The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 98

Damian and I were engaged. 

Even if we show a somewhat intimate display, it doesn’t matter much. 

……but no, we’re not like that. 

“Why would you suddenly lift someone up without telling them first?!”

“Oh, you were surprised?”

“I was surprised and shocked…most of all, embarrassed in front of everyone!”

I narrowed my eyes, looking daggers at Damian. 

For a moment, Damian’s eyes softened. 

“Are you still embarrassed?”

…..huh? 

I was slightly perplexed.  

Those scarlet eyes staring directly at me, somehow….

“I hope you’ll get used to Lize, even if it’s embarrassing.”

…..his gaze was like that of a ‘man’ looking at a ‘woman.’

With a whisper, Damian pulled me close into his arms.  

As he closed the distance between us in an instant, I held my breath. 

“Because I want everyone to know clearly.”

“K-Know what?”

“That…..”

An alluring voice tickled my ear. 

“That I care so much for my fiancee.”

At the same time, the music came to an end. 

Damian released me from his embrace and gave me a refreshing smile. 

‘…..really, I shouldn’t have liked that.’

I placed my hand on my chest. 

My heart was beating rapidly, testifying to how I felt at the moment. 

I liked him. 

I was still attracted to Damian. 

****

After our first dance. 

People began to enjoy the ball party in roughly two ways. 

First, people who came to dance. 

In that case, a lady and gent would proceed to the dance floor hand in hand. 

And second, people who aimed to build connections and relationships with the influential people present. 

These people tried their luck in striking up a conversation with a certain powerful man….

‘I think most people went for the latter, didn’t they?’

Wow, Damian’s popularity was no joke. 

I watched wide-eyed, the people flocked to Damian, surrounding him on all sides. 

Without a doubt, Damian is the star of this ball party and a hero, who achieved outstanding accomplishments. 

On the other hand, I was a commoner and a maid of honor who happened to become the crown prince’s fiancee….

‘*Sigh* I’m an outcast. I don’t get along with anyone here.’

No one paid any attention to me.

Well, of course. Why would they? 

Just as I was thinking about that, I saw a familiar face. 

‘Hey, is that person who I think it is?’

Could it be, Lady Bennett?

Lady Bennett was staring at Damian, covering her mouth with her fan. 

I’m already starting to feel tired. 

‘Lady Bennett looks great too.’

But no matter how long ago that was, you don’t forget someone pouring tea on your head. 

After such a situation, was it even rational for me to catch up with someone like that? 

With that line of thinking, I decided to back away. 

In any case, I want to avoid entanglement with Lady Bennett as much as possible. 

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince, it’s an honor to meet you like this.”

Lady Bennett’s characteristically high-pitched voice could be heard. 

“I knew that his Highness would return with such a grand achievement.”

“Thank you, Lady Bennett.”

Damian politely drew the line at their conversation. 

Lady Bennett’s face became creased at this, she was upset he wanted to end it there.

But then. 

A man interrupted their conversation. 

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince, what a pleasure it is to meet you like this.”

“Wait. I’m talking to his Highness!” chastised Lady Bennett.

She stared at the man fiercely. 

But the man scrunched his brow and shot back at Lady Bennett. 

“What? Did Lady Bennet monopolize the Crown Prince?”

“Well, I’m not…”

“Then please don’t be rude.”

Then the man looked back at Damian and smiled as friendly as possible. 

“You’re the cleanser of beasts. You are incredible! I mean….”

I watched with enthusiasm as Lady Bennet was taken down a peg or two and pushed back on her attitude. 

That said, it’s truly been a while since I’ve seen Lady Bennett. 

She seemed to be self-conscious for a time because of what happened during the Empress’s tea time in the past, though it didn’t last long.  

Perhaps because of the status she had as the empress’s relative, Lady Bennett was  inflated with self-importance, so much so that she wasn’t aware of her hubris. 

However, one thing to note is that she wasn’t as active as she was eight years ago. 

First of all, the Bennett family was not very powerful. 

Not to mention, the ugly ignominious incident she had with the empress. 

I heard she’s been dragging around young ladies with her lately, acting as an empress among them….

Suddenly. 

Cheers erupted among the crowd. 

“Heavens, it’s Viscountess Antes!”

The people’s gaze turned to the side. 

Sienna’s here?

I turned to look as well. 

Sienna looked dumbfounded and was frozen in place. 

‘Um, I guess Sienna tried to enter without attracting much attention…’

Looking back, Sienna in the original story wasn’t accustomed to these kinds of large-scale ball parties. 

Sienna smiled shyly, probably because the numerous gazes directed at her were a bit much to handle. 

“Ah, I didn’t want to interrupt everyone from having a good time.”

“Interrupt, how could that ever happen?”

“Alongside the Crown Prince, Viscountess Antes is a hero of the empire.”

“Come this way, please!”

Sienna was given a hearty and warm reception. 

Well, their attitude was very different towards me, wasn’t it?

Sienna greeted Damian. 

“I see you, Crown Prince.”

“You’re here, Viscountess Antes.”

Perhaps because mindful of others watching, Damian called Sienna, ‘Viscountess Antes.’

No, why? 

My shoulders drooped a bit. 

I despise myself for liking how he didn’t call her ‘Sienna.’

“How’s the ball?”

“It’s my first time attending a ball party of this magnitude, it’s insane.”

Sienna smiled softly.

The two had a friendly conversation. 

I was captivated by the conversation between them. 

I thought about it before, but those two….

‘They suit each other. They’re like peas in a pod.’

In the original story, they were lovers who couldn’t live without each other. 

I guess I wasn’t the only one who thought so too. 

“The two of them get along well with each other.”

“You’re right.”

The people standing around me spoke in hushed voices so that Damian wouldn’t overhear them. 

Some glanced at me while some stared at me. 

“Come to think of it, Viscountess Antes, she’s the heir to inherit the North, right?”

“Yes. Out of all the unmarried ladies of the empire, none are nobler than her.”

“There are no princesses and there aren’t any princesses of Rochester to boot.”

Hearing those whispers, I was reminded all over again of the sheer difference between me and Sienna. 

*Sigh* Hearing remarks like those.   

I tried to walk away. 

“Actually, I thought the Crown Prince would marry Viscountess Antes….”

“It seems like the Crown Prince cares a great deal for that Charlize lady, but how long will that last?”

“Agreed, their difference in status is hard to turn a blind eye to.”

….my feet stopped on their own. 

Well, it’s only natural that everyone thinks that way. 

I myself didn’t understand at first. Why would Damian choose me? 

Of course, I understood this was an engagement out of necessity.

The people’s chattering continued unabated. 

“By the way, there are rumors that Lady Charlize was able to become the Crown Prince’s fiancee because she charmed him with her beauty….”

“Well, she’s definitely beautiful. She’s worth sticking around for.”

“She used to serve the Crown Prince as a dedicated maid, right?”

Then without receiving an answer to his question, the man glanced at me. 

He looked at me, his gaze went down then up like he was evaluating appetizing food….

‘This is very bad luck.’

I furrowed my brow. 

The men made a racket as they talked to each other.

“If you’re so curious about her, why not invite her to dance?”

“Ah, no. Viscountess Antes is standing there, so why bother…”

One of the men waved his hand to dismiss the suggestion and the rest burst into laughter. 

Seriously, guys?

What makes you think I want to dance with you either?

My eyesight is perfectly normal. 

Damian’s my fiance and not anyone else’s, you guys are hideous with a capital H and will never catch my eye! 

…..there’s no way I can snap at them like that. 

I took a deep breath to calm my mind. 

Because if I didn’t control myself, my emotions would have gotten the better of me and I would have ended up saying more than I should.

But then. 

“Honestly, I haven’t been able to say a word to the Crown Prince…”

Someone spoke to herself in a downhearted voice as she strode along. 

It was Lady Bennett. 

The other ladies next to her attempted to reassure and comfort her. 

“Hey, don’t beat yourself over it.”

“There were just too many people, the Crown Prince couldn’t afford to pay attention to everyone.”

“Yeah, I think so too!”

“More than that, Lady Bennett is the relative of the Empress herself, right?”

With all the consolation and warmness shown, Lady Bennett seemed to have gone back to her usual self. 

“….is that what it was?”

Seeing her big smile was enough for me. 

I hope she’s found solace. 

I also wouldn’t want to be stressed out all my life. 

But the problem was, trouble came flying at me like an arrow going in the wrong direction. 

“Sure, no matter how often he says he has a fiancee…his fiancee’s status…”

“…it’s laughable, isn’t it?”

The ladies burst into laughter with no regard for a so-called fiancee.  

Well, I’ve got a bad feeling about this. 

If I stick around her any longer, I’ll find myself annoyed and in a pickle!

I tried to depart furtively.  

But-

“….oh, who might this be?”

Ah, drats!

There’s no need for me to make eye contact with her, right?!

I was shedding tears on the inside.