40

He kissed along the boundary of my neck and shoulders where the necklace hung, resembling a bird pecking gently. It started as a playful kiss, but it quickly intensified.

“Wait a moment, My Lord…”

Realizing a bit too late, I tried to stop Dante, but it was futile. He persistently kissed, licked, swallowed, and nibbled my neck.

“Ugh.”

Finally, after an odd sound escaped my neck, Dante detached his lips from my neck. My entire body felt hot, and my nerves were on edge. I took a shallow breath, glancing at Dante through the mirror.

“Really… there’s no need to be so mischievous.”

Confirming that my expression had become a mess, Dante playfully lit up his eyes like a mischievous boy.

“Well, I think it’s because you’ve been too indifferent lately.”

“What do you mean…”

“I guess I have to do this much to get your attention, don’t I?”

Dante teased as if daring me to deny it.

“Really, what a peculiar hobby.”

Unable to voice my frustration, I silently swallowed my irritation.

Dante burst into laughter as if he heard my internal complaint.

“I can tell you’re silently calling it a peculiar hobby, huh?”

“…”

He went as far as exposing what people wouldn’t say out loud. No wonder he heard the term peculiar hobby.

I narrowed my eyes subtly.

Seeing my disheveled expression, Dante, like an impish boy, gleamed his eyes mischievously.

“Well, I think it’s because you’ve been too indifferent lately.”

“What do you mean…”

“I guess I have to do this much to get your attention, don’t I?”

Dante teased, shaking his head as if to listen.

“What a peculiar hobby, indeed.”

I refrained from voicing my frustration and tried to suppress my irritation inwardly.

Dante burst into laughter as if he heard my internal complaint.

“I can tell you’re silently calling it a peculiar hobby, huh?”

“…”

Exposing even the things people wouldn’t say out loud.

No wonder he heard the term peculiar hobby.

I subtly narrowed my eyes.

Seeing my disheveled expression, Dante, like an impish boy, gleamed his eyes mischievously.

“Well then, shall we leave it at that?”

Surprisingly, he used a polished etiquette when addressing a lady.

“Yes.”

Folding my hands on his large palm, I inwardly sighed in relief.

‘Alright.’

After all, it seems I’ve managed to cater to Dante’s taste reasonably well until now.

* * *

The banquet hall was truly luxurious. Beneath glittering crystal chandeliers, numerous gentlemen and ladies exchanged smiles and engaged in conversations.

Orchestras in the corners played instruments tirelessly. Expensive drinks were served like water, and dishes made with lavish ingredients continuously emerged.

In the midst of the buffet-style food table, there was a dish featuring a whole rare bird cooked by the renowned chef Leventra Kyungyi for display.

The bird, with its wings spread wide, looked so delicately prepared that it seemed as if it were still alive.

‘Definitely something Dante would do.’

Despite being compared to imperial banquets, this event felt even more dazzling. I admired it quietly as I entered the banquet hall with Dante as my escort.

Instantly, the attention of the crowd shifted towards us.

“Marquis Offenheir and Lady Lepherian!”

“My goodness, they’ve finally arrived.”

“Seeing the Marquis at such an event is indeed rare.”

People gazed at us with a mixture of admiration and apprehension.

I glanced at the crowd with a subtle side-eye.

‘All the influential figures of the Empire have gathered here.’

It was probably because Dante’s calculations with the nobles aligned. From Dante’s perspective, inviting powerful nobles demonstrated his inclusion as a central aristocrat.

From the nobles’ perspective, they wouldn’t want to compete with the influential Marquis Offenheir, who controlled the shadows of the Empire.

Some nobles stood out more than others.

They were the families of students currently enrolled at the Rose Cross School.

‘This is… quite bold.’

I inwardly clicked my tongue.

I didn’t know why Dante openly invited these people. It was some sort of coercion.

‘I hold your secrets; naturally, you will come, won’t you?’

It was something along those lines.

However, at that moment.

“Dear.”

A gentle voice tickled my ear.

When I raised my head, I met a pair of bright red eyes staring directly at me.

Dante, ignoring everyone else, was solely focused on me.

His intense gaze felt suffocating.

“What are you thinking?”

“Today is my debutante party. I heard Marquis Offenheir has paid attention to me in various ways.”

Suppressing tension, I responded with a subtle, smiling gaze.

“I was considering how grateful I am.”

“Really? It feels good to know you appreciate my efforts.”

Dante slyly lifted the corner of his lips.

“I made an effort to look good for you.”

“Ah…”

Unconsciously, I trailed off at the end of my words. Whenever Dante said such things, I sometimes found myself at a loss for what to say. It was inevitable.

‘’When Dante says things like that, I’m sometimes puzzled about how I should respond.’

Because, well, it was quite absurd for Dante to say, “I made an effort to look good for you.”

A man who desires unconditional love from others but doesn’t love anyone himself. I wondered if he even had the slightest intention to impress someone for their sake.

‘If that man really knows the feelings of trying to look good for someone… It would be too ludicrous.’

At that moment, I felt a chilling coldness creeping into my chest. Simultaneously, Dante led me to the center of the banquet hall.

At a vantage point overlooking the entire hall, a table adorned with a red velvet tablecloth was set. On it were bottles of golden champagne and champagne glasses, arranged for toasts marking the beginning of the debutante’s ball.

Suddenly, I flinched.

“…”

Dozens, if not hundreds, of pairs of eyes were all fixed on me. The malice within those gazes made even me, who had weathered countless rumors as the villainess, feel a sense of oppression.

At the same time, Dante gently guided me with his large hand on my shoulder. It was a rough hand that had crossed many boundaries, yet it felt warm.

“Oh.”

I glanced up at Dante with trembling eyes.

Dante spoke with a subtle tone.

“Dear, you’re my lover. You know that, right?”

However, despite the words, his gaze was unusually cold for someone addressing their lover. Though his eyes were significantly arched, the red pupils within them didn’t show a hint of a smile.

It was more like an evaluator assessing an interviewee.

“Don’t be scared.”

“…”

“If you act pitiful, you’ll show weaknesses to hyena-like bastards.”

After a lifetime of tearing down, trampling over people, and shedding countless drops of blood, the man who had climbed to the pinnacle with an arrogant gaze looked down at me.

“And the moment you show weakness…”

His ruthless but composed voice echoed.

“Those greedy bastards will try to devour even a single piece of your bone without leaving a trace.”

“Lord Huffen.”

“So, stand tall, and meet everyone’s gaze directly.”

Dante spoke directly.

“If there’s someone you don’t like, slap them. Or kick them with your foot.”

Though his words were harsh and conveyed a sense of fierceness.

At that moment, strangely, the tension in my rigidly poised back relaxed a bit.

I raised the corner of my lips and smiled.

“Of course, I am your woman.”

In an instant, Dante’s eyes flickered.

I tilted my chin slightly, locking eyes with Dante.

“No one here dares to say anything to me. This is the townhouse of the Offenheir.”