When the Female Lead Went Off-Script, the Main Male Lead Became the Tyrant's Empress - Chapter 13.2
Haster’s expression hardened at the vulgar implication.
The man who had shamelessly uttered such words without the slightest sense of embarrassment stared at him with bright eyes and demanded an honest answer.
Just as Haster was about to speak, thunderous applause filled the banquet hall.
Having finished the dance, Clary turned gracefully and greeted the applauding guests.
The Emperor escorting her looked at his granddaughter with eyes full of affection and pride.
Haster looked toward Clary, then back at Arden.
After gathering the remnants of his displeasure, Haster spoke without expression.
“Think whatever you want. No matter what I say, you won’t believe me unless it is the answer you want.”
There wasn’t even a trace of anger or contempt in his voice.
“You’re free to imagine whatever you please, but you would be wise not to voice it. If you damage the reputation of a great noble who has become Clary’s chaperone, the resulting flames will spread to you as well.”
Then he turned away without regret and headed toward his goddaughter.
Haster held out his hand to Clary.
Without asking anyone to dance, Arden silently watched as the two joined hands and stepped onto the floor.
A voice from a short distance away said, “This is the first time I have ever seen His Highness the Grand Duke dance with someone else,” but Arden paid it no attention.
More precisely, he had no time to.
When Clary placed her hand in Haster’s after he asked her to dance, Arden doubted his own eyes.
At that moment, Haster wasn’t looking at Clary.
His eyes were fixed upon Troanne behind her.
It lasted only briefly, but their gazes softly intertwined before parting.
‘What? Is it real?’
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“Uncle Haster.”
“What?”
“Uncle Arden is glaring at us.”
Clary seemed bothered by it and grumbled as she glanced in that direction.
Just as she said, Arden was watching them without even blinking.
“Why is he only staring over here instead of dancing with someone else?”
“Who knows.”
Haster answered curtly and guided her outward in time with the music.
‘So he saw it after all.’
Arden had scoffed at the idea that there could be such a relationship between them, but after seeing that, he would suspect that something unusual was going on between Haster and Troanne.
Given the timing, he would be half right and half wrong.
Across the floor, Arden appeared to think deeply before speaking to Troanne.
Covering her mouth with her fan, she leaned slightly toward him and whispered something.
Judging by the dissatisfied look on Arden’s face, he hadn’t received a satisfactory answer from the Countess either.
Arden suspected that some sort of transaction had taken place, but Haster hadn’t lied.
It truly had been luck.
It had only been possible because Troanne had carried a long-standing sense of indebtedness toward him.
Clary spun away from Haster’s embrace, then flowed back toward him and abruptly asked.
“But are you really not dating the Countess?”
“We aren’t dating.”
Clary muttered, ‘Huh? But that’s not right……?’ before her eyes widened as though she had realized something.
“Yes! I’ll believe you.”
Then she winked repeatedly with an expression that said she understood exactly what he meant.
Haster sighed.
Arden wasn’t the only one who refused to believe him even when he told the truth.
One side interrogated him about what kind of deal he had made, while the other poked at him about what kind of relationship they had.
Both sides were making a commotion.
Uncle and niece alike only wanted to believe whatever suited them.
When Haster raised his gaze, his eyes met Arden’s, who had continued watching him.
Judging by Arden’s noticeably calmer gaze, he seemed reluctant, but he was apparently assuming that the absurd claim he had made was true.
Arden was undoubtedly calculating what benefits would be exchanged and what areas would be affected if that relationship were real.
Disgusted, Haster looked away, but the pair of violet eyes remained fixed upon him and refused to let go.
As far as Haster knew, once Arden became fixated on something, he dug into it relentlessly until it was resolved or he grew bored.
Haster had an ominous feeling that Arden would become bothersome for some time.
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