Chapter 35
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The Male and Female Leads Broke Up - Episode 35
The Banquet Hall where tonight's gathering was to be held lay deep within the Imperial Palace.
North of the Garden with its sprawling pond stood a grand structure supported by thick columns—tonight's venue for the celebration.
After descending from the carriage and traversing a lengthy corridor, the entrance came into view.
The doorkeeper bowed upon seeing me, then opened the doors wide.
The moment I stepped into the Banquet Hall, every eye converged upon me, as I'd anticipated.
"Oh my!"
"The Heitz Duchess has arrived."
Though I'd steeled myself for this moment, watching them huddle together and whisper at the sight of me left a bitter taste.
'If you're going to talk, at least have the decency to be discreet.'
Yet my pride would never permit me to show such displeasure openly.
Why not test whether my acting skills had grown rusty?
I maintained the smile playing at my lips as I traversed the Banquet Hall with unhurried grace.
Moving with composure that rivaled anyone present, my expression serene and utterly indifferent to the surrounding whispers, I advanced slowly forward.
My destination had been determined from the start.
I approached the man seated at the place of honor, surveying all below him.
Beside him stood another man whose very presence I wished to avoid, but circumstances left me no choice.
This was a society bound by rank, and regardless of the Emperor's figurehead status, propriety toward the Imperial Court remained paramount.
I offered no glance toward Cain Maxius standing beside the Crown Prince, instead bowing respectfully to the Crown Prince himself.
"Your Highness Ediel Winston Balteus Crown Prince, the radiant sun of Balteus and most noble of sovereigns, I am honored to pay my respects."
"Duchess of Heitz, it has been quite some time."
The Crown Prince gestured for me to rise.
As I slowly straightened and lifted my gaze, our eyes met.
Having recently seen the Emperor, I'd anticipated as much, but the Crown Prince's visage was equally striking.
The distinction lay in this: where the Emperor's features—kindly put—conveyed gentleness, or less charitably, a certain weakness, the Crown Prince presented the inverse.
Unlike the puppet Emperor, a commanding strength and dignified presence emanated subtly from this man with his blue-tinged hair and the crimson eyes that symbolized the Imperial bloodline.
Yet I possessed no knowledge of the Crown Prince whatsoever.
It wasn't that time had dulled my memory of the novel's contents, but rather that in the original work, the Crown Prince appeared only as a minor extra with fleeting scenes.
Thus, unlike others, I could not predict his actions, and I found myself inevitably tense.
Though truthfully, since the original story has concluded, I cannot predict anyone's behavior anymore.
"I heard the Duchess recently returned from her travels."
Fortunately, the Crown Prince initiated conversation with a perfectly ordinary greeting.
I was inwardly relieved and preparing to offer an equally mundane response.
"Indeed, Your Highness. The Duchess has been away on her travels for a full two years."
Before I could even open my mouth, Cain Maxius interjected from beside me, elaborating on the Crown Prince's remark.
Who does he think he is, needlessly inserting himself into my affairs?
I regarded him with a displeased gaze in that moment.
Yet he was smiling at me in a way that seemed entirely out of character.
What is this?
Having never witnessed Cain Maxius smile before, I found myself genuinely flustered by the sight.
I scrunched my expression as though I hadn't seen anything, then quickly composed myself and returned to an impassive face.
Don't let yourself be drawn in.
"So the Duke of the Maxius Family is here as well. We last met at a dinner two weeks ago, didn't we?"
I spoke as though his visit to our home had never happened at all.
I could see Cain Maxius's expression stiffen slightly.
"It seems the two of you have already reunited at a dinner with His Majesty the Emperor."
Reunited, he said.
Of course, "reunited" simply meant meeting again after a long time, but it hardly seemed like a word befitting the relationship between Cain Maxius and myself.
"Yes, well, what of it? Both of us felt as though we were meeting each other after quite some time."
What on earth was this?
The feeling I experienced in this moment was precisely this.
As though the Crown Prince had stepped forward to mediate between Cain Maxius and myself.
"I was delighted to see her, but it seems she did not share the sentiment."
The moment I heard Cain Maxius speak, my vile premonition became reality.
Bewildered, I alternated my gaze between the two men and shook my head inwardly.
This was no time to stand here like a fool.
I quickly organized my thoughts and deliberately smiled before opening my mouth to address them.
"As Your Highness is aware, my relationship with the Duke of the Maxius Family did not end on favorable terms."
Both men regarded me with a hint of surprise, as though they had not expected me to address our relationship so directly.
"Therefore, unlike the Duke of the Maxius Family, I find this gathering rather uncomfortable."
I made no effort to conceal my profound displeasure, though I held it firmly in check.
Now I finally understood why the Crown Prince had suddenly arranged a banquet and invited the young nobility.
Cain Maxius.
That man had undoubtedly conspired with the Crown Prince to orchestrate something.
I could discern this was no mere fancy from the demeanor of both men.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, might I take my leave? Since it has been so long since I attended a banquet, there are far too many people I must greet."
Of course, despite surveying the surroundings, I recognized no one, but if I could escape this place, I could engage in conversation with anyone in the Banquet Hall.
"Please do."
"Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
As I turned away and left them behind, I felt a scorching gaze fixed upon me from behind.
In truth, I had been sensing gazes upon us from all directions since earlier.
What a spectacle, what a spectacle indeed.
Even I could not afford to miss such an entertaining sight.
A broken engagement, a new betrothal, and another broken engagement—all among the Empire's most renowned Duke Families.
It was certainly entertaining gossip.
I had come knowing full well what to expect, so it hardly mattered.
To project an air of confidence and composure, I held my head high and took each step with deliberate poise.
As I scanned the crowd for someone to exchange pleasantries with, my eyes suddenly met those of familiar faces.
'They came after all.'
It was Adela Byon and Aiden Byon.
Adela's gaze was fixed on where I had been moments before, while Aiden's eyes were trained directly on me.
I deliberately averted my attention from Aiden's stare and studied the pair for a moment.
Adela was beautiful as always.
Her ebony hair contrasted strikingly with the pale cream gown she wore, which only served to enhance her already radiant beauty.
Beside her, Aiden cut an equally striking figure in his impeccably tailored evening coat—handsome enough to bewitch anyone who let their guard slip for even a moment.
The thought that this might actually be true sent a sudden wave of alarm through me.
So I quickly turned away and approached a cluster of young noblewomen who had come into view.
I hastily rifled through Belita's memories on the chance I might recognize them, but as expected, I knew none of them.
Based on Belita's track record, they seemed to accept naturally that I wouldn't know who they were.
When I greeted them first, they promptly introduced themselves, making it easy for me to sustain the conversation.
After exchanging brief pleasantries with the guests in the Banquet Hall, I felt a sudden wave of exhaustion and sought a place to rest.
A quick survey revealed that most of the few available terraces were already occupied, their curtains drawn.
I walked toward what appeared to be an unoccupied terrace—one without drawn curtains—and examined it.
Fortunately, the terrace was empty.
I drew the curtains so no one could see inside and closed the door firmly.
It was a signal that someone was present and no one should enter.
Now this space was perfect—a sanctuary where I could rest away from prying eyes.
"Ah, how exhausting."
Physically, I wasn't particularly tired.
But mentally, I was utterly drained.
Even knowing what to expect, I had to navigate carefully around the countless pitfalls scattered throughout.
I had exchanged words with quite a few people in the Banquet Hall, and throughout it all, someone's gaze had followed me.
I hadn't confirmed who it was, but I could guess.
Now that I thought about it, Adela and Aiden had seen me together with Cain Maxius.
One misstep and I risked being misunderstood.
"It seems like things are getting more and more complicated."
I exhaled a long, deep sigh and gazed out at the view beyond the terrace for a moment.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org