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Chapter 20
The meeting about the import of magic stones, which Aegan joined after arriving late at the estate, ended later than expected.
The tea party, left without its hostess, was somehow still continuing under the guests’ own initiative. It was thanks to the elderly ladies who were tired of playing host and the endless gossip heating up Ivelia.
“She seems more normal than I expected? She even attended the tea party.”
While passing through the garden, Aegan nudged Onyx and pointed toward Minuet, who was mingling among the noblewomen enjoying the tea party.
“Does that look normal to you?”
Even without Aegan pointing her out, Onyx could easily spot Minuet. The woman who confused him—whether she was virtue or vice—had already caught his eye the moment he stepped into the Crowley estate.
Snorting at Aegan’s remark, Onyx narrowed his eyes and scrutinized her behavior. No matter how generously he tried to judge her, compared to the seasoned noblewomen, Minuet’s etiquette was at the level of a twelve-year-old child.
“That finger of hers. And the teaspoon.”
“At least the young lady is trying to complete the social lessons she fell behind on. Isn’t that admirable?”
Onyx gave a faint scoff at Aegan, who was especially lenient toward women, and strode quickly out of the estate grounds.
“What on earth did they teach her at the count’s house?”
Mounting his horse, Onyx finally voiced the thought he had been mulling over.
“How could they possibly intend to send a woman with no basics like that into the imperial family?”
“What basics is she lacking? Are you planning to charge her with insulting the imperial family over something like that?”
Laughing as he countered Onyx’s incomprehension, Aegan mounted his horse as well. He seemed amused by the crime he had just coined—“insulting the imperial family”—and let out a hearty laugh.
She asked me to become her riding instructor.
The words she had spoken that day kept echoing in Onyx’s mind.
An instructor.
She had asked the Crown Prince to be her instructor. It was absurd. But even if it were possible, being alone with a young lady who seemed to be gradually enjoying toying with the Crown Prince…
Aegan’s laughter, which had been fading into the distance, drew close again behind Onyx. Along with the approaching sound of hoofbeats, Aegan once more declared:
“Insulting the imperial family. She’s done it several times.”
Composing his expression, Onyx clicked his tongue.
“Why do you dislike Miss LeVine so much?”
“I don’t dislike her. I simply detest people who lack basic knowledge.”
“If she doesn’t know, she can learn. Isn’t the one who refuses to give someone the chance to learn worse than the ignorant person?”
At Aegan’s words, spoken as he rode behind him, Onyx turned his head. Seeing Aegan’s gaze fixed on him, he made an incredulous face.
“The worse one? Me?”
“You worked so hard to enlighten those gloomy old men about magic stones, yet you’re so harsh toward your flower-like fiancée.”
“Who is this ‘flower-like fiancée’?”
“Oh? Are you angry about that, Your Highness? Because your proposal was rejected? Or is there another deduction point I’m unaware of?”
Struck squarely at the heart by Aegan’s words, Onyx said nothing and kept riding forward. Aegan spurred his horse ahead and looked back at him teasingly.
“It wouldn’t be strange. She’s such a beautiful Miss LeVine. Even feelings that weren’t there before might sprout.”
As if dismissing the nonsense, Onyx shifted his gaze to the empty sky and changed the topic back to magic stones.
“It was certainly difficult to ‘teach’ those old men the necessity of magic stones.”
“Exactly. But once they learned their necessity, what happened? With the power of magic stones, spinning wheels turn faster, machines are built, letters travel more quickly… It’s countless. No wonder those old men who can smell money welcomed them with open arms.”
Onyx nodded while looking ahead.
It was true—compared to just a few days ago, more and more elders were showing positive reactions toward magic stones.
“So perhaps your true aptitude isn’t as Crown Prince, but as an educator.”
He really only says things that hit too close to the mark.
In the end, Onyx conceded inwardly to Aegan’s words. With that neat face of his, speaking nothing but inconvenient truths, it was no wonder opposing council members couldn’t withstand him.
“An educator who revived Visk through education! Crown Prince Onyx Tromalin!”
Having finally won Onyx’s agreement, Aegan couldn’t resist teasing him loudly.
Onyx let out a deep sigh as he watched Aegan fool around. Then he once again mentally marked Aegan as the future Prime Minister of Visk. He would seat him there and work him to death—day and night.
With a meaningful smile, Onyx rode alongside Aegan, sometimes ahead, sometimes behind.
“So I’m the worse one, is that it?”
“I don’t know what exactly the problem is, but I’m saying you should give her a chance. You haven’t even met her again since that café, have you? How about properly greeting her at the next ball?”
Naturally steering the topic from magic stones back to Minuet, Aegan urged Onyx to be generous.
“Café?”
Even from behind, Aegan could see the smile forming on Onyx’s face.
That’s the look he makes when he’s hiding something.
Having grown up watching that expression countless times, Aegan pulled his horse to a stop.
“What are you hiding? Why are you smiling?”
“Me? Don’t be ridiculous.”
He hadn’t realized how enjoyable it would be to keep a secret from Aegan.
Leaving his old friend shouting behind him, Onyx urged his horse forward.
“The garden is truly beautiful.”
As moments of silence lengthened, Esmeralda Celine rose from her seat and praised the garden.
They had exhausted their talk of jewels brought from unknown frontiers and the season’s dresses. Once again, the beauty of the Crowley garden rose to the surface of the tea table and captured everyone’s attention.
Words of agreement began spreading among the guests.
What started as light compliments eventually prompted the noblewomen—following Esmeralda—to lift their heavy skirts and rise to stroll through the garden.
The garden personally tended by the daughter of Countess Gianna LeVine—the famed Princess of Troyzen.
As everyone rose to walk about, Minuet stood as well and looked over the garden she had carefully shaped. The roses she had received from the rose farm on Charlotte’s recommendation had taken root securely and were growing more beautiful by the day.
“I wanted to see you again after the ball. I’m so glad we could meet like this.”
At the gentle voice, Minuet turned her head from the garden.
Cecilia stood before her, offering a light curtsy.
Without realizing it, Cecilia examined Minuet closely.
Kind eyes, round pupils, clear and softly full lips. She was like a painting drawn with all the gentlest colors a painter could mix—soft and rounded in every way.
A faint sigh escaped Cecilia’s lips. If only she were not the young lady entangled with Onyx, Cecilia might have extended her hand first.
There was no doubt Minuet was the woman who had taken Onyx away.
Yet it was equally clear it had not been by her own will.
“Hello, Miss Minuet. Do you remember me?”
“Miss Cecilia Blenched… am I correct?”
As Minuet barely managed to recall her name, Ayla Blaze suddenly stepped between them and elaborated.
“Miss Cecilia Blenched has been a longtime childhood friend of His Highness Crown Prince Onyx.”
“One of the Three. Musketeers. In Ivelia they’re very, very famous, you know?”
Her sharp tone implied: And you dare become Crown Princess?
“Ah… I see.”
Seeing Minuet answer awkwardly, Cecilia brushed it off as merely a childhood story and changed the subject.
“Ah, by the way, I heard Marquis Wesley will be returning to Ivelia next month. Have you heard?”
“Of course. They say when he returns, he’ll host a grand celebration party.”
Elodie Meclair, wearing a dress that seemed a size too small for her, fanned herself as she slipped into the group.
“Why else would he come? Why hold a party? While sailing in search of the New Continent, his third wife passed away from a tropical disease.”
“That’s right. It’s been about three months since the funeral, hasn’t it?”
“So once the debutantes’ partners are mostly decided, he’ll probably choose whichever young lady is left without a match and make her his fourth wife.”
“Oh my, Lady Meclair, how do you always know everything?”
“I’m quite close with the journalists. When my husband sailed out this time, I invited them all to the estate for dinner as well. Hohoho.”
As Lady Meclair laughed flamboyantly, people gathered around her. It seemed gossip truly was the power of Ivelia’s high society.
“Does Viscount Meclair dislike journalists coming to your home? In our house, he scolds terribly. I’d love to gather them for a tea party sometime.”
“Dislike? We might be thrown out.”
Standing before the rose vines, conversations entirely unrelated to roses poured forth. As unfamiliar noble names flooded the air, Minuet’s brow slowly furrowed as she tried to understand everything.
“By the way, Miss Minuet. The roses are so beautiful.”
“June roses are at their most beautiful.”
Relieved to escape the nobles’ chatter, Minuet answered Cecilia brightly.
“It’s fascinating. I only know how to enjoy beautiful flowers, not understand them. But you seem very knowledgeable.”
“I don’t know much either.”
“So modest as well… I passed by several times thinking this garden was completely ruined, and yet you suddenly made it bloom. You’re like a magician.”
At Cecilia’s praise, Ayla abruptly leaned in and threw another stone at Minuet’s heart.
“A magician? Calling a lady a sorcerer? A witch would be more fitting.”
Cecilia looked awkwardly at the malicious remark, then linked arms with Minuet and moved away.
She knew the other young ladies threw stones at Minuet out of affection for her. Though it was not a kind method, Cecilia understood their hearts and had always been grateful and loving toward them.
But she could not overlook them throwing stones at an innocent young lady right before her eyes.
“Miss Minuet, I’m sorry if that was rude. Everyone likes His Highness the Crown Prince. I suppose they’ve all been sensitive since the proposal article. I’m sorry about what happened at the ball as well.”
Cecilia apologized sincerely.
“It’s uncomfortable that the other young ladies compare you and me as well. It must be uncomfortable for you too.”
Though Minuet stood at the center of controversy with Onyx, Cecilia wanted to shield her from the malicious young ladies.
Partly because Minuet’s position—somewhere between right and wrong—had yet to be defined. Partly because she pitied a young lady older than herself who had only just risen from a sickbed and knew nothing of the world.
As she listened to the apology, Minuet stepped a little closer to Cecilia.
“It seems you like His Highness the Crown Prince very much as well, Miss Cecilia.”
