Chapter 1.2

An excited breath slipped from my nose, slicing through the air of the banquet hall.

“Huu…”

Right now, I was people-watching behind a fan, trying to hide how much my jaw was twitching with excitement as nobles passed me by.

‘A handsome man here! A beautiful woman there! This is insane. It’s a literal paradise of gorgeous people!’

No matter where I looked, I was surrounded by stunning faces. My eyes darted everywhere, trying to take it all in. To be honest, I wanted nothing more than to jump in, laugh, and chat with them myself.

But sadly, that wasn’t an option.

‘I’m the only one here… who doesn’t have a single friend…’

Whether it was because of Judith’s past behavior or something else, no one wanted to come near me. So, I could only stand off to the side, quietly swallowing my tears as I admired them from afar.

Just then, as I was silently watching the crowd, I overheard a conversation coming from a group of noble ladies.

I casually tilted my ear toward them, pretending not to care.

“…What’s going on with Lady Melveryn? She used to only wear those flashy, blood-red dresses, but today she’s in something surprisingly calm.”

“Exactly! Her expression has changed so much! She always used to glare with her eyes wide open like this—it was terrifying… But today, she looks just like a spring fairy!”

It was when one cute young lady chirped out the compliment with a bright smile that the young lady with ruby-red hair frowned and snapped her fan shut with a sharp snap, as if she had heard something absurd.

Even at a glance, she was an extraordinary beauty.

“Ha. A spring fairy? What does it matter if her attire is subdued when the rotten core inside hasn’t changed? I can’t wait to see what disgraceful spectacle she’ll make in front of His Highness the Crown Prince today.”

As she spoke, she glared at me with venomous golden eyes brimming with hostility.

Under that searing gaze, I quickly turned my head away, pretending not to notice. Whatever the reason, it seemed I had earned immense hatred from that beautiful woman. I hadn’t even done anything wrong, and normally, I wouldn’t care if someone gossiped about me. But the fact that such a stunning woman openly showed her dislike for me suddenly plunged me into gloom.

I was forcing myself to shake off the gloom and move somewhere else when a loud bell rang through the hall, drawing everyone’s attention.

A herald’s voice followed.

“His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress are entering!”

At this, the nobles all rose in unison and bowed their heads. I, too, instinctively lowered my head in a daze. Then, the Emperor’s regal voice echoed through the banquet hall.

“You may raise your heads. We are grateful for your attendance at the Crown Prince’s birthday celebration. I shall not bore you with lengthy formalities. Enjoy yourselves freely.”

It was when His Majesty the Emperor’s brief address concluded that I raised my head. My gaze naturally shifted past the Emperor to the Crown Prince standing behind him.

And then, my eyes met his.

Hair like molten gold and a face that could outshine thirty idols without even trying. To make matters worse, he even gave me a soft, gentle smile.

‘What the…? If I’m supposedly the one obsessed, why on earth is he smiling at me like that? Wait… is this him trying to flirt? Is this a confession?!’

Even though we’d only just made eye contact for a second, I could tell instantly that the crown prince was guilty of being criminally handsome. No wonder Judith became crazily obsessed with him…

For a split second, I seriously thought my noble promise to not obsess over him might fly out the window.

But… while the crown prince was undeniably the most flawlessly handsome man I’d ever seen, something felt a little off. Like he was… 2% missing.

‘Just a little more… just a tiny bit more… He’s missing that last 2%…!’

He didn’t quite match the perfect face I had always dreamed of. In other words, he couldn’t fully satisfy the emptiness in my heart. I didn’t know where the confidence came from, but I had this unshakable gut feeling that someone who could fulfill that last 2% would appear soon.

‘Come to think of it… wasn’t there a grand duke as the second male lead? His name was Axel Valentian or something like that.’

The moment I realized this, I hurriedly scanned my surroundings, but there was no sign of him.

Biting my lip in frustration, I sank into thought.

‘There’s no way the grand duke wouldn’t attend the Crown Prince’s banquet. They’re cousins, after all. If he’s not in the banquet hall… then he must be out on the terrace!’

In the story, the grand duke was said to dislike crowded places. So, if I headed toward one of the more secluded terraces, I’d surely find him.

With that thought, I immediately turned and strode toward the terrace.