried to the ball with a determined face like she was going into battle.

It was quite a strange thing to surrender to the busy hands of the maids. From head to toe, there was no place beyond their reach.

‘I’ve always wanted to dress up like this at least once.’

Soon the maids exclaimed and guided her to the front of a big mirror. Isabelle slowly opened her eyes, and for a moment forgot the questions in her head.

‘Is this me?’ 

The woman in the mirror wore a white dress, giving off a sacred feeling. Vine patterns embroidered with gold thread around the chest and a jewel-studded waistband emphasized the curves of her body, making her look more beautiful.

‘A dress that is totally my cup of tea. This must have been Rigg’s hand.’

By wearing a blue ribbon similar to the color of her eyes, the preparations for the ball were complete. Isabelle took a step as the maids guided her.

***

Around the same time, Riggs, dressed in a uniform, twitched his fingers and put on his mask. Finally, he checked the small jewelry box he had in his arms one last time.

‘I’m sure you said you wanted a big diamond ring.’

He had already been asked to marry by Isabelle, but he intended to propose again as she wished.

By the way, every time he read such a novel, he thought of Isabelle, who was stamping her feet in the proposal scene, and it made him smile.

‘……I hope you don’t reject me.’

Riggs smiled bitterly and went to the ballroom. After waiting for a while, Bill and Kiel rushed to him and announced that Isabelle was coming.

“Hyung. Prepare your heart. Three-letter Noona, she’s incredibly pretty right now. No joke.”

“Kiel, you’re making an unnecessary fuss…”

Turning his head in the direction Kiel pointed, he forgot to breathe for a moment.

With lily-shaped ornaments in her hair, Isabelle looked around with her big doe eyes, surprised at how awkward it was.

Whenever that happened, she was anxious about her softly fluttering hair and the hidden lines of her body. About the blue ribbon. Every time a butterfly fluttered like it’s flapping its wings, the surroundings except for her became blurred.

It was too much just being in the same space, but Isabelle even had a Cardiago dress. Riggs moistened his dry lips with his tongue. 

Meanwhile, it was the first time for Isabelle to enter such a luxurious space. A hall with more than a dozen crystal chandeliers.

The food and drinks were in gorgeous portions; she couldn’t believe that all of this was prepared for her.

“Oh my. Your Highness sees nothing but you.”

Rosa slipped into her ear. Isabelle struggled to calm her heart and looked at the Duke of Cardiago, surrounded by numerous reapers and servants.

‘……It turns out they look alike, don’t they?’

The Duke’s appearance now was very different from Riggs, who wore shabby clothes and had tangled hair like a wild dog, but in Isabelle’s eyes, the two men overlapped.

She tried to calm her heart and approached him. As she had been taught by St. Maria, she bowed her knees and opened her mouth with a smile to greet him. 

“Would you like to dance for a song?”

“·······”

“Isabelle.”

The moment he called her name, her body stood upright. She felt as if she had heard the real voice of the Duke Cardiago hidden in his spell.

Their hands held together so naturally and interlocked. Isabelle stood in the center of the hall as if possessed by him.

The sweet music faded like a distant noise, and only the warmth of their clasped hands and his crimson-colored eyes behind the mask were clear.

In that instant, Isabelle recalled an important fact.

“I don’t know how to dance…”

“It’s okay. I’ll lead.”

It was Riggs’ voice. Isabelle was able to trust him and move on just that fact alone. Her childhood friend, who had always fallen or was beaten up, led her very naturally. 

At the moment when the steeply flowing melody reached its climax, Riggs wrapped his arms around Isabelle’s waist and leaned her upper body back. 

“······!”

Surprised, Isabelle reflexively clung to his body tightly. The distance between his face and her face was so close. The music that she couldn’t hear anymore and the crimson-colored eyes shining from inside of the mask.

“······Are you really Riggs?”

Isabelle barely managed to squeeze out her voice and reached for his mask. His eyes were filled with laughter.