It was the young lady who approached me after recognizing Asilla’s necklace at the emperor’s birthday banquet.
Thanks to her, I got great publicity.
However, the problem was…
“I don’t remember her name!”
I couldn’t remember her name because I then didn’t pay attention to anyone other than Sihael.
What was her name… or her family name…
I fumbled through my memories, and when I saw the teardrop shaped mole, a memory flashed in my mind like a flash of light.
“Lady Duqran?”
I remembered her.
Anisha Duqran.
“Hello, Lady Katzel.”
Anisha greeted me with a smooth smile.
‘I guess my family invited her also.’
Well, there’s no way they’d leave out inviting Marquis Duqran. But it was a little awkward to face her alone as she reminded me of our last meeting when she looked at my necklace with greedy eyes.
And just now…
‘I didn’t feel her presence at all.’
Could it be that I didn’t notice because I was very distracted by the thought of Liliana and Sihael being together? But still, it was strange that I didn’t even notice that she was right behind me. I warily glanced at Anisha, who had an insincere smile on her lips.
‘She doesn’t seem to have learned any sort of martial arts.’
Her soft arms without any muscles and soft hands without callus were proof enough. She was just an ordinary lady who was far from martial arts.
“What are you looking at?”
Anisha smiled and tilted her head at my gaze.
“Lady Duqran, you’re so pretty.”
“I know.”
She’s one strong opponent. Normally, one would pretend to be humble when praised like this, but Anisha shrugged her shoulders, saying that it was obvious.
“Is there something I can do for you?”
“Oh, not really.”
After vaguely blurting out the words, Anisha looked behind me. Her smile widened when she saw Sihael and Liliana. And when she looked at me again, what hung on her lips was an obvious sneer.
“Lady Katzel, what is your relationship with His Highness?”
“… We’re just quite close.”
“So you’re saying you’re not dating each other?”
I couldn’t reply to her words that were full of certainty. Most people I’d met so far let their imagination run wild when I said this. She was quick-witted and was a tough opponent in many ways. Anisha curved the corners of her eyes when she saw me unable to say anything.
“Then can I have him?”
I doubted my ears.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I want to have His Highness, the Crown Prince.”
Has she gone crazy? What does she mean by wanting to have Sihael? I was so dumbfounded that I almost felt like laughing.
“No.”
“Why? He’s not even yours, Lady Katzel.”
Anisha pointed to Sihael and Liliana, far away, at the entrance. The two of them were standing fairly close together, and seemed to get along.
“Isn’t it the same if it’s me or you who can’t get in between them?”
Suddenly I felt a thread snap in my head. I was still pissed off, but the sense of sanity held me back. I furiously twisted the corners of my lips.
“No one- can wedge in between us.”
I said, out of ignorant pride. An unwillingness to accept Anisha’s words and lose to her soared.
“Well, but–”
I cut off Anisha’s words.
“Lady Duqran, watch your mouth! You’ve been talking about His Highness as if he were an object. And he’s not someone the young lady could have just because you want to.”
“You don’t know that. You never know what’s going to happen. Don’t you think so?”
Wow, she knows how to play with words. I burst out laughing at Anisha’s bold attitude.
I didn’t know where this confidence was coming from. Liliana’s place next to Sihael was not like a rock that could be suddenly rolled away.
‘Just try, I’ll crush you with my feet.’
I’ll just chop you up and make it look like you never existed. I glared at Anisha and warned her.
“Don’t you dare eye him. He already has someone.”
Anisha, who hesitated for a moment seeing my fierce aura, looked at Sihael and licked her lips. I got goosebumps because she looked at Sihael like a snake about to prey.
Feeling repulsed, I clenched my fist tightly.
‘This is making me mad.’
At the last banquet, I didn’t notice it because I was only focused on the publicity she brought, but Anisha was a person who gave off a pretty dangerous air.
“Well, I can’t help it right now. Since I don’t have the confidence to get in between you guys, I’ll take a step back for now.”
You shouldn’t be stepping back for now, but for forever.
Judging from that bulldozer-like personality, I didn’t think she would step back this easily.
‘She came out of nowhere and is aiming for Sihael.’
She didn’t even have a significant role in the original novel, but it was bewildering to see her aim for Sihael all of a sudden. And what was more perplexing was how she changed her mien everytime.
“Congratulations on becoming an adult. Lady Katzel.”
I was embarrassed by the hand asking for a handshake, wondering if she was the same person I had been arguing with until just now.
“I can’t push her hand away.”
I didn’t want to make any more fuss. Even though I didn’t like it, I held her hand reluctantly.
“… Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
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