After that, another figure stepped through the entrance, and the moment I saw who it was, I nearly choked on my drink.
What the fuck—? Is that Leon? Why the hell is he here?
But he looked completely different tonight. His outfit was ridiculously luxurious, something that looked like it came straight from the finest Leonamon fabric, but somehow, it seemed even more exclusive, like it had been handcrafted for him alone. The way the material shimmered under the light made it clear this wasn’t just any expensive attire—this was his attire. His long white hair, tied high into a sleek ponytail, flowed down his back, and his cold, white eyes gleamed behind a pair of glasses, giving him a sharp, almost otherworldly look.
Yet, despite all the changes, I knew it was Leon. There was no mistaking it.
“Who the hell is that?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen anyone like him before. Is he some noble from another country?”
“Who knows?”
The murmurs spread through the crowd like wildfire. Every eye in the room was drawn to him, his presence commanding attention. The way he stood there, poised and graceful, oozed power and nobility—like someone used to being admired, maybe even worshiped. His very stance screamed authority, and his clothes only reinforced it, practically shouting that this was a man of immense status.
“Hey, isn’t he kinda… hot?”
“Right?”
The young women who had been chatting earlier were now fully fixated on him. One of them, who had been staring at her phone the whole time, finally looked up to see what all the fuss was about.
“Yeah.”
“See? Even Kayla, who’s been bored out of her mind, thinks so!”
The three of them couldn’t tear their eyes away from him, but they weren’t alone. Hell, almost everyone was staring now, like they couldn’t help themselves. Even Charlotte Sierra was looking, though her gaze held more exhaustion than interest, while Sesillian’s eyes were locked onto him too.
“Let’s go talk to him!” one of the young women urged, excitement bubbling in her voice.
Without missing a beat, the three of them made a beeline for him.
“Hello,” one of the women purred, flashing a seductive smile. Her eyes lingered on him, practically undressing him with her gaze. “Um, may I know your name?”
“Oh, I’m Faust,” he replied, his voice smooth as velvet, accompanied by that charming smile of his. “Christopher Faust.”
The three women giggled, eyes glinting like they had just struck gold. A wave of disgust and jealousy immediately surged inside me. Why was I jealous? Sure, I’d slept with Leon once, but I swore I wouldn’t fall for his tricks again. So why the hell was I feeling this way? It’s not like I’m still in love with him… right?
While my mind was spinning with that, Leon—now calling himself Christopher Faust—gracefully excused himself from the women, giving them a polite nod.
“Um, Mr. Faust!” one of the women called out, her voice dripping with eagerness. “May I ask your status? You’re obviously not from here, and judging by your appearance, you must be of high status. Are you, by chance, a duke from a foreign country?”
“No, no,” Leon replied, giving a slight shake of his head, a calm smile still playing on his lips. “I’m just a lowly commoner.”
The effect of those words was immediate. The women’s faces fell, the air around them growing awkward as they exchanged quick glances.
“Wait, he’s just a commoner? What a disappointment.”
“Let’s get out of here.”
They turned away from him in an instant, their previous excitement vanishing. Around them, the onlookers began muttering in annoyance, their faces twisting with disgust.
“A commoner? What the hell is a commoner doing at this party?”
“Is this event going downhill, inviting commoners now?”
The nobles were clearly pissed off. This was supposed to be an exclusive party, and now not only were there outcasts from nobility, but a commoner? The arrogance in the room was practically tangible.
And then, Leon—no, Faust—spotted me. His gaze locked onto mine, and despite every fiber of my being wanting to avoid him, I knew it was too late. He was heading straight for me. I sighed, my shoulders slumping as I gave in.
“What the hell are you doing here, Leon?”
“What? Sorry, miss, but the name’s Faust. Christopher Faust, at your service. I’d appreciate it if you’d call me that while we’re here.”
“Quit the charade. It’s obviously you, even with the changes in your appearance.”
“Is that so? I dyed my hair white for this, put in contact lenses to make my eyes match, grew out my hair, tied it back, and you’re saying it’s still obvious I’m me?”
“It’s painfully obvious. Well, to people who actually know you, at least. Charlotte Sierra definitely noticed you too, judging by the look on her face earlier. Seems like she recognizes you.”
“Ah, Charlotte,” he mused. “Yeah, we had a little thing going on for a while.”
“And why was that?” I shot back. “No, wait—don’t answer. I don’t want to hear about your messy-ass love affairs. If you did, I might end up ripping out all my hair.”
Suddenly, a strange heaviness fell over me, and I felt it—eyes on me, burning into my back. It was like whoever was staring wanted to twist a blade of jealousy right into my gut. I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to shake the feeling, but it wouldn’t leave me. Turning around quickly, I scanned the room, but no one seemed to be looking at me anymore. Yet I knew someone had been. Sesillian was standing behind me, almost too casually.
“Well,” Leon—or should I say Faust—smirked, “looks like my little appearance change is working. He’s practically eyeing me like he wants to eat me alive.”
“Who?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“That’s a secret,” he said. “Something you’ll figure out before the night’s over.”
I didn’t like the way he grinned at me, as if he was planning something shady. That smug look plastered across his face told me something was definitely up.
“Rose.” My father’s voice rang out from behind me. I turned to face him. “Why are you with this man?”
