Aishe’s irritation surged while watching Clive and Eirene dance. Just last night, before the Grand Duke’s fiancée was publicly revealed, negative rumors had been rampant. But people’s reactions changed after seeing Eirene. 

Comments about how well the two matched could be heard everywhere. Aishe despised her yesterday self for being so complacent toward Eirene. The comments made her anger uncontrollable. This was all because of her mother, the Countess. 

Though they had agreed to merely exchange greetings and stay apart during the ball, such promises had long vanished from Aishe’s mind. When the Countess, who was in the middle of conversing with other nobles, spotted her daughter approaching with heavy breaths and breaking their promise, she quickly excused herself. 

She headed to the garden while looking around cautiously, with Aishe following. Before the Countess could say anything, Aishe shouted:

“This is all your fault, Countess!”

Even in her anger, Aishe distinguished where she was and controlled her volume. More accurately, it was a habit from years of training. The habit of never calling her “mother” in public.

“What exactly is my fault?”

Unlike Aishe, the Countess remained calm. What had caused such a sudden mood change in the child this time? It happened so often that it wasn’t even surprising anymore. 

When she was young, Aishe had been a lovable child. Kind, compassionate, and friendly. But after her illness, she gradually changed until she became completely unpredictable and self-centered. At least Aishe still listened to the Countess, so her anger was always directed at her.

“Eirene!”

“Lower your voice. We’re at the Grand Duke’s residence.”

At the Countess’s words, Aishe flinched, seemingly coming back to her senses a little. After steadying her breath, she whispered to her mother:

“Everyone’s talking about how well Eirene and His Highness match.”

“I heard that too. So what?”

“This isn’t what I wanted. They’re becoming too intimate. I’m anxious they might grow closer than we are. Yesterday I told Eirene to get close to him because you ordered me to, but I don’t want to see it happening. You even told me to initiate skin contact. If they get any closer than that… If His Highness were to fall in love with Eirene…”

After pouring out everything she wanted to say, Aishe began sobbing, and when clear tears streamed down her daughter’s face, the Countess’s heart softened. She wiped Aishe’s tears and began to comfort her.

“Darling. My lovely Aishe. Don’t cry. Your makeup is smudging.”

“I don’t want to cry, but the tears come on their own. What can I do?”

Still my childlike daughter. The Countess worried about how she would survive in this harsh world. It seems only she can protect her.

“Do you remember what I told you?”

Aishe nodded.

“You need to always remember it. You’re having these thoughts because you keep forgetting.”

“But when I see them together, I forget. I can’t remember.”

“Aishe. What did I tell you?”

“You said everything would eventually be mine.”

The Countess placed both hands on top of Aishe’s head. She slowly moved them down her hair, then gripped tightly, distorting Aishe’s beautiful face.

“That’s right. Everything will be yours. The Grand Duke’s power, wealth. Even his love. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“The closer they get, the better it is for you. Right?”

“Yes.”

Nodding and answering without emotion, Aishe looked just like a doll.

“You should smile.”

At the Countess’s words, Aishe smiled brightly. Her smile seemed to illuminate the dark garden like the moon rising. The Countess kissed Aishe’s head. 

Although she couldn’t love her like her own daughter in front of others, she only needed to endure a little longer. After waiting for years, what were a few more months? That day was approaching soon.

* * *

After finishing one dance, Clive gently dismissed the guests flocking toward him. He merely raised one finger and waved it subtly, but everyone understood his meaning and didn’t approach. 

He led Eirene to a place where she could rest comfortably. The spot, requiring climbing a few steps, provided a perfect view of the entire ball while preventing people from easily approaching. Clive gave Eirene champagne, and after taking a sip, her eyes widened.

“What is this? It smells wonderful.”

“Peach champagne.”

“I thought it smelled familiar. It must have been so long ago that I couldn’t remember.”

“When did you try it before?”

“I’m not sure. Several years ago, perhaps.”

Watching Eirene repeatedly smell the aroma and take small sips with fascination made Clive feel sorry for her. Peaches weren’t rare fruits in Dervel. They were among the fruits that even commoners in his domain could eat to their heart’s content during summer, yet Eirene hadn’t tasted one in years. 

Everything she encountered must have been like this. His feelings grew complicated.

“Do you like peaches?”

“Yes. What about you?”

“Not particularly. I just drink the champagne. Should I get some for you? Since it’s winter, there won’t be fresh fruit, but there might be preserved ones.”

“But I’m leaving tonight.”

She’s leaving tonight. Clive had forgotten, mistakenly believing there would be tomorrow and the day after with Eirene.

“I forgot. Then I’ll send some to the Phineas household.”

“I wonder if I’ll get to taste them.”

“Surely no one would intercept that.”

“Who knows.”

Clive considered delivering them personally. But the Count and Countess would likely make excuses to deny his visit. Last time was a special case. This time too, they probably only allowed Eirene to stay for an extended period for similar reasons. 

Clive was reluctant to let her go like this.

“Anyway, I’ll send them.”

“Thank you. How should I contact you if I discover anything after returning? They’ll censor all letters.”

“We’ll have to meet outside frequently.”

Even if they didn’t permit visits to the Phineas mansion, they wouldn’t interfere with meetings outside.

“By the way, do you have a way to find out? It doesn’t seem easy.”

Even while blending into the crowd, the Count and Countess’s eyes never left Eirene for a moment. Siaran was the same, and so was Aishe, who maintained her distance but stubbornly followed, skillfully hiding her gaze.

“I’m not sure if it will work, but I have something in mind.”

“It’s not dangerous, is it?”

“The Phineas mansion itself is a dangerous place.”

Should he really let her go? A place where everyone is an enemy. Could this fragile woman endure in such an environment?

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“How am I looking at you?”

“With pity.”

“It’s concern.”

“Were we in a relationship where we worry about each other?”

Eirene looked at Clive indifferently before drinking her champagne, then examined the glass with renewed admiration, turning it this way and that. 

Her eyes when looking at the champagne were different from when she looked at him. To Eirene, Clive wasn’t even as good as champagne.

“Since we’re allies, I can worry about you.”

“Because we’re allies, you should worry about things that aren’t about me.”

Unable to counter her words, Clive sighed instead of answering. There was no opening. Yet that was also part of Eirene’s charm.

* * *

The ball ended at dawn. When Eirene, ready to return, came outside, Matilda approached with teary eyes.

“Please visit often, my lady.”

Though they had only spent a week together, she expressed her sadness without reservation, like someone who had been together for seven months.

“I’ll try. Take care of yourself.”

Though frequent visits would be difficult, she comforted Matilda with words. Madam Hannon also showed signs of regret. Despite the fatigue evident on her face from two consecutive balls lasting until dawn, Madam Hannon maintained her smile while seeing Eirene off. 

Eirene’s luggage, which had been minimal when she arrived, had grown enough to fill an entire carriage and more. She didn’t want to ride in the same carriage as the Count and Countess Phineas, but with onlookers present and because of the luggage, she had no choice but to board the same one. 

The Count and Countess, having finished their farewells with Clive, boarded first, and then it was Eirene’s turn to say goodbye.

“Let’s meet again. Stay healthy. I’ll be in touch.”

Clive, mixing formal and informal speech appropriately, kissed the back of Eirene’s hand. Then, she smiled and burrowed into her fiancé’s arms, making sure the Count and Countess could see. Clive flinched in surprise, but quickly embraced Eirene naturally.

“I don’t want to let you go.”

He also spoke loudly enough for others to hear, squeezing the woman already in his arms tightly, truly looking like he didn’t want to let her go. Clive’s cheek brushed against Eirene’s. 

With her hair between them, he kissed near her ear once more. Now Eirene wasn’t greatly surprised. It was uncomfortable, but it was an action based on their agreement. She patted his broad back, like soothing a child.

“I’ll miss you.”

His deep breathing made her neck feel hot. He embraced her tightly once more.

* * *

Silence filled the carriage returning to the Phineas household. Since Aishe had taken the Baix family’s carriage, only the Count, Countess, and Eirene were present. Occasionally, Count Phineas’s uncomfortable throat-clearing would break the silence before disappearing again. 

Not long after departure, Eirene began feeling motion sickness. It was because she was with people who made her uncomfortble. Even when she opened the small curtain to look outside, all she could see was darkness. As Eirene opened and closed the curtain, Countess Phineas asked:

“Nothing happened, right?”

“No. You saw for yourself.”

If they had been discovered, such a farewell would have been impossible.

“Was there any sign of suspicion?”

“Not yet.”

The Countess tilted her head before addressing her husband:

“It seems Aishe wasn’t just singing about Clive being stupid for no reason.”

Eirene lowered her head at the Countess’s words, unaware that Aishe had been thoroughly mistaken. It was to hide the smile that was subtly emerging.

“Clive being stupid is an old story. Even Aishe now says he’s a person whose mind can’t be read. It’s not that he hasn’t noticed, but that we and this thing are deceiving him perfectly.”

The Count pointed at Eirene with his chin.

“You must continue to do well.”

“Yes.”

Eirene, who was about to say something, answered submissively. There was nothing to gain by provoking the Count here. She needed to be the Eirene who didn’t rebel against anyone in the Phineas household. 

After all, the ones she needed to deceive were not Clive but the Phineas family.

“It won’t take long, will it? I’m scared.”

She wanted to know how much time remained in their plan.

“It will take some time, but there’s nothing to worry about. We will absolutely never be discovered.”

It was amusing to see them so confident while knowing nothing, when they had already been discovered. While quietly responding with “Yes,” Eirene suddenly found the Count emphasizing the “absolutely” word irritating. 

It was an excessive guarantee. How could he be so confident? Did he believe that no matter what happened, she wouldn’t tell Clive? Or did he think he had perfect control over her? 

Either way, with Clive already knowing everything, the situation was favorable for Eirene. Yet she couldn’t shake off the uneasiness that had settled in her heart.

* * *

Betty, who was organizing Eirene’s luggage, continuously exclaimed in admiration to herself. How pretty! How much would all this cost? Then she would ask Eirene:

“Did you try them all on?”

“No.”

“These are incomparable to the dresses you had fitted before. Just looking at them, you can tell how luxurious they are.”

Betty handled them carefully, afraid to damage even a single thread. She glanced at the jewelry in the box and her mouth fell open.

“My lady, may I look at this closely just once?”

It was one of the pieces of jewelry Eirene hadn’t worn while at Dervel Palace.

“Sure. You can take it out and touch it.”

“Really?”

“It’s not going to wear out or anything. Feel free to look all you want.”

Betty’s lips stretched to her ears. She took out the brooch with both hands, not knowing what to do, then touched it with trembling fingers. Eirene couldn’t understand how someone could be so happy about an object that wasn’t theirs.

“Does it seem like a good item?”

“Yes. Even though this is the first time I’ve seen such jewelry in my life, I can tell. It’s definitely very good.”

“Then you can have it.”

Betty turned her head and looked at Eirene with disbelieving eyes. Her smiling lips were now wide open, just like when she first saw the brooch.

“B-b-but my lady re-received it as a g-gift.”

She stammered in surprise.

“I have many. Besides, you know I only stay in the basement, so I don’t really understand the value of such items.”

“Even so, for His Highness the Grand Duke’s gift…”

“He’ll understand if I say I gave it to someone I care about.”

“Someone you care about?”

Betty’s mouth opened even wider at the words “care about.”

“Yes. I care about you. You’re the only one here who looks after me.”

There were many times when Betty hadn’t looked after Eirene, but it wasn’t completely untrue. So Eirene now planned to make Betty her ally.