Chapter 1.5

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

The Countess of Rosewood, caught off guard by the direct question, stammered unintentionally. Though she had done nothing wrong, the sharp, expressionless gaze made her break into a cold sweat.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. I’m asking if you’re pushing your daughter onto Lucas under the pretext that your son is his friend.”

“Dowager Duchess.”

The Countess paused briefly before speaking relatively calmly. As long as Lucas was Jayden’s friend, they would continue to interact, and Wendy would frequently encounter him. She couldn’t continue to receive the Dowager Duchess’s disapproving looks every time, so she needed to clarify things now that the topic had arisen.

“I have never considered Lucas as a match for Wendy.”

The Countess declared this firmly, yet politely. She had nothing to hide because it was the truth.

“We hope Wendy will connect with a family that is relaxed and comfortable. She is the youngest, so we raised her leisurely and freely.”

“Is that how they euphemistically express being immature these days?”

“Perhaps by your standards, Dowager Duchess, but I assure you, it’s not to the extent of tarnishing the Earl’s name.”

The Dowager Duchess clicked her tongue.

No matter how much times changed, nobles were nobles. The best way to maintain noble privileges was to live nobly, and strict etiquette was one of the main ways to distinguish between nobles and commoners.

However, the Wendy the Dowager Duchess had seen earlier, sitting endlessly on the outer stairs, seemed worryingly lacking. She didn’t think of returning even as the break was ending, lost in thought, and sat carelessly on the back door steps used by servants.

There was a limit to freedom, and the Dowager Duchess found it utterly unacceptable.

“Can she properly fulfill the role of a lady of the house like that? The Earl Rosewood’s Household can’t just send her anywhere.”

“We don’t impose conditions on our children’s marriages.”

“I understand your eldest daughter married Count Enjet?”

Karen’s husband, Count Enjet, was a major landowner in the south, just like the Devon Ducal Household, owning one of the few estates in the Kingdom. Most of it consisted of farmland, and it was said that if a famine struck the Enjet estate, the Kingdom would face a food shortage.

However, Karen’s connection to him was purely by chance, and the Countess of Rosewood felt quite wronged by the Dowager Duchess’s words.

“Karen married Count Enjet out of love and decided on her own. We hope Wendy will do the same.”

“How naive.”

The Dowager Duchess frowned, displeased with the response.

“Love, indeed. I’ve heard young people these days care about such nonsense. But should you, as an adult, join in?”

“For the children’s happiness…”

“Anyway, I understand your thoughts well. We’ll see.”

The Dowager Duchess interrupted the Countess and turned away.

Watching the Dowager Duchess leave, having dictated the start and end of the conversation, the Countess leaned against the wall, feeling drained. The Dowager Duchess always made people tense, no matter where or when they met her. Especially when encountered unprepared.

‘Does Wendy have to deal with such a Dowager Duchess?’

The thought alone made her vision darken. Wendy might spend her days being criticized for every action and word, ending up in tears.

Even Lucas’s mother, who was calm and quiet, struggled with her.

“But where on earth has she gone?”

The Countess hurriedly moved to find her daughter, whose whereabouts were uncertain.

***

“I just don’t get it. Do you really not know, or are you pretending not to?”

Helen, Wendy’s friend, scolded her with a hint of frustration, speaking to the back of Wendy’s head as she lay slumped over the table. Next to Helen, with her short hair and distinct features, sat the gentle and slender Bestie.

The three had been close childhood friends, as their families were acquainted and their residences nearby. They shared not only enjoyable experiences but also hesitations and troubles, having debuted in the same year or one year apart.

As young ladies who had just become adults, their biggest concern was love and marriage, though their situations varied. Sadly, Wendy, currently writhing in distress, seemed the least likely to have prospects in love or marriage.

Wendy glared at Helen in response to her scolding.

“It’s only been two months since I became an adult.”

“It’s already been two months. How many times have you been turned down in that time?”

“…Turned down? I haven’t even confessed, so how could I be turned down?”

“Same difference, isn’t it? Why else do you think I dragged myself to that racetrack I didn’t even care about?”

“….”

Bestie, with a troubled smile, patted Wendy’s shoulder, speechless after Helen’s attack. Unlike the outspoken Helen, Bestie was reserved, but she fully agreed with Helen this time.

“If it hasn’t worked out by now, it’s not going to.”

“….”

Helen scoffed at Wendy, who stubbornly glared at her.

She knew Wendy didn’t want to hear it, but it was time to face reality. Wendy said it had only been two months, but in reality, it had been six years. A whole six years.

Even if Lucas was oblivious, it was too long not to notice Wendy’s feelings. Moreover, Wendy’s emotions were so transparent on her face that if he acted like he didn’t know, it was intentional.

“If the Duke of Devon were truly interested in you, he would have snatched you up right after your debut, like with Bestie.”

Helen pointed her chin at Bestie, who blushed slightly.

Having debuted half a year earlier in the spring, Bestie recently announced her engagement, surprising Wendy and Helen. It was with a childhood friend she had always bickered with, insisting they could never see each other as romantic partners.

“You know, Wendy, there’s an unspoken rule among men not to touch a friend’s sister or ex.”

Bestie carefully added, as if comforting, perhaps having heard it from her fiancé.

But Helen immediately snorted.

“Still, if a man likes someone, he’ll pursue them. The point is, the Duke of Devon values his friendship more than you. No, I’d bet my hand he didn’t even consider weighing it.”

“Oh my, you shouldn’t say things like that. Be careful with your words, Helen.”

Bestie, startled, grabbed Helen’s arm. Helen shrugged and playfully stuck out her tongue.

“Sorry. I learned a lot of rough language from having three older sisters. Besides, it’s just you two, so what’s the harm?”

“You might use it in front of others! Do you know how nervous I get every time you open your mouth?”

“Bestie, the important thing isn’t my way of speaking, it’s Wendy.”

Helen quickly redirected the conversation back to Wendy, avoiding Bestie’s gentle scolding.

“So, Wendy, what are you really going to do? Even the men who showed interest in you are drifting away. Can we even have a triple date like this?”

“Right. I really want to try it before I get married.”

“If you don’t give up and change your mind now, you’ll spend next spring’s royal ball or flower viewing with your family.”

Instead of comforting her, they were only adding to her worries.

Wendy glared at Helen with a face that said she was annoyed to death. Even if Bestie had someone, Helen was in the same boat without a decided partner.

But soon, Wendy’s shoulders drooped.

“Then what should I do? No one else catches my eye.”

“Well, the Duke of Devon is exceptionally outstanding.”

Helen and Bestie nodded simultaneously. Lucas was handsome, with an elegant face, tall stature, and a robust physique honed through military training. All those features were exceptional, but what truly captivated the hearts of many young ladies was his unique aura. 

There was an air of coolness and maturity about him that was both polite and alluring. Despite receiving an overwhelming amount of attention from noble ladies, the mysterious chill he exuded kept them at a distance.

“My sister says the Duke of Devon is like a very expensive ornament. You shouldn’t touch it; just admire it from afar. Wendy, you’re only able to see him up close because he’s your brother’s friend.”

“…”

“When you marry, you must live with someone, whether you like it or not, and see them at their worst. It’s comfortable if your standards match. But how can you do that with a man who’s like an untouchable ornament? You’d be honored just to look at him.”

Despite Helen’s attempt to offer realistic advice, summarizing the discussions among her three sisters, Wendy stubbornly kept her mouth shut. 

It was understandable. For six whole years, she had fixated on one man. Cutting those feelings out in one swift motion was not easy. But Helen couldn’t just watch her friend suffer silently without even confessing.