When My Enemies Began to Regret

“Lady Celsius, your opinion about the painting earlier.”

What followed was a plain conversation. When she said she wanted a more detailed opinion, Fanora specifically repeated what she had brought up in the salon. Then Vasago tilted her head with a somewhat worried expression.

“It’s a really good opinion, but depending on how you interpret it, it could be considered antipathy to the royal family.”

“Is that so?”

“Maybe it’s because my mother and I are the center of the salon. There are a lot of royalist people here… but I hope you don’t misunderstand.”

Fanora had been struggling to bring out a political story in front of her. Still, she couldn’t believe Vasago just opened her path.

“Oh my god! Really?” Fanora shouted and then began to reply in a small voice. Her innocent eyes and passive attitude effectively hid her lies. “Because it’s something I’ve always thought about, so I brought it up with unrefined words without realizing it.”

“You’ve always thought about it?”

“Isn’t it like that? How much blood has been sacrificed due to the strengthening of the royal authority since Balmong III. There was even a time when artists were arrested just for not praising the king.”

Vasago widened her eyes, but she didn’t stop her. That’s why Fanora brought out her next words with ease.

“I’ve been saddened because of it for a while.”

“…”

“Ah! I’m sorry. I can’t believe I said this in front of Princess.”

When Fanora pretended to just realize something and apologize, Vasago nodded that it was okay. However, she couldn’t show a relaxed reaction to Fanora’s continued remarks.

“But seeing Princess is sadder than that.”

“Pardon?”

“Even such a perfect princess will eventually get married with the king’s permission. To balance the power.”

“…”

“…My words must be long. I apologize. Not long ago, a man whom I almost had a political marriage with died, so I had a lot of thoughts.”

After pausing her words for a while, Fanora immediately brought up a familiar sentence. “I can’t get married at my disposal. Aren’t we just accessories of the family… When I feel that way, I sometimes feel pessimistic.”

<Naverius: I don’t want to dance with someone I don’t even like.

Vasago: So, are the two of you engaged by political arrangement? It’s a loveless relationship in this social world. Aren’t you being used as a tool by your family? What is the use of power if it is difficult to get married according to one’s will?>

This was a story similar to what Vasago said in the original story. As the opinion she had in her head was the same as the one that was brought out, Vasago began to feel a strong stimulus.

“…!”

Vasago in the novel always thirsted for people who had the same opinion as her. And to Princess Guelder, the main pillar of the royalist faction, no noble had ever revealed such an opinion.

“Did I say something too depressing? H-however, I heard this salon is a place where we share honest opinions and develop ourselves…?” Fanora then timidly wiggled her hand.

It was then.

“Lady Fanora.”

“…!”

“That’s a good opinion. Just like light and shade must be harmonized in the world, a discussion biased toward one opinion is not right.”

Vasago began to recommend with her unique, confident tone. Her eyes were even brighter than before. “I like the way you express yourself. I think we will be good companions in the future.”

“Oh my, Princess.”

“Right. It was fate that we met like this.”

When everyone in this world looked like an idiot, except for herself, who was born in the wrong era. How would she feel if she met someone with the same thoughts as her?

“Are you free next week? I would like to invite you to a concert.”

That’s how Vasago was feeling right now. She felt a strong urge to have more conversations, even if her partner was her enemy’s fiancée.

“!”

In this way, Fanora succeeded in attracting the main character’s interest. She had innumerable snares to trap her in, so she carefully guided the fox into the hunting ground.

* * *

“You’re coming out now.”

It was the night after the conversation with Vasago. The dinner prepared by Madam Creed also ended. The nobles of the mansion began to leave one by one, and Aloken, who remained in the hall, greeted them.

“Duke Aloken Jalier.”

  However, upon seeing Aloken, Vasago suddenly spoke.

“I didn’t know you were still there. I thought that our salon’s atmosphere wouldn’t suit Duke’s taste.”

“That’s a story that you’ll have to experience.”

“So, did you enjoy it?”

“Do I look like I’m enjoying it?”

Somehow, the atmosphere between them was unusual. Fanora kept silent without hastily intervening.

“…With that said, there’s nothing more to hide. I honestly wonder what you got here for. I’m sure you know the purpose of this salon.”

“What I got here for?”

“Are you not going to tell me? Or you can’t talk?”

At her words, Aloken glanced down at Fanora. “I’m just following Fanora’s will.”

“What?”

“My fiancée is so curious about this luxurious salon, so what can I do?”

“Huh, for that reason, to my mother…!?”

As the conversation continued, Vasago’s tone became more intense. However, that only lasted for a moment. Seeing Fanora notice it, Vasago, who was by her side, suggested it. “I have something to say to the duke for a moment. I don’t think I can talk about it here…”

“Ah, you two can talk comfortably with each other.”

Fanora obediently accepted her request to talk privately. Aloken then followed Vasago to the terrace, and Fanora was left alone. If I don’t allow it, it’s bound to happen sometime.

She sat alone and rearranged her plans for the future. Now, if I take my time slowly… I will reach the level where she will be willing to drink the tea I brewed.

It was complicated to be the fiancée of Jalier, who was at odds with Guelder. Still, it didn’t matter anymore since she had secured the relationship. Whatever the relationship between Aloken and Vasago, Fanora only cares about her way of seducing the princess.

If he falls for Vasago, I can use this as it is. Fanora then lifted her head in silence.

“…”

But it was a bit strange. Clearly, she had prepared well for any situation, but why was the corner of her heart felt so confused?

“Fanora.”

“!”

Soon their conversation was over. Aloken’s face was as plain as usual, and he didn’t show his true feelings.

What kind of conversation did they have? Fanora was involuntarily curious. But, in fact, now wasn’t the time for her to look at Aloken’s expression.

“Lady Fanora.”

“Yes, Princess?”

“I must have misunderstood a little.”

When she turned her head late, a contemplated Vasago appeared behind Aloken. She looked somewhat unsure.

“I’m sorry for suddenly taking away your fiancé. But he’s from Jalier, so it bothers me a lot.”

“Ah, yes.”

“But it was all my misunderstanding.”

“Yes?”

What on earth did Vasago hear from him? Vasago had been looking between Aloken and Fanora since earlier. With a forced smile, she said one last time, “Lady Fanora, you have a good fiancé.”

Up to this point, Fanora was unaware of the situation.

It was time to return to their respective mansions as it was late at night, so they headed for the carriage. Fanora then stopped Aloken, who was about to depart first.

“Excuse me, Aloken.”

“What is it?”

“If you don’t mind, can you tell me what the two of you were talking about?”

Knock, knock, knock. When she knocked on the door in a hurry and asked, Aloken sat lazily in the carriage and only opened the window.

“…”

He said after confirming that no one was around except for his men. “The story of that rude princess with my own mouth?”

“You’re talking about that rude princess with my own mouth?”

“Yes?”

He expressed his displeasure without hesitation. And that wasn’t the end of the surprise.

“I followed her to see what she wanted to say, but she immediately questioned me. Why did I beg Madam Guelder to join this salon.”

“…”

“So I answered honestly. My fiancée, whom I love very much, wanted to enter this luxurious salon without knowing the world.”

“No, that’s…”

Swish. Hen soon poked his face out of the window of the carriage.

“Of course, Guelder would be suspicious. But after explaining how much you admired the princess.”

“And?”

“I’m a man who’s crazy about my fiancée, so she backed off after proving that I was a person who would listen to anything you said without thinking.”

There was nothing wrong with expressing false admiration for Vasago. So Fanora tried to move on, but something in Aloken’s words felt strange for a moment.

“Wait, proving? How did you prove it?”

Then Aloken put his chin on it and pondered for a long time. After choosing his words, he smiled, which made her nervous. “I can’t stand Vasago keeps talking about herself as if she was a great person. So…”

“…”

“In that sense, my fiancée is better than her. So I gave her twenty compliments about you.”

The words that finally came out of his mouth were shocking. What have you done in front of the one and only princess in this kingdom?

“Twenty compliments for me.”

“I have to explain what part of you I fell in love with and ended up like this.”

I’m afraid to ask what kind of compliment it was.

“Ah, right. How bewildered she looked when I began to praise your features one by one and call them beautiful! It’s a shame to see that funny scene alone…”

“What’s wrong?”

It was on a dark night street. The only light was the lantern on the front of the carriage. Fanora’s eyes began to shimmer in the dark.

“Ahem.”

What was so funny about this situation? She wondered why Aloken began to clear his throat and smirked.

“Aloken, what on earth are you—”

“What is the coachman doing! If you’re ready, let’s go!”

“Where are you going? Don’t act like this!”

Is he crazy? It looks like he’s out of his mind. Fanora was at a loss when she faced the unimaginable situation. So she stopped the coachman who was about to start the carriage and shouted at Aloken.

“…Don’t you feel something when you see Princess Guelder? Do I still in your eyes when you see her?” It was a word that came out of bewilderment.

Fanora thought today must be the day he fell in love with a new one. After experiencing this at the salon, Fanora unknowingly mentioned the work of the original.

“Fanora, this is the first time I’ve ever had this feeling in my life.”

Aloken listened quietly to what his fiancée had to say and then replied, showing her the foxlike eye smile he always showed.  “If I end up loving someone other than you, there will only be one case.”

“…”

“No matter what, my baby will be so beautiful.”

Knock, knock.

Immediately after saying that, Aloken knocked on the carriage’s roof and signaled. Hearing that, the coachman whipped his whip and started to move.

“…?”

In the dark landscape, left alone, Fanora blinked her eyes. She didn’t understand Aloken’s last words for a while.

“…!”

And a few seconds later, she fully understood what he was saying, caught her breath, and froze in place.