Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 21

August 21, 2023

Leah’s plan to capture the attention of the banquet’s distinguished guests was a resounding success.

The only problem? The endless stream of dance requests from men became utterly overwhelming. And it wasn’t as if she could dance with them all.

“Grace, look only at me.”

Terrence remained steadfastly by Grace’s side throughout the waltz. Whenever a man dared to approach and request her hand, Terrence would subtly intercept, whisking her away while appearing to be deep in conversation with acquaintances.

“I believe this goes against proper etiquette.”

Normally, at a ball, it was customary to change partners and dance with a variety of people.

But Terrence couldn’t bear the thought of another man’s hand even grazing Grace’s delicate back.

“What’s so important about etiquette? It’s hardly unusual for me to dance with my fiancée.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Leah, on the other hand, didn’t particularly mind his excessive attention. In fact, she rather enjoyed it.

However, Terrence’s protective operation was gradually faltering.

As the Duke of Lubeck, he was obligated to greet the Emperor and various foreign dignitaries.

During these unavoidable interludes, Leah found herself dancing with a considerable number of men.

‘I really need to rethink the back of this dress.’

The feel of so many men’s hands on her bare back wasn’t particularly pleasant.

Perhaps decorating it with a row of jeweled straps or adding a layer of sheer mesh that matched her skin tone would be a significant improvement.

Leah’s mind was preoccupied with assessing people’s reactions and contemplating the necessary adjustments to her dress. Suddenly, she felt a sharp, focused gaze directed her way.

‘I’ve definitely captured their attention.’

The women had gathered in small, tight-knit groups, discreetly covering their faces with their fans while shooting glares in Leah’s direction. They were undoubtedly gossiping about her, likely convinced that she had deliberately stolen all the men’s attention.

It wasn’t as if she hadn’t anticipated this reaction, but she couldn’t help but feel a flush creep up her neck and onto her face.

Just then, the waltz came to an end, and a rather striking gentleman approached Leah.

“Would you grant me the honor of a dance, my beautiful lady?”

He was undeniably handsome, with vibrant red hair and delicately refined features. He possessed a hint of boyish charm, yet his movements and manner of speaking clearly marked him as a man.

“It would be my pleasure.”

Leah took the man’s offered hand and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor.

With his moderate height and slightly androgynous voice, he possessed a different kind of allure than Terrence, who radiated pure masculinity.

“I am Salame Roberto.”

“I am Grace Vizak.”

Roberto was a Galdenian imperial family name. Could it be that the handsome man before her was a Galdenian prince?

She had heard rumors that Empress Theresa had many sons and daughters, but she didn’t know the specifics of who was who.

“I’ve been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to dance with you since I first arrived at the banquet.”

Leah responded to Salame’s compliment with a polite smile.

But there was something undeniably captivating about this man, a certain indefinable charm. After a moment of contemplation, she finally pinpointed it.

‘He’s prettier than most women I know.’

“You are engaged to Duke Courtois, I understand?”

“Yes, I am.”

“It seems the most beautiful women are always destined to be claimed by other men.”

“Other ladies might think the opposite.”

“What…”

“That a handsome man like Lord Roberto has already been claimed by another woman.”

Salame burst into laughter at Leah’s playful retort. His laughter was so loud and unrestrained that several nearby couples glanced in their direction.

“I only wish the woman who would claim me was you.”

“You’re quite the joker, aren’t you?”

He was remarkably skilled at flirting with an engaged woman without sounding cheesy or insincere. And somehow, it wasn’t unpleasant, perhaps due to his exceptionally polished appearance and charming demeanor.

“Miss Vizak is precisely my ideal type.”

‘How incredibly bold of you.’

He was so forward and daring. Did he not care at all that she was engaged? If so, there was a slight problem with his sense of propriety.

“I’ll take that as a compliment, Lord Roberto.”

“I assure you, I’m not so indiscriminate as to flirt with just any woman.”

Just as Leah was beginning to feel slightly awkward, the waltz drew to a close.

The dance paused for a brief interlude, and the guests took the opportunity to sip champagne, exchange greetings, and engage in polite conversation.

Leah politely excused herself from Salame’s company and made her way toward the women’s lounge.

By this point in the evening, many of the women would be inside, touching up their makeup or gratefully removing high heels that were pinching their feet. But Leah couldn’t even bring herself to enter the lounge.

That’s because she could clearly hear her name being whispered through the heavy curtains that concealed the entrance.

“Isn’t Miss Vizak just a total attention seeker?”

“I know, she’s practically begging for the men to notice her.”

“And what about that utterly vulgar dress?”

“I was so embarrassed for her. It has absolutely no class.”

“I can only imagine how mortified Duke Courtois must be, tsk tsk.”

Leah simply didn’t possess the confidence to face them with a casual air. Was her daring dress truly too much? Had she crossed a line?

Inside the lounge, the stream of insults and harsh criticisms about her dress continued unabated.

“To wear a dress that looks like it belongs on a prostitute to an imperial banquet…”

“She’s desperate for attention. Normal thinking is clearly beyond her.”

“She probably thinks that men are drawn to her because the dress is so pretty, right?”

Leah turned on her heel and walked away. It seemed today’s plan had been a complete and utter failure.

In her own opinion, her dress was the most striking and memorable of all the dresses worn by the women attending the banquet. And above all, she found it difficult to accept the label of “vulgar.”

‘This is a work of art. Everyone’s eyes are glued to it.’

It seemed her heart simply wasn’t large enough to willingly accept such harsh criticism. Rather than accepting it, she felt a surge of defiance rising within her.

Leah, who had been standing hesitantly in front of the lounge, turned and headed back toward the main banquet hall. There were, as she suspected, quite a few men waiting for her, eager to ask her to dance. She was almost overwhelmed by their eagerness.

Among them, the person who boldly stepped forward and took Leah’s hand was none other than Salame.

“I’ve been waiting, Miss Vizak.”

He looked much younger than the other men vying for her attention, but his boldness was unmatched. Was it simply because he was a prince?

However, Salame was stopped after only a few steps.

“Now, if you please, return my fiancée to me.”

Terrence, his voice laced with a possessive edge, smoothly drew Grace to his side. Salame offered an awkward smile and melted back into the crowd.

“Terrence, I’m feeling rather tired. I think I’d like to go back to the mansion.”

“I will take you.”

Seeing that Grace appeared unwell, he immediately led her out of the banquet hall.

* * *

Leah remained uncharacteristically silent even in the carriage on their return to the Duke’s mansion. The noble ladies’ harsh criticisms of her dress replayed endlessly in her mind.

“Next time, please refrain from wearing that lace dress.”

“!?”

Leah felt a surge of anger at Terrence’s words. Did he really need to twist the knife even further?

“Why? I think it’s quite pretty.”

“I have the urge to tear it apart.”

“Ha! How can you say such a thing?”

It was even more humiliating than being called a vulgar prostitute or being accused of being an attention seeker and out of her mind.

Did Terrence view her with the same judgmental eyes as those catty noble ladies? Leah abruptly stood up from her seat and moved to the opposite side of the carriage, putting as much distance as possible between herself and him.

Then, she turned her head to face the window, completely and deliberately ignoring Terrence. It was a pity that Terrence had faced a difficult situation because of her dress.

‘Still, saying you want to tear it apart is going too far.’

“Are you angry?”

Leah pointedly didn’t answer his question. If she opened her mouth, she was afraid she would unleash a torrent of pent-up frustration and start a major argument.

Terrence made a troubled expression and touched his forehead with his hand.

It seemed that expressing his desire so explicitly had felt like a form of humiliation to her.

Leah had undeniably stood out the most at the banquet. Even the Empress herself had sought her out and commented on it.

[Duke Courtois, a new queen will soon be born in Lubeck’s high society.]

[You flatter me, Your Majesty.]

[Women rarely know exactly what charms they possess. But Miss Vizak knows how to express her beauty boldly without being excessive.]

Terrence hadn’t truly registered the Empress’s words of praise.

Even while engaging in polite conversation with dignitaries at the banquet, his attention had been solely focused on Grace. This was a completely new experience for him.

Because of his heightened vigilance and barely suppressed impatience, he hadn’t enjoyed the banquet in the slightest. It felt as if a wild beast was clawing at the inside of his ribcage, desperate to be released.

He had wanted to whisk Grace away from the prying eyes of the crowd, tear apart that flimsy lace, and fully satisfy his raging desires.

‘I desire you madly.’

The problem was that he found himself liking her more and more with each passing day, to the point where he was struggling to maintain control of his own reason and composure.

“It seems like you’re the one who’s angry, not me, Terrence?”

Leah said, her voice tinged with a hint of sulkiness.

“Because Grace didn’t keep her promise.”

“What promise?”

Had they made a promise at the banquet? No matter how hard she tried to recall, she had no memory of any such agreement.

“I told you to look only at me, didn’t I?”

“Pardon?”

‘Oh! This man, really! There are some things you simply can’t force.’

“Did Terrence only look at me because of that promise?”

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“You may not have noticed, but I was always looking at Grace.”

Leah’s heart skipped a beat, and goosebumps prickled across her skin. She was utterly confused as to whether this was the same Terrence who was usually so blunt and taciturn.

She couldn’t decide if he was a seasoned master of love, skillfully playing with a woman’s heart, or a complete novice, simply revealing his feelings as they were.

“Still… saying you wanted to tear my dress was too much.”

“I still want to tear it.”

“Pardon?”

Before she could fully process his words, his hand reached out, pulled Grace onto his lap, and settled her there. Soon, his hand began to gently stroke Leah’s back.

“I want to tear you to shreds and have you as much as I want,” Terrence whispered in her ear in a low, husky voice.

On the other hand, Leah’s eyes were wide with a mixture of shock and confusion. If Terrence actually tore her dress, what would he do next?

‘He can’t even perform the basic functions of a man properly, so how can he possibly feel such intense desire? Is that even biologically possible?’

It was all so strange and contradictory. Terrence, who was acting like he wanted to devour her whole, seemed like a violent, untamed beast. But as far as she knew, he couldn’t actually *be* a beast.

“Let me go.”

Leah felt genuinely threatened by Terrence’s sudden intensity.

His attitude was what a very normal, virile man would do. She even felt a flicker of fear at the possessive obsession that seemed to be tightening around her.

“Terrence can’t actually do that, can he?”

Leah quickly scrambled back to her seat.

“What can’t I do?”

“No… it’s nothing.”

She had to be careful with her words. She could easily wound a man’s pride irreparably.

“Tell me, what is it that I can’t do?”

He persistently pressed her for an answer.

“Terrence is a gentle… man, isn’t he?”

“!?”

‘All the gentlemen are dead, apparently.’

He laughed humorlessly at her words.