Chapter 34

After the brief commotion of the waltz that everyone witnessed.

“I didn’t know our son had such talent for dancing.”

“…”

I immediately joined my parents, who were in the middle of enjoying some wine.

The onlookers’ gazes were too piercing, and I had no tolerance for embarrassing situations.

Staying there any longer was impossible.

“Darling, bring me another glass, please.”

“Just wait a moment.”

Watching my mother ask for more wine and my father obliging, I couldn’t help but wonder how wine existed in a novel world without fruit processing.

But considering the plot holes in [The Crown Prince Wields a Sword], it wasn’t worth overthinking. It would only give me a headache.

What was giving me a headache now wasn’t the existence of wine.

“Did you see everything?”

“How could we not see it when it happened right in the middle of the banquet hall?”

“…”

My face felt hot.

Even though I had anticipated this reaction, the reality of the situation was mortifying.

My mother, who had witnessed everything, now asked about Rebecca’s whereabouts.

“Where did the princess go?”

“I… don’t know.”

It wasn’t a lie to avoid the situation.

Rebecca, after what I did to her, had run away with her face bright red.

Hearing that I didn’t know where the princess had gone, my mother scolded me even more.

“If the fiancé doesn’t know where his fiancée went, who would?”

“Mother…”

“Albert. You should go escort the princess instead of making excuses.”

“…”

Feeling wronged by my mother’s endless scolding, I looked to my father for support.

“Your mother is right.”

“Father?”

“If the fiancé doesn’t take care of his fiancée, who will?”

My father, agreeing with my mother, urged me on without defending me.

“If you don’t find the princess, don’t expect to come home tonight.”

“Weren’t we staying here tonight…”

“Don’t talk back.”

“…”

And so, I was chased out by my parents.

*

On my way to find the missing Rebecca, heading towards where Duke Valencia and his wife were.

The banquet hall, crowded with nobles, had people blocking the path at every turn.

“Isn’t that the guy from earlier?”

“Yeah, the fiancé of Lady Valencia.”

Every time I heard such whispers, my face burned.

‘This is bad.’

Anxiety filled my mind, realizing that I had attracted more attention than I had imagined.

Just walking around, the murmurs were enough to make it clear that everyone in the original story would now know about ‘Albert Zernias.’

Had I messed up the original plot by doing something unnecessary?

“Prince Albert? What brings you here…”

“Duchess, do you know where the princess is?”

“Our daughter… we’re not sure.”

“I see.”

To make matters worse, Rebecca wasn’t with her parents, Duke Valencia and the Duchess.

The only silver lining was…

“Rebecca might have gone to the garden.”

“The imperial garden?”

“Yes, she always goes to the garden to clear her head.”

Getting advice from the Duchess, who knew Rebecca best.

A memory flashed by of Rebecca sulking in the garden of Count Zernias’ mansion not long ago.

I had wondered why she went to the garden then. I never thought I’d find out the reason now.

“Thank you, Duchess.”

Having a rough idea of Rebecca’s whereabouts, I thanked the Duchess.

“Which way is the garden?”

“If you’re heading to the garden for a stroll… go that way.”

Following the guidance of a nearby servant, I headed towards the imperial garden.

*

After hearing from the Duchess that Rebecca might be in the garden.

My steps quickened considerably.

It wasn’t just the worry of not being able to return home if I didn’t find the princess.

In the original novel, on the first day of the imperial banquet, an important event occurs in the imperial garden.

The event where Mikhail and Estelle, the first heroine of the novel, meet for the first time.

To briefly explain the background of this event.

Originally, Estelle, the saint, was supposed to arrive at the imperial palace on the second day of the banquet. But wanting to enjoy the banquet herself, she arrived a day early, hiding her identity.

However, the banquet was too chaotic for Estelle, who had lived a quiet life. To calm her confused mind, she took a break in the garden.

While Estelle was reflecting on her inability to blend in with the crowd, assassins targeting the saint approached to kill her.

At that moment, Mikhail appeared like a prince on a white horse, saving Estelle, and from then on, Estelle developed feelings for Mikhail, the protagonist.

A common cliché.

Though a very common heroine event.

A variable had arisen because of me.

If the Duchess was right.

Rebecca had gone to the garden, where only Mikhail, Estelle, and the assassins were supposed to be.

This could ruin Estelle’s heroine event and twist the original story’s flow.

In the original story, Rebecca and the Crown Prince were supposed to meet for the first time on the second day of the imperial banquet, not today.

So, to prevent the original story from being derailed, I quickly headed to the garden.

“Who’s there?”

“…”

Unintentionally, I had further tangled the original story.

***

Rebecca’s heart was racing as if she had a deadly disease.

The reason, as always, was her fiancé, Albert Zernias.

– In the past three years, today you look the most beautiful.

– From your vibrant red hair that I want to touch, to your blushing cheeks, your eyes that only hold me, and your lips that I want to kiss right now.

– I want to capture this moment and keep it forever.

His words while dancing with her.

– As I always say, what would you do without me?

His words as he caught her when she almost tripped.

– Isn’t that right? My beloved fiancée.

His whisper in her ear as he held her close after she almost fell.

All these words wouldn’t leave her mind.

She knew these words from her fiancé were just teasing lies.

Surely, they were just the teasing lies of her annoying fiancé.

Then why.

Why was her heart racing so fast?

It wasn’t just because she was angry about losing the dance challenge.

She couldn’t have missed that her heart was racing just from a bit of irritation, and she barely even remembered losing the challenge.

So she immediately ran away from the scene.

If she stayed any longer in Albert’s embrace, she didn’t know what state she’d be in.

Afraid that her loud heartbeat might be heard by her fiancé.

Forgetting all the dignity she had maintained as the daughter of the Duke’s family, she quickly ran away.

The place she ran to was the restroom.

Feeling like her face would burn up if she didn’t splash some cold water on it.

She washed her face with cold water.

She wasn’t worried about her makeup coming off.

She used makeup that wouldn’t come off with water, only removable with magic.

No matter how much water she splashed, her makeup wouldn’t come off.

Thinking about it, this was strange too.

Why had she put so much effort into her makeup and dressing up?

She had always thought of the imperial banquet, her debutante, as a bothersome event.

She only went to make an impression as the future Duke of Valencia.

If she had an older brother or sister to take over the Duke’s position, she wouldn’t have gone.

But Rebecca had dressed up more beautifully than ever before.

Lipstick, necklaces, even earrings she had never worn before because they hurt her ears.

She had never put so much effort into her appearance before.

Who was she trying to impress?

Was it really for her fiancé?

That didn’t make sense. She didn’t like or love her fiancé.

Why would she want to show her beautiful self to her annoying fiancé?

Rebecca couldn’t understand it.

She couldn’t understand her own heart, her own feelings. She was confused.

Unable to sort out her confused mind, she returned to her parents, Duke Valencia and the Duchess.

“Rebecca? Why are you here? Prince Albert came looking for you earlier.”

She heard that her fiancé had come looking for her.

“Prince Albert thought you went to the garden and went there.”

Her mother, who had relayed the message, also told her that Albert had headed to the garden.

“Rebecca? Where are you going?”

After hearing everything, Rebecca, as if entranced, headed towards the garden where Albert had gone.

Without any idea of what would happen there.

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