Chapter 139

Angelina thought his subtle expression was due to a newly felt emotion and smiled as she let a little more of her power flow to him.

He took a deep breath like someone smelling a pleasant fragrance and smiled with satisfaction. But even that broke after a few minutes.

“Come to think of it, does that mean that knight fellow feels the same thing?”

“I… suppose so?”

“….”

For a moment, a very dangerous thought crossed Ante’s mind: perhaps I should just kill them all. But he shook his head vigorously.

That would be disastrous.

Relieved that Angelina hadn’t detected his thoughts, he whispered petulantly.

“Lina, do this only for your brother. Understood?”

He nuzzled against her hand, acting cute. With his eyes downcast and a pitiful expression, Angelina looked troubled.

“No one else wants this kind of thing except you, brother.”

“No, if those fellows taste this once, they’ll definitely crave it. So make sure they never know and do it only for your brother. Promise.”

He even held out his pinky finger.

‘He’s started calling them “fellows” now.’

That must be because of Zeplictus’s memories, right?

Even so, it’s concerning that he refers to even the Crown Prince as “guy” or “fellow”… Well, I’m sure my brother will handle it properly.

“As the Sun, I can’t show favoritism only to the priest.”

“…Tch.”

“But as Angelina, there’s nothing wrong with favoring my brother.”

“Right?”

He had been withdrawing his pinky finger at her first words but raised it again. However, Angelina didn’t link her finger with his.

“But I won’t make promises I’m not confident I can keep.”

“Lina.”

“Oh? We’ve arrived. Shall we get out now?”

“How can you run away like this?”

“I heard the cocktails sold on the second floor of the theater are delicious. Since we’re early, let’s have some before the lines get long.”

“You keep changing the subject.”

“Wow, even the people handing out pamphlets in front of the theater are in costume. That’s fascinating.”

“Sigh… I wonder who you take after to be this stubborn.”

Angelina smiled broadly at the sight of Ante sighing and giving up.

“You’re too pretty for me to stay angry.”

And of course, Ante melted completely at that sight, his feelings of frustration vanishing entirely.

The two headed toward the theater after getting out of the carriage. Drawing everyone’s attention as they went.

***

“Is my outfit too flashy…?”

Angelina began to worry about her attire because of the stares that followed her everywhere.

Although her shoulders and arms were a bit more exposed than usual, it didn’t seem that extreme…

But that was only because she didn’t know what the back of her dress looked like.

Since her hair was also styled completely up, everything from her neck to her waist was exposed.

“It’s because Lina is pretty.”

Ante smiled as he pulled her close to him.

“And since the Crown Prince is scheduled to come today, quite a few nobles have shown up.”

“So all those people glancing at me are nobles? I don’t recognize any of them.”

“That’s because they’re all nameless families from the provinces.”

It wasn’t that they literally had no names, but that they had so little power.

“They’re trying to reach the Crown Prince by any means necessary.”

“And then Marquis Flaubert appears right in the middle of it?”

“I’m telling you, they’re looking at you, not me.”

“I don’t believe that.”

If they were following the Crown Prince’s movements, they would naturally look at the Marquis who could help them politically, not at his powerless sister.

“But this place is surprisingly spacious.”

They had been walking for quite some time to reach the bar on the second floor, but there was no sign of it, not even a souvenir shop.

“Ah, there it is.”

Angelina spotted a place where people were gathered more densely than elsewhere. Seeing that everyone was holding glasses, it seemed they had found the right place.

“It feels like it took about 10 minutes just to find the bar.”

It was then.

“Oh?”

She spotted a man surrounded by many people in front.

A smile automatically spread across her face.

The man also noticed her, and as their eyes met, they both waved slightly.

Then the people around them turned their heads.

Those who had been looking at Blake turned toward Angelina, and those who had been looking at Angelina turned toward Blake.

“That silver hair, isn’t that Marquis Flaubert?”

“It seems today isn’t just about His Highness coming. How did we get both the Duke and the Marquis…”

People murmured at the unexpected additional visitors. Some seemed to have come knowing this would happen.

“He’s an incredibly handsome man, just as rumored.”

“That woman beside him must be the sister we’ve only heard about?”

“The sister is…”

Those who took in the sight of Angelina and Ante were all dumbfounded, and gasps could be heard here and there.

‘My brother is handsome indeed.’

Angelina felt oddly proud.

“Shall we go greet the Duke?”

“Is that possible?”

“But if we could at least introduce ourselves…”

“How many people here do you think are hoping for that? Though I am curious. They say he’s also formed a connection with the Tower Master.”

Ante clicked his tongue in annoyance at some of the whispers near Angelina, muttering, “That wasn’t the deal we made back then.”

As many people continued to murmur, the distance between Angelina and Blake narrowed.

“You’ve come.”

“Am I late?”

“I just arrived a moment ago myself.”

“I’m glad you didn’t have to wait.”

As the two exchanged shy greetings, Ante, standing beside them, crossed his arms with a displeased face.

“Am I invisible, Duke?”

“Ah, it’s good to see you too, Marquis.”

“I’m not pleased to see you though.”

“Is that so? Next time, I’ll try to appear more welcome.”

Though Ante tried to be a little mischievous, Blake countered seriously with an indifferent face.

“This is why straightlaced fellows are no fun.”

He was hoping he’d be more flustered.

“Brother.”

Angelina poked his side firmly and gave him a look, so Ante cleared his throat and averted his gaze.

“I don’t see that fellow who’s usually with you today.”

It was a question asked because only Sean was visible by his side.

“If you mean Mason, he’s temporarily away on another errand.”

Blake answered while exchanging glances with Angelina. After all, Haley and Mason would be in the same place.

It was then.

“Duke, here.”

Someone approached them carrying a tray. Three cocktails were placed on it.

“These are cocktails created specifically for this play. I ordered them while waiting for you two to arrive.”

“Wow, thank you.”

Angelina immediately picked up a glass, and Ante, after briefly making a slightly displeased face, took one as well.

Angelina moistened her throat with the pinkish drink and smiled pleasantly.

“This could work as a dessert.”

“It’s very sweet.”

“It’s delicious.”

The three opinions were different yet similar.

“So, Duke.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Why did you send flowers?”

“Gasp, cough! Cough!”

It was Angelina who choked in surprise at Ante’s direct question.

She hadn’t thought her brother wouldn’t know about the flowers and invitation.

It was her gift, and it didn’t make sense for him not to know what Haley and Laura knew.

But since he had never asked her about it, she thought he wasn’t particularly concerned.

In reality, it wasn’t that—he had intended from the beginning to ask Blake rather than her.

“Are you okay?”

“Are you alright?”

Ante and Blake asked simultaneously, offering handkerchiefs.

However, the handkerchief Angelina took was neither her brother’s nor the Duke’s.

It was her own handkerchief from Laura’s pocket.

“I think I rushed because it was so delicious. Haha…”

She said, awkwardly adding a strange excuse.

“Brother, didn’t you say you had something to discuss with the orchestra conductor when we arrived at the theater? If you want to talk, shouldn’t you go quickly now? We might miss the time.”

Angelina tried to quickly send Ante away.

She had thought he would leave on his own after exchanging greetings, but who would have expected him to bring up the flowers there?

But Ante did not cooperate with her plan.

“I can go find them after the play. They’re probably busy preparing now, so later might be better.”

At his insistence on not moving from this spot, Angelina looked at him with narrowed eyes.

Why has his story changed? Suspiciously.

‘This will prevent me from having time alone to talk with the Duke…’

As she was worrying, it happened.

“That works out well. I can enjoy the garden’s night view with Miss Flaubert.”

Blake suggested taking a walk during Ante’s busy time first.

Angelina’s eyes brightened while Ante’s brow furrowed.

Just as he was thinking that perhaps he should go now after all.

The surroundings became even more bustling and noisy. The three turned their heads toward the source of the commotion as the volume of murmuring increased.

“So everyone is gathered here.”

The one approaching them was none other than Aiden. And behind him was the Empress.