When My Enemies Began to Regret

“Thank you.”

“!”

Fanora repeated a short reply with an ambiguous attitude before turning her head. It was an attitude that anyone could see that she no longer wanted to talk to her.

How can you! Shouldn’t you be sorry for me as you tried so hard to take away my place at the award ceremony in such an ignorant way? She thought that if Fanora had a conscience, she wouldn’t disrespect her. At least, she thought Fanora would say something to others to listen to, saying that she did a good job.

“…”

The woman, who introduced herself as Deria, immediately gripped the wine glass she held in her right hand. There was a small ripple in her wine.

If she’s Deria, she must be Duroc’s third daughter. In fact, Fanora had her own reason to ignore her. Fanora looked back on the past when that lady approached her with her beautiful blonde hair. Her real 17-year-old banquet that no one in this banquet remembers.

* * *

By the way, why did she always stay in the corner from before?

In her past life, there weren’t one or two nobles who had laughed at Fanora and looked down on her. Even so, Fanora remembered what kind of person the lady in front of her was.

She comes to the banquet with no one to dance to.

Even the smile of her eyes glancing at her, her mouth covered with a fan, and the sense of when her voice drew the attention of those nearby. Fanora remembered everything. Of course, Deria didn’t know about that.

Deria, you looked at me like a clown back then. Now, you’re hunched over like a quiet cat. Of course, Fanora didn’t want to talk to her. However, since she only mocked her but didn’t harm her, what would be an appropriate response other than to ignore her?

She’s not even a duchess yet! The problem was, for Deria, who didn’t know what Fanora was thinking, Fanora was seen as arrogant and heartless.

No matter how low Deria’s title was, she was also a noble after all. It was only natural that she had high self-esteem since she was a lady who had never done a hard job and had grown up with dignity.

In the end, Deria finally grabbed the glass she held with all her might…!

“…”

…And tilted it to her mouth.  She took a sip of wine.

…I’m going to drink for today and get comforted by my friends.

In fact, this was the reality. No matter how jealous she was, there was nothing she could do to the soon-to be- duchess. So Deria gave up everything and tried to move. It was that moment.

“Ah!”

When she took a step, the tip of her shoe touched the slippery things, and her balance was instantly thrown off. For this fox hunt, Deria wore a long, colorful dress she wasn’t used to. That’s why she stepped on her skirt and fell.

“Are you alright? Lady.”

“Yes, I-I’m fi—”

Tak! She held her hands on the carpet as if making a big bow. Her heart skipped a beat at the sudden situation.

“…Gasp.”

And before she could calm her beat, she witnessed a heart-thumping sight.

“…”

As she fell, the glass slipped from her hand and flew away to the front of Fanora. One side of Fanora’s dress started to darken from the spilled wine, and Fanora looked bewildered as her hand was hit by something.

“Are you okay?”

The back of Fanora’s hand was throbbing. Needless to say, the glass used for today’s banquet was made of solid glass from abroad, so it was heavy from the start.

I can’t believe I can’t avoid this. My senses are getting duller. Fanora was troubled at this moment. What if it wasn’t the glass that flew in but her enemy’s counterattack? As she made that assumption, she felt that she still fell short.

In the end, I got hit by wine again. The next thought that came to her mind was just a small consideration. She ended up getting splashed with wine at this banquet and wondered if this was the flow of fate.

“What kind of fuss… Oh my gosh, Fanora! Your clothes!”

But after a while, a woman’s voice echoed behind Fanora. When she turned her head, Vasago was walking with her cousin.

“Ah, Princess?”

“What’s wrong with the back of your hand? Did you get hurt? Who did this… Huh, is it you, Deria?” She raised her voice at the shocking sight as soon as she appeared.

Upon seeing Vasago, Deria, who had slumped down, staggered up and apologized. “I-I’m sorry.”

“What? What’s going on?”

“Duroc’s daughter…”

In an instant, the atmosphere of the venue became noisy. The nobles who were immersed in their conversation turned their heads one by one, and Deria, embarrassed by those gazes, hurriedly opened her mouth.

“I accidentally…”

However, her explanation was quickly buried.

“What’s all this about?”

“!”

“Duke Jalier.”

The duke, who had come down to the first floor to have something to eat, joined belatedly. Princess Guelder, her relative, the chancellor of the kingdom, and even Duke Jalier gathered together.

“…”

Aloken Jalier was certainly an attractive man, but he had a very cold impression when he was expressionless. When he just stared at her without saying anything, Deria bowed her head at a loss for what to do.

“I spilled it by mistake.”

What Aloken then brought up was more spectacular. “Looking at your outfit, it looks like you were looking forward to the fox hunt today. Could it be that you did it out of envy because you couldn’t be the one who gave the reward?”

“!”

“My fiancée has a big heart, so if you make excuses and apologize, there won’t be any retaliation,” Aloken said this and wrapped one arm around Fanora as if protecting her.

When Deria saw that, she spoke urgently. “No. It’s not like that. I never thought of such a thing!”

But Aloken’s cold eyes still stared at her. Vasago, who found the back of Fanora’s hand swollen, also reacted negatively.

“Be careful of your manners. What would you have done if what you had in your hand was a knife?”

There was no further criticism, but this was enough. To be scolded by the princess and the duke. For a young noble who had just entered society, it felt like the sky was falling.

“Princess, I’m fine. It’s not even a serious wound.”

“Fanora… This won’t do. You’d better go home today. You can’t even keep wearing that dress.”

“…Yes.”

Deira, as if she couldn’t stand the atmosphere any longer, hurriedly left the venue with a last apology to pay for her dress. Now, all left in the banquet’s center was Fanora and a group of nobles who were worried about her.

“…Could it be that your bones are cracked by any chance?”

As Deria disappeared, Aloken turned to check Fanora’s wounds.

“Ah!” She flinched unconsciously when his thumb pressed the swollen part. “It hurts.”

“Haha. It’s because you didn’t listen to me as I said let’s go back early.”

When the fuss calmed down, Fanora eventually left the banquet with Aloken escorting her. With this, today’s schedule has come to an end.

“…”

Fanora felt strange. Originally, she was supposed to be dragged out by the hands of the knights after being slapped by Vasago. As she was dragged out, the bright lights of the banquet she had been staring at in vain still shimmered.

But this time, it was different. As if she had become Vasago in the novel, several people rushed and worried at the news that the wine had hit her.

“It’s swollen a lot.”

What was even more unbelievable, Aloken, who was escorting her to the carriage, stopped suddenly and examined her wounds. He couldn’t take his eyes off the area that had been hit, holding Fanora’s hand for a long time.

“It’s nothing special, but why do you keep looking at it?”

How long had it been since he had this worry?

Fanora thought that they should maintain their business relationship like. He shouldn’t be holding her like this on the subject of being a fake fiancé.

“It’s my first time seeing you hurt.”

However, contrary to what she thought, her body didn’t move when she heard Aloken’s answer.

“…”

Fanora was still, holding out her hand under the shade of the night.  “I’ll get going.”

When it was time for Fanora to leave, Aloken let her go and questioned her. “Where are you staying these days?”

“Where am I staying? Of course, in the Celsius. I’m staying at the estate during the fall. Ah, but I’ll be staying at the mansion in the capital this week. I have an appointment at the capital tomorrow.”

Why was he curious about Fanora’s whereabouts? The black-haired man laughed at the answer but said nothing.

After an ambiguous conversation, the two parted. Fanora silently watched the duke walk away from the window of the carriage.

* * *

<#3. Guelder Mansion

Aloken, who declared that he would abdicate his title if the royal family didn’t approve the union between the Jalier family and Guelder. Vasago was moved by his words of giving up his title and choosing her, but on the other hand, she asked him to be cautious.

Vasago: There must be another way. Clearly.

Aloken: (Silent.)

Vasago: Besides, you’re already the owner of Jalier, but I’m just a successor. So even if someone has to give up everything, it’s right for me to do it!

Aloken: You can do that?

Vasago: Why can’t I do what you do? I too can do anything to win my love.

Aloken looked delighted at this. But he soon calmed down his expression and spoke.

Aloken: Thank you, but it’s a pity. We don’t have time.>

It was midnight on this day. Today was the day to see the next chapter of ‘Dangerous Love,’ which appeared every midnight of the week. Returning to the Celsius mansion, Fanora sat in her quiet room and thought.

“Let’s distance myself from Aloken.”

She hadn’t broken her own resolve yet.

“It’s difficult if you have a crush on me.”

“That won’t happen.”

“Why are you so sure?”

“Because I know that love only ruins my life.”

She also remembered her promise when she asked him to get engaged. Because Fanora Celsius was a sincere person by nature, she wanted to keep her word until the end.

“I’ve already killed several people.”

She would kill more in the future. It would upset the kingdom if such a person like her became a duchess.

“…Next time he contacts me, let’s not go. I’m not going anywhere.”

It wasn’t the time for her to be like this. There were still enemies left, so where did she have time for useless work? She constantly scolded herself and made a firm commitment.

“If I can’t see him before my eyes, I won’t be shaken.”

And while Fanora was over this crisis, just in time, it seemed the last obstacle of love had come to the main character in the novel.

< Aloken: Thank you, but it’s a pity. We don’t have time.

Vasago: What do you mean we don’t have time?

Aloken: I think there will be a war sooner or later.

(Vasago frowned).

Vasago: Are we going to wage another war when we can still not fully control the territories won in previous wars?

Aloken: It’s all because of that relic. The treasure that stimulated the king’s greed.

Vasago: …

Aloken: We don’t have a way anymore. The reason Marquis Andras was in the capital was all because of preparations for war.

Vasago: If so…

Aloken: Yes. I was given a royal order too.

Vasago was surprised when he revealed that he would participate in the soon-to-be war of conquest.>