If You're Going to Sell Yourself, Sell It to Me - Chapter 30

As expected from the information obtained in advance, the senator seemed determined to wipe out the independence fighters entirely.

Lockwood’s hand trembled as he read the documents detailing the plans for this brutal operation. He had known Edmund to be ruthless, but he hadn’t expected such an extreme plan. The situation was far more severe than he had anticipated.

According to the documents, entire villages could be wiped out to achieve the objective. Edmund intended to completely eradicate any trace of rebellion by cutting out everything around it.

If this plan were executed, the civilian casualties would be staggering, but Edmund seemed to think that obliterating the colonies was preferable to losing them. His determination to uproot the independence movement was evident.

Captured fighters would face not only their own deaths but also the slaughter of their families. At that moment, Lockwood didn’t think of his real brother, Raymond, but of his fake family, Georgiana. Although he would have to let her go once they reached the New World, he planned to ensure she was well-protected until she was settled. Until the war was over, he intended to keep her safely under his watch.

He memorized the details of the support troops’ arrival and transcribed the key information onto a piece of paper. Just as he finished, he heard voices growing louder outside.

“No.”

“I brought this to make sure you didn’t miss the fireworks while standing guard, and you’re going to refuse?”

“I already had a few.”

“Come on, just one more.”

“If I get fired, you’re taking the blame.”

“Of course.”

Hearing his lieutenant’s playful voice, Lockwood climbed back up into the ventilation shaft, retracing his steps. It was easier now that he had been through once before.

He returned to his cabin and quickly changed into clean clothes. The thought of keeping Georgiana close in case anything went wrong reassured him.

However, when he arrived, the cabin was empty. He cautiously opened the bathroom door, but it was vacant as well.

Had she gone to Sarah?

But something about the messier-than-usual state of the room bothered him.

Maybe she had changed her mind and gone to the ball. He recalled how she had been restless all morning, seemingly wanting to say something.

After a quick shower, he donned a dark blue tailcoat he had never worn before. The jacket, with its long tails, was clearly meant for a special occasion. Wearing a white shirt and a vibrant red cravat, he adjusted his appearance in the mirror, mumbling to himself.

If I dress too casually on a night like this, I’ll stand out more.

Despite his attempts to rationalize it, he found himself fussing over his reflection in the mirror.

He entered the ballroom wearing a mask that matched Georgiana’s. The room was packed with people, but he spotted her immediately.

Even with the white butterfly mask, her rounded forehead and elegant jawline stood out. He noticed that her lips were glossier than usual, likely thanks to the array of cosmetics on the dressing table.

Tsk.

He was displeased with the sight of her in the light green mermaid dress that perfectly matched her eyes. The dress accentuated her slim waist and revealed more of her chest than he liked, drawing his gaze repeatedly to that area.

He knew Henry had prepared the dress in advance, but it still irked him.

I’ll make sure she never wears that dress again—or at least only in the cabin.

Lockwood approached her with a look of disapproval, but someone else reached her first. Though he didn’t know the man, he could see that Georgiana was uncomfortable.

Lockwood’s lips curved into a crooked smile.

As the man moved aggressively toward her, she tried to evade him, but he persisted. With long strides, Lockwood closed the distance, grabbing the back of the man’s collar effortlessly.

“You must be drunk from your own liquor business.”

***

‘Lockwood?’

Georgiana looked up at the familiar voice. Behind the matching black butterfly mask, she saw a man with jet-black hair and cobalt-blue eyes, a face she knew all too well.

She saw him every day—there was no mistaking it. It was definitely Lockwood.

But when had he arrived? He hadn’t been anywhere to be seen just moments ago.

As she took in his appearance, her eyes widened.

Though his height and demeanor were the same, his attire was far more extravagant than usual. The dark blue tailcoat clung to his broad shoulders, emphasizing his muscular build, and the red cravat, which she had never seen him wear before, added a dash of vibrancy that suited him perfectly.

Even in a vast ballroom, there was no way someone like him would go unnoticed.

“Let go of me! Who do you think you are, butting into other people’s business?” the man shouted, trying to sound tough despite trembling as he looked up at Lockwood’s larger frame.

“Judging by how you don’t recognize matching masks, you must be either incredibly stupid or really drunk.”

Lockwood released the man’s collar with a dismissive flick. As the man stumbled back, he noticed that their masks were indeed a matching pair. Realizing his mistake, the man turned pale and started to retreat, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender.

“I-I didn’t know! I saw the two women alone when I came in—how was I supposed to know?”

“Whether you knew or not, the fact remains that you threatened a defenseless woman.”

“It wasn’t a threat—I was just trying to be friendly. There must be some misunderstanding.”

“These days, it seems ‘friendly’ means forcing someone into a corner. Drop the excuses and leave before you make things worse for yourself.”

At Lockwood’s threat, the man bolted, not even noticing when his mask fell to the floor. Watching the man flee, Lockwood turned to Georgiana.

“You didn’t seem like you were coming to the ball, but here you are.”

Was he upset because of the man from earlier? Or was it because she had come without telling him? Whatever the reason, he didn’t seem pleased.

Still, Georgiana felt a strange happiness knowing that he had come looking for her.

“I tried to tell you this morning, but I couldn’t find you. I’m sorry for not letting you know.”

Georgiana fidgeted with her fingers, anxiously watching his reaction. What if he was upset that she had come with Sarah?

“I didn’t say that expecting an apology. I just meant that it was surprising to see you here, given how much you seem to dislike these kinds of events.”

Sarah quickly stepped in to explain, concerned that Georgiana might get into trouble. “I’m the one who convinced her to come. It seemed like such a waste for her to stay in the cabin all the time.”

“Oh, so you came together.”

It was only then that Lockwood seemed to notice Sarah standing beside Georgiana.

“Thank you. I was wondering if I should have brought her myself, but you saved me the trouble.”

“Oh, it was nothing. I’m just glad to be here—it’s been so much fun. It would’ve been perfect if not for that man from earlier. Everyone’s been clamoring to talk to Georg—I mean, Juliana. You should keep a close eye on her, Mr. Limberton.”

“…I see.”

Lockwood’s slow response was noticeably subdued, sending a shiver down Georgiana’s spine.

“Now that you’re both here, everything should be fine. Oh, it looks like the music is about to start!”

“……?”

“What are you doing?” Sarah’s expression turned incredulous as she looked between Lockwood and Georgiana, who were both staring at each other as if they didn’t know what to do next.

With her hands on her hips, she looked up at Lockwood, her demeanor suddenly stern. “Surely you didn’t forget to ask your wife to dance, did you? Even if you’re late, that’s no excuse.”

“Oh, I’m fine.” Georgiana immediately shook her head. She had learned to dance, but she had never danced with anyone before.

She had always imagined that one day she might dance with someone, but she had never considered that it would be with Lockwood.

The situation felt so awkward that she could only roll her eyes nervously. She was confident that he wouldn’t want to dance either. But then, to her surprise, he suddenly knelt down and extended his hand to her.

“Anna, may I have the honor of sharing the first dance with you?”

He looked every bit the prince from a fairy tale, and the attention of the entire ballroom was drawn to them.

Stunned, she could only stare at his outstretched hand, until Sarah nudged her and whispered urgently, “What are you doing? Surely you’re not going to refuse—or have you fainted?”

Blushing furiously, Georgiana squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before looking at the man in front of her.

Maybe, just this once, I can be the main character.

With trembling hands, she gently placed her hand in his. “Yes… I’d be honored.”