Damie wiped her tears and composed herself before returning to the ballroom. Luckily, the first person to greet her was her friend, Cecile.
“Damie! Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
Cecile frowned and grumbled, then suddenly scanned Damie’s face with a serious expression.
“What’s wrong with your face? Have you been crying?”
“Is it that obvious?”
Damie didn’t deny it but asked in return. Cecile already knew about her painful unrequited love, so there was no need to hide it from her.
“You fool. Why cry? It just makes you look ugly!”
Cecile snorted. Despite her somewhat harsh words, her eyes were full of concern for her friend.
Cecile’s expressions and demeanor often seemed cold, leading to misunderstandings. But those who knew her well knew she was one of the warmest people.
‘Poor Damie. How pitiful.’
Cecile knew very well what ‘Kael Reusten’s farewell party’ meant to Damie. No matter how much she nagged, Damie’s unrequited love showed no sign of ending. And to think it would end with him becoming a holy knight!
It was natural for Damie to be heartbroken. Feeling sorry for her, Cecile led her to the lounge and carefully fixed her makeup, which had been ruined by her tears.
“Really, with a face like yours, all you do is cry? If you’re going to waste it like that, just give it to me.”
Cecile awkwardly comforted Damie. Though she was joking, Damie’s face was always astonishingly beautiful.
Her red hair was a vivid color rare in the northern region, where dark hair was common. But her face was even more striking. Her pale northern skin, elegant arched eyebrows, large blue eyes, and full red lips were a perfect combination that never got old.
‘Kael Reusten must be something else. How can he resist a face like this?’
Cecile was genuinely amazed. If not for Cesare’s manipulations, Kael would have long since knelt at Damie’s feet.
“…Do I look okay now?”
Damie cautiously asked, lifting her head. Though she couldn’t undo her crying, she didn’t want to appear pitiful. Not to Kael, who had just rejected her, nor to Cesare, who would be delighted thinking it was now his turn.
Understanding Damie’s feelings, Cecile looked at her with pity. Though her appearance was as radiant as ever, there was a particularly tragic air about her post-crying. This gave her a needless, decadent allure, making her beauty even more striking.
‘Don’t people usually look ugly when they cry?’
Cecile thought it unfair but accepted it. After all, looking pretty was a good thing.
She hoped a decent man would sweep Damie off her feet, as she knew her friend would otherwise be stuck in her long unrequited love, burying herself in sorrow.
But it couldn’t be just any man. Damie had a knack for attracting weirdos, like her stepbrother Cesare.
Knowing this, Cecile frowned, recalling an unexpected guest at the ballroom. She felt the need to warn her vulnerable friend.
“Damie, be careful today. Do you know who’s here?”
“Who?”
Damie asked weakly, showing no sign of wanting to defend herself. Cecile frowned and spoke more forcefully.
“Don’t be shocked. You remember that arrogant playboy from the capital? The one Countess Fischer warned all the young ladies about?”
“…Lord Acard of the Valerian Duchy? You mean him?”
“Yes! The capital’s notorious heartthrob, the most seductive stallion! He’s here in the ballroom. Louise Perilla’s brother is close to him and brought him along. I saw it with my own eyes!”
“That’s surprising. I thought he wouldn’t arrive in the north until next week, considering the ‘corruption’ spreading in the south.”
Damie muttered absently. Acard Valerian, the richest noble in the south, was famous throughout the kingdom. He wasn’t just attractive and charming but also had outstanding qualities.
His sister, Sienna Valerian, was the most renowned greatest seer in the kingdom. Rumors said the Queen adored her so much she kept her close at all times.
Acard was also the Crown Prince’s most trusted confidant and the captain of the Royal Knights. Such a prominent figure being assigned temporarily to the north was a big deal in the otherwise unchanging northern social scene.
“Are you listening, Damie? Acard Valerian is here!”
“Yeah, I heard you.”
Despite the presence of the celebrated figure outside, Damie showed little interest. It was a natural reaction for a woman who had just been heartbroken. But Cecile, watching from the side, was frustrated.
“Get a grip, Damie! Haven’t you heard the rumors? Acard Valerian’s favorite type is a woman just like you. Even if you’re a bit naïve, you’re beautiful and have a great figure! Exactly the kind of prey Acard would go after! Do you understand?”
Damie blinked, finally taking in Cecile’s words, but felt no particular emotion.
‘Acard Valerian… would go after me?’
Why not? Wouldn’t that be a good thing? Such an attractive man, known to be involved with the most beautiful women in the capital, wanting her could mean she had some appeal as a woman.
Damie, in her despair, thought with a sense of resignation. Her self-esteem was at an all-time low.
It was only natural. She had devoted herself to one man for so long, only to be rejected so miserably. She felt like a gaudy wig-wearing, emasculated jester.
Maybe that’s why? She found herself wanting another man’s attention, just to feel attractive.
But the young men in the north were all under Cesare’s thumb. They dared not approach Damie because of him. Cesare had cunningly isolated her from any male interest.
‘But Lord Acard from the capital… might be different.’
Damie’s eyes darkened. Acard Valerian was a figure even Cesare couldn’t easily handle. And he was unfamiliar with the northern social scene, making him a possible target for her allure.
Cesare would be delighted, thinking he could have her now that she’d been rejected. It would be a satisfying revenge to flirt with Acard right in front of him.
Her long unrequited love ending in rejection wasn’t entirely Cesare’s fault, but he was partly to blame.
‘I want Cesare to hurt too, just like I did.’
Damie glanced in the mirror. Her face was still beautiful. At least enough to catch Acard’s eye once.
People always noticed Damie’s appearance. She had a face and body so attractive it reminded one of a sultry villainess capable of captivating a king.
But inside, Damie was quite plain. She had been so busy loving her childhood friend for ten years that she had never even played with other men.
She was that boring. Damie Primula.
Because of this, those drawn by her looks quickly lost interest. Acard Valerian would likely be no different. But as someone new to the north, unfamiliar with Damie, she thought she could pretend to be the type of woman he liked for a while. Flashy, light, and flirty, like the women he enjoyed in the capital.
“Let’s go, Cecile. Let’s greet the famous Acard Valerian.”
Damie stood up resolutely after downing the champagne in the lounge. Cecile frowned but didn’t object.
“Alright, Damie. But don’t do anything foolish.”
Cecile felt the need to lift her friend’s spirits and readily agreed to go see Acard.
They left the lounge and discreetly positioned themselves behind a pillar. Everyone was mesmerized by the unexpected celebrity from the capital, making it easy to observe Acard from a distance.
“There, that man. Do you see him?”
Damie looked in the direction Cecile pointed. Even without being told, Acard Valerian stood out too much to miss.
‘…Indeed.’
Leave a Reply