***
“Who are you?”
The voice that reached my ears sent a shiver down my spine.
It definitely didn’t sound like that of a child.
Instantly, I knew who it was.
‘Oh, this must be the rumored Second Prince.’
“Umm…”
I hesitated for a moment, debating how to address him.
Should I be more formal since he’s the Second Prince?
But what if I misunderstood?
Well, since this was our first meeting, I should stay on the side of politeness.
‘Wait, he’s speaking informally to me…’
However, I certainly didn’t want to show disrespect to a prince.
I definitely didn’t want my head chopped off.
‘When things are uncertain like this, there’s only one option.’
“Oh, I must have mistaken…” I said, trying to initiate Operation: Talk to Yourself and Run Away.
Swiftly, I removed my hand from the boy’s shoulder, flashed a charming smile, and gracefully curtsied in silence.
In response, the boy, whom I presumed to be the Second Prince, furrowed his eyebrows and stared at me.
‘Let’s just pass it off as a mutual mistake, alright?
What’s the problem, you little brat?!’
“How dare you lay a hand on me,” the boy suddenly snapped, his words laced with hostility.
Hearing that, I grudgingly admitted to myself that he truly was the Second Prince.
I rolled my eyes and took a closer look at him.
His hair color was also noticeably different from Joshua’s.
In fact, it resembled Michael’s white hair more than Joshua’s blonde locks.
White hair and red eyes, like that of a baby rabbit…
“I seem to have mistaken you for someone else.
I apologize,” I admitted, realizing my error.
Considering that he was a prince, it was only appropriate for me to take a step back this time.
With a friendly smile, I offered my apology to the boy.
In those typical romance fantasy novels, the possessed protagonist would narrate the story and enlighten readers about the abandoned Second Prince, something-something, yadda-yadda…
But the only people I remembered were Julianne and the boys around her.
Why couldn’t I possess a memory like that, brimming with genius?
It wouldn’t hurt to share!
“Which noble family do you belong to?” the Second Prince asked, interrupting my thoughts.
‘I already saw you sitting on the ground earlier anyway.
Trying to appear dignified now won’t change anything,’ I silently retorted.
Maintaining a professional smile, I responded,
“I am Lillianne Blanchet, the second daughter of Count Blanchett.”
I wasn’t well-versed in proper introductions, so I wasn’t sure if that was the correct way to present myself.
Nevertheless, it seemed to suffice.
Upon finishing my sentence, I allowed the corners of my eyes to crinkle in a cheerful smile.
The boy stared at me without uttering a word, this time raising his other eyebrow.
‘Huh?
Why is he looking at me like that?
Could it be that he’s also smitten with me?’ I mused, internally chuckling at the thought.
That would undoubtedly be troublesome, considering I was already overwhelmed with Aiden and Joshua.
‘Oh, right!
Joshua!
Julianne and Cedric will be back soon!
And before that, Michael and Allen will return too.’
“You…” the Second Prince began, his voice barely escaping his lips.
“I am currently quite occupied, so if you have any business, save it for our next encounter!”
I blurted out the words and made my swift escape.
‘He could send a letter, but let’s be honest, the chances of me reading it are slim!
I despise reading!’
However, Joshua was nowhere in sight.
‘Should I just leave him be?’ I contemplated, weighing the options.
After all, he was the one who would face the scolding in the end.
And I couldn’t help but regret abruptly departing like this.
‘I skipped dinner today to indulge in desserts!
I don’t have an ounce of strength left!’
“I am definitely going to knock him on the head when I see him,” I muttered under my breath, determined.
Cedric’s nephew or not, I was determined to grab him by the collar as soon as I laid eyes on him.
‘This brat thinks he can get away with anything just because I took it easy on him since he’s a kid.’
As I made another turn around the main entrance of the banquet hall, out of nowhere, someone fell from the tree above, and there he was, the same irritating little brat I had been desperately searching for.
“Hey!”
‘Is he intentionally trying to provoke me?’
I huffed and puffed as I approached Joshua.
However, he innocently blinked at me, seemingly unaware of his wrongdoing.
“What’s the matter?
Why are you suddenly acting like this?”
“Do you have any idea how long I’ve been looking for you?”
“Yeah, I heard you calling my name earlier.”
‘And you chose to ignore it, knowing fully well?
There’s no need for second thoughts.
I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.’
With determination, I clenched my fist and swiftly struck him on the head as soon as he finished speaking.
Immediately after, I grabbed his wrist and started pulling him back toward the banquet hall.
Though I wanted to unleash more of my frustration on him, it was wiser to return for now.
I restrained myself.
“You… you…” Joshua finally regained his senses as we reached the banquet hall, muttering with a blank expression.
His stupefied voice suggested he was taken aback.
‘In my day, everyone would get scolded like that!
That’s why you would sit up in a tree while someone was desperately searching for you.
I bet you were spoiled rotten, and everyone let you do whatever you pleased!’
In that sense, Cedric and Joshua’s parents seemed to lack a sense of responsibility.
‘They should be more like Julianne is with me, you know?
Forbid him from having desserts!
Clearly let him know when he’s done something wrong!’
“Why did you hit me?!”
“Because you deserved it!”
“That doesn’t mean you can just hit me!”
“Then listen to me the first time when I tell you nicely!” I shot back, our argument continuing as we walked back to our original spot.
The glances from people around us made me aware of their attention.
‘Just a squabble between kids, folks.
Nothing to see here.
Carry on…’ I silently pleaded, realizing my mistake, and glared at Joshua.
However, he suddenly started to hiccup.
‘Am I really that intimidating?
This is getting ridiculous.
Maybe I chose the wrong approach to teach him…’
I pondered, a bit flustered.
Sure, it was wrong to raise a hand against a child, but I was only eight years old myself, and I was genuinely furious just now.
“Don’t do that again next time.
Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to find you?” I sighed, softening my tone and reasoning with him.
But just then…
“I didn’t expect you to say that, Lili,” Aiden calmly interjected, holding a plate filled with desserts that I happened to adore.
‘Smart little guy.
He knows my taste perfectly,’ I thought, innocently smiling as I asked Aiden.
“What about Lia?”
“She hasn’t returned yet.”
“Oh, really?”
‘The dance ended quite a while ago, though.’
But as I tilted my head and glanced behind Aiden, my gaze met Michael’s immediately.
He smiled in relief upon seeing me, then casually flicked Allen, who was holding hands with Luca, on the side.
‘Ouch, that must have stung.’
“Uncle Michael has just arrived too.”
“Uh-huh, I see.”
Well, that was a relief.
Still holding onto Joshua’s wrist, I approached them with quick, determined steps.
Thankfully, Julianne wasn’t with them.
If she had been, the two of them in front of me would have faced a far greater scolding than I.
“You promised to stay put, Lili!”
Allen was the first to reprimand me.
Instead of responding, I shook Joshua’s arm in acknowledgment.
Michael understood my intention and nodded subtly, a hint of understanding on his face.
“I should have stayed after all.
Thank you for finding Josh, Lili,” Michael expressed his gratitude.
“No problem, old men.
I’ll make sure to tell Lia that you abandoned us to go and see her…”
I had initially planned to keep quiet and let it go, but the exhaustion from searching for Joshua had entirely drained my patience.
As I picked up a tart from the plate Aiden handed me, I muttered to myself.
Allen and Michael’s faces turned pale in response.
‘Hmm, they’re as pale as this white chocolate.
Completely pale and ghost-like.’
“Think about it, Lili.
You were the one who let us down…”
“Lia always said she despised people who made excuses the most.”
“Where did you pick up that phrase, Lili…?” Allen reproached me with a somber voice.
Nonetheless, I slightly nodded at Joshua and offered him some sherbet.
‘Here, have this to feel better.
Your reaction earlier made it seem like you’ve never been scolded physically by your parents.’
“You, you…
I really hate you,” Joshua grumbled as he accepted the sherbet with both hands and pouted.
I simply shrugged and whispered earnestly into Joshua’s ear.
“If you lie, horns will sprout from your butt, Josh.”
Upon hearing my words, Joshua immediately glanced back to inspect his own behind.
‘Ahaha, what a fool!
Teasing Joshua is always entertaining.’
Just as I burst into laughter at Joshua’s childish reaction, Julianne and Cedric approached us with cheerful smiles.
I hurriedly ran to Julianne and embraced her.
‘You have no idea what I went through, Lia.
Joshua suddenly vanished, and the person I grabbed by the shoulder turned out to be the rumored Second Prince.
And Joshua ignored me even though he knew I was looking for him…
All of this happened while you and Cedric were dancing, Lia.’
Clutching the hem of her dress, I looked up at Cedric.
He met my gaze with his usual innocent smile.
‘Huh?
Now that I look closely, something seems different about him…’
“I’ve never seen you wearing that tie before,” Allen pointed out before I could.
As Allen mentioned, Cedric was wearing a tie that covered his chest.
‘That’s where the diligent button used to be, right?
Ah, I understand now.
It must have popped off while dancing.’
“I wore the same tailcoat I had tailored a few years ago, so…”
“We were a little late in getting it fixed,” Cedric and Julianne chimed in simultaneously.
Yet, there was a peculiar atmosphere surrounding the two of them.
‘So, could it be…?’
“Oh!
I should have gone to the parlor first!” Allen exclaimed in despair, and Michael frowned in agreement.
‘Yeah, you guys sensed it too, didn’t you?
That faint yet disconcerting, tingling atmosphere.’
I smiled faintly as I looked at the four of them.
It had been a chaotic night at the ball.