When the Villains Unite - Chapter 13; Part 1
I watch Damian as he leaves the manor, then rise from my spot.
As if on cue, one of the maids brought a bowl of water to my room for me to wash my face before heading down to the dining room for breakfast.
“My lady, the Duke of Euassis has sent you a letter.”
Ashik?
I finished my meal and leisurely sipped my tea as Sebastian handed me a letter bearing the seal of the Duke of Euassis.
I hadn’t replied to his last letter and it was unlike him to be impatient and send another.
The last time he had written, he informed me that his second meeting with the Marquis de Pessil went better than expected. The letter was filled with glee and excitement as he gushed about their frequent meetings since then.
In fact, whatever happened with the Marquis, Ashik seemed content just to be with him. He didn’t seem like the virgin type, but that subtle cuteness really made him attractive.
I opened the letter and looked at the contents. The letter was enclosed with a single invitation to the birthday party of an Imperial nobleman. Ashik was requesting for him to officially escort me… Huh?
After the last incident, Ashik included in his letter that the Orca brothers were quite the trouble for him for some time. Was this okay?
At the end of the letter, he basically asked me to be his smoke screen1 back in my one direction fandom days, we referred to this as a “beard” aka the gf is a cover for a closeted gay man .
Smoke screen… I wonder if Marquis de Pessil will be there? It would explain why he is requesting…
I’ll have to talk to him to find out. Then, I’ll play the role of Cupid, stirring up jealousy between the two of them or creating unnecessary difficulties to add to their affection.
However, that would assume that Marquis Pessil has a crush on Ashik… Or will this help him realize he has a crush?
Quickly, I ran to my study to write an affirmative reply and gave it to the maid. I had a feeling something interesting would be happening today.
I’ll have to inform Bellamy that I’m going to the party with Ashik, won’t I?
I didn’t want to bother him while he was working hard at the palace without the Crown Prince, but I was more afraid of the consequences if I didn’t tell him. I had a hard enough time defusing his anger while we were in the carriage the other day.
I didn’t feel confident talking to him in person, so I decided to write a letter.
When I originally notified the brothers about anything, I would briefly speak to them using the crystal ball. So, when I tried to fill in the blank page for the letter, I didn’t know where to start.
First, I wrote that I would be attending the party as Ashik’s partner, gave a loose schedule, and reassured him I wouldn’t be away from the mansion for long. For some reason though, it just reads as stiff…
I squeezed out a few affectionate words for him, folded the letter, and slipped it straight into the envelope, securing the opening with a shilling. If I looked at the letter any longer, I wouldn’t be able to send it.
“Send this as well.”
“Yes, my lady.”
The maid left the room with the letters.
I don’t know what picture Ashik had in mind when he said “smoke screen,” but I had a hunch that it would be fun.
* * *
Inside the rattling carriage, the handsome red-eyed man with neat, swept-back, silver hair was gauging my reaction when he had finished speaking. His conscience must have been pricked at the thought of taking advantage of me.
To summarize: the Marquis de Pessil had unilaterally broken off his engagement a few months, and the young daughter of the Count, Susan Sperryn, was still pining after him, hoping to get engaged again.
Apparently, nothing major happened between them during their engagement that would have resulted in the relationship deteriorating. They were actually quite well suited for one another on the business side of the families. Nevertheless, Dion Pessil broke the engagement…
Ashik recognized that Marquis Pessil was not attracted to the young lady, and he didn’t want to willingly enter a loveless marriage. He also doesn’t want the young Sperryn lady as his enemy.
He only called me to see how Dion Pessil would react to my presence, to gauge how he feels.
So, I will appear as a provocateur between Ashik and the Marquis. Once Ashik is sure of his feelings… Well, that’s for him to handle. He’s only asked for me to keep the ex-fiancee at bay.
Of course, helping him wasn’t a bad idea, but there was a catch.
If I was going to provoke a reaction, I had to show a certain level of affection in public. Our social positions, being what they are, would mean it was only a matter of time before rumors of an engagement arose in the gossip-loving aristocracy. Imperial newspapers that allowed some gossip would not let this opportunity go.
The story would be filtered through the higher-ups, but by higher-ups, I mean the Crown Prince, or the two Dukes of the Empire. As long as it didn’t reach the ears of Bellamy or Damian, I’d be fine, but I’m not sure what would happen to Ashik.
“Duke… Can you handle it?”
“Somehow. I’ll know the Marquis’s heart by the end of the day, and then I’ll decide whether to give up or go for it. It’s a risk, but I’m willing to take it.”
I can’t believe he has become so decisive… I’ve never seen him so determined before.
Well, I can’t be the only one happy. Even if the scandal reaches the ears of the Orca brothers, I’ll just appease them one way or another.
“But the princess might be different and I can’t blame you if you refuse.”
“That’s okay. False rumors happen and die pretty fast.”
I was willing to give Ashik’s love a push, even if his love wasn’t returned, both in the original story and now. It’s a love story that never came to the surface in the original since it was buried by the bizarre actions of the villainous Orca brothers. It was likely that Dion Pessil’s single status was part of the reason for Ashik’s hope.
“I mean, you’ve been trying, so at least the Marquis likes you.”
“The thing is, it isn’t romantic-like.”
“You don’t know for sure.”
“…-”
“Or, change it to feelings of love today.”
I was smirking at him as he looked at me in disbelief.
“It’s like we’re skipping all the steps and going straight for the final boss.”
It couldn’t have been planned any better.
The carriage pulled up to an opulent mansion where servants were ushering nobles out of their carriages. Ashik stepped out and extended his hand to me. I placed my hand in his and followed his escort.
“By the way, where is Aria?”
“She told me to bring you and went ahead first.”
Aria is Aria, after all.
She and I haven’t spoken since Ashik and I’s kiss, but she even drew a small picture of a ring in her last letter to me.
“One day, you’ll need to tell Aria. You can’t leave her in the dark forever.”
“I’ll always be apologetic that she has me as a brother since I can’t live up to her expectations.”
As he spoke, his smile seemed forced.
It was good that he didn’t suggest anything like giving up his love for family. It was a conclusion that I was sure Aria wouldn’t even want. If anything, he just hasn’t had the right time to tell her. Not only would it be awkward for him to reveal who he loved, but also because he would probably feel awkward holding on to someone if there was no hope.
“It’s the same for me.”
All eyes turned to them as they followed the servant into the party. It was unusual for Ashik to come with a partner, other than Aria, to such a private event, and he was the highest-ranking person here.
Come to think of it, I frequently had tea with him in his mansion, but we never went out in public together. Aria wouldn’t even know that we were such friends.
“Their gaze burns more than I thought it would.”
“That’s because you’re beautiful, and the men can’t take their eyes off of you.”
“Wow, are you starting to act like my lover already?”
“I don’t enjoy being called an actor. I’m just giving you an extremely objective opinion.”
It was nice to hear a compliment from Ashik, who has surpassed the beauty standards in both of my lifetimes.
As Ashik and I whispered and gave off a friendly vibe, a handsome man walking toward us paused in his tracks.
I shifted my gaze to look at him and gave a quick nod as he faced us.
“Duke Euassis, Princess Orca.”
“Marquis Swanchette. Happy birthday.”
“Congratulations, Marquis.”
“Thank you. Having you two here makes my birthday extra special this year.”
We exchanged pleasantries and delivered the gifts we hastily ordered.
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