TEOGDA Chapter 10

And now… she had refused the Grand Duke’s dance, and was asking him instead?
Terrier couldn’t believe it. It felt like a dream.

“Lady Raina, do you truly wish to dance with me?”

“Of course. Or… do you not wish to dance with me?”

Her blue eyes trembled shyly as she looked at him.
Seeing that delicate gaze made courage rise in Terrier’s heart.

“Lady Raina, I would be honored.”

“Thank you. I’m not very good, though… It’s my first ball, so I hope you won’t mind.”

“Not good? Lady Raina, I’m simply grateful for the chance.”

Raina beamed at his kind response.

“Shall we?”

Terrier lifted his arm, and Raina gently placed her hand on it.
Just as a waltz began, the couples moved toward the center of the ballroom.

‘So this is the Debutante Ball!’

Raina clutched Terrier’s arm, her expression full of excitement, as they stepped onto the dance floor.
Unaware of Kaithan’s piercing gaze still fixed on her.

* * *

Meanwhile, Charlotte had managed to get Bella out of the ballroom.
Bella could barely walk, and Charlotte had to practically drag her out.

Even on the way out, Bella’s pheromones filled the air, causing Charlotte no end of trouble.
Men’s eyes turned toward them, drawn by the scent, and every time, Bella would flash a seductive smile and try to approach them.

Charlotte had to smack her daughter’s back multiple times just to stop her.

As soon as she spotted the first inn, she dragged Bella inside.

Once in the room, Charlotte laid Bella on the bed and locked the door.

“Get a grip, girl.”

“Mother… I need pheromones.”

“I know.”

Bella’s disheveled state made it clear—she was deep in Tiana, lost to her instincts.
And worse, it was the out-of-control kind only seen in low-ranking females.

‘What a disaster.’

“Please let me go outside.”

“Bella! No. You can’t.”

“Please!”

On the way there, Bella’s forehead had been burning with fever.

“Bella, just hold on. It’ll pass after one night.”

“Mother, it hurts… I don’t think I can bear it.”

As she said, her pheromones were flaring wildly, and she twisted in agony, her legs tangled together.

“What’s going on? You can’t control it? You’re supposed to be dominant.”

“I don’t know… Ever since I saw His Grace the Grand Duke… I can’t control it.”

As a dominant female, Bella had always been skilled at controlling her pheromones.
Something like this—her pheromones spiraling out of control—had never happened before.

‘I never should’ve told her to release them.’

Charlotte hadn’t known Kaithan’s pheromones would be that powerful.
Even from a distance, she herself had felt the chilling intensity and was shaken.

Bella must have been exposed to that overwhelming force, and as a result, her Tiana had come on too early.
For now, the only thing that could cool her down quickly was one of Raina’s healing potions.

‘She should still be waiting outside the boutique, right?’

Charlotte looked out the window. Darkness had already fallen.
Normally, she wouldn’t have cared if Raina waited out in the cold all night — but with Bella burning up, she had no choice.

“This won’t do. Bella, I’ll get you some medicine.”

Bella stared blankly at the ceiling, trembling with fever.

“Ugh… I’m so cold.”

Just moments ago, she had been burning up — now she was shivering.

“It’s because of the fever.”

Charlotte pulled a blanket over her.

“Just wait a bit. I’ll be back quickly.”

She locked the door and rushed out.

Charlotte frantically found a carriage and headed for the boutique.
Bella’s condition didn’t allow for even a moment’s delay.
She promised double fare to the driver and urged him to hurry. Soon, they arrived.

Stepping out into the dim street, she saw that no one was in front of the boutique.

‘What’s going on? Did she leave while waiting? That can’t be.’

Charlotte looked around anxiously. The street was silent.

Left with no choice, she knocked on the boutique’s door.

“Who is it?”

“Good evening.”

The shopkeeper looked her up and down.

“I’m the lady of the Rosebird family.”

“Oh, yes…”

The word “nuisance” nearly slipped from his mouth, but he swallowed it.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“I came to see if my daughter was here.”

“You mean Miss Raina?”

“Yes!”

“Oh yes, she came. Of course.”

The shopkeeper smiled politely.
Annoying customer or not, she was connected to the Grand Duke, so he remained courteous.

“I told her to wait outside the boutique. Is she inside?”

“Oh, well… her carriage hadn’t arrived, so thankfully, His Grace the Grand Duke sent for her.”

“…Th-the Grand Duke? He sent for Raina?”

“Yes, of course.”

Charlotte’s mouth fell open at the unexpected name.

“Good heavens…”

“And honestly, you demanded a refund on the dress so forcefully, and then didn’t mention anything about today—so I was a little put off. Of course, His Grace Grand Duke Kaithan paid handsomely for it. By the way, what’s your relationship with His Grace?”

Charlotte’s mouth remained open in shock.

This made no sense. Charlotte was more flustered than the shopkeeper.

“Grand Duke Kaithan really gave my daughter a ride?”

“Yes. They came together from the start.”

“You’re sure it was the Grand Duke himself?”

“Ha! I’ve been running a shop in the capital for years. Do you think I wouldn’t recognize Grand Duke Kaithan?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Are you perhaps not close to him?”

The shopkeeper eyed Charlotte with suspicion.

“No! His Grace, of course, holds our family in special regard.”

Which technically wasn’t a lie—he likely ‘held every family in regard.’

“Ah, so that’s why he came with your daughter.”

The shopkeeper nodded, as if it all made sense now.

“But you haven’t seen her since?”

“We must’ve just missed each other. When did she leave?”

“Hm… more than an hour ago, I’d say. She was in a hurry to get to the ball before it ended.”

An hour ago—that would’ve been around when Bella had left the ballroom.

So, after Charlotte and Bella left, Kaithan and Raina met.
The thought of Kaithan taking Raina to the ball after Bella’s humiliation—Charlotte felt a surge of anger.

Frustrated, she slammed the door without so much as a proper farewell and stormed out of the boutique.

‘Now what?’

Without Raina, there was no one to make the healing potion.
And at this hour, all the pharmacies were surely closed.

As Charlotte sighed, discouraged, she noticed lights coming from the Laorde building.

‘No one’s watching, right?’

Laorde would have emergency medicine to suppress a heat cycle.
Charlotte glanced around, then slipped into a narrow alley beside Laorde.
She remembered it well—when she used to work here, this was the escape route for dodging unruly customers or law enforcers.

“Emilia!”

“Charlotte!”

Emilia beamed at the sight of her.

“What brings you here so late? I was just about to contact you.”

“Really?”

“How did Bella’s debutante go?”

“Well… sort of as planned.”

“And Raina? Did she sing well before she left?”

Emilia’s smile turned sly.

“I was going to reach out to you about that. I’ll pay double—make her exclusive to my place.”

“What?”

“The reaction was better than I expected. On stage, her voice was crystal clear… like she could lift and set down a person’s soul at will.”

“Really?”

Charlotte’s eyes gleamed, and Emilia hurried to add more.

“Sure, there are other singers like her out there… but since we’re friends, I’m telling you first. What do you say? Didn’t you mention needing money? I can give you an advance, whatever you want.”

Emilia spoke lightly, though it was clear she was hiding some anxiety.

After Raina’s performance, Emilia had been swamped with customers asking about her.
It was giving her a headache.
Double pay? She was already thinking she’d need to offer five times that to keep Raina around.

As she nervously watched Charlotte for a reaction, Charlotte didn’t seem particularly interested.

“Oh yeah? Nothing else unusual happen?”

“Hm? Unusual?”

“Yeah. Any odd guests among the crowd?”

“Odd guests? What do you mean? You know the types we get — wealthy men from respectable families.”

“Was Grand Duke Kaithan among those guests?”

“…What?”

Emilia burst into laughter.

“Our place might be well-known, but not that well-known. Why would he come here?”

Her tone grew serious.

“Right…”

“Of course not. Even the palace barely gets to see him — no way he’d grace this place.”

“Yeah… you’re right.”

Charlotte was confused.

“Anyway, Charlotte — when can you send Raina again?”

“More importantly, Emilia, do you have any medicine that suppresses Tiana?”

“Medicine? I’ve got some.”

For low-ranked beastkin who couldn’t manage their pheromones, Laorde kept stock of medicine that could suppress heat cycles.
But it was expensive, and came with nasty side effects, so it was rarely used.

“Let me have some.”

“What for?”

“Bella — she suddenly went into heat.”

“Bella’s dominant, though. Why would she need that?”

“There was… an unexpected incident.”

“Really?”

Emilia hesitated for a moment.

“You know, this stuff is hard to get — and pricey.”

“I know. I’m grateful.”

Emilia headed inside and returned with the medicine.
Just as Charlotte reached for it, Emilia clenched her fist.

“Charlotte — you’ll send Raina only to my place from now on, right?”

“Fine. But from now on, I want double.”

“Deal. As a token of our promise, this one’s on the house.”

Emilia smiled and opened her hand.
A small, round pill dropped into Charlotte’s palm.

“Thanks.”

Charlotte rushed out of Laorde.
For now, calming Bella was the priority.