Although the nanny wanted to know what had happened between Kisa and Daniel, Kisa only kept repeating that she would tell her soon.
Anyway, perhaps because her big worry was gone, the nanny organized the items that came out of the bundle with a much brighter attitude.
“Oh my, this is such a waste. It’s practically new, just received recently. Should we really throw it away?”
“……”
“Miss?”
Kisa responded a bit late because she had been staring down at the teddy bear that had been crushed under Daniel’s kick. The nanny’s gaze turned to the teddy bear.
“This was a doll you really cherished, Miss. When you were young, you used to talk to it every day. Come to think of it, didn’t you give it a name? Let me see, what was it-”
“That’s all in the past. Just throw it away.”
“Ah, yes.”
After picking up the cotton stuffing from the floor and handing it to the nanny, she accepted it with a bewildered expression.
Kisa glanced at it one more time before leaving the reception room.
She bit her lip trying to forget the inexplicable pain she felt in her chest. But the dull ache lingered for a long time, tormenting her.
The next day, as if taking turns with his son, Marquis Lowens personally visited the Vansfelt townhouse. However, he was a guest of the Count, and since he didn’t particularly try to see Kisa, she didn’t have to face him.
According to information from the servants, Marquis Lowens stayed for quite a while, having a conversation with the Count before leaving.
He probably tried to change his friend’s mind through words but ultimately failed. Still, unlike his son, he seemed to maintain his dignity, as no shouting could be heard from outside the room.
The broken engagement was a difficult situation for the Lowens family as well. It would be troublesome to find another suitable match for Daniel now, and above all, the responsibility for the broken engagement lay with Daniel, who had been involved with another woman.
Although Marquis Lowens, knowing his friend’s calculating nature, probably wouldn’t believe the reason given by this side at face value, that was how it appeared on the surface.
Therefore, while Lowens refused to accept the engagement cancellation notice until the end, regardless of his objection, news of the broken engagement spread throughout society from the next day.
The method the Count used was simple. He just quietly tipped off some well-connected socialites who were close to the Vansfelt family, and within less than four days, the story of Kisa and Daniel was on everyone’s lips.
The two of them instantly became the kingdom’s hottest topic, surpassing even the new Duke of Hillan or the King of Chamal.
Whenever society people gathered, they whispered about the reason for the broken engagement. The reason given by the Vansfelt side was Daniel’s improper conduct, and there was no other apparent cause.
However, for those who knew what kind of person the Count was, this was a difficult reason to accept. Since when had he become such a humanitarian?
Countless curious people offered various speculations, and some even sent letters directly to the parties involved to find out.
This was how mountains of letters arrived for Kisa, who was now confined to her residence after completely cutting off her already reduced social activities. Kisa sighed weakly after checking the contents of several letters.
Not long ago, right after Daniel’s article appeared in the gossip magazine, there had been a flood of letters, but now it was about three times that amount.
Even then, she had struggled to reply to everyone except Melissa, but how long would it take this time…
“Hmm, never mind.”
After pondering briefly, Kisa put down her pen. Since she was currently supposed to be deeply heartbroken over the broken engagement, she probably didn’t need to reply to everyone. She would only send brief replies to those who couldn’t be ignored, like Princess Arta.
Indeed, last time she had pretended not to know about Daniel’s gossip, like someone who hadn’t yet heard about it.
It would have been strange for someone living under a strict father’s control to know the contents of a gossip magazine published just days ago.
However now, it would be extremely awkward to continue pretending not to know after the engagement cancellation had been officially revealed to the world.
She should act like someone trying to appear composed but unable to hide signs of being shocked. Let’s play the role of a pitiful woman struggling with her fiancé’s betrayal and its public exposure.
Having reached that thought, Kisa got up from her desk and headed to her vanity.
Beyond letters, it seemed better to act properly even within the house.
Her hand opened the drawer searching for powder she had received as a gift from an acquaintance long ago. She remembered storing it away here because it made her look sickly pale when applied.
“It should be around here somewhere…”
But then, an object caught her eye. It was a flat metal container with an elegant floral label.
The label bore the logo of a famous foreign cosmetics brand, and when opened, it was filled with fine particles of light pink.
“……”
Kisa held it blankly in her hand. The blusher that Daniel had brought back from his studies abroad. The gift he had personally given her when they met again after several years.
Her treasure that she had placed here because it was too precious to use, fearing her hand might unconsciously reach for it if she saw it.
“So this was still here.”
Since it was recently received and barely used, it seems the nanny hadn’t managed to collect it. It should be disposed of quickly like the other gifts that were thrown away in bundles. Though thinking this, Kisa picked up the makeup brush as if entranced.
Tap tap, the brush that had picked up and pressed the pink particles brushed against her porcelain-like cheeks. A woman with flushed cheeks appeared in the mirror.
She stared at the woman endlessly for a while before suddenly coming to her senses.
“What am I doing right now?”
What was she planning to do by dressing up cheerfully? And using makeup he had given her, no less.
This was when she needed to quickly act out her immersion in sorrow. Kisa quickly tried to put down the brush but stopped abruptly.
‘…Acting out sorrow, huh.’
Is it really acting? She asked herself as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Isn’t she truly sad? Is she really savoring the relief from the broken engagement?
Frustratingly, the answer is ‘no.’ It’s incomprehensible. Even though she had achieved the broken engagement she so desired and had thoroughly seen Daniel’s distorted expression of resentment, her heart remained remarkably subdued.
It’s not as joyful as expected. For some reason, she feels empty, and somehow one corner of her heart feels blocked up as if congested. Even though letters asking about the reason for the broken engagement are flooding in, it oddly doesn’t feel real.
“No, I’m happy. I’m happy.”
Kisa, consciously muttering, glared at herself in the mirror. She needed to quickly wipe away the unsettling pink tinge from her cheeks.
“Miss! The Count wants to see you!”
However, at that moment, the nanny burst into the room without warning. And urged with an urgent voice.
“It seems urgent, you should go right away!”
“What? Now?”
“Yes, right now!”
“Why?”
“Well, I’m not sure, but according to Marsha, there’s a guest…?”
An important guest? At such a sensitive time, there was only one person who would visit the Vansfelt townhouse and specifically need to meet Kisa.
Kisa went to the window as if jumping and looked toward the direction of the main gate far away. As expected, there was a familiar carriage. A black carriage with no family crest painted on it.
It was Seyard. Why? No, surely it must be to discuss their engagement.
However, Kisa hadn’t heard that he would visit today. Unless asked first, the Count rarely informed about such detailed schedules.
“Nanny! Could you bring some water to wash my face?”
“What? What are you saying?”
“I need to redo my makeup! Right now the condition is a bit-”
“Where’s the time for that? Don’t worry, you’re pretty enough as is. Come on, let’s go. They’re currently in the pavilion in the back garden.”
Forced out of the room by the nanny’s persistence, Kisa had no choice but to head to the back garden. Oh well, never mind. Since she felt bad about keeping Seyard waiting too long, she reluctantly headed to the back garden.
But it was hard to forget the uncomfortable feeling on her face.
****
“Father.”
Upon reaching the back garden, she met Count Vansfelt who was approaching from the mansion. He glanced at his daughter and pointed to the pavilion with his eyes.
“He particularly wanted to hear your opinion. What an unusual person.”
After leaving those words, he continued on his way, and Kisa approached the pavilion with slightly slower steps. Seyard, who had already stood up early, pulled out Kisa’s chair.
“It’s good to see you, Kisa.”
“Those are my words, Your Grace.”
“Seyard.”
“Ah, yes. Seyard.”
Kisa felt shy at his consistently informal attitude as she sat down. On the table under the pavilion, a teacup was already prepared for her.
“Ah, let me do that!”
But wasn’t Seyard personally pouring tea into that cup? He smiled gently at Kisa, who didn’t know what to do.
“It’s fine.”
“But how can I let Your Grace-”
“The person who’s standing just pours, that’s all.”
How should I put it? As I’ve felt before, Seyard Hillan was radical in many ways. Perhaps it was because he spent more than half his life in a monastery that he wasn’t bound by formalities.
“Have you been well?”
When Seyard, now seated in his place, asked, Kisa answered with an embarrassed expression.
“Well, nothing special except for the broken engagement.”
“Ah, come to think of it, I forgot. I should have said this first.”
“Yes?”
“Congratulations on your broken engagement.”
Kisa just blinked for a moment. It was her first time being congratulated on a broken engagement. To begin with, a broken engagement wasn’t something to be congratulated on by others.
But he congratulated her. As if it were the most natural thing.
“…Yes, thank you.”
After answering in an awkward voice, she couldn’t continue speaking for quite a while. For some reason, her throat felt constricted and words wouldn’t come out.
“Kisa.”
Seyard quietly called her name.
“Is something wrong?”
It was a gaze as if seeing through everything.
