“I was told that ‘La Vie en Rose’ will be performed?”

I approached the host and urgently spoke in a voice that only we could hear.

“I was also informed, but just now, Madam Ella has changed it to ‘Adnelli’s Birth.’ Since it’s a well-known song, it doesn’t matter if we suddenly change it, right?”

‘…I don’t know this song. Everyone else seems to know it except me?’

“It’s better to start singing quickly. The Madam is waiting for you.”

Ah, Ella. So, this was why she assigned me the song. She wanted to embarrass me by making me sing a song I didn’t know.

“Um, Grand Duchess? Aren’t you coming?”

Even the piano accompanist, who couldn’t bear the impatient looks of the audience, urged me on.

“Oh… I’ll go.”

As I was going back to the center of the stage, I met Ella’s gaze from under the stage. I thought she would be happy to embarrass me, but her face looked anxious for some reason.

‘What’s going on?’

While looking at Ella’s face, the accompaniment started. Listening to the accompaniment, ‘Adnelli’s Birth’ seemed to be a bright and cute song.

‘Ah, I don’t know.’

I started the first verse whichever way I wanted, at the part where I thought the song would start. Today was the happiest day in the world, wasn’t it, Adnelli?

While the audience started singing along with the completely different melody and lyrics from the original, Ella smiled, but her face turned pale as my song continued. Her face seemed as if she was unhappy.

Why?

The eyes of the audience, who were singing along, turned to Ella.

Was she unhappy because I sang too well? Or because I was not flustered even in a trap someone had set?

As I raised the pitch according to the rhythm, the audience’s gaze changed. Fortunately, the piano accompanist followed my rearrangement and played along.

The people who were looking at Ella were now completely focused on me.

This body was on the better side when it came to singing, and I knew how to handle my vocal cords well. Moreover, I was also good at on-the-spot composing and writing lyrics. Thanks to the appropriate gestures and facial expressions that I had honed in real situations, the audience was completely captivated by me.

I felt a little embarrassed with all the attention.

‘Who should I look at?’

Normally, I would have chosen the camera with the red light and looked into it, but since there was no camera now, I didn’t know who to look at. In the end, I just looked at the people wearing red brooches and sang to them one by one.

Ella, I’m really sorry…

I’m enjoying this stage. I’m sorry that I’m happier on your birthday.

* * *

While overhearing the conversation between the two young men wearing red brooches, Reinhardt felt a boiling feeling in his chest.

He could only watch as his wife seduced so many other men. Irovel was always someone who could easily attract men. However, with her beautiful smile and even her talent for singing, who wouldn’t fall for her?

‘I fell for you when I saw you sing today. So, would you go out with me?’

‘Oh, my, you’re the nth person to confess to me.’

He could already imagine the scene if one of those guys confessed.

“She’s so pretty… huh? Did she just look at me?”

Another potential suitor for Irovel muttered. This was already the tenth person he had witnessed. How many men was she trying to seduce?

But wait, why was she never looking this way when she smiled at the others? Reinhardt suddenly felt indignant. Wait… On closer inspection, Irovel wasn’t just looking at anyone. She would only meet the gaze of someone wearing a red brooch, earring, or necklace…

Did she like the color red?

At the thought, Reinhardt glanced down at his outfit today… It was all black. There was no sign of red anywhere. Even his brooch was a dark blue.

“What are you doing?”

Camilla’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

‘Ugh, what am I even doing? Whether Irovel looks at me or not, why does it matter?’

Why did he even regret not wearing the red brooch today? It shouldn’t have mattered at all.

* * *

After the song ended…

“She must not know Adnelli’s Birth and made up the song out of thin air! Don’t let it slide because everyone said the song was great!”

Ella shouted in a sharp voice, but her voice was drowned out by the cheers of the audience. No matter how much she protested, no one listened to her.

“Where could you find someone who doesn’t even know the lyrics? It seems like you’re trying to embarrass her.”

Even a few who listened to her words didn’t take them seriously.

Click.

A flash went off somewhere. It seemed like someone had taken a picture.

As soon as I realized the flash, I instinctively turned my head towards the camera and smiled with my most beautiful angle.

‘I’m really a professional.’

The flash went off a few more times, and I posed with different angles each time.

“Thank you, I love you!”

The owner of the picture was very satisfied. Everyone else was also happy looking at me. Thanks to them, I feel like I could die happily.

‘Ah, this is exhilarating. The life of a celebrity.’

“Reinhart!”

I found Reinhart in the audience and waved my hand as soon as I saw him. He had a grim expression for some reason.

Squeak— Squeak—

Then, a mysterious sound came from somewhere.

Huh? What was that? I turned my head unconsciously towards the direction where the sound came from. There was a chandelier that swayed slowly and shimmered in the light. It was a dazzlingly beautiful chandelier.

And below it, Reinhart was there.

Maybe it was because of the dream I had when I fainted earlier, though I was particularly bothered by that chandelier.

‘What if that dream was a prophecy?’

My heart grew cold with a slight sense of unease. It was too much to just brush it off as a dream after what happened last time. I had a dream where a maid almost dropped five plates, and that dream became a reality.

‘I should be careful.’

I shouted towards Reinhart, who was far away.

“Reinhart! Go over there!”

I even gestured for him to move aside and shouted, but he didn’t move because of the cheers.

“Just wait a moment, please move.”

As I desperately tried to push through the crowd and go to him, he was also coming towards me.

‘Why is he coming towards me when I told him to move aside?’

I didn’t have time to tell Reinhardt to avoid it. I instinctively moved my hands to push him with all my strength. Then, at that moment…

Clang—

There was a sound of the junction between the ceiling and the chandelier breaking, just like in my dream.

‘Oops, it’s too late.’

“Ow—!”

As the chandelier fell and shattered, I was cut by the shards of glass on my arms and legs though that was all. Thankfully, neither Reinhardt nor I were seriously injured.

“Irovel!”

Just as Reinhardt quickly ran towards me, I smiled at his clean face without a single scratch.

“You’re not hurt. Thank goodness.”

“What are you saying? Look at you.”

His sharp gaze swept over the scratches on my arms and legs.

“It’s nothing. I just got a little cut.”

“What do you mean it’s just a little cut? It’s a deep wound. We need to stop the bleeding… Why are you doing this?”

When he suddenly grabbed my sleeve, he gazed at my complexion.

“I… I have a fever again. Please…”

With that last word, I lost consciousness again.

* * *

‘Ah, this feeling again.’

I’ve become somewhat accustomed to this hazy yet vivid feeling. Thanks to that, I immediately realized that it was a dream.

“…Is now under Irovel’s control.”

A voice murmured faintly in the fog.

“As a token of gratitude to the protector of life in the North… I offer… to Irovel. Since she saved my life in… I now belong to her.”

“What are you saying? Who are you?”

As I tried to ask, I woke up from my dream.

‘…That dream passed by in an instant.’

“Are you feeling better?”

Reinhardt asked, leaning his incredibly handsome face close to mine.

“Who am I?”

“The most handsome person in the world.”

“Are you feeling better now?”

After finishing the confirmation process, he let out a relieved sigh. I moved my body in his arms and asked.

“Where are we going now?”

“We’re heading to the mansion by carriage.”

“I can walk now, please put me down.”

“What if you faint again?”

“That’s true. Still, it’s a bit overwhelming to be held by you, and on top of that, feeling your fantastic body… well, I’ll endure it.”

“…Yes.”

I thought he was used to it by now, but for some reason, Reinhardt blushed and nodded his head.

—