Chapter 107
William’s long eyelashes trembled.
“Father’s illness has progressed for a long time. Eventually, as a last hope, I personally met Duke Alred and asked him to make medicine. All of this was my choice and perhaps my sin……”
“Ah……”
William looked down at his own hands. They were trembling slightly.
His expression seemed to be forcibly suppressing pain and guilt.
Karden approached the Crown Prince and patted his shoulder before letting go. The gesture clearly conveyed comfort, reassuring him it wasn’t his fault.
Honestly, I was surprised. Normally, a subject casually touching a royal’s body would constitute royal defamation.
The Crown Prince truly thinks of Karden like a brother and trusts him.
Karden also shows the image of a loyal subject, but he genuinely worries about the Crown Prince like a younger brother.
“This is not Your Highness’s fault. For now, you should focus all your efforts on stopping Duke Berdin. The Duke is using Turba to gain His Majesty’s trust while simultaneously trying to control the shapeshifters. Your Highness must stop the Duke’s atrocities.”
William’s expression, which had been like that of a lost child, gradually changed. It transformed into the face of an emperor responsible for his kingdom.
He nodded firmly with a serious expression.
“Indeed. If evidence is found at the shapeshifter shelter, I will certainly hold the Duke accountable for his crimes.”
This ball was a legal method to temporarily hold Duke Berdin in place.
Even the royal family couldn’t search and seize the shapeshifter shelter, which was the private property of a ducal house, without clear charges or evidence.
After contemplating, I asked the Crown Prince.
“Your Highness, what will you do if it becomes known that Turba flowers are being mass-cultivated at the shapeshifter shelter?”
William’s eyes flashed sharply.
“The kingdom will manage the cultivation rights, manufacturing, and distribution of Turba flowers. It’s too dangerous to let a single house manage an herb that adversely affects shapeshifters.”
“Will Duke Berdin willingly surrender the cultivation rights to Turba flowers?”
“There have been increasing cases of some shapeshifters showing side effects of going berserk after taking the Turba medicine he distributed. We can no longer allow House Alred to monopolize Turba. This time, we must stop Duke Alred’s atrocities.”
Karden and the Crown Prince began discussing in serious tones.
I searched through the curtains with my eyes to see where Duke Berdin was.
But his figure was hidden among the numerous nobles.
Where did he go?
That’s when I saw Olivia and Berdin talking.
Berdin was respectful, and Olivia was responding with a faint smile.
I have a bad feeling about this. What sweet talk is Berdin using to deceive the angelic Olivia?
I can’t just sit here. I need to step in myself.
“Your Grace, I’ll go talk to Lady Olivia for a moment.”
“Then I’ll come with you.”
Karden immediately rose from his seat.
“No. Your Grace should stay here. It’s your first debutante ball, so you need to adapt to it. Oh, and it might be good to receive some know-how from His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Wait, Shuvelia. What are you saying……”
Karden clicked his tongue, visibly dumbfounded.
I winked at the Crown Prince.
“Your Highness, please take care of the Grand Duke. He’s only ever fought on battlefields his entire life, so he doesn’t know ball etiquette.”
The Crown Prince slapped his knee as if he had just realized.
“I hadn’t thought of that. Hyungnim. Today is an important day for you. I will help you wholeheartedly.”
“No, it’s fine. Now is not the time to worry about such things.”
While Karden was flustered and refusing, I quickly backed away.
“Then, I hope you two have a good time.”
I hurried to where Olivia was.
Slow yet magnificent notes from the palace violinists’ instruments echoed throughout.
In the grand hall, amidst the elegant melody, nobles began to dance, holding their partners’ hands.
Beautiful dresses bloomed like flowers, twirling around, and laughter and clinking glasses mingled under the splendid chandeliers.
It took time to make my way through the crowd. When I finally arrived, neither Olivia nor Duke Berdin was in sight.
I looked around, heading toward the corner of the ballroom to find Olivia.
At that moment, a thick, strong lily scent irritated my nose.
Inside the party venue, there were powder rooms for women and rest areas for men.
The scent was coming from a vase decorated in front of the men’s rest area.
I hurriedly approached the vase. It was adorned with white roses, with lilies inserted as accents.
“Why is there Turba among the flowers?”
Only then did I notice the floral decorations around. There were ornate vases everywhere, and flowers decorated the center of the dessert tables as well.
And in each of these floral arrangements, Turba was inserted.
When I came to my senses, I realized the vast ballroom was already surrounded by Turba flowers.
It was so natural that no one would have noticed. Because humans can’t smell this scent.
Who on earth did this?
Why use Turba as decorative flowers for the ball?
I need to inform the Grand Duke and the Crown Prince immediately.
As I lifted my dress hem to take a few steps, my head spun.
My heart began to race, and my breathing became rapid.
Ah, no. Already…
The ballroom was filled with various perfumes sprayed by the nobles. But the scent of Turba was distinctly revealing its presence.
A chill ran down my spine.
What would happen if there were shapeshifters in this ballroom?
I quickly ran to a table and grabbed a napkin. Then I dipped it in a water glass to wet it.
A noblewoman across from me watched my actions curiously, but it wasn’t the time to care about others’ gazes.
I hurriedly covered my nose with the wet napkin. Then I moved, looking for any place to escape.
I can’t stay in the ballroom.
At that moment, a cold breeze brushed against my cheek.
When I turned my head urgently, a terrace window in the corner of the ballroom was half-open.
Beyond the open door, a snow-white curtain fluttered. The terrace was bathed in pure moonlight.
Under that moonlight, a beautiful young man with silver hair was staring intently at me.
With a mix of anger and longing.
“F-Franz?”
Why are you here?
At that moment, Franz disappeared beyond the terrace. Like an illusion shown by the moonlight.
“Wait, don’t go!”
I ran to the terrace urgently, chasing Franz. But there was no one on the terrace.
Beyond the terrace, the garden was enveloped in quiet darkness, with only the sound of insects chirping.
“Could it be… was it really you? Franz……”
I murmured, blankly looking down at the garden.
As a cool breeze brushed my cheek, the Turba scent finally disappeared, and I could breathe.
Was seeing Franz an illusion?
Maybe my mind was affected by the Turba.
Anyway, that was dangerous. If I had stayed in the ballroom a little longer…
The aftermath was too horrible to think about.
I might have lost my reason and gone berserk, just like when I encountered those thugs in the market alley.
In front of numerous nobles and Karden.
I bit my lip hard until blood seeped out.
At that moment, I sensed someone behind me.
“Who is it?”
When I turned around urgently, Berdin was closing the terrace window and drawing the thick curtains.
“Duke Berdin?”
He elegantly turned around, then bowed his head and extended his hand in the formal manner of requesting a dance.
“Lady Shuvelia.”
With the light from the ballroom behind him, his expression remained gentle, a perfect mask concealing his true intentions.
But his eyes were flashing chillingly. Like the eyes of a hungry wolf.
“Finally, I’m alone with you. It’s been a while, Lady Shuvelia. You’ve become even more beautiful. Worthy of being called the Goddess of Snow.”
Berdin gazed at me with reverent eyes and whispered sweetly.
But to my ears, it sounded like nothing more than the hissing of a snake.
I frowned deeply and glared at him.
“Duke Berdin, what exactly are you plotting?”
“As you can see, I simply want to dance with you.”
I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.
“Take your hand? Are you in your right mind? The ballroom is filled with the scent of Turba flowers, and how, and with what intention, did you decorate with Turba flowers? What are you trying to do?”
Berdin’s golden eyes narrowed, and the corners of his red lips twisted upward.
Like the smile of a predator discovering prey caught in a trap.
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.