Chapter 26. Fever-Like Desire

〈We request your presence to grace a dinner ball attended by Her Majesty Queen Catherine and His Highness Crown Prince Patrick…….〉

“It’s common knowledge even to three-year-old children that the Prostis family are radical members of the Rose Party.”

At Luka Brown’s words, Calyx shifted his gaze from the invitation bearing the clear seal of the Prostis family.

Luka added with a seemingly surprised tone.

“I’m amazed that the head of such a family would send you an invitation. It’s not like you have any particular acquaintance with them.”

Calyx, who had been silently listening to his friend, burst into a light laugh.

It was right after he noticed Luka’s hand trembling slightly as he took out and bit into a cigar.

“I suppose His Highness the crown prince wanted to catch up with his cousin and gave the Prostis family a hint.”

Pretending not to know the real intention, Calyx spoke casually as he approached the bookshelf that filled an entire wall.

“Surely not…… Your ambiguous relationship with him has been public knowledge for a long time—would he seek you out for such a trivial reason? And in such a conspicuous setting?”

“Then what do you think? Are you suggesting that the noble crown prince invited me to finish the fistfight we couldn’t complete over a woman?”

Luka was flustered by the direct expression.

Calyx, without changing his expression, calmly pulled out a book. Decadent literature written by an exiled author from Triena.

“Honestly, not just me, but anyone with a mouth would think that.”

He opened the book. Page 341. Fifth line from the top.

“Then I’d better not go.”

“Are you serious about that?”

“I don’t want to get hit by the crown prince again.”

Huh. Luka exhaled in frustration.

Calyx’s hand, moving elegantly across the bookshelf, pulled out another book.

Page 29. Third and sixth lines from the bottom.

“Tell me honestly. What are you thinking? Until a month ago, you acted as if you were ready for all-out war with the royal family over that woman, but now why are you so lukewarm?”

Another book. Page 104. The first word and the last word.

“Have you given up? Did your interest cool so quickly?”

Next book. And the next.

Open, read, turn, and the next book.

“Hm? Answer me.”

“……”

“Calyx!”

Despite Luka’s call, Calyx didn’t answer. He pulled out the last book and opened it. Page 60. Second line…

“Because of your fickleness, an innocent woman got doused with sewage on the street!”

Just as he fully deciphered the secret message William had left, Luka shouted as if spitting it out.

The study was momentarily enveloped in silence.

Calyx still stood in front of the bookshelf with his back to Luka.

“……”

He mentally retraced the message William had left in the books.

William had successfully concluded a supply contract for merchant ships to smuggle soldiers into the capital.

All preparations were complete. On the day before the World Exposition opening ceremony, their merchant ship would leisurely enter the capital among the chaotically moving supplies.

The elite soldiers who had endured hellish training on Manbrin Island would quickly occupy the royal palace.

Leading them would be the cursed former crown prince, Calyx Valdea.

Calyx stared down at the title of the book that contained the final code.

〈In Search of Lost Glory.〉

The intention behind William deliberately choosing a book with such a title was obvious.

Originally, Calyx Valdea was supposed to draw attention in the capital only until the merchant ship contract was secured, so this was a warning to withdraw before arousing unnecessary suspicion.

A reproachful advice to think carefully with that clever mind about what was most important to him.

‘Sorry, but I’ve already come to my senses, William.’

I know better than anyone what I’ve been living for all this time.

That day, what stood before him was a wall that could never be broken down no matter what he gave up.

The iron-walled woman who would not give him even a piece of her heart and himself were parallel lines that could never meet.

It was overwhelming. But he finally knew he couldn’t do anything about this desire. He also knew well how it would end.

‘I would destroy myself.’

So he had to stop before that. Because he had more important tasks than sitting helplessly in front of a door that would never open.

He had thought it was a fever-like desire that could blind him, but seeing how easy it was to give up, it seemed his feelings hadn’t been that strong after all.

It was rather fortunate that his emotions hadn’t grown to the point of begging and pleading.

“What do you want me to do about what those fanatics obsessed with women’s chastity did? Luka Brown.”

Calyx said as he turned toward the sofa where Luka was sitting.

For someone mentioning a woman he had once orbited like a planet, his tone was surprisingly fresh and indifferent.

“You…… Do you really mean that?”

“It seems that if I don’t accept this invitation, something unfortunate might happen to you, Luka. I’ll go for your sake, but as a friend, I need you to do me a favor in return.”

“What…… favor?”

A flash of hope appeared and disappeared in Luka’s eyes. He was still a friend who was clumsy at hiding his true intentions.

Calyx inwardly sneered and smiled brightly.

“Leave my house now.”

After that, time passed like an arrow.

On the day of the Prostis family’s dinner ball.

“……!”

Confronted with the woman who appeared before his eyes like a lie, Calyx let out a cold, bitter laugh after a long moment.

He had forgotten for a while.

That the kind yet cruel God had never granted him the happiness he desired.

* * *

‘Did he just…… make eye contact and deliberately avoid me?’

As if to prove her thought, Calyx focused only on conversing with the man accompanying him.

Despite Lottie staring intensely at him, he climbed the stairs leading to the mansion entrance without concern.

Until his figure completely disappeared into the crowd, Lottie’s open mouth couldn’t close.

She hadn’t expected a warm reunion, but she never thought she would be ignored like this.

He had clearly recognized her, yet he coldly turned his head away as if wanting to remove her from his sight.

“The Prostis family, really. Knowing perfectly well what situation you’re in, to invite that rude man to an event that His Highness the crown prince is also attending……”

Isabelle standing beside her muttered quietly so that only Lottie could hear.

Her great-aunt’s direct expression clearly revealed what feelings she harbored toward Calyx.

“And that man too. Why did he readily accept the invitation? Not even thinking about how awkward it would be for you……”

“He probably didn’t know I was invited too. Otherwise……”

Lottie trailed off as she looked somewhere. Her gaze was fixed on the mansion entrance where Calyx had just disappeared with his companion.

“Otherwise…… he wouldn’t have come at all.”

She had a strange premonition. Along with the thought that it wasn’t because he was worried about her being in an awkward situation.

Her mouth kept tasting bitter. It didn’t seem to be just because of the unpleasantness of being pushed away like a perfect stranger by that man.

That man was someone who had proposed to her and been rejected.

While accepting that his behavior was natural, a corner of her heart still felt uneasy and frustrated.

“Miss Charlotte!”

As she was swallowing the gray lump of emotion down the back of her throat, someone approached calling Lottie’s name smoothly.

“Thank you for taking your precious time to come, Miss Charlotte.”

It was Delinda.

Even as some nobles who knew Charlotte was the protagonist of the rumors glanced this way, Delinda paid no attention and repeated the same name several more times.

It was such a skillful performance that it was hard to believe she was the same person who had awkwardly pronounced the Trienean name in the central garden two weeks ago.

“My, your dress matches you perfectly. You look so beautiful.”

Meanwhile, she smiled innocently as if she knew nothing.

Her intentions were so transparent that Lottie could only smile back as if she had swallowed thorns.

“Yes…… well.”

In normal aristocratic conversation, she should have returned the compliment to the other person, but she simply couldn’t bring herself to do it.

As Lottie stood like a wooden statue with a disgruntled expression, Isabelle finally stepped in.

“Delinda’s dress suits her very well too. It’s a similar blue to Lottie’s, so when the two of you stand together, you look as dazzling as forest fairy sisters.”

“You flatter me, madam. By the way, did Miss Charlotte not come with a male partner today?”

Delinda asked, peering over Lottie’s shoulder.

If she knew the situation Lottie was in, she wouldn’t have dared mention a partner, but Delinda’s voice sounded so innocent that even Isabelle didn’t think to correct her.

When Lottie slightly nodded her head, Delinda smiled brightly.

“My mother is unwell, so I’ve taken on the role of hostess for today’s dinner ball. I’ll match you with a perfect partner. After all, one cannot enter the banquet hall without a partner.”

“If His Highness the crown prince has arrived, perhaps we should first ask his opinion……”

“Oh dear.”

Delinda cut off Isabelle’s words.

“His Highness the crown prince hasn’t arrived yet. And even after he arrives, he’ll be busy attending to Her Majesty the queen.”

“Ah……”

“Instead, I’ll pair you with a wonderful gentleman who can highlight the lady’s beauty and dignity. Most gentlemen who associate with the Prostis family are handsome and well-mannered!”

Delinda’s black eyes sparkled toward Lottie. It was the face of a girl who seemed nothing but kind and innocent to anyone who saw her.

Lottie stared at that face for a moment before giving a cold smile.