A moment later, Kyle, rubbing the bump on his forehead, placed the documents on the desk with a sulking expression.
“That hurt… Wasn’t that a bit too hard? You may not realize this, but a strike from a Swordmaster is lethal to a delicate civilian like me.”
“Your tongue is still too long,” Ian replied, clicking his tongue as he unfolded the documents.
“…But seriously, what is it? Is it really jewelry? An accessory?”
“That’s right.”
“What?!”
This time, Kyle’s response was genuinely shocked.
Ian, his expression devoid of any emotion, picked up his quill.
“What’s with that reaction?”
“I mean, you were looking at a piece of jewelry in the office! Shouldn’t I be surprised? Did you really buy it to give to the Duchess? Or… was I hit because I struck a nerve by guessing right? Oh no, I must be cursed!”
Ian’s forehead creased with irritation at Kyle’s noisy outburst.
“Kyle Elzeir.”
“I’ll correct myself.”
Kyle, now standing properly, covered his forehead as he cleared his throat.
“So, are you really going to give it to her as a gift?”
Ian lifted his gaze momentarily before lowering it again.
“If you want to be technical, I received it. The Duchess passed it off to me.”
“Good grief…”
Kyle covered his mouth in disbelief, looking between Ian and the brooch case with a shocked expression.
“…What on earth has been happening between you two these past few days?”
“Nothing happened.”
“And yet the Duchess gave you jewelry?”
“Does that bother you?” Ian’s exasperated gaze silenced Kyle. Kyle quickly shut his mouth, then let out a small cough.
“Ahem, seems like my advice wasn’t entirely useless, was it?”
“You’re getting ahead of yourself,” Ian replied curtly, but Kyle just grinned slyly.
“You said you didn’t care, but it seems you’re worried about the idea of divorce, aren’t you? I mean, where else are you going to find someone as capable as the Duchess—”
Kyle swiftly averted his gaze to the brooch when he met Ian’s icy glare.
“Ahem… Anyway, when are you planning to wear that brooch? You’re not just going to leave it in the box, are you?”
“You’re full of questions today.”
“Do I look like I wouldn’t ask?” Kyle stood firm despite Ian’s sharp gaze, his expression resolute.
Finally, Ian sighed and shifted his attention back to the documents.
“She asked me to escort her to a party at the Brilluz estate.”
Kyle’s jaw dropped.
“I don’t even know how shocked I should be. Did something happen between you two that I don’t know about? Did you both eat something strange—”
“Kyle Elz—”
“Yes, I apologize.” Kyle quickly shut his mouth, barely holding back a cough.
One more time being called by his full name, and he’d be done for.
Clearing his throat again, Kyle said, “The Duchess is truly magnanimous. Isn’t she trying to make things work despite everything that happened?”
“Does this look like effort to you?”
“Absolutely! You should make an effort too. Who knows? Maybe this will be the start of you two becoming truly close.”
At Kyle’s easygoing remark, Ian’s pen stopped moving.
“……”
This time, instead of glaring at Kyle, Ian glanced briefly at the jewelry case he had set aside.
“We don’t love each other, do we?”
Eloise’s words echoed in his mind.
Ian shook his head, his expression as dry as ever.
“No, that won’t happen.”
❖ ❖ ❖
Time passed quickly, and the day of the Brilluz family’s season party had arrived.
From early morning, I was practically dragged into a bath and subjected to the torture known as “preparation” by my maids before I even had a chance to open my eyes.
“What kind of essential oil should we use?”
“Ah, Lily! Use the rose scent today!”
“What about your nails?”
“Don’t cut them, just trim the ends!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
They’re… excited, aren’t they?
Feeling countless hands brushing past me, I closed my eyes. The past few days had been a whirlwind of busy schedules.
Madame Zed, who had boasted about making the perfect dress, returned after a few days with an upgraded version of the dress, and the shoemaker visited the mansion several times to craft matching shoes.
Honestly, it was exhausting. Now I understand why protagonists in novels hate parties and banquets so much. This was real labor.
“You look absolutely stunning, my lady!”
By late morning, after hours of work in the dressing room, Vivi and the maids stepped back and gasped in unison.
Whether it was because I had been up since dawn getting ready or because of their handiwork, my reflection in the mirror was dazzling.
My hair, half tied up and half down in elegant waves, the deep red dress with layers falling asymmetrically like a rose, the brooch adorning my waist, and the magical sparkling dust that shimmered as I moved — it all came together beautifully.
Looking at myself now, I wasn’t as stunning as my beloved Diana, but I was still quite a sight.
“Wow…”
This isn’t just makeup; it’s practically a disguise.
Honestly, my appearance made the past few hours of hard work worth it. Well, Eloise was always considered the flower of the social scene anyway.
Vivi, standing closest to me, was practically bouncing on her feet, her eyes shining.
“It’s like an angel descended from the heavens! There can’t be anyone more beautiful than you, my lady!”
“That’s not true.”
The most beautiful one is Diana. The goddess of beauty herself. My Diana.
“No, really. I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful than you, my lady!”
Well, don’t worry. In a year, your new mistress will take on that role.
Though I was the one attending the party, the maids seemed more excited than I was.
“…Well, I’ll be off now.”
“Yes, my lady!”
With Vivi giving me a final spritz of perfume, I left the dressing room.
As I descended the stairs towards the lobby, I noticed a familiar figure in the distance.
It was Ian, standing with his back to me.
‘Wow, what the…’
I barely suppressed the urge to gasp in admiration.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored white formal suit. Having only seen him in the uniform he wore when he met the emperor or his casual clothes, the difference in his appearance was striking.
Even though I could only see part of his face as he stood facing away from me, his neat and composed demeanor was so strikingly handsome that it was almost awe-inspiring.
‘How can white suit him so well?’
He was still an insufferable man, but I couldn’t deny his looks.
At this point, I could almost understand why so many people were hopelessly obsessed with this emotionally stunted man. The answer was his face.
His looks were everything.
“Are you planning to stand there all day?”
…Yep, his face is all he has going for him.
If only he’d keep his mouth shut.
The annoying tone of his voice snapped me back to reality.
“I’m coming.”
I descended the stairs gracefully and stood in front of him.
“Have you been waiting long?”
He pulled out his pocket watch from his coat and replied in a monotone voice, “I’ve been waiting exactly forty-three minutes. You’re late.”
I know this. This is that “socially awkward” speech style you only see on the internet.
Who counts the exact minutes and tells you that? What’s wrong with this guy?
‘If it weren’t for your face, you’d be doomed to a life of loneliness.’
“…Your Grace?”
“Yes.”
“In situations like this, you’re supposed to say, ‘No, I haven’t been waiting long.’”
At my comment, he tilted his head slightly, causing his hair to cascade smoothly over one side.
“Is forty-three minutes not a long time to you, madam?”
“Have you ever heard of a little thing called a white lie? You know, being considerate?”
Ian frowned at my question.
‘Ah, I get it.’
You have no interest in understanding or wanting to understand.
I forced a smile, pulling up the corners of my mouth.
“In the future, no matter how long you’ve waited, please answer with something like, ‘I just arrived.’ Sometimes women need that kind of consideration.”
Though Ian’s expression clearly showed he didn’t understand at all, he didn’t argue back.
I could tell he was just as tired of bickering with me as I was with him.
“By the way, I see you’re wearing the brooch nicely.”
The brooch he had made just a few days ago glittered on the cravat around his neck.
“I promised to cooperate.”
In his usual dry tone, Ian added.
“This will be the first and last time I wear it. It’s an accessory purchased for this party.”
“Ah, right.”
He sure has a way of saying things.
We both weren’t too thrilled about having matching items.
After glaring at him for a moment, I held out my hand, signaling for him to escort me.
“Well then, I’m counting on you today.”
Let’s just get this over with quickly.
♧♧♧
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