The Uninvited Guest
"May I ask for your name, my lady?"
To Theodore's polite inquiry, the noblewoman replied with a faint smile.
"I am called Adelinde. My husband is the Viscount of Muenchhausen."
"You seemed familiar; I wondered if we had met before."
"Perhaps you have encountered my daughter or a relative somewhere along the way."
Adelinde spoke to him in a voice of surprising warmth. Theodore found this strange as well. Her demeanor held an affection as if she were speaking to a nephew or a grandson.
Though he found talking to her pleasant, he could not stand there forever. The next guest was following right behind him. With no other choice, he bowed to Adelinde and entered the salon.
The salon was not particularly bright. Several tables were scattered about, and on one side, a piano and a podium were set up, with the lighting focused intensely on that area.
Theodore had arrived quite late. It seemed one of the guests was playing the piano, surrounded by others who were laughing and applauding.
He scanned the salon, looking for the host, when he suddenly froze in place as if nailed to the floor.
'Via...?'
Seeing the back of a lady with long, pitch-black hair, the thought crossed his mind for a fleeting second, but he shook his head to dispel the delusion.
Olivia couldn't possibly be in a place like this. Besides, that woman had black hair, not blonde.
It must just be another woman of similar height. Even as he thought this, he found it impossible to tear his gaze away. He watched as the woman laughed, her hair swaying lightly.
Noticing him standing still, one of the guests brushed past him and looked back with an obvious expression of curiosity. Theodore forced himself to look away, only to end up staring at the woman once more.
And then, he stopped breathing.
The woman glanced to the side and their eyes met. She faltered.
"Via."
Theodore muttered under his breath. It was Olivia. The woman he had searched for so desperately. He had never imagined he would meet her in a place like this.
She had painted her eyes in a deep, gold-dusted navy and drawn the corners upward with kohl. But no amount of heavy makeup could hide Olivia from him.
He was confident he would recognize her anytime, anywhere. Even if she were mixed in with tens of thousands of people, he knew he could find her instantly. How long had he ruminated on her, recalled her, and imagined her? Even if she had been reborn with a different face, he would have known.
He felt as if he were sinking into a swamp. Even the air between them felt like a heavy, suffocating obstacle. He reached out toward her like a drowning man grasping for life.
Just then, Olivia turned her back on him. She began greeting people and moved naturally toward the exit of the hall. Theodore scrambled through the tables and the crowd, desperate to follow her.
"Oh, Sir Theodore!"
Someone called out to him in a loud voice. Theodore tried to ignore the man, but the middle-aged gentleman blocked his path entirely, grabbing his arm with forced familiarity.
"How long has it been? Come to think of it, I should call you Count Lutgarth now, not Sir!"
"...Marquis Berg."
"Count Lutgarth, did you say?"
The noblewoman accompanying Marquis Berg looked at him in surprise. She had been curious about who this handsome young man was, and to think he was the new Count Lutgarth!
"My goodness! Marquis Berg, why didn't you introduce us?"
"Was I not just about to? Count Lutgarth, this is my friend, the Viscountess of Deermark. My lady, Count Lutgarth is a former student of mine."
Theodore had no choice but to exchange pleasantries. Even so, he anxiously searched for Olivia, but she had already vanished.
As soon as Olivia stepped out of the salon and into the deserted hallway, she broke into a run.
'Why is Theo here?'
Her heart hammered against her ribs like a drum.
She and Duke Klaus had reached an agreement regarding the necessity of bringing Theodore to their side. However, they differed greatly on the specifics.
Duke Klaus wanted him to come to the capital and join the Klaus faction immediately. Once the addition of Count Lutgarth became visible, it would have a significant influence on the provincial nobles.
Olivia's reasons for opposing this were personal. She did not want the Lutgarth family to sacrifice any more than they already had, nor did she want to drag Theodore into the filthy political infighting of the capital.
Therefore, if they were to reunite, it had to be as 'Princess Olivia,' after she had secured enough power and influence. When that time came, even if the Lutgarths supported her, they wouldn't need to walk such a dangerous tightrope.
'Grandfather, surely not?'
Before she knew it, she had exited the annex through a servant's side door. She had moved toward the darker areas to avoid being seen.
The cold air hit her, clearing her head.
She couldn't just run away like this. It was unheard of for a salon owner to simply abandon their own event. If it were just for a moment, people might assume she had gone to the restroom or was giving orders to the staff, but anything longer would be problematic.
'I overreacted. Even if it was an unexpected moment, to run away so clumsily just because I saw his face...'
Of course, she couldn't stand there and argue with Theodore. That wasn't something 'Laila' would do.
She had to go back immediately. She had taken a deep breath, so she would be fine. She could look at Theodore with a calm face and say, "It's been a long time; I'm busy today, so let's meet another day." If he got angry, she could elegantly order him to leave, as befitted a salon owner.
She would likely become the subject of gossip, but a scandal involving Count Lutgarth wouldn't have a negative impact. The fact that she had grown up in the Lutgarth territory was likely already known in Schwab...
Just as she turned, having settled her thoughts, someone grabbed her waist and neck, spinning her around with force.
"Gasp!"
"You have a troubled look on your face, Laila."
Ezekiel was looking down at her with the expression of a ruthless predator. His silver hair, shimmering in the moonlight, fell before her eyes.
Olivia was startled and tried to struggle, but his powerful arms pulled her into his chest. His grip was so strong it felt as though he might crush her bones, and he seized her chin.
She winced in pain and surprise. He forced her mouth open and shoved his tongue inside.
"Mmph!"
It wasn't so much a kiss as an attempt to rip out the root of her tongue; he wrapped his tongue around hers and sucked forcefully. Saliva welled up and spilled over her lips.
"Hng, mmph...!"
A pained moan escaped through their pressed lips. Olivia's body trembled as she struggled to breathe, her jaw aching.
Yet, she did not resist. Laila had to seduce him. She could offer enough resistance to make it feel like a game, but if she truly rejected him, this game would be over.
She knew all too well what Ezekiel was capable of if that happened. If he still had physical interest, he would drag her away and do as he pleased, but if he grew bored and let her go entirely, she would never be able to achieve her goal.
Realizing Olivia wasn't fighting back, Ezekiel's hand, which had been gripping her chin, slid slowly downward to toy with the bodice of her dress, right above her chest.
The kiss softened. He gave the gasping Olivia a moment to breathe before pressing his lips to hers again. He explored the inside of her mouth—which had grown hot, perhaps from the swelling caused by his rough treatment—once more before finally pulling away.
His fingers had already slipped inside her bodice, caressing her breast as if to press against it. Olivia steadied her breathing and glared at him.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I thought you knew exactly what you were doing to provoke my anger?"
"Gasp!"
Ezekiel tightened his arm around her waist, pulling her body flush against his, and asked,
"Or did you actually think that because I played with you a little, you could do as you pleased? It was fun. There hasn't been anyone worth tearing apart lately."
"I don't know what you're talking abou... Ugh!"
Ezekiel's arm tightened further, squeezing her until it felt as though her spine might snap. A moan escaped Olivia's lips.