17. Drama

"Oh, I can't wait to see what kind of tantrum Duke Ashford's daughter will pull off next."

"Haha, she will surely showcase another amazing joke this time."

"By the way, is that the rumored woman brought by the Crown Prince staying at his mansion?"

"It seems so. I can't wait to see that woman (Eleanor) embarrass herself."

"Oh, poor Grand Duke Cassius. He will be so embarrassed."

"Shh! Lower your voice, she might hear us."

'I've been hearing it all along, you gossipmongers,' Ellie thought.

Rosalind, who was standing beside her and also heard the mocking, said, "Ignore them, they're just empty-headed people."

Ellie smiled at her friend's attempt to calm her down. "I'm not bothered by it, Rosie."

At that moment, Cassius caught Eleanor's gaze.

Ellie saw Cassius trying to get out of the crowd of girls surrounding him.

"Can you move aside?" His tone was icy.

The startled girls instinctively stepped back, following Cassius's request.

Cassius walked quickly toward Eleanor and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"It's just that..."

"I'm perfectly fine, Your Grace."

A sense of relief appeared on Cassius's face.

"After the party starts, would you dance with me?"

Ellie smiled and looked down. She thought, 'His attempt to change the subject is so pathetic.'

"You should have asked during the dance session."

"... Alright."

Rosalind, feeling awkward due to Cassius's sudden arrival, excused herself.

With Cassius by Eleanor's side, she didn't need to worry about Lucas's presence disturbing Eleanor.

"Ellie, I'll go see my mother. She's having a conversation with Marchioness Hartwell. Are you alright if I leave you?" Rosalind glanced at Cassius.

"Yes, Rosie. Go ahead, I have His Grace with me."

Rosalind nodded and walked away, not wanting to disturb the couple.

Meanwhile, Cassius really wanted to take Eleanor away from this party due to Lucas's presence.

However, instead, he said, "Let me get you some refreshments."

Ellie nodded as she watched Cassius walk toward the nearest table.

As Cassius left, the girls who had just gossiped in front of Eleanor approached her.

"Lady Eleanor, how are you? I hope it's not too bad," one of them said, covering her smirk with a feathered fan.

"Of course, Lady Eleanor is perfectly fine. With a man like the Grand Duke by her side, no woman would complain."

However, Ellie remained silent and didn't pay any attention to their taunts.

"Are you really in such pain that you can't answer our questions, Lady Eleanor?"

"No, I'm silent because I think it's a waste of breath to respond to unimportant matters," Ellie calmly replied.

The faces of the girls surrounding her turned red with embarrassment and anger.

One of them raised her voice slightly, "Listen, Lady Eleanor! Are you–"

"Move aside."

The girl swallowed her words upon hearing the cold voice.

Cassius held a wine glass in his hand, and with his other hand, he held a small plate of snacks.

He handed it to Ellie, who looked surprised. "I already have wine."

"Your wine will run out, I getting you a refill."

"I might get drunk if you keep doing this throughout the party."

"If you get drunk, I'll take care of you. I'm a gentleman, you know," Cassius said with a smile.

The girls who had been mocking Eleanor earlier couldn't believe their ears.

They were astonished by Cassius's treatment of Eleanor.

His attitude was not that of someone in an unwanted arranged marriage.

Instead, it seemed that Grand Duke Cassius was genuinely interested in being with Eleanor.

They shook their heads, trying to convince themselves that Cassius was just acting to avoid insulting Ashford Duchy and avoiding political issues.

They nodded to themselves, trying to reassure themselves that it was absurd for Grand Duke Cassius to like someone as ugly as Eleanor.

'Her life will be very miserable once they are married.'

Such thoughts filled the minds of those noble girls.

However, the drama they were eagerly waiting for never came.

Eleanor didn't even glance at Crown Prince Lucas and his woman.

One of them, unable to wait any longer, tried to ignite a fire.

"Ahem, Lady Eleanor, isn't the woman next to the Crown Prince quite beautiful?"

Although she felt the cold gaze from Grand Duke Cassius, she didn't want to back down before witnessing the drama she had been waiting for.

"Yes, she is indeed beautiful and talented," Ellie said softly.

"Talented? Oh, do you know her, My Lady?"

"Of course. My father sponsors her as a physician."

"...!"

Instantly, the nobles around the area also heard it.

When they heard that statement, most of them changed their opinion to pity Eleanor.

It would have been a different story if the Crown Prince's lover had no connection to the Ashford Duchy.

The problem was how that woman could stab Eleanor in the back, the daughter of the person who had helped her.

The woman who had hoped for the drama was left speechless.

She didn't expect that Duke Ashford was actually a sponsor for the Crown Prince's lover.

She slowly retreated, hoping no one would notice her presence.

Ellie continued drinking her wine, and Cassius, who was beside her, smiled contentedly.

'She's very different from the rumors. Now, she's a woman who won't bow her head to anything,' he thought, his eyes still fixed on Eleanor.

His interest in Eleanor was reignited when she visited his guild, and after spending time with her, even briefly, he became more intrigued.

'My marriage won't be boring.'

While Cassius was lost in thought about Eleanor, a man, and a woman approached them.

"Greetings to the little sun of Astoria, Your Highness Crown Prince Lucas." Ellie slightly bent her knee and lowered her head, leaving no room for criticism of her formal greeting to the royal family.

"Rise," Lucas replied.

"Your Highness," Cassius merely nodded.

The sight in front of Lucas was quite strange.

He saw the woman who used to cling to him coming to the party with another man and facing him as if he were a stranger.

It hurt his ego a little, but he wouldn't make an issue out of it when so many eyes were on them at the moment.

Lucas also felt a hint of joy in his heart.

Seeing his cousin, who had everything surpassing him, a crown prince, ending up with an unattractive woman like Eleanor.

'So what if you're a handsome God of war? Or do you have a golden eye? In the end, your wife will be the most embarrassing thing for you!' Lucas thought.

Since he was in a good mood, he smiled at Eleanor and spoke, "To be honest, I didn't want to see you, but I need your help. Accompany Ava, she's still new to the high society. After all, indirectly, your family is her patron, considering your father sponsors her."

Cassius, who was silent beside Eleanor, gritted his teeth so hard that the veins on his jaw were visible.

He asked with a sharp tone, "Where are you going? Can't you take care of your woman yourself?"

"I'm going to have a conversation with politicians, and women won't enjoy the conversation. I am the 'crown prince,' not an unemployed person like you," Lucas sneered.

"Upon second thought, I'll join you, 'My cousin'," Cassius replied with a sharp grin.

Lucas gave a rejecting look, but before he could say anything, Cassius pulled him away.

Ava and Eleanor watched their partners disappear into the crowd.

"Are you still going to stay in our mansion?" Ellie asked, not even glancing at Ava.

"W-what do you mean, Lady Eleanor?" Ava was taken aback and looked at Eleanor.

"Didn't you come here with the Crown Prince? Before staying at my mansion, you lived with him." Ellie sipped her wine, hiding her face with a lace fan.

"My Lady, it's not what you think... I didn't know the person who helped me was a crown prince, let alone your fiancé."

"Watch your words, Miss Ava! I already have a fiancé, and if anyone hears, it will lead to misunderstandings."

Intentionally, Ellie snapped at her. As a result, the nobles around also heard it.

"She really has no shame, doesn't she? Doesn't she has any regard for Grand Duke Cassius?" the nobles whispered. They deliberately gossiped loudly so that Ava could hear.

"Yes, not only backstabbing Lady Eleanor from behind, now she doesn't even respect Grand Duke Cassius."

Ellie was impressed by the nobles who easily changed their colors like chameleons and distorted someone's words so effortlessly.

'Tsk. Shameless people,' Ellie thought.

"W-wha...? I didn't mean to..." Ava stuttered in her speech.

Then Ava took a deep breath, approached Eleanor, and softly but somewhat loudly said, "Forgive me, My Lady... I'm sorry..."

Ellie hadn't processed what was happening yet, as Ava suddenly approached her.

However, suddenly she saw Ava fall to the ground with Ava's dress wet from the wine, and the glass Ava was holding shattered on the floor with a loud sound.

That delicate and pretty hand was bleeding from the broken glass.

The whispers of the nobles grew louder, and this time, their sharp tongues were aimed at Eleanor.

Ellie could only silently watch Ava's pitiful condition on the floor. If she left now, it would seem like she was running away.

Finally, she restrained herself and tried to act as concerned as Ava.

"Oh my! Oh no, you clumsy thing, Miss Ava... Get up, are you alright? What is this? Your hand is injured..." Ellie said while crying.

Ellie's sobbing was louder than Ava's cries of pain.

Ava was surprised and forgot to continue sobbing.

Ellie forcefully pulled her to her feet until she had no choice but to stand.

"I-it's nothing, My Lady... Maybe you were a bit upset earlier and—"

"What?! The floor is wet?! How can the hall floor be wet? I will demand an explanation from Marquess Hartwell! He didn't organize this party properly, that's why the floor claimed a victim!" Ellie said loudly, so the nobles around them could hear.

Ava shocked that Eleanor would escalate the situation and drag Marquess Hartwell into it, finally gave up.

"It's not necessary, My Lady... I'm fine, it's just a small wound."

"Is that so? Very well."

When the nobles' attention was no longer on them, Ellie dropped her act of concern for Ava.

As Lucas and Cassius returned, Lucas was surprised to see Ava with tears in her eyes and her dress in disarray.

"Ava!? What happened to you? Who made you like this?"

Before Ava could answer, Lucas shouted at Eleanor.

"Why did you do this!? What did Ava do to you? If you still resent my decision, blame me! Don't take it out on Ava!"

'Wow. Look at that.' Ellie wanted to laugh at his pseudo-heroic behavior.

He didn't even understand the situation and confidently shifted the blame onto her.

"Watch your words about my fiancée."

Cassius stepped forward to block her view.

He was so close to Lucas that Lucas had to look up to meet his eyes because Cassius was taller.

Lucas didn't like that.

Everything about Cassius was a manifestation of Lucas' insecurities.

Lucas, who was already emotional, became even more emotional.

But as Lucas was about to berate Cassius, a voice from behind Cassius responded.

"I didn't do anything, Your Highness. You can ask everyone here. The floor is wet, and Miss Ava slipped."

"Do you think I'll believe you? Did Ava suddenly slip on her own if you didn't push her?" Lucas shouted.

"Do you think I'm her mother, Your Highness? Why are you blaming me when you were the one who left her in the first place? If you don't believe it, just look, the floor is wet."

Lucas looked down, and indeed, the floor was wet from the spilled wine. He was very angry at Eleanor's words, although she was right.

"Didn't I tell you to look after her?"

"Oh, so now I'm the nanny of the Crown Prince's lover. I guess I should start asking Emperor for my salary."

People who heard it held back their laughter, but not Rosalind, who had been watching the whole time.

Rosalind was about to approach Eleanor when she saw the Grand Duke and Crown Prince leave Eleanor alone with Ava.

But before she could get closer, she saw Ava fall to the ground.

From her perspective, it indeed looked like Eleanor had pushed her.

Rosalind approached Eleanor and said,

"Hahahaha, can I apply for that job too? It would be great if my schedule aligned, Ellie, hahaha."

Ava lowered her head even more out of embarrassment from hearing people's ridicule.

Meanwhile, Lucas' face turned red to the point that if he got any redder, his head might explode.

"I won't forget this, Eleanor."

"Keep your threats to yourself, Lucas," Cassius snapped.

Lucas stared at him sharply and then left the hall together with Ava.