episode_0017

It felt as though crimson eyes were piercing through everything, still sticking to her back.

In that unsettling feeling, Eleanor fled from the spot in a daze.

Ignoring the occasional thick voices of men approaching her,

Eleanor simply shifted the silver shoes beneath her dress wherever her gaze landed.

For a while, Eleanor wandered around the hall, her cheeks flushed.

Exhausted, she stopped by the balcony on the second floor of the hall, next to the long corridor lined with balconies.

Opposite the ornate curtains veiling the balcony was a railing overlooking the hall.

Leaning against the railing, Eleanor exhaled deeply, her breath rough until the tip of her throat.

Huff.

Today… *pant* I’m really getting some cardio in.

Her exhales gradually softened.

The movement of her chest atop the pure white dress was gradually calming.

Finally, Eleanor began to take in the sights around her.

Leaning on the railing, she gazed intently at the grand chandelier adorned with dazzling crystals hanging in front of her.

From a distance where it seemed within reach, the chandelier illuminated the grand hall below.

Beneath it, men and women laughed and chatted in tune with the gentle party music.

Eleanor raised her arms on the railing, observing the scene below attentively.

Men approaching women with airs of superiority.

Women fluttering unseen tails in agreement with the men’s words.

And above them all, herself, watching the people absentmindedly.

Surrounded by these scenes, Eleanor felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

It felt like being in a hunting lodge she had visited once, dragged there by a colleague’s insistence.

The lively atmosphere of intoxicated voices mixing in a vibrant space.

Unable to blend into the jovial mood of that time, she often took a step back and observed quietly.

And now, Eleanor, looking down at the glittering hall, felt as if she had been isolated in this space.

Well, it’s all the same, Eleanor.

With a wry smile on her beautiful face, Eleanor leaned on the railing and cautiously rose from her leaning position.

That was the end of her contemplation.

Now she needed to find a place to hide from the men’s gazes once again.

Starting with Yulrian’s dash, some men approached Eleanor to strike up a conversation.

Of course, the distracted Eleanor coolly brushed them off.

Amidst catching her breath, she noticed some men below the stairs glancing at her.

Sky-blue eyes scanning the surroundings soon halted under the elaborate curtain arch of the balcony.

Hmm… It wouldn’t hurt to hide behind the balcony curtain, right?

Besides, she also wanted to breathe in the cool air.

Entertaining the noble idea, Eleanor stumbled along the extended corridor.

Bringing her ear close to each long-drawn curtain on the balconies, she began searching for a balcony without any signs of occupancy.

However, Eleanor—or rather, the reader—was unaware.

Reading web novels was the only hobby of the reader, but being a man, he wasn’t particularly familiar with romance novels, especially those aimed at women.

This novel, not because it was a romance, but simply because it was the latest work of his favorite author, he had only read the prologue and left it at that.

So, he had no idea what might be happening beyond the lowered curtains of the balcony.

The excited platinum blonde lady had already walked to the end of the corridor.

Arriving at the balcony she had checked, faint voices of a chatty man and woman could be heard.

Now, there was only one balcony left.

Of course, just like before, this balcony too had its curtains drawn. However, there were no shadows visible from the outside, nor any signs of movement.

And this time, no voices were heard.

Just in case, you never know.

Eleanor gently pushed her head through the slightly parted curtain.

And what Eleanor faced beyond it was a scene where two individuals, with serious expressions, were exchanging secretive conversation.

The man and woman inside the balcony, taken aback by the sudden appearance of the platinum-haired intruder, halted their conversation.

And the uninvited guest who suddenly barged in was no exception.

Although no sound seemed to have been made…

With the volume of their voices, they should have definitely been heard.

With a greatly flustered expression, Eleanor shouted towards the startled pair.

“Apologies! Please continue your pleasant time!”

A hand that suddenly emerged from behind the curtain grabbed Eleanor’s slender arm.

As the grip tightened considerably, Eleanor was pulled abruptly through the curtain, into the balcony’s interior.

The woman who dragged Eleanor inside, preventing her escape, wrapped her arms tightly around Eleanor’s slim waist and neck.

The force exerted through the stiff fabric of her attire was quite strong.

The soft sensation felt on her back through the dress was oddly ticklish.

Hence, the voice that flowed past her red lips was unusually harsh compared to her usual tone.

“W-What are you doing!”

“That’s a question I’d like to ask, my dear!”

The arm around her throat tightened further.

The woman embracing Eleanor responded with a sharp tone to the harsh voice.

“My dear. No, you! Whose fortune are you reading, and how far have you eavesdrop-.”

“Hey, Daphne. Calm down for now.”

The man standing beside them interrupted the woman’s continued speech.

His gentle voice stood in stark contrast to the woman’s sharp demeanor.

“Sir… My lord. This lady here overheard our conversation-.”

“Just calm down for now. Daphne, release Eleanor first.”

“But…”

“Daphne!”

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

The man’s voice, previously gentle, took on a deeper, more authoritative tone than Urien’s earlier one.

Both Eleanor, struggling to break free from the embrace, and Daphne, holding her tightly, looked at the man with shocked expressions.

“Daphne, this lady you’re holding is the youngest daughter of the Ga family. What do you think a Westerner is doing listening in on Northern affairs?”

However, in the man’s subsequent words, only his original gentle tone could be heard.

Upon his words, Daphne released Eleanor.

She then bowed deeply to Eleanor, who was adjusting her disheveled dress.

“Apologies, my dear.”

“Cough. Not all of a sudden! Cough. Where did this sudden choking come from!”

Feeling unnecessarily apologetic, Eleanor retorted amidst coughs.

Daphne still kept her head bowed.

The man beside her, seemingly finding the situation amusing, chuckled while observing Eleanor.

Finally, the man’s gentle voice resonated within the balcony.

“My dear Beauregard. Of course, we, including Daphne, have made mistakes as well.”

A glint of light flashed in his black eyes.

The man continued speaking as he gazed at the innocent and pure girl.

“The balcony with the drawn curtain, you must understand its significance, don’t you?”

Eleanor naturally responded to the man’s question.

“What do you mean by that?”

With an endlessly pure and clear voice and expression.

Daphne, who had been bowing her head deeply, and the man who had been enjoying Eleanor’s reaction, now looked at each other with awkward expressions.

Of course, if it were a young lady from a noble family who had just made her debut, she might be a bit naive in this regard.

Although things have changed a lot these days, there was a time when purity was considered a virtue for women.

Considering the rumors about the Beaurengas that had been circulating, the possibility of the father and brother doting on their youngest daughter seemed quite plausible.

However, no matter what.

The balcony with the drawn curtain was like a social convention.

It was surprising that even a young lady of the capital was unaware of such a fact.

“Really, are you asking because you truly don’t know?”

His dark eyes began to sparkle with interest.

Seeing the man grinning at her, Eleanor, feeling uncomfortable, spoke loudly to him.

“Yes! I don’t know! I just came in to rest for a moment because it was so quiet beyond the curtain, and it seemed like no one was there!”

Upon Eleanor’s response, the man, like a hunting dog finding its prey, approached her, pulling up the corners of his mouth almost to his ears.

At the man’s softly spoken words, Eleanor’s fair face started to blush crimson.

“Yes, Lady Beaureng. The balcony with the drawn curtain is where men and women explore each other’s bodies, and the man’s belongings—”

“Your Grace! Your expression is too explicit!”

Interrupting him, Daphne’s voice made Duke Dmitri seem somewhat aggrieved.

“No, she’s a pure young lady who doesn’t know about such things. This is how it should be expressed for her to understand.”

Although the Duke’s words were cut off midway, Eleanor was no fool.

Just from that, she could tell what kind of mischief she had caused.

Ah…

So, am I really not showing any sign of resistance while they are preparing to take advantage of me?

Still, Eleanor had lived as a man for 21 years.

She was more familiar with a man’s body than a woman’s, and naturally, a sense of guilt towards the man in front of her began to well up due to her own misconduct.

However, the guilt that began to spread quickly dissipated with the man’s following words.

“Well, my lady. Let’s enjoy this situation together with the three of us. How about it, will you join us with Daphne?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine!”

“Oh, don’t be shy. With your face all flushed, Lady, you know exactly what’s going on.”

“No, I don’t want to! Hey! Don’t touch my body!”

Avoiding the playful touch of the man, Eleanor half withdrew her body behind the balcony curtain.

And on the other side, she unexpectedly came face to face with someone.

“Elli! Your father has been looking for you everywhere. What on earth were you doing here?”

“Oh, Father.”

Oh… I’m in trouble.

Facing her father, Eleanor let out a deep sigh.