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Chapter 35
“Regarding the duel between the young lady and Lady Swinton.”
Who and who? Eloise felt foolish for having pondered it so seriously just moments before.
“Did I have a duel without my knowledge?”
“The initial show of dominance is important among noble young ladies.”
Bella’s eyes gleamed sharply as she held a ribbon against Eloise’s dress. Eloise felt even the energy to retort draining away.
“What’s happening now isn’t a duel; it’s receiving guests.”
“Exactly!”
At Bella’s strangely mismatched reply, Eloise simply gave up and nodded.
“Okay…….”
“Eloise, are you ready?”
Kylian’s voice came from the other side of the door, accompanied by a knock.
“I’m coming out now, all done!”
“It’s not finished yet, young lady!”
“No, no. *I’m* done.”
Dodging the blocking Bella, Eloise swiftly turned and hurried to open the door.
“Did you wait long? It took longer than I thought.”
“You’ve dressed up nicely.”
Feeling her face grow warm for some reason, Eloise bowed her head. As she did, Kylian’s reddening earlobes hid behind his hair.
“Kylian, you look so handsome today too!”
As Eloise laughed and responded, the flush spreading from Kylian’s ears to his face seemed unstoppable.
“Uh, l-let’s go quickly!”
Worried that the sound of his own loudly pounding heart might reach Eloise, Kylian quickly started walking.
“Kylian, wait for me!”
Ryan, who had been watching them from beside Kylian, shook his head.
“Young Master, popular men never easily show their true feelings.”
Kylian, who was walking ahead, shouted back.
“Ryan, be quiet!”
“Maintaining a calm demeanor is also important when trying to win a lady’s heart,” Ryan added.
Bella nodded in agreement with Ryan’s words.
“Bella, you too!”
Kylian shot down both Bella and Ryan’s comments. Eloise, who had been looking back and forth between them, stopped.
‘Why are they suddenly saying things like that? If they keep it up, Kylian will get uncomfortable…….’
Eloise recalled the memory she had been mulling over earlier.
‘You play the piano really well!’
At Eloise’s exclamation, Kylian had shrugged his shoulders.
‘Well, this level of accomplishment is easy since I was royalty!’
Nobles learn a lot of accomplishments like drawing or playing instruments, right? As for dancing, you learn it because you have to dance at parties, but she couldn’t think of any specific use for the others.
‘Now that I think about it, nobles learn a lot of those things; what do they use them for?’
Thinking that she would probably have to learn them herself soon, Eloise had asked.
‘Uh… Well?’
They were just basic accomplishments he had learned without much thought. Kylian recalled his teacher’s words.
‘For social circles, parties, and… Ah! They said it’s also useful when getting engaged.’
‘Engaged? Now that you mention it, people of high status get engaged at a young age… Don’t tell me, are you engaged too, Kylian?’
‘That’s impossible! I’m absolutely not engaged! I haven’t even been in love or anything! I’m still young. The topic has never even come up. Don’t get the wrong idea!’
Even now, days later, the image of Kylian saying this with a flustered face was vivid. She wasn’t quite sure what ‘wrong idea’ he meant, but…
“Kylian isn’t old enough for romance yet. Right? You said so yourself back then. That you’re still young.”
“Yeah, I did……”
Unable to deny his own words, Kylian could only nod in agreement.
“Engagements at a young age are mostly political, right? It’s so pitiful when things are decided without your own will. It would make you uncomfortable too, Kylian. Stop it.”
Bella and Ryan glanced at Kylian before answering.
“Yes, young lady.”
“Of course, we won’t, our pitiful Young Master.”
“Eloise, that’s…”
Kylian’s words came out faintly, as if something were stuck in his throat. But Eloise didn’t hear him, dashing off immediately towards the voice coming from the bottom of the stairs.
“The Grand Duke seems to have finished preparing and is already out. Let’s go quickly!”
“Okay……”
Kylian trudged along, watching Eloise run ahead.
“I had a feeling, watching the Young Master dig his own grave back then, that he would surely regret it.”
Bella nodded, pleased that her prediction, made while attending to him, had been correct.
“Seeing such an amusing thing all by yourself!”
“You should have been by the Young Master’s side.”
“It’s not my fault the Young Master keeps avoiding me!” Ryan said, raising his voice as if wronged. Bella replied in a flat tone.
“Must I concern myself with your circumstances as well? And it’s not for the master to wait for the attendant. You should move on your own.”
“Next time, I’ll manage it somehow!”
“Young Master, it may be presumptuous of me as a maid, but if I may offer some advice: you don’t need to add unnecessary words, like mentioning ‘romance’ when it’s not needed.”
“……”
Having no energy left to refute Ryan and Bella, Kylian just trudged down the stairs.
“Grand Duke!”
“My child, you look truly beautiful today.”
“You too, Grand Duke! You look so handsome!”
At their warm exchange of greetings, Kylian’s eyes twitched as if in shock.
“What! C-can you just casually say someone is handsome like that?”
“If he’s handsome, I say he’s handsome!”
“Hey… you two. I mean…”
Alec reached out a hand as if to stop the bickering children. But he was so cautious, he just hovered around them. Bella, who had been waiting quietly, judged it would take too long and bowed to the children.
“Young Lady, Young Master, the Swinton Viscount’s family will be arriving shortly.”
Bella’s words, delivered without any additional chatter, were stern. The squabbling children immediately stepped back.
“Is it possible Bella is actually a boss in the underworld or something?”
“I was thinking the same thing. She’s terrifying.”
Just then, the mansion’s large door opened with a creak, drowning out the children’s voices. As Eloise turned her head, the Swinton Viscount’s family came into view.
‘Is that Viscount Swinton?’
Alec walked straight towards the man with black hair and red eyes, who held no warmth, like a northern winter. Alec held out his hand for a handshake.
“Claude, it’s been a while.”
His face, lit with the joy of seeing an old friend, was filled with a warm glow.
“……Yeah.”
Claude, who had been staring blankly at Alec, unable to continue speaking, gave a short reply. The previously warmth-less face of Claude now held a gentle, sun-like smile.
‘They really are close friends…’
As Eloise couldn’t tear her eyes away, a woman of elegant bearing entered her view.
“It’s the first time since the Academy.”
“Indeed. It’s been a long time, Cecilia.”
“Yes, it has been a long time, Your Grace.”
She paid her respects with perfect formality, kneeling gracefully. From the swaying hem of her dress to her hair, an air of elegance emanated.
“Rise, Viscountess Swinton.”
“Thank you.”
Hair resembling cherry blossoms. Eyes like fresh leaves supporting the brilliant cherry blossoms. Entranced, Eloise gazed at the woman who embodied spring.
‘She’s like a queen from a fairy tale…’
“Lian, Brienne, mind your manners and greet His Grace properly.”
At Cecilia’s words, the black-haired, red-eyed boy paid his respects with impeccable form.
“I am Lian of the Swinton family. I greet Your Grace.”
His still-youthful face with black hair and red eyes reminded her of Kylian. However, Lian exuded a mature aura that didn’t match his age.
“Brienne, it’s your turn to greet him.”
When it was Brienne’s turn and she didn’t move, Cecilia spoke again.
‘So that’s Brienne.’
She had inherited Cecilia’s spring-like hair and eyes perfectly. Her wavy hair fluttered like a butterfly flapping its wings. Eloise covered her mouth to stifle a gasp.
‘She’s adorable! Her hair color, her eyes, even her face is so lovely! I wonder how cute her voice is?’
Contrary to Eloise’s expectations, Brienne remained silent, only bowing her head.
“……”
Cecilia looked at Brienne with a concerned expression.
“Brienne, what’s wrong?”
“I’m not going to greet him!”
Her voice rose sharply, like a cat’s hiss, casting a bewildered look on the adults’ faces. As a flustered Cecilia froze speechless, Claude tried to soothe the child.
“Are you feeling unwell? Tell your father.”
But Brienne puffed out her cheeks and turned her head away sharply.
“The child must be tired from the long carriage ride.”
Alec tried to salvage the broken atmosphere.
“That person took Daddy’s position! I won’t greet someone like that!”
