The woman, who looked as though she had stepped straight out of a painting, met Yulianna's unwavering gaze. She took a step closer, lowering her face to Yulianna's level. There was something in those deep, icy blue eyes—something that seemed to peer straight into her soul. It was chilling, unsettling even. Yet Yulianna's gaze didn't waver.
I've seen those eyes before. But where?
Yulianna almost flinched when the woman's slender fingers traced the edge of her chin. Her lips curved into a spine-chilling smile as she studied Yulianna's face, the lifelessness in her eyes flickering briefly with amusement.
"How thrilling it is to watch a woman dressed in silk behave like sharpened steel."
"Could you please take your hand off my face? You're a bit too flirty for a woman," Yulianna replied flatly.
As expected, the woman's laughter followed soon after. She stepped back, a soft chuckle slipping from her lips. "Pardon my indecency, my lady. Allow me to introduce myself."
"I am Celeste Valemont. I traveled across the imperial palace to celebrate the Emperor's birthday."
Celeste Valemont. Even her name felt surreal, damn. How could anyone look so perfect that it almost seemed like a mistake of nature? The kind of perfection that unsettled rather than enchanted. And just how tall was she?
"You easily caught my attention at the imperial banquet. That was the most entertaining scene I've ever witnessed," Celeste added.
She smiled then—elegant, polite, and delicate. But it was the kind of smile that made you wonder if she was smiling at you or about something she knew that you didn't.
"But what I did wasn't meant for anyone's entertainment. I was merely warming up. Your approach in telling me about your amusement is unnecessary," Yulianna replied, sounding as uninterested as she could.
She had no business with this woman. There was something about Celeste she couldn't quite figure out. She was far too perfect to be human. And beautiful things always had something hideous hidden inside them.
"And I like how sharp-tongued you are; it makes my blood stir with amusement. The feeling of being spoken to so bluntly has never been this exciting, especially when it comes from Duke Rohane's daughter herself."
Celeste spoke like a woman who preferred honesty over flattery, her tone laced with a dangerous sort of delight. Yulianna realized that the more she showed her disinterest, the more eager Celeste became to push her to the edge.
However, that wasn't what made her anxious. It was hearing the Duke's name roll so casually off the woman's tongue.
She knows too much for someone who claims to be just a traveling guest at the Emperor's celebration. She even knew my father. Damn it. What is she up to? I already have enough trouble on my plate, and now I have to keep an eye on her too. This is distressing.
"You claim to be just a traveler here for the Emperor's birthday," Yulianna said sharply. "Yet it seems you already know far too much about me. That makes it rather hard to believe you're here only for the celebration."
"It seems to me, too, that you're not fully aware of your father's reputation in the Aerion Empire, my lady."
Celeste's gaze lingered on Yulianna's face as though studying a page from a book written in riddles. The calm, almost indifferent look she wore only seemed to intrigue Celeste more, deepening that glint of curiosity in her eyes.
"Anyone who hears Duke Rohane's name would know how formidable and great he is…" she murmured, her tone shifting into something feline and probing, as if she were a curious cat watching her prey move.
"Great? Hell, yeah, whatever," Yulianna muttered under her breath, her lips twisting into a half-smirk. "That man must've done a good job—except for being a father."
"It was also said that he had a beautiful daughter, one who perfectly embodied grace and obedience, the ideal noble lady," Celeste said, her tone dripping with mock admiration. A faint smile curved her lips as her eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "Though, I must admit, I was rather confused after witnessing what happened at the banquet."
The cat caught Yulianna's tongue. That disturbing feeling she'd been dreading earlier finally took over, wrapping around her like a cold hand at her throat. She couldn't move. Tension coiled tight in her chest. No matter how hollow she tried to appear, Celeste had managed to see right through her. It was as if the woman knew something Yulianna herself didn't. The thought alone sent a shiver crawling down her spine, despite how much effort she put into keeping a straight face.
"You," Yulianna began, locking her gaze onto Celeste's with barely contained restraint. "Are you done? You look so desperate telling me all this just to have your fun. You're no different from those people who ruin someone else's peace just because they've lost their own. That's such a pathetic way to live…"
The words left her mouth sharper than she expected, but she didn't care. She didn't wait for a response, didn't want to. The flicker of surprise on Celeste's face was enough. Yulianna turned on her heel, her steps brisk, refusing to look back.
Still, even as she walked away, the image of that woman's smile clung to her mind—beautiful, yes, but disturbingly so. A smile too poised to be kind, too perfect to be human.
"Lady Yulianna? Is everything okay?"
Olivia's voice trailed after her as they made their way through the thick crowd. Yulianna could feel the weight of countless eyes and hear the hum of whispers following her every step, but she kept her focus on one thing, getting out of the imperial hall.
"Yeah, everything's fine, Olivia. I just need some fresh air."
"But why are you in such a hurry, my lady? You're walking too fast and you're wearing heels! Please slow down, or you might strain yourself."
"Having a strain is fine, Olivia," Yulianna replied curtly. "But staying here any longer? Impossible. My tolerance for this gathering ran out the moment it started."
A surge of relief washed over her once they reached the palace hallway. Only a few imperial guards stood along the corridor, their silence a welcome change from the chaos inside. Yulianna exhaled, finally letting her shoulders drop. She hadn't realized how tense she'd been until now.
Just then, the bell tower tolled—its deep chime echoing through the marble halls, marking the arrival of midnight. Yulianna winced at the sound. Her body ached from maintaining the perfect posture all evening; her feet throbbed in her heels, and the corset cinched around her waist felt more like a punishment than an accessory.
"You should head back to your assigned chamber, my lady. Tomorrow's a big day—you must get all the rest you can," Olivia reminded softly.
"Right, the Emperor's birthday didn't end here tonight, damn it." Yulianna groaned, nearly stomping her heel against the marble floor. "How could anyone celebrate their birthday for that long? Three whole days? What's the point? Was he just bored or trying to prove something?"
Olivia was momentarily taken aback by her lady's sharp remark, but she didn't let it show. She had known from the start, ever since Yulianna punched Baron Marco, that this woman was nothing like the rumors claimed.
"Today's celebration was just the welcoming feast and formal greetings, my lady," Olivia explained patiently. "Tomorrow will be the hunting competition, followed by the blessing ceremony the next day. It's been the same every year—part of Aerion's long-standing imperial tradition, in case you've forgotten."
"Yeah, whatever. I'd better get some rest now, my chamber's just a few turns away." Yulianna muttered, her voice laced with fatigue. She didn't want to think about what tomorrow might bring anymore. The weight of the night pressed on her shoulders, exhaustion sinking deep into her bones. Two more days of this nonsense made her want to curse under her breath.
"By the way," she added after a pause, glancing at Olivia, "where will you be staying? The servants' quarters are too far from here. You're under my care now, so just sleep in my chamber."
Stunned, Olivia halted mid-step. "Will it be all right, my lady? I don't mind going back to the servants' quarters, it's—"
"Don't worry about it," Yulianna cut in. "It's already late, and I doubt Baron Marco will just sit around after having his ego trampled. Men like him don't take humiliation lightly."
"That makes me worried, my lady. I don't want to cause you any more trouble—"
"Save that nonsense for another day, all right?" Yulianna replied, waving a dismissive hand.
"Understood, my lady," Olivia said quietly. They were nearing the grand double doors of Yulianna's chamber when she spoke again. "By the way, my lady… do you know that woman from earlier? The way she talked to you—it seemed as if she already knew you."
"I don't have any idea what planet she came from," Yulianna muttered, halting just before the door. "But one thing's for sure…" Her voice dropped lower, thoughtful, almost wary. "She's someone to be reckoned with."
That woman offered more trouble than I could handle. She's the kind of person I need to avoid if I want to survive. I just have to make sure our paths never cross again.