He said, "I'll get you something to drink while Count Riegelhoff is distracted. I'll be right back, but don't move from here."
"Okay. Thank you, Killian."
"If anyone tries to drag you away, scream. I'll take care of any trouble."
Even with that promise, Killian looked back a few times, like he was leaving a child behind.
I stood there, covering my mouth with the back of my hand and laughing at how cute it was.
It was then that I heard a small but intrusive voice.
"Pretending to be cute, ck......"
For a moment, I thought she was making fun of Killian.
But when I turned my head, the young lady who had been glaring at me earlier, Leila Sinclair, and a few other young ladies were looking at me with hostile gazes.
'What is it? Jealousy......? Are you jealous of me?'
Oh my God, jealousy!
I had never received jealousy from anyone else in my entire life, and it was a very refreshing experience.
It wasn't something about me, it was just because of Killian, but this was still jealousy!
I felt like my chin went up and the bridge of my nose got about three millimeters higher.
"I'm sure she's trying to survive even if it means fawning over them. Count Riegelhoff seems to have completely switched sides to Archduke Langston."
"I heard she was originally a hostage. Looking at what happened, it looks like the Riegelhoffs have decided to throw her away."
Huh? You all know my predicament without me telling you! I guess I don't have to meet the third exception condition.
'But it's one thing to feel good, it's another thing to have my reputation and House Ludwig's honor damaged.'
I briefly considered letting it slide, since I appreciated the jealousy, but then I remembered that on this floor, keeping my mouth shut is usually a sign of weakness.
I sighed and said, "Yeah, well, I don't have a hill to climb [1], and I'm being held hostage."
[1] Don't have someone to rely on.
It's not wrong, so I admit it.
Then they all snickered, covering their mouths with fans.
"How long will that marriage last?"
"How unfortunate to be divorced at such a young age."
To the mockery and malice in their voices, I replied with a look that said, "What can I do?"
"So what? I'll be the lady who was married to Killian Ludwig. What's the big deal?"
One by one, the ladies' smiles faded.
"Well, if I get divorced, I'll have alimony and a nice mansion to live in. I'll get a big alimony check to live on without thinking about what to eat tomorrow. I'm pretty and in great shape, and I'll have a couple of good lovers, and if I can't be bothered to have them, I'll remarry. It's really not that complicated, is it?"
Then Leila Sinclair shot me a venomous glare. "So you're nothing more than a leech on the Ludwig family, after all."
"Oh my, isn't that the way you guys live? You're all insolent and take refuge behind your father's name before you got married, and your husband's name afterward, so I was just trying to fit in a little bit......"
Actually, it's probably a structural problem of this society that doesn't allow women to do anything unless it's with a man and a family, and Edith Riegelhoff before I possessed her wasn't much better. Anyway, they're not in a position to call me a leech.
But they quickly turned red and glared at me.
"We're not like you!"
"Oh, of course we're different, because I'll be the woman who at least married Killian Ludwig, the man you all dream of."
And just then Killian returned with two glasses of champagne.
The young ladies seemed upset that they couldn't say something back to me, but that's none of my business.
"Thank you, Killian."
"You're welcome."
"By the way, Killian. I wanted to ask you something."
"What is it?"
Glancing over at the young ladies, who were staring at me with burning eyes, I asked dryly, "Do you think I'm fawning over you?"
"......you?"
At the word "fawning," Killian gave me a look of incredulity.
"If you think you can do fawning, do it. You're not going to do that in front of anyone but me, are you?"
"No, I'm not. Someone told me I was fawning over you, so I thought I had somehow acquired some kind of advanced skill that I didn't know about."
Killian snorted again.
Then he leaned close to my ear and whispered low, "There was a lot of physical temptation, though."
Hmm. Most of the time it's from his misunderstanding, but I'm in a good mood, so I won't argue.
And thanks to you telling me so closely, those young ladies are about to break their fans.
I grinned in satisfaction and playfully punched Killian in the forearm.
Killian smiled and sipped his champagne.
Anyone can see that we look like a couple flirting.
'Even though my life actually depends on this.'
Looking at the current atmosphere, no one would imagine that Killian would behead me.
Although I'm working on making sure that doesn't happen......
Anyway, despite my unintentional stealing of the spotlight, the rest of the episode, with Lizé as the main character, went well.
It was more shocking for the illegitimate Lizé to be the Princess' closest confidante than for me to be favored by the Princess. Besides, Lizé's dazzling beauty caught everyone's attention.
It was especially entertaining to watch the men fall in love with her, but not dare to approach her because of Cliff's presence.
'If only I could live in this wonderful world of Rofan novel.'
But the problem is always the Riegelhoffs.
'Sooner or later, they will do something......'
It reminded me of a line from an American drama that I had never seen in person in my previous life, but had only seen parody memes or clips of it many times.
'Winter is coming.'
[T/N: Game of Thrones LOL.]
In the original, it's a very cold winter when the heads of Edith and the rest of the Riegelhoffs are beheaded.
There's even a gruesome description of blood spurting out of their throats as they're beheaded.
It's still fall, but Count Riegelhoff seems to be getting warmed up, so perhaps sooner rather than later.
'Let's keep your head up!'
It's no longer just about surviving and enjoying the future of wealth and glory.
I genuinely want to have a good life with Killian.
I want to be greedy, too.
***
"Aaaah!"
The sound of cracking and shattering came from Leila's room again.
Damien, who had returned with her from the ball, sighed and watched Leila's rampage.
"All my fears are coming true."
Anton said with a grunt, "I know. When I heard Lizé had bewitched the young masters of House Ludwig, I thought she was just being treated like a mistress......"
"She is a pretty girl, though."
"You think being a mistress of a duchy is just about having a pretty face? If you're an uneducated slut who can't even borrow the power of your own family, you can't even be a Viscount's daughter-in-law, no matter how pretty your face is."
"Maybe she's pretty enough to rise above that," Anton retorted playfully, but Damien's expression did not improve.
"Besides, it seemed the rumors of a feud between Killian Ludwig and Edith Riegelhoff were false......"
"Oh, right. She didn't seem to flinch at the sight of her father on the opposite faction of the Ludwig family."
The whole thing was unexpected.
Lizé showed up on Cliff's arm and flaunted her friendship with Princess Catherine, Edith made no secret of her affection for Killian, and Killian had no intention of abandoning her.
"I think Edith Riegelhoff was more of a shock to Sister Leila than Lizé." Anton chuckled.
Damien frowned. "Why were you blabbing to everyone you met that Edith was abandoned by the Riegelhoffs? I told you to keep it to yourself."
"Shut up!" Leila screeched, even at Damien.
"Who are you to yell at me when you're the one in the wrong? You're the one who's impatient and short-tempered, that's why we're in this mess!"
"Don't be ridiculous! Count Riegelhoff was just blurting out on the spot that he's actually on the side of Archduke Langston, do you think other people don't know that? You think you're the only one who's smart, huh?"
"Wow, what a short-minded little brat. If you're so good, go find your own place," Damien said coldly and walked away.
Anton looked back and forth between his brother and sister, then sighed and left as well.
Leila, left alone, grumbled and broke things for a while longer, then locked herself in her bedroom.
'The Ludwigs must be out of their minds! Why would they keep those bitches with them!'
It was Killian who Leila couldn't understand the most.
Lizé is pretty enough to make men swoon, but Edith is not that pretty.
'Besides, Count Riegelhoff is a complete traitor now, and Killian is going to stay with her? That's ridiculous!'
Leila gritted her teeth, still brimming with anger.
She heard a 'tap-tap' sound from somewhere.
'Huh? What is that? Is it raining?'
At first, Leila dismissed it as raindrops, but then she heard it more clearly than before.
Leila jumped to her feet, tensing up.
The sound was coming from the outermost window of her bedroom.
'W- what's that? Thief? Robber? Assassin?'
As Leila crept toward it, wondering if she should scream, something darted under the window sill, and a grown man quickly disappeared outside the window.
Leila stood still for a long moment, but she didn't hear another strange sound or see any shadows.