Please Support My Revenge - Chapter 30.1

“Oh, when did you arrive?” Lobelia was surprised to see Jade so soon.

“It’s interesting to see a new face. This party is only for important guests, so there shouldn’t be any unfamiliar faces.”

Oh no. Lobelia sighed inwardly. She knew that not just anyone could enter the party, but she didn’t expect to have to remember the faces of all the important guests.

If Jade sensed any suspicion, it could be difficult to dispel the curse.

“No, stay calm. I can pretend and get through this. Jade Ferrado is still just a character in my dreams.”

During this time, Jade didn’t know what Lobelia looked like. Based on his words, it seemed like he couldn’t guess her true identity.

So if she acted cool enough, she could pretend to be an important guest that Jade didn’t recognize.

Lobelia discreetly looked around the party venue. There was no clock inside to make sure the important guests forgot about time and enjoyed the party.

She was worried about the pocket watch that Jade always carried, but he didn’t show any intention of taking it out. Maybe he left it at home today, who knows.

It would be convenient if Jade realized that this moment was just a dream, but he didn’t seem aware of it.

Lobelia bit her lip, holding back the urge to speak.

“This is my first time attending a party like this, so it’s normal for the Duke not to know me.”

“Is that so?”

Luckily, Lobelia’s ability to keep a straight face even when surprised or confused helped her deceive Jade at the right moment.

“It seems like the Emperor is looking for the Duke.”

Lobelia pointed towards the Emperor in the center of the hall, signaling that Jade should move away quickly. As she had said, the Emperor was searching anxiously for Jade, who had suddenly disappeared.

“You’re the main character. You should be enjoying the party, right?”

“Not really. I don’t like extravagant parties like this.”

However, Jade interrupted Lobelia’s words with a single sentence.

“But I’m more curious about you.”

“Why?”

Lobelia squinted at Jade, her doubts growing. She couldn’t believe he would make such a bold statement, no matter how young he was at the time.

“Wasn’t it about rejecting any woman who approached you, but rather accepting any job from any woman?”

Just as Lobelia began to question the information from the original story for the first time, Jade spoke again.

“I could see the displeasure in your eyes when you looked at me.”

“I never felt that way,” she mechanically denied, but deep down she knew he was right.

When Jade appeared with the imperial family, Lobelia couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease.

“So, how will you look at me with kind eyes? We were just having a silly argument a moment ago.”

Jade’s unexpected display of genuine emotions, without even realizing that she would notice his gaze, was a mistake.

If he had realized that even a hint of interest from him would make her maintain her poker face like she was doing now.

“If you receive such cold looks, wouldn’t it naturally make you curious? You might wonder if you made a mistake that I don’t know about,” he said.

… Jade’s approach was so typical of him that it left Lobelia speechless. In most cases, when faced with cold stares, people would wonder, “Why is this person acting like that?” rather than “What did I do wrong?”

While it might seem submissive, coming from Jade, it didn’t feel that way at all. On the contrary, Lobelia felt a sense of relief. Because of his strength, he didn’t have to worry about anyone’s reactions, not even his own. He had the luxury of reconsidering his mistakes.

Young Jade was much more emotionally complex, and Lobelia felt a sudden unease.

“I haven’t done anything wrong,” she insisted. How could she have possibly made a mistake in Jade’s eyes? They hadn’t even met at this point.

However, Jade wasn’t easily convinced. He continued making tactless remarks, steering the conversation with Lobelia.

“Why is he behaving like this?” Lobelia was taken aback. As she conversed with Jade, she felt cold stares from the women around them. They were all women who had affection for Jade.

Even now, with his changed personality and aloofness, there are many women who admire him. When he was affectionate and lively at the age of nineteen, even more women vied for his attention.

“It’s hard to uncover the curse clue when he attracts so much attention,” Jade’s words resonated with Lobelia. She nodded without arguing and adopted the most indifferent attitude possible.

“I just want to find the clue and wake up from this dream as soon as possible.” That was Lobelia’s only hope at the moment.

“Now please, leave. You haven’t done anything wrong,” Lobelia finally spoke in a cold tone, trying to push Jade away.

“If you keep behaving like this, people will misunderstand. They’ll think the Duke is interested in me.”

Despite his claims of not discouraging women from approaching him, he had to avoid any suspicions, especially at his victory celebration.

With her last hope pinned on Jade’s voluntary retreat, Lobelia waited. But once again, her expectations were betrayed.

“Oh, really? That’s interesting. I kind of like you,” Jade said with a casual tone.

“What…?” Lobelia’s eyes widened in disbelief. The words she heard were completely unexpected. It felt like a sudden blow to the head.

“I like you?” Lobelia couldn’t comprehend it. Did he somehow remember their contract? But it didn’t seem like it. The young Jade standing before her had no knowledge of her curse or the contract that would shape their future.

“If I told you I fell in love with you at first sight, would you believe me?”

Despite her confusion, Lobelia managed to miraculously maintain her poker face. It was even more nerve-wracking than when she first met him.

Her ability to keep a composed expression in any situation proved valuable. She was grateful for it, realizing its true worth for the first time.

Lobelia pretended to adjust her hairpin and bowed her head slightly, taking a moment to gather her swirling thoughts.