Chapter 4 – Part 24

“Does it look good on me?”

“They’re beautiful.”

Eve twirled around in her dress, and it was Marie who complimented her.

Emily, who had been silent until now, was watching them with displeasure on the sofa in the reception room.

“Lady Miles will arrive soon, so we should get ready.”

“My Lady, Lady Miles has arrived.”

As Marie’s words ended, Damon announced Arlen’s arrival.

“Do I have to go with you?”

Emily, who had not said anything until now, asked.

“What are you talking about?”

Marie asked, not understanding her words.

“Oh, my dear. Come.”

Marie greeted Arlen with a bright smile as she entered the parlor.

“I have another appointment, so I’m afraid I can’t go with you.”

Emily, who lightly greeted Arlen, spoke to Marie.

The outing was to a new park in the capital anyway, so it didn’t matter if Emily was absent.

“Where?”

Eve asked with a puzzled expression.

“Then why didn’t you say anything until now? Weren’t we all ready to go?”

“I thought Mother wouldn’t like it.”

Despite her off-the-cuff refusal to go, Emily rolled her eyes, trying to make it sound as plausible as possible. She had to think quickly about who her mother might not like.

Then she thought of one person.

“To the Baron Obler.”

“Huh?”

“I made a promise with the young lady who lives with them.”

Emily said it with conviction.

“You have an appointment to meet with the young lady who is staying there, and not the young lady of Baron Obler?”

“Yes. We became friends through the same social circle debut. I thought it would be nice to make friends with various people.”

Marie couldn’t help but show an uncomfortable expression while listening to the conversation between Emily and Eve, but she couldn’t reveal it in front of Arlen.

“Oh, trying to meet various friends, I see.”

“Yes.”

“It’s a good experience. It’s a good thing to have friends at this age. If there is a big difference between the families, the friendship may become futile, but it’s good to experience and get along with various people.”

Unexpectedly, Arlen was pleased.

“It will also be helpful when you marry and manage your own estate. You will have to deal with people who aren’t nobles.”

“That’s… true.”

Listening, Marie also thought that it might be helpful for her future role as a ‘wife’ to take care of the household and estate.

“It’s a shame that we can’t go out together. Let’s make sure to do it next time.”

With that, Emily was the only one left in the parlor.

***

The tea with Palman was to be held at the Baron Obler.

It was both sudden and unexpected that Palman was invited; they were far from meeting Marie’s standards as friends. Marie didn’t want to create an awkward situation if she returned in the middle of the meeting.

“I apologize for the short notice.”

Emily apologized with a remorseful expression as she descended from the carriage.

“Oh, no need to apologize! You can call for me anytime.”

Gloria strongly denied it.

“Thank you, Lady Obler.”

“Dear, I’ll guide you this way.”

Gloria led the way for Emily, who looked ecstatic at Emily’s gratitude.

Gloria and Palman took another look around the reception room, which had been hastily cleaned.

“Ah, this way.”

Thinking there was nothing to worry about, the two exchanged nods and were about to guide Emily to her seat.

“Lady Grit?”

However, when they entered the reception room, Emily, who was looking in one direction, did not respond.

Emily’s gaze was directed towards the sofa. Palman naturally followed her gaze.

There lay the letter Palman had just spread out.

“It’s a letter from home, but I was just…”

Ruby’s words about nobles attaching importance to small courtesies came to Palman’s mind. She quickly apologized, fearing that Emily might change her mind.

‘Hurry up and put it away.’

However, Emily did not react, and Gloria, poking Palman’s side fiercely, gave her a stern look.

Palman cautiously approached the sofa and picked up the letter.

At that moment, Emily reached out towards her.

“Could I take a quick look?”

“What?”

As noble as they were, requesting to see a personal letter was a bit…

Palman hesitated and glanced at Gloria, standing behind Emily.

Gloria gestured to quickly hand it over and relieve Lady Grit’s mood.

“I won’t read the content. I’ll just look at the surface.”

As if understanding Palman’s dilemma, Emily added.

“Really, it’ll only take a moment.”

Rather than being overpowering, her words seemed more like a plea. Palman, who was hesitating, handed over the letter, saying, “You can’t read the content.”

As promised, Emily only looked at the surface of the letter. Palman’s name was written as the recipient, and it was from Teacher Margaret.

“Teacher Margaret?”

Looking at the blank part continuously, Emily asked. It seemed as if she was asking who it was.

“She’s my teacher in Zenfield.”

Even after listening to Palman’s explanation, Emily couldn’t take her eyes off its exterior.

“Is this teacher’s name Margaret?”

“Well, something like that?”

“Really?”

Palman looked puzzled.

It was because of the strict advice she received from Ruby before coming here not to reveal her name to anyone.

‘Why? Who is she? ‘

Palman shrugged her shoulders at Gloria, who asked with gestures, as if indicating that she didn’t know.

Following Ruby’s advice, she had no intention of telling anyone.

“Lady Obler, could you give me a moment to speak with Lady Palman alone?”

Both Palman and Gloria were surprised by Emily’s sudden request.

“It’ll only take a moment.”

Gloria cautiously left the parlor with a worried expression. Palman was equally uneasy.

For a brief moment, she wondered if Ruby had a bad reputation in social circles, but it seemed absurd, given her gentle nature.

“Is this the teacher who taught you etiquette in Zenfield?”

“…Yes.”

Palman answered without easing her tension.

“By any chance, does this teacher have brown hair?”

“…Yes?”

“And her eyes… are they red?”

As she asked the last question, Emily looked at Palman sharply to catch her reaction.

Unaccustomed to hiding emotions, Palman’s eyes widened as soon as she heard Emily’s question.

How big of a mistake did Ruby make?

Palman realized that her expression had given away the answer, but she couldn’t hide it.

“When did you meet this teacher?”

“Well….”

“…”

“She is a good person.”

Palman defensively responded, not willing to provide detailed answers to her questions.

Emily knew she had misunderstood her question, but she didn’t have the energy to correct her. She was more concerned with finding out if it really was Ruby or not.

“Could it be around a year ago?”

It was the time when Damon abruptly stopped the strange masquerade, as if the events had been abruptly cut off like a lie. It was also the time when he stopped coming to the newly purchased mansion and the time when he started roaming outside the capital.

“Is there any news? Still? If at least one letter had arrived, it wouldn’t be so frustrating.”

“Is the master okay?”

Sometimes, when Leton visited the mansion, she recalled Damon’s worried words that Leton had spared for him.

“He’s very worried. He misses her so much.”

Leton’s voice, filled with his awkward feelings, also came to mind.

“I’m sorry, I need to borrow your letter.”

Emily turned away like that.

“Lady Emily!!!”

“I’ll bring it back, I swear, and I’ll apologize later!”

Even at Palman’s call, Emily didn’t look back.

People who were listening outside the parlor suddenly stumbled or stepped back due to the suddenly opened door. Some deliberately turned their heads as if they hadn’t heard anything.

“Lady Obler, I’m sorry. I’ll come back another time.”

Emily disappeared as she got on the carriage.

“What was that about?”

Gloria asked dazedly, overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events. Her gaze was directed in the direction where Emily had disappeared.

“I don’t… really know.”

It was true.

The only thing she knew was that Emily Grit seemed to know a lot about her etiquette teacher, Ruby. Whether that was a good thing or not, she couldn’t tell.

***

“Leton!”

Ignoring the escort, Emily got off the carriage and entered the mansion. It was Leton’s mansion. He, who was a noble himself, had long since moved to a small mansion, living independently.

Moreover, he was taking a break from his duties for the first time in years after the party at the Grit Manor.

“My Lady?”

“Where is my brother staying?”

The questions poured out before Leton realized it was Emily who was knocking on the door.

She looked desperate.

“What’s the matter?”

“I have to go to my brother right now.”

Damon is supposed to contact him if anything happens, but he, who has not received any message yet, left a small impression.

“What happened at the Grit Manor?”

Meanwhile, he quickly put on the clothes hanging on the door. Due to the hurried nature of each occurrence, it was an optimized routine.

“I found where sister Ruby is staying!”

Emily shouted joyfully.