I’m Stuck on a Remote Island With the Male Leads - Chapter 176

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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26. A Battlefield Called the Imperial Ball
I designated my father as my partner for the homecoming celebration hosted by the Imperial Family.
Father wept with joy. In the past, I had attended parties alone, but I had never once attended a party with him as my partner.
“To think the day has come when I attend a party with my little filly—how deeply moving this is.”
Father continuously dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief inside the carriage. Innis and Rosemary, seated across from us, regarded him with expressions of exasperation. I turned to them and asked.
“By the way, where is Mother?”
“She entered the Imperial Palace early this morning. She went to pay her respects to the Empress.”
Innis answered.
I had heard that the Empress had long sought to win Mother’s favor to borrow the strength of the Flone Family. Yet all those efforts proved futile when the Margaret of the past fell for Enoch.
That was why the Empress despised me. She likely believed that without me, the Flone Family would become her ally.
I had heard that Mother frequently took Tea Time with the Empress while following in Enoch’s footsteps, building rapport with her.
“You understand that Mother cultivated her relationship with the Empress not to support Rodban, correct?”
At Innis’s words, my father, who sat beside me, responded with an unusually serious expression.
“We have continuously harbored suspicions about the movements of the Rohade Family. The movements of these three—Marquis Rohade, the Empress, and the Pope—seemed peculiarly similar despite appearing incompatible.”
At Father’s words, I asked in bewilderment.
“Their movements were similar? How so?”
“All three supported the Divine Demon War. One could overlook Marquis Rohade and the Pope, but the Empress being involved seemed strange. If those representing each faction were scheming something, it would be no trivial matter. Violet wanted to discover what connection bound them together.”
Violet is Mother’s name. Only then did I understand why Mother, who calculated profit and loss swiftly, continued to cultivate her relationship with the Empress.
“Then you disappeared, and we only recently learned the reason—through Duke Vilterheim.”
Innis added her opinion to Father’s words. On the surface, the rapport between the Empress and Mother seemed to pose no problems. If that were the case, it would be wise to reverse that advantage for our benefit.
The Empress, too, would likely attempt to extract something from Mother using that very point.
“Are you really bringing that serpent to the party?”
Innis pointed at Eun-ji, who had been resting her head on my shoulder, and asked. Eun-ji then poked her head out and looked at Innis.
“Eun-ji will consume Magic Stones. His Majesty also requested that I bring the Divine Beast so he could see it.”
“What?”
Innis and Father were unmoved regarding the Magic Stone matter, having already heard of it, but Rosemary seemed quite startled, her eyes widening as she stared at Eun-ji.
As we exchanged words, we arrived before the Imperial Palace.
With a touch of nervousness, I took Father’s hand and descended from the carriage.
Before the Imperial Palace stood a man who commanded everyone’s gaze.
His brilliant silver hair caught the eye, as did the Mage Robe he wore—somewhat incongruous with the formal setting. While not formal attire befitting the occasion, the robe of blue silk adorned with elaborate gold leaf was remarkably striking.
Beneath long, luxuriant lashes lay eyes as beautiful and crimson as rubies. Our eyes met. The strikingly handsome man, whose appearance caused passersby to turn and whisper, approached me directly.
“Margaret.”
Kaiden, who had called my name, then glanced at Father, Innis, and Rosemary in turn. After a moment of deliberation, he placed one hand over his heart and bowed respectfully.
“It is an honor to meet you again. I am Kaiden Blake Rohade.”
Surprisingly, his courtesy was impeccable—unlike Kaiden at all. I had begun to suspect he knew nothing of etiquette, yet it seemed he was indeed a nobleman.
Rosemary, seeing Kaiden for the first time, let her eyes shine brilliantly.
“Goodness, I have never seen anyone so magnificent in my life. You are like an angel.”
For the normally aloof and sharp-tongued Rosemary to offer such unrestrained praise was remarkable. I looked at Kaiden once more.
This time too, Kaiden responded to Rosemary with an elegance entirely unlike himself.
“I cannot compare to the beauty of a lady such as yourself.”
I couldn’t believe Kaiden would say such a thing. I furrowed my brow in disbelief and spoke to him.
“You didn’t receive my letter? I sent it by courier so you’d get it right away. My partner today is my father.”
At my words, Father approached and gave Kaiden a meaningful look.
“Unfortunately, Lord, I must ask you not to cause any trouble for my daughter. Today, my scoundrel is my partner.”
Wasn’t my nickname scoundrel rather than something else? I tilted my head in confusion, then realized the two words were essentially the same and nodded in understanding.
When Father spoke, Kaiden, who had been glancing between us to gauge the situation, broke into a smile.
As he smiled, attractive dimples appeared on his cheeks, and Rosemary, witnessing this, let out another admiring sigh beside me.
“How could I covet that position when I have such a magnificent partner beside me? I merely wish to learn from the Duke’s excellence up close.”
This time, I found myself admiring Kaiden’s eloquence. I hadn’t known he possessed such a quality. Kaiden was surprisingly skilled at flattery—and he did it as naturally as water flowing downstream.
Father seemed pleased by Kaiden’s words; his lips curved upward as he patted the young man’s shoulder.
“You have admirable character for a youth these days. Excellent. Follow along well from my side.”
Kaiden secured the spot beside me without difficulty through such calculated charm. How strategic. I shook my head at him.
Innis and Rosemary disappeared, each claiming to have their own partners, and I entered the Imperial Palace with Father and Kaiden.
Naturally, piercing gazes rained down upon us.
Kaiden retrieved a wine glass from a passing servant’s tray and handed it to Father and me.
“By the way, you really didn’t bring your actual partner?”
At my question, he shrugged and answered with brazen nonchalance.
“Of course not. I need no one but you.”
“Still, I heard today’s party requires a partner.”
It was customary to attend Imperial Palace parties with a partner.
“I know. But it’s better to be criticized for impropriety than to bring another woman as my partner, don’t you think?”
“Oh. You certainly have an admirable mindset.”
Father answered on my behalf while sipping the wine Kaiden had given him, clearly taken with the young man.
“It is only because His Grace has fathered such a beautiful daughter. How could I possibly look at another woman when Margaret Rose Flone exists?”
Father burst into delighted laughter. I stared at Kaiden with an expression of disbelief.
No matter how I looked at it, this didn’t seem like Kaiden at all.
I gazed up at him without responding, trying to confirm whether he was truly Kaiden or Jenas.
Then Kaiden leaned his head close to me. A voice so low it tickled brushed against my ear.
“It’s me. You recognized me properly this time.”
I started in surprise and stumbled backward. Father, who had been standing nearby exchanging greetings with another noble, turned to look at me in alarm.
I smiled at Father as though nothing was amiss, then turned back to Kaiden—or rather, Jenas.
“You…!”
“I was merely asked by our descendant to buy some time. It seems that’s finished now.”
Buy time? Had something happened to Kaiden?
Now that I thought about it, Jenas had mentioned something about Tentationem last night.
With those words, Jenas’s eyes gleamed. I watched blankly as the eyes that had shone red moments before grew calm and settled.
How strange. With merely a shift in his gaze, he now appeared like Kaiden again. He raised one hand to cover his face as if exhausted.
“…Kaiden?”
“Margaret Rose Flone.”
His voice, heavy with fatigue, was strangely sensual. His sharp brows furrowed briefly. Kaiden exhaled a weary sigh and apologized to me.
“I’m sorry. Something came up. I heard that Jenas visited your room last night?”
“Ah. I was going to tell you about that anyway, but did Jenas mention it first?”
“No. But I couldn’t possibly not know. His soul is bound to me in servitude.”
Kaiden swept his hair back with an exasperated expression.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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