Chapter 42
“Oh… Brother?”
Susan and the man, who had been standing quite close to one another, quickly stepped apart. As Stefan scanned the surroundings, he realized Rachel wasn’t present and hesitated for a moment before adding,
“Step away from my sister at once.”
To an outsider, this might have appeared as the protective behavior of a caring brother wary of an unfamiliar man.
Susan, for her part, smiled with satisfaction. If her brother cared for her this much, her worth would surely be elevated.
Meanwhile, Stefan couldn’t help but find it suspicious that Elliot remained entirely unruffled. Instead, Elliot stepped forward as if seizing the opportunity and introduced himself confidently.
“Your Grace, it’s an honor to meet you. I am Marquis Elliot Eden.”
“…Marquis Eden?”
It was a name Stefan had never heard in the capital. For someone holding a marquisate, it was odd that Stefan hadn’t encountered him before. The man’s face felt entirely unfamiliar.
“Pardon my bluntness, but where exactly is the Eden estate located?”
It was an exceedingly rude question. It implied Stefan doubted the legitimacy of Elliot’s status, as a noble of the capital should have been well known.
Elliot’s lips curved into a composed smile, a response that only deepened Stefan’s suspicion.
“It’s in the region of Herkeni.”
“Herkeni…?”
“It’s at the far southernmost edge of the Merwin Empire.”
The southernmost Herkeni region was a place where the local lord wielded power akin to that of an emperor. For such a lord to leave his territory and travel to the capital suggested a very specific purpose.
Moreover, it was unusual for a young man like Elliot to hold such a position, as provincial lordships were typically reserved for individuals of considerable experience.
Sensing Stefan’s pause, Elliot offered an explanation.
“My father recently passed away, leaving the title to me, an unworthy successor.”
“Oh dear, that’s quite the tragedy. My condolences, Marquis,” Susan said sympathetically, as if hearing the news of an old friend’s bereavement. At the same time, she subtly stepped in front of her brother, as if to prevent him from being any ruder to Marquis Eden.
But Stefan’s suspicion of Elliot only grew stronger.
“Marquis Eden, has your late father’s funeral been concluded?”
“Of course, Your Grace.”
“It must have been a busy time for you, adjusting to your new responsibilities while mourning your loss. So it’s rather curious to find you here in the capital, at a tailor’s shop, of all places.”
Stefan’s tone was undeniably mocking, yet Elliot appeared entirely unbothered. In fact, he seemed almost grateful for the question.
“I came to the capital to pay my respects to Count Blanche, who was a great help during the funeral. It was then that I had the pleasure of being introduced to Lady Susan Edmond.”
“…Introduced? For what purpose?”
Stefan’s curt question prompted Susan to jab him sharply in the side. She was signaling him to stop spoiling the mood.
It wasn’t Stefan who caught the signal, but Elliot instead.
“Your Grace, I wish to court Lady Edmond with the intent of marriage.”
Susan’s face flushed bright red.
To think she had received a proposal from a man she’d just met today! She bit her lip to suppress the grin spreading across her face, thrilled by the thought that true love had finally found her.
But her brother’s lack of a response felt unsettling. When Susan looked up at Stefan, she noticed that his face, just as red as hers, seemed anything but pleased.
‘What are you doing, Brother? Say something already!’
—
At that moment, Rachel, who had left to give Susan her space, was in another room trying on dresses with Ailen.
“The Duchess truly looks stunning in blue,” Ailen said.
“Thank you. And green suits you very well, Miss Ailen.”
“With such a keen eye and quick wit, who could help but adore you, Your Grace?”
“You’re too kind. It’s simply the intuition that comes from being married rather than single.”
“Oh my, I see. Hohoho.”
Ailen, who had actively encouraged Elliot to pursue Susan, was now busily showering Rachel with flattery, grateful to have her as an ally.
As Rachel entertained her compliments, she began inquiring about Elliot.
“Where is Marquis Eden from?”
“He’s the lord of the Herkeni region.”
“And what brings him so far from such a distant place to the capital?”
“His father passed away recently. My father provided significant assistance during the funeral, so the Marquis came to express his gratitude.”
“Both the Count and the Marquis must be truly admirable individuals.”
When Rachel deftly praised Count Blanche and Marquis Eden, Ailen, thrilled by the compliments, began to open up without hesitation.
“Brother Elliot is such a gentleman. That’s why I wanted to introduce him to Susan.”
“Thank you, Miss Ailen, for caring so much about Miss Susan.”
“She’s my only friend, after all. It’s heartbreaking to think of her marrying and moving so far away, but I wanted to give her the gift of a good match.”
“What a wonderful friendship. Miss Susan is truly lucky to have a friend like you.”
Rachel’s remark was meant to lightly flatter her, but Ailen seized the opportunity and responded meaningfully.
“I’ll be your friend too, Duchess.”
“…”
“When Susan leaves for Herkeni, we’ll have more time to spend together.”
“…I’ll look forward to it, Miss Ailen.”
As Rachel smiled warmly at Ailen, an employee from the tailor shop suddenly rushed into the fitting room, disrupting the cheerful atmosphere.
Feeling the mood sour, Ailen snapped,
“What’s the meaning of this? The Duchess is present—how dare you barge in…?”
“My apologies, Lady Blanche,” the employee stammered, glancing nervously at Rachel. It seemed they had a message for her.
“What is it? Speak,” Rachel prompted.
“Madam, the Duke has arrived.”
“Then bring him here.”
“Well, the thing is… the Duke is in the Diamond Room, and the atmosphere there is a bit…”
“The Duke? In the Diamond Room?”
Ailen’s reaction was sharp. She was certain that the Duke’s presence would ruin the carefully arranged meeting between Susan and Elliot.
“I’ll handle it. Please continue your fitting, Duchess.”
As Ailen hurriedly dashed out, Rachel quietly watched her retreating figure.
‘Aileen, what do you think you can possibly do?’
—
Meanwhile, tension lingered in the Diamond Room as Susan nervously glanced back and forth between the two men. Neither spoke, merely staring each other down, making the atmosphere unbearably awkward.
‘Since when has my brother cared about me this much?’
Susan scowled at Stefan, glaring hard enough to try and convey her thoughts. Had he shown this level of care before, she might have understood. Instead, he’d spent his days berating her, so his sudden protective act baffled her.
‘Hurry up and say something, Brother!’
Unlike Stefan, who seemed oblivious to his sister’s distress, Elliot finally broke the silence, unable to endure the awkwardness any longer.
“I understand it must be difficult to think of sending your sister away to a far-off place. But I assure you, I will cherish her deeply.”
“…”
“A woman needs the love of a husband more than the care of a brother. Surely, Your Grace, you know this better than anyone.”
The subtle reminder of Rachel’s presence caused a flicker in Stefan’s gaze. Sensing the effect of his words, Elliot opened his mouth to continue—just as Ailen burst into the room.
“Your Grace, Duke Edmond has arrived.”
“Ailen!”
Relieved to see her ally, Susan hurriedly ran to her and threw her arms around her. However, noticing that she was alone, Susan whispered urgently,
“Where’s my sister-in-law?”
“She’s still trying on dresses.”
“She should have come with you! My sister-in-law is the only one who can calm my brother…”
“I’ll try to handle it.”
As Ailen pushed Susan aside and walked toward Stefan, Susan gave her a skeptical look.
‘What can you do that I couldn’t? Absolutely ridiculous…’
Despite her doubts, Susan decided to give her a chance. If she could stop her brother’s interference, Susan thought she might even give her a gift as thanks.
“Your Grace, I’m the one who introduced Marquis Eden to Susan.”
“…Why?”
“Because Marquis Eden is an excellent match for Susan, as fine a suitor as Your Grace himself.”
A smile appeared on Stefan’s face. Thinking her words had succeeded, Ailen prepared to smile back—
“Then why don’t you marry Marquis Eden yourself, Miss Ailen?”
“Wh-what are you saying…?”
“Marriage, of course.”
