The words stopped at my throat when I saw Alice’s eyes trembling.

It was a shame that she said she was my best friend and didn’t even tell me about her engagement.

Moreover, I knew her well. I always wondered if the shocking news would surprise me.

The reason for the concealment was guessable.

Alice was also a kind who believed there was something between me and Nocton.

Even more so, I wanted to hear it from the parties concerned.

Had I mistaken for loving Nocton, I would have thought that the news of his engagement with Alice would hurt me.

Instead of avoiding being afraid of wounds, I hoped they would tell me before their feelings turned into love.

I wanted Alice, if not Nocton, to tell me directly.

Like I told her first about my engagement when I didn’t tell Nocton.

I could barely keep my mind going and I felt like I’d get emotional if I said more here.

The tongue that speaks in the face of a storm will hurt anyone.

“Anyway, Alice, I want to be alone now. I’ve only managed to turn people’s eyes around, but I can’t stop looking at my back when I see you.”

“….I’m sorry. I was too hasty.”

“So can we talk about it next time? I’ll send a letter to Limorand. A little quiet.”

“I will wait.”

When she answered with a voice smaller than the first, Alice gave strength to her thick lips.

I thought she was going to go back, but she stopped in front of the curtain and looked at me again.

The small mouth opened with a firmly determined face.

“You know, Roa. I didn’t mean to hide my engagement. In the first place—”

The curtains on the terrace rumbled up.

The sudden event surprised me and my head quickly turned.

My eyes made contact with light purple eyes whose belong to someone higher than me.

“Did I interrupt the secret meeting?”

Nocton Edgar.

The young man’s mouth has curled.

It’s a smile that doesn’t seem to be pleasant.

I breathed a sign of relief.

Meanwhile, Nocton actually entered the terrace.

Instead of pulling the curtain right away, he lowered his head and looking down at Alice, whose face had grown weary.

“Duke Limorand’s daughter, would you excuse us for a moment? I have a lot of things to talk with Valrose.”

It’s not the way of talking to a frightened fiancee.

I was taken aback by the unruly scoffs, and I examined Alice’s complexion.

But Alice did not seem as surprised as I, a third party.

Biting her lower lip, she struggled to face Nocton in the eye, and soon left the terrace without any answer.

It was not a pleasant atmosphere.

Both of them had a long ties with me, but I’ve never seen them together.

However, given the relationship of the novel and the situation on the verge of engagement, I thought they would be in love with each other.

But rather than love….

“That’s amazing, Valrose. You lost in other thoughts in front of me.”

“Nocton!”

I was surprised by the face in front of my nose. As I walked backwards, I tripped over my skirt and almost fell.

Nocton’s tight arms held my back, so there was no disaster.

It was not a matter of romance.

His eyes were bent, as if they were laughing at me within breath’s reach.

“You have to be careful.”

“….you scared me. All right, let go of me.”

“It’s no trouble.”

The young man stepped aside and leaned over his shoulder.

Being this close made the difference in our eye level even more apparent.

When we first met, I certainly added the extra.

When did it get so different?

His physique was similar. Even though he doesn’t really enjoy sports, his arms, which were wide enough to hold two Alice, stirred up a strange impression.

“What did you talk to Limorand about?”

“It’s like a time-honored story for friends. You’re worried I’ve been gossiping about you?”

“Well, you always gossip.”

“I can’t deny it, but I don’t do it to Alice. She’s your fiancee. We’ll be together for the rest of our lives so there’s nothing good about talking bad.”

Alice is a dear friend for me, too.

It was so long as an excuse that I swallowed the last word that I was about to say.

Nevertheless, in Nocton’s eyes, I thought I might look awful.

I never told him I liked him, but I never said I didn’t like him.

He seems to believe that I loved him, so no matter what I say, it sounds like an excuse for him.

I think Nocton’s face is laughing at me.

I didn’t want to see such a face, but I couldn’t avoid it, so I looked up and my eyes met him.

Unexpectedly, there was not even a smile on his face.

Despite the long time we had together, there was a low look of blatant cold eyes.

There was little difference in behavior, but the atmosphere was strange.

No, it’s a little bit earlier than that….

It was from some time.

“I’m getting engaged next month. Will you come?”

“….I will send you the gift. You know it’s impossible for me to attend. If I were to attend your engagement, I’d hear all the nonsense.”

“There’s no such sad thing, Valrose. My most precious friend won’t come to my engagement party. People’s eyes don’t mean much, you know?”

It’s not fair to be a precious friend. I almost laughed out loud.

“Are you drunk, or crazy?”

“It’s nice to hear.”

“It’s only to those who knew its true. Anyway, I’m not going there, because not only you, but Aaron too, are going to get caught up in the scandal.”

“Call me friendly, it’s been a while since I met you.”

It’s all a big deal.

I changed my mind about leaving the terrace. I’m afraid he’s upset about what happened somewhere, and there seemed to be nothing better to drag on.

As soon as I walked past Nocton, my body was pulled back.

I was hardened by the warmth that filled my whole body.

There were many things like this, but this is the first time I’ve embraced him.

No, it wasn’t the first time and not the second.

My heart pounded with embarrassment.

I can’t understand what’s going on and my mind turned blank.

Then, there was a low laugh.

The cracking of making fun of my embarrassment.

The cold energy flows on my back and then the emotion subsided.

“Does Aaron Claymore important to you?”

Yes, Nocton was originally this kind of man.

The whispering voice contained the test after a long time.

A low-key test that has been around since I got a little closer to him.

“More than I’ve been with you for a dozen years?”

Still, this is the first time I’ve been asked in such a direct way.

Nocton’s method was more indirect. He also used to create situations in which I had no choice but to choose by action rather than by mouth.

This level is not just a matter of getting bored.

A long fingers tickled the tip of my head. The tickling touch started at the tip of the head spreads into the back of my neck.

That’s what I thought.

If I really loved Nocton, it would have been a lot harder.

“Aaron calls me Roa.”

The fingertips touching my hair stopped.

I pushed his arms around me, and came out of Nocton’s arms.

“That’s a difference between a friend and a fiancé. I’ll call you when you’re calm.”

I didn’t want to see Nocton’s face, so I opened the curtains and left the terrace.

I felt sick to hang out with him anymore, so I’d rather be bitten by people.

✴️✴️✴️

Valrose who threw his arms away, walked out of the terrace.

Nocton reached reflexively, but the late hand couldn’t catch a strand of hair, let alone her arm.

His hands came down empty in the air.

The warmth that he held in his arms for a moment was gone.

Nocton looked at the curtain of the terrace with a sunken face.

This way, as Roa Valrose going to the bright spot, beyond the terrace, could be seen in his eyes.

He didn’t mean to say that.

No, he didn’t mean to say anything.

The sight of Alice Limorand and Roa Valrose together raised an ominous feeling.

Meanwhile, he knew, Valrose only tries to tell the story that he knows.

He was forced to repeat the old habit once again.

But this time, he couldn’t get the answer he wanted.

“Valrose.”

After a seemingly small sound rolled out of his mouth, Nocton nervously swept up his hair.

He grabbed the railing of the terrace, to calm down the seething emotion, but the railing broke and collapsed without meaning.

This only makes him angry at the railing.

Chilled, he covered his face with his hands.

A dry sigh was given for some time, then the expression of Nocton Edgar returned to its original form.

However, his eyes looked colder than usual, and he felt as if he was about to do something.

The young man went out on the terrace with a clear step that showed no agitation.

✴️✴️✴️

As soon as I stepped out of the dark terrace, the ray of light pierced my eyes.

I couldn’t help but frown for a moment.

Brightly decorated like a fairytale, brightly lit ballroom with magic lights turned on everywhere, dresses and robes that are fashionably fancy.

At one point, the glance made my heart tighten.

I approached the servant with the tray and took over a glass of champagne, then I poured the yellow liquid into my mouth that was bubbling as it was.

I didn’t eat anything because of stress, and I felt the champagne flowing on the empty stomach.

It was a very ironic thing to be stuck like this and so empty.

A minute has passed since I returned the empty glass to the tray.

The hyenas in the crowd began to shine their eyes.

In the midst of false rumor that Roa Valrose loved Nocton Edgar fervently, they must have thought of my face first when they heard that Nocton was getting engaged to someone else.

The society has always loved gossip, and the higher the object of gossip, the happier the gossiping has been.

Yeah, I must have missed you. Look how much it cost.

As I grunted inside, I tightened my eyes.

At last, a few came by my side.

“Oh, Lady Roa Valrose, why are you still? You don’t seem to enjoy the ball.”

“Why do you stand alone? Your partner, the Duke … he’s not your partner today.”

Beginning with the Marquis Bornaine’s daughter, four men and women surrounded me.

It was a grudgingly familiar group.

I only recognized Sheryl Bornaine, and Roziks Elford as well.

“I forgotten that he’s about to get engaged. I’m sorry if it’s rude.”

“But if it’s not him, who’s your partner, Lady Roa?”

Even if I don’t answer, there is no end to this mocking.

It was obvious what they wanted me to say.

‘I came here alone today because I don’t have a partner.’

They will be waiting for the same kind of pathetic answer.

However, I’m sorry to hear that it’s a false expectation.

I wanted to speak with them as much as I could, but right now, I need some crude weapons.

I grinned, to make it look as unlucky as I could.

“My partner today is my fiancé.”