* * *

In the past, there were at least no spectators. Now, it was as if the entire world was watching with bated breath, eager to see what would unfold.

Although everyone was too afraid of Antes to even speak, their ears were pricked up, eavesdropping on the conversation.

They had finally managed to create a warm atmosphere, but they didn’t want to be the center of attention again. Luna, with a forced smile, quickly intervened between the siblings.

“The two of you seem close. I’m an only child, so it’s almost enviable to me. But maybe it would be better if you shared this happy reunion somewhere quieter?”

“What?”

“!?”

Her words could be interpreted as ‘Go somewhere else and argue’, but all the siblings heard was ‘you two are close’. However, the other party was Luna. Without much rebuttal, Antes and Rosemary glared at each other as if they wanted to kill each other.

With the rumor mill already against them, did they really want to add a story about hitting a younger sibling? Luna gently tapped Antes’ arm as if urging him to calm down.

Upon this, Antes, glancing at his arm, was the first to ease his aggressive expression. He had firsthand experience that making a scene wouldn’t do any good.

“Since we’ve had our reunion, I’ll escort Lady Luna from here.”

From the beginning, he intended to do that; he just wanted to take Luna away from that little devil.

“What are you talking about? Lady Luna came as my escort, so why are you saying you’ll be escorting her?”

Rosemary objected, finding it ridiculous that an escort was being escorted. But the one who found it even more ridiculous was Antes.

“She’s my lover. Since when do you ask someone else’s lover to escort you?”

At the sudden mention of being lovers, Rosemary widened her eyes in surprise, glancing at Luna.

“Lover? Are you saying that you’re Lady Luna’s… boyfriend?”

Overcoming her fear, Karen asked Luna without blinking. She then seemed to regret it as she glanced at Antes.

Of course, Luna should’ve seen this coming. Now the cat was out of the bag.

Previously, it was Rosemary causing trouble, and now it was Antes. Luna couldn’t deny they were lovers, so she nodded her head awkwardly, like a malfunctioning machine.

“Yes…”

“So the rumored lover of Lady Luna is Antes Vincent… Ah, that’s why…”

Karen, regaining her courage, trailed off with her voice getting softer.

It sounded as if she was saying ‘I understand why you didn’t reveal your relationship’. Luna couldn’t hide her drooping lips.

Given the situation, Antes seemed to take an interest in Karen.

“Are you a friend of the young lady?”

Luna, not wanting to make things worse, hastily grabbed Antes’ arm to stop him.

“Wait…!”

“I apologize for neglecting to introduce myself earlier. I was surprised when the young lady suddenly went to the party. I’m Antes Vincent.”

Unexpectedly, he greeted Karen very politely, and his radiant smile was a bonus, just like when he first met her at the manor.

Karen blinked in surprise and then rubbed her eyes, as if seeing a mirage.

“Please forgive me.”

Since she didn’t say anything, Antes smiled gently again. Karen quickly grabbed the hem of her dress and greeted him in return.

“No, not at all. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Karen Irenol, a friend of Lady Rosemary and Lady Luna.”

Luna, trying to intervene, just looked funny now. To others, it seemed she and Antes were affectionately arm in arm.

“Not only a friend of the young lady but also of my sister. I’ve made a grave oversight.”

“No, it’s okay! I was also late in greeting.”

“I’m relieved to hear you say that.”

Everyone was puzzled by Antes’ surprisingly normal reaction.

What’s going on?

Contrary to the rumors, he had a very handsome face. His smile was beautiful, his demeanor gentle, and there was an almost dreamlike background of flowers. Furthermore, instead of hitting someone, he was flaunting his affection with Luna, keeping his arm around her.

It almost seemed like they were seeing a completely different person  with the same name.

“You two seem to be on very good terms… It seems the young lord is quite different from the rumors.”

Then Karen mustered the courage to speak. No matter how she looked at him, he didn’t seem to be the man from the rumors.

“Many people have prejudices because of the rumors, but I appreciate you seeing beyond them. Maybe it’s because the lady is always considerate of me.”

Antes responded with a bright smile, emphasizing his innocence.

Due to his constant references to beauty, people couldn’t help but gaze at Antes’ face. It was impossible not to blush seeing such beauty, let alone lower one’s guard.

No, you can’t put it like that. Only then did Luna, who had been holding Antes’s arm, look up at him as if she was flabbergasted.

“Anyway, I was relieved to hear you were accompanied by my sister. That doesn’t mean I’ll hand over the young lady to you easily though.”

Saying so, Antes reached out his hand to Luna.

“We missed the chance to enter together, but I’d love if you joined me for your first song.”

Considering they were lovers, she couldn’t refuse. Dancing was the best way to have a private conversation.

Perhaps that’s why Antes also invited her to dance.

“Lady Luna…!”

Rosemary pleaded intensely with her eyes not to hold his hand, but Luna, ignoring this, took his hand.

Though they merely held hands, the watching crowd felt a romantic thrill. As the two moved towards the center of the hall, the music’s volume increased.

“Why are you here?”

Having never danced except randomly, she asked awkwardly, and Antes, wrapping his hand around her waist, led the dance and replied:

“That’s what I wanted to ask.”

“I asked first, so answer first.”

At the same moment, Luna stepped on Antes’s foot and grinned as if it was a mistake.

“As soon as I arrived in the capital, I heard the young lady went to a party with Rosemary. Why did the young lady go to a party with Rosemary?”

“Because we’re friends.”

“That’s not what I’m asking.”

“Really. Maybe she felt pity for me because I couldn’t attend the coming-of-age party due to lack of money. It was a generous offer, and I gladly accepted.”

So don’t ruin my precious party, Luna said, laughing, trying to give a hint before making another mistake. Sighing lightly, Antes advised:

“Don’t hang out with Rosemary.”

“Why?”

“She approached knowing you were dating me. I don’t know what she might do.”

“I know. I’ve even received an apology.”

But the issue had already been resolved. Putting herself in the same situation, she could understand.

If she had a brother like Antes, she would have approached the other party’s girlfriend using not a mansion but even a gold mine as bait.

“You already knew?”

“Yes. I caught on a while ago. Besides, she’s only been kind to me, right? Even sold her mansion for me, introduced friends, and cleared misunderstandings.”

Although the intention was impure, it was undoubtedly beneficial. Even now, she was being helped in various ways.

In that sense, it would’ve been welcome if she continued. When she answered in that context, Antes responded with slight dissatisfaction.

“…That was what I was supposed to do.”

“Sorry? What are you talking about?”

“I mean clearing up the misunderstanding. Wasn’t it an issue we agreed to resolve while dating?”

Is he talking about using her and discarding her? She seems to remember him saying something like that. But-

“How can I resolve misunderstandings and use benefits when you’re not around?”

After they started dating, he left for Vincent right away, so how was she supposed to handle things?

“That’s why I came back.”

“You’ll leave again.”

“I won’t.”

“What about the Guild?”

“I’m thinking of moving to the capital. That’s why I came up.”

It seemed he was trying to say she should rely on him without needing to fit in with Rosemary, but surprised, Luna stepped on Antes’s foot and asked.

“Ugh.”

“What about my father?”

“…The staff are taking very good care of the Baron. Besides, he has a competent secretary assisting him. You probably receive reports every week, right?”

As Antes said, Luna had been receiving letters from Tein. The letters reported that he was living earnestly. They were so long and detailed that Luna had lost any desire to visit.

Recalling this, Luna nodded in agreement.

“That’s true. Got it. I’m a bit busy right now, but I’ll visit when I have time.”

Seeing this, for some reason, Antes felt uncomfortable. He had thought that if he told her he was going to stay in the capital, she would be at least a little happy. It was also due to the rising situation, and he had come up because he was concerned about Luna’s affairs, but she seemed completely disinterested.

Unaware of Antes’s feelings, Luna brought up a new topic.

“So, how about we start fighting now? Like the method I mentioned in the letter last time. If we show little fights now and then, it’ll be natural for us to part later. There are many people around, so it seems like a good opportunity. What do you think?”

“Are you going to abandon me now?”

“What are you talking about?”

And when I said abandon. Why get angry when I really say I’ll leave?

“I have no intention of breaking up with the young lady.”

“I beg your pardon? You said ‘use and leave,’ right?”

“We haven’t used each other yet. There’s a mountain of things to do; we can’t just part ways now.”

Antes, with a determined look, twirled Luna around as he replied. Momentarily off-balance, she quickly leaned on Antes’s chest.

“You did that on purpose, right?”

“No, I felt I had to at least turn you around because you’re not good at dancing.”

“Because I’ve never danced before!”

“Me neither.”

But he danced very well. Of course, the opinion of an expert in spontaneous dancing might not be very trustworthy. Anyway, the point was that he was not a novice at leading someone in dance.

That wasn’t the important thing. Luna was about to bring up the topic of breaking up again, but Antes spoke first.

“You might have had a chance to correct misunderstandings, but I haven’t. I have no friends. No one but you.”

His expression was calm and his tone was even, but the content was pitiable. Luna doubted his sincerity for a moment.

“What about the people from the Antares Merchant Guild? They seemed pretty close to you.”

“Not really.”

With that words, a thick wall suddenly appeared between Antes and the employees who had blindly trusted and followed him for years.

“You have a sister, Rosemary.”

“Do we seem close?”

“…No.”

It seemed like they hated each other the most.

“So, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say ‘let’s break up’ right now. Your image hasn’t fully improved yet, right? If we just started dating and then fight and break up, it’ll just create bad rumors.”

She wasn’t exactly saying to break up immediately, but rather to gradually create a rift through little fights.

But he had a point. Even a small quarrel would give rise to strange rumors.

Convinced, Luna playfully turned Antes around and replied.

“Alright. Let’s have a little grace period. Until you make a new friend. After that, let’s fight.”

Unlike Luna, Antes, who was well-centered, brushed Luna’s disheveled hair and gave a peculiar smile.

“Make sure to keep that promise.”