To the One Who's Only Cold to Me - Chapter 16

“Damn it. What a useless thing to do.”

Ian swore as he opened the paper and threw it away. The paper clearly showed signatures and fingerprints from both him and someone else, along with words like “compensation” and “promise.” Ian frowned, wondering how he had ended up writing such a thing.

‘The people here are witnesses. Even if not all of them, some have to watch how the bet turns out on the night of the banquet.’

Sitting in the rattling carriage, Ian grew irritated as he kept thinking about the irreversible bet. He knocked on the carriage wall in frustration. The queasy feeling in his stomach was unbearable.

“Joseph, slow down. My head hurts.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll go slower.”

Joseph, who knew nothing of the situation, simply assumed his master had had too much to drink, and adjusted the carriage’s speed. But even with the slower pace and fewer bumps, Ian’s headache didn’t go away.

In the early evening, with the moon still low, many people began entering the palace banquet hall. This was an event attended by all the prominent nobles, so most people didn’t bother looking at the usual guests. But Duke Levantus, head of the Old Nobles faction, and those around him constantly drew attention.

“It seems the duke’s fondness for Marquis Lloyd isn’t just talk.”

“There aren’t many noble families as prestigious as the Lloyds. But seeing them stick so close together, maybe Lloyd and the Pardens are…”

“Well, there have been signs for years. Even if they say he spent time with the Pardens as a child, the Lloyd and Parden families have always walked different paths.”

Standing right beside Duke Levantus, Ian wore a pitch-black banquet outfit with a blue cravat marked by a simple pattern. His delicate features and neatly arranged blond hair gleamed under the chandelier light.

Ever since he arrived, people kept glancing at Ian as if they were under a spell. But Ian, used to such stares, simply moved with his partner, dealing with the duke and his company with a bored expression.

‘Ian.’

From a distance, Aisha, dressed in a light purple gown, occasionally glanced at Ian through her softly braided light brown hair. Though she had promised herself not to care anymore, her resolve crumbled the moment she saw him.

Just looking at his handsome side profile filled her with a mix of joy, sorrow, and longing. Clenching her sleeves, Aisha lowered her head, trying hard to calm her emotions and stop herself from approaching him.

‘If he notices me looking, he’ll hate it.’

She forced her feelings down and raised her head with tired eyes. At that moment, Ian who she thought wouldn’t even notice her was looking straight at her. He even waved kindly.

Aisha’s light blue eyes widened in shock. She looked around, wondering if Ian was greeting someone else nearby. But no one else was facing in his direction.

Noticing her confusion, Ian smiled even more. Aisha blinked, looking at him again. Ian brought a finger to his lips and then lowered it, silently mouthing her name.

‘Aisha.’

The royal banquet, held in the imperial palace, was grand in every sense. The hall was large enough to hold hundreds of guests, and even the smallest decorations and flowers were incredibly expensive. Even the wealthier nobles couldn’t help but admire it.

“My goodness! I know it’s rude to ask, but how much did all of this cost? It’s almost blinding.”

“They say the royal treasury is overflowing from last year’s trade taxes.”

Under the bright lights, the crowd bustled with people dressed in their finest. But even among the throng, certain individuals stood out like the Parden family.

The Parden family entered together the count and countess with their four grown children, all strikingly attractive. Their appearance drew many eyes.

“How could the Pardens come without a single partner for their children? It doesn’t look good.”

“Exactly. They’re all of marriageable age, but there’s not even news of an engagement.”

“Well, it’s not unheard of. And a family like the Pardens must get more than enough marriage proposals. I’m sure they’ll choose wisely.”

“You’re right. We should worry about ourselves before judging others.”

With so many people around, unlike the previous charity event, there were also many who supported the Pardens. People laughed and smiled while defending their own or subtly criticizing others.

But in such social games, only two kinds of people were completely left out: those so unremarkable they didn’t even get dragged into silly gossip and the hosts of this banquet.

“Everyone, please give your attention.”

The imperial family.

“His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress are entering.”

Unlike the nobles’ entrance, the trumpet sounded and the chamberlain began reciting their titles in a reverent tone. First came the Emperor and Empress, then the Crown Prince and his wife, followed by the princes and princesses, each with long, ornate introductions.

“Everyone, show your respect.”

After listing all their names, the chamberlain struck the floor three times with his staff. Thud, thud, thud. With that heavy sound, everyone bowed deeply in accordance with tradition.

This custom, made during the reign of Nicholas I, was meant to show the royal family’s authority. No one could straighten their backs or knees until the royals reached their seats, regardless of status. Thankfully, the current emperor only had three children, so the entrance didn’t take long. The previous emperor had eleven legitimate children, and some elderly nobles even collapsed from bowing too long.

The emperor and empress walked first between the deeply bent nobles, followed by the rest of the family at regular intervals. With their heads held high as they stepped along the red carpet, the royals looked arrogant but it didn’t seem unpleasant or out of place.

Some nobles, before the royals came too close, sneakily lifted their heads or eyes to glance at them. Central nobles who often met the royal family didn’t care much, but most others couldn’t hide their curiosity. And the royal family didn’t disappoint every member was graceful and elegant.

“Their Majesties still seem so close. That’s rare.”

“They had a love marriage, after all. You can still see the affection in their eyes.”

“In contrast, the Crown Prince and Princess still seem distant.”

“They married without even knowing each other’s faces. A truly political marriage, unlike Their Majesties.”

“Still, the Crown Princess seems more comfortable now. Last year, she looked so nervous.”

Though the entrance music drowned it out, whispers could still be heard nearby. Especially the younger nobles, new to society, chatted eagerly most of their gossip focused on the princes and princesses.

“Princess Catherine’s hair is always so beautiful. No matter how much I care for mine, it never shines like that.”

“She’s a woman, but Prince Jared isn’t and yet he’s still so stunning…”

The emperor and empress were known for their fine appearance, and their children had inherited it. Jared, the second prince, had especially striking looks: bright red hair, eyes as green as summer leaves, and a beauty mark beneath one eye.

“He’s looking this way!”

“Shh! You don’t want to be charged with disrespect.”

“Oh, come on. The Crown Prince is married, but the Prince isn’t. It’s only natural young ladies would look at him.”

As Prince Jared turned his head and glanced around, several young ladies blushed deeply. But unlike those curious about the royals, Aisha showed little interest in their entrance. Her mind was still full of Ian, leaving no room for anyone else.

‘Why…’

She was still confused by how differently Ian was acting from the last time they met. Even as her family led her around to greet others before the royals arrived, she kept wondering about his behavior. Meanwhile, Ian, from a distance, kept smiling and sending her subtle looks.

What did that smile mean? What was with the wave? Why now?

Though she felt something was off about Ian’s kindness, Aisha couldn’t help but be shaken. While bowing during the royal procession, she slightly lifted her head to glance at him. Ian stood directly across the room, beyond where the royals were passing. As if he knew she would look, he was already watching her. When their eyes met across the open space, he smiled with his eyes, too.

Aisha was about to mouth his name, but flinched at a growing shadow.

The royal family, walking the red carpet, had come much closer. Worried she might be caught in a disrespectful moment, Aisha lowered her gaze and tried to bow again.

‘Ah?’

But just as she lowered her head, her eyes met someone else’s—someone completely unexpected. Since when had he been watching? Prince Jared, walking just behind the Crown Prince, was staring straight at her.

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