While people outside were gossiping about Kisa and Daniel’s broken engagement, Kisa spent a peaceful time secluded at home.
Still, memories of Daniel would resurface without warning from time to time, and her heart would ache realizing those innocent days would never return.
However, as Seyard had advised, once she honestly acknowledged her feelings, she didn’t become as listless as when the engagement was first broken off.
If she felt angry at Daniel, she let herself be angry. If she missed the past, she let herself miss it. If she felt pathetic about having naively given all her love, she let herself feel pathetic…
Kisa tried to let her emotions flow freely like a stream.
When she did this, even when negative thoughts came, she would only feel down for an hour or two before returning to normal.
After that, she deliberately did things that made her feel good. She ate delicious desserts, strolled through the spring garden, and enjoyed leisure time she had never really appreciated before.
Whether because he was busy with his own affairs or simply uninterested, Count Vansfelt left his daughter alone. This was incredibly fortunate for Kisa.
However, not everyone acted like the Count.
“Oh, how pitiful! Our young lady! Such a flawless and proper lady getting her engagement broken off! I really don’t understand what the Count is thinking! Where will he find another good match like Young Master Daniel…”
Upon hearing news of the broken engagement, her nanny hugged Kisa and caused quite a scene with her crying and wailing. Kisa thought she had received a terminal diagnosis.
However, despite the excessive dramatics, since her nanny’s concern for Kisa was sincere, she spent quite a while that day comforting her.
Telling her it was nothing, that she was fine. The nanny was simply an old-fashioned person who thought a woman’s life was over if an ongoing marriage arrangement fell through.
Other servants, also unaware of the circumstances, had been treating Kisa very carefully lately.
Though the unfamiliar atmosphere felt awkward, she couldn’t tell everyone about the new engagement plans, so she had no choice but to keep quiet.
Outside the mansion, many people were still desperately sending letters trying to dig up information. Thanks to them voluntarily delivering social circle information even without being asked, she could clearly see what was happening.
The name most frequently mentioned in the letters was undoubtedly her former fiancé, Daniel.
They say he suddenly started actively attending social events shortly after breaking off the engagement with Kisa.
It was an unexpected move for someone who had previously maintained distance from social circles, only showing his face occasionally.
What wind had blown his way, when he used to look down on people who were too invested in social activities? To Kisa, the reason was clear.
It was to show Kisa. That no matter what she did, he was doing fine. That her struggles hadn’t left a single scratch on him.
So give up your useless stubbornness and come back to me, put on your leash like before.
Daniel’s words and actions described in the letters supported this. They say he was openly telling people that the magazine article was false reporting and that the Vansfelt family had made a hasty decision.
Therefore, he said he would be willing to take her back if Vansfelt changed their mind even now.
He was still the same shameless person who didn’t know how to show any remorse. But there was no need to keep thinking about such a person and eat away at herself.
While Kisa didn’t forcefully suppress her anger and hatred toward Daniel, she didn’t dwell on it either.
And in the letters, there was also a welcome name that didn’t just provoke anger like Daniel did.
It was Seyard. They say he finally made his first appearance at an official event.
Actually, Kisa had heard directly from him when they met last time.
[I think I need to start participating in social activities before people’s gazes get any stranger. Hmm, I’m not sure if I can do well.]
Perhaps because he had spent a long time in the monastery, he seemed quite uncomfortable with social circles. Or maybe it was in his nature, as his brother Vischer Hillan also kept his distance from society.
Anyway, despite his earlier hesitation, Seyard’s late social debut seemed to be a great success.
Even though it wasn’t particularly news related to Kisa, his name was mentioned in several letters sent to her.
-The handsome Duke Hillan. He seems gentler than the previous duke. He doesn’t seem as frivolous as rumored. His smile was so beautiful it made my heart flutter.
These were all expressions written alongside Seyard’s name. It was enough to make even Kisa, who enjoyed her reclusive life, feel a pointless regret that she should have attended the party of some family that he had chosen as his debut venue.
If she had attended, she could have congratulated him…
Still, she felt naturally proud that Seyard was receiving positive evaluations from many people. What nonsense about superstitions regarding twins.
For Kisa, Seyard Hillan was someone who brought luck rather than misfortune. Without him, she would never have been able to break free from Daniel.
“Ah.”
Why did she only think of it now?
While reading the letters, Kisa suddenly thought of him and opened her desk drawer to take out some writing paper.
She was going to write a letter to Seyard. A letter congratulating him, albeit belatedly, on his successful social debut.
Though contact with Seyard needed to be handled carefully, if she asked Count Vansfelt, he would probably have a way to safely deliver a letter or two.
“Miss, are you there?”
Knock knock knock.
But at that moment, someone called for Kisa from outside the door.
She knew the owner of this voice. It was the young man who worked as Count Vansfelt’s secretary.
“Is father looking for me?”
When Kisa opened the door and went out, he scratched his head as if embarrassed.
“No, that’s not it. A guest has arrived at the mansion, and I think you need to come out to see them.”
“Me?”
Usually, visitors to Vansfelt’s town house were the Count’s guests, and if there were guests Kisa needed to receive, she would have been informed in advance.
But today she hadn’t received any notice.
“Did you forget to tell me?”
“No, it’s just that the guest arrived suddenly…”
“They came without an appointment? Who could it be?”
She wondered if it might be Daniel again, but the name that came from the secretary’s mouth was someone entirely different.
“It’s Lady Melissa Dos.”
When Kisa entered the reception room, Melissa was sitting calmly in her seat, drinking tea that had been served by the maid.
“Kisa!”
Upon seeing Kisa, Melissa hurriedly stood up and approached her.
“It’s been so long! How have you been? I-”
“That’s far enough, Lady Dos.”
Kisa raised her right arm to prevent her from coming any closer.
“Please, have a seat. As you are a guest visiting the Vansfelt house, I should at least offer you that much hospitality.”
“You really…”
Melissa frowned and sat back down on the sofa. Kisa sat across from her and took a formal sip of the tea that had been prepared in advance.
“Are you still angry with me? How long are you going to keep ignoring me like this?”
A sigh escaped at her childish attitude of complaining.
“Lady Dos, what do you want from me?”
“Why are you calling me that? And since when did we start using formal speech?”
“Aren’t you visiting this mansion in your capacity as Lady Dos? You came as the daughter of Count Dos, not as my friend Melissa, didn’t you?”
“…”
Melissa bit her lip hard. After all, she was the one who had committed the rudeness of visiting someone’s house without notice under the pretext of accompanying her father.
The guest who was supposed to visit today to discuss matters with the Count was clearly Count Dos, and there had been no mention of Melissa at all.
Well, from their perspective, it was understandable. If they had mentioned it and this side had refused, they would have had even less reason to visit.
Moreover, if Kisa had known about Melissa’s visit in advance and happened to go out, everything would have been in vain. Most likely, her main purpose was to meet Kisa.
By showing up unannounced like this, Kisa had to deal with her out of courtesy. The Count, who needed to discuss business with Count Dos, couldn’t handle it himself.
“…Tch, how cruel. How can friends treat each other like this? Aren’t you holding onto your anger for too long?”
If this had been the old Kisa, she would have given in to Melissa’s childish pouting, finding it cute, but not anymore.
“I see. So you’re saying you came as my friend. Then we’re done here.”
“What?”
“I have nothing to say to you. Since I don’t have a friend like you, you’re not a guest of this house.”
Therefore, there was no reason to deal with Melissa, who wasn’t even a guest.
“Just drink your tea and wait for your father to come out, then leave with him. I’ll give you as many cups of tea as you want.”
“Wait, Kisa!”
Melissa panicked and grabbed Kisa’s hand as she was heading toward the door.
“Please calm down and listen to what I have to say. I came all the way here to apologize to you.”
“Apologize?”
“Yes, if I sincerely apologize, you’ll accept it, right? Your anger will be gone and we can be good friends like before, right?”
“Well. That depends on hearing your sincere apology first.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“Whether to accept your apology or not depends on my feelings.”
“But, I came all the way here…”
“More importantly, are you really here to apologize?”
Kisa looked straight at the trembling Melissa.
“Aren’t you here because you’re curious about my broken engagement?”
At that moment, her eyes widened.
