Chapter 17
“Did you… just hear that?”
“I did, but… I think my eyes and ears aren’t working well these days.”
People started murmuring all at once.
They couldn’t believe what they had just seen and heard, blaming their innocent eyesight and hearing.
‘I want to faint.’
Aveline wanted to lose consciousness after what had happened just hours after she had broken her seclusion and ventured outside.
But the physical strength she had built up through knight training didn’t allow her such weakness.
“What’s this about jewels you’ve been mentioning?”
Logan stepped forward abruptly.
“I don’t understand on what grounds you’re making such vulgar statements that only a street ruffian would make.”
“I think the vulgar one isn’t me, but rather the person who initiated this strange role-play and even resorted to violence.”
Theron faced Logan with a relaxed smile on his handsome face.
“That seems unrelated to our current conversation. And who would make the Duke do such perverted things?”
“Do you really want to know?”
Listening to the conversation between the two, Aveline almost screamed.
‘They’re talking about me!’
In the dream, she had urged him to drink blood like a real vampire (though she didn’t know it was Theron), and even punched him (though Theron’s face just happened to be there).
But she couldn’t just stand by and let herself be branded a pervert.
Aveline spoke up before Theron could say anything more.
“My goodness! I can’t believe there’s such a perverted person!”
Theron’s eyes immediately lit up at Aveline’s brazen response.
“Do you think so too, my lady?”
“And to think they even violently swung their fist! It gives me chills just thinking about it!”
“I see. But my lady,”
Theron, who had been watching Aveline consistently play dumb, spoke in a low voice.
“I never said it was a fist that was swung.”
The red mark on Theron’s cheek as he grinned became particularly noticeable.
‘This cunning fox…!’
Aveline’s heart sank, and she swallowed a curse.
However, she quickly hid her expression and pretended to be calm.
“Ahem. I just have good intuition.”
“Still, I’m glad you recognize that as perverted.”
Irritated by Theron’s response, Aveline soon smiled cunningly and spoke.
“But isn’t the real pervert the one who got too immersed and bit, rather than the one who instructed?”
This was meant to point out how Theron had bitten her arm as if he were really going to suck blood.
“Hmm.”
However, instead of refuting, Theron stepped back with an interested expression.
‘What? Why isn’t he arguing back?’
The conversation ended awkwardly, contrary to the expected response, creating a strange atmosphere.
‘Is he admitting to being a real pervert?’
As Aveline was flustered, a harsh voice burst out from beside her.
“Bite?”
“Huh?”
“Your conversation just now, are you talking about the mark on my sister’s arm?”
Ares twirled the fork in his hand threateningly, exuding a murderous aura.
‘If this continues, this place will be turned upside down.’
She didn’t want to end her first outing in a long time in the worst possible way.
“What are you talking about? We’re discussing a book I read yesterday!”
It wasn’t entirely untrue, since it was a dream about the book’s contents.
“A book? Am I supposed to believe that the Duke read the same book as you?”
However, Ares wasn’t easily convinced.
“Y-yes! The Duke is also interested in vampires, so he borrowed the book yesterday!”
“…Is that true?”
As Ares turned around abruptly, Theron shook his head.
“I didn’t borrow it, I purchased it.”
Confused by Theron’s confident attitude, Ares furrowed his brow.
“…Are you really interested in such novels, Duke?”
“I’ve been taught that reading only one perspective is not good.”
Watching Theron respond so shamelessly, Ares pondered for a moment before finally backing down and putting down the fork he was holding.
“But what about that wound on your cheek? Did someone who dislikes you hit you directly, or perhaps you were accosted on a night street due to the many grudges you’ve accumulated?”
While pretending to be concerned, Ares subtly listed his own wishful scenarios.
“I have rather rough sleeping habits.”
“What a shame.”
Ares, who had inadvertently blurted out his true feelings, took out his pocket watch to check the time instead of trying to cover it up.
“Look at the time. Well then, we’ll be going.”
He then hurriedly left with Aveline and Logan in tow.
* * *
“Young miss, are you back already?”
Yoni was startled to see Aveline flop listlessly onto the bed.
“As expected, it’s dangerous outside the blanket.”
“But wasn’t it refreshing to go out after so long?”
Yoni was very pleased with Aveline’s outing.
Although that strange young master had done the creepy thing of bringing clothes that fit the young miss perfectly, it was enjoyable to see the young miss dressed up prettily after so long.
It had been four years since she had shut herself in her room after her debutante ball.
It had been heartbreaking to see the young miss cooped up in her room without friends all this time.
It was fortunate that she seemed to be going out more often these days, but…
Of course, thinking about that strange fellow who had barged into the mansion early in the morning, calling the young miss a jewel, made Yoni wonder if it was really fortunate.
Rumor had it that he was a complete madman.
Someone who pretends to be sane, but after just a bit of conversation, you realize, ah…
He was indeed as handsome as they said, but it seemed the world still had some fairness left in it.
“Young miss, you should wash up and go to bed.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll wash up when I wake up tomorrow.”
“Sigh, just for today?”
“Yes. See you tomorrow, Yoni.”
After Yoni closed the door and left, Aveline stretched out her curled-up body and lay spread-eagled.
“I’m tired, so tired.”
There were other reasons why the outing after so long had been difficult, besides encountering Theron.
-Once again, the Herolds young master received the most partner requests today, right? It’s quite a contrast with the Herolds young lady, even though they’re twins.
In front of the debutante ball waiting room door.
Aveline, about to enter, stopped in her tracks at the sound coming from inside.
She didn’t feel great about it, but she had somewhat expected such comments.
She knew she was lacking compared to Ares, who was always the center of attention everywhere.
-No wonder even Countess Herolds didn’t come to see her on a day like today. Even if she’s ill, it’s still her only debutante ball.
But when they went too far and started mentioning her mother, she couldn’t contain her anger anymore and burst through the door.
-H-Herolds young lady?
-You talk too much about useless things.
-Ha! It’s not like I said anything untrue? From what I hear, the Count and Countess don’t really care much for you, do they? Even though you’re twins, there’s such a difference between you and the Herolds young master. If I were your parent, I’d find you pathetic—Eek!
Unable to hold back any longer, Aveline grabbed the young lady’s hair.
As the hair that had been beautifully styled for today became disheveled, the young lady screamed and grabbed Aveline’s hair in return.
-What’s all this commotion… My daughter!
The noblewoman in charge of escorting the debutantes raised her voice as if it would split upon witnessing the scene.
-Even if you weren’t taught properly by the Countess, you should have some dignity! To cause such a disturbance on a day like this!
People started gathering one by one at the commotion.
Among them was Count Herolds, who had rushed out while in an audience with the Emperor.
-Aveline! What is the meaning of this uproar?
-F-Father. That young lady first…
-Go home now.
Aveline wanted to say more, but she closed her mouth at her father’s stern gaze.
Aveline roughly tidied her disheveled hair and rumpled clothes and pushed her way through the crowd.
Ares, sensing the unusual atmosphere from afar, tried to approach but couldn’t easily break free from the young ladies surrounding him.
Even after returning home alone, Aveline’s mood didn’t improve at all.
She kept remembering the noblewoman who only protected her own daughter, even though she must have seen that Aveline’s hair was also being pulled.
‘If only my mother had been there too.’
Even knowing that she couldn’t come because she was ill, childish resentment kept creeping up.
She sat down at her desk and impulsively picked up a pen.
<I need you too, Mother.>
Only after folding the paper and putting it in an envelope did reason slowly return.
If she sent this, it would make her mother sad.
In fact, her mother must have been more curious about today than anyone else.
Moreover, her mother’s condition had worsened, and Aveline’s visits had been refused recently.
In the end, two days after quietly putting the paper in a drawer, a package arrived from the Count’s estate.
<Aveline, congratulations on your debutante ball.>
Along with a short letter written in weak, thin handwriting, there was a white debutante dress enclosed.
She didn’t forget.
Although the gift arrived two days late, just confirming that her mother remembered her debutante ball made her sadness melt away.
Looking at the postmark date on the outer envelope, the package had been sent two weeks before the debutante ball began.
Despite being sent with ample time, it had clearly been delayed due to various factors during shipping from the estate to the capital.
The dress she took out was elegantly designed, in her mother’s taste.
The hem, designed to sway gently when dancing, showed how meticulously the dress had been made.
However, when she tried it on, the dress was a bit big for Aveline.
Still, thinking of her mother who must have estimated the measurements of a growing daughter she hadn’t seen in a while, Aveline’s nose stung.
When the time comes that this dress fits, I must wear it and go out.
It might be nice to wear this when I go to see Mother.
Thinking this, Aveline buried her face in the white dress that seemed like it might still carry her mother’s scent, and cried a little.
