Chapter 55
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The Male and Female Leads Broke Up - Episode 55
A moment later, he glanced at me briefly before turning his head to greet my father with proper courtesy.
"Duke Heitz, it's been a long time."
"Ahem. Indeed it has, Duke of House of Maxius."
My father accepted Cain Maxius's greeting while making no effort to hide his displeasure.
After greeting my mother, Cain Maxius returned to stand before me.
"Lady Heitz, it's been quite some time."
"Yes, it has. It's been a long time, Duke of House of Maxius."
My voice dripped with frost, yet I maintained a courteous demeanor as I replied.
I had no intention of concealing my feelings toward him, but this was an official occasion.
With my parents present and countless nobles around us undoubtedly straining to hear every word, I refused to give them any ammunition for gossip.
Yet Cain Maxius stared directly at me.
'What is this?'
Just as bewilderment mingled with displeasure, he spoke.
"You look particularly beautiful today."
I felt nothing but contempt hearing such words from you.
"Thank you, Duke."
I forced out my gratitude despite finding his compliment utterly unwelcome.
"Ahem, perhaps the Duke should return to his seat. The opening ceremony will begin shortly."
There he was—my father!
He was diplomatically telling Cain Maxius to leave.
"Of course. But before I do, I have something to say to the Lady."
Surely he wasn't about to say something inappropriate?
I wanted to believe he possessed better judgment than that.
Yet I couldn't help but feel a flutter of tension.
"I would like to share the first dance with you this evening. Would you grant me that honor?"
Absolutely not.
Why would I dance with you?
"I—"
"Of course not! That's absurd!"
Just as I was about to answer, my father's furious voice thundered through the Banquet Hall.
"Dear!"
My mother rushed to stop my father, who was gesturing indignantly toward Cain Maxius.
"I would prefer to hear the Lady's answer."
Even in this tense moment, he remained remarkably composed.
He must have assumed my answer would be different, but my response was no different from Father's.
It was merely, ever so slightly, different.
"I have already promised my first dance to someone."
At my words, Cain Maxius's face—which had remained unmoved and brazenly composed until now—finally showed a crack.
"To whom... exactly."
"To the Byon Family's young prince, who is seated over there."
I had thought about it before, but I didn't want to drag Aiden into whatever was happening between Cain Maxius and me.
Yet I couldn't bear to see that expression on Cain Maxius's face—the one that suggested he believed he could do whatever he wanted with me at any moment.
I wanted to distort that face.
The last time I had used Aiden, almost inadvertently, Cain Maxius's reaction had been far greater than I'd anticipated.
So, in a moment of emotional turmoil, I blurted out the words without even seeking Aiden's consent first.
"So it's the Byon Family's young prince again."
"Belita, what are you saying? The Byon Family's young prince!"
Father raised his voice again at the mention of the Byon prince.
"Father, please calm yourself."
But Father's voice was quite loud, so Aiden, who was seated some distance away, must have certainly heard it.
Aiden, who had been looking in this direction the whole time, rose from his seat.
With long strides, he walked briskly and soon approached me.
"Belita, what is the matter?"
"Well, that is...."
I had intended to end the conversation here and speak with Aiden separately later, but the situation had become completely tangled.
I hesitated slightly, then opened my mouth, desperately hoping Aiden would help me.
"Duke Maxius asked me to dance, so I was telling him that my first dance partner is the Byon Family's young prince."
"Is that so?"
Cain Maxius asked Aiden.
I turned slightly away from Cain Maxius and signaled Aiden with my eyes.
I desperately hoped he would understand the meaning in my gaze.
"Yes, I have already made a prior commitment to dance with the Duke Heitz's daughter."
Upon hearing Aiden's response, Cain Maxius's expression turned cold in an instant.
Phew....
Regardless of his expression, I let out a relieved sigh and looked at Cain Maxius with triumphant satisfaction.
"I apologize. It seems you will need to ask another young lady to dance, Duke."
I drove the point home with those words.
I thought that with this much said, and given the setting, he would finally retreat.
But Cain Maxius was Cain Maxius, after all.
"Then perhaps the second dance-."
Again, he was being so clingy.
With an expression of wounded pride, he was even uttering the word "second."
"No, I will only dance with the Byon Family's young prince today. So please find someone else."
And I gave him a perfect refusal.
Cain Maxius's expression contorted beyond recognition.
'Surely he'll give up now.'
But I had gravely underestimated him.
Immediately, words tumbled from his lips that left me astounded.
"This is truly unfair. How could you treat me this way, my lady?"
Me being unfair to him?
His words painted a picture as though I had wronged him somehow.
What right did he have to play the victim?
It was absurd.
His shamelessness was so brazen it made me feel nauseous.
But responding emotionally to this man would be unwise.
If I matched his emotional intensity, he might misinterpret my reaction as something it wasn't.
Men like him had a tendency to convince themselves that even hatred stemmed from affection—packaging it all as some twisted form of love-hate.
I wanted to show him that I harbored no emotion toward him whatsoever.
So I deliberately curved my lips into a smile and answered calmly.
"Yes, so please return to your seat now."
Cain seemed to expect me to respond with irritation as I had before, and my composed reply visibly shocked him.
But I turned away from him and looked toward Aiden beside me.
"See you later."
And as if to make a point, I offered Aiden a radiant smile—not the forced one from before, but a genuine one.
"Understood."
Yet Aiden merely acknowledged my words without moving.
It seemed he intended to remain at my side until Cain Maxius departed.
As Cain still stood motionless, staring only at me, I was about to say something more when—
Puu—
A horn's call announcing the Emperor's arrival echoed through the Banquet Hall.
"The most radiant sun of Balteus and the noble Christian Winston, Emperor of Balteus, has arrived. All rise and show proper respect to His Majesty."
At the chamberlain's booming voice, every nobleman rose from their seats.
Following the Emperor came the Empress, the Crown Prince, and various members of the Imperial family in procession.
Cain Maxius glanced between them and me, then with a resigned expression, turned and returned to his seat.
Aiden met my gaze once more, nodded, and returned to his original position.
As both men disappeared, my father fixed me with a piercing stare from beside me.
But the Emperor's address began immediately, so my father said nothing.
There was nothing particularly important in what the Emperor said.
It amounted to remarks about the bountiful harvest thanks to this year's good crops and encouragement to enjoy the Festival.
He also reminded everyone not to forget that a special prize awaited the champion of the equestrian competition this year, urging them to do their best.
After his address concluded, the Emperor took his seat at the highest table.
As the darkened night sky erupted with colorful fireworks, the opening of the eve celebration was announced.
As the Imperial Court musicians took their places, the pleasant sounds of instruments and grand melodies filled the Banquet Hall.
Tables were laden with an abundance of food and wine.
As the surroundings grew noisy, Father seized the moment and began questioning me with an irritated tone.
"Belita, what on earth do you mean by dancing the first dance with the Byon Family's young master? Is this true?"
"Yes, Father."
"When did you make such a promise?"
"When I visited the Byon Family's young lady during her illness, I asked him myself."
Trusting without a doubt that Aiden would corroborate my lie, the falsehoods flowed effortlessly even before Father.
"The Byon Family's young master didn't ask first—you asked him?!"
"Yes, that's correct."
"What is this! Have you forgotten your promise to me!"
"Father, please calm yourself and understand that I had good reason for this."
As I spoke, I glanced toward Mother.
I was seeking her help.
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