Chapter 5 – Part 2

As expected.

Eli merely changed his approach.

“I thought it would go well with your house when I bought it.”

He arrived early in the morning, holding expensive decorative ceramics.

“I don’t think so.”

Ruby said, blocking him from entering the mansion.

“It’ll be a highlight of this mansion. It’s trendy these days.”

While saying that, he smoothly handed the ceramics to Dominic.

“I’ll put it in a corner.”

“Yeah, it’s the landlord’s preference.”

Eli didn’t care where it went, as long as it was in the mansion.

But in response to Ruby’s answer, Dominic placed it where it would be most visible.

“It feels different now.”

Eli looked smugly at Dominic’s boastfulness.

She was right; it looked good in the mansion, and she hated to admit it. Ruby tried her best to withhold her praise, avoiding eye contact.

After a few days, the mansion underwent subtle but significant changes.

“If you keep this up, I’m not going to let you come to the mansion. You’re contradicting yourself.”

Ruby scolded Eli.

She put her hands on her hips to intimidate him and gave him an ultimatum, but Eli found it cute. It seemed she didn’t realize that she made him want to embrace her rather than scare him.

“Okay, I won’t bring anything next time.”

He answered smoothly this time as well.

However, that didn’t mean Eli gave up. Now he started to change not just decorations but also tools—very high-quality ones. And he had a great accomplice, Dominic.

“Didn’t you hear there’s a new product that cleans up even the smallest dust with one sweep?”

“Really? I’ll have Leton check it out.”

“Well, they’ve come out with a broom that’s so small it can dust windows. Not that I’d want to use it, you know, because there’s just Madam and me in the mansion, and we take turns cleaning, but how much easier would it be to have a product that does it all in one sweep?”

“Let me check into that too.”

He changed not only cleaning tools but also small things like dishes and tea sets.

Ruby looked at Dominic as she accepted the new teacup, but she created non-existent tasks and avoided eye contact, maintaining a cool gaze.

***

“Will you be attending the upcoming imperial banquet with the Dowager Marchioness Grit?”

“I think so.”

“Do you have to do that?”

Duchess Mile asked, not liking Arlen’s answer.

“To be honest, I don’t know why you would want to go for that family.”

When Arlen blinked as if not understanding, her mother expressed her dissatisfaction.

“But it’s my friend’s family. I can’t pretend I don’t know, and we’ve been close enough that we’ve been luncheoning together since we were children.”

“And what good has that friendship done, Arlen?”

At her father’s dismissive tone, the lady slammed her plate down. It clattered loudly.

“When you were younger, I even thought you might become an empress or duchess, and now you’re plagued by rumors that won’t help your marriage.”

“Mother.”

“If you don’t want to marry, our family can support you. It’s not like we can’t provide for you, but I don’t want you tangled up with the family of a man who’s already married and being talked about. Do you know how upsetting that is for a daughter who has never lacked for anything…….”

Duchess Miles wiped away her tears with a handkerchief while lowering her head slightly.

Duke Miles offered a handkerchief as if understanding that feeling.

“I’ll be careful.”

Arlen expressed a regretful expression.

“I’ll get up first.”

She soon got up from her seat and left the dining room.

“It’s so distressing.”

The Duchess of Miles pressed her flowing tears against her handkerchief.

“But I’m sure Arlen will be fine; she has been so far.”

The Duke of Miles took the Duchess’s hand and comforted her.

Then he looked at the door through which Arlen had gone and sighed softly.

In truth, he had thought that when the Emperor and the Marquis of Grit were not married, Arlen would marry one of them. She had the family name and the looks.

But then the Emperor suddenly announced that she would marry the daughter of the Marquis of Tules.

Everyone was surprised, but Duke Miles was the most surprised.

Still, he thought that Marquis Grit would be enough. However, unexpectedly, he publicly announced his marriage to the daughter of Viscount Rainier.

And now they were in this situation.

They respected her opinion, but they couldn’t stand by and watch the rumors fly, and it made their heads hurt.

***

Arlen stared at her beautiful reflection in the mirror of her chamber. Around her neck hung a necklace of a gemstone that people called “Luben Blue.”

Once it was the only thing in the Luben Empire, but now it is no longer unique, and only its rarity remains.

“Yeah. I have everything and lack nothing. Why is that?”

That was her fundamental curiosity.

Arlen had been loved and raised in her family, both inside and outside the house, since she was young. It was because she was born with wealth, fame, and lovely looks.

Therefore, it was natural to be loved and admired.

By her side were Shannua, the future Emperor, and Eli, the heir to the Marquis of Grit, whom everyone looked up to. Although they couldn’t always be together, like when they were young, they were always around.

“It’s a shame we don’t see each other as often as we used to.”

In response to Arlen’s grumbling, Emperor Shannua instituted regular luncheon gatherings in the name of strengthening the bonds of family friendship. As usual, Eli went along quietly.

Her life has been full of surprises, but not many difficult ones.

The most surprising moment was when Shannua proposed to her.

But Arlen rejected his proposal.

“If we become a couple, the three of us won’t be able to see each other often.”

Shannua’s sudden proposal reminded her of the three relationships that would be broken by marrying him.

“Is that more important?”

“Then what is important?”

Shannua’s expression remained mysterious after her rejection.

Then, a year later, he suddenly announced his marriage to Lady Tules.

As Arlen hoped, Shannua’s marriage didn’t change the dynamics among the three. The relationship between them transcended social hierarchy.

It was only after Eli’s announcement that their relationship suddenly began to falter. It was Arlen’s second-most surprising moment.

“So it happened.”

Eli stated this during a casual luncheon without much explanation.

“We’ll keep the wedding simple, so there’s no need for gifts. His Majesty feels the same way.”

Despite the matter being about his own marriage, Eli’s tone was stern, unlike what the newspaper articles suggested.

Arlen, therefore, felt reassured that the relationship could still work.

In reality, Eli continued to live as before, even after marriage. He attended parties with Arlen instead of Lady Grit and maintained regular luncheon gatherings.

However, the seemingly eternal bond started to unravel abruptly.

Eli, after taking a sudden vacation, started going to parties with the Marchioness of Grit instead of her and stopped showing up at their luncheons.

It was an unprecedented and unilateral decision.

Moreover, Eli’s attitude towards Arlen subtly changed. She felt like she was being pushed aside when she had always been a priority.

Only then did Ruby catch Arlen’s attention.

Until then, Arlen had only recognized her as the Marchioness married to Eli. They hadn’t seen much of each other, except at parties in Shuban.

Every time he saw her, Arlen wondered how Ruby had captured Eli’s heart.

As far as Arlen knew, their relationship wasn’t the result of a love marriage. It wasn’t because they liked each other so much that they had to marry. Moreover, Ruby didn’t seem exceptional in terms of appearance or family background. And lately, she’s been neglecting her duties.

Frankly, as far as Arlen was concerned, Ruby Grit was a nobody.

The fact that such a woman held a higher priority than herself became unbearable.

So, she wanted to show Eli that she was a better match than Ruby.

However, Eli didn’t return.

Instead, he seemed to cling more to Ruby.

‘Why? Why is it that woman, not me, who is superior in every aspect? ’

Still, Arlen could afford to wait a little longer.

They hadn’t been together long, so she could afford to be patient.

* * *

“What did I tell you to do when we hold hands?”

When Ruby asked the paired children, the girls held the boys’ hands as they had been taught.

“That’s right. Not all the way, and not too little. Because if you do, it means you don’t want to hold his hand. Think of it as holding half of their fingers.”

Ruby nodded, and Eli, who was standing next to her, offered her his hand.

When Ruby gently placed her hand on Eli’s, he clasped it properly and escorted her a few steps before releasing her hand and looking at the children.

“See? Like this.”

Today was Ruby’s group class day. Since the children at the mansion were getting used to him being around, he was simply included in the class.

“Do you understand how it feels?”

“Yes!”

“Then, how was it?”

“It looks great!”

“What?”

It was an honest but unclassy comment. Eli burst out laughing.

“You look so aristocratic.”

“Of course he’s aris…”

Ruby was about to say, “Of course he’s aristocratic,” when Eli quickly stopped her.

“That’s because you learned it when you were a kid, right?”

With her mouth shut, Eli looked down at Ruby. With a slight furrow in her eyebrows, Ruby signaled Eli to nod quickly.

He nodded without taking his eyes off her.

“Then, shall we try it again? Stand with your partner.”

With Eli’s face away from Ruby’s, she confidently led the children in the class.

Standing, he watched Ruby and the children bustle about.