Chapter 18
“Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four…”
“Huh?”
I blinked at the strange answer.
Aiden frowned slightly, clearly unhappy with my reaction.
“You really don’t remember?”
“You know I have bad memory. Hehe.”
“The frills on your neck and sleeves, and the ribbons… how many were there again? I think there were dozens just on the front alone…”
A pink dress full of ribbons…
Ah. I remember now!
Thanks to Aiden’s exaggerated description, the memory of our first meeting became clear.
The day Aiden first came to the Aster household for sword training with my father.
That day, I was wearing a light pink dress I had begged my father to buy for me.
White frills around the neck and sleeves, and ribbons everywhere—front and back.
Honestly, thinking about it now, it was an overly fancy and slightly tacky dress.
Why did I think it was so pretty back then? I don’t even understand myself.
I still clearly remember running around the house excitedly after receiving it as a surprise gift.
—“Sha-sha, don’t run like that, it’s dangerous…”
—“Ehehe! I’m just so happy! I finally got the dress I wanted!”
But on the very first day I wore it, I fell while running in the garden and got covered in dirt, even ruining the hem completely.
—“Oh dear… ah, hello?”
And of course, I fell right in front of Aiden, whom I met for the first time that day.
My scratched hands, muddy dress, and messy hair blown by the wind…
I must have looked like a complete mess.
Young Aiden looked at me with a stunned expression, like he had seen something he shouldn’t have.
He didn’t even properly return my greeting.
Tch. Even so…
Even though I greeted him while clearly in pain, he should’ve at least nodded back.
Back then, I really hated him.
Aiden really does have a uselessly good memory.
I had completely forgotten about that dress.
“You’re teasing me again, aren’t you? It was just a girl’s dream dress. I just wanted to wear it once. Honestly, I knew it didn’t suit me back then.”
If it had suited me, my father—who always said everything I wore looked pretty—wouldn’t have stopped me from wearing it.
“I’m serious. That’s why I fell for you at first…”
Wait.
We were talking about Agnes just now. How did we end up here again?
My pink dress isn’t the important thing right now.
“So? How was it dancing with Lady Carnarvon?”
I quickly cut in to steer the conversation back.
Aiden looked at me with a slightly reluctant expression.
“You’re really curious?”
“Yes. I am!”
“Then should I tell you?”
“Yes, yes! Hurry up and tell me.”
I’m dying of curiosity.
Just as I nodded eagerly, the music slowed and came to an end.
Applause filled the hall as couples bowed to each other.
Aiden then smiled playfully.
“Well… I’ll tell you depending on your behavior.”
“Hey, Aiden!!”
“Oh dear. Leticia, was dancing that hard? Your face is all red, like you have a fever. Wait here, I’ll get you something to drink.”
He quickly slipped away.
I sighed deeply as I watched his back.
Ugh… I got tricked again.
“Here. It’s peach flavor, your favorite.”
Aiden returned quickly, handed me a cocktail, and acted as if nothing had happened.
I glared at him.
He laughed and apologized.
“Sorry, sorry. You kept staring at me like a puppy waiting for snacks. I couldn’t help it.”
This guy seriously has a problem.
If he doesn’t tease me at least once a day, he probably gets sick.
I was about to scold him, but swallowed my words and took a sip of the drink instead.
The party ended earlier than expected due to the princess’s condition.
After everything that happened—Felix suddenly asking me to be his partner, the strange rumors spreading, and dancing with Aiden—I was completely exhausted.
I slumped inside the carriage and muttered:
Still… today went pretty well, right?
At least nothing like the original story happened, where Aiden humiliates Agnes in front of everyone.
And when they danced, the atmosphere actually looked good.
Even Aiden, who usually gets annoyed at the mention of Agnes, was joking around and smiling today.
This is real progress!
Hmm…
Maybe I actually have talent for being a love cupid?
Somewhere else
“Disgusting. Acting like you didn’t know anything when you clearly did. Just the son of a merchant, and yet he dares…”
After dancing with Aiden, Agnes left the banquet hall alone.
After confirming no one was around, she finally let out the words she had been holding in.
“Talking to yourself, but your voice is quite loud.”
Startled by a strange voice, Agnes covered her mouth with both hands.
“Duke…”
From the darkness, Felix Gray appeared.
Agnes bit her lip at the unexpected visitor.
“You think covering your mouth will take back what you already said?”
“What are you talking about? Ah, you misunderstood. I’ve recently taken up acting as a hobby. I got so into it I didn’t even notice you were here.”
In an instant, she changed her expression and put on a soft smile.
Felix laughed mockingly.
“That looked a bit too real to be acting. Still, you should be careful. I might be dull and believe your lies easily, but others won’t.”
So that was her real face? Acting innocent and smiling in the banquet hall…
Agnes’s lips trembled slightly.
First Aiden, and now this “monster duke” Felix.
It felt like they were both testing how much she could endure.
Her stomach twisted uncomfortably.
“Lies? Duke, you’re quite funny.”
With a cold smile, she looked at Felix.
For a moment, she thought of a snake.
His eerily calm, icy blue eyes looked just like a snake ready to bite its prey at any moment.
And she was sure of it.
He was the same kind of person as her.
Maybe it was mutual hatred between similar people.
She felt extremely uncomfortable facing him.
“More importantly, Duke, shouldn’t you be with your partner? You should return to Lady Aster. I’ll take my leave as my father is looking for me.”
She lifted her dress slightly and bowed politely.
“May I make you an offer?”
Agnes stopped and turned back.
“Yes?”
“You want it, don’t you?”
Suddenly, his tone changed.
Agnes flinched slightly.
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“That pretty half-noble boy. Aiden Crofton.”
Agnes fell silent.
Then she asked instead:
“Then do you want Lady Aster?”
“Hm. Not that I want her…”
Felix slowly tugged at his bangs with his fingers and smirked.
“I just want to take her away from him.”
