Please Grant Me a Glorious Regret [Novel] Chapter 3

Dimion’s gaze, which she thought would never reach her, easily plummeted toward Arte at the single word ‘fiancé’.

His stare was rather intense, as if he were genuinely curious about her answer.

It was hard to believe this was the same man who had been thoroughly ignoring her just moments before.

If she were a woman with whom he had no relation whatsoever, he would have no reason to care about whether she was engaged or getting married.

"I am not. And I have no particular thoughts on the matter yet."

"You share Lady Tian's sentiment. With such beautiful young ladies being so resolute, there must be no shortage of men weeping bitterly."

It was the Marquis who had thrown the question, and the Marquis who good-naturedly received her answer.

Yet, from beginning to end, Arte’s gaze was fixed solely on Dimion.

A burning determination flared within her to not miss a single second of his reaction.

Dimion didn't show much of a response.

He remained as relaxed and composed as he had been all evening.

For someone who had whipped his head around to look at her, his reaction was rather lackluster.

"…!"

Just as she was starting to feel frustrated by her inability to read his mind, Arte's eyes widened perfectly round.

A sense of satisfaction could be read in his long, unwavering gaze, as if they were locked in a staring contest.

It was an undeniable, utter satisfaction.

Satisfaction at the fact that the space beside Arte was empty.

He didn't seem to have any intention of hiding this visible emotion.

She could tell simply by the subtle upward curve of his elegant lips as he swallowed his champagne.

He looked like a predatory beast that had just finished a satisfying hunt.

An atmosphere so relaxed it almost felt languid wrapped around him.

"Arte. It's not good to be too forward."

Peter whispered quietly from her side just as she was staring at Dimion like someone bewitched.

"What do you mean all of a…"

She turned her head at the absurd, barely comprehensible remark, only to find Peter’s eyes brimming with mischief.

When Arte gave him a slight frown, silently asking what he meant, he raised his eyebrows and gestured toward Dimion with his eyes.

Just as she was about to scold him and ask what on earth he was talking about, she remembered the eye contact she had just shared with Dimion.

Usually, Arte paid absolutely no attention to men.

With her uncommon silver hair and even more uncommon golden eyes, Arte was a universally acknowledged, pure beauty.

The people of the estate even threw around embarrassing remarks, insisting she must be the incarnation of a forest goddess.

There was never any shortage of men hovering around, hoping to just strike up a conversation with her.

Furthermore, if most of them managed even a single moment of eye contact with her, they acted as if they had fallen into the romance of the century.

It was unpleasant.

The more she experienced it, the dirtier it made her feel.

Her accumulated experiences strictly limited where her eyes wandered.

Unwilling to give them any leeway, she refused to make eye contact with men entirely.

But since Arte had been the one to stare intently at Dimion first, it was understandable that Peter had misunderstood.

Just as she was about to clarify that it wasn't like that, a flash of inspiration struck Arte's mind.

There was a method used in high society when a man and woman caught each other’s eye, a way for a man and woman who had exchanged secret glances to arrange a private meeting.

Arte lightly tapped Lisa's foot under the table.

After exactly three taps, Arte gently rested her shoe over the toe of Lisa's shoe.

It was a secret signal between the two of them, used since childhood.

A signal that meant: I want to leave this place, please help me.

Whenever this signal was exchanged, they would launch into their act without asking why.

Lisa, catching on to the meaning, gave a tiny nod that only Arte would notice.

With a bright smile, Lisa took a sip of her champagne before naturally turning her gaze to Arte.

"Arte, are you feeling unwell? You look pale."

The acting skills of the sisters, who had coordinated for years, were flawless.

Concern bled into Lisa's slightly stiffened expression.

To anyone looking, she appeared to be an older sister genuinely worried about her younger sibling.

"Is it noticeable?"

"I can tell just by looking. You can't fool my eyes."

"I've actually had a headache since this morning. I thought it would subside, but it's only getting worse."

She spoke as if whispering, but her voice was loud enough for those across the table to hear clearly.

"It would be best to take some medicine and rest. I have some in my room."

"Medicine makes me too groggy… I think I'll feel much better if I just get some fresh air. You know me. The rose garden always works better for me than medicine."

Feeling Dimion's gaze tracking her, Arte subtly dropped the location.

Before the banquet began, Peter had given Dimion a guided tour of the mansion.

Arte had seen with her own two eyes the moment Peter enthusiastically introduced the rose garden, boasting it as the pride of the Count's family.

It was a place Dimion could easily find without getting lost.

The fact that it was a secretive method used for illicit rendezvous was problematic, but it was her best option right now.

"Lisa, Arte, is something the matter?"

Seeing her two daughters whispering with serious expressions, the Countess immediately spoke up.

"Mother, Arte says she has a terrible headache."

Lisa didn't miss the opportunity and quickly paved an escape route for Arte.

"I apologize. If our guests would excuse me, may I be excused for the evening?"

Arte looked at Dimion and the Marquis with an exhausted face, as if all her energy had suddenly drained away.

"Of course. Please, go and rest well. I hope you feel better soon."

The Marquis, who had clearly overheard Arte and Lisa's conversation despite pretending otherwise, let her go without a second thought.

Arte's gaze shifted past the Marquis and landed on Dimion.

Meeting those light green eyes brought about a strange sense of tension.

"Certainly."

It was a needless tension.

Dimion permitted her escape with a voice so soft it almost felt gentle.

She was momentarily surprised by a warmth she hadn't expected, but only for a fleeting second.

Arte quickly slipped out of the dining room and headed outside the mansion.

"Haa…"

A long sigh broke the silence of the tranquil rose garden.

Having clearly conveyed her intention to wait for Dimion here, the die was cast.

All that remained was his response.

"Don't tell me he isn't coming?"

The problem was that his response was taking longer than expected.

She hadn't anticipated him showing up immediately.

Following right behind her would have made it obvious he was tailing her, and since this was a banquet held in his honor, it would be impossible for him to abruptly walk out in the middle of it.

At first, she didn't feel anxious.

In fact, she thought it might be better if Dimion took his time.

Since there was so much she needed to ask, she also needed time to organize her thoughts clearly.

But for him to be delayed this long wasn't part of her calculations.

It was the tail end of spring.

The time it took for the sun to dive into the sea over the Tian estate was gradually growing later.

Yet, Dimion was slower than the exceedingly lazy sun.

The sunset-painted sky she had seen upon first stepping into the garden had now turned pitch-black, showing off countless stars.

She had long since sorted through her tangled web of questions.

Even after that, she had enough time left to take a lap around the stone arch draped in rose vines and count the number of flower buds just about to bloom.

Arte looked back at the brightly lit mansion.

The lights were on not only in the dining room but also in the small study where the Count usually took guests after banquets.

Anxiety crept in, whispering that perhaps instead of coming to find her, Dimion was in the study, drinking whiskey and playing billiards.

She had come out to the garden under the pretense of soothing a headache, but she felt as if she were gaining one instead.

Arte let out another sigh, feeling her neatly organized thoughts tumbling back into a messy heap.

A signal unreceived was useless.

Even if she sent signals and passionately set up a meeting place like she did tonight, it would all be for naught if Dimion didn't respond.

"It must have been over two hours."

Calculating the time that had passed by looking at the night sky, Arte unconsciously pressed a hand to her forehead.

The belated realization hit her that she should have gone back inside long ago.

Eventually, Arte pushed herself off the gap between the pillars where she had been sitting and slowly stood up.

Any further lingering or waiting seemed completely futile.

"…!"

However, just as she was about to turn back toward the mansion, the heavy thud of dress shoes echoed through the quiet garden.

It wasn't the sound a lady’s shoe would make.

And unless it was the person she had invited, no one else would visit this place at this hour.

Feeling her heart beat faster than usual, Arte turned her body very slowly.

"…"

"…"