“Since I will be reporting this during tomorrow’s work hours anyway, it is not a big deal to listen to your instructions now. However, as I don’t have a pen and paper to take notes, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to convey your message to His Highness properly. I ask for your understanding on this matter.”
“Certainly not. It’s inappropriate for this old man to use someone who isn’t his subordinate for work outside regular hours.”
“I don’t want to hear that from someone like you, who underestimates the importance of national affairs, Duke.”
“Sir Bright is at an age where he should be considering marriage. I don’t want to be the clueless old man who gets in the way of a handsome young man spending time alone with a beautiful young lady.”
It is said that the ideal marriage age for noblemen these days is between 24 and 28, but the Duke of Dinever seemed to be thinking based on his generation’s standards.
Ezkhiel opened his mouth with a look that resembled Marianne’s after hearing nagging about marriage during a visit to her maternal home.
“I think it is still too early to discuss marriage. I am such a dull person that I do not have the skills to entertain ladies or win their affection.”
“What do you mean? There are many parents who desire you as their son-in-law.”
“But the young ladies in question don’t seem to be interested in me, which means I must be lacking as a potential husband.”
At those words, the Duchess, who had been silent, frowned and immediately spoke up.
“That’s nonsense. While young ladies may be drawn to men who are charming and good at hunting, they will soon realize that men like you are truly the best. So, don’t belittle yourself. There’s no need for that.”
“…Thank you for your generous words.”
When Ezkhiel awkwardly responded, the Countess chimed in, offering her own words of encouragement.
“I don’t think you need to worry. There is a wise young lady who understands that a good man is a kind man, right beside you.”
Hearing the Countess’ words, Letticia tightened her grip on Ezkhiel’s arm, smiling brightly.
Ezkhiel chose to remain silent rather than risk saying something that might be misunderstood.
“Let’s not keep the young ones here for too long. Let’s enjoy our meal among ourselves. This venison looks delicious; it seems to be cooked in a Western style?”
Thanks to the Duke of Dinever’s remark, the two were finally released.
After being seated at a table some distance away, Ezkhiel, who had been rigid until now, slumped into his chair as if collapsing.
“Haa… I never thought I’d run into them here of all places…”
The polite and formal demeanor he had maintained earlier disappeared, replaced by his usual gentle, deer-like behavior, making Letticia ask curiously.
“Are you alright? You seemed quite tense.”
“To be honest, I felt like my heart was going to drop. It felt like I was suddenly back at work.”
Even as he shuddered, Ezkhiel straightened his posture and sat properly.
Seeing his tearful expression, Letticia couldn’t help but laugh.
“I’ve heard that running into a boss outside of work is very uncomfortable. It seems it’s uncomfortable even if they aren’t your direct superior.”
“Both of them are prominent figures in the nation whom I cannot take lightly. Especially the Chancellor who brings up work matters every time we meet, making it impossible not to feel tense.”
“I’ve heard that the Chancellor is a workaholic. If he talks about work even at a ball, then the rumors must be true.”
“He is second only to His Highness the Crown Prince. It’s well-known among civil servants that after a meeting with them, regular working hours become a distant dream for several days.”
Ezkhiel’s face turned pale as he seemed to recall something, indicating he had experienced it several times.
“But from what I heard earlier, he said he would postpone the meeting, so it seems you won’t have more work immediately?”
“Yes. I think it will increase around next month. It seems I can still go on the boat trip.”
“Boat trip?”
When Letticia asked back, Ezkhiel looked puzzled.
“According to Lenard, we were planning to go boating on Lake Naphier this weekend, along with you and Lord Kenneth…”
“Oh, that. I didn’t know my brother invited Lord Bright as well. He could have told me earlier.”
Although she hadn’t heard anything, Letticia pretended to know about it.
If Lenard had told Ezkhiel about it, he would have likely arranged the schedule with Kenneth as well.
“I’m worried that I might be intruding on what should be a family-only boat trip.”
“Oh no, it would be boring if it were just family. Everyone will be happy that you’re joining.”
“Lenard might feel that way, but I’m concerned that you might find it tedious, Lady.”
Ezkhiel spoke morosely with his eyes downcast. Letticia was flabbergasted by his constant remarks about worrying that things might be boring.
“Why would I find it boring? Just imagining talking and enjoying the scenery with you sounds delightful.”
“Since I’m usually busy with work, I’m not well-versed in topics that ladies would find interesting. I haven’t read the latest popular novels or watched any plays, and I’m not particularly knowledgeable about the arts…”
“You’ve probably discussed those topics to death with others, so there’s no need to talk about them with me. We can discuss whatever we want.”
“What kind of topics can we talk about?”
Ezkhiel looked bewildered, so Letticia gestured toward the table where the Duke and the Count were seated.
“Well, there are plenty of things we can discuss. For instance, what are the Duke and the Count like at work?”
“Are you curious about what they are like?”
“It’s not that I’m dying to know, but I think it would be interesting to find out. I’ve met both of them several times since I was young, but I have no idea what they are like in a professional setting.”
Even though those two were some of the most prominent nobles in the Empire, they felt more like ‘acquaintances of my parents’ to Letticia.
Understanding her words, Ezkhiel nodded as if he had figured something out.
“I did wonder why the Duke seemed to treat you so casually… Do you think the Duke will mention today’s events to Count Sharon?”
He was referring to the escort matter that Letticia had brushed off earlier.
Letticia shrugged, wondering why he was suddenly worried about such a thing.
“Even if the Duke doesn’t mention it, my father would already know. Everyone here saw it.”
“Well… that may be true, but don’t you think there might be a misunderstanding? About you and me, that is…”
Ezkhiel stammered, unable to finish his sentence.
Letticia considered teasing him with a ‘What do you mean?’ but, knowing that Ezkhiel wouldn’t understand the joke, she decided to comfort him instead.
“Going out for a late-night snack together isn’t a big deal. We did something similar at the ball once.”
She chose not to mention that she had only gone to one tea room with Alexander in all the balls she attended.
However, it was also true that it was so common for men and women to go to a tea room together and then part ways to find new partners that it wasn’t even worth talking about.
“So, don’t worry too much. If you keep being like this, it feels like you regret coming to have dinner with me.”
“That wasn’t my intention at all. If I’ve upset you, I truly apologize.”
When Letticia turned her head away, pretending to be upset, Ezkhiel quickly apologized, looking remorseful.
Seeing that he was no longer as worried, Letticia called the waiter.
“Shall we order then? What would you like?”
“I think I’ll have something light, like soup. What would you like?”
“I’ll go with soup too. I need something warm to calm down, don’t you think?”
When she repeated what Ezkhiel had said earlier at the ball, he shyly looked away.
Though he seemed slightly embarrassed, his demeanor suggested he wasn’t uncomfortable, which gave Letticia more confidence.
Soon, the waiter brought the soup, and Letticia, after taking a sip, felt the warmth spread throughout her body, along with the rich flavor.
Only then did she realize that she had been tense the whole time.
“I’ve been having only cold things at the ball, so now I understand why warm food is necessary.”
“You were more startled than you thought. Sometimes the shock comes later, so make sure to eat well and get plenty of rest.”
“Well, it did surprise me a bit, but I’m fine now. Still, I’m not comfortable with someone standing behind me. I’m glad I chose to sit with my back against the wall.”
Having once accidentally spilled tea on Melanie Cassilis in a fit of rage, Letticia was prepared to face a similar situation.
But nearly being hit with wine from behind on the day of a new product presentation was indeed quite shocking, even if it wasn’t a direct confrontation.
