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Coincidentally, the gatekeeper at the entrance of the club noticed us.

“Excuse me, could you please state your name?”

It was a procedure to confirm club membership.

Dante, who cast a sidelong glance at the gatekeeper, responded in a nonchalant tone.

“Dante Dessaby Offenheir.”

For a moment, a slight surprise and fear flickered in the gatekeeper’s eyes.

After all, it was surprising that ‘that’ Marquis Offenheire attended.

Dante had been a long-time member of the Diorlance Club, but in reality, he rarely showed up at the club.

Partly because he was so busy and partly due to the longstanding ill-fated relationship between him and the imperial family.

For someone like Dante to visit the Diorlance Club…

‘Probably to thoroughly investigate the Second Prince’s affairs.’

Though I, as this man’s lover, shouldn’t be saying such things, I honestly don’t think he has refined tastes.

Dante pointed to me with a tilt of his chin.

“And this is my partner, Elze Lepherian.”

“Ah…”

The gatekeeper showed a momentary expression of understanding.

Well, the gatekeeper probably gathered various rumors while serving esteemed guests.

Among them, there might be rumors of a luxurious villainess always following behind Dante like a shadow.

But that’s just for a moment.

“Welcome, both of you. Please come inside.”

The well-trained gatekeeper quickly concealed his emotions and politely bowed.

So, as soon as we stepped inside the club.

I felt it.

The moment Dante and I appeared, the atmosphere of the club seemed to tense up.

Dozens of pairs of eyes instantly focused on us.

“…”

“…”

It was a gaze mixed with fear, disdain, and unavoidable admiration.

However, Dante paid no attention to whether others stared or not.

As if he were the organizer of this club, he displayed an incredibly composed attitude.

“Darling, sit here.”

Dante, without any hesitation, walked into the center of the club and offered me a seat.

A comfortable-looking sofa in a position overlooking the entire club.

It seemed to be the most prestigious seat.

Usually, such a seat would be reserved for the organizer of the club…

‘If I’m asked to sit, then I’ll sit.’

The person currently holding my leash is not the Second Prince but Dante.

I casually sat on the sofa, feigning nonchalance.

Dante took the seat beside me, casually pulling me close and wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

“How’s that? Not uncomfortable, is it?”

Wouldn’t you find it uncomfortable?

Suppressing the desire to retort, I lowered my eyelashes with a casual smile.

“It’s very comfortable.”

“Then I’m glad.”

Dante chuckled as if he heard what I said.

At that moment, people glared at us with wide-open eyes.

The intensity of their gazes was almost palpable…

Nevertheless.

‘Dante seems… perfectly fine.’

Observing Dante’s indifferent appearance, it seemed like he had a knack for maintaining a poker face.

To avoid the gazes of the onlookers, I subtly turned my head and glanced at the club’s surroundings.

The overall atmosphere resembled a large reception room.

Dim crimson lights created a cozy ambiance.

Luxurious mahogany tables and sofas, seemingly crafted as a set, were placed throughout, and gentlemen and ladies occupied various tables, engaged in conversations.

In a corner, a noticeable stage for theatrical performances caught my eye…

‘Come to think of it, is theater trending in society these days?’

However, the current trend in society involves members of clubs and salons participating directly in the plays, rather than hiring actors.

‘They say the Second Prince has a considerable interest in poetry and the arts.’

It seemed that the rumors were true.

But at that moment…

“I appreciate everyone coming here.”

A middle-aged man with a benevolent smile extended his greetings while sweeping his gaze around.

Dressed in a perfectly fitted suit with meticulously combed hair, he exuded an air of sophistication.

Deep wrinkles around his eyes gave him a dignified appearance.

‘Ah, that person must be the Second Prince.’

I quietly observed the Second Prince.

In the current imperial family, there are two princes.

Both born to the Empress as legitimate sons, the eldest prince assumed the role of Crown Prince early on, assisting the aging Emperor in state affairs.

The man standing before me is the Second Prince…

‘In truth, he doesn’t have a particularly noticeable presence.’

From the beginning, the Second Prince never became a significant figure, even failing to be a suitable comparison to the current Crown Prince.

He had no interest in the state affairs education that an heir to the throne should receive and only sought to enjoy the privileges of being a prince.

During the time Dante’s mother was alive, he was notorious for being a wastrel.

In the end, the imperial family supported the Second Prince with a certain amount of money, urging him not to cause trouble.

As a result, the Second Prince was practically enjoying a carefree life.

“I’m delighted to see such familiar faces. Moreover…”

The expression of the Second Prince, who seemed to be about to say more, suddenly crumpled.

He had noticed Dante and me sitting in the prominent seats.

Seeing his uncle’s presence, Dante brazenly lifted his chin, as if challenging him.

“Marquis Offenheir.”

The Second Prince, approaching us, stared at Dante with a stern gaze.

“What on earth is this behavior?”

“What do you mean?”

Dante replied cheekily.

Then the Second Prince’s face stiffened slightly.

“Owners have their own rules, and guests have theirs.”

“So?”

“Keeping those boundaries is a shortcut to maintaining a long-lasting friendship.”

Although he said this, it was clear that he wanted Dante to immediately vacate the seat and withdraw as a guest.

Dante, who had been glaring at the Second Prince, promptly echoed his words with exaggerated emphasis.

“Oh, I see. We must adhere to the rules… Yes, you’re absolutely right.”

But that was only for a moment.

Dante tilted his head slyly.

“However, it’s a bit fascinating to hear the Second Prince preaching about rules.”

The Second Prince furrowed his brow.

“What do you mean?”

“Right in front of Your Highness, there stands the result of Your Highness turning away from the rules.”

“…”

The Second Prince’s face stiffened for a moment.

Dante was now narrating the story of my birth.

“As there are rules for owners and guests, wouldn’t there also be rules to be upheld within a family?”

“What nonsense…!”

“Those who know about these fancy rules, why did Your Highness turn away from your only sister?”

Dante retorted with a mischievous smile.

A sharp tension gripped the Second Prince’s jaw.

It was due to the difficulty of suppressing his anger, evident in his tightly clenched teeth.

“…”

“…”

A silence as sharp as a blade descended upon the scene.

No one dared to speak easily.

This was because the tragedy of the imperial princess, hidden and hushed up by the imperial family, was a well-known public scandal.

Among them, the only person free from the constraints was Dante.

“As a brother, it is only natural to protect and cherish your younger sister, isn’t it?”

“Marquis, be careful with your words!”

The Second Prince growled and glared at Dante.

However, Dante paid no attention to it.

“When your one and only sister conceived a child of unknown origin, shouldn’t you have naturally tried to find out the mastermind behind it?”

“Look here!”

“Moreover, considering that your sister took her own life, you seemed ignorant of the law…”

Dante shrugged his shoulders disdainfully.

“Now I see, it’s not that you don’t know, but that you deliberately turned a blind eye, Your Highness?”

“…”

The Second Prince’s anger made his shoulders tremble, but he couldn’t retort.

The reason he couldn’t argue back was…

‘He must have hit a nerve.’

The story about Dante’s mother was a long-standing sore spot in the imperial family.

Even though she was a legitimate imperial princess born of the emperor’s blood, she was ignored by the imperial family due to the troublesome nature of the imperial household.

Even the coldest-hearted person wouldn’t treat their own child like that…

‘No, maybe our father would have done the same?’

In that moment of reflection, where I recalled my biological father, whom I had long forgotten…

“…”

The Second Prince, who had been glaring at us with a resentful face, abruptly turned away.

Perhaps he judged that further confrontation would yield nothing.

Dante seized the opportunity to grab the Second Prince.

“Moreover, Your Highness.”

Dante raised an eyebrow and deliberately put on a hurt expression.

“You haven’t given my partner a single glance since earlier. It’s quite upsetting.”

‘Why is this guy suddenly acting like this?’

I looked at Dante’s profile with a cold, indifferent gaze.

At the same time, Dante tightened his arm around me.

“Elze is someone I value in my own way.”

“…”

“At the very least, I wish you would have given her a chance for a proper greeting.”

Ah, for heaven’s sake.