MLIIWTFL Chapter 164

 

 

 

‘All that’s left is getting Alexander to offer his congratulations to me and Ez…’

 

People are easily swayed by those who are attractive, reputable, and of high status. Just look at how a few words from Jarvis quickly spread the opinion that Ezkhiel wasn’t a good match for Letticia.

 

Thankfully, Ezkhiel’s sincere words and Letticia’s proactive show of affection turned the situation around without too much difficulty. But to make sure this becomes a solid narrative—enough for the gossip columns to spin it positively and sway public opinion—it needed to be sealed with certainty.

 

If they could get Alexander to send his congratulations, then any emotional debt she might owe him would be easily erased.

 

While Letticia was plotting this inwardly, Ezkhiel discreetly glanced at Alexander to read his expression.

 

‘Sir Averil seemed to dislike Letty… will this be alright?’

 

He remembered the hostile stare Alexander had given Letticia during the boat trip, and he wasn’t exactly thrilled about her mingling with the people of House Averil.

 

But Letticia wasn’t the kind to summon Ariette or talk with Alexander without reason. So for now, Ezkhiel decided to quietly watch.

 

Whether or not he noticed Ezkhiel’s tension, on the surface, the two were carrying on a cheerful conversation.

 

Alexander wasn’t the type to openly show caution toward people Ariette favored, and Letticia had no intention of starting an argument with him here.

 

“I’ll be sending a reply to the invitation the Lady sent today. Since you’ve gone to the trouble of inviting me, I must attend.”

 

“I truly appreciate it. I’m sure the others will be even more motivated to practice when they hear you’ll be coming.”

 

“I’ve heard your musical talent is just as outstanding as your literary insight. I look forward to hearing your performance.”

 

After exchanging a few empty pleasantries, Letticia began to steer the conversation toward receiving his congratulations.

 

“Then I’d better practice a little harder. I’ve been slacking off a bit lately because of my dates, so I’m a little worried.”

 

“Dates, huh… come to think of it, when you visited Naphier Park, Sir Bright was with you.”

 

“Yes. And we’ve continued to enjoy a wonderful relationship since then.”

 

Ezkhiel swiftly responded, and Alexander’s expression softened ever so slightly.

 

“I’ve heard Sir Bright is one of the busiest men in the palace, ranking among the top five. To find time for romance amid that—impressive.”

 

“His Majesty doesn’t always bury us in work. And… I wanted to see Letticia, so I made the effort to find time.”

 

“Ez…”

 

Letticia looked at him, touched by his words.

 

Ariette also let out a soft ‘Wow,’ looking back and forth between the two.

 

“Sir Bright must truly love Lady Sharon. The two of you are such a lovely sight.”

 

“Thank you, Lady Averil. Ah—or should I call you Staff Ariette instead?”

 

“That’s not necessary. We’re not in the palace right now, and there’s no need to use formal titles during personal time.”

 

In response to Ezkhiel’s question, Alexander answered in place of Ariette.

 

His voice carried a sudden chill, which startled Ezkhiel. Letticia, on the other hand, just gave a baffled, amused snort.

 

‘Is it really that offensive for another man to say your sister’s name?’

 

Ezkhiel wasn’t calling Ariette by name out of some special desire to do so.

 

It was simply a rule of etiquette in high society: when siblings are together, you call the younger one by name to avoid confusion.

 

And considering they had just made it public that Ezkhiel and Letticia were a couple, Alexander’s reaction made it seem like he believed every man in the world was a potential suitor for Ariette.

 

Sensing the mood beginning to sour, Ariette quickly smiled at Ezkhiel and said.

 

“Um, for now, please just call me Lady Averil. At the palace, you can address me as Staff Averil. But when I’m with my brothers, it’s alright to call me Staff Ariette.”

 

“Ah, yes. I’ll do that, then.”

 

“Actually, ‘Staff Ariette Averil’ would be most proper.”

 

Letticia had the urge to stomp on Alexander for butting in, but since that wasn’t an option, she smiled and lobbed a comment laced with sarcasm.

 

“She just said how she’d like to be addressed, so why are you being so particular? You didn’t seem to care this much when it came to Sir Achilles.”

 

“I can’t help it if I come across as strict. But since Sir Bright already has a lover, calling Arie by name could cause misunderstandings. It’s better to be cautious from the beginning.”

 

“Oh? Then I just called Sir Achilles by his name—aren’t you worried about that being misunderstood?”

 

“…Lady Sharon, you seem to love Sir Bright very much.”

 

Alexander’s words made Ezkhiel bristle, and he shot the man a sharp glare.

 

“Are you implying that I don’t love Letticia?”

 

Ezkhiel, who normally never showed irritation even when exhausted, was now visibly angry—which seemed to finally make Alexander realize he had crossed a line.

 

“That wasn’t my intention. But if it came across that way, then I apologize.”

 

“An apology, huh? I’d say the more regretful thing is that the illustrious Sir Averil made such a careless comment in the first place.”

 

Just then, Jarvis—who had been so quiet everyone forgot he was even there—suddenly chimed in, mocking Alexander.

 

For a moment, Alexander gave him a confused look, as if wondering who this guy was. But then his expression turned cold, as if he remembered.

 

“Lord Jarvis, that’s quite a rude way to greet someone after such a long time.”

 

“Well, you said something rude enough to deserve it, didn’t you? Making comments that would lead to misunderstandings between a newly formed couple… It’s hard to believe those words came from the heir of House Averil.”

 

It was unbelievable to hear those words coming from the same man who had just recently been disparaging Ezkhiel and making moves on Letticia.

 

Both Letticia and Ezkhiel looked at Jarvis in disbelief, but Lucian Jarvis remained smug and unfazed.

 

That was because, in his mind, Ezkhiel didn’t matter—what mattered was the chance to gain the upper hand over Alexander Averil.

 

“I admit I misspoke. But this isn’t something you should be interfering in, Lord Jarvis.”

 

“I visited Lady Sharon today to congratulate her and Sir Bright. So, I think I have every right to be upset when someone tries to belittle their love.”

 

‘Every right, my ass, you bastard.’

 

If it were Count Selburne, maybe. But coming from Jarvis—the same guy who’d been criticizing Ezkhiel and saying he wasn’t a match for Letticia just moments ago—it was absolutely absurd.

 

Alexander looked at him with an expression that said, ‘What kind of nonsense is this?’ but surprisingly, Ariette seemed relieved and actually took Jarvis’s side.

 

“He does have a point, brother. Instead of congratulating them, making a comment that could be misunderstood really was impolite.”

 

“Arie…”

 

Alexander’s pupils visibly shook, clearly stunned that Ariette would side with another man over him.

 

But perhaps not wanting to hurt her further, he dropped his stiff demeanor and gave Ezkhiel a more sincere expression before apologizing again.

 

“Even if it wasn’t my intention, I apologize once more if I offended you. Just to be clear, I truly believe the two of you make a wonderful couple and love each other deeply.”

 

“…I understand that you mean it. There’s no need for an excessive apology.”

 

Ezkhiel accepted the apology in his usual calm tone, though his face still seemed tense.

 

Letticia, on the other hand, gave a dazzling smile, as if to lighten the mood, and added a few more words to Alexander’s remark.

 

“I’m so glad Sir Averil thinks we suit each other! Since Ez’s been so busy with work and doesn’t attend many social gatherings, a lot of people who don’t know him well have said we’re a mismatched pair. It’s been pretty upsetting.”

 

“That’s a shame. Sir Bright is one of the most respected officials at the palace. I’ve even heard that thanks to him, subordinates feel a bit more at ease when reporting to His Majesty.”

 

“…I was only doing what I was supposed to.”

 

Despite the praise, Ezkhiel replied stiffly, clearly still uncomfortable.

 

Feeling like everything that needed to be said had been said, Letticia turned to Ariette with a regretful expression.

 

“Speaking of the palace, Ez only took a half-day off today, so we’ll need to head out now. It was truly a pleasure seeing you today.”

 

“It was lovely seeing you too! And um, please don’t let what my brother said bother you…”

 

“It’s fine. He apologized, so there’s no need to hold onto it. If anything, because of that, we now know that both Sir Averil and Lord Jarvis are offering us their congratulations.”

 

As she said that, Letticia shot a sharp glance at Jarvis. The meaning was clear: Since you congratulated us, don’t even think about making a move on me anymore.

 

But shockingly, Jarvis didn’t catch her glare at all.

 

That’s because his eyes were no longer on Letticia—but on Ariette.