Chapter 3 – Part 8

As Eli nodded, the workers who had been vigorously inspecting and checking the boat stepped back.

“It’s good.”

It meant that he liked it. Finally, a sigh of relief came from the boat’s builders. They could finally get a good night’s sleep.

“Is this the place you were talking about?”

“Yes. Would you like to take a look around?”

“Let’s do that.”

If the weather was good tomorrow, it would be nice to go on an outing to lift Ruby’s spirits at least a bit.

“We’ll launch the boat from here.”

Leton, who had previously scouted a good location for launching the boat, guided Eli to that spot.

“The direction is this way. As you can see, there are more trees on this side, so the petals fall better here.”

“You mean this is a good spot to catch falling petals.”

Eli replied nonchalantly, remembering what Leton had told him. A few petals were gently falling before their eyes, but they didn’t inspire much excitement.

They were just petals.

That’s all there was to it.

“But soon, when you see this necklace, you might think of this place.”

However, Ruby’s voice soon came to mind, followed by her bright smile.

Will she smile like that again?

“If the weather is good tomorrow, we’ll come here. So, be ready.”

As he thought about that, a tingling sensation spread through his body from his heart.

He was willing to do things he thought were foolish again and again if he could see that smile.

***

Ruby’s expression was one of disbelief as she looked at him, not buying his claim that he had never rowed before. She glanced at him suspiciously before turning her head away. She didn’t voice her doubts explicitly.

Eli, who had practiced tirelessly to ride with Ruby, felt a slight, very slight disappointment.

But that disappointment quickly faded away.

Throughout the date, Ruby sparkled with laughter. She found joy in the little things, laughed audibly, and even found humor in his awkward attempts at docking the boat.

Ruby didn’t seem to care about his unrefined appearance and, instead, showed the laughter he had desired so easily.

It was a weird, yet great feeling.

***

Thus, Eli also smiled at Ruby, enjoying the pleasant date.

As they headed back to the Marquisate after enjoying a delightful date, Eli noticed Sorvan accompanying a girl who appeared to be his younger sister.

He was awkwardly rowing a boat, and although his efforts looked futile to the sister sitting opposite him, Sorvan didn’t seem to mind.

“Go inside first. I have to make a quick stop. I’ll be back before dinner.”

Eli guided Ruby to the carriage and then turned back towards the lake.

Sorvan had just finished docking the boat.

Through the stable, Eli communicated to Sorvan to come to his carriage.

Sorvan sent his sister into the carriage first, then climbed into Eli’s.

“It seems our path cross again”

“Nice to see you again, Marquis.”

Eli greeted Sorvan as he had learned from Ruby.

He gestured for him to sit across, and the carriage started moving slowly.

Observing the passing scenery, Sorvan had a brief, frightening thought that Marquis Grit might be taking him somewhere secluded.

“You came from the Caines Kingdom, right?”

The voice asking the question was calm.

“Ah… Yes.”

Sorvan, who had been flustered by Eli’s question, quickly regained his composure and replied.

“A commoner who bought a noble title. It’s quite a decent title.”

“…”

“Even if you’re unfamiliar with the etiquette of the Luben Empire, you won’t be suspected.”

While Eli had been looking out the window throughout the journey, he now turned to Sorvan.

“Isn’t that right, Sorvan Pinel, 14th prince of the Caines Kingdom.”

Sorvan looked at Eli in surprise.

“How… How did you know?”

Sorvan asked, eyeing Eli warily. No one but the Emperor knew that he was the fourteenth prince of the Kingdom of Caines. It was an information held in the strictest confidence.

Eli was aware of Sorvan’s reasons for being cautious around him, knowing the secret nature of his identity.

Three years after Ruby’s death, during the fifth year of the civil war in the Caines Kingdom, all the potential heirs pushed forward by various factions died during the conflict. The remaining princes in the kingdom were all but dead in the fighting, and a prince with legitimacy was needed to win the support of the people.

At that time, Sorvan Pinel, who had been hiding in the Luben Empire, emerged.

As he emerged as the heir apparent to the Kingdom of Caines, the Empire of Luben, which was responsible for his safety, gained a very favorable position in most of its dealings with the Kingdom of Caines.

Something Eli wouldn’t have known if he hadn’t regressed.

“I’ve seen you before.”

He vaguely mentioned.

“Where…”

“I have no intention of revealing your identity to anyone, so that’s not the important issue here.”

Eli intentionally cut the conversation short. In reality, he had no intention of disclosing that information anywhere.

“More than that, I need your help in dispelling rumors related to my wife.”

Even though Sorvan, the subject of the rumors, was right in front of him, Eli spoke as if referring to someone else.

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s say Ruby met you on my behalf.”

“…”

“We helped each other under the orders of His Majesty the Emperor for the trade between the Caines Kingdom and us. As you are a noble of the Luben Empire, there will be no suspicions.”

“But…”

“And you’re not very clever for a trader. Let’s say you have a solid backing. Then you’ll naturally be absorbed into the aristocratic society you so desire.”

Sorvan was speechless at Eli’s words, which seemed to recognize his situation on some level.

Due to the sudden civil war, his academic stay in the Luben Empire turned into exile, but Sorvan was still considered a potential threat. He was well aware that his eldest brother, now designated as the next king, had someone watching him.

Sorvan’s efforts to befriend the nobles of the Luben Empire and change tutors were for for his etiquette classes are all for one reason, to appear as harmless as possible to the eyes and ears of his brother, the heir.

“It seems I only have one option.”

Though it was called an option, it was closer to being forced into acceptance.

“Understood.”

Sorvan knew that his quick judgment had saved his life so far. Like the moment he chose exile to seek the Emperor’s aid during his academic stay, the situation was no different now.

“We’ll coordinate the details separately next time.”

As soon as Eli finished speaking, the Marquis’s carriage arrived at Del Manor.

“Understood.”

Sorvan disembarked, and the carriage departed without hesitation.

“Why did you get off the Marquis’s carriage?”

The butler asked with a surprised expression.

“There’s something we talked about.”

Sorvan answered without taking his eyes off the departing carriage.

***

When Eli returned after the brief conversation with Sorvan, His Manor seemed unusually bustling. It was an uneasy sign.

And true to his expectations, when he entered the mansion after getting off the carriage, Eve and Emily, who should be in Shuban, rushed towards him.

“Mother came with us.”

Emily added as Marie emerged from the drawing room, seemingly waiting.

“Why are you here?”

Eli asked with a slightly stiff expression. The presence of Marie here was not a good sign.

“The rumors have spread as far as Shuban. I’m embarrassed.”

Marie said, offering him a newspaper. It was the same one Eli had seen before.

“How could it be? It’s a stain on the family name. Sponsorship? With the Marquis of Grit’s money?

Marie shouted, causing a commotion, but Eli’s mind was elsewhere. He was thinking about who could have sent this newspaper.

Mainly active in the territories, Marie was undeniably a prominent figure in the social circles. Moreover, due to her consistent management that only allowed helpful nobles by her side, her reputation in society was generally good.

“Say something. What are we going to do?”

Ignoring Marie’s ranting, Eli kept staring at the newspaper he held in his hands.

“When did you arrive?”

“Is it even important right now?”

“How did you get here? Ruby, have you met her…”

“Yes”

Mari’s words caused Eli’s eyebrow to twitch.

“Then you and Ruby in the parlor……

Eli was about to head towards the drawing room with such thoughts.

“Yes?”

He heard Ruby’s voice coming from the parlor.

“Just in time.”

Ruby’s seemingly indifferent tone and expression, however, bothered Eli even more.

“Shall we continue the conversation?” Ruby looked at Marie and asked.

What could they have talked about before he arrived? Why did her mother have to come right after he briefly left? When he tried to approach Ruby, Emily and Eve were still clinging to him.

It felt like they were holding him back from reaching Ruby, like chains from both sides preventing him from getting to her. Strangely.

“Yes, there’s more I need to say,” Marie replied.

While Eli briefly glanced at the hands of the two people holding him back, Marie’s voice reached him.

When he raised his head, Ruby was looking at him.

“Go to the room first.”

Eli followed Ruby into the reception room after sending his siblings to their room.

“Explain what happened.”

“It’s as you saw,”

Ruby replied.

Eli tried to deduce what kind of conversation the two had with Ruby, but it was hard to infer from their brief words. However, regardless of the content of their conversation, Eli knew that Marie would only say things that were advantageous to her when he arrived.

“I bear responsibility, so to avoid causing more trouble to the family, I suggested a divorce…”

“It’s not true,”

Eli quickly interrupted Ruby.

“The newspaper’s content is all baseless”

“But…”

“We have already taken measures, and there should be no further discussion. Unless one wants to go against me”

“But our family’s honor…”

However, she quickly regained her composure and tried to lead the conversation in a way that would benefit her.

“Mother, our reputation is already substantial enough not to be tarnished by mere gossip,” Eli said firmly.

Such superficial flattery was not going to work on him. Eli glared fiercely at Marie, who was desperate to somehow drive Ruby away. There was a natural force in his voice. His unexpected reaction seemed to surprise Marie, who looked bewildered.

“But what do you mean?”

Marie quickly changed the target in response to his stern attitude. Ruby, who received the question, met eyes with Eli. Her calm gaze revealed a firm decision.

“Ruby is currently upset with me,”

Eli answered before Ruby could, his fingers intertwined with hers, one by one as if to press his insecurities.

“I’ve hurt her feelings a lot,”

Without taking his eyes off Ruby, Eli kissed the back of her hand. Despite his nonchalant expression, his heart was pounding with anxiety. But her seemingly unaffected demeanor under his gaze only heightened his anxiety.