109.

Norma was clearly wary of him, leaving Jonas deeply perplexed.

“Why? Did I somehow offend him in the past?”

But Jonas rarely left his estate. Apart from attending central meetings of the high council, he spent most of his time secluded in his domain. He had never even set foot in Diazi territory.

Of course, he knew of the famed holy knight, Norma Diazi. He was the deceased Crown Princess’s fiancé and a central figure in the scandal that rocked the empire over a decade ago. Yet, Jonas was certain this was their first meeting. He had no idea why Norma occasionally directed such cold, sharp glances at him.

“Today, you…”

As Jonas awkwardly averted his eyes, Aisa fixed him with a piercing gaze and spoke.

“You’re acting strange. Enjoy yourself and relax.”

After a brief silence, Aisa delivered her curt but mildly considerate remark, then turned her attention to Archie, as if Jonas’s well-being no longer concerned her.

“Archie. You’ve been behaving, right? Take my hand. We have guests to greet.”

Archie lit up at her words, grabbing his aunt’s hand as if it were a lifeline.

With that, the three McFoys walked past Jonas. Only then did Jonas catch a clear view of Norma, who walked a step behind them. Towering over most men by a head, Norma’s profile was hard to miss as he leaned down to speak to Archie.

“Was I… imagining things again?”

Jonas stared blankly, his mouth slightly open. The icy gaze he had felt earlier seemed to have vanished, replaced with nothing but warmth in Norma’s eyes as he addressed the child. Jonas felt as though he were caught in some surreal hallucination.

Meanwhile, Erika, who had been observing everything from a short distance, let out a quiet sigh. As McFoy’s chief aide, her job had become considerably more challenging since Aisa’s marriage.

As she moved to follow her lady, Erika paused when she passed Jonas, who was still rooted in place.

“Lord Norton, you’ve done nothing wrong. Please don’t worry. That’s just how he is,” she said.

“What do you mean by that?” Jonas snapped out of his stupor and asked, startled by her comment. Erika hesitated, glancing around quickly before lowering her voice.

“Well… McFoys have a weakness for anything radiant and beautiful. Our lady simply feels the need to guard against you. I hope you understand.”

“My appearance? What a rude thing to say…”

Jonas bristled at the blunt mention of his looks. Speaking so directly about someone’s appearance was far from noble conduct. Though Jonas was generally mild-mannered, he was still an elder noble and instinctively scowled at the breach of decorum.

However, he stopped short of voicing his displeasure, realizing the implication behind Erika’s words.

The Nortons were in-laws to the McFoys. Having dealt with Ayno McFoy in the past, Jonas was one of the few living people familiar with the peculiar preferences of the McFoy lineage.

At thirty-five, Jonas Norton was a striking man with reddish-blond hair and light brown eyes. To top it off, his twin sister had once captivated Ayno, leaving the McFoys thoroughly smitten. He understood how their tastes worked.

Yet, despite this knowledge, Jonas found Erika’s explanation absurd.

“…I am their in-law, a married man with a family.”

“Our lady is an impartial person. She doesn’t let gender influence her caution.”

Jonas frowned deeply, struggling to contain his frustration. From what he knew, McFoys had a keen eye for beauty, but their tastes were so selective that only a handful across the continent could meet their standards. This was why their supposed weakness for beauty had never become a liability.

To Jonas, however, Norma’s overprotectiveness seemed excessive, even for a newlywed.

“This is… too much. McFoy herself…”

Jonas trailed off, biting back sharper words. He prided himself on his restraint and refinement among the high nobles, but watching the McFoys retreat into the crowd, he couldn’t suppress the crude thought welling up within him: ‘What a mess.’

Erika, sensing his exasperation, bowed deeply in apology. Jonas, unwilling to involve himself further, turned his back on the couple with a sigh.

Erika only raised her head once he had moved some distance away. Casting a quick, disapproving glance at her lady’s retreating figure, she let out another sigh.

The aide already had her hands full, what with the couple’s excessive display of affection that had caused them to arrive two hours late to the banquet.

“I suspected the consort would be possessive and obsessive despite his charming looks. But the lady… Why is she just letting him act like that?”

Norma’s antics didn’t surprise her. What caught her off guard was how Aisa seemed perfectly willing to go along with it. From Erika’s perspective, it was exasperating to manage the aftermath.

With the couple moving in tandem to trouble the banquet guests, Erika had no doubt that being McFoy’s chief aide was a uniquely grueling job.

* * *

The guilt I felt for abandoning the guests for two hours in a haze of desire didn’t last long. I found myself holding my facial muscles tight to suppress laughter in front of the crowd. It was all Norma’s fault.

Was this because it was my birthday? He’d been acting utterly ridiculous all day. One of his antics included…

Norma still had a knack for drawing people in. The moment we entered the banquet hall together, more guests approached than when I was alone.

But these swarming guests, after exchanging a few words with me, quickly turned pale and fled. Eventually, no one dared approach us first.

At first, I thought, ‘Why?’ Then, despite not wanting to, I realized the reason.

I glanced up at the man linked arm-in-arm with me. I didn’t particularly enjoy looking up at others, but the height difference left me no choice.

Noticing my gaze, Norma met my eyes with a bright smile. His innocent expression seemed to ask, ‘What’s wrong?’

“Pfft…”

I couldn’t hold back a chuckle. His boldness was ridiculous.

What was he thinking? Whenever someone greeted me warmly, Norma would glare at them outright. His gaze, brimming with hostility, was sharp enough to be felt even without the need for an actual weapon. It seemed especially frequent when I spoke with pale, delicate-looking beauties, though I chalked it up to my imagination.

Norma wasn’t even subtle about his vigilance, as if he wanted me to notice. He stared openly, unapologetically challenging anyone who dared approach.

It was equal parts absurd and endearing. With his angelic face fit for myths, he acted like a petty character from a romantic farce. It was impossible not to laugh.

More than anything, seeing his usually composed self behave so strangely gave me a thrill. My mood lifted inexplicably, my heart raced, and mischief bubbled up within me.

So instead of stopping him, I decided to escalate things.

As the Lord McFoy, I typically didn’t indulge in social niceties at banquets. But today, I shook every hand that reached out and even extended my own for a kiss on the hand from anyone willing. It was all to see how my consort would react.

Norma, of course, didn’t disappoint. Watching him grow visibly flustered was endlessly entertaining. His composure faltered with every passing moment, and it was nothing short of fascinating.

Even seeing the guests—especially timid ones like Jonas—grow paler by the second was amusing. I ignored Jonas’s bewilderment, choosing to focus on Norma’s reactions instead.

I hated banquets. My birthday celebration was no exception. These events were merely a stage to display McFoy’s strength and vitality.

‘Banquets are supposed to be unbearably dull. Why does roaming this all-too-familiar hall suddenly feel so enjoyable?’

All I had done was walk around arm-in-arm with Norma, greeting guests. Yet, it was the most entertaining banquet I’d ever attended. At some point, I even caught myself humming inwardly. My carefully composed expression must have cracked multiple times.

The dignity of the Lord McFoy was important, but I didn’t have the mental bandwidth to care. I was entirely preoccupied with watching Norma’s expressions shift with every move I made.

Time flew by. Before I knew it, the sun was nearly setting. That such a tedious event was nearing its end so quickly was truly remarkable. Norma was, in many ways, an extraordinary man.

Suppressing a laugh, I began preparing to leave the hall. At sunset, I needed to climb the castle walls to open the barrel of last year’s mead for the people. It was the highlight of the Lord McFoy’s birthday celebration.

“Lord McFoy.”

Just then, Jonas reappeared, pushing through the crowd to approach me. At the same time, I felt Norma’s mood shift to a sharp chill, forcing me to brace myself and focus on maintaining a neutral expression.

Jonas had a subtle timid streak, and I expected him to look thoroughly cowed by Norma’s glare. Yet, to my surprise, he seemed oddly composed, though his eyes carried a hint of resignation.

“Lord Norton.”

“I have something urgent to discuss.”

“Does it have to be now?”

“I must return to Norton early tomorrow, so this is the only time. Besides, there is something I need to ask you directly.”

“There’s not much time left before sunset.”

“I won’t take long.”

Jonas glanced at Norma, standing by my side, as if seeking permission. The sight was amusing enough to tempt me into teasing him further, but I refrained. If I pushed him too far, Jonas might never return to McFoy, and I was short on time as it was.

“Very well. Let’s go to the lounge.”

I nodded lightly at Jonas before turning to Norma. His burning gaze quickly transformed into a radiant smile as if nothing had happened. His ability to pivot so flawlessly was laughable, and I couldn’t help but pause before speaking.

“…Archie should return to his room. I’d like you to take him there personally.”

“…Understood, Lord McFoy.”

The reluctance in his voice was so palpable I had to clench my teeth to keep from laughing in his face.

Despite his words, Norma hesitated, still holding onto my arm. His earnest gaze seemed to plead, ‘Take me with you.’

Feigning ignorance, I swiftly slipped my arm free. His golden eyes quivered slightly at the motion, tugging at my heart. But the rush of excitement outweighed the twinge of guilt, and I couldn’t stop myself from pushing further.

Without breaking eye contact with Norma, I extended my hand to Jonas, signaling that he, not Norma, would now be escorting me.

Jonas’s expression screamed, ‘Why are you doing this to me?’ but I ignored him. Overriding his silent protest, I hooked my arm through his and pulled him along.

“See you at the wall.”

Turning away, I exited the hall with Jonas in tow. It was less of an escort and more of me dragging him out.

“…Pfft, haha!”

The heated gaze burning into my back finally broke my composure. I burst out laughing, indifferent to the stunned looks from those around me. The dignity of the Lord McFoy was the last thing on my mind.