What Remains at the End of Regret - Chapter 40

“As you know! It’s because of the greenhouse. I’m taking care of the Grand Duchess’s precious greenhouse.”

His shoulders trembled like an aspen, as if a secret that should never be revealed was about to be exposed. Edmund, his gaze slightly averted, imprinted her trembling, plump lips into his mind, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

The way she hastily made up excuses was almost pitiful.

“I took good care of the greenhouse. The Grand Duchess said she liked it. It was a little difficult taking care of the flowers, but the Duke helped me.”

Edmund gently held the sweet-scented champagne in his mouth before swallowing it, listening quietly to the lies she was uttering. Her pathetic eyes wandered aimlessly before finally finding him. The gradually dampening green eyes were a masterpiece beyond compare.

“…Thank you, Duke.”

Vivian Mabel bit her bloodless lips and shook her head, not avoiding his gaze. Her request was clear.

Please keep my secret.

The fruit scent that traveled down his throat instantly pressed down on his hot flesh. Only after the sweetness of the fully swallowed alcohol consumed his mouth did Edmund nod in agreement.

“Haha, I heard the Grand Duchess has a deep knowledge of flowers. I didn’t know the Duke was interested in such things too.”

Edmund smiled at the Baron’s words, and people flocked to him to greet him. The Baron and Bender Harper, thinking it would be unreasonable to take up any more of the Duke’s time, added some formal words and withdrew from Edmund.

Edmund lightly touched Vivian’s hand as she passed by. He chuckled softly at her startled movement as she gasped.

As Vivian completely left, an exceedingly cold expression appeared on Edmund’s face as he met Hayden Harper’s eyes, which held a subtle anxiety.

To hunt, you need tenacity and patience.

I hope Hayden Harper’s heart lasts forever.

＊ ＊ ＊

“It’s a wonderful ball.”

“Of course. Who but the Grand Duchess could create such a ball?”

“Your compliments are excessive. It’s all thanks to the Duke and Grand Duchess’s attention to detail.”

Catherine responded to the ladies who flocked around her with praise, revealing a faint smile and expressing modesty.

The ball was a success.

The ball was splendid and elegant beyond anyone’s denial.

The ladies and noblewomen of her age who flocked to her proved who had successfully organized the ball.

Her eyes, filled with composure, turned to the large windows of the mansion, where complete darkness had already fallen. The fragments of light created by the stone marble and glass decorations reflected in the golden moonlight illuminated the night of the ball as Catherine had directed.

As if they had become stars in the darkness, the diamonds embedded in the gaps of the curtains were enveloped in the floating air, creating a distant atmosphere. Finally ready to fully enjoy the ball, Catherine smoothly raised the corners of her lips.

Catherine von Verberosa was at the center of the exclamations that burst out one after another.

Catherine was certain that Lockberg would be hers after today. If the fact that everyone believed without a doubt was willingly certified from that man’s mouth, there would be no greater reward.

It was as if she had proven with this ball today that only Catherine von Verberosa was qualified to stand beside Edmund Lockberg.

Therefore, Catherine was able to relax the nerves that had been on edge in preparation for the ball and leisurely appreciate what she had created.

Where is he?

A slight impatience was contained in her gaze as she scanned the banquet hall, tilting champagne down her throat. Soon, Catherine found Edmund among the young officers in naval uniforms and moved towards him without hesitation.

“Pirates? I thought that was all taken care of a long time ago?”

“I thought my dear cousin had swept them all away when he took office, but I guess not. It means I won’t be able to work comfortably.”

Felix chuckled, subtly nudging the officer next to him in the ribs and raising his glass.

“Well, yeah. Besides, the Black Sea front means the good times are over.”

Muller, who worked at the Naval Headquarters in the capital, clicked his tongue as if he felt sorry for him.

The Black Sea front, where Felix had taken office after Edmund’s discharge, was not a short distance from the Argent Empire and was a strategic point for checking countries on other continents, so it was a specially managed area within the navy. The fact that pirates were starting to reappear, after a period of quiet, was also a desperate piece of news that the already difficult Black Sea would become even busier.

The person responsible for that unfortunate situation was now Felix. Kissen Schwitz, who was on his right, asked Felix with a hollow smile and a shrug.

“By the way, Felix, I don’t see your fiancée.”

“Ah, you mean that young fiancée.”

When Muller made a knowing sound and tilted his head, Felix frowned as if he had no interest and poured all the remaining alcohol into his mouth. Unlike his cousin, who was still under his grandmother’s influence, he had already held an engagement ceremony two years ago. The other party was a young lady from a distinguished count’s family, much younger than him. The important thing was that she was eight years younger than Felix.

Felix, recalling his young fiancée, who had not yet lost her baby fat and shot him contemptuous glances, quickly cleared the faint afterimage from his mind as if it were trivial.

“How about paying more attention to Duke Lockberg than my fiancée, friends?”

Felix shook his empty glass and turned towards Catherine, who was approaching from behind. Catherine, looking at Felix, who had made way for her, approached with a relaxed expression and a smile.

“All the officers who have stirred the hearts of the ladies are gathered here.”

Catherine, changing the atmosphere with a soft joke, smiled and slowly walked towards the Duke, who was her original goal. Seeing Edmund gently turning his glass with an indifferent gaze, a subtle sensation ran down her spine.

“I’m seeing the most beautiful woman in Argent, who is hard to see even in the capital, only after coming to Fober.”

“I’m embarrassed. There are many beautiful ladies besides me. And they’re all looking this way.”

At Catherine’s words, the officers who glanced behind her cleared their throats and smiled softly.

“How can we compare to the Grand Duchess?”

“I only saw one, though.”

It was Muller Orix, an officer from the Naval Headquarters with an excited expression, who broke the good atmosphere. Turning his gaze from Catherine to Muller, Kissen asked in a puzzled voice.

“Who?”

“Over there. The daughter of the Baron, who is the lord of this place.”

As soon as Muller finished speaking, all eyes were focused on the woman standing quietly in the corner. Some nodded as if in agreement, and some let out incomprehensible sighs as if they were mesmerized.

Catherine also suppressed her not-so-good mood and turned her head, following the gaze that the officers were focusing on. And in an instant, her beautiful face, which had been full of smiles, hardened coldly.

Why is that woman here?

Edmund’s expression as he turned around was calm and serene, but Catherine suddenly couldn’t hide the slowly rising anxiety. But as if to mock such petty feelings, the woman had a fiancé who suited her quite well, and that gentle gaze did not turn to the Duke for even a moment.

She couldn’t help but be surprised. Nevertheless, the reason she was able to erase her anxiety was because of the woman’s status as a humble rural noble.

Because she thought that Edmund would not be interested in such an insignificant woman. But the woman who had acted innocently in the bookstore was a noble, and although it was just a rural area, she was the daughter of the lord.

She was greatly shaken, but the reason she was able to feel relieved again was the existence of the woman’s fiancé. Hayden Harper. A young businessman who was making a name for himself as a rising wealthy man, although he had no title.

They were a very well-matched couple. After confirming the clear affection in the gazes they exchanged, Catherine completely relaxed.

While blaming herself for being so hasty that she felt ashamed that she had worried that the Duke would look at her even for a moment.

She tried not to be shaken and forced the corners of her red-painted lips to lift.

“Finding a lifelong partner is a very important thing. Beauty is not very important in that standard.”

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