Chapter 90: Whirlwind of Noble Intrigue

Lara stepped onto her tiptoes and grabbed a handful of Youngsik’s short hair—a display of combat prowess she once could never have imagined. It was all thanks to her brother. As they tumbled on the floor, exchanging shouts of “Hey, hey! Let go first!” Lara turned to see the hand tugging at the back of her head.

“Anyone causing a disturbance will be expelled immediately.”

“That person started it, you know. Hmph…”

“They were the ones who lunged first.”

A royal guard shrugged as he began dragging Lara outside. Only then did she realize that the hair clutched tightly in her hand belonged to a noble of a higher rank than her own.

This filthy caste system… Grinding her teeth in disgust, Lara was hauled away when a familiar voice from afar made her turn.

“She’s my friend. Plucking a few strands isn’t a reason for expulsion.”

“Your Grace—Pope…”

“And as she said, Youngsik started the trouble. If you understand, let her go.”

Once the guard released her, Lara quickly moved beside Mikhail. Such abrupt shifts in attitude were typical in this rigid social order.

“Thank you, Mikhail. By the way, you look splendid today.”

Having spent most of his time in the mansion, his pale skin and light blond hair were a perfect match for his immaculate white suit. Mikhail offered a small, almost indifferent chuckle at her compliment.

“You’re beautiful today as well.”

“Ah… thank you.”

Surprised by the unexpected praise, Lara smiled bashfully.

“Hang on here for a moment. I’ll fetch us some drinks.”

Mikhail replied in his usual dry tone, though his earlobes had a slight flush. Deciding it was better to avoid any unwanted attention, he stepped away. Just as he reached the wine display and reached for a glass, a hand emerged from the opposite side.

“…Your Grace?”

That hand belonged to none other than the infamous Rozally. Normally fiercer, she now looked innocently up at him. After wide-eyed surprise and a few blinking moments, she shyly retracted her hand.

“I never thought I’d see you here. Oh, and thank you for your help last time—I never got a proper greeting. Hehe.”

Mikhail stared at the red-haired woman before him. Usually flaunting her sensuous figure in daring outfits, today she wore a pure, graceful dress that lent her an unexpectedly refined air. Despite the change in her demeanor, Mikhail casually averted his gaze.

As he reached for the glass to return to Lara’s side, Rozally gently seized his arm.

“I was rather selfish back then—hot-tempered and full of envy… I’m sorry. You must have been exhausted by my antics. And though your father is pushing our engagement, if His Grace isn’t in favor, I’ll do whatever I can to stop it.”

“What do you mean…”

“Please, trust me.”

Rozally lowered her eyes. Given her past misdeeds, it was understandable if he doubted her sincerity.

“I have changed… or at least I’m working hard to. I intend to ask forgiveness from everyone I’ve hurt.”

Indeed, Rozally proved her sincerity by paying compensation to the 718 people she had wronged. Her notorious reputation had even improved. The recent party was part of her effort to mend ties with Youngae and others.

Perhaps moved by her genuine words, Mikhail surprisingly agreed.

“It’s fine.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s keep the engagement with Youngae as it is.”

“But…”

“Let me ask this instead—Rozally, do you dislike me?”

“Not at all… never! Your Grace, you are more than enough for me.”

Listening to Rozally’s mumbled response, head bowed, Mikhail fixed his gaze somewhere. Before long, Lara found herself surrounded by a throng of noblemen. Sure enough, one of them was seen grabbing a man’s hair amid shouts of “Who is that orc?!”

Yet the noblemen’s eyes rarely left Lara, as if they were eagerly waiting for her to seize one of their hair strands.

“I should have never put you on that diet. Even forced weight loss would have been better than this—being treated like discarded scraps.”

“Miss Rozally, we should push the engagement forward as soon as possible. I have company waiting, so I must be off.”

Mikhail left, flashing Rozally a gentle smile for the first time. He intended to use every tool at his disposal to spark Lara’s jealousy.

Yet, oblivious to his scheme, Lara stood with a faint blush on her cheeks. As soon as Mikhail disappeared from view, Rozally raised her hand and anxiously chewed on her fingernails, her once-naive eyes now showing a trace of irritation.

‘The Male Lead is so spineless…!!’

If he were true to his nature, he’d be hammered over 200 times in a row. Still, thanks to him, everything was going exactly as planned. Inwardly, Rozally let out a wicked laugh.

‘Just because I seem kinder now doesn’t mean he’s any more dependable—ha ha! The caliber of men in this country is truly something else!’

Now, only four potential Male Leads remained. Before Kim Bing-ui completes his fishery, I must snatch the fish from the pond.

The notorious Rozally had but one goal: to completely crush Kim Bing-ui.

“Lara.”

Hearing her name, Lara released the handful of hair and turned to see Mikhail, holding two glasses, staring at her intently.

“Ah, thank you.”

Lara accepted the glass of wine with a smile. While she was lost in savoring it, Mikhail scanned the surrounding men with a piercing, almost mocking look—as if to say, ‘Still got unfinished business?’

Unaware that the group of noblemen was disintegrating around her, Lara mumbled discontentedly.

“Really… did I really look that orc-like before my diet? Ugh, why does everyone seem to be a clone of their brother? Can’t they stop fixating on their own weight? It’s not like they dropped pounds for anyone else!”

“Those clamor about gaining weight are nothing but fools. Don’t let it get to you.”

“Thank you. I always knew I could count on you, Mikhail.”

At her words, Mikhail shrugged and winked.

“So, wasn’t there even one decent guy among those men earlier?”

If there were, he added conspiratorially, planning to handle it covertly later. Lara’s eyes widened as she retorted sharply.

“Huh? None! They could never match my type. I prefer someone who truly stands out.”

“For instance?”

“Naturally, someone like Lord Robes. Oh, you have no idea how romantic he is. I can just imagine him, cape billowing, tossing me a bouquet—oh, forget it, just pretend you didn’t hear that. Hehe.”

Before she knew it, Lara was lavishing praise on Lord Robes. It always happened when Rahi was around—conversations effortlessly turned to fan talk.

‘Oh, come to think of it—the gift.’

Lara recalled the star of the birthday ball and scanned the crowd. Today, spotting the Emperor was nearly as impossible as catching a falling star. With his exalted status, it made sense. She decided to ask Mikhail’s permission before seeking him out herself.

“I, um, need to step away for a moment.”

“Who are you off to see?”

Before she could answer, a hand reached out and grabbed her, leaving her flustered.

“B-bathroom.”

‘Hmm… why am I lying?’

It felt like a scene straight out of a drama—hiding her plan to check out a supporting Male Lead, only for him to eventually turn possessive and lock her away. Lara chuckled kindly to herself; honestly, she did need to use the bathroom.

“I’ll be right back.” With that, Lara hurried off. High-status Male Leads rarely showed up at these balls—they simply didn’t enjoy such gatherings.

Perhaps they preferred a gloomy, secluded balcony to brood in solitude. But Lara’s expectations were completely off.

Right in the middle of the bustling dance floor, a man swayed to the rhythm. His deep crimson hair shimmered with sweat under the spotlight. Karlahee, holding a clear drink and shaking his wet hair, caught sight of Lara in the distance and abruptly stopped.

“Lara? Where did you come from?”

“What did you say?! I can’t hear you! Let’s get out of here!”

“Alright! To the balcony then!”

The two moved to the second-floor balcony. Lara scanned the area to be sure they were alone before turning to Karlahee. A cool breeze swept between them, and as his damp bangs fluttered, his blue eyes met hers.

“…Lahi, or should I now call you His Highness?”

“Just Lahi is fine. I’d prefer if you continue calling me that.”

Karlahee chuckled softly before falling silent. After a pause, he continued,

“I’m sorry about earlier. I tried to save you and ended up lashing out with harsh words…”

“I’m sorry too for that low blow. It was a momentary lapse…”

“No, if I made you angry, then you deserve it.”