Chapter 17: The Engagement Ceremony (2)

An engagement ceremony wasn’t anything extraordinary. At best, it was just another type of banquet centered around the main characters. A nearly ceremonial ritual followed by a simple exchange of rings.

“Please exchange rings with one another,” the man, who appeared to be a clergyman, said.

I glanced at Adele. She looked like a cyborg, her face stiff with nerves. I wanted to grab her by the cheeks and shake some sense into her, but I held back. Instead, I gently pulled her hand toward me.

‘Cold.’

Her hand, pale to the point of being almost white, was icy.

Well, considering this engagement banquet was filled to the brim with nobles from across the land, it would have been stranger if she wasn’t nervous.

I slowly slid the ring onto the fourth finger of her left hand. Her trembling hand made her look like someone with a nervous condition, and I barely managed to suppress a chuckle. Then, I moved closer to Adele.

Taking her right hand gently, I intertwined my fingers with hers. A faint squeal sounded from somewhere far away—likely from the young ladies who seemed overly invested in the concept of romance.

“What are you doing—?”

“Shh.”

I gave her a mischievous grin, and she let out an awkward laugh, the tension on her face easing slightly.

“It’s your turn, Adele.”

“…I understand.”

Her hand trembled slightly, but she successfully slid the ring onto the fourth finger of my left hand. I couldn’t help but think, Why is she so nervous over something as simple as exchanging rings?

But then again, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

With that, the clergyman continued, “May the blessings of the gods shine upon your future.”

As his words ended, a holy light descended from above. I barely managed to keep my face from contorting at the sensation of divine energy seeping into me.

The so-called blessing of the gods bore an uncomfortable resemblance to the emperor’s power.

“Congratulations once again on your engagement,” the clergyman said.

With the ceremony concluded, the customary ball began. As expected, Adele and I stood at the center of it all, holding hands and gazing at one another.

Perhaps due to the countless gazes fixed on us, she still moved stiffly, like a malfunctioning automaton.

She still hasn’t come to her senses, huh? It seemed she needed a stronger remedy at this point. Smiling at her, I caught her puzzled expression.

“May I have this dance, Adele?”

With that, I knelt on one knee and lightly kissed the back of her hand. For a moment, she froze, and then her face turned as red as a ripe tomato.

“Wh-what are you—?”

Taking her hands again, I guided her into the dance. Unlike the last time, when I had half-dragged her, I matched my steps to hers, moving in tandem.

For a moment, a mix of exasperation and disbelief flickered across her face. It was hard not to laugh at her expression.

“There’s no need to be nervous. You’re Abel’s fiancée, after all,” I whispered softly in her ear.

She hesitated for a moment before giving a small nod, finally aligning her steps with mine.

To my surprise, her dancing had improved significantly since last time. The clumsy missteps that had embarrassed her before were gone.

Alan had mentioned she’d been practicing to make up for that mortifying incident, and it seemed her efforts had paid off.

“You’ve improved a lot,” I said.

“Well, someone is an exceptional dancer. As your fiancée, I have to keep up, don’t I?”

“Well done.”

My brief compliment brought a faint blush to her cheeks. At this rate, I might start calling her the “Blushing Young Lady.” The thought made me chuckle quietly.

“You’ve got a cute side too, Adele. Who knew you’d be this weak to compliments?”

“…Be quiet. Focus on the dance.”

The music reached its crescendo. The musicians played tirelessly, their instruments weaving an enchanting atmosphere. At the center of it all, Adele and I performed a waltz, capturing the attention of everyone present.

I wasn’t particularly fond of being the center of attention, but if we were to turn rumors into reality, it was necessary.

Look at those young ladies now, hiding their giggles behind their fans. Their imaginations seemed endless, their faces alight with excitement.

How long has it been?

Eventually, the ball reached its conclusion, and the banquet began. This marked the start of a tedious cycle of congratulations and “gifts” from nobles—bribes, essentially.

In such grand gatherings, not bringing a gift was considered a greater offense than offering one under the guise of a bribe.

Smiling mechanically, I repeated the same phrases over and over. Thank you for coming, much appreciated, I’ll treasure your gift. This was precisely why I hated banquets, balls, and engagement ceremonies.

‘Exhausting.’

Even in my previous life, I was an introvert who felt out of place at gatherings like MTs. Now, despite being reborn with a handsome face and powerful magic, it seems my core nature hasn’t changed.

As I let my idle thoughts drift, a familiar face came into view.

Her mysterious silver hair and luminous golden eyes—there was no mistaking her. She was Estelle von Louis, the only daughter of the Marquis of Louis and the protagonist of the original novel The Villainess Turns Back Time Again.

Standing beside her was another noblewoman… a face I didn’t recognize.

But for some reason, an ominous feeling crept up on me.

“It’s been a while. I am Estelle von Louis,” she greeted.

“…Luna von Aite,” the other noblewoman added.

Both ladies curtsied gracefully, holding the edges of their dresses. I felt Adele’s hand tremble slightly in mine.

If memory served me right, in the original story, Adele had a rough time when she tried to associate too closely with Estelle.

Feeling a little sorry for her, I clasped her trembling hand more firmly.

“It has been a while. I am Adele von Este,” she said, bowing her head slightly, her voice steadier now, thanks to the reassurance of my touch.

“Congratulations on your engagement, Lady Este,” Estelle said warmly.

“Thank you,” Adele replied politely.

Luna, however, frowned faintly, her grip on her wine glass tightening. Surely, she wouldn’t be foolish enough to act on her thoughts—not with me, a duke of the empire, standing right here.

Or so I hoped. But no, the wine was flung our way.

Adele, engrossed in a light conversation with Estelle, didn’t even notice the noblewoman’s expression or her movements.

‘And this is exactly why I dislike romance fantasy tropes.’

I raised my arm to shield Adele just in time. The wine never reached her face, instead splashing across my pristine white uniform, staining it red.

Adele’s eyes widened in shock at the sudden turn of events.

The music continued, but the chatter ceased. A suffocating silence fell over the room. Lady Aite’s face turned as pale as a ghost.

Whatever her intentions, this wasn’t an incident I could simply overlook.

“Lady Aite,” I said, my tone calm but cold.

“Hic!” she gasped, hiccupping in fear.

Even Estelle seemed startled by her companion’s reckless behavior, her lips slightly parted. Knowing the original story, Estelle wasn’t really the villain type, so I doubted she had orchestrated this.

“You know what you must do,” I said.

“I-I sincerely apologize!” Lady Aite stammered, bowing deeply. Sweat beaded her forehead, and she trembled visibly.

Beside me, Adele bit her lip, clearly unsure of how to respond. If she were the “villainess” everyone assumed her to be, she’d have already intimidated Lady Aite without hesitation—verbally or physically. But this was Adele, the protagonist of the story.

“…I forgive you. But don’t let this happen again.” Adele said finally, her voice calm but firm.

Estelle’s eyes widened slightly, as if taken aback by Adele’s unexpected response. She seemed on the verge of saying something but quickly shut her mouth.

Most of the provincial nobles present didn’t seem too surprised, likely because they hadn’t expected Adele to act like a stereotypical villainess in the first place.

“Th-thank you! Thank you, Lady Este!” Lady Aite cried, bowing again before hastily retreating.

As I watched her scurry away, I couldn’t help but think, The major plot beats really are inevitable, aren’t they?

In the original story, it wasn’t Lady Aite but another noblewoman who committed this act. I didn’t remember her name, but it certainly wasn’t the one who had just fled.

Events will happen as they are meant to, no matter how much the details change.

“Are you alright?” I asked Adele.

“…Yes,” she replied softly.

No, she wasn’t.

She wasn’t yet accustomed to facing people’s malice so directly. Perhaps that was a good thing. In the original story, Adele, worn down by endless hostility, became chillingly cold and disturbingly ruthless.

At least this Adele still retains her warmth.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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