TEOGDA Chapter 3
by LayanaGentlemen from all over the empire gathered to witness the debut of these young ladies, and the ladies themselves adorned themselves in every possible way to appear as beautiful as they could.
A night of excitement, where handsome men and beautiful women met—
This year’s Debutante Ball was even more lively than usual.
The reason? A rumor had spread that Grand Duke Kaithan would attend the ball.
Grand Duke Kaithan governed the northern territories of the Lecia Empire and commanded a powerful military force.
Holding supreme power behind the scenes, he almost never showed his face in high society.
His family was said to carry the blood of direwolves—beasts that could never be tamed—so he was known for his ruthless nature, as well as his love for war and hunting.
Traditionally, the House of Direwolf chose their mates early from among women born and raised in their own lands.
However, despite having reached adulthood long ago, it was said that Grand Duke Kaithan had yet to take a mate.
News that such a man had come not just out of his territory but all the way to the capital in search of a bride sent shockwaves throughout the empire.
The hearts of the young ladies debuting tonight—and even those who had yet to find a match—were fluttering with excitement and anticipation.
There were two prevailing opinions about Grand Duke Kaithan.
One: that he was arrogant, wielding more power than the Emperor himself.
The other: that he was just too damn sexy.
His domain encompassed most of the north—over a third of the entire Lecia Empire.
Buried within his vast lands were incredible resources that fortified his family’s wealth. His formidable private army served as the backbone of Lecia’s national defense.
But other than his once-a-year courtesy visit to the Emperor, Grand Duke Kaithan never came to the palace. For Emperor Adrian, who was quietly wary of Kaithan’s growing influence, this was a golden opportunity.
Though Kaithan currently protected the empire’s borders, no one knew when he might become a threat to the imperial family. That’s why the Emperor was determined to bind him through marriage—to a family favorable to the throne.
As the ball commenced, while other gentlemen sought partners, Grand Duke Kaithan simply leaned against a pillar, watching the scene unfold with relaxed detachment.
Yet all eyes at the ball were on him.
<They say he’s really looking for a bride this time.>
<Why didn’t he find one in his own lands? His family has direwolf blood—who could handle that kind of temperament?>
<Look at that face—wouldn’t you want to handle it? Not to mention the fortune that comes with it.>
<It’s not just the money—he has massive military power too.>
<Even if no one says it, I bet most of the ladies here have their eyes on him.>
<Still, he’s scary just to look at. Those eyes—don’t they look like he’s hunting prey?>
<Forget the eyes, I’m looking at those sexy muscles.>
Though dressed in finely tailored clothes, Grand Duke Kaithan exuded raw masculinity.
He was an entirely different breed from the pale noblemen who only knew how to idle under the shade.
<Is it because of that direwolf blood?>
<I don’t know, I don’t know—he looked me in the eye. What do I do?>
Everyone kept sneaking glances at the Grand Duke, whispering nonstop.
<If I could just be held in those arms once, I’d die happy.>
<What the hell are you saying?>
<You know exactly what I’m saying.>
Even in his casual, slanted pose against the wall, grace radiated from him.
His long, sleek legs gave off an air of arrogance, and his broad shoulders and V-shaped torso screamed masculinity.
As for his sculpted face—there was no need to even comment.
If there was a flaw, perhaps it was his slightly furrowed dark brows, as if something had displeased him.
Women inherently desired strong males.
That fact remained true even in the rigid society of the Lecia Empire.
Every lady’s gaze, regardless of direction, was fixed on Grand Duke Kaithan.
As the ball reached its peak, the women grew more active.
Though none dared to seduce him outright, there were subtle smiles, glances that lingered over him—
And Grand Duke Kaithan watched them all with bored indifference.
Everyone’s focus was on one thing—
Who would Grand Duke Kaithan ask to dance first?
However, even when ladies mustered the courage to speak to him with elegance, that was the end of it.
After exchanging greetings, the intensity of his gaze often made their hearts race.
But after a polite hello—that was it.
Grand Duke Kaithan only observed them as if confirming something, never asking for the dance they so longed for.
After a greeting, he would simply take a step back.
At that, the ladies could only glance at him longingly, suffering in silence.
Some complained that Grand Duke Kaithan was excessively rude, but the man himself didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
Even now, Grand Duke Kaithan stood with a slanted posture, calmly watching the young ladies making their debut tonight.
After exchanging greetings with each one, he still didn’t ask any to dance.
“Are the debuting young ladies done for tonight?”
“I believe most have arrived.”
It seemed he would leave empty-handed again tonight.
Since that night, he had been consistently attending society parties.
Enduring the tedious events, he listened to every lady’s voice—but he could not find the voice he’d heard in his dream that night.
‘Where the hell are you hiding?’
Grand Duke Kaithan sighed.
“Your Grace, you didn’t find her again?”
“No.”
Kaithan raised a hand to his forehead.
His headache was getting worse.
“How many ladies are left to debut tonight?”
“Only daughters from lesser families remain now.”
At the Debutante Ball, the order of presentation was determined by a family’s influence.
The later a young lady debuted, the less notable her family was.
“I don’t care about the family status. How many are left?”
“Twenty, sir.”
“Alright.”
Kaithan let out a small sigh and nodded.
The stinging headache from the mixture of perfume and noise grew worse, but he was determined to endure it a little longer.
* * *
In a separate room…
As they prepared to head to the ballroom, Charlotte carefully adjusted Bella’s outfit.
Draped in sky-blue, cloud-like lace, Bella looked stunning.
“Oh, our Bella, dressed like this, you’re an angel.”
“Mother, do you think I’ll do well at the Debutante Ball today?”
“Of course! I went through the list of girls debuting today, and none can compare to you.”
“Really?”
“Naturally! And Bella, there’s only one man you need to pay attention to tonight.”
“I know. Grand Duke Kaithan, right?”
“Exactly.”
Charlotte’s eyes gleamed with greed as she emphasized her point.
“The Grand Duke is looking for a bride the very year you debut. Isn’t this destiny?”
“It’s fate from the heavens. So don’t worry, Mother. I’ll definitely capture him.”
“Good. But they say His Grace isn’t easy. He hasn’t budged under pressure from any lady. Rumor has it no one has even danced with him yet.”
“I’m not just any lady, am I?”
“Of course not. My daughter can handle it just fine. Oh, and Bella—Grand Duke Kaithan has direwolf blood. And he’s a pure alpha, too. So, Bella, when the time is right, show him your pheromones.”
“Are you sure that’s okay?”
Releasing pheromones, laden with sexual undertones, without mutual agreement was considered rude.
However, it was also true that nothing was more effective as a form of seduction.
Especially for alphas who could control their pheromones freely, it was a powerful weapon.
Knowing this, Charlotte believed they still had a shot, despite their family being far beneath Kaithan’s.
“Your scent is so alluring. Grand Duke Kaithan will fall for your charms in an instant. And if it comes down to it, spending the night with him wouldn’t be a problem, either.”
At Charlotte’s blunt words, Bella’s cheeks flushed red.
“Alright, I’ll do it.”
“Let’s go, Bella.”
“Wait—Is it true that sister is participating in the Debutante Ball too?”
“What nonsense is that?”
“But she said earlier that she’s going to wear the pink dress I was supposed to wear. That’s not true, right?”
Bella asked nervously.
“Of course not, don’t worry, Bella. The only young lady from the Rosebird family debuting tonight is you.”
“But she was getting ready to go out too.”
“This is a secret, but Raina’s going to sing at Laorde tonight.”
“What? That’s…”
“Yes, a tavern.”
Charlotte’s lips curled into a mocking smile.
“Who’d let a girl who hangs around places like that appear at the Debutante Ball? Not this year, not next year, not ever.”
“Then what will happen to her?”
“What else? A girl whose reputation is already ruined… Our family will just have to keep her around. And if a spot as someone’s second wife opens up, we’ll send her off then.”
“Ah, I thought so.”
Bella smiled faintly.
“But… will Father just let it slide?”
“Don’t worry about that. I have my ways.”
Charlotte gave a wicked smile.
“What kind of ways?”