“B-Brother, what are you saying? Are you serious?” I shook Victor’s shoulders in confusion.
However, Victor, partly drunk and partly drowsy, just kept repeating similar words vaguely, “I really like His Highness too… The only man I can trust my whole life with…”
With that statement, Victor fell asleep.
I slowly raised my head and saw Lark, equally shocked, in front of me. “What is this? Explain right now.”
“There’s nothing to explain. I genuinely don’t know what’s going on.”
We sat there, dumbfounded, for a long while.
***
The next day.
It was a tricky time to return home, and since we wanted to confront and clear things up with a sober Victor, I let Lark sleep in one of the guest rooms on the third floor. Even though I said I let him sleep, neither of us had gotten much rest. We had woken up before dawn and hurried to Victor’s room.
“Was it about you, not him, when he mentioned those…”“I also considered that possibility, but it doesn’t seem to be the case.” I followed behind Lark, climbing the stairs step by step, wringing my hands in anxiety. “Brother once asked me if I was dating Your Highness. It was because we spent so much time together. It was suspicious.”
“That’s true.”
“But after explaining my secrets and everything else, he seemed to understand, thinking we were just business partners.”
“Then why on earth did he suddenly say that?”
“I don’t know either. You probably know better. Honestly, tell me the truth. Was there anything between you and my brother?”
Lark’s eyes widened as he turned to me. “Absolutely not!”
“You must’ve gone mad. There are people you can seduce, and there are those you can’t.”
“Princess!”
“You said something yesterday. ‘Come back to me,’ you said. Who makes a return to the Order sound so romantic?”
“No, I…”
Frustrated, Lark and I arrived on the second floor, where we encountered Victor, who had woken up with a hangover.
“What’s going on here? Don’t tell me you two slept together here.” Victor glared at Lark suspiciously and then turned his gaze toward me. He then narrowed his eyes and scolded Lark, “What is this? Did you really spend the night here?”
“What are you talking about? Don’t you remember yesterday? I carried you to your room, and the princess and I slept in the adjacent guest room.”
“Geez…”
Lark approached Victor, who glared with suspicion. “I have something to say to you.”
“What do you want to say?”
“I think I need to make things clear.” I stood closely behind Lark, nodding vigorously while sneakily glancing at Victor. “I’m really sorry, but I can’t accept your feelings, Sir Victor.”
“…?” Victor, slowly sipping from the glass he had filled, stared as if asking what he meant.
“If I’ve misunderstood and acted wrongly, I apologize. I didn’t know you saw me as a man.”
“Pfft!”
“…”
As soon as Lark spoke, Victor sprayed the water he hadn’t yet swallowed right onto his face.
“Oh my.”
I leaned in slightly and stared at Lark. Water was dripping down his sculpted face as he squinted his eyes shut.
“What the hell are you talking about!?”
“Looks like you don’t remember yesterday.”
Lark wiped the water pooling under his chin and added, “You confessed to me while drunk.”
“I remember!”
“You… do remember it?”
“Wow, really.”
Victor, looking exasperated, pointed at me as if to blame me. “Do you think I was talking about myself? I was talking about her!”
Lark and I blinked at each other in confusion.
Victor looked at both of us with pity and added, “It’s not even something a fool would misunderstand.”
“You should have been more straightforward. Why talk without a subject and object?”
“Well, logically, who else could be the subject in that situation besides Ruby!?”
“But still…” Lark, seemingly relieved, immediately started rambling, “It’s understandable that there was a misunderstanding. But why did you suddenly mention the princess and I…”
Victor sighed, clenched his fists, and grumbled, “I’ll pretend I didn’t know until the end.”
“…?”
“Please refrain from indulging in romantic affairs in other people’s houses. Got it? Why make it so obvious? Who knows who might see you making out like that?”
“…”
Lark and I paused momentarily to understand Victor’s words, then we realized and were shocked.
‘Wh-what? Did he see us kissing on the first floor the other day!?’
Victor clicked his tongue, watching our embarrassed and flustered faces.
Lark cleared his throat and said, “Uh, so, Victor.”
“That’s enough. I know you two meet up; there’s no need for more talk.”
Victor calmly finished the remaining contents of his glass.
I approached him nervously and grabbed the hem of his clothes. “B-Brother. I didn’t mean to hide it, and I planned to explain everything slowly.”
“It’s okay. I understand…” For some reason, Victor stared into the air with a look reminiscent of a father giving his daughter away at a wedding, then mumbled, “Be happy.”
“Yeah, sure…”
“I’m heading to work now.”
With those words left hanging, Victor turned to leave for the second floor. However, he glanced back at us and added. More specifically, he looked at Lark. “What are you waiting for? Your Highness, you should head to work quickly, too. It’s not right for an unmarried man and woman to be alone in a house like this.”
“Oh, uh, I was just about to leave.”
Lark chuckled and followed Victor, suppressing his laughter.
***
Three days later, the New Year arrived in the Descarde Empire.
The New Year Festival, spanning two weeks from January 1st, was the grandest festival in the empire. The festival’s highlight was the Imperial Palace’s New Year’s greetings, where they wished for the year’s prosperity during the second week.
Before that, it was no different from any other festival. Merchants paid their dues and set up stalls, creating a festive atmosphere. People from all walks of life in the empire took a break from their daily routines to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves.
And here…
“Perfect.”
I gazed down at the spacious stage and top-notch seats from the second-floor backstage waiting room at the National Theater. Unlike small commercial theaters, this state-owned opera house could accommodate a considerable audience.
Being a national facility, I had rented it for a hefty sum, allowing me to use it freely.
What was I going to do here?
“Hehehe!”
The main event was a fashion show promoting the winter collection of <Blanc de Ruby>. And the host, “Madame Ruby,” would make a splendid appearance at the end of the event to reveal her face along with expressions of gratitude.
“My face is perfect, too.”
Elegantly styled hair.
A red evening dress contrasting with white fur.
I looked into the dressing room mirror at my exceptionally well-done makeup and was satisfied.
At that moment, Becky rushed into the dressing room.
“Princess, Princess! We have a problem!”
Our top seamstress from <Blanc de Ruby>, Madame Becky, was also elegantly dressed.
“Oh, you look beautiful. Who would think you’re the same anonymous seamstress Becky from the past?”
“Hehe, really? No, wait. That’s not it.” Becky shook her head vigorously before speaking, “Do you know Marquis Reuben?”
“Why wouldn’t I know that name?”
Marquis Reuben, the young aristocrat, Cade Reuben. He was known as the “Golden Investor” for his investments in various emerging businesses, which multiplied his wealth and assets. He was already wealthy to begin with, but his involvement in these ventures had made him even richer.
By the way, last year and this year combined, he was the top customer in terms of our sales at <Blanc de Ruby> every month. In other words, he was a top 1% VVIP.
“Do you know that all the seat tickets were sold out in just 5 minutes?”
“…What?” I quickly glanced at the clock on the dressing room wall. The current time was 9:10 AM.
Ticket sales had started at 9:00 AM, and they were already sold out in 10 minutes?
“What’s going on with my shop’s popularity?”
“Well, I think Marquis Reuben might have reserved all the seats.”
“What? Doesn’t each person get one seat?”
<Blanc de Ruby> had invited thirty VIP customers and a few of my acquaintances with exclusive tickets, while the rest of the seats required admission tickets ranging from 500,000 marks to 1 million marks to enter.
Of course, despite the high prices, we expected a full house, so we meticulously managed the entrance tickets.
“Of course, I know. The names of the seat reservations are all different. The idea that Marquis Reuben used someone else’s names to reserve all the seats is just my speculation for now.”
“If you’re saying that, then it’s likely true.”
“Yes. The remaining seats, excluding the reserved VIP ones, were sold out as if someone had been waiting since 9 o’clock. It couldn’t have been unintentional.”
“But why are you sure it was Marquis Reuben’s doing?”
I found that aspect puzzling.
I briefly met Cade Reuben when he visited the men’s clothing store. Since he was a VVIP, we had a drink and had quite a long conversation.
“He’s a really nice person. Good manners, wealthy, and tall.” I added, recalling the face of the 24-year-old blond young man, “Above all, he’s very handsome.”
“Oh, it seems like you had no idea at all. I thought you knew him the best…”
“What are you talking about?”
Becky scratched her cheek, hesitating momentarily before speaking, “Marquis Cade Reuben is preparing something for this New Year Festival! This has been our main shop and branch employees’ common concern.”
“What is he preparing?”
“He’s got reservations all set up, never misses a month, always visits without fail, stays at the top of the sales share, and invested heavily in our opening overseas branches since last month.”
“Yeah, he’s an irreplaceable VVIP customer. But why? Everyone knows that!”
“So, the reason Marquis Reuben is so dedicated to <Blanc de Ruby> is precisely because of ‘Madame Ruby’!”
“…?”
“That’s our common suspicion, Princess.”
“What?” I tilted my head in bewilderment. “I’ve only seen that man’s face once, you know?”
***
“I’m truly sorry. All the tickets have been sold out.”
National Theater, 1st-floor lobby.
Upon hearing the regretful words from the ticket counter staff, all ten imposing imperial knights, like tragic heroines, collapsed as if they had been struck.
“Hahaha! Oh, this is just delightful!”
Victor, who had been waiting with an escort at the ticket counter, laughed heartily at the sight of his subordinates, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time.
“Uh, why…?”
“They said it would open at 9 o’clock. It’s now 9:18…”
After days of pleading and begging the crown prince, they had finally secured the opportunity to attend the <Blanc de Ruby> New Year Festival fashion show. It was a hard-won chance, even with fierce competition and a tournament-style rock-paper-scissors match to determine the “chosen” ten!
They had also recreated the ♡Ma♡dame♡Ru♡by♡ cheering posters that Victor had torn apart…
Despite receiving an invitation directly from Rubette, Lark asked Victor with a hint of sadness upon seeing the knights he had brought along, “How can the theater seats be sold out already?” It didn’t make sense for all the seats to be taken unless someone had taken them all at once. As evidence, the theater lobby and the ticket counter were deserted.
“It’s sold out. We waited since 7 AM, but the tickets were sold as soon as the counter opened.”
Victor chuckled and mocked the knights as if they had lost their country, “Hey, knights. What’s the use of feeling regretful? Since you’re here, go enjoy the festival. That Madame Ruby’s face looks the same on street advertisements anyway, so just watch those.”
“Ugh!”
“No way!”
At that moment, Lark felt sorry for the knights who shed tears.
Tap, tap, tap.
The quiet marble floor resonated with a man’s elegant footsteps. A man, accompanied by two sleekly dressed guards in black suits, was entering the lobby.
“…?”
The tall man in a white suit positively radiated presence. His clean-cut blonde hair, neatly combed back, and the stylish black coat casually draped over his white jacket were shining examples of refined fashion.
“Oh.”
As the man, who wore white gloves and gracefully held a jewel-encrusted nobleman’s cane in his hand, approached closer, everyone held their breath and stared at him.
On his left wrist, a dazzling diamond-studded watch sparkled.
He was adorned with <Blanc de Ruby> clothing and accessories from head to toe.
“I greet the empire’s Little Sun.” The man noticed Lark, appeared momentarily surprised, and then politely bowed, offering his greeting. “I didn’t expect to see you here. It’s an honor to greet you for the first time on this fine day. I am Cade Reuben, the Marquis Reuben.”
“Greetings… Marquis Reuben.” Lark repeated his name, smiling brightly, and extended his hand for a handshake.
“Pleasure to meet you.” Cade, who reciprocated the smile, had a relaxed gaze with his serene blue eyes.
As Lark observed this, his heart began to beat faster for some reason.
This… what was it?
In the animal world, males instinctively detect and react to “rivals,” and it felt like a kind of danger alert…
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