It Doesn’t Matter If You’re Broken - Chapter 8

Elise’s instinctively outstretched hand pushed the tray of a passing attendant away. The wine glasses on the tray crashed to the floor with her.

The glasses shattered with a loud noise next to Elise, who was lying on the floor. The spilt wine stained Elise’s white dress red.

Oh, my goodness. Small sighs flowed here and there, and all eyes gathered at the scene.

“My God, Lady. Are you okay?”

The attendant exclaimed in surprise.

Elise bit her lip and held back her moans. As she fell, her wrist resting on the floor was properly bent. Her throbbing pain travelled up her arm and shoulder.

But her fear outweighed her pain and shame. The countless gazes were terrifying, like the point of a knife aimed at her. Whether benevolence or malice, all of them were burdensome to Elise.

She just wanted to get out of this place, so she held back the pain and got on her knees, but then someone’s shoes stopped in front of her hand.

The shoes, lavishly decorated with jewels and ribbons, looked expensive.

“Can I help you?”

Elise slowly lifted her head and looked at the own of the voice.

Flaming hair, white skin and red-painted lips. She was a gorgeously decorated beauty. The grey eyes radiated a cool, serpentine look down at her.

Without even having time to question who it was, the nobles nearby began to greet the person in a row.

“I see you, Your Highness, the Princess.”

“Greetings to Her Highness, the Princess.”

Princess Theresia von Oldenhilt. Upon learning her true identity, Elise’s face turned white.

The banquet was held at the Imperial Palace, but she never thought she would face the royal family one-on-one.

Even more so in this way.

“I’m, I’m sorry… Your Highness the Princess.”

Elise hurriedly got up and tried to greet her. However, she let out a short moan when she felt a sharp pain in her wrist as she landed on the floor and collapsed again.

“You look like you have a hard time getting up.”

Theresia muttered, tilting her head to one side.

“Looks like you fell the right way.”

Suddenly, the voice had a prominent chill, but Elise didn’t notice it.

Because she was overly anxious.

The pain in her wrist was so intense, and the only thought in her head was that she had to get up somehow and say her greetings to the Princess.

It was difficult for her to make rational decisions at the moment.

“Raise her.”

At Theresia’s command, her ladies-in-waiting approached Elise and grabbed both of her arms.

Elise was taken aback when she was forced to stand up due to her awkwardness, but as soon as she stood straight, she deeply bowed her head in greeting.

“I see you, Your Highness, the Princess.”

Her heart was pounding. She swallowed nervously and stammered out her words.

“Thank you for your help. The rudeness of being unable to greet you right away… Please forgive me.”

Elise was leaning over her body, so she couldn’t see the Princess’s cold eyes and twisted smile.

“What if I can’t forgive you?”

“…Yes?”

The back of her head was blocked by the voice that sent chills down her spine.

She cautiously raised her head and looked at Theresia.

She didn’t know how to react at a time like this. Her education, which lasted only a little over a year, and her sheer aristocratic status were far from enough.

“No, what if I don’t want to forgive?”

Elise’s face became pale.

* * *

Cardale looked at the face of the woman who turned pale. His gaze lazily passed by the pale nape of her neck and came down to the hem of the pure white dress.

The dress could no longer be called white. The wine spilt, and it was all stained.

‘It seems to suit surprisingly well.’

The sight of the pure white dress being dyed red like blood, and the way her innocence was tainted with a mess, evoked a strange feeling in him.

The Duke gazed at Elise with a lofty attitude and lazily tilted his glass. His gaze swayed, and he drank the strong drink, but far from drunkenness, his mind only became clearer.

It didn’t count for the Princess to see them dance, but it didn’t matter. Even this variable was out of his grasp.

No, it might be better this way.

He decided to revise his plan. The more the Princess lost her temper and ran wild, the more it would be helpful to him in many ways.

“Again.”

Just in time, Theresia stepped towards the scared woman with a fishy smile on her lips.

Cardale licked his lips wet.

‘Is it a start?’

Theresia said, looking down at Elise imposingly, as if she was looking at an ant, which would soon be stamped out.

“Say your greetings properly.”

Even though Elise had already said her greetings, it was quite intentional to repeat it. However, the difference in status was clear, and the orders of the Imperial family were absolute.

As her small lips quivered, Elise bent her waist, holding the hem of her dress with both hands.

“You, bring it here.”

“Yes? Yes! Your Highness, the Princess.”

Despite the sudden order from the Princess, the attendant did not panic and quickly lifted the tray she was holding.

Theresia reached out her hand and picked up a glass. Her ornate fingernails gleamed terrifyingly in the light. And…

Dismay spread throughout the hall.

Drops of wine that had not been spilt fell from the tip of the tilted glass. The wine dripping onto the silver hair trickled down and wet Elise’s forehead, eyes, cheeks, and chin before finally landing on her dress.

“Oh, my hand slipped.”

A suffocating silence fell over the banquet hall. All eyes were now on Elise and Theresia.

“But would you understand? Because of your mistake, the hem of my dress was also splashed with wine.”

No one thought that Theresia’s words were true. The Princess’s dress was only neat. Only the jewels hung here and there glittered dazzlingly.

However, no one stepped forward for Elise.

This was because there was no more foolish behaviour than to be hated by defending a woman who had just debuted in society in front of an Imperial Princess, who revealed clear hostility towards her.

Elise bent her back more and blankly blinked her eyes. Drops of wine on her long silver eyelashes tumbled down each time she blinked.

“Yes, you should have known the subject.”

Theresia came close to Elise’s ear and whispered coldly, and Elise lifted her head to her stunned face. The Princess mocked her again.

“The foolishness of not knowing whom to choose as a partner to dance with has made you this way.”

Only then did Elise realise where the Princess’ malice came from. The fact that what happened to her was not a coincidence.

Her wavering eyes suddenly jumped at the sight of someone behind the Princess.

It was the Duke. It must have been a coincidence that she met eyes with him. And a strange thing happened.

Unexplained sadness came over her, and in an instant, the tip of her nose became tingly.

Elise avoided his gaze, embarrassed by the sudden and incomprehensible feelings.

“But who said it was okay to keep your head up?”

Surprised by Theresia’s calm voice, Elise lowered her head.

The Princess commanded, looking down over her head in an unspirited voice.

“Don’t move until I give you permission.”

Small sighs flowed here and there.

Since the Princess declared that she would crush her, Elise will not dare to set foot in society.

“How sad. Too bad.”

“Well, Her Highness, the Princess deserves to be so angry.”

“I know, right? It’s nothing else because the Duke danced the first dance of the banquet with another woman…”

The nobles glanced at the Duke of Vassenberg with a small whisper. But there was no expression on his pretty face, so they couldn’t read what he was thinking.

Even in a frozen atmosphere, the man leisurely drinking alone was just relaxed, as if the situation had nothing to do with him.

“Count Schuvan was rash. It’s an open secret that Her Highness admires the Duke.”

Cardale curled up his lips. Even if it was a whispering conversation, there was no way he couldn’t hear it.

Yes, to the point where he could easily hear the woman’s light breathing.

Her eyes were red and swollen. She couldn’t bear to cry; it was pitiful and insignificant to endure.

The sight aroused a strange pleasure in Cardale. It was a cruel pleasure, like watching a beast struggling to live with its neck pierced by the teeth of a vicious monster.

‘How should I do it?’

It would be nice to see more of her being trampled on. He was too selfish to give up the comedy of the tide.

Besides, even when he saw the illegitimate daughter in trouble, he did not take it lightly enough to fall for the shallow tricks of Count Schuvan, who deliberately did not step forward.

However, it was more annoying that the Princess ridiculed Elise as if she were her property.

Having made a decision, Cardale took a step. The movement was reminiscent of a leopard going hunting.

“Your Highness the Princess.”

Tak, he grabbed Theresia’s tilting wine glass again. There was a sound of breathing here and there.

“Oh, Lord Cardale.”

It must be the ball held for the Vassenberg.

Cardale did not bother to point out the Princess, who insisted on calling his name somehow.

***