When My Enemies Began to Regret

24. There Are Aspects That Don’t Fit the Times.

It was two weeks later in the capital of Kasius. When the work Fanora did behind was spread evenly on the dry ground.

“Lady Fanora from the Celsius family is entering!”

Finally, an event was held to mark the end of this year’s social season. It was none other than the royal ball hosted by the royal family that took the end of the party that continued from spring to summer. No law said you must return to your territory after this ball. Still, everyone implicitly used this summer ball as the end of the social season.

“The Duke must be very happy. To think that he’s engaged with such an elegant person.”

“The two have the same hair color, so seeing them in a pair is nice.”

Well, then, what do they do from now on?

Fanora entered the royal castle while being escorted by Aloken. She glanced around. As Kasius was one of the most prosperous kingdoms on the continent, there were many prominent figures at today’s ball. People from the royal family of Balmong… Duke Guelder… Marquis Andras… and even the prince of another kingdom…

What kind of attention could Fanora Celsius attract among these spectacular participants?

“Lady Vasago from the Guelder family is entering!”

As soon as Vasago’s name was called, all the nobles turned their eyes. Vasago appeared today like an angel in a light pink dress, as once described in the midnight novel.

“Oh my gosh, that’s the princess I’ve only heard of.”

“I met her at a tea party not too long ago, and she seems to have become more beautiful than then.”

Fanora happened to meet her eyes by chance as she appeared at the entrance. Vasago smiled politely. It made her also respond with a polite smile.

It would be refreshing to poke Vasago’s blue eyes with my fingers. She didn’t know how Vasago felt, but anyway. Today, there were many guests to catch the attention of others.

“Aloken. You’ve been away for a few days that we didn’t even see each other until the summer ball.”

“It was because of the current situation in the Duchy right now.”

“I know.”

“My fiancée, who has a big heart, please bear with me. I promise to organize my family before next year.”

Then the remaining problem was Aloken. Fanora looked at his side profile and then agonized. How can I get away from him? Naverius seems to have a heart for me, so it’s not difficult to summon him somewhere… Because today’s party was the day of the showdown.

The only moment Naverius isn’t accompanied by an escort is when the royal family hosts a royal ball, where bringing knights is prohibited. Would he really listen if I called him to come alone on a normal day without an escort or servant?

There was no other choice but to execute her revenge in the palace. It wasn’t unusually bold, but rather, it was the result of careful consideration of various factors.

I already noticed it when I did it to Haures, but this is the ball where nobles are most vigilant. There must be many royal knights around. No other place seems safer than this.

At first, she thought like this. Should I secretly call Naverius on a quiet night and ambush him on the way to the meeting place, pretending to be a robber? However, the method was difficult, and there was no guarantee that Naverius would come alone.

I don’t want to kill unrelated people for no reason. Naverius usually dragged around his burl servants and escorts. No matter how much I suggested to him, at least one escort would accompany him. He hates walking and would bring a coachman to drive the carriage.

Revenge doesn’t make me the same as them. Making innocent people suffer might be the way to really become like them.

However, if she said from the beginning, ‘Don’t bring an escort or servant, just come to this place alone…’ It smelled suspicious even to her.

In the first place, Naverius has a light mouth. If I asked him to meet me secretly, within a day, he would brag about ‘that Fanora’ asked him to secretly meet with her. That’s why she came up with a new trick.

As expected, it has to be ‘a place where his attendance has already been confirmed.’

In fact, it would have been perfect if Naverius had acted as written in the midnight novel. But unfortunately, he didn’t act like that. In this life, Naverius wasn’t obsessed with Vasago as before, so it was difficult to predict his whereabouts. So, inevitably, she chose this place where his attendance was certain, and the security was poor.  

“…”

In addition, many nobles were more important than him at the royal ball, so there was no way he would have followers like at a small banquet.

If he’s busy with work, he will always be stuck in the mansion. However, there was one obstacle left to this plan. It was her handsome fiancé next to her. I can’t help it. Let’s use Carl Andras.

Of course, Aloken’s attendance at the ball was already a prearranged issue, so she thought of a way to escape him. However,

“Ah, Fanora. I have one more sad news for you.”

The world seems to be on her side today. As soon as the first dance was over, Aloken suddenly said this. “I attended the ball today because I have something to say to some of the central nobles.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s call it a political discourse for now.”

“…”

“So I don’t have time to be around you at this ball.”

Fanora stood sullenly, trying hard not to show her happiness. Aloken slowly released her hand, which he was holding for the escort.

“It’s really a shame.”

Is it a shame or a tease if you smile such a big smile like that? Fanora turned her away from him. Then Aloken’s small voice pierced her ears.

“Still, maybe it’s a good opportunity. It said it’s good to keep a distance from time to time to seduce the opposite sex.”

“…!”

“Like how you annoy men by being so difficult.”

Is this crazy man saying this in public? When Fanora covered her ears in shock at his remark, Aloken put on an impudent face and disappeared through the crowd. As he said, it looked like he would have a ‘political discourse with the central nobles.’

“Should I kill him or not?”

“Fanora?”

A familiar person approached her, who was muttering while looking in the direction of the missing Aloken. There was no way a loyalist like Marquis Andras would refuse an invitation from the royal family.

“Carl, you’re here.”

“You look healthy today…! As expected, you’re always doing the training I told you about, right?”

As Carl appeared and whispered afterward, Fanora smiled slightly and nodded. “Carl. It’s so crowded here. Should we move?”

“Alright!”

There was one advantage of dragging Carl around at such a ball.

“Gasp! Lady Celsius is with the third son of Andras?”

“He’s not a person whom I can communicate with, but he’s talented.”

“…Shall I come back in a little while? That person is really making me uncomfortable. I got goosebumps when I heard the incident that happened at the training ground…”

Carl had been driving so many accidents in the meantime. No wonder he would be called a madman or bloodthirsty beast in the future. Even if it was a place of socializing where martial arts were banned, few nobles didn’t want to get involved with him because rumors about Carl were all true.

“Thanks to you, I feel comfortable because no one sticks to me.”

“You say that with a smile?”

“From the distance, it will look like we’re talking about trivial matters.”

Well, not that I’ve met Carl, it’s time to get in action…

“Did you prepare it properly today?” Fanora covered her mouth with her fan open and whispered softly.

“Yes, I practiced a lot,” Carl replied.

The beautiful music filling the ball hall quickly drowned out their voices.

“Then, Sir Carl, please do well. I swear I’m the only one who will give you the holy relic.”

It was a few minutes later.

Fanora entered with Aloken today. Naverius walked down the hall with a limp gait. He wasn’t even in the mood to dance because he had a complicated mind these days.

If I had known this would happen, I should have made her mine when no one wanted her yet…

It was no wonder that Aloken was hunting down the rumor spreader. But the funny thing was the first thing that came to his mind after hearing that was not fear.

Does Aloken really love Fanora? He didn’t even ask for it, but he felt bad to hear that Aloken was stepping up for his fiancée. He felt strange to face how much Fanora was loved by her new fiancé and that he could never covet Fanora again.

Did they really fall in love at first sights, like the story about their engagement? The two of them?

Why did the things that weren’t in your grasp look brighter? He obviously thought Fanora wouldn’t be happy. She must have been deceived by the black-hearted Aloken, and he thought she would pay for abandoning him.

“…”

But what about the result? The nobles predicted that Fanora Celsius would be the happiest woman in the future. Even more, her new fiancé generously expressed his love for Fanora.  

“That can’t be true.”

Lately, only the image of Fanora had been lingering in his mind. He sometimes had crazy thoughts. She’s not married to Aloken yet, so I think I will have a chance…

But he had his own reason for thinking that way. Fanora, whom he met at a ball one day, treated him very kindly and asked him to change letters from time to time. So he faithfully followed that will. However, Fanora replied. The contents were simple, such as talking about the weather and how she was doing, but he felt the warmth of caring for him in every sentence.

She hasn’t changed a bit. Fanora was like that before. Even if he sent a line or two to go to an event together, she sent the answer one page filled with sincerity. He used to hate seeing Fanora’s bad handwriting, but now he realized how lovely it was.

Seeing that she keeps writing letters to me, maybe she feels the same.

Isn’t there an old saying, ‘When three people are together, they become huge’? It was said that a lie can be credible when three people gather. Even though he was alone, people regarded some of the rumors he had spread as truth, perhaps because he had repeated the same words too many times.

He has become the duke’s fiancée, but there is no reason for her to be nice to someone like me. As expected, Fanora still has a heart for me… And by the time Naverius’s thoughts reached this point.

“!”

He found a figure looming in the distance.

“Fanora?”

As if she already knew the habit of walking down the hall when he was confused, Fanora beckoned in the deserted hallway on the first floor. Naverius headed to her as if possessed. Then Fanora, who couldn’t be caught in his hand, moved again like a ghost.

“Can you come to the terrace at the far right on the second floor 10 minutes later?”

“…”

“…I have a secret story to tell you.” She passed by and whispered.

Naverius nodded unconsciously. Then Fanora disappeared through the hallway into the center of the colorful ball hall. Naverius stared blankly at her back.

“…”

Naverius didn’t even consider the option of rejecting Fanora’s invitation.