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Chapter 85……………………..
The Hexion Marquis’ estate.
In a moonlit glass garden, a man and woman were sipping wine.
Silver hair like molten silver, golden hair like melted gold.
It was Marquis Hexion and Dite.
“I can’t stand the sight of it. Put that thing away.”
Dite frowned and deliberately turned away from the letter on the table.
[Invitation]
It was Etisha’s debutante party invitation.
“Even after leaving Wintel Castle, you still dislike the Duchess of Wintel so much?”
Marquis Hexion raised an eyebrow but obediently gathered up the invitation and tucked it away inside his coat. Dite wrinkled her fine brow.
“Of course. But… do you really have to call her the Duchess?”
“Then what should I call her? You tell me.”
“…Forget it. I was just being petty.”
“How cute.”
Hexion smiled with his eyes and sipped his wine.
His pale face against the red wine made for an unreal contrast.
“Wintel is one thing, but even Countess Montmade has been searching for your whereabouts. You really don’t plan on going back?”
Dite blinked slowly, thinking for a moment, then shook her head firmly.
“No. I don’t intend to return. I don’t want to see anyone.”
“Not even the Countess Montmade? That’s unexpected.”
“Of course not.”
Dite set her wine glass down with a sharp clack. Her golden eyes gleamed stubbornly.
“She’s a good person, but if I go back to her, I’ll just end up a caged canary again.”
“Hm…”
“I don’t want that anymore.”
Hexion laughed deeply, as though satisfied with her answer. It was a meaningful smile.
“What about me, then?”
“What do you mean?”
“Is it fine to see me?”
Dite answered as if it were trivial.
“You’re you, Marquis.”
“Mm?”
“You’re an unreadable man, but you don’t oppress me. Instead, you let me roam free and just watch what I do. Almost like you enjoy observing.”
“Is that so?”
Hexion reached out languidly, brushing his long fingers through her hair.
Once, Dite had hacked off her golden locks in a frenzy. But now they had been trimmed and arranged neatly.
Still, there was no trace left of her old image.
The Dite before him no longer seemed like a mere pretty girl—she had become something more.
“You know this, don’t you, Dite? I much prefer you as you are now to the way you were before.”
He toyed with her short hair, brushing it with interest.
Dite replied quietly, meeting his gaze.
“Yes, I can tell.”
Since she had left Wintel Castle, Hexion had stopped calling her “canary.”
He called her Dite—or Yudite, her true name.
“But don’t get too fond of me.”
“Why not?”
“Because I like Cayenne.”
“He’s married, and yet?”
“…It’s not the same kind of affection as before. It’s different.”
“I can’t follow.”
“Just because you’ve been rejected doesn’t mean you can forget someone right away. I like Cayenne, but I also hate him. I hate him terribly.”
“Ah… so it’s love and hate.”
His hand slid from her hair to her ear.
Dite flinched, but Hexion ignored it, boldly continuing his touch. As expected of a man infamous for his affairs.
“What about me, then?”
“…What now?”
“Do you like me or hate me? I’m curious.”
His hand traveled down her nape, tracing deliberately along her back.
Dite opened her mouth, startled, and murmured with wide eyes:
“…Marquis.”
“Yes?”
“I neither like nor dislike you.”
“So I’m just… mediocre? That’s rather sad.”
“I can’t help it. We haven’t known each other long. And besides, I told you—I like Cayenne.”
“But surely my face is worth something. I’m not that mediocre, am I?”
“Your face is undeniably handsome, but your personality… I can’t figure it out. It’s strange. Incomprehensible.”
At that, Hexion chuckled.
Dite took his hand off her and muttered on.
“Cayenne seems like the type who would never cheat on me, but you… you seem like you’d be cheating all the time.”
“…What?”
“Even now, doing this, it feels like you’re cheating.”
Hexion laughed harder, shoulders shaking.
“Ah, Dite. I really do like you.”
He rose from his chair, arms spread.
It was late, and he had drunk plenty of wine. Time to call it a night.
“I truly like you.”
He kissed the back of her hand, then left first.
Alone in the glass garden, Dite lingered, staring at the night sky.
Naturally, it made her think of certain people.
Those with hair as black as the night…
She propped her chin on one hand and poured the rest of the wine with the other.
She would fall asleep drunk again tonight.
By now, she couldn’t sleep without alcohol.
Morning came.
The debutante.
The long-awaited day had finally arrived.
But even from early morning, a small commotion broke out—in Etisha’s dressing room.
“This one! And this one! The tones are far too dull… completely wrong for Lady Etisha…”
Maid Marin fidgeted anxiously, circling around the vanity.
Sitting there, Etisha could only look puzzled.
“What’s wrong, Marin? Is there some problem?”
“My lady… look at these.”
Marin spread her arms full of cosmetics.
Unlike what Etisha had always used, these came in ornate, gilded cases.
“Head maid Gerta left these. She said since you’re now the Duchess, you should be using finer things.”
“I see, I understand.”
After all, there were teacups reserved for the Duchess—so why not cosmetics?
Etisha nodded calmly, but Marin looked stricken.
“But… the head maid is amazing in many ways, but when it comes to makeup she’s utterly clueless!”
“…What?”
“She doesn’t know a thing about makeup!”
“…”
“These colors don’t match your skin tone at all. They don’t match your hair or your eyes either. You suit a clear, pure, white image. But these shades are bold and imposing. They’d suit Lady Cyrilese perfectly.”
Etisha didn’t really see the difference—the colors all looked similar to her. But clearly Marin did.
The maid opened and shut cases nervously, fretting over what to do.
Then came a knock at the door. Someone had arrived.
“Yes, who is it?”
Marin went to the door for Etisha, then returned with a flustered expression.
“My lady…”
“Who is it? Mother?”
“No… it’s Lady Heinz. Should I send her away?”
Etisha frowned slightly, then shook her head.
After all, Larrienne would be leaving Wintel Castle once the debutante was over. Today would be the last time seeing her—it wasn’t worth forcing her out.
“Let her in.”
“Yes, my lady…”
Marin opened the door, glaring protectively like a little guard squirrel.
Larrienne Heinz. That wretched woman. As long as I’m here, she won’t touch my lady.
Marin knew all the rumors about Larrienne at Wintel Castle. There was no way she could see her kindly.
She bullied my lady when they were in the capital, and now suddenly wants to act nice? Hmph. Two-faced women like her don’t deserve nobility.
She watched closely, worried her gentle mistress might be threatened.
But something was… strange.
Larrienne crept in carefully, smiling as though afraid to upset Etisha.
She looked like a well-trained puppy.
It was odd. With her prideful, catlike beauty, she was acting like a dog wagging its tail.
“Tisha, sorry for barging in. You left your handkerchief in my room, so I came to return it.”
“Handkerchief?”
“Yes, here…”
Etisha took it. It was the one she’d stained with blood while coughing.
“You should have just burned it. Why bring it back?”
“Hm? But what if it was precious to you? How could I burn it without knowing?”
Once, Larrienne had delighted in ruining Etisha’s treasured belongings. But now, she couldn’t even touch a mere handkerchief.
Etisha decided she would burn it later, when Marin wasn’t around, and tucked it carefully away in a drawer.
“So, that’s all you came for?”
“…Yes.”
“Alright then, you can go. Don’t forget to apologize to the ladies at the party later.”
“….”
Etisha tried to dismiss her, but Larrienne just stood there, distracted.
Her gaze had fixed on the vanity.
“Tisha, what’s all this?”
Her eyes had landed on the cosmetics Marin had left open earlier.
“These shades… all too dull. They don’t suit you at all.”
“…?”
“You need clear, pure, light tones. Who gave you these? That maid?”
Larrienne turned suddenly toward Marin, as if accusing her. Marin looked helplessly at Etisha.
“These colors would suit Lady Cyrilese—bold and imposing. But for you, never. No way. Come here, let me see.”
Rolling up her sleeves, Larrienne began sorting through the cosmetics.
Like mining gems from a vast quarry, she swiftly picked out the few usable items and laid them aside.
