Chapter 83
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 83
Still, she couldn’t just stand by and watch, not when she had a goal she absolutely had to achieve. Seo-ah turned her head, unable to look at Abel’s pained expression. The person she had put in the most difficult position was, without a doubt, Abel.
“I’m sorry, Abel.”
“…What for?”
When this was all over, she would be sure to apologize to him properly.
Seo-ah moved past Abel, who was blocking her way, and took another step up the stairs.
As she ascended, enduring the curious, glittering gazes fixed upon her, Sabine—who had been watching her intently—suddenly linked arms with her. The rich floral scent that wafted to her nose seemed to perfectly embody the glamorous Sabine.
But the fragrance wasn’t just coming from her.
The moment Seo-ah reached the top of the stairs, a garden in full bloom unfolded before her eyes. It was hard to believe she had only climbed a single flight of stairs.
The exhibition, named for the King’s fiancée, was designed on a grand scale, occupying half of an entire floor of the department store.
Sabine, the host, had requested that the venue resemble a corner of the Lily Garden. In response, the organizers had worked through the night of the festival, erecting temporary walls and decorating the space. A massive quantity of lilies had been procured, and an equally large workforce had been deployed. As a result, a space that had been a simple indoor room just days ago was now transformed into a garden that looked as if it were plucked from the royal palace itself.
“Have you ever been to an exhibition before?”
Seo-ah, who had been momentarily dazed, quickly shook her head at Sabine’s question.
“No.”
“I thought so. Let me show you around.”
Seo-ah could feel the glamorous women standing near Sabine giggling.
“Sabine, who is this?”
“A new friend I made today. Her name is Seo-ah.”
At the word “friend,” their giggles grew louder. Their bright, carefree laughter felt like sharp needles pricking her skin.
Sabine led her deeper into the garden of blooming lilies. Amid the dizzyingly thick, sweet floral scent, people far more glamorous than the flowers themselves were gathered.
“Congratulations, Lady Sabine.”
As a group of people approached, Sabine unlinked her arm as if she had never been holding it and said, “Wait here a moment.”
She then stepped toward them and greeted them warmly.
“Oh, Lady Isabella! Thank you so much for coming. You’re so early; you didn’t have to rush!”
“I wanted to come even earlier! Goodness, I’ve never seen such a magnificent exhibition. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Just enjoy yourself. That’s more than enough.”
“Oh, and this is…”
As she trailed off, a woman standing behind her holding a package stepped forward. Seeing this, Sabine shook her head with a look of polite reluctance.
“Oh, you really shouldn’t have.”
“It’s just a small token. This is a charity exhibition for the underprivileged, after all. We are all saying that our future Queen has a heart as vast as the ocean.”
“Oh… you flatter me.”
“Please, accept it.”
“Thank you. I will make sure it is put to good use.”
As another woman appeared from somewhere to take the gift on Sabine’s behalf, those who had been eyeing Seo-ah quietly inquired about her.
“But who is…?”
Sabine, who had been facing away, turned back to Seo-ah. A faint, pitying smile played on her lips. The moment that look—as if gazing upon a pathetic, wretched creature—was directed at her, Seo-ah knew Sabine was behaving exactly as she had anticipated.
Stepping closer, Sabine linked arms with Seo-ah once more.
Nobles swarmed around them like a cloud. As a result, Abel, who had been trying to stay close to Seo-ah, was pushed back by the crowd.
“She’s a friend I happened to meet today. Since she’s never been to an exhibition before, I thought I would show her around and explain things.”
“How typical of you, Lady Sabine. So generous.”
“Please, do go inside.”
Seo-ah felt that although she stood among them, she was utterly isolated from their world.
Led by Sabine, she stepped through an archway of lilies. Those entering with them gasped in admiration, and the crowd already inside immediately flocked toward Sabine.
“Lady Sabine!”
“Oh, hello!”
“Congratulations, Lady Sabine.”
“My goodness, everyone is here!”
Shrugging her shoulders in delight, Sabine turned back to Seo-ah with a look of deep apology.
“I’m so sorry. I need to go greet them. Would you mind waiting here for just a moment?”
Her face was a mask of polite embarrassment and regret, but her violet eyes held neither.
“Yes… of course.”
Sabine smiled.
With a flutter of her elegant skirts, she turned and melted into the crowd of admirers. A portion of the surrounding guests followed her like a swarm of bees to a flower.
Seo-ah quietly caught her breath and surveyed her surroundings.
Paintings of various sizes hung throughout the garden-like venue, and inscrutable abstract sculptures stood in various corners. True to the rumor that entry was highly exclusive, the attire of the guests was extraordinary.
Clothing was a clear marker of class, and in that sense, this place was undeniably filled with a social stratum entirely different from any she had encountered.
This was likely the world Oscar belonged to.
Seo-ah scanned the crowd for Abel. Since he hadn’t passed her, he had to be somewhere behind her. As she turned to look, her eyes fell upon four well-dressed young men.
They were strolling leisurely in her direction. Assuming she was in their way, Seo-ah took a few steps to the side.
Yet, one of them mirrored her movement, stepping in her path. Seo-ah sidestepped again. The man who had followed her let out a low chuckle.
“Hello there.”
The man who offered the polite greeting closed the distance in an instant, discarding his leisurely pace. As he blocked her path, his companions quickly fanned out, surrounding her.
Her grip on her bag tightened, and her heart began to hammer against her ribs. It wasn’t as if she had never experienced this before; even in her homeland, she had been an Outsider with an unusual appearance. But that didn’t make the sudden confrontation any less jarring.
One of the young nobles stared shamelessly at her face, smirking at her obvious tension. Encouraged by his grin, the others began to openly size her up.
Her round forehead, framed by soft wisps of hair, complemented her straight eyebrows. Her neat, delicate ears looked so fragile they might flush red at the slightest touch. Her posture was stiff, and the hand gripping her bag was white with tension—a pitiful sight.
Amusement crept into their eyes. The mockery in their gazes felt like sharp needles pricking her cheeks.
Her hand grew ice-cold. A chill washed over her, as if all the blood in her body were draining to her feet, sending a shiver straight to her heart.
Hmm… ‘Because I want you to be there’?
Only now did she fully comprehend the meaning behind those strange words.
“What is your name?”
A smooth, practiced voice slid into her ears. But in stark contrast to the pleasant tone, his malicious gaze roamed over her from head to toe.
“You’re scaring her. You should ask more gently.”
Though their whispers didn’t carry to the crowd further away, they were crystal clear to Seo-ah. Perhaps they wanted her to hear.
“May we ask your name?”
Hearing the thinly veiled malice in his voice, a weak, desperate urge to flee surged within her.
But the problem always came down to one simple truth.
Even if she fled, where could she possibly go? Her path of retreat had been cut off long ago.
“Look, her face is turning red. Show some manners, will you?”
They snickered amongst themselves, trading amused glances.
Seo-ah swallowed hard.
“Why don’t we go over there and have a chat?”
Beautiful music drifted from afar, and elegantly dressed guests floated past, but it all felt incredibly distant—as if happening in another world.
Seo-ah braced herself and took a slow, deep breath. She commanded her trembling heart.
Hold on.
If she was going to be afraid of something like this, she should never have crossed the ocean in the first place.
“I asked for your name.”
Enduring a few rude words and insolent stares?
It didn’t matter.
If doing so increased her chances of meeting him by even a fraction, she would endure far worse.
The young nobles crowded around the motionless woman like a swarm of insects. Sneering grins flashed on their faces as they leaned in. Through the gaps between them, the woman’s face appeared deathly pale, just as they expected.
Then, one of them thrust his face close to hers. Seo-ah, who had stood her ground until now, finally took a step back. But there was only another young noble blocking her from behind.
Abel Sting, who had been shoved aside by the nobles and held back by his colleagues, watched the scene unfold from a corner.
Had this not been a public venue, it was painfully obvious how far those bastards would have gone.
At that moment, one of the young men slyly reached out, attempting to wrap his arm around her waist. Seo-ah, who had endured everything in silence, flinched violently and recoiled. Even from a distance, the sheer panic on her pale face was unmistakable.
Abel knew all too well how a reaction like that would only feed the predatory instincts of men like them.
So why, for fuck’s sake… why?