Chapter 3.10

Evan rose from his seat not long after. He mentioned having to return to Colbert due to his schedule. Even so, Solnia appreciated his effort to stop by and see her.  

“Before I leave, I should at least greet the Dowager.”  

For that reason, the two of them left the table together and headed toward the entrance of the hall.  

“Would you like to come with me?”  

Before entering the hall, Evan asked. Solnia smiled and shook her head.  

“I think I should go check on him.”  

“Well, by now, he might be in quite a mood.”  

Evan flashed a mischievous smile.  

In a mood? More likely, he was thoroughly enjoying himself.  

Solnia pictured her husband’s face—the one that had captivated everyone’s attention the moment he entered the hall.  

With his hair swept back to reveal his strikingly handsome features, he seemed entirely accustomed to the attention he received. Even his cheerful smile appeared utterly natural.  

By now, he was probably happily serving as a dance partner to many young ladies, flashing that charming eye-smile of his, just as he had during his time abroad when rumors of his flirtations followed him everywhere.  

A sudden touch on her hand made her shoulders flinch. When she looked up, it was, of course, not Luette Trovill.  

Evan kissed the back of her hand lightly and said, 

“May I hope for another meeting, Lady Melfir?”  

“It may not be easy, but I’ll consider it, Lord Ikleit.”  

Responding to his jest with one of her own, Solnia elicited Evan’s characteristic hearty laughter.  

When Evan stood up, he paused for a moment, looking at Solnia as if he had something left to say.  

“The moment I stepped into this place, your name was the first I heard.”  

“……What?”  

With those cryptic words, he entered the hall.  

Looking down at herself absentmindedly, Solnia belatedly noticed her bold attire and awkwardly pretended to adjust her collarbone, placing a hand over her chest.  

***

“Though it’s late, congratulations on your marriage.”  

Merlin’s voice reached her ears. Unfortunately, they were in the middle of a waltz.  

The waltz was a dance that involved the most physical contact between partners. The warmth of his body against hers was as noticeable as the hand holding hers, and the air was thick with the scent of a rich floral perfume.  

“I was surprised. I never thought the Earl would hold a woman in his heart for so long.”  

Merlin lowered her eyes as if reminiscing about that time.  

“Is that so.”  

Luette replied indifferently, leading her in the dance. He truly had no thoughts. He only wished for this tedious role as her dance partner to end so he could return to Melfir as soon as possible.  

“But after meeting your wife today, I think I can understand why you behaved so rudely toward me back then, Earl.”  

A wry laugh escaped him. He wondered if he had done anything to deserve such a comment, as if she were forgiving an offense he had committed to her face.  

Well, for noblewomen, a broken engagement was akin to a scarlet letter, so perhaps it was only natural. After all, he was the one who had disrupted what had been a promising match. Even if it hadn’t progressed to an official engagement ceremony.  

“I still feel sorry about what happened back then.”  

“For a while, I wondered if you had lied about your feelings because you didn’t like me. That thought troubled me greatly……”  

The music was nearing its climax. At that moment, Luette pulled Merlin closer by the waist.  

“Knowing that wasn’t the case puts me at ease.”  

Her whisper, now closer than ever, felt almost intimate as their bodies pressed together.  

Luette timed his response perfectly, flashing a polite smile.  

“Miss Hartrol, you truly are a charming lady.”  

“……Thank you for saying that.”  

Merlin Hartrol gave a relieved and radiant smile.  

As Luette returned her smile mechanically, his gaze caught sight of his wife.  

“…….”  

Solnia had just entered the hall and was looking directly at him.  

***

Of course.  

The moment Solnia stepped into the hall and saw Luette, that thought crossed her mind.  

Luette Trovill looked thoroughly amused. To him, dancing one by one with the elegantly dressed ladies who had eagerly awaited this day must have felt like a celebration.  

The blonde-haired lady dancing with Luette at that moment looked up at him with an innocent smile.  

The two of them seemed quite close, but Solnia didn’t care. In fact, she preferred this. It was better than him leaning against the wall with a smug attitude, drawing everyone’s attention while shooting her a look that said, ‘When are we leaving?’  

“It’s surprising to see the two of them dancing.”  

A voice that seemed directed at her made her turn around. A group of noblewomen had approached without her noticing.  

At the forefront of the group stood a woman Solnia immediately recognized.  

With her neatly styled blonde hair and icy blue eyes, devoid of any hint of warmth, she exuded an air of aloof elegance.  

She was the Countess of Moulton, a member of the Dowager Heston’s salon. Behind her stood other noblewomen, all members of the same salon.  

“Good evening, Countess Moulton.”  

“How have you been?”  

The Countess offered a soft smile that seemed almost painted on. If one were to define the smile of a refined noblewoman, hers would serve as the standard.  

“It’s been a while. Wasn’t the last time we met a year ago?”  

“Yes. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”  

Though their last meeting had been two years ago, Solnia casually agreed. It hadn’t been a particularly significant encounter, nor was the detail important.  

“Are you enjoying the party?”  

When Solnia asked, the Countess of Moulton looked her over with a curious gaze. It was as if she found it absurd that someone who had fled right after her marriage was now belatedly acting as the Dowager’s granddaughter.  

“The Dowager’s parties are always enchanting.”  

“I’m glad to hear that. But what did you mean earlier?”  

When Solnia inquired, the Countess and the other noblewomen exchanged silent glances. Then they looked at her with pity, as if to say, ‘Do you really not know?’  

“Are you asking because you genuinely don’t know?”  

“About what……”  

“It’s Miss Merlin Hartrol. Your husband’s former fiancée.”  

Solnia’s mouth opened slightly as she turned her gaze back to the couple.  

So that’s Merlin Hartrol.  

Solnia had learned about the engagement discussions between Luette Trovill and the Marquess of Hartrol’s daughter while preparing for her own wedding.  

She had been a little surprised, flustered, and even felt a pang of guilt. After all, the Marquess’s daughter must have felt blindsided when the match was suddenly called off.  

Moreover, she had heard that the Duchess of Trovill had been quite fond of Miss Hartrol. With her good personality and background, she had seemed like the perfect match for Luette.  

But those thoughts had quickly faded. To Solnia, marriage had been a choice for survival, a performance in which she had to deceive everyone.  

Faced with the woman who might have become the Countess of Melfir in her stead, Solnia found herself scrutinizing Merlin Hartrol’s appearance.  

The blonde-haired lady, who sparkled under the light of the hall, was undeniably beautiful. Her modest accessories and neatly designed white dress emphasized her delicate and serene image. Even her shy smile was endearing.  

The real-life Merlin Hartrol, whose name Solnia had only known, was gentler and more beautiful than she had imagined.  

“I didn’t know the two of them were so close.”  

The Countess of Moulton’s muttered words brought Solnia back to her senses.  

Come to think of it, Merlin Hartrol seemed unable to take her eyes off Luette, and he, too, was gazing down at her with a warm smile.  

The two of them occasionally exchanged whispers, appearing quite familiar with each other—almost like old friends who had stayed in touch.  

No, perhaps even more than that……  

“Do you think it’s fine to leave them like that?” 

The Countess of Moulton asked. The other noblewomen, equally intrigued, awaited Solnia’s response.  

This could spark troublesome rumors.  

Solnia instinctively realized this.  

“I gave them permission.”  

“Pardon?”

The noblewomen wore expressions as if they had just heard some shocking news. Even the aloof Countess of Moulton furrowed her brow, as though she had been subjected to something unpleasant.  

“You’re bolder than you appear, Countess of Melfir.” 

She finally remarked, smoothing out her disrupted expression.  

“If it were me, I wouldn’t have permitted my husband to dance with his former fiancée, of all people.”  

“Well, my situation is a bit different. Besides, they weren’t even officially engaged.”  

It was best to correct any misinformation.  

“After all, what they had was merely a discussion of marriage, wasn’t it?” 

Solnia asked lightly.  

The Countess of Moulton raised her eyebrows, seemingly surprised.  

“True. Since there was no engagement ceremony, calling her his former fiancée would be inaccurate.”  

“Exactly.”  

“If my words upset you, I apologize. Please understand that I only said them out of concern.”  

“Thank you for your concern, but there’s no need to worry about me, Madame.”  

With a bright smile, Solnia excused herself, but before long, her gaze naturally returned to the blissful pair.  

‘You must win over the Young Master!’  

Was that what the maids had meant? 

A faint laugh escaped her.  

It didn’t matter. No matter how close the two were, or even if they were so close that they planned to reunite after the divorce.  

As long as the divorce was finalized, none of it mattered to her.