MLIIWTFL Chapter 177

 

 

 

“Lady Eskis! What were you thinking, acting so recklessly in front of His Highness?”

 

“…I’ve caused trouble, Lady Wallace. I’m truly sorry.”

 

Seraphina responded to Audrey’s scolding in a calm, flat tone.

 

Unlike how she spoke with Letticia, there was a subtle emotional distance in her manner. Letticia frowned slightly at that.

 

‘Wait, aren’t they cousins? Why is she talking like that? She didn’t sound nearly this stiff during the meeting.’

 

Though not as close as Letticia is with her own cousins, Seraphina usually seemed relatively comfortable around Audrey.

 

But now, her words were more fitting for a stranger than a family member.

 

“This won’t do. Please come over here—I need to speak with you.”

 

“…Lady Sharon, let’s arrange a proper time to talk later.”

 

Seraphina, her arm gripped by Audrey, followed her without resistance.

 

Letticia hesitated, feeling an ominous sense and wondering if she should follow. Just then, Ariette called out to her.

 

“Lady Sharon!”

 

“…Lady Averil. Sir Averil.”

 

Letticia tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she turned to greet Ariette. Achilles hadn’t returned yet, and surprisingly, both Alexander and Lenard were with her.

 

“I didn’t expect to see my brother with you two. I thought he came with Ez.”

 

“He had to step out due to a summons from His Highness. Same with Sir Achilles.”

 

“And he hasn’t come back since?”

 

“He popped back in briefly, then left again. He said to tell you he’s sorry he couldn’t hear the rest of the performance.”

 

Thanks to those words, even the slightest chance of feeling sorry—something I didn’t have to begin with—completely vanished. To think I wasted such a perfect chance to impress my lover… Honestly, Matthias is no help at all.

 

“That was a wonderful performance, Lady. It’s a shame only we got to hear it!

 

Noticing Letticia’s disappointment, Ariette deliberately brightened her voice. Letticia appreciated the gesture and responded with a warm smile.

 

“Even if I’m good, I’m nowhere near a professional level. As long as it wasn’t painful to hear, I’ll count that as a success.”

 

“Painful? Not at all! Everyone said they wanted to hear it again. In fact, some even said if they invited you, they’d want you to sing for them!”

 

“That’s great to hear. Honestly, I’m more confident in my singing than my playing.”

 

“Then… would you consider singing at our estate next time? I’ve always been the one visiting Count Sharon’s manor, but if you’re willing, I’d love to have you over.”

 

“If it’s Lady Averil’s invitation, I’d be delighted. Just let me know if there’s a song you’d like to hear in advance.”

 

The tension that had lingered earlier began to melt away during her chat with Ariette.

 

Letticia was aware Alexander was subtly monitoring her, but since the conversation remained harmless, she felt at ease.

 

“By the way, is Lady Eskis doing alright now? I was impressed she managed to get back on stage after collapsing, but I couldn’t help but worry too.”

 

“Lady Eskis pushed forward with the concert because she truly believed in it. Even if it was a bit too much for her, we couldn’t really stop her.”

 

“It certainly seemed that way. She was so confident when she spoke to His Highness earlier… I thought it was amazing. Same goes for you, Lady Sharon.”

 

Ariette’s expression was filled with admiration, tinged with a hint of embarrassment.

 

Seeing that expression, Letticia felt her suspicions returning and asked to confirm.

 

“Earlier, when His Highness mentioned it was an eastern-style approach—was that your suggestion, Lady Averil?”

 

“Pardon? Ah… yes, it was.”

 

Ariette blushed slightly and gave a small nod.

 

“I happened to run into His Highness once and greeted him, and somehow we ended up talking about welfare. He mentioned they were about to survey lower-level officials for opinions and told me to submit a formal proposal if I had thoughts on the matter…”

 

“You ran into him? In the palace?”

 

“Yes. His Highness sometimes takes walks, and I occasionally see him then. I’m sure other officials do too.”

 

Letticia barely stopped herself from scoffing.

 

She had to tense her face to maintain her expression—it felt like confirmation that the original story had officially begun.

 

“I honestly didn’t think he’d take my ideas seriously. I’m not like Lady Eskis, who thinks deeply about laws and policy, or like you, Lady Sharon, who offers specific plans…”

 

“But His Highness clearly liked your ideas, otherwise he wouldn’t have mentioned them. There’s no need to compare yourself to others.”

 

Encouraged by Lenard’s kind words, Ariette’s face lit up.

 

Seeing that, Alexander gently wrapped an arm around Ariette’s shoulders and subtly pulled her closer.

 

“So you’re already at the age where these things interest you, huh? Once we return to Elrey, would you like to take on some work in that field?”

 

“You think I could? I haven’t even had my debut yet.”

 

“In the East, you can debut whenever you wish. We’ll hold a grand debut party with all the nobility—just say the word.”

 

“And if you do decide to debut, I sincerely hope you’ll choose your debut jewelry from Sharon Jewelry. If you let us know, we’ll start crafting something unique just for you—something one-of-a-kind in this world.”

 

“Wow, I’d really love that! I’ll definitely do that!”

 

Lenard’s offer was said half-jokingly, but Ariette burst into laughter and nodded enthusiastically.

 

As the conversation turned to debut talk, Letticia was impressed by Lenard’s quick wit—how he took the opportunity to initiate a deal and secure at least a verbal promise.

 

“Even if I debut, I’d rather do it here in the capital. If I did it in the East, I wouldn’t get to meet ladies and gentlemen like you.”

 

“I’d be disappointed if you weren’t around, so I’ll have to ask you to debut in the capital instead. Oh, and by the way, Lady Eskis mentioned she’d like to meet you, Lady Averil. If you’re alright with it, may I introduce you?”

 

“Really? I’d love that!”

 

Ariette nodded happily, but Alexander interjected.

 

“Lady Sharon, I apologize, but at Countess Freke’s ball, I personally witnessed Lady Cassilis say something absolutely unspeakable. So I hope this doesn’t sound rude, but I’d prefer not to introduce any western nobles to Arie.”

 

“You don’t have to worry, Sir Averil. If Lady Eskis were anything like Lady Cassilis, Letticia would’ve never worked with her on the concert in the first place.”

 

Letticia, who had once dumped tea over her head when Melanie insulted her as a ‘half-breed’ and a ‘nouveau riche,’ would have gone straight for the hair if Seraphina had said something similar.

 

Lenard was certain of that.

 

“And since Letticia’s the one making the introduction, you can trust it. My sister may seem carefree, but she’s sharp and has a good eye for people. I’m sure she thinks Lady Averil and Lady Eskis would get along well.”

 

“Exactly, brother. If Lady Sharon is the one introducing us, I trust her.”

 

Letticia didn’t bother to snap back with ‘and how well do you think you know me to trust me?’

 

With Ariette chiming in, it was clear Alexander was losing steam. Ultimately, he seemed to give up trying to object to his little sister.

 

“…Well, I suppose you do want to make friends. I shouldn’t be the one to stand in the way.”

 

But when Alexander said ‘friends,’ the tone of his voice twisted Letticia’s stomach. The displeasure he showed at the idea of his sister forming other close bonds was sickening.

 

‘When I made a friend, my brother said it was a relief. When I started seeing Ez, he teased me but still congratulated me.’

 

It’s one thing if he’s upset about her finding someone to love, since that could mean marriage and leaving the family. But disliking her making friends? What’s going on in his head?

 

He already has to share his sister with their father and younger brother—so if he’s upset about a new rival showing up on top of that, then he’s just a grown-up child in disguise.

 

“Then I’ll set up a meeting and send an invitation soon. Please let me know your availability as well.”

 

“Of course! But I’d still like to continue our private tea times, Lady Sharon. I really enjoy our conversations, and I’d love to learn more about trends from you.”

 

“I’d be delighted. As long as your schedule permits, the doors of House Sharon are always open to you.”

 

Letticia chose to ignore Alexander’s sour mood and used the moment to publicly showcase her growing friendship with Ariette, continuing to mingle without a hitch.

 

After parting ways with Ariette, Letticia was bombarded with questions about her connection to House Averil and received plenty of praise for standing up to Matthias and defending Seraphina.

 

Compared to discussing unfamiliar topics like orphanage reforms, answering those questions was far more manageable. Letticia spent the rest of the evening that way and even enjoyed a modest afterparty with Dayna and Vanessa.

 

However, Seraphina, who had left with Audrey earlier, never returned to speak with Letticia again—even as the concert ended.

 

 

 

The following morning.

 

“Lady Letticia Sharon, you’ll need to come with us.”

 

Knights specializing in noble investigations stood waiting outside the Count Sharon estate to take Letticia into custody.