"Ah, yes," Katherine replied, offering a polite but distant smile. "It's nice to get away from all the noise for a moment."
The man nodded, his smile widening slightly as he stepped closer. "I couldn't agree more. I don't blame you for seeking a bit of solitude. It's easy to feel lost in a crowd like this."
Katherine raised an eyebrow, amused. "You don't seem to be one for crowds either."
He chuckled softly. "Not particularly. I tend to prefer quieter moments, like this one."
There was something oddly familiar about him.
Katherine felt drawn to him, as if his presence carried a subtle pull—but at the same time, something in the back of her mind whispered caution.
His silver hair and red eyes stood out among the richly dressed guests. They were striking, but also... strangely out of place.
And yet, the longer she stood with him, the more comfortable she felt.
For a moment, neither of them spoke, simply standing together in the quiet. The cool air from the window brushed against her skin, a welcome contrast to the warmth of the ballroom.
"Are you a guest here, too?" she asked, though she didn't expect a straight answer.
The man shrugged slightly, the smile never leaving his lips. "One might say I'm just passing through," he replied vaguely. "Not exactly a guest, but not quite a stranger either."
Katherine huffed a quiet laugh. What kind of answer was that?
"Sounds like you just enjoy being mysterious," she mused.
His smirk deepened slightly. "Perhaps. Or perhaps some things are better left unexplained."
Katherine wasn't sure whether he was teasing her or being serious, but either way, she found herself liking the conversation far more than any she'd had tonight.
"Sometimes it's nice to just… be," she murmured, mostly to herself.
He gave a small nod, his gaze shifting toward the garden outside. "Indeed. The world can be a bit overwhelming at times, don't you think?"
Katherine turned to look at him, surprised at how deeply the words resonated.
Most people filled silences with meaningless chatter—yet this man let the quiet settle, as if he found as much meaning in the pauses as in the words themselves.
It was… refreshing.
"Yeah, it can be," she admitted, her voice more sincere than she expected.
A knowing look flickered across his face. "I imagine you'd prefer a more... relaxed environment than this."
Katherine hesitated, then let out a soft laugh. "You could say that. The whole event feels like a performance, and I'm not sure I'm good at the act."
"Well, you're certainly not the only one who feels that way." He studied her for a moment, his red eyes unreadable. "Sometimes, it's easy to forget what we really want in places like this."
Katherine was about to respond when she heard someone call her name from the ballroom.
"Katherine, there you are!"
Her Aunt Yevon's voice snapped her back to reality.
Katherine gave the man one last glance before turning toward her aunt, offering a small nod as she excused herself.
She nodded slowly, still distracted by the encounter. "Sorry, Aunt, I just needed a break from all the... noise," she said, gesturing vaguely toward the bustling room. "It's a bit overwhelming at times."
Yevon chuckled softly. "I can imagine. There's always so much to keep up with during these gatherings." She paused for a moment, then her tone shifted—lower, more inquisitive.
"I saw you speaking with someone on the balcony. Do you know who he is?"
Katherine froze, her heart skipping a beat.
She hadn't realized Yevon had noticed.
Keeping her expression neutral, she forced herself to shrug. "Oh. He's... someone I just met. Not really sure who he is, but he seemed nice enough."
Yevon raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in her golden eyes. "Someone you just met?" she echoed, her voice carrying an undercurrent of knowing.
And then, with perfect certainty, she said it.
"That was Count Adolfo, wasn't it?"
Katherine's breath hitched.
Count Adolfo.
Her mind reeled.
Adolfo—the main antagonist in this world.
She had heard his name in passing, but meeting him in person was another matter entirely.
Had it really been him?
Yevon studied her carefully, then nodded as if confirming something to herself. "Yes, the youngest count to inherit his title. He's a bit... eccentric, to say the least. Most people tend to avoid him. But it's hard to ignore his presence."
She didn't elaborate, but her tone carried an unspoken warning.
Katherine tried to mask her unease, but the mention of Adolfo stirred something deeper than fear—a strange, gnawing uncertainty.
"He didn't seem dangerous, though."
The words left her before she could stop them.
The man she had spoken to had been calm, composed—nothing like the villain she had read about.
And yet…
There was something undeniably otherworldly about him.
His striking silver hair. Those intense red eyes.
His presence had been impossible to ignore.
She had felt drawn to him.
Yevon's gaze hardened slightly. "I wouldn't say dangerous, but he's certainly not someone you'd want to be too involved with," she said, her voice dipping into something more serious. "He's unpredictable, and not everyone is fond of his... ways."
Katherine forced herself to ask, "But why does he stand out so much?"
Yevon leaned in slightly, her voice lowering further. "It's his presence—silver hair, those red eyes. People notice him, even when he's trying to blend in. And..." she hesitated, then continued, "there are rumors."
Rumors.
The word sent a chill down Katherine's spine.
"Some say he's involved in things the nobility isn't privy to," Yevon continued. "I wouldn't be surprised if he has more going on than meets the eye."
Katherine's mind spun.
Adolfo is supposed to be the villain.
The man who would eventually try to destroy everything.
And yet…
She had spoken with him for only a brief moment, but somehow, it had felt like something far more significant.
"I'll keep that in mind," she said, her voice steadier than she expected. "I didn't get the impression he was dangerous, but I'll be careful."
Yevon studied her for a beat before giving a small nod. "Good. Just remember, someone like him isn't to be underestimated. Keep your distance, and don't let curiosity pull you into something you'll regret."
Katherine glanced back toward the balcony.
The man with silver hair and red eyes had vanished.
But the unease in her chest remained.
The night was far from over, but the encounter with Count Adolfo had left a mark on her.
She couldn't shake the feeling that this meeting was important.
That this moment meant something.
Yevon's voice pulled her back. "Well," she said, eager to steer the conversation away, "what's going on with the rest of the evening?"
Yevon waved a hand dismissively. "The usual—introductions, networking, gossip," she said with a slight roll of her eyes. "It's all just a game of appearances. Nothing too exciting."
Katherine smiled faintly. Grateful for the distraction.
But as they moved deeper into the crowd, she couldn't help but glance over her shoulder one last time.
Adolfo was gone.
But the unease he left behind lingered.
Like a shadow she couldn't quite shake off.
And despite her best efforts to push him from her mind, she couldn't help but think—
He was certainly one of the most handsome men she had ever seen.
***
Katherine sat quietly, sipping her tea, doing her best not to think about certain red-eyed, silver-haired individuals.
And failing spectacularly.
She groaned internally. What is wrong with me?
It wasn't like she hadn't met interesting people before. It wasn't like he had said anything particularly earth-shattering.
But still.
There was something about Count Adolfo that unsettled her.
Maybe it was his calm, unbothered demeanor. Maybe it was the way he spoke, like he had all the time in the world—which, frankly, felt a little unfair when she was over here running out of patience for every noble at the ball.
Or maybe—just maybe—it was because he looked exactly like a villain.
Silver hair? Check.Red eyes? Double check.Mysterious aura that made people nervous? Triple check.
Honestly, it was almost too on-the-nose.
He might as well have introduced himself with an ominous lightning strike in the background.
Katherine exhaled through her nose, shaking her head.
It was fine. She was fine.
Sure, he had appeared out of nowhere, said some cryptic things, and left her wondering if she should be worried or intrigued…
But hey! Maybe this was just a normal day for him.
She took another sip of tea, then immediately frowned when she realized her cup was empty.
"Great," she muttered under her breath. "Now even my tea is abandoning me."
She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed.
Okay. Think. I need a distraction. Preferably one that does not involve vaguely intimidating men with suspiciously good hair.
Maybe a change of scenery would help.
Yes. Brilliant idea. The city was big, full of people, and most importantly— not Count Adolfo.
If she dressed simply, she could blend in, go about her day, and not spend the next several hours overanalyzing a two-minute conversation like some lovesick protagonist.
Which she absolutely was not.
Maybe she could visit the markets, eat a ridiculous amount of street food, and listen to the merchants yell aggressively about their wares. That sounded delightfully chaotic.
Much better than sitting here, getting lost in her thoughts.
With renewed determination, Katherine stood up, dusted off her dress, and nodded to herself.
She was going to go outside.
And she was going to touch some grass.
…Metaphorically. Probably.
Because she refused to let the world's most suspiciously attractive villain live rent-free in her head any longer.
Even if—just for a second—she had to admit…
His eyes really were kind of unfairly pretty.