The young and beautiful Princess Katrinne was the most coveted bride across neighboring kingdoms.
Yet Yulian, lounging arrogantly in his chair, blatantly ignored her greeting.
It was rude, but Emperor Zahidra didn’t mind.
Yulian had been raised to care for no one’s opinion.
As the empire’s most powerful figure, second only to the emperor, it was only natural.
The Johannes family had once backed the temple, even threatening imperial authority.
Compared to his predecessors, Yulian’s behavior was rough but politically restrained.
So Zahidra tolerated his insolence with leniency.
Besides, Zahidra was a man more interested in profit than propriety.
Considering the benefits Yulian could bring, he could overlook his rudeness a thousand times over.
It was well-known that Yulian frequented brothels and had a notorious reputation with women.
He’d even openly declared his disdain for noblewomen on occasion.
It was obvious how Katrinne, a princess, would be treated if married to him.
It was unfortunate for Katrinne, but Yulian was a card Zahidra couldn’t afford to lose.
Yulian detested banquets, so Zahidra had orchestrated a fake rebellion to ensure his attendance.
It was all to naturally introduce Katrinne to him.
He couldn’t let this opportunity slip away.
With a sly smile, Zahidra took Katrinne’s hand and offered it to Yulian.
“How about it? Would you share the first dance with our beautiful princess?”
Yulian stared at Katrinne’s pale hand.
He glanced around for help, but Croa was nowhere to be seen.
“Probably off sneaking a smoke.”
Grinding his teeth, Yulian hesitated.
He wanted to brush her off and leave this stifling place.
But Zahidra was the only one who could stand against the temple.
Yulian disliked the emperor, but he loathed the temple even more.
The temple required the Johannes duke to attend its endless events.
Zahidra, as if waiting for the chance, always created incidents to keep Yulian away.
While it served the emperor’s interests, Yulian had benefited too.
“If I marry the princess, the temple won’t dare push for a second wife so easily.”
As Yulian’s gaze lingered, a shy dimple appeared on Katrinne’s cheek.
She’d hesitated when Zahidra urged her to marry Yulian, given the sordid rumors surrounding him.
But now, face-to-face, she felt ready to follow him into a pit of fire.
He was that strikingly beautiful.
After a quick calculation, Yulian extended his hand to Katrinne.
“Then, will you honor me with the first dance?”
Zahidra smiled with satisfaction, thinking they made a fine pair.
Yulian wrinkled his nose at the heavy rose perfume wafting from Katrinne.
Her pounding heartbeat reached his ears, and his mother’s last words surfaced unbidden.
“Yulian, never fall in love.”
Even as she lay dying, his mother had cursed him with those words.
“I must’ve been mad for a moment.”
Katrinne was blameless.
But Yulian could never give her love.
He couldn’t reveal the family’s secret to the imperial house, so Katrinne would go mad, yearning for a husband’s love she’d never understand.
Yulian’s face turned cold.
The music signaling the first dance began.
…
“Is he in a bad mood today?”
While dancing with Zeppelin, Rebecca glanced at Yulian passing by.
Despite holding the lovely princess’s hand, he looked like he was being dragged to a slaughterhouse.
Noticing her glance, Zeppelin gently turned her face toward him.
“Look at me, Rebecca.”
“Oh, sorry. I felt dizzy for a moment.”
“You need to behave, especially at a place like this. Everyone’s staring at you. You need to show them you only have eyes for me.”
Zeppelin smiled, pleased.
The beautiful Devonshire couple always drew attention wherever they went.
Rebecca’s dresses, worn at the rare events she attended, often set the year’s fashion trends.
Even now, eyes greedily scanned her attire.
“Disgusting.”
The first dance finally ended.
Rebecca marveled at her own patience for not spitting in Zeppelin’s face during the dance.
…
“Stay here quietly.”
It was another corner exile.
From the second dance, one could dance with partners other than their spouse, but for Rebecca, that was out of the question.
Somewhere in the room, Zeppelin’s hounds were likely watching with hawk-like eyes to ensure no man approached her.
But for once, that suited her fine.
Rebecca deliberately leaned against the most inconspicuous pillar.
She confirmed Zeppelin was engrossed in conversation with dignitaries.
Then she glanced at the man standing motionless behind the pillar.
Duke Yulian Johannes.
With a bored expression, he was gulping down red wine.
Every woman at the party, though discreet, was stealing glances at him.
Black hair, dark eyes, skin like melted milk chocolate.
Dressed entirely in black, even his tailcoat, the towering man resembled a majestic black lion.
Despite his scandalous reputation, his face alone commanded attention.
Like the other women, Rebecca was drawn to him, though for a different reason.
Taking a deep breath, she spoke.
“No cats in sight today.”
Yulian paused, wine glass halfway to his lips.
He thought he’d dodged the women’s advances, but one had followed him here.
Annoyance surged.
He moved to leave without responding.
Rebecca quickly continued.
“Leo. That’s the cat tied to your soul, isn’t it? The other cats are just decoys to hide where Leo is.”
Yulian’s eyes widened.
The public only knew the Johannes family served Leo, a divine messenger. Few knew their souls were linked.
He turned to see the face of the woman who dared know his family’s secret.
“Stop. Don’t make it obvious we’re talking. I’m being watched.”
At her words, Yulian narrowed his eyes and scanned the room.
Sure enough, a servant carrying finger foods was closely observing them.
Yulian leaned back against the pillar.
“Who are you?”
“I’ll get to the point. I know how to break your curse.”
“What?”
Yulian nearly shouted.
Lowering his voice, he asked again.
“Curse? How dare you speak nonsense about a family blessed by the goddess?”
“I know everything. If the cat tied to your soul dies, you die. It’s a curse passed down through generations. And I know you’ve been gathering storytellers to find a way to break it.”
“I’ve never heard such a thing.”
Only a select few knew this, but it could have leaked.
Still, no one sane would spread such talk.
Claiming the Johannes family was cursed could lead to charges of blasphemy.
This mysterious woman must have picked up some rumor and was using it to approach him.
Who sent her? The emperor? Or perhaps a prank by Duke Latranis?
“How about this, then? The notorious libertine duke is actually a virgin.”
Yulian nearly spat out his wine. She spoke such scandalous words without a change in tone.
“You’ve cloaked yourself in rumors, but you’re purer than anyone. It’s only natural for someone who doesn’t want to leave an heir.”
Yulian could no longer ignore her.
The rumors were a carefully crafted shield to fend off marriage proposals.
Though more parents than expected still pushed their daughters at him, making it a near failure.
Still, only Croa knew this truth.
Duke Latranis had recently grown suspicious, but Yulian hadn’t confirmed anything.
“By now, you must be curious about me. I want to make a deal.”
“A deal?”
“It’s…”
Rebecca stopped mid-sentence. Zeppelin was approaching from a distance.
“Dance with me, and I’ll tell you.”
“Ha, so that’s your game? Trying to snag a place by my side?”
“You’ll find out if you dance with me. Ask me to dance in front of the emperor. It has to be where everyone can see.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Then you’ll miss the first and last chance to break your curse.”
“Fine. Tell me your name.”
“My name is Rebecca Devonshire. The first wife of Count Devonshire.”
Startled by the unexpected name, Yulian’s eyes widened.
“Rebecca, kept you waiting? Duke Latranis wouldn’t let go of the conversation.”
Zeppelin’s voice rang out.
Yulian had no choice but to turn.
At the end of his gaze stood Rebecca, smiling.
Her deep blue eyes met his with unwavering resolve.
As Yulian stared, Zeppelin’s brow furrowed.
“How rude, staring at another man’s wife like that.”
At Zeppelin’s irritated tone, Yulian finally looked away.
“Oh, Count. Your forgettable presence slipped my notice.”
“You little—!”
Zeppelin gritted his teeth at the blatant disrespect.
Their first meeting had been a disaster.
“Get lost, you ugly thing!”
Those were the first words a young Yulian, just beginning to form sentences, had said to Zeppelin.
Zeppelin had never been called ugly in his life.
The words of a child with innocent eyes left a lasting trauma.
Even now, Zeppelin occasionally dreamed of that day—a vile nightmare.
But that wasn’t the only reason he despised Yulian.
Yulian was rude to everyone, regardless of age or gender.
Yet no one dared criticize his manners.
Even the emperor tiptoed around him.
His arrogant demeanor, acting like the king of the world, grated on Zeppelin.
That such a man held a higher rank than him drove Zeppelin to rage at the mere thought of Yulian.
