“Lady Averil?”
“Yeah. Honestly, since Averil belongs to a ducal family, her status is technically higher than Lady Eskis’s.”
“Maybe for other Marquess families, but Eskis is a grand noble house, so they’re practically the same! Besides, Averil hasn’t even debuted yet!”
“You don’t have to debut to get married.”
“That’s true, but still… Lady Averil?”
Dayna mumbled ‘Lady Averil’ a few times, deep in thought, still finding it hard to accept. But after a few moments, she began to see some logic in Letticia’s words.
“Indeed, if it’s Lady Averil, status wouldn’t be an issue. Her late mother’s background is a minor concern, but her family remains a high-ranking noble house in the East… And if she leaves her civil servant position and debuts this autumn, she’ll at least meet the basic conditions, even without attending the academy. Plus, there’s the precedent set by Her Majesty the Empress…”
After weighing the situation, Dayna turned to Letticia.
“Letticia, are you trying to befriend Lady Averil because you want to build connections with potential future crown princess candidates?”
“That’s part of it. Our ties to the imperial family have always been a major advantage for us, and I want to maintain that backing in the future as well.”
Hearing Letticia’s carefully worded explanation, Dayna nodded in understanding.
“Right, having a good relationship with the imperial family is important. Besides, since you’re close to the prince and princess from the empress’s side, if you’re not planning to marry the crown prince, it makes sense to strengthen ties with the women who might become future consorts.”
“Exactly. That’s why, if you hear anything about Lady Averil, could you let me know? I’ll also ask brother Ken, but it’s always best to gather information from multiple sources.”
“Got it. I’ll ask Stella and the others as well.”
Dayna agreed, but after a brief hesitation, she asked.
“Then, for now, you’ll be spending time with both Lady Eskis and Lady Averil?”
“I suppose so. But I’ll find time to write you a letter, so if you’re free, come visit. I could use a break too.”
Even though Seraphina and Ariette quickly accepted Letticia’s reluctance to become the crown princess, they were still acquaintances rather than friends she could truly relax around.
Noticing Letticia’s feelings, Dayna’s previous concerns seemed to vanish, and she beamed at her friend.
***
“Father, this article was published. Will it be okay?”
Patrick, who had just returned from work, took the gossip magazine article Letticia handed him. His expression briefly tensed before returning to normal. Fortunately, the article stated that Letticia had boarded the carriage where the chaperone was waiting with Ezkhiel.
“This won’t be a major issue. It seems the journalist mistook a carriage attendant for a chaperone, and your interaction with Sir Bright stayed within the typical boundaries of a suitor and a debutante.”
“Dayna said that unless someone personally knows me and Ez, they probably wouldn’t believe it either.”
“Besides, among the five suitors mentioned in Lucinella, Sir Bright has the lowest reputation, so it won’t cause much of a stir.”
“What do you mean, Father? Ez is amazing!”
Letticia raised her voice in protest, but Patrick remained brutally objective.
“When you’re in love, everything about the other person seems perfect. But don’t try to distort public perception. Even if you asked the men at the gentlemen’s club who place bets on these things, I’m sure Sir Bright would receive the fewest wagers.”
In other words, among those five men, people thought Ezkhiel was the least compatible with Letticia.
This kind of perception was precisely what chipped away at Ezkhiel’s self-esteem. Yet, because it wasn’t something tangible, she couldn’t beat it with logic or set it on fire to get rid of it—making it all the more frustrating.
Noticing his daughter’s face turning red with irritation, Patrick decided against an awkward attempt at consolation and instead changed the subject.
“Still, seeing articles about you like this reassures me that people are still interested in you. Since you’ve been attending fewer social gatherings since the courtship season began, I was a bit concerned.”
“Oh, about that, Father—I wanted to ask you something.”
Letticia had been organizing her thoughts ever since her conversation with Dayna. Now, she asked Patrick seriously.
“If His Highness the Crown Prince were to suddenly announce his choice for a Crown Princess, would that negatively impact my social standing or Sharon Jewelry’s reputation?”
“…Are you asking because you heard something from Her Highness the Princess?”
Patrick’s expression grew serious. Letticia quickly shook her head and used the excuse she had prepared in advance.
“No, it’s just that since His Highness is under pressure to marry, he will have to choose someone eventually. But if, in a few days, he suddenly announces Lady Eskis as his Crown Princess, wouldn’t people assume that I lost to her?”
“…That’s likely.”
After a brief pause, Patrick nodded in agreement. Letticia, feeling confident that she had laid the groundwork, swiftly moved to the next step.
“In that case, wouldn’t it be better for me to publicly announce my relationship first? Instead of appearing as someone who wasn’t chosen by His Highness, I’d be seen as someone who already found love elsewhere. That way, my reputation would take less of a hit.”
“While that makes sense, the design team isn’t ready yet, so we can’t rush this. Our new product launch is at stake.”
Patrick remained firm in his opposition. However, Letticia wasn’t about to back down.
Matthias had already started acting differently than before. If he had been meeting Ariette, rumors about them could spread at any moment.
If she wanted to minimize the damage, she needed to announce her relationship quickly. But since the design team wasn’t ready with the new jewelry line, she couldn’t force the issue.
That’s why Letticia had come up with a compromise after parting ways with Dayna.
“So, Father, how about this? We announce my relationship first, and then we reveal the new collection when I get engaged.”
“At the engagement?”
Patrick looked at her, considering the idea.
Patrick tilted his head slightly toward Letticia—his way of signaling that he found her words worth listening to.
“You said it yourself, Father—people have the lowest expectations of Ez and me as a couple.”
“That’s true.”
“Then, even when we announce our relationship, the reaction might not be overwhelmingly positive, right?”
“Yes. That’s why the PR department is still struggling to devise the right promotional strategy.”
When revealing a relationship, the first impression is crucial. Usually, the impact comes from the background of the individuals involved. However, since Letticia was once considered a candidate for Crown Princess, the fact that she was dating not the Crown Prince himself but his chief aide might leave people feeling underwhelmed.
“If we announce the relationship and launch a new product at the same time, wouldn’t it fail to generate much excitement?”
“Some have raised that concern. That’s why, while the design team works on the new collection, the PR department has been brainstorming strategies.”
“Then, wouldn’t it be better to let people gradually warm up to us first?”
“You mean earning public favor slowly over time?”
Patrick fell silent, calculating the potential success or failure of her proposal by factoring in various possibilities. After a moment, he spoke.
“…It’s worth discussing with the PR department.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Though I won’t bother pointing out how much of this is motivated by your personal feelings.”
Letticia pouted slightly at Patrick’s sarcastic remark.
“Sure, I’m a little biased, but I’m still considering our family’s interests! And, besides, you don’t particularly dislike Ez, do you?”
“Well, I doubt I’ll like him much until he stops with the self-deprecation.”
“Ez said he’s working on that, so please be patient.”
“It’s not an easy issue to fix, which is why I’m concerned. If a person struggles to accept themselves, eventually, the people around them will feel exhausted too.”
Letticia gazed up at her father’s furrowed brow. Though faint, there was genuine concern for her in his expression.
“But you’ve already acknowledged him, haven’t you? That alone made Ez feel incredibly reassured.”
“How could I not? You’re the one who brought him here. It’s not my place to decide who you spend your life with.”
“Then, is there anything in particular you expect from a son-in-law or daughter-in-law?”
“Hmm… Nothing specific comes to mind.”
“What? Really? Nothing at all?”
“It’s not my choice to make, so there’s nothing for me to wish for. However…”
Patrick studied Letticia’s face carefully before murmuring, almost to himself.
“At the very least, I hope that whoever you choose will never make you regret your decision.”
I love her dad. Soo many chapters released, thank you!