They entered the ballroom.
Ash was arm-in-arm with Carlos, intending to show that he was her partner.
The doorman checked their invitations and let them through.
Ash stepped into the bright lights. People dressed gorgeously, fans, and bizarre masks covering faces.
Someone wore a long wig that dragged on the floor, adorned with many peacock feathers.
People admired and chuckled as he passed by.
Some were decorated like bouquets of flowers.
Carlos nudged Ash, pointing at it.
He burst into laughter.
“Look at that.”
“Interesting,” Ash replied half-heartedly.
“Hmm?”
“…Why?”
“No. Never mind.”
Ash felt uneasy. But before he could ask Carlos again, Carlos was caught by someone.
It was the striking man with the peacock feather wig.
“You’ve arrived! I was so anxious, Your Highness, as the ball had begun and you weren’t here yet! Thank you for gracing us with your presence. This mask… is it the ‘White Count’? I suppose I should call you Count here.”
“Thank you for the invitation. You’re a peacock, I see? I’m surprised how well it suits you. You’re beautiful like a peacock even without dressing up.”
“Oh, Count!” The man laughed, waving his hand.
“What are you saying, with such a charming partner by your side? I don’t think I’ve seen them before. Could this be… the one you’re ardently pursuing, Count?”
“Ah. I am indeed pursuing someone. Though perhaps not the person you’re thinking of.”
“I apologize! I misspoke.”
The man was flustered.
Ash realized who this man, who seemed to be the host, had mistaken him for.
But it was a misunderstanding that suited him fine.
When he nodded, indicating it was alright, the man sighed deeply in relief.
He placed a hand on his chest and bowed.
“I’ve prepared a seat for the two of you inside. I hope you have a delightful time.”
“A seat. Good,” Carlos replied cheerfully.
The man led them to a resting area located behind a curtain.
It was a lounge area decorated in an Eastern style, with soft carpets on the floor and cushions to lean on.
An incense burner glowed on a decorative table.
Thick curtains blocked the light from the chandelier, making the space seem more private.
Candles burned in place of the ballroom lights.
However, the candles couldn’t fully illuminate the space, giving it an overall dark and cozy feel.
Carlos stretched and lay down on the seat.
Then he patted the spot next to him with his palm.
“You lie down too. You look tired.”
Ash was flustered.
“What do you mean, getting into a place like this?”
“Why, what’s the problem?”
“You said you’d help me?”
He hadn’t expected Carlos to be loudly engaging with people, but shouldn’t he at least be socializing?
“I did help.”
“The host we just met. By tomorrow, he’ll know who you are and when you arrived at my mansion.”
“How?!”
Carlos smiled contentedly.
“Looks like I’ll have to teach you another trick. Were you planning to go around yelling, ‘The kidnapping story is actually a baseless rumor spread by Owen Mills,’ and ‘Ashton Mills just escaped from being confined by a crazy bastard,’ or something like that?”
Ash didn’t answer.
Because that’s exactly what he had been planning…
“Or is there another way?”
“That’s not how you spread rumors,” Carlos said leisurely, still lying down.
Ash felt uneasy.
‘Is he just saying whatever because he’s too lazy to work?’
“Look at your face. Have you only ever been deceived? Is this all the trust you have between you and me?”
“Between you and me… trust?”
Ash became even more anxious!
Carlos seemed to realize he had misspoken.
“Forget the trust. Just believe in my fatal charm. When have I ever told you something wrong?”
‘Wasn’t it often?’
Ash snorted.
“Your fatal… I don’t know if you have such a thing. What does that have to do with rumors?”
“It’s the fate of popular people. The object of my affections always receives all the attention of high society. It’s truly exhausting.”
Carlos pressed a hand to his forehead and shook his head.
Ash was dumbfounded but decided to play along for now.
“Right. Your love interest from last night seems to be famous already.”
“Exactly. It’s not that I toyed with Elsys. To comfort the wounded Elsys, and as a bonus, to see how charming an Omega I was to cling to, good suitors will flock to him. Even people of status who wouldn’t normally show any interest…”
“Ah. It was a plan?”
Carlos clicked his tongue.
“Is your attitude bad for someone asking for help?”
Ash chuckled sheepishly. He took off his shoes and sat on the carpet.
“When did I ever?”
“It seemed like you were lacking faith?”
“No, it’s overflowing. Wow, full of grace. This is great. Carlos is the best.”
Ash praised him. Carlos, puffed with pride, continued.
“You have to give people time to be curious about you, and then secretly spread rumors.
If they think they figured it out themselves, people will like it even more, won’t they?
They’ll be itching to tell others.”
“You must be a genius,” Ash admired.
“Everything’s settled, right? So lie down. You’re making me worried too.”
“What was I worrying about?”
Ash almost stammered.
Carlos sharply seized the opening.
“You’re dating Tyllian Manor, aren’t you?”
“No?!”
Carlos snorted.
“What do you mean, no? I knew something was strange. Ever since he said he helped you escape.”
“I’m telling you, no!”
“Didn’t you two sleep together? But then what, ‘Our Tyllian isn’t like that’? All Alphas are the same. Slaves to lust. Don’t be fooled.”
Carlos advised him with a tone that suggested he had seen it all.
Ash grew hot with anger.
“Do you think everyone’s like you?!”
Honestly, Ash couldn’t understand what Tyllian had fallen for in him…
But considering how much he had received from him, he couldn’t possibly tarnish his reputation, could he?
At the very least, his conscience wouldn’t allow Tyllian, who had been a virgin, to be treated as a ‘slave to lust.’
Carlos didn’t stop his attack.
“Why? Did he say he fell for your inner beauty?”
Ash furrowed his brow.
“How can you look into someone else’s heart?”
“Exactly.”
“I’m not dating him!”
Ash finally burst out in annoyance.
He pressed Carlos down with a cushion, and Carlos chuckled.
“Oh, really? Well.”
He had been grilling him as if he had caught him red-handed, but then he accepted it so easily that Ash was annoyed.
Ash asked back, “‘Well’?”
“No, it’s just surprising that someone would even be excited about you…”
“What?!”
Ash shot up.
What kind of outrageous remark was this, directed at him, who had dominated the ducal society after Carlos left?
He was indignant.
“Look back at your own past! Who was it who was desperate to get me?!”
“I was young and foolish then…”
Carlos gazed into the air with a look of regret.
Ash was flabbergasted!
Carlos shrugged.
“Well, nothing happened in the end, right? Did we last about a week?”
“I was the one who broke up with you!”
Ash hit Carlos repeatedly with the cushion.
Carlos burst into laughter.
“Ow, ow. That hurts!”
“It’s supposed to hurt!”
“Ugh, ah, wait.”
Ash’s wrist, which was swinging the cushion, was caught by Carlos.
Held in his large hand, Ash couldn’t move.
Instead, unable to withstand his own momentum, Ash tumbled into his arms.
The cushion was wedged between Ash and Carlos’s chest.
Carlos’s handsome face came suddenly close, and Ash held his breath.
The smile also faded from Carlos’s lips.
The candlelight illuminated the side of his facial contours.
Ash stared blankly at his sculpted face gaining even more dimension.
“I was wondering, what didn’t you like about me back then?”
“Huh?”
“Do you still like kissing?”
Carlos raised his upper body.
His free hand wrapped around Ash’s back of the head, pulling him closer.
He sucked on Ash’s lower lip.
‘Ah.’
Carlos was Ash’s first lover.