At this point, everyone felt sorry for having doubted Hestia so carelessly. Iris, who had come to her senses now that her family’s honor was restored, was especially regretful.
“Lady Hestia, I offer my sincerest apologies.”
Iris admitted her mistake. When Diane expressed her desire to host a unique tea party and asked for advice on fine items, Iris had gotten overly excited.
After all, it was the Lady of the Haleson family seeking her guidance on tea party items! Without thinking too much, she recommended the most exquisite and suitable teacups that would shine on such an occasion, not knowing much about them herself.
“My lady, a message has arrived that the noble guests are on their way.”
With all plans unraveling and her role as the host in shambles, Diane froze in place, feeling as if the bread she had worked so hard to bake had been dropped into the mud.
As the host, Diane had no time to compose herself and hurriedly left the scene.
“I must go quickly. Adrian-”
Diane hoped Adrian would escort her to the reception area.
If so, it would restore some of her dignity as a host.
However, Adrian ignored her pleading gaze and instead approached Hestia, politely offering his hand.
“I want to drink the cocktail you prepared.”
Hestia, who had maintained a neutral expression throughout the misunderstanding, answered after a brief silence.
“…I’ve been under the sun too long and feel a bit dizzy. I think I’ll rest indoors for a moment. If my cousin could serve you in my stead, it would be my honor.”
Hestia pulled Daisy, who was beside her, by the arm. Daisy gazed at Adrian in awe, while the other noble ladies were amazed.
Even though she must have felt truly wronged and upset, she not only maintained her dignity as a noble, but even fulfilled her role as a chaperone. She was truly a noble in spirit.
“Very well, if that’s what you wish.”
Adrian respected Hestia’s decision, then turned to Daisy.
“Miss Carlton, would you do me the honor of serving the cocktail?”
“Of course, Lord Kingston.”
Daisy placed her hand on his, much more gracefully than last time. Mrs. Carlton’s special training had proven effective.
Diane bit her lip as Adrian placed Daisy’s hand on his arm. Since he had chosen his partner, she would now have to move alone.
If Evan were here, she could have saved face a little, but he was nowhere to be found.
The noble ladies followed Diane, chatting in small groups, while Hestia watched them disappear before blending into the group of maids heading indoors.
* * *
Led by a maid, Hestia reached the lounge, shut the door, and collapsed to the floor, covering her mouth.
She felt nauseous, though having eaten nothing, she couldn’t vomit. Her vision spun, and her heart pounded so loudly she worried it could be heard outside.
“Hah…hah-”
She took deep breaths, trying to calm her racing pulse. Cold sweat dripped down her face.
There had been about five or six academy alumni at the tea party, including Diane. To avoid revealing her trembling, she struggled to prevent her mana from vibrating. Even a slight lapse in concentration would have exposed her right away.
Also, I don’t know what Adrian did to get a different result, but she was confident that Iris’ explanation was probably true. He was certainly clever and capable enough to pull it off.
She remembered the last time she saw Adrian. She had treated him sharply, to the point of being rude, yet he still saved her.
What if he hadn’t shown up? The entire social world would have been chopping this up like a piece of meat left bare on a chopping board until the end of this social season. The social world has always been crazy about gossip.
This type of gossip would be widely known not only among young ladies but also among young gentlemen.
If that had happened, the Carlton family would have given her the greatest punishment for damaging the family’s honor.
They would have sent her back to her hometown, where Melda was. Her fate there would have been even harsher.
Hestia trembled, hugged her knees with her arms, and buried her head. She still heard her ragged breathing, unfamiliar as if it were someone else’s.
Knock, knock.
At that time, a knock was heard outside the door she was leaning against. Hestia gasped in surprise and froze. She was defenseless now. She had endured so much with her mental strength earlier that she could no longer maintain a mask of composure.
“It’s me, Adrian.”
He was so amazingly good at finding her. How did he know where she was among so many lounges?
His low voice settled calmly in her ear.
“Harper, that perverted bastard. Isn’t it absurd to use that ability for something like this?”
Adrian snorted and criticized cynically. Christine Harper was a weirdo. A genius wizard who had taken a liking to Adrian after only a few conversations.
But Adrian hated him. Harper wasted his talents for making magic items, given to him by Goddess Lillian, by using them to create such perverted items.
“Detecting purity? What does he intend to do with that?”
He was truly angry and growled in a low voice. Whatever the cause, the damn teacup had put someone he loved in danger.
Had he known this would happen, he would have slipped poison into Christine Harper’s glass the last time he had a drink with him.
Adrian’s initial impression of Harper—a despicable pervert—had not changed. He was determined that if he ever happened to meet Harper again, he would at least break his neck.
“I’m sorry for not coming sooner.”
While he was angry, he remembered that there was someone who should be even more angry, and tried to calm himself. There was no use in him being angry now.
Right now, what mattered was preventing further harm to someone dear to him. He sensed Hestia sitting on the floor, leaning against the door, and he too sat on the floor and leaned against the door.
He quietly waited for Hestia to calm down. They sat with their backs to each other with a door separating them for a while.
A small voice came through the crack in the door, barely audible. The voice still shook.
“I asked you not to appear before me again.”
It wasn’t an accusation but a question, laden with emotion.
She had harshly rejected his confession and even asked never to see him again… Yet he still protected her. Why?
The last time she saw him, his face had shown hurt. Only hurt? His pride must have suffered too. But still…
“I kept my promise. I’m not in front of you; I’m behind.”
What a silly joke. Hestia couldn’t help but laugh softly, bewildered.
“You laughed, Hestia. Feeling a bit more at ease?”
Adrian chuckled, lightening the tense atmosphere. And he added, seeing the true meaning of Hestia’s words.
“You’re wondering why? Because it’s all my responsibility.”
“No, it’s my responsibility since I made the request.”
“Alright, let’s share the responsibility half-and-half. I’m just taking my share of it.”
“…”
“And I have a favor to ask.”
Adrian took a small, slender glass vial from his jacket, filled with a clear sky-blue potion.
He rolled it under the door toward her, and Hestia immediately recognized that it was a magic potion he had prepared.
“It’s a calming potion.”
“Why…?”
“The hunt is almost over, and more academy alumni will be joining us soon. Please help me make sure the lie I told earlier isn’t revealed.”
He didn’t say ‘I’ll give you the calming potion for your sake’ but rather ‘Drink it for my sake’.
He was being considerate of Hestia and reassured her until the end. As if this was for him and not her.
At that moment, Hestia understood why so many courtesans and actors were drawn to Adrian—not just for his looks, wealth, or abilities.
Adrian Kingston was kind. His warmth was like sunshine and soft as wool. His ability to be considerate of others and make them feel comfortable was not something that just anyone could possess.
Yet that made him all the more dangerous, as anyone who got close to him would inevitably end up hurt.
“I don’t have much time, so I’ll be off. Take your time and come out when you’re ready.”
After speaking, he lingered for a while and then left. Hestia quietly looked at the calming potion left on the floor while listening to the sound of his footsteps getting farther and farther away. Its blue hue was similar to his gaze.
His gaze looking at her.
Filled with an emotion she couldn’t ignore, which only made her sadder.
Hestia picked up the potion. Removing the cork, she downed the potion in one gulp. A sweetness lingered on her tongue, like drinking a sugary beverage, and then a medicinal energy enveloped her entire body, like warm sunlight spreading.
And in just a few seconds, her anxiety and trembling ceased almost magically. The effects of the potion were indeed.
