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Chapter 125
Smile and Punishment
The first Spring Festival welcomed in the Valdrova Grand Duchy.
Hestia Village praised the spring sprouts with lively music, laughter, and the scent of alcohol.
The nobles' socializing held a preliminary gathering around noon, when the sun had tilted halfway west.
Most were young lords and ladies who had arrived early to widen their connections, mingling with each other.
The later one arrived, the more it showed how much influence that person held.
W̊.е̊b̃ n̆ о v е l Е ǹům а̄
Olivia arrived just before sunset and entered the social hall.
Even though she wasn't the host, everyone paid attention to her.
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No one said it, but everyone attending, but everyone attending, even the host, knew.
That the real main character here was Olivia Arken.
"You're beautiful today as well, Princess-nim."
"I heard you used your influence so I could attend the Spring Festival. Thank you truly."
En.u m̄ а̃. ї d
The Golden Rose members fluttering with flattery.
Since she had told Ferda beforehand to make sure they attended the gathering, naturally all of them were able to attend.
Since they were faithful to their roles, repaying them was what she had to do.
"Of course. We have a friendship connected as one, don't we?"
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"Until last year, I couldn't even imagine setting foot in a Spring Festival like this....... I'm so moved I feel like crying."
"Ah, my makeup's about to collapse too. At this rate, I wonder if I'll end up looking like a Ghost Bride."
Ẃ е_b̊ň_о v̂ ѐ l̂ Ĕ n̊ um̄а
"Ghost Bride? Don't say such scary things."
The young ladies laughed kkeul-kkeul.
Other young ladies might not know, but for Olivia there was no time as harsh as this.
Because she had to give exclamations and comfort she didn't feel, and receive gazes from men she didn't want.
'Still, it's less annoying than other social gatherings.'
It was strange.
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Was it because there was someone she was anticipating in her heart?
She didn't tire as much as usual, and could even act more lively.
Evening came, and Ferda entered the banquet hall.
"The Great State Secretary, Regent Ferda Valdrova enters!"
The music stopped and everyone bowed their heads toward Ferda.
The Golden Rose young ladies chattered without pause.
Е ñ ù ḿа
"So that's Regent Ferda Valdrova."
"He's young and handsome as the rumors say......."
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Was it because of his unique atmosphere?
There were quite a few young ladies feeling a flutter they couldn't feel when looking at peers.
At the same time, they glanced sideways at Olivia.
They wanted to confirm with their own eyes whether that gossip was true or not.
Е̃ n.û m̌а́.
Olivia had no openings.
She only wore the businesslike smile she gave to other men.
'Now he'll give the banquet speech.'
That banquet speech was none other than what she had written.
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Having attended many social gatherings, she created the best banquet speech considering the age and status of the banquet audience.
Now reading it was Ferda's share.
Е̃ǹ u m â . і d̆
The banquet speech began.
The moment he opened his mouth, the surprise began.
The mage's characteristic clear pronunciation and serious atmosphere combined, overwhelming the venue enough to slap the cheeks of most orators.
'They said he moved those old geezers at the Grand Council, so the rumors weren't false.'
She only felt the shallowness of herself who had imagined him giving the speech.
Olivia ended up imagining.
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That man reigning as the new emperor, pushing aside the Arken Emperor.
That appearance made Olivia's heart pound.
It ended with applause along with his closing words.
Olivia clapped along and returned to the Golden Rose.
The young ladies talked about Ferda with faces bright red.
"Isn't the Regent-nim really cool?"
Wе́ bń ӧvеl Е̂ n̆ u ḿa
"Right? If only he didn't have a fiancée, I'd want to go seduce him."
The splendid atmosphere combined with the banquet speech properly captured women's hearts.
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Olivia strangely didn't like their reactions.
Even though everything went as intended.
"Oh my, he's coming this way."
The young ladies tossed their hair back and pretended to be dignified while pretending to chat among themselves.
En u̇_m a
"Thank you for helping with the Spring Festival."
Ferda offered words of gratitude to Olivia.
"Not at all. I'm the one honored to be able to help."
"Then enjoy yourselves."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Two people coolly finishing just greetings.
The young ladies made faces wondering if they hadn't seen properly.
Е n̊ um а̇. ī d̈
Olivia naturally tilted her head and asked them.
"Why do you ask?"
"No. It's nothing."
Nothing my foot.
Their heads must be full of scandal right now.
If there had been even a little opening, they'd have thought 'good, something to chew on,' but there was absolutely none.
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Since she planted suspicion, time would naturally drop the interest.
"Come to think of it, the Regent-nim hasn't smiled even once."
"I thought if he had a close friend he'd at least smile with them."
'Of course.'
Olivia didn't chime in and retorted internally.
That man's laughter is different from the cheap laughter men spit out pressed by blood and spirit.
Ӗn um̆а̀ . і́ d
That laughter was something even Olivia hadn't seen.
Didn't it hold the ultimate value forged from pure affection?
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Olivia was glad.
The fact that only she knew that value,
Meant she was different from these foolish ones chasing after men's coattails.
And it was a moment to confirm once more just how noble that man was.
W.е̃bn̂ оvе̌l̇ Ë nůmā
The ball began.
Bees flew toward flowers, and Olivia was no exception.
Bees flying in not knowing their place.
"Nice to meet you. Though I'm lowly, I'd like to ask the Princess-nim for a dance—."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"Oh my, how about dancing with me?"
"Huh?"
Ĕn̄u̇m а
"Come this way quickly!"
A hand reaching toward Olivia was snatched by another young lady, and the young master was dragged to the dance floor with a blank face.
The sight of her swallowing up the bees swarming the Golden Rose was just like a Venus flytrap.
Falling for each other like this and leading to engagement was the Golden Rose way.
'I need to prepare.'
After the first dance ends, Ferda will come.
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And Olivia just has to refuse.
Everyone will watch, and the suspicion will end right there.
Olivia was calculating the expression and appearance she would make until then.
"Oh my?"
"Oh my oh my."
It starts again.
Е ňú m̄ а
A thoughtless young lady's fuss.
Just as she was about to sigh internally.
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"The Regent-nim is smiling?"
Smiling?
Wondering what nonsense that was, Olivia threw her gaze at the dance floor.
Coincidentally, Ferda caught her eye right away.
Ẃе b̀ n о̇ v̆e.l̇ Е̇n̊ū m̄ а
The moment she saw him, a crack momentarily formed in Olivia's mask.
'......He's really smiling?'
She wondered if she saw wrong.
The banquet music flowed, men and women moving like schools of fish on a lake.
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Between them, Ferda was smiling and conversing.
Her eyes reflexively turned to the partner.
Е̃n̄ ûm̆ă
'Who is that young lady......?'
Freckles with black hair.
No matter how she looked, her looks were inferior to Olivia's and her outfit was behind the trends.
She couldn't be Valdrova.
As far as she knew, when Valdrova took human form she was a woman with red hair and two pairs of horns.
Meaning Ferda simply approached some nobody extra for the scenario.
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But.
'Why is he smiling like that?'
It was strange.
I danced longer than that slut.
Even after dancing 4 hours he didn't smile.
To me.
Е̊n úm â .і ď
Not even once.
Olivia reflexively spread her folding fan to cover her mouth.
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The mask around her mouth shattered.
Olivia analyzed herself objectively with a confused heart.
'Am I...... feeling jealousy?'
No.
W̃ebn ӧ v е̊l Е̇ṅ um ǎ
That can't be.
Ferda loves Valdrova.
Olivia cherished that love.
Because she cherished that pure devotion, she admired Ferda.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
As a god moving her heart.
'......I get it.'
Ѐnú m̂a.і̂d
She was angry because he lied.
He acted different from other men, but in the end you're the same kind of man.
Laughter comes easy to others, but not to me.
Because you know I'm special.
'You intended to play me in the palm of your hand like that.......'
Right.
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That's what it was.
In the end, you were the same as other men.
The music stopped.
Ferda greets that slut and turns around.
And approaches this way.
Just as Olivia scripted in the scenario.
Еn ũ m̈ а
What happens after this, Olivia herself acknowledged.
That from now on, what she'll commit is an improvised act not in the plan.
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That it's an act driven by emotion.
But even knowing that, she couldn't stop.
The only sentence repeating in her head.
"Let's do that."
Ё_n um̌ӓ.id
You deserve punishment.
* * *
Ferda was in a situation where everything was going as planned, when suddenly he was placed in a baffling situation.
'What is this, what trick is this?'
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If he asks for a dance, she refuses.
But she accepted the dance request differently from the scenario she spoke of.
E nù m̀ а̇ .і̃ d̃
It wasn't just Ferda who was surprised.
The young ladies who naturally thought she'd refuse couldn't hide their wide eyes behind fans and looked back and forth between the two.
'What on earth is she trying to pull?'
Olivia is cool-headed.
In things like this, she was more calculating and sharper than Ferda.
Meaning she knows the one who takes the biggest hit from scandal is the woman side.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
A man just meets a new woman, but a woman loses her life the moment she's branded a vixen.
There was no way Olivia wouldn't know that.
'Is there something I don't know?'
He thought there might be a rational reason he couldn't notice.
He needed an explanation for that.
"Will you escort me?"
Е̌ń u ṁа̂
Olivia extends a hand wearing silk gloves.
Then he has to take this hand.
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He has to dance with Olivia here.
That's what he must do.
Meanwhile, it felt like he was doing something terrible, making his heart heavy.
That heaviness and duty collided, confusing Ferda's hand.
En̊ūm̈а . і̀ d́
Is taking her hand and dancing here the right thing?
At the moment he tried to place his hand on hers,
"Mind your manners!"
A resonant voice.
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The one who spoke wasn't an imperial dispatched staff member, but Ruri.
She who didn't carelessly meddle in human banquets overwhelmed the banquet hall.
Еn̆ üm̄а . ĭd
The only moment she steps forward is one.
Valdrova's appearance.
"Her Highness the Grand Duke enters!"
The door opens.
Ferda doubted his eyes.
That wasn't the dragon armor he'd seen countless times while in this castle.
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Height about 160cm.
Red hair and two pairs of horns.
A splendid dress with gold added to a red base matching her hair.
She walked elegantly stepping on the carpet.
Everyone bowed their heads, showing respect and awe to the immortal.
Ferda watched her appearance in a daze.
Ẇ eb̈ n ov еl Е̄n um̆ а̃
It was a moment like being granted an audience with the Goddess of Beauty.
Valdrova's steps heading forward along the carpet bent toward Ferda.
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She approached straight toward Ferda.
"......."
Valdrova, coming right up to Ferda's nose, didn't speak.
Instead, she just quietly held out her hand to Ferda.
Е̌ṅ ûm̈ а̂.і́d
The hostess asking the host for a dance.
Ferda's perplexity deepened further.
Right now Olivia had asked for a dance.
By etiquette, he had to put Valdrova on hold.
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But if he said that now, that hand floating in the air seemed like it would futilely fall.
"I hope you have a cozy time with His Highness the Grand Duke."
W̄ e b nò v̌ e l̆ Е̇nũ mа̇
Fortunately, Olivia withdrew obediently.
Ferda took her hand.
Ferda did what Valdrova always feared.
Appropriately controlled strength.
One could know how much arduous training she went through to control it.
He escorted her to where the dance took place.
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Ferda carefully placed his hand on her body.
Body temperature felt from a soft hand.
And trembling.
Just from holding hands, Ferda noticed.
That Valdrova knew the gossip with Olivia.
'I see.'
Ë n üm̄ ӑ . ì d̃
Her coming here wasn't courage shown before people.
She was expelled from her sanctuary.
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By the emotion called anxiety.
The root of that anxiety was clearly something Ferda made.
'I wounded her.'
Guilt tormented Ferda.
Ẃ èb n̆о̀v̌ еl̈ Ӗ ṅu.m̂.а
The voice turning the Shadow Circle breathes a breath into Ferda's ear.
As if there's nothing more to say, it only sneers.
Even though the moment he most wished for had come, Ferda couldn't feel joy.
He only cared what expression she was making behind that mask.
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'I need to match the rhythm.......'
The music wasn't reaching his ears so his steps kept tangling.
W е̃ b̂ǹ о̇ v е̂l Е n um а
Valdrova was the same.
They showed the worst breathing, stepping on each other's feet the whole time.
Hellish 1 minute, 1 minute passed and the song ended.
They should let go of hands and greet, but Valdrova didn't let go.
Instead, she stood on tiptoe and whispered in Ferda's ear.
"......Ferda-ssi."
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Ferda's heart dropped to the bottom.
Not through a voice modulator, her actual live voice.
That sound trembling finely had the moisture of dawn dew.
"Speak."
"This hand...... if you let go...... don't."
She pleaded weakly.
È n ů m а.і d
"I...... don't know where I'll run to right now. If you definitely let go of this hand...... I'll show an appearance unbefitting a Supreme Ruler. I might...... disgrace Ferda-ssi."
That uncertain voice gradually trembled more intensely.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Ferda knew what he had to say.
"I'll lead you."
Ferda walked out of the banquet hall with her, holding that hand tight.
He didn't greet the guests.
E n̆ ûm̀ã.. і̂ d
Etiquette, face, those things weren't important anymore.
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