Chapter 5

“Mother, please…!”

“Are you going to embarrass me here? Just try it, Elena. Do you think I’ll leave Leana alone?”

“That child is your daughter too!”

Elena cried out in a shrill, small voice.

“So? What can that child do for me?”

Cecilia stared at Elena expressionlessly. It was a face with no trace of maternal love left. It didn’t seem to be this bad when she was little.

“That child is a money-eating ghost, Elena. I’ve told you several times to abandon her.”

“Mother…!”

“If you just leave here, I’ll throw Leana out. No matter how shabby that house is, it’s my house in my name.”

Elena’s eyes wavered.

Elena might not know, but Leana needed a home. A house that could block the wind and shelter from rain. She was only six years old. A good child who would carefully hold Elena’s fingertips when she lay down exhausted. Elena’s only comfort, who still smelled like a baby.

The leash that oppressed Elena was always Leana. Her small, frail sister who had never properly breathed once since birth.

In the end, Elena, who couldn’t overcome Cecilia, was thrown once more under the bright chandelier.

---

“Maxim, want to make a bet?”

“What bet?”

Camellia, who had been leaning against the sofa with a bored expression, straightened up. She had become interested in the conversation between Kales and Maxim.

“That woman. It seems like that woman is today’s main character.”

Camellia pointed with her fan at Elena, who was dancing alternately with men without smiling for a moment. Maxim turned his gaze to Elena once more. Every time Elena’s dress fluttered, men with reddened eyes clung to her.

Her mother, who seemed frantic to sell off her daughter, must have found and dressed her in such a revealing dress.

“Maxim dancing with that woman.”

Kales continued in a monotone voice.

“Why should I do that?”

It was a boring and insignificant bet. Just as Maxim was about to lose interest and turn his head away.

“Aren’t you curious about your aunt’s reaction?”

Kales giggled.

“Rather than let you marry such a woman, she might give up on your marriage altogether.”

Maxim frowned. No matter how much he disliked what his aunt was doing, it wasn’t something for Kales to mock like that.

Kales spoke faster than Maxim.

“And that woman could raise her value, couldn’t she? It’s the great Maxim after all. How many young ladies here would want to hold your hand just once?”

Maxim muttered irritably.

“Childish prank.”

“Why don’t you think of it as Maxim’s mercy instead? Look at the level of men drooling over that poor woman. Aren’t they our fathers’ age?”

For some reason, Camellia encouraged him. Rather than truly feeling pity for that woman, she was clearly either interested or had some other intention.

Maxim slowly stood up.

Kales, who hadn’t really expected it, opened his eyes wide.

“Are you really going to do it?”

Maxim pressed down on Kales’ shoulder painfully.

“Ugh! Maxim!”

“No matter how merciful our aunt is, getting along with anyone, she’s not someone to become a laughingstock like that. Right? She’s Her Imperial Highness after all.”

Maxim scolded coldly with a chilling smile.

“Be careful, Kales. You never know who might be listening.”

Kales clutched his shoulder. Really, what an unpleasant bastard.

Watching Maxim’s retreating back, Camellia narrowed her eyes. Kales came over and sat in Maxim’s seat. He said with exaggeration.

“Did you see what that guy did? Even the great Maxim gets interested in pretty women.”

Kales’ eyes quickly observed Camellia’s reaction. Camellia twisted her lips and leaned back against the sofa.

Maxim was a man who only had the best things. Even more so since his business had been thriving. With his good eye, he was leading the department store business to continuous prosperity. Was there any man in the empire richer than Maxim now?

Such a man with that cheap thing? That couldn’t be.

Camellia raised her eyes like a cat.

As if nothing had happened, calmly.

But the hand holding the glass was trembling finely. Kales looked at Camellia and let out a short sigh.

---

She had been dancing non-stop, wandering between this man and that man. Elena was learning for the first time that there were so many male nobles in Levonto, and that there were quite a few old bachelors or widowers.

Either asking her to bear children, or to become the mother of their children.

Elena wiped her face with trembling hands.

Only when her legs were swollen and she was about to collapse could she escape to the table area, saying she needed to rest. The attention directed at her was divided into two types.

First, greed.

Mostly the gazes of men.

And second, envy and jealousy or contempt.

Wherever Elena went, people stepped aside and made way for her. Most noble ladies and young ladies were avoiding her like a bug.

She could hear all the whispering.

[‘Don’t even go near her, Jaisy. You might look lowly too.’]

Lowly.

Elena bit her lips tightly.

Elena’s shoulders trembled with humiliation. She had never lived doing anything ‘lowly,’ but unbelievably, her own birth mother had pushed her daughter into such a low place.

No one here was on her side. Those who knew nothing about Elena judged and evaluated her based solely on her clothing. She was tired and sleepy. She wanted to go back and sleep holding Leana’s small hand.

‘Should I run away?’

It might be better to run away with Leana instead. Cecilia’s greed had no end, and at this rate, she might really be sold to an old man. No, was this almost certain? Her mother would do that and more.

Cecilia seemed to be bargaining with the noble ladies over Elena’s price. Around her, the men who had danced with Elena were hovering and gathering.

Offering prices, setting prices.

Wasn’t this a scene you’d only see at a market? Elena was no different from a mare put up for sale at a horse market.

Elena let out a bitter laugh.

It was when she raised her head and was blankly looking at the chandelier.

Even this brief rest wasn’t allowed for Elena, as another man appeared.

“Lady.”

It was a soft, deep voice. Though low in pitch, it was rich in volume, sweet like coffee topped with cream. Elena slightly frowned and lowered her gaze.

It was that man.

The man who had shown her kindness a week ago.

A man with dark green eyes between freely flowing black hair.

Only after getting off the carriage and running home did Elena realize that she hadn’t even properly thanked him. She didn’t know they would meet like this.

This man also seemed to have been on his way to Levonto to attend Countess Presto’s birthday banquet. He was the youngest and most handsome among the men who had asked her to dance today.

Of course. Elena had been dealing with men rushing at her to buy a healthy, young, and pretty woman the whole time.

Elena pointed at herself with a surprised face.

“Me?”

Why would this man, who would attract women’s gazes even while standing still, extend his hand to her? Elena gulped and looked around. There wasn’t a single woman who could be called a lady left. They had all run far away to avoid Elena.

“Then who else would be called a lady in this place?”

The man smiled, lifting his attractive lips.

His low laughter caught Elena’s attention.

“Why would I…?”

“In such a place, there’s only one reason for a gentleman to extend his hand to a lady.”

The man slowly bowed. The man who lightly kissed Elena’s pale hand looked up.

“Dance, you want to dance?”

Elena asked, stretching her neck like a surprised deer. Why would such a man? While Elena hesitated, the man pulled her along.

“You absolutely won’t regret it.”

Regret what?

Before she could ask, she was dragged onto the floor by the man’s hand. The man gently wrapped his arm around Elena’s waist. It was a completely different gesture from the previous partners who had crudely groped her. The man took Elena’s hand.

While Elena hesitated, the music that had stopped began.

It was a familiar waltz.