The Runaway Female Lead Doesn't Run Away

In front of the window bathed in moonlight.

Rose sat on the windowsill, resting her face on one knee as she gazed at the sky. It was a clear sky with no clouds.

The sparkling stars looked as though they were carefully embroidered, unusually beautiful, but Rose's heart, as she admired them, was not in the same state.

In her left hand, she held an invitation that had arrived earlier in the day. The pressed bellflower attached to the white stationery showed the sender's thoughtfulness.

Rose alternated between staring blankly at the sky and at the invitation in her left hand, then quietly murmured.

"A wedding between the Roman Countess and Duke Chaser…"

The invitation in Rose's hand was none other than the wedding invitation for the Roman Countess.

As a union of some of the most prominent families in the empire, the wedding would have guests on a scale comparable to a royal wedding.

The reason she received the invitation wasn't because they genuinely wanted her to attend, but because it was sent out of formality.

Thud.

Soon, as if losing interest, Rose tossed the invitation onto the table.

If the tea party had been enjoyable, she would have gladly attended the wedding as well, but now it was different.

Knowing that she was unwelcome anywhere, all her motivation had disappeared.

"I guess I'll just live like this forever."

She thought that once she was freed from the Seayer family, a different life would unfold. In fact, using the Seayer family as an excuse might have been better for her mental health.

What she experienced in the world she thought would be paradise was only misery.

Had Rose been lost in thought for a long time, her light fading away?

The mansion, always so quiet, began to grow noisy.

"What's going on?"

There were no other residents here, and since both siblings had quiet personalities, there had never been a day of noise. Feeling something off, Rose carefully opened the door.

As she opened the door, the sound of someone causing a ruckus echoed throughout the mansion.

Rose sensed that something unusual was happening in the mansion, and her pace quickened.

"What on earth is happening?"

"Ah, Miss! It's Lloyd...!"

The man swaying, reeking of strong alcohol, was none other than her younger brother, Lloyd.

"It seems he must have been drinking..."

Lloyd, who usually didn't enjoy drinking and barely touched even a single glass, was now heavily intoxicated.

Yet here he was, completely drunk, mumbling incoherent words and causing a ruckus. It was utterly ridiculous.

Seeing her younger brother acting like this, unaware of how her sister had been treated outside, made her blood boil.

"Take him to the bedroom quickly."

"Yes...!"

Rose adjusted her shawl and followed behind as the servants supported Lloyd.

"I'll stay here, so everyone else, please leave."

It was embarrassing to show such a disgraceful scene to the servants.

As Rose looked at Lloyd sprawled out on the bed with a pitiful gaze, she was about to turn and leave when suddenly...

"D-Dalia... You shouldn't have that baby."

Lloyd's voice, murmuring to himself, grabbed her attention.

"That... it's a monster. If you have it, you'll die..."

"Lloyd?"

Instinctively sensing that Lloyd was saying something important, Rose moved closer and shook his shoulder.

"Lloyd. What do you mean by that? Huh?"

"If you have a monster's child... you can't."

"A monster's child...?"

The word "monster" was one that Rose and Lloyd sometimes used when referring to Duke Seayer.

And the term "monster's child" meant...

"Is Dalia pregnant? With the Duke's child?"

With the brief realization, her blood ran cold in an instant.

At the same time, the curse of the Seayer family flashed through her mind.

"A woman who bears a Seayer family child is doomed to die…"

Rose murmured the curse, covering her mouth with both hands.

'If what Lloyd said is true, and Dalia really is pregnant with the Duke's child...'

Rose's hand, swallowing dryly, began to tremble.

But she couldn't tell whether the cause of her trembling was the fear of losing a friend, or the excitement that perhaps there might be an opportunity for her as well.

But...

Rose, quietly watching Lloyd as he slept, soon returned to her room. She picked up the invitation she had thrown aside earlier.

Then, as if making a decision, her gaze changed.

* * *

The wedding of Rachel and Duke Chaser was the focus of the entire empire's attention.

The union of two of the five ducal families in the empire was called the wedding of the century.

As much as the bride and groom, the guests attending the wedding also drew the attention of the people.

Among the many guests, the ones who stood out were Duke and Duchess Seayer.

This was the first event where they attended together as a couple after the scandal at the Emperor's birthday banquet.

For a while, rumors about their impending divorce and infidelity had followed them.

But contrary to the negative rumors, the sight of the Duke and Duchess looking much more affectionate than before caused people's interest to wane slightly.

Did they know they were the center of attention? As soon as they entered the wedding hall, Dalia called out to Rose and approached her.

"Rose...!"

In response, Rose took a step forward and greeted Dalia.

"How have you been, Duchess?"

"I was worried because I didn't get a reply to my letter. After we parted that day, I kept thinking about you..."

"I'm sorry for leaving first that day. I really wasn't feeling well at the time…"

When Rose lowered her gaze, Dalia, as if to reassure her, took her hand.

"Don't worry about it. The one who was wrong that day wasn't you, Rose, it was the Marchioness. So, there's no need for you to apologize."

"...Thank you for saying that."

Rose responded politely to Dalia's questions, then subtly lowered her gaze. She stared quietly at Dalia's stomach.

'Is she really pregnant?'

Maybe it's because it's still early in the pregnancy. Her stomach looked flat as usual.

She had a brief moment of doubt, but recalling Lloyd's distress the night before, it seemed unlikely that the information was false.

"Is something wrong? Did something get on my dress?"

Perhaps because Rose was staring too intently, Dalia noticed and asked her if there was a problem.

Embarrassed, Rose quickly changed the subject to the necklace Dalia was wearing to hide that she had been staring at her stomach.

"By the way, your necklace doesn't seem to be the current trend. It looks unique and has a certain charm—where did you get it?"

"Oh, this..."

Not realizing her necklace had come out of her dress, Dalia fiddled with it.

"I didn't buy it myself."

"Then where did you get it...?"

"Hmm... I received it as a gift a long time ago. I just wear it because it's comfortable, but I forgot to take it off today. It doesn't really match with the dress I'm wearing, does it?"

"No, it looks beautiful because the necklace itself matches your hair color so well."

Dalia, smiling pleasantly at Rose's compliment, continued.

"Oh, I was thinking of meeting the Roman Countess before the wedding. Would you like to come with me to the bridal waiting room?"

At Dalia's suggestion, Rose pretended to hesitate for a moment before responding.

"No, I don't really know the Roman Countess, so please set up another time for us to meet later."

"Of course. I'll see you at the start of the ceremony then."

Dalia nodded as if she understood, then headed toward the building where the bridal waiting room was.

As Rose quietly watched Dalia's back, she was about to turn and leave when suddenly...

"Ugh!"

By chance, she bumped into the chest of a man behind her. Flustered, Rose stepped back and apologized to him.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see where I was going..."

At that moment, something caught her eye.

'That's...'

It was a cufflink pinned to the man's sleeve. And it was the same pendant as the one Dalia had just been wearing around her neck.

It was just a matter of the necklace and cufflink serving different purposes, but it was undeniably the same pendant. Feeling something strange, Rose lifted her gaze to confirm the man's face.

The man had golden hair, reminiscent of the dazzling sunlight, and blue eyes.

And such bright, clear eyes and dazzling platinum hair belonged to only one young man in the Granos Empire.

Alexion Lutesstein.

He was the Crown Prince.