"What’s happening? Did His Highness the Grand Duke just propose to Princess Madeleine?"
"No, didn’t he just ask the Emperor for permission to marry her? That’s as good as proposal and approval at once."
"In any case, the Princess never has a quiet day..."
The nobles whispered.
As always, I stood at the edge of their murmurs—the subject, never the speaker.
It’s okay. It’s nothing. If I tell myself that, maybe it will be true.
Warmth brushed the back of my hand.
I looked down.
The Grand Duke’s hand had wrapped over mine, his arm firm at my back.
He tapped my hand slowly, as if this were all perfectly ordinary, and scanned the distant cluster of nobles with a lazy gaze.
The scattered chatter faded.
When the hall quieted once more, he turned to me.
"No matter how many times I see it, this dress looks incredible on you tonight."
The low murmur, dropped as if it were a private secret, loosened my stiff expression into a small smile.
Then I saw a familiar figure approaching—and my fingers tensed in his.
I blinked.
The cool air of the banquet hall reminded me of where I was.
From the moment we’d entered, the Grand Duke had kept his promise.
He’d watched me. Shielded me from prying nobles. Stood between me and every unpleasant conversation.
So I must keep mine.
I looked up at him.
Sensing my gaze, he smiled softly down at me.
Our linked hands were steady.
Instead of glancing at Leopold, he turned toward the Emperor to speak.
Then a low voice cut in:
"...I believe this needs to be put in order."
A familiar voice.
Father. No—the Duke of Madeleine.
I broke my promise without meaning to—and looked at him.
"Your Majesty, may I have a word with my daughter?"
Unexpected.
My hands shook slightly.
He had never once called me his daughter in public.
What did that word mean now?
I couldn’t bring myself to meet his eyes.
The Emperor, on the other hand, looked relieved.
"A fine idea. The Duke can speak with the Princess, and then we may all enjoy the banquet again."
The Emperor, who had been watching with a stern mask, gladly accepted the mediation.
"Why aren’t you answering?"
"If I told you... would you believe me now?"
"What?"
His gaze, sharp enough to pierce through, locked onto me.
I had always endured that look.
Always believed that someday—someday—those eyes would soften. That he would admit I was his daughter too.
There had been a time when I’d been happy just to share his silver hair. Just to match the features of House Madeleine.
Not anymore.
My efforts ended here.
I smiled, my best practiced smile.
"Then I’ll tell you: I have never whispered in His Highness the Grand Duke’s ear, asking him to propose. And for all those years, the one who ignored me as his fiancée while acting so friendly with Lady Ethel—was His Highness the Crown Prince."
"That mouth—shut it."
"And the one who dragged me to the mansion, to stand in Ethella’s place as fiancée to the Crown Prince—was you, Duke."
"Shut up!"
His roar split the night.
Somewhere, startled birds burst from the trees.
The Duke of Madeleine stared at me like a man who’d finally lost his temper completely.
Red flooded the whites of his purple eyes.
"It’s because of you. You! If you’d never come to my house, none of this would’ve happened!"
"You cursed my life! You ruined everything!"
Each syllable shook with long-buried rage.
I remembered the years I’d spent wondering if maybe—just maybe—it really was my fault.
But that doubt had burned away in the last few days.
"...Then—and now—"
"I really didn’t do anything."
"..."
"I didn’t make you unhappy."
"Olivia Madeleine! How dare you—!"
I didn’t bow my head this time.
It was strange.
The father who’d once seemed enormous—no longer frightened me.
It really is time to end this.
"You said you wanted to erase me, didn’t you?"
"If I could, I would erase you from my life."
Those words—which had felt like my heart was being ripped out days ago—now felt hollow.
"I feel the same. I’m Madeleine too, after all."
Madeleine.
The castle I’d longed for.
The family I’d clung to with everything I had. The ones I’d loved one-sidedly with my whole life.
And those unrequited loves who never once turned back for me.
I smiled lightly at all of those old obsessions.
"Madeleine—and everything along with it. I’ll erase it."
The rope I’d been pulling alone all this time finally went slack.