“Cecil?”

Meanwhile, Damia, who entered the mansion, expected to find her friend right away, but unexpectedly, she didn’t see Cecil.

‘Where did she go?’

Damia tilted her head. She searched the mansion until it was familiar to her. If she went outside anyway, Damia would have to face Akkard again and…

‘He’s… uncomfortable.’

Akkard and herself had very different personalities. It was challenging to explain the fact coherently and convince him. In particular, if he intended to persuade her, the conversation would have been even more awkward.

Akkard was such a desirable man that her eyes were dazzled, and her blood would get hot just by looking at him. She didn’t mind when such an excellent specimen of a man showed interest in her. But…

‘He’ll soon lose interest, and I’ll be thrown away.’

Dami laughed in a self-deprecating manner. She was an honest, sincere, and foolish woman who held one to a one-sided love for ten years. And men never liked women like her.

What they liked was a woman who was the opposite of her. A fox-like woman proud, sly, and witty—refuses to be caught and burns a man’s heart.

Men were willing to give their hearts to such a woman knowing that she would handle their hearts carelessly, toss it, roll it and then discard it when they’re sick of it.

Of course, if you judged by pure appearance, Damia was the great fire fox from afar. But when you got to know her, you would realize she was a foolish bear in relationships.

I didn’t think of myself as stupid. I was confident in my abilities to manage the internal affairs of the family with ease. When I heard something unpleasant, I knew how to respond with restraint but also stand up for myself, and I was sure in my capacity that I could solve any problem that came my way.

But love was a completely separate matter.

‘I can tell by looking at Kael.’

I wanted to be nice to him because I love him. I was willing to do what I could for him, without keeping score or doubting anything. Every moment of love for him was full of warmth, so Damia could not be petty or picky.

And again and again, men didn’t like such women. Of course, there was nothing more to say about Akkard Valerian, who is experienced in dating. And as soon as he gets to know Damia better, he’ll run away in a daze of boredom.

‘It would be a serious mistake.’

Dami shook her head and smiled in a self-effacing manner. Half-expecting Cecil to pop up and tell her to stop berating herself. But there was no sign of her friend anywhere in the mansion.

‘Maybe she’s in the backyard?’

Tea parties were usually held in the mansion’s central garden or in the front yard, and Cecil wasn’t a big fan of the crowded areas. Therefore, it was highly likely that she went to the quiet backyard to avoid the guests.

Damia turned to the rear door. The corridor leading to the shaded back of the mansion was isolated. Even the employees were barely around.

As she got closer to the foyer, she heard a loud voice. Dami listened to the voice of an elegant woman in the wind. It was quite similar to Cecil’s usual tone.

‘Cecil?’

Just as Damia was trying to get closer, the conversation entered Damia’s ears as the distance narrowed.

“How do you… So, did you… did it?”

This stopped Damia’s footsteps. Now she could tell. It was not a friend’s voice. Or rather, it was closer to the voice of the enemy.

‘Louise Ferria.’

As soon as Damia recognized the owner of the voice, her mood dampened. She didn’t expect Louise would also come to this tea party. Especially considering that her brother, Lessid, had arrived first.

Damia frowned. As she surmised before, Louise was so self-centered and emotional that she didn’t care when and where she was. It would not be in Damia’s favor to face someone without limits in such a remote place as it is now.

Deciding to turn around, the words of an unidentified man talking to Louise flew into Damia’s ears.

“There’s still… a little problem. Cesare is now in Daeshin.”

Did you just say Cesare?

Damia, who was about to leave, paused. The name of her step-brother, who she had forgotten for a moment, captured her ankle from moving forward.

***