Chapter 33

ˏˋ♡꒷︶꒦꒷︶︶︶꒷꒦꒷︶꒷♡ˎˊ˗

(Hildea’s POV)

Father and Gabriel seemed normal as they exchanged words while staring at each other, but somehow the atmosphere was quite fierce.

I pondered for a moment on how to bring it up.

‘I should have already decided.’

‘My first dance as well as my partner.’

‘It is a very important issue.’

But my thoughts were simple.

‘I don’t need to carefully decide.’

The marriage between the two families, Belfius and Hillington, is still unstable.

So for the meantime, there is no need to talk about the oldest daughter’s dedicated partner, and no one in particular has caught my eye yet.

Of course, Rosé would partner with Gabriel, so I just had to decide for myself.

‘I intended to choose an ordinary noble family.’

I was actually thinking of asking one of the knights in our family, or rather choosing one of the many invitations from different young men that have been pouring in frequently these days.

If that didn’t work, I was really planning to ask my father in the end.

‘But I think he wouldn’t like it though.’

‘I shouldn’t ask that kind of favor.’

As I observed  Gabriel’s and my Father’s intense stares at each other, those thoughts immediately rushed down my throat. ‘I shouldn’t bring that up in the meantime.’ 

So I said something different from what I had originally planned.

“Um, Father.”

“Yes, Hill. Go ahead.”

‘Rosé will definitely worry if I haven’t chosen anyone yet, and even my father will be concerned about it.’

‘And to reassure Gabriel, who is still having a hard time with my sister.’

“As I said before, I haven’t chosen a partner yet, but there are quite a few candidates.”

‘In fact, there was no such thing as a candidate.’

“What?”

‘But why is he so surprised?’

I tilted my head in wonder, and then realized: it seems like my father must be worried about my attitude.

As if to reassure him, I pulled up my chin and stated calmly,

“There are some invitations that I’ve received so far, so if I send a response to some of them, I’m sure someone will be willing to accept it.”

“Invitation?”

“Yes. So don’t worry about this…”

It was before I could finish the end of my sentence.

I was surprised to hear the sound of something being crushed. I completely forgot what I was about to say and opened my mouth wide.

‘I definitely heard that…’

Somehow, it sounded like it came from Gabriel’s hand.

But before I could even check where the sound came from, my curiosity completely vanished after seeing my father’s intense glare.

“What bastard?”

“Father? Are you mad?”

My eyes opened wide due to shock, when I saw my father shaking his clenched fist in the air.

‘Is there a problem if some young men send me invitations?’

My face hardened from worry. ‘Did I make a mistake?’

“No, I unconsciously vented my anger towards you, And you mentioned some young men who sent invitations? Did you already choose a candidate?”

He has probably already heard me talking about choosing a candidate, but I don’t know why he reacted like that.

“Yes.”

I have been disregarding those family invitations for quite some time now, because I’ve been busy dealing with matters related to my sister. But of course I didn’t throw away the ones that would be beneficial to the family. 

It’s for our futures’ sake too and if by chance I get married by arrangement because of the pressure from the people around me, I would want to be with someone with a decent personality and dignity.

‘Although it’s not something to deal with as of this moment.’

While thinking about it, I turned my gaze towards Gabriel who was looking at me intensely and my heart pounded once again.

He then quickly averted his gaze and bit his lip.

‘What’s with those eyes?’

‘Gabriel. His eyes show deep worry.’

Whenever I see it, it feels as if my heart is breaking. I frowned and bit my lip, not knowing why I was feeling this way.

I half-heartedly turned to my father and said,

“If those invitations bother you, I don’t really need a partner. If it seems to be a problem… I’d rather go in alone. Should we do that?”

I spoke quickly to let out everything all at once, but my heart was pained anew.

Because this time, Gabriel showed an expression as if it was the end of the world.

Until recently, he had a bloody look on his face like he was going to kill someone.

“Alone? Hildea, you’re thinking of going… alone?”

“Yes, I was thinking of doing that…”

“But why?”

Dad’s voice trembled as if he was holding back his anger.

My temple ached because I couldn’t figure what he was angry about.

‘Haaa.’(*)

(PR/N(*) for clarification, she’s sighing here. Apparently the Korean language has multiple ways to express sighs, Haaa included)

Everytime we have a conversation like this, it’s usually messed up.

‘Is it because I’m telling him all of this in front of a guest? Is that the reason why you’re upset?’

“And also, Father, Rosé’s partner…”

‘Has already decided, hasn’t it?’

I was going to say that, but Rosé raised her hand first.

“Me! Me! I have something to say as well!”

It was a moment when the intense atmosphere suddenly broke and lightened up.

My feelings, which were shuddering at the sadness and unknown resentment that had risen, disappeared like cotton candy that melted in water.

Always bright and sunny Rosé.

The corner of my lips suddenly lost its strength.

It wasn’t just me.

At that cheerful and lively attitude, my father burst out laughing while holding his forehead, and the maids held back their laughter as they smirked at Rosé’s sudden words.

(T/N: It breaks my heart tling this part.)

‘And finally, Gabriel is looking at Rosé…’

‘No, he’s not looking at Rosé, but at me.’

We continued staring at each other, when Rosé suddenly intervened between the two of us.

“If my sister goes without a partner, I will go in alone as well! Don’t you think so, sis?

“What?”

“If my sister can do that too, so why can’t I? It’s not that complicated going in without a partner.”

This time, it was my turn to be shocked by the bomb thrown by Rosé.

“No, Rosé! You’re different.”

“Huh? Sister, why am I different?”

“Because you…”

‘You have Gabriel.’

‘How can you and I be the same?’

‘You obviously have a fiancée, so why are you going in alone?’

‘Such words soared in my throat, but I couldn’t say anything when I saw Rosé’s eyes.’

Suddenly, Rosé grinned.

“Then you decide for both of us? If you will go with a partner, I will do the same. But if you intend to go in alone, then I’ll go alone as well.”

This happened when Rosé started to act stubbornly and no one could win against her.

‘Still, this isn’t right.’

I looked at Father and Gabriel as if asking for help, to stop Rosé and her nonsense.

I sighed.

‘What’s this mess?’

‘Everything seemed to be in disarray. The person I thought would be looking concerned, was chewing the meat on his plate with a much more satisfied look than before.’

‘What the hell is going on?’

‘This isn’t right. Hey, why are you so calm? Rosé just said that she wouldn’t be going with you…’

-ˏˋ ━━━━━━ ʚɞ ━━━━━━ ˊˎ-

(Hildea’s POV)

“Is there anyone who can go against her?”

In the end, Rosériel’s persuasiveness didn’t fail.

Once she started to become stubborn, she would insist using whatever it took. She is as hard as a bull horn stuck in a tree.

If she really wanted me to attend with a partner, then I would have no choice but to decide then, but I needed to carefully choose one.

‘And how come everyone is acting strangely when it is related to my partner?’

Just thinking about how troublesome it would be perceived for the two sisters of Hillington to attend the banquet without a partner.

“Should I start socializing now?”

In fact, there are many ways to do so.

This is because even before debuting in the social world, it was common for family members to interact with each other or to meet with other peers of the same age.

I also know that being associated with our peers would be needed.

From the original story, I knew that this young generation would dominate the social world and would be divided into two major branches.

And the problem is that I didn’t want to belong to either of them.

‘Well I don’t have to do that.’

After all, Rosé is the protagonist of this novel.

Even if someone in the social world wants to harass Rosé, in the end they will be punished for causality or everyone will eventually be in the periphery for our lovely Rosé.

So, I didn’t bother with the social world and focused on taking care of myself.

“But I will be bullied as well.”

There was only Rosé in the original, but I am also present in this world.

The existence of the heroine’s twin sister, Hildea von Hillington, who would not have existed.

In the eyes of others, I am also a candidate to become Gabriel’s fiancée, so the attack will surely come on my side as well.

‘The most difficult opponents would be the Empress, Crown Prince, and Princess, right?’

‘Oh no.’ I bit my lips.

‘Why did I forget the most important person?’

“The Emperor.”

‘Anyway, it will definitely be a pain in the ass.’

As I stood on the terrace on the first floor with the opened window door, I lightly touched my lips, and was suddenly startled.

‘!’

And I immediately hid myself inside.

It was because someone was standing in the garden looking at the terrace.

‘Why is he here?’

I could only see his back, but because of his platinum blonde hair that shines through even at night, I could clearly tell who it was even without looking back.

It was Gabriel, a man whom I had no idea why he was here at this time.

‘Did he notice that I hid myself from him.’

Then I heard a voice calling out to me from outside.

“I know that you’re uncomfortable.”

His voice, which has always been calm and cold, was somewhat nervous today.

Reluctantly, I slowly turned around, wrapping the shawl over my shoulders. and faced him.

“…….”

“…….”

A slight frown as if seeing something unpleasant, a gaze that quickly falls down after facing me like he didn’t want to look at my face that long, and a stiff jaw and clenched fist.

It was the same Gabriel who I had met and known from a long time ago. Nothing has changed since our childhood.

‘Why? What the hell was he expecting, an unknown coolness spread through my heart.’

I also stood in front of him with an expressionless look on my face, which was accustomed to responding to those who hated me.

Then a vain laugh emerged inside of me.

It was now clear that those letters that we sent to each other for 12 years had no meaning to them.

In other words, I’m the only one who can’t throw them away and still keep them.

‘I’ll throw them away one day.’

‘I definitely will.’

Letting go of how much those letters comforted me during the moments when I endured being alone as well.

Because it’s not mine to begin with.

“Why are you here, Gabriel?”

Am I seeing things? Because the moment I said those words, it seemed like his frown loosened.

I felt the urge to quickly end the conversation and leave without a care

But it was too late because the atmosphere suddenly felt so intimate.

“Rosé’s bedroom is not here…”

“Do you think I didn’t know that? Or are you deliberately mocking me?”

“What? A mockery?”

‘What is he talking about?’

But of course I couldn’t ask him that.

I hardened my face with my eyes wide open.

“Why aren’t you asking me about why I am persistently looking for you today?”

It was because Gabriel suddenly went over the railing and was now right in front of me.

TO BE CONTINUED…..

[Hi lovess for our HLMS readers we will renew our chapter release by next year, hope you guys would understand. Thank you everyone Merry Xmas and Happy New Year!]