YM778.TV Chapter 0: Prologue
Chapter 0: Prologue
Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV
It was the day of my long-awaited debutante, and it was the worst day ever.
I, Marshallie Gracis, as a Viscount’s daughter of the Kingdom of Gran, returned home after a two-year exchange program with a neighboring country, and was elated to attend an evening party in the Imperial Capital after a long absence and to be escorted by my fiancée, Count Colden’s legitimate son Raul.
Dressed in my most precious dress, I will take on the glamorous evening party of my dreams. It was an evening party for the new year, and there were more attendees than usual, including many young ladies like myself who were preparing for their debutantes.
There were friends I hadn’t seen in a long time, and I think it’s no wonder I was buoyed by seeing cousins and acquaintances I don’t get to see very often. Not necessarily because of that, but after dancing the first and second dances with Raul, I was separated from him as I danced with my brother, cousins, and others as I was invited to do.
I wandered around the garden in search of Raul, wondering if I had gotten too carried away, and then I stopped at a sight that caught my eye.
A pair of men and women in the garden after sunset, with colorful flowers lit up in the background. It is as fantastic as a story, creating the atmosphere of a world between two people.
The man takes the lady’s hand and kneels down.
「On my honor, I will protect you and be your shield. Even though your heart is not with me, please allow this heart to continue to think of you.」
It was the vow of a knight begging for love.
It was a beautiful sight, but for me it was cruel.
No way, I think, but the familiar voice stops my thinking for a moment.
「…Raul-sama…?」
A scruffy voice came out of my mouth.
My hopes that I was mistaken for someone else had been sorely disappointed, and I looked back at my astonished-looking fiancée, Raul.
「Ah…!」
I recognized her face, although the young lady who noticed my presence hurriedly hid her face with a fan. Hadn’t she just been introduced to me as the second prince’s fiancée? The lady was originally a baron family, but was adopted by the Marquise of Cyfan for her engagement to the second prince.
「Marsha…」
My fiancée, who calls my name in a small voice, is pale. But even more than that, I am sure that my complexion has turned white with blood. My hands are shaking, my throat is parched and my voice is not coming out.
In what seemed like a long, momentary pause, it was neither I nor Raul, but the lady who moved before anyone else.
「Umm… uhh, this isn’t what you think.」
She looked groggy and began to make excuses.
「Erm, uhh, so, don’t misunderstand this, okay?」
She said, pasting an awkward smile on her face.
I felt uncomfortable with her language, which was not like a young lady, but that’s not the point now.
She says it is a misunderstanding, but what is the misunderstanding?
We are alone in a deserted garden, despite the fact that both of us are engaged to someone else. That alone is extremely inappropriate, and even the knight’s vow of love is clearly audible to these ears. Is this nothing more than a scandal between the count’s son and the second prince’s fiancée?
I was going to say that, but the words didn’t come out.
Raul didn’t say anything either, not even a slight movement.
All I knew was that Raul’s gaze had shifted away from me, and that was enough for me to guess how he felt.
I was too shocked to remember what happened after that.