Trade Secrets

Finally, the day of the next ball at the Imperial Palace arrived.

It was prepared on a much grander scale than the welcome ball.

Serina, after receiving the finishing touches from her attending maid, appeared in a dress even more extravagant and breathtaking than the day before.

Serina’s entrance was like a flash of light in the banquet hall.

Once again, all eyes focused on Serina.

Murmurs spread like waves among the nobles.

Their curiosity and jealousy towards her, who had received the blatant attention of Marquis Roderick and Grand Duke Ares at the last banquet, had reached its peak.

In particular, Lady Selene’s expression was even more distorted than on the first day.

She bit her reddened lips tightly, glaring at Serina with eyes full of hatred.

Other noble ladies standing next to Selene scanned Serina with gazes mixed with contempt and envy.

“Oh my, what on earth is she thinking, wearing such a dress? It seems she has no regard for the Imperial Palace’s decorum.”

“Utterly vulgar. A noble lady from some unheard-of family dares…”

Whispers brushed past Serina’s ears, but she ignored them with a relaxed smile.

Such petty checks were meaningless.

Serina headed towards where Roderick and Grand Duke Ares were, as if accustomed to it.

Many nobles were already gathered around them, exchanging greetings.

“Wow, Ella really prepared well.”

Roderick looked at Serina and smiled contentedly.

“Serina, you seem to be really determined today? You look like you’re about to devour someone? Maybe… me?”

Serina didn’t feel the need to respond to Ares’s words.

The banquet hall was more crowded with nobles than the day before.

Serina was engaged in light conversation with Roderick and Grand Duke Ares.

Just then, Baron Leopold was seen approaching from afar.

Unable to hide the desire he had felt for Serina in the garden, he fixed his gaze on Serina like a hungry beast that had found its prey.

His face was filled with an expectant smile.

Leopold exchanged formal greetings with the surrounding nobles, gradually approaching Serina’s group.

He seemed excited that the ‘beautiful secret woman’ he had seen in the garden had reappeared.

Finally, Leopold stood right in front of Serina.

Serina smiled leisurely and stared intently into his eyes.

At the same time, she raised her toes and tightened her sphincter.

“I seem to be a bit late. Grand Duke Ares, Marquis Roderick.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Leopold’s face flushed slightly at their attitude.

‘Are they openly ignoring me? Well, it doesn’t matter. My goal is that bitch anyway.’

Leopold relaxed his slightly hardened expression and smiled with his eyes.

“It’s a pleasure to meet the beautiful lady again. I’m very lucky. May I know your name today?”

“Well, don’t men erase women they’ve had from their memories? I’d be too sad if you forgot my name.”

Pfft-

Cough-

Roderick and Ares spat out the wine and water they were drinking.

She glared at them, giving them a warning look.

‘What are they both doing?’

‘Ah, sorry, sorry.’

‘She’ll never become a noble lady.’

Ahem-!

Ahem-!

“Ah, Baron Leopold, don’t mind us.”

Leopold’s face became even more flushed, and he lowered his voice.

“Leo…pold, it is.”

Roderick wiped his clothes with a cloth brought by a maid and said.

“This isn’t wiping off well. Well then, I hope you two have a good time, Baron Leopold, see you later!”

Leopold was sure that Roderick was ignoring him.

“Leo…pold…!”

Whack-!

“Oh my, I’m sorry. The hem of my skirt is too long…”

Serina placed her hands on Leopold’s chest as if she was about to fall.

Leopold began to let his imagination run wild.

‘As they say, there’s no tree that won’t fall after ten chops. A man should be able to challenge this much. Hehe. Does she think I don’t know she’s subtly leaning on me? You bitch, I’ll fuck you silly after the ball.’

“Are you alright? Oh dear, it looks like you’ve sprained your ankle, may I support you?”

“Of course, I’d be grateful.”

Serina took Leopold’s hand and walked towards the center of the ballroom.

Leopold kept glancing down at Serina’s cleavage, drooling.

“Um… Baron?”

Leopold’s eyes widened at Serina’s call.

It seemed like heat was pouring out of his widened nostrils.

“Anything you say.”

As Leopold approached Serina’s face, Serina smiled leisurely and stared intently into his eyes.

At the same time, she filled her pupils with Pleasure magic.

A purple light briefly flickered in Leopold’s eyes.

And the focus of his pupils disappeared.

His face was instantly filled with Pleasure and madness.

Leopold rubbed his eyes, wondering what he was seeing.

Serina suddenly began to lower the shoulder of her dress.

-Please, embrace me, Baron. Didn’t you know my heart? Please, fuck me wildly with that cock of yours.

“L, Lady… wh, what did you just say?”

-Aren’t you curious about my secret spot? Hurry. Hurry and stick it in.

“Hahaha! You’re a hot lady. Alright, I don’t care about your name. I’ll shower you with a week’s worth of cum.”

Leopold lowered his pants and staggered towards Serina.

His hand roughly grabbed the hem of Serina’s dress.

“Hehe, you like it rough, don’t you? Right? You bitch.”

Leopold’s hand tried to tear Serina’s dress mercilessly.

All the surrounding nobles gasped in shock and murmured.

Even Lily and Amelia were startled and covered their mouths.

Serina could have easily avoided it, but she deliberately stood still and allowed Leopold to grab her clothes.

A look of satisfaction flashed across her eyes.

“You crazy bastard!”

Roderick reacted first.

He immediately ran towards Leopold and slapped his face hard.

Following him, Ares grabbed Leopold by the collar and pushed him away roughly.

Leopold fell to the floor.

Serina widened her eyes in surprise and covered her mouth.

She trembled as if in shock and sat down on the spot.

It was a perfect act.

“That crazy bastard… Serina, are you alright?”

Amelia approached with a surprised expression, supporting and comforting Serina.

Lily also stood beside her with a worried expression.

Leopold looked around with confused eyes, sprawled on the floor.

The Pleasure suggestion had been lifted.

‘It’s hard to maintain for long. This should be enough.’

Leopold then seemed to realize the terrible mistake he had made, and stammered with a pale face.

“N… no, that’s not it! I… I was momentarily out of my mind…!”

But it was already too late.

All the nobles in the ballroom had witnessed his ugly behavior.

Murmurs filled the banquet hall.

Gazes of criticism and contempt poured down on Leopold.

“Take that man away immediately!”

The Captain of the Guard of the Imperial Palace, who arrived shortly after, shouted urgently.

Leopold tried to approach Serina and apologize, but he was stopped by the Imperial Palace guards who had already arrived.

“It’s not like that! It’s a misunderstanding! This is….”

He desperately shouted, looking at Serina’s disappearing figure, obscured by the people.

Serina did not answer.

However, Leopold clearly saw at the last moment that one corner of Serina’s mouth was coldly raised as she disappeared among the people.

Roderick picked up Serina, who was sitting on the floor.

“Serina, your acting skills are outstanding. I was impressed.”

Serina blinked her eyes and made an innocent expression.

“What are you talking about, Marquess? I was so surprised… Ugh, I still can’t get used to this tone.”

Grand Duke Ares chuckled as he heard their conversation.

He took a step closer to Serina and tapped her on the shoulder.

“You acted well, Serina. I didn’t know you could ruin him so thoroughly. But how did you do it? That guy’s expression earlier looked really ecstatic.”

“It’s a trade secret.”

Ares circled around Serina as if she was suspicious.

“Is it related to that Purple Magic?”

“Don’t try to know more, you’ll get hurt. Grand Duke.”

Roderick shook his head at Serina.

Serina put her arm around Lily’s shoulder and said kindly.

“Lily, you don’t have to walk around here with your head down anymore.”

Even as he was dragged out of the banquet hall by the Imperial Palace guards, Baron Leopold was dazed.

Just a few minutes ago, he was about to embrace a beautiful lady at the most magnificent ball in the Imperial Palace.

But when he came to his senses, he was sprawled on the floor, and now he was being kicked out of the Imperial Palace with this enormous shame.

“What… what on earth happened?”

His mind was still confused.

Serina’s illusion had been so vivid.

He had tried to tear her dress.

Remembering that moment, the blood in his body seemed to cool.

‘Everyone will think I tried to rape a noble lady in front of everyone.’

This was not just a scandal, but a serious crime that meant the deprivation of his title and the downfall of his family.

‘Please… please, if it reaches His Majesty the Emperor’s ears, it’s over.’

The title of Baron had been obtained through vile tactics.

It was a noble status that he had barely obtained by betraying the Artiel Family and acting as a puppet for Evan Libello and Bertina.

He was just about to make a name for himself among the nobles.

But all of this was now in danger of being washed away in an instant.

Then, the last moment when he was screaming at Serina in the banquet hall, her face being obscured by the people, came back to his mind.

And the corner of her mouth.

That eerie, bitter smile that only went up on one side.

Leopold’s eyes widened.

He grabbed his head.

The moment he had encountered her in the garden.

And that lady who had driven him crazy at the ball today.

She had been a completely different person with makeup and a fancy dress, but he realized it now.

“Damn it! Damn it!!!”

He then realized everything.

Anger surged from his throat.

He spat on the floor.

“Serina… Countess Rubia? Bullshit! Serion de Artiel! That bastard who should have died! Dares to play with me?!”

Leopold trembled with anger.

From the beginning, there had been something strange, that arrogant gaze and somewhat familiar tone.

“You damn bitch! Dares to!!! If you survived, you should have lived quietly as if you were dead, uaaaaaack!!!”

And he vowed.

That he would definitely repay this humiliation someday.

He had to return to Artiel, inform Evan and Bertina of this fact, and devise the next scheme.