Louise gripped the hem of her lavender dress.
‘Marchioness Garth…’
The reason she decided to attend this Imperial banquet was because of Valia, she wanted to see Marchioness Garth with her own eyes. Otherwise, she felt like she could not stand it anymore. She wanted to see what kind of woman had married the man she once loved to death.
There were many rumors about Marquess and Marchioness Garth. All of them were rumors that were as sweet as if they had been coated with honey. But to Louise, Schuden was not such a man, she did not believe any of them. On the outside, he was absolutely perfect. He had a beautiful appearance that was hard to take eyes off of. He even had a polite and noble attitude. She was confident that it would take half a day if she was to talk about Schuden’s strengths.
Such a perfect man had never revealed his true heart. Louise was one of the few who could possibly have an idea of his solid wall.
‘I thought he would always be cold to his wife too. Even though he smiles, I thought he would only have a short smile.’
Louise kept hovering around Schuden throughout the banquet. She did not have the courage to approach him with Valia on his side so she just looked at Schuden’s face all day.
‘I thought I saw wrong.’
She did not know that Schuden was a man who knew how to smile often. She also did not know he was a man who held a woman’s hand like that and kept his eyes fixed on her face the whole time. It felt like tears were about to pour out, but Louise could not take her eyes off.
The longer she watched Schuden, the more strange Louise felt. Schuden’s eyes somehow looked familiar. She thought she saw it often somewhere but she could not think of where and who it was. When Valia smiled at Schuden, she clearly realized the identity of the indescribable feeling.
‘So he also can have that kind of look in his eyes…’
The reason why Schuden’s eyes were familiar was because they were the same as what Louise saw in the mirror every time. The only one who could immediately recognize the look in his eyes was the one who had a long-lasting crush on him.
What was contained in the eyes looking at Valia was a clear desire.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The first day of the Imperial banquet was successfully concluded. The ball lasted until late at night and the attendants were cleaning up the banquet hall. The red roses adorned all over the hall were removed and the goblets with beautiful delicately crafted patterns were stacked high and placed on trays.
“This is strange.”
A brown-haired attendant who was collecting the goblets murmured. His colleague, who was cleaning the table across from him, asked.
“What’s wrong?”
“Look at this.”
The brown-haired attendant showed him the goblet he was holding.
“Huh?”
The attendant’s eyes widened when he saw the goblet. The goblet, which should be in a round shape, was dented in the shape of fingers. It looked as if it had just been taken out of the hot casting in the forge.
“But this is a silver goblet, it must be very hard. What’s with this?”
“That’s what I mean. Who dented it like this?”
Moreover, it was in the shape of a hand. It was not just a usual grip force.
“A lot of nobles who used to be knights also attended today. It must be one of them.”
“No matter who he is, he has great power. But why did he dent the goblet?”
“There must be some kind of war of nerves in those nobles. It’s no news that knights-turned-nobles are aggressive.”
“Well, right.”
The brown-haired attendant nodded. After the attendant piled up goblets one by one on a large tray, he straightened his back. Then, he tilted his head.
“By the way, wasn’t this the place where the noblewomen were?”
I have no idea.
The attendant left the banquet hall with trays in both hands. Of course, the dented goblet was also cleared.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The Imperial banquet continued for two more days. However, after the first day, Valia was no longer present.
‘It’s exhausting.’
The grand banquet hall was crowded and Valia was Marchioness Garth. She could not be ignorant of the gazes on each of her actions.
Attention should be poured to someone who knew how to enjoy it. Valia was exhausted from the gazes pouring down to each and one of her gestures. Perhaps if she attended a few more times, the interest would fade a little, but for now, Valia did not want to attend for several days in a row.
‘Besides, I like how it is now more than at the banquet.’
Valia glanced at Schuden.
They were together in the study. After working together before, the couple would often spend time together in the study. As Schuden and Valia spent more time in the study, the employees even changed the furniture arrangement.
After getting bored while reviewing the documents, Valia slightly lifted her eyes and glanced at Schuden. She had not known before that seeing a man’s face was so much fun. Schuden knew Valia was looking at him but he just let her be.
When Schuden felt tickled by her gaze, he casually asked her if he had something on his face. Each time, Valia flinched like someone who was caught stealing. To be honest, her action was quite cute.
When should I tease her this time?
He was reading the documents with his eyes but his head was thinking of something else. Not long after that, a low knock was heard. It was Paul.
“Madam.”
Paul entered the study and approached them.
“Duchess Billiam is here. As you ordered yesterday, I brought her to the annex.”
“Oh, is she already here?”
Valia looked at the clock on the well. The time spent with Schuden always went so fast that it became a problem.
“Tell her to wait a little bit. I’ll be right there.”
“Right away, Madam.”
Paul bowed his head and went out of the study. Valia stacked the reviewed documents separately from those that were not yet reviewed.
“Schu, I will be right back.”
After understanding her implying that it would not take long, Schuden asked.
“Did you get acquainted with Duchess Billiam?”
He obviously knew the personal information of the noblewomen who were close to Valia. But Duchess Billiam was not among them. To say they were acquainted at the Imperial banquet a few days ago, Schuden was told that both the Duke and Duchess were absent. He knew Duchess Billiam had made no contact with Valia so he wondered the reason for her sudden visit.
“We’re not close to each other. The Duchess sent me a letter a few days ago to visit the manor.”
“A few days ago?”
“Yes.”
Schuden frowned.
‘Why didn’t she tell me?’
Valia had a habit that was not really a habit. Whenever there were guests visiting the manor, she always told him. In the Gel Empire, the guests of the lady were solely the lady’s authority. She was never obligated to tell her husband about it. Therefore, it was natural not to tell Schuden about Duchess Billiam. Still, it bothered him, suddenly she was not doing something that she had always done. Schuden remedied his subtle disappointment with action.
“Schu, where are you going?”
When Schuden got up from his seat, Valia blinked and asked him if he was going to his office. He spoke leisurely.
“I’m going to the annex.”
“Pardon?”
“Are you going to talk about something that I should not be listening to?”
“It’s not like that. But I’m sure the Duchess will be uncomfortable.”
“She will not mind, we know each other.”
That might be the case for ordinary nobles, but it was a little different for Schuden. He always gave out a strange pressure. Several times Valia had seen young noblewomen becoming very nervous after getting looked at by Schuden. She did not think that it was simply due to his background as Marquess Garth.
‘Besides, today…’
Valia had already guessed the reason as to why Duchess Billiam sent her a letter. It would never be for a place to chat. It might even be uncomfortable. She did not wish for it but it might even be a place to argue.
“Schu, there’s a reason why I didn’t tell you in advance that Duchess Billiam was coming.”
“Hmm?”
“I think Duchess Billiam came to apologize.”
“Apologize?”
Schuden frowned.
Why does Duchess Billiam need to apologize to Valia?
He immediately looked at Valia. Her silvery-gray eyes were clean as usual.
“Did something happen with the Duchess?”
“Hmm… I will tell you when I’m done.”
Valia was clearly guessing the reason for Duchess Billiam’s visit. The letter simply stated ‘I want to talk to you,’ but what was there to talk about between people who had no prior relation? There was one point of contact—Carnie Billiam, the Duke’s daughter who was rude at the Imperial banquet.
While she already guessed it, there was only one reason she did not tell Schuden about the Duchess’ visit in advance. It was awkward to explain to him.
‘How can I say that to him?’
Duchess Billiam wants to visit the manor, and I presume the reason why is because she wants to apologize. Because Young Lady Billiam brought your ex in front of me at the Imperial banquet.
Valia had no intention of hiding from Schuden that she had met Louise. However, she wanted to talk about that in passing after everything was further organized.
That just showed how very odd the matter of a spouse’s past was. Valia certainly felt offended but it was not something worth arguing about. It was similar to tripping over a stone; although you get angry, there was no one to be angry at.
Nevertheless, Valia thought Schuden would not go together when she said such and such about the apology, but he was a man who surpassed her imagination in a strange way.
“Then, all the more reason I should go with you.”
“What?”
“If she is coming to apologize, how do you know what she is going to say to you?”
“Schu, this is Garth’s manor.”
“The rudeness of nobles do not take location into account.”
If someone heard him, it would sound like Duchess Billiam surely came to be rude. Even after that, they quibbled over, but Valia could not get rid of Schuden.
‘Urgh.’
Showing up with my husband in front of a noblewoman who must have come to apologize. What do I look like in front of Duchess Billiam? It’ll be a relief if I don’t look like a child.
‘…It can’t be helped.’
After giving up, she felt rather relaxed. Valia decided to be a little brazen.
‘Well, she did not state anything about an apology in the letter.’
Though there were no direct words, most nobles could fully infer the details. Valia was one of them, but despite that, she struggled to feign ignorance. It was not shameful for a noblewoman to be accompanied by her husband at a formal teatime.
However, it could not be helped that it was seen as the sweetness of the newlyweds. However, not only would they look sweet, but they would also look like a happily married couple. Still, Valia could put up with that. She calmed her blushing cheeks and gently moved her steps. Schuden was by her side.
Louise gripped the hem of her lavender dress.
‘Marchioness Garth…’
The reason she decided to attend this Imperial banquet was because of Valia, she wanted to see Marchioness Garth with her own eyes. Otherwise, she felt like she could not stand it anymore. She wanted to see what kind of woman had married the man she once loved to death.
There were many rumors about Marquess and Marchioness Garth. All of them were rumors that were as sweet as if they had been coated with honey. But to Louise, Schuden was not such a man, she did not believe any of them. On the outside, he was absolutely perfect. He had a beautiful appearance that was hard to take eyes off of. He even had a polite and noble attitude. She was confident that it would take half a day if she was to talk about Schuden’s strengths.
Such a perfect man had never revealed his true heart. Louise was one of the few who could possibly have an idea of his solid wall.
‘I thought he would always be cold to his wife too. Even though he smiles, I thought he would only have a short smile.’
Louise kept hovering around Schuden throughout the banquet. She did not have the courage to approach him with Valia on his side so she just looked at Schuden’s face all day.
‘I thought I saw wrong.’
She did not know that Schuden was a man who knew how to smile often. She also did not know he was a man who held a woman’s hand like that and kept his eyes fixed on her face the whole time. It felt like tears were about to pour out, but Louise could not take her eyes off.
The longer she watched Schuden, the more strange Louise felt. Schuden’s eyes somehow looked familiar. She thought she saw it often somewhere but she could not think of where and who it was. When Valia smiled at Schuden, she clearly realized the identity of the indescribable feeling.
‘So he also can have that kind of look in his eyes…’
The reason why Schuden’s eyes were familiar was because they were the same as what Louise saw in the mirror every time. The only one who could immediately recognize the look in his eyes was the one who had a long-lasting crush on him.
What was contained in the eyes looking at Valia was a clear desire.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The first day of the Imperial banquet was successfully concluded. The ball lasted until late at night and the attendants were cleaning up the banquet hall. The red roses adorned all over the hall were removed and the goblets with beautiful delicately crafted patterns were stacked high and placed on trays.
“This is strange.”
A brown-haired attendant who was collecting the goblets murmured. His colleague, who was cleaning the table across from him, asked.
“What’s wrong?”
“Look at this.”
The brown-haired attendant showed him the goblet he was holding.
“Huh?”
The attendant’s eyes widened when he saw the goblet. The goblet, which should be in a round shape, was dented in the shape of fingers. It looked as if it had just been taken out of the hot casting in the forge.
“But this is a silver goblet, it must be very hard. What’s with this?”
“That’s what I mean. Who dented it like this?”
Moreover, it was in the shape of a hand. It was not just a usual grip force.
“A lot of nobles who used to be knights also attended today. It must be one of them.”
“No matter who he is, he has great power. But why did he dent the goblet?”
“There must be some kind of war of nerves in those nobles. It’s no news that knights-turned-nobles are aggressive.”
“Well, right.”
The brown-haired attendant nodded. After the attendant piled up goblets one by one on a large tray, he straightened his back. Then, he tilted his head.
“By the way, wasn’t this the place where the noblewomen were?”
I have no idea.
The attendant left the banquet hall with trays in both hands. Of course, the dented goblet was also cleared.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The Imperial banquet continued for two more days. However, after the first day, Valia was no longer present.
‘It’s exhausting.’
The grand banquet hall was crowded and Valia was Marchioness Garth. She could not be ignorant of the gazes on each of her actions.
Attention should be poured to someone who knew how to enjoy it. Valia was exhausted from the gazes pouring down to each and one of her gestures. Perhaps if she attended a few more times, the interest would fade a little, but for now, Valia did not want to attend for several days in a row.
‘Besides, I like how it is now more than at the banquet.’
Valia glanced at Schuden.
They were together in the study. After working together before, the couple would often spend time together in the study. As Schuden and Valia spent more time in the study, the employees even changed the furniture arrangement.
After getting bored while reviewing the documents, Valia slightly lifted her eyes and glanced at Schuden. She had not known before that seeing a man’s face was so much fun. Schuden knew Valia was looking at him but he just let her be.
When Schuden felt tickled by her gaze, he casually asked her if he had something on his face. Each time, Valia flinched like someone who was caught stealing. To be honest, her action was quite cute.
When should I tease her this time?
He was reading the documents with his eyes but his head was thinking of something else. Not long after that, a low knock was heard. It was Paul.
“Madam.”
Paul entered the study and approached them.
“Duchess Billiam is here. As you ordered yesterday, I brought her to the annex.”
“Oh, is she already here?”
Valia looked at the clock on the well. The time spent with Schuden always went so fast that it became a problem.
“Tell her to wait a little bit. I’ll be right there.”
“Right away, Madam.”
Paul bowed his head and went out of the study. Valia stacked the reviewed documents separately from those that were not yet reviewed.
“Schu, I will be right back.”
After understanding her implying that it would not take long, Schuden asked.
“Did you get acquainted with Duchess Billiam?”
He obviously knew the personal information of the noblewomen who were close to Valia. But Duchess Billiam was not among them. To say they were acquainted at the Imperial banquet a few days ago, Schuden was told that both the Duke and Duchess were absent. He knew Duchess Billiam had made no contact with Valia so he wondered the reason for her sudden visit.
“We’re not close to each other. The Duchess sent me a letter a few days ago to visit the manor.”
“A few days ago?”
“Yes.”
Schuden frowned.
‘Why didn’t she tell me?’
Valia had a habit that was not really a habit. Whenever there were guests visiting the manor, she always told him. In the Gel Empire, the guests of the lady were solely the lady’s authority. She was never obligated to tell her husband about it. Therefore, it was natural not to tell Schuden about Duchess Billiam. Still, it bothered him, suddenly she was not doing something that she had always done. Schuden remedied his subtle disappointment with action.
“Schu, where are you going?”
When Schuden got up from his seat, Valia blinked and asked him if he was going to his office. He spoke leisurely.
“I’m going to the annex.”
“Pardon?”
“Are you going to talk about something that I should not be listening to?”
“It’s not like that. But I’m sure the Duchess will be uncomfortable.”
“She will not mind, we know each other.”
That might be the case for ordinary nobles, but it was a little different for Schuden. He always gave out a strange pressure. Several times Valia had seen young noblewomen becoming very nervous after getting looked at by Schuden. She did not think that it was simply due to his background as Marquess Garth.
‘Besides, today…’
Valia had already guessed the reason as to why Duchess Billiam sent her a letter. It would never be for a place to chat. It might even be uncomfortable. She did not wish for it but it might even be a place to argue.
“Schu, there’s a reason why I didn’t tell you in advance that Duchess Billiam was coming.”
“Hmm?”
“I think Duchess Billiam came to apologize.”
“Apologize?”
Schuden frowned.
Why does Duchess Billiam need to apologize to Valia?
He immediately looked at Valia. Her silvery-gray eyes were clean as usual.
“Did something happen with the Duchess?”
“Hmm… I will tell you when I’m done.”
Valia was clearly guessing the reason for Duchess Billiam’s visit. The letter simply stated ‘I want to talk to you,’ but what was there to talk about between people who had no prior relation? There was one point of contact—Carnie Billiam, the Duke’s daughter who was rude at the Imperial banquet.
While she already guessed it, there was only one reason she did not tell Schuden about the Duchess’ visit in advance. It was awkward to explain to him.
‘How can I say that to him?’
Duchess Billiam wants to visit the manor, and I presume the reason why is because she wants to apologize. Because Young Lady Billiam brought your ex in front of me at the Imperial banquet.
Valia had no intention of hiding from Schuden that she had met Louise. However, she wanted to talk about that in passing after everything was further organized.
That just showed how very odd the matter of a spouse’s past was. Valia certainly felt offended but it was not something worth arguing about. It was similar to tripping over a stone; although you get angry, there was no one to be angry at.
Nevertheless, Valia thought Schuden would not go together when she said such and such about the apology, but he was a man who surpassed her imagination in a strange way.
“Then, all the more reason I should go with you.”
“What?”
“If she is coming to apologize, how do you know what she is going to say to you?”
“Schu, this is Garth’s manor.”
“The rudeness of nobles do not take location into account.”
If someone heard him, it would sound like Duchess Billiam surely came to be rude. Even after that, they quibbled over, but Valia could not get rid of Schuden.
‘Urgh.’
Showing up with my husband in front of a noblewoman who must have come to apologize. What do I look like in front of Duchess Billiam? It’ll be a relief if I don’t look like a child.
‘…It can’t be helped.’
After giving up, she felt rather relaxed. Valia decided to be a little brazen.
‘Well, she did not state anything about an apology in the letter.’
Though there were no direct words, most nobles could fully infer the details. Valia was one of them, but despite that, she struggled to feign ignorance. It was not shameful for a noblewoman to be accompanied by her husband at a formal teatime.
However, it could not be helped that it was seen as the sweetness of the newlyweds. However, not only would they look sweet, but they would also look like a happily married couple. Still, Valia could put up with that. She calmed her blushing cheeks and gently moved her steps. Schuden was by her side.
