Chapter 38

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Chapter 38

Crunch.

I could hear a sound that shouldn’t be heard at that moment.

Crunch, crunch.

I doubted my ears for a moment. It was because it was a sound that could not come from such a thing as flowers.

“Try it to see if you were being deceived. I ordered it to be specially made to suit your taste, though it would be a waste if you don’t eat it.”

“…All right.”

Saying so, I carefully took a bite of the pansy.

‘….!’

My eyes widened.

The savory and sweet taste crumbled in my mouth. If it wasn’t a disgrace, I wanted to eat it quickly as if I were possessed.

I reluctantly admitted it.

“It’s delicious.”

“Right?”

Cassius looked very happy.

“Now, try this and also that one. I deliberately ordered each flower to have a different taste. You won’t get tired of it.”

Eating the flowers on the table seemed strange at first, although when I looked around, I saw that everyone else was coveting the flowers on the table.

Reassured, I eagerly ate the flowers as well.

“I am happy to see the Young Lady eating well.”

The Duchess opened her mouth.

“Thank you.”

I swallowed the flower and answered.

Even though it wasn’t very much a countess-like act, I was not a countess in the first place.

“You don’t know how much research Cassius put into making these flowers. It seemed to be worthwhile.”

“…Yes?”

​​

I blinked my eyes.

Excuse me, did she say Cassius…?

Not the Empire’s finest patissier, but Cassius made these delicious, flower-like confections that were mistaken for actual buds?

The Duchess grinned as if she had seen through my silent questions and opened her mouth.

“Of course. He had been researching for quite some time. He analyzed the foods that the Young Lady ate well and came up with the food you would like the most. Besides, Young Lady likes colorful and pretty things, right? So, there is nothing like flowers.”

If someone else had told me, I would have thought it was a bad joke. However, from Cassius’s reaction, the Duchess was telling the truth.

Cassius was…

“Mother, didn’t I ask you to keep it a secret?”

He was shy.

Unknowingly, I opened my mouth blankly. It was more surprising that he was now embarrassed than that he had invented them.

“Cough, heum—”

He coughed slightly before opening his mouth again.

​​

“You better stop eating, Evelyn, because there will be many more delicious dishes than this.”

If I truly have a relationship with Cassius, I would open my eyes and say, ‘Why? This one tastes better,’ and went on like that. Nevertheless, I didn’t want anything to do with him, so I nodded my head and quietly placed both hands on my lap.

As soon as Cassius’s face darkened a little, dozens of the Duke’s servants entered the banquet hall.

They were all holding packages of gifts in their hands.

I looked at them with no emotion.

With each holding a similar size in each hand, it was as if Cassius had prepared hundreds of jewels for me.

I would just leave it alone after receiving it, anyway.

‘….?’

I tilted my head, not understanding for a moment what was going on as the servants handed out packages one by one to the guests, not me.

‘If it’s a gift in return, it should be delivered after the reception. What is that…?’

Then, there were cries of exclamations from the guests who opened the package.

It was only after I pulled out my neck that I could see what they got.

‘….!’

Inside each box were jewels that looked remarkably expensive.

At first glance, they were diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. It was not processed into a brooch or necklace. However, it was a top-quality gem with a large egg, so each person could process it according to their taste.

I frowned.

No matter how much it was for the show off one’s wealth, it was too far. Besides, it wasn’t given as a gift in return but to show it off in the middle of the reception.

Even if the Imperial Family suspected that Karthus had other plans, there was nothing to say. Of course, he wouldn’t mind any of those suspicions in the first place.

“Evelyn, I have something to do for a while. Will that be okay?”

​​

I blinked my eyes at his words.

​​

All the distinguished guests have gathered, yet he is going to leave?

“Go ahead.”

Either way, it was welcome to take a moment to catch my breath from him. But soon, I realized that I had made a big mistake.

The fact that Cassius is absent…

It meant that the Dukes and Duchess sitting at the same table could pay their full attention to me!

​​

“Young Lady Garneid, you are not sick anywhere, are you?”

The Duchess opened her mouth with her worried face.

I smiled slightly and replied.

“I was just nervous. This is the first time I’ve seen the Crown Prince, the Princes, and the Princesses.”

“Certainly, they don’t come out of the Imperial Palace very often.”

Saying so, the duke nodded his head in agreement and added, “Cassius must have put a lot of effort into it.”

“I see…”

“You don’t have to make that face. Just by reminding him of what love is, the Young Lady has been a great help to our family.”

Yes…?

​​

I doubted my ears for a moment.

It was because those were those words that would not come out of the solemn and stern Duke. In fact, there was a rumor of the Duke and Duchess of Brudenell and their love of the century. Although after meeting the real Duchess, I concluded that the rumors had been blown up quite a bit.

​​

The Duchess seemed to be a person who did not believe in true love. If she did, she would have added her words after her husband, the Duke.

Nevertheless, now, the words that came out of the Duke’s mouth were completely denying my thoughts.

“You look surprised. Young Lady doesn’t seem to know how great love is.”

“That’s great, haha… ”

I was speechless and struggled to get an answer.

Fortunately, Cassius returned just in time.

With a smile on his lips, it seemed that something good had happened. The main dishes also started coming out one by one, so I no longer had to concentrate on the conversation.

The problem was after the meal was over.

Naturally, I thought that the reception would be over and everyone would go home, but the time to enjoy the desserts and freely move between each other’s seats and chatting began.

In other words, it meant that a huge number of nobles were standing in front of me…

I didn’t see where Cassius went this time either!

“Thank you for your generous gift, Young Lady Garneid. I’m glad to see the Young Lady again. It may be rude, but would you please accept the diamond tiara that we crafted in our estate?”

“Young Lady, how did you come up with such a gift? I was really impressed! It’s too small to say in return, though as soon as it’s ready, I’ll pick only the best fabrics and send them to the Duchy.”

The nobles could not breathe and poured out their words at once.

It was then that I found out that Cassius had put the gifts in my name. Obviously, I received all of that in return.

There were only four attendees who refused to speak to me.

In other words, except for the three princes and one princess, everyone gathered like a flock of clouds to promise me a present.

The moment when it was time for me to roll my head out of this precarious situation, the sound of a song that had suddenly started pierced through the air.

Everyone’s eyes automatically turned to the emerged singer.

The soprano with a rich, powerful voice began to sing the first song I had ever heard.

“Amazing.”

The Marquis, whose name I couldn’t remember, exclaimed loudly.

“How can there be such a voice… It is truly a heavenly voice.”

He wasn’t the only one. All the nobles, who wanted to be well versed in art, got up from their seats and approached the singer.

I was no exception.

However, in my case, it wasn’t because I had an aptitude for art and appreciated the song deeply. It was because it reminded me of what I could do to look like a fool in front of all these people after all the splendid songs were over.

As the soprano greeted gracefully while holding onto the hem of her dress, thunderous applause poured in.

Even the Princess and Princes, who had been having an elegant meal quietly, applauded.

‘….’

I took a deep breath.

The perfect opportunity to put the plan into action was now.

With that thought, I swiftly jumped onto the stage where the soprano was singing a while ago.

“Young Lady of Garneid?”

“Young Lady, where are you going—”

“Look over there!”

The whispering sound suddenly increased.

I tried not to think about anything…

‘This is better than dying. This is better than being the subject of Cassius’ obsession. This is better than being the heroine of a devastating novel…’

While muttering the thoughts of comfort in my heart.

As I glanced around, the nobles with puzzled faces caught my eye. Needless to say, the reception had already come to an end. It meant that there was no way I, the fiancée, had anything to say here.

Unless it was something really crazy.

And, I had to do that crazy thing here and now.

“Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule.”

I opened my mouth with a normal greeting.

The most effective way to start a bomb is to start it normally and then explode it.

“I just heard a great song. Although my skills may not be comparable, I would like to sing a song for all of you who have gathered here.”

The surroundings suddenly became noisy. Confused faces appeared everywhere. The most shocking of them, of course, was my parents.

The reason was simple.

What I discovered after possessing Evelyn, and what she and I have in common is that…

I was terribly tone-deaf.

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