When My Enemies Began to Regret

“…”

“…”

Shortly after, the two sat face-to-face with a tea table prepared by the servants. Even with colorful snacks between them, the atmosphere was heavy.

“That. What I was trying trying to say is…”

But Fanora mustered up her courage to speak first.

“Are you not on good terms with Duke Guelder?”

Then the conversation went smoothly, with Aloken answering.

“I was wondering what kind of question you wanted to ask, but this is so unexpected. I know Celsius is a family that doesn’t meddle in political history like this.”

“Can’t you answer me?”

“We’re not on good terms.”

“Then will Guelder hate me too, your fiancée?”

“Perhaps.”

“You mean even though you have the same title, you don’t contact each other with the Guelder?”

The more Aloken talked, the more expressionless he became. Just because he didn’t smile didn’t mean he was upset. On the contrary, it was proof that he was becoming more comfortable.

“Fanora, why are you so interested in Guelder?”

“As I said before, I want to become friends with the princess.”

“If you need power, you have me.”

When Aloken began to doubt Fanora, she countered him with a serious face. “It’s not because of the power. The reason why I want to be friends with princess…”

“Why?”

“Because I admire her.”

Rattle. When he heard this sentence, Aloken put his teacup down on the table.

“No one in this world is more beautiful than Vasago. She’s perfect, whether it’s about swordsmanship or culture. She’s a noble lady that you can only look up to. The people around her are always the best of the best.”

But Fanora spoke quickly without giving her opponent time to be sarcastic.

“Like many young masters during the debutante, I was fascinated at first sight when I first met Vasago.”

“…”

“I want to be like her. I want to be a great person by her side. To me, becoming a friend of Vasago is a lifelong dream.”

Do you know the feeling of longing? When she asked that, Aloken was silent.

“I must be looking ridiculous in your eyes.”

“No.”

“It’s alright. After all, this is my real dream.”

To Be friends with Vasago just because of that reason? Aloken didn’t understand. But since he couldn’t understand most people from the beginning, it was no different case this time.

“But as I got engaged with you. I began to think it was my mistake.”

A crunching sound was heard. During the conversation, Fanora reached out and ate the snack on the table.

“You didn’t seem to know what Guelder and Jalier were like when you signed a contract with me, right?”

“Yes. To think that there would be such a grudge… It wasn’t until I learned about the relationship between the families.”

“So? Are you going to annul our engagement?”

Aloken sat crookedly on the sofa and made a sour appearance. She then shook her head quietly.

“It can’t be. But. Um, being your fiancée indeed got me into trouble.”

“…”

“I want to enter Madam Creed’s salon. Is there any way?”

However, Aloken, who was quietly listening to her story, began talking at the salon’s mention.

“Ah, the royalist den? I’ve never been invited to a place like that.”

“What? No, but obviously, they are neutral families of nobles…:

“That’s all bullshit concocted by Guelder.”

Right. In the novel, he even voluntarily participated, so how could he not know about this salon?

Aloken took the lead in the conversation after moistening her mouth with the tea. “On the surface, it looks like they only care about culture and learning, but in reality, most of them are Guelder’s helpers.”

“…”

“The nobles belonging to that salon are royalist spies.”

“…!”

“Of course, there must be someone who is really neutral.”

They must be full of thoughts to lure the neutral to their side. When Aloken explained so, the lady sitting in the seat hardened her expression.

I thought it was simply a meeting of powerful nobles, but I couldn’t believe this. No matter how hard Fanora tried, she wouldn’t be invited!

Fanora’s mind became complicated. There was no place better than the salon to make friends with Vasago, so what should she do in the future? Is the only way to do is to assassinate her using the information from the novel?  

As she looked silently into the air, Aloken began to smile out of her sight.

“But it’s not that there’s absolutely no way for you to get into that salon.”

“…!”

I knew it. Fanora had a calm expression on her face, but her inside was delighted. Right. In the novel, he joins the salon to spy on Guelder. So, he must have a trick to get into his enemy’s base!

Did Aloken know that she expects so much? Fortunately, he didn’t hesitate to explain how to enter the salon.

“If that’s what you want, I have no choice but to negotiate with Madam Guelder myself.”

“I beg your pardon?”

However, the method was quite reckless.

“I heard you’re hostile to each other.”

“But how many other people besides me can move that Guelder, who have the same title as a duke?”

While Fanora opened her mouth, the man sitting in the upper seat touched her neatly trimmed hair and talked as if it wasn’t a big deal. “Just in time, I’ve been thinking about negotiating with them.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

“It just hurts my pride a little.”

Pride? But before she even had time to ask him, he made a bombastic remark.

“By the way, I’m very worried about throwing my fiancée, who is like a flower, into such a den alone.”

“What?”

“There’s one condition. I will give you a chance to be with Vasago Guelder for now. Instead, I should always accompany you when you go to the salon.”

“You want to come with me?” She almost jumped up at Aloken’s suggestion.

Recently, all the letters that came to her mind were really something. They were a romance in which Vasago overcame the obstacles with her fateful partner, Aloken. If it were the way it was, Aloken would be Vasago’s lover.

Fanora’s mind flashed past last week’s midnight novel for a moment. And the reason why this man fell in love with Vasago.

She got cold sweat. Suddenly, her throat burned, and her breathing became difficult.

Aloken became interested as soon as he finished talking to Vasago at the salon. He fell in love at first sight!

Aloken’s expression gradually hardened as Fanora did not answer while looking at the table. He was just saying it lightly, but why her reaction was unusual.

“What’s wrong?”

“…”

“Fanora?”

Aloken relaxed his posture and raised his upper body against the sofa. “I don’t think it’s a bad suggestion. Is there any other problem?”

But how should she respond here? Originally, he would be connected to Vasago around the next year, and the trigger for their love was the first meeting at the salon.

“…”

For a moment, Fanora thought to herself. Why am I… refusing to let him go with me now?

There were regressors in this world. Because of her existence, the present time has changed in many ways from before. However, there was bound to be a huge flow that she couldn’t change. For example, the situation in Kingdom Kasius was gradually declining, and the Gamiel declaration of war would happen someday.

If we go to the salon together like this, and Aloken realizes his true destiny… In such an unavoidable sequence, Fanora thought that she would be dragged to the love between Aloken and Vasago.

“Fanora.”

“…”

“Fanora Celsius?”

Tak, tak.  As she was deep in thought, Aloken knocked on the table, urging for her answer.

“I’m sorry.” The lady raised her head late at the sound and said calmly. “I guess I have a cold… Where were we? I will accept the condition. There’s nothing wrong with it.”

“…”

“Thank you for your help.”

Yes, it’s a good thing. Why would she reject this good offer? If he made eye contact with Vasago, she wouldn’t be bothered in the future.

“Then when can we go to the salon?”

Fanora made a resolution, trying to recall her sinking revenge. She couldn’t pay more attention to Aloken anymore. She shouldn’t have any affinity for him.

A murderer like me shouldn’t covet him. After repeating similar sentences over and over again, Fanora felt a bit sad. This was probably because her revenge was being delayed.

Vasago Guelder. She was sure that after she killed that person, everything would be fine for her.

Fanora then took a rest in the guest room at the duchy. When the night fell, she took out the library she had been hiding and remembered the scene of Vasago slapping her on the cheek again.

“…”

She’s a person, not a machine. The satisfaction of dealing with Naverius and the richness of her life have gradually clouded her revenge these days. She couldn’t stop now. Neither her anger nor sadness was infinite. So Fanora read her diary over and over again so as not to forget her goal.  

“Ugh…”

Among the pages of “Dangerous Love,” tears came out when the part she died was coming. It made her feel that she was doing well. That scene seemed to tell her that she was going the right way. So even though she was crying, she felt much better.

* * *

<…Renounce my position as the head of a noble faction and state that I cannot give up my love for Vasago even if my life is threatened as I become a traitor.

#4. Guelder Mansion

Surprised by the public declaration at the daytime party, the Guelder family invited Aloken to ask the whole story. The descendant of Jalier, who was called the loser of the North, kneeled before them.

Eyal: What is this now?

Aloken: We cannot see a human’s heart, so don’t we express our true feelings in this way?

Eyal: Did you mean everything you said at the banquet?

Aloken: We love each other.

Vasago: Aloken…

Aloken: I will cherish her more than my life, so please allow me to marry her.>

…After a while.  

When the first season of ‘Dangerous Love’ was in progress, good news came to Fanora, who was enjoying her summer vacation in Jalier territory.

“You often complain that you don’t have time. So I used some of my power.”

“If it was usual, I would have ignored that arrogant remark…”

Aloken successfully negotiated with Madam Guelder and was allowed to enter the salon. So today, when they heard that the first fall salon meeting would be held, the two of them rushed to the northeast of the kingdom.

“Thank you. It’s all thanks to the Duke.”

Today’s dress code was ‘pumpkin color.’ Fanroa entered the venue, making sure her new dress wasn’t dragging on the floor.  

“Hoo. The new member is Duke Jalier.”

“It’s rare for your fiancé to accompany you.”

It was a new feeling to see the salon in person, which she had only seen in the novel. It’s just like the description. Unlike the balls of the social season, the overall decoration was frugal. Instead of chandeliers, soft candlelight, and fall sunlight were there. The floor was decorated with red carpets, and the sound of a young lady reciting a poem came through the slightly open window.

“There are commoners too.”

“Probably very educated people.”

However, someone approached them, who was folding their arms near the entrance. The corner of the mouth was drawn in a nice arc, eyes with a warm color that seemed to melt ice, and even the characteristic straight green hair.

“Welcome. It’s my first time seeing you at this salon.”

“!”

“Today’s weather is really nice, right? Lord Jalier and Lady Celsius.”

She greeted Fanora like a written script. It was the appearance of Vasago Guelder.