At the mention of last time, Ezkhiel felt embarrassed and fidgeted, playing with his fingers.
“Y-Yes, last time I got a little too excited… I didn’t even get a chance to properly thank you, Lady, for graciously indulging me with such kindness.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I enjoyed it too. Didn’t I mention that I’m not very good at flattery?”
“…In that case, I’m relieved.”
Ezkhiel let out what seemed like a sigh of relief. Thinking he might still be worried, Letticia took the initiative to speak first.
“I’m not a big fan of conversations at social gatherings. Although I like horseback riding, I don’t care much for carriages, and I couldn’t care less about the age of someone’s estate. Of course, I do appreciate beautiful interiors or scenic landscapes, but I can’t imagine talking about them for 30 minutes without getting bored.”
“Ah… That’s understandable.”
Ezkhiel nodded in agreement, but his response lacked the same weary disdain that Letticia displayed.
Rather than sharing her frustration, he calmly explained as if accepting it as an inevitability.
“But, among the old nobility, they are trained to hold such conversations. When introducing themselves, they usually start with their family’s prestige and history, then proceed to boast about their family or their estate, or share about their personal interests.”
“But aren’t their interests all quite similar? It’s always carriages, gardens, some scholarly pursuit, or stuff like that. Or they’ll brag about their winnings at card games.”
“…There aren’t many hobbies deemed noble, after all. Besides scholarly pursuits, men are generally only allowed to engage in horseback riding, hunting, sports, dancing, banquets, or card games. Even my older brother has hunting as a hobby.”
“So, is that really all they have to talk about? Is it that they don’t want to talk about anything else?”
“It’s not so much that they don’t want to, but more that they likely don’t understand why they would. And if it’s a subject they don’t know much about, they won’t want to discuss it.”
Ezkhiel explained in a way that Letticia could understand, displaying an insight that seemed deeper than hers on the matter, likely due to his background in an old noble family.
“Actually, that’s why I also find it difficult to converse with people introduced to me by my family. When I talk with friends I met at the academy, I tend to share a lot, but with them, I mostly just listen.”
“Ah, I get it. I’m the same way. If I pretend to listen just enough, they’ll all chatter away enthusiastically, but honestly, I need a dessert just to get through it.”
Ezkhiel responded to Letticia’s comment with a half-smile and a hint of darkness in his expression.
“My limit is sneaking two spoonfuls of sugar into my coffee. If only I could use your method.”*
“Coffee? Didn’t you say you don’t drink coffee, young lord?”
“…I couldn’t avoid it before I graduated from the academy. My parents disapproved of men drinking tea, as do many other noble families.”
The story Letticia had heard from Lenard about how Ezkhiel was forced to drink coffee at the academy clearly stemmed from his home environment.
Ezkhiel’s face showed a sudden fatigue, as though recalling something he didn’t want to remember.
Sensing this, Letticia quietly changed the subject.
“But young lord, didn’t you say you’d attend Countess Freke’s ball? Has there been any change in your schedule?”
“My schedule… Ah…”
At the mention of a new topic, Ezkhiel’s face again looked as if he were burdened with yet another fatigue.
With a bad feeling, Letticia’s voice trembled slightly as she asked.
“You… You mean, it’s changed?”
“…Most likely, yes, it seems so.”
‘Oh, come on!’
In her heart, Letticia mentally punched Count Freke.
Just when Letticia thought she’d finally get to spend some time with Ezkhiel, something else seemed to get in the way.
“I can’t disclose the details since they’re confidential, but I’ll be quite busy for about two weeks. Unfortunately, it looks like I won’t be able to attend the Countess’ ball.”
“Seriously, why all of a sudden…? The Count is just too much, really. He won’t even let you attend the Countess’s ball! I heard you’re too busy to attend most balls as it is.”
“…Well, it’s for the country, so there’s nothing I can do.”
Ezkhiel gave a powerless smile, looking sorrowful.
Wanting to cheer him up, Letticia replied in a deliberately upbeat tone.
“Well, then, come visit my family’s estate when you have time. I’ll make sure we have the latest desserts from Faymont ready and waiting for you.”
“Faymont… Oh, that’s right, they’re launching new items soon.”
At the mention of Faymont, a trace of brightness appeared on Ezkhiel’s face.
Seeing that it was effective, Letticia decided to add a bit of charm to her approach as well.
“Until now, I was in the dormitory, so I never got the chance to see you when you came as my brother’s guest. So, this time, please come as my guest. I’d love to talk about desserts with you again.”
“…I think I can make it in two weeks. Would that be alright?”
Ezkhiel asked hesitantly, and Letticia paused, briefly wondering what the issue was.
Then she remembered: two weeks later was the start of the courtship season.
‘That’s even better! Such a perfect timing!’
With a bright smile, she responded.
“Of course, you’re welcome anytime!”
“…If you say so…”
Ezkhiel seemed uncertain but nodded in agreement.
Letticia decided to add a little push to seal the deal.
“If you bring a lovely flower or tea leaves, our butler will know to let you in.”
“Flowers… or tea leaves?”
Ezkhiel’s eyes widened in surprise.
Bringing a gift like that during courtship season was a clear signal of courting the lady of the house. Flowers and tea leaves were classic gifts for such a purpose.
“Yes. I don’t really like poetry, so I’m only telling you this as a special exception.”
As she said this, Letticia gave him a sly grin.
If he didn’t respond to this, then Lenard’s opinion—that Ezkhiel was only being polite—would likely be correct.
Had her intuition been right? Would this bold move succeed?
Feeling slightly nervous, Letticia glanced up at Ezkhiel’s face.
At that moment, a gentle breeze stirred, ruffling his brown hair, revealing a glimpse of surprise, shyness, and joy in his green eyes.
“…I’m not very good at writing poetry myself… so I probably won’t bring anything too impressive. Is that alright?”
Hearing his cautious question, as he looked directly at her, Letticia cheered internally.
Even if Ezkhiel was simply a polite person, for him to respond this way to an invitation that subtly hinted at a courtship visit meant there was more than just politeness in his feelings.
“Anything you bring, will make me happy! I’ll be waiting.”
Letticia’s bright smile shone even more under the sunlight.
That joyous and radiant smile filled the young man’s heart with hope and anticipation, while casting grim smiles on the faces of her brothers, who had to watch the interaction from behind.
***
When people think of ‘society,’ they often think of balls, but not every noble can host one.
Balls are the most costly social gatherings; hosting even one can cost as much as a year’s expenses for a lower noble family.
However, balls are also the best occasions for young men and women to find mutual attraction, which is why the social season is packed with balls, with rarely a night free from one.
Among these, the most popular ball for the young nobles is the one held in mid-April, which marks the transition between the courtship search season and the courtship season itself—hosted by none other than Countess Freke.
In her youth, Countess Freke had rivaled the Duchess of Dinever in dividing the social world. Unlike the strict and etiquette-bound Duchess, Countess Freke was known for her contrasting attitude.
While the Duchess of Dinever held cultured gatherings at the beginning of the season to assess the debutantes’ refinement, Countess Freke hosted her ball in the middle of the season, providing a last chance for courtship searches just before the official courtship season began.
She believed that the young should enjoy the unique pleasures of youth rather than being bound by strict rules, and that romantic marriages were a privilege of the young.
Thus, her ball became a gathering place exclusively for young people (apart from chaperones), and nobles searching for a spouse would go to great lengths to obtain an invitation from her.
Although the Countess wasn’t as strict as the imperial balls in selecting guests, she still wouldn’t invite anyone with a tarnished reputation.
“So, tonight’s ball will be where everyone’s rivalry reaches its peak.”
As Letticia stepped out of the carriage and entered the estate, she casually discussed a safe topic with Kenneth, something even others could overhear without concern.
“Yes. Until now, everyone’s been holding back a bit, but since courtship season starts tomorrow, they’ll be desperate to reduce their competition.”
“That’s what you call holding back? I’ve felt targeted at every gathering I’ve attended.”
“Just verbal sparring, though. That’s barely anything.”
The near-wine-spilling incident had been the work of a spy, an exception. Thinking about it, it seemed everyone had been, in their own way, relatively well-behaved after all.
🍓; *’My limit is sneaking two spoonfuls of sugar into my coffee’ – Ezkhiel has a personal threshold for coping with a situation—specifically, the way he manages his discomfort or dissatisfaction. It implies that he can only tolerate the conversation or environment to a certain extent, and his small act of adding sugar to his coffee serves as a minor comfort or coping mechanism. ‘If only I could use your method,’ indicates that he wishes he could employ Letticia’s approach to handle the situation, which seems to involve a more carefree or indulgent attitude, perhaps suggesting that he would prefer to find a way to enjoy the moment rather than merely endure it. Overall, the statement reflects a sense of resignation or limitation in how he deals with uncomfortable social situations.
