Chapter 4 – Part 2

“Welcome, Marchioness Grit.”

Iana entered the lobby and greeted Ruby warmly, hugging her.

“Thank you for the invitation, Countess Chain.”

“It’s only natural among friends. Come this way.”

As Iana’s words defined their relationship as friends, Ruby’s feelings were strange.

The place the two went to was a sunlit reception room.

“This is my favorite tea; it smells wonderful.”

Iana pushed a cup of tea towards Ruby after preparing it.

Ruby raised the cup and smelled the aroma. It was indeed pleasant, just as Iana had described.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

Ruby initiated the conversation.

“I was treated quickly, so it was okay. From now on, I’ll either request a separate tea at the parties or refrain from drinking.”

“That would be for the best.”

Ruby also agreed with Iana’s suggestion.

“By the way, I heard that Marchioness Grit has been receiving many invitations lately. Have you decided where to go? If you’re unsure, I can help you decide.”

“I… thank you. But I think I’ll take a break from social gatherings for a while.”

Although Ruby’s “for a while” might turn into a lifetime, she replied while thinking about it.

Ruby’s expression showed no joy at all, making Iana a little puzzled. Even though she had become the most invited lady in social circles, she seemed disinterested.

“It seems you don’t particularly enjoy parties. Well, it did seem that way last time too.”

Iana asked, thinking that the rumors circulating in high society about Marquis Grit’s wife, who flaunted her husband’s name, might not be true. The lady in front of her didn’t seem interested in that aspect.

“If that’s the case, it must suit you well with Marquis Grit.”

Ruby paused for a moment, then nodded.

“That seems to be the case.”

She seemed to be remembering the times Eli refused to attend parties.

“Both of you seem to get along well.”

Iana lightly laughed and sipped her tea.

Ruby stared at Iana, wondering if she was recalling the time she had confessed.

“The Marquis didn’t force you to do this or anything, did he?”

“Huh?”

Ruby was taken aback by the sudden question when her eyes met Iana’s.

“Is he telling you not to go out unnecessarily?”

Not understanding the meaning behind Iana’s question, Ruby postponed her response and stared at her.

“Is that true?”

“No, not at all.”

Ruby quickly answered, raising her hand. Iana examined Ruby’s face, trying to determine if she was lying or not. However, Marchioness Grit seemed completely unfazed.

“Well, don’t hesitate to come to Count Chain’s residence if something happens. Got it?”

Even though she already knew, Iana grabbed Ruby’s hand and playfully extended her pinky finger.

“Do I have to let you know if I come, or should I just stay overnight?”

With a teasing expression, Iana extended her pinky finger for a promise.

For someone who looked so aristocratic from a distance, she was more free-spirited than Iana had expected. It was the same feeling she’d gotten from the letter.

“Understood.”

Ruby laughed at Iana’s playful expression.

Finally feeling relieved, Ruby smiled back at her.

“Come visit often in the future. Let’s relieve stress by talking about things we can’t discuss elsewhere.”

“……I will.”

Ruby laughed awkwardly, unable to explain that she was about to get divorced.

* * *

As they exchanged trivial matters and engaged in conversation, time swiftly passed. Before Ruby knew it, the expected return time she had mentioned to Damon had already passed.

When Ruby’s carriage entered the entrance of the mansion, another carriage that had arrived earlier than her was visible. Eli descended from it.

Before Ruby’s carriage could stop, Eli spotted her carriage and looked surprised. He then engaged in conversation with Damon, and his expression was not pleasant. Damon, too, looked bewildered.

As Ruby’s carriage arrived, Eli quickly walked into the mansion.

“You’ve returned. You’re a bit late.”

Ignoring Damon’s greeting, she entered the mansion.

“Are you going to keep avoiding me like this?”

She turned to Eli, who was already making his way up to the second floor. He paused for a moment, but without looking back, he started up the stairs again.

“If you continue like this, I’ll leave without saying goodbye.”

With those words, Eli, who had stopped in his tracks, looked at Ruby. After silently gazing at her for a moment, he sighed lightly and descended the stairs.

Standing in front of Ruby, he maintained a certain distance, neither narrowing nor widening it. It was a distance he had determined to be appropriate.

“I haven’t had dinner yet. I’ll change and come up. Let’s have dinner together.”

Ruby looked at Eli and then up the stairs.

“…Fine.”

With a delayed response, Eli watched Ruby disappear up to the second floor with his eyes.

Finally, it happened. Only after Ruby disappeared did he let out a deep sigh.

***

After nearly a month of running away, Eli was finally caught by Ruby.

For both Ruby and Eli, it had been a long time since they dressed up and had a meal together, but the atmosphere was filled with silence, devoid of conversation.

“I want to leave now.”

When they finished dessert and were left alone in the drawing room to drink tea, Ruby spoke quietly. Although Eli knew this would happen, the emotion he felt first was a sense of despair.

“I want to leave, Eli.”

“…Fine.”

When Ruby said it again, he reluctantly responded in a resigned tone.

“Can we go to the palace tomorrow?”

Ruby asked nonchalantly, deliberately avoiding his gaze, and Eli, who had avoided her gaze this time, looked at her.

“Not now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll give you the divorce you want. It’s not an excuse; I just need time.”

“If it’s about property, I’m fine.”

“Ruby.”

It was a voice full of affection but tinged with sadness.

“It’s the last sincerity I can offer you. Don’t take even that away from me.”

“Other than that, we have no reason to delay the divorce.”

“Why don’t you go to the summer house until everything is ready?”

Eli’s suggestion made sense, but Ruby deliberately changed the subject.

“Speaking of summer villas, do you mean in Devens?”

Devens was a region highly regarded for its beauty, even in Luben. In reality, many nobles wanted to build a villa there, but only a few high-ranking nobles were permitted to do so.

“I won’t interfere with what you do, and I won’t visit you. Of course, I’ll grant the divorce as you wish.”

It meant a life no different from divorce. Was there a need to delay the divorce?

Moreover, there was nothing in it for him to delay it.

“I won’t keep you waiting long; just give me a little time.”

He seemed to be the one making a request. Despite the conditions being excessively favorable to Ruby,.

“Okay.”

For Ruby, there was no reason to refuse such an agreeable condition.

“But I want to go somewhere other than the summer villa. It’s too big and overwhelming to stay alone there.”

“It will be your place anyway. It wouldn’t hurt to live there for a while.”

Eli mocked her, saying she occasionally forgets that she’s the Marchioness.

He was right. She had rarely acted while realizing the treatment she received as the Marchioness. It was the first time in this life that she felt the position of his wife at the party. Therefore, there was no way to express the feeling that she didn’t feel.

“Between a divorcing couple, it’s too much.”

“If there was something better, I would have given it to you, of course.”

He said it with an air of naturalness.

“Eli.”

“It’s my only condition, Ruby. The rest, I’ll let you do as you wish.”

“If you don’t agree to that, then…”

Knowing that most of the terms were in her favor, Ruby sneakily changed them. In any case, if they were to divorce, Ruby had no intention of staying in aristocratic society any longer or even living in Devens. So, if she were to own a villa, it would undoubtedly become a ruin of expensive land that no one would eventually use.

“I’ll consider it. Let’s go there for now.”

Eli, aware of her unyielding determination, pretended to yield.

“Can we depart as soon as possible? I want to go as soon as the villa is ready.”

“Sure. I’ll prepare quickly.”

That evening meal, after a long time, ended like that.

“And don’t push yourself.”

As Eli escorted Ruby to her room and seemed about to leave, she urgently grabbed him.

He looked at her with a questioning expression.

“You don’t need to leave early or anything. It won’t change anything about us divorcing. So, take care of yourself too. I don’t want you collapsing.”

To Eli, the unchanging fact of their divorce was more deeply ingrained in his mind than Ruby’s worried words.

“…Alright.”

Hiding that thought, he weakly smiled.

***

“Eli?”

“He stepped out for a moment.”

“Again?”

“Yes. It seems like he’s busy.”

But Ruby’s worried words fell on deaf ears, and once again she couldn’t see Eli’s face.

The difference was that, whereas before he’d avoided her outright, this time he didn’t seem to come home at all. Or if he did, he didn’t sleep in the same room as her.

When she woke up in the morning, there was no warmth; his usual traces were completely gone.

Ruby asked Damon with a curious expression, but he pretended not to know and didn’t tell her.

Considering that their divorce had already been decided, he might have judged that there was no need to tell her anything more.

“Did he sleep well?”

Although she thought it was obvious, Ruby asked about his well-being. At least, she hoped that he cared for himself to some extent.

“Yes, My Lady.”

Damon, realizing Ruby’s concern, gave a clear answer this time. Only after hearing that answer did Ruby feel a bit relieved.

Ruby also started packing the necessary belongings to be able to depart as soon as the date was set.

Still, she didn’t need to think about what to pack because she’d done it before. She didn’t even have to think about what to pack because she’d done it before.

As for clothes, she only packed a few essentials since she wouldn’t be wearing a fancy dress when she left. As for jewelry, she kept her ruby ring from her wedding.

Apart from that, she took a few items with sentimental value.

Ruby, who had roughly finished organizing, looked around the room.

She had carefully dried and hung the roses Eli had given her, and they had become part of the room.

Come to think of it, those roses were the same red roses that had been planted shortly after receiving a bouquet from him as a gift in the garden. Since then, she had enjoyed drinking tea in that place, and it was a bit regrettable to think that she wouldn’t be able to do so anymore.

The drawing room and the garden, where she had spent time with Eli, were the same.

Realizing that fact and touring the mansion, she found that there were quite a few places that she had developed an affection for. Comparing it to the time when she wanted to leave Grit Manor in Shuban, the difference was clear: this place had become a source of many memories.