"This seems like a secluded area."
"So what was it that you had wanted to discuss with me? That you had to go so far as to bring me to a secluded area, far away from other people."
"Help me with my rebellion against the Crown Prince."
Now, this was entirely a gamble; approaching Duke Marshall Peter Wyland was a gamble.
She didn't have any leverage over him, and she couldn't blackmail him into joining her like how she did with Duke Gaston Berniece Mieth.
At first glance, Duke Marshall Peter Wyland might look like a respectable man with manners, but he was called 'The King Of The Underground' for a reason.
Whether he would join her rebellion against the Crown Prince or not, she wasn't sure.
Duke Marshall Wyland Peter burst out laughing.
"Ah, it's been a long time since I've laughed this hard."
Duke Marshall laughed with tears in his eyes.
He knew that Lady Melissa had other intentions for bringing him to such a secluded area. Still, he didn't expect this to be the reason!
Lady Melissa was baffled, her mouth was wide open, and her face was red like a tomato.
Did Duke Marshall just laugh at her?
She was stunned, at a loss at words.
Her body and brain just froze.
After a few more seconds of Lady Melissa looking like a tomato, she finally said something.
"Did you...just laugh at me?"
"Ah?Why yes. Your proposal was quite funny to me."
"From your reaction, I'm guessing you don't want to help my rebel against the Crown Prince? Or are you not taking me seriously? Or is it both?"
"Now, don't get all mad, Lady Melissa, your ruining the fun. I won't join your rebellion against the Crown Prince. The reason is precisely what you've stated.
However, I might join your rebellion in the future if you prove that you can take the Crown Prince down."
"May I know the reason why you said no at least?"
"The reason is simply that HE'S the CROWN PRINCE. There hasn't been a rebellion against the Imperial family for hundreds of years.
And if word of me agreeing with your word, a rebellion against the Crown Prince, is a rebellion against the whole Imperial Family.
It's like asking to be beheaded immediately."
However, I had a good laugh because of you, which I haven't had in years now, so I won't tell the Imperial family anything.
"So I must say no to the offer; good luck, though!
Duke Marshall Peter Wyland exclaimed; he saluted before leaving her without even sparing a single glance at her.
Lady Melissa was just frozen, and her brain had to take a few minutes to process what had just happened.
Sure she knew that not all the people she asked would agree to her about the rebellion against the Crown Prince.
But Duke Marshall Peter Wyland had just completely laughed at her face about it.
It took Lady Melissa a few minutes to regain her composure, but she did eventually.
She was still at a loss at words, but she had processed what Duke Marshall Peter Wyland had said to her.
Since he rejected her offer, she had to go for two more.
She sighed; the ball wasn't as fun as she had initially thought it'd be. She longed for some excitement.
She sipped her glass of wine while looking at the bright moon before going back inside to the ball.
She decided to rest for a while and regain her thoughts; since Duke Marshall Peter Wyland hadn't accepted her offer, she had to go out of her way to talk to Duke Mason Thaddeus Trafford, he was a famous man to high society.
Many noblewomen liked him, and he was often seen dating multiple women in a month.
He was a flirt and a good-looking one at that.
Even though he was a flirt, he still had some dignity and honor. He never went for married women or women in a relationship.
He didn't want to be a 'homewrecker,' he was a flirt, but he had pride and dignity.
He was silver-haired and just a few centimeters shorter than Duke Gaston Berniece Mieth.
He was famous for his good looks and swordsmanship skills. However, nobody could ever compare Duke Gaston Berniece Mieth's swordsmanship skills. He was always second to Duke Gaston Berniece Mieth.
Duke Mason Thaddeus Trafford, a man who was also popular with the ladies.
He had that charisma, and he certainly knew how to use it when it would be beneficial to him and when not to use it if he wanted to lay low.
A man who was a smooth-talker, seeming like all he was is a 'womanizer,' but that was just the surface; he was more than a 'womanizer.'
The Trafford family was the fourth founding family of the Empire, and they had been in charge for years for taking care of imported goods, drugs, etc.
An esteemed family and everybody knew them. How could they not?
He had killer good looks, charisma, was a part of one of the Empire's five founding families, and most importantly, was the head of one of the most famous guilds at the time, 'Crimson Witch.'
The last bit of information, only a few knew, and Lady Melissa was one of them.
Crimson Witch was an assassination guild, you pay them a price, and they'll assassinate someone for you.
However, fees were costly as the Crimson Witch guild had never been caught in the past before. They had never been caught in Lady Melissa's past life before either.
There were several gossip articles that the Crimson Witch guild were the ones who had assassinated the Majesty in Lady Melissa's past life.
However, Lady Melissa believed that it wasn't the Crimson Witch guild that had murdered the Imperial Majesty, but instead, it was the Crown Prince.
He was a greedy person, an ungrateful, spoiled brat, but boy; he was smart.
That was how he had manipulated Lady Melissa, and his intelligence was one of his greatest strengths.
But his greediness would be one of his greatest flaws.
It would be his downfall.
After a few more minutes of Lady Melissa pondering about her past life and pieces of information about it.
She was ready to search for him.
Duke Mason was pretty easy to spot. Much to her surprise, a group of women was flocking all over him, and it looked like he was having a pretty good time.
Lady Melissa was there to ruin his good time.
She knew she couldn't get his attention willingly, so she decided to drag him.
A crowd had gathered. It was a surprise seeing Lady Melissa drag a man who was two times heavier than her! The noblewomen that had been originally flocking over Duke Mason were left speechless, and Lady Melissa had certainly caught Duke Mason's attention in an exceptional manner.
"W-wait, where are you taking me?"
Lady Melissa ignored his question and instead continued dragging him. It wasn't that hard dragging him even though he was twice as heavy as her.
All the swordsmanship training she had done these past few days was worth it.
And it was all thanks to Duchess Ella, who was undoubtedly a fantastic teacher.
After a few more minutes of dragging Duke Mason across the whole ball, trying to find a private area with zero people so she could finally discuss matters with him.
He was panting. All that dragging around had made him tired as the ballroom was quite huge.
"I shall formally introduce myself. I am Lady Melissa Mendy Shayla of the Shayla estate. And it is my utmost pleasure to meet you today. Thank you for attending my ball."
"I *pants* am Duke Mason Thaddeus Trafford from the Trafford estate, and I am pleased to meet you too, Lady Melissa."
Duke Mason usually had good stamina, but he was exhausted tonight and sleepy.
But it looks like that would change soon. Lady Melissa seemed interesting so far, although he did not know why she had dragged him all along the ballroom for.
"What did you drag me for that we had to go through the WHOLE ballroom?"
Lady Melissa was laughing, and Duke Maston looked like absolute shit right now; he was still panting, his body lacked enough air.
Which usually, Lady Melissa wouldn't laugh at, but his face was just so funny to her that she couldn't help but burst a laugh.
"Ah, my apologies, it is because of me you look so disheveled and sweaty now."
Lady Melissa ended up stifling a laugh this time. She didn't want to humiliate him any more than she already did, but she couldn't help it.
"S-stop laughing!"
Duke Masonexclaimed. His cheeks had a tint of red in them, and he was embarrassed.
He had rarely shown this side of him, his vulnerable side.
He had always shown women and most people his 'flirty' side, his 'confident' side, and charming' side.
So Lady Melissa was one of the few people that had ever seen his 'vulnerable' side.