“Pfft.”

He went through the trouble of sending a letter via Schmitz just to write this?

Right, he said he had come last night because there had been no contact through the communication stone. Let me give it a try.

I took the communication stone from the desk drawer, where it had been carefully wrapped in a handkerchief, and held it in my hand.

When he says to call the name, does he mean the full name?

“Eden Cler Hylus.”

Upon calling the name, the communication stone let out a soft humming sound and rattled in my hand before going still.

“Hylus?”

-……

“Eden?”

No matter how many times I called his name, the communication stone showed no particular reaction and did not move, and no reply came from Hylus.

“What is this, was I tricked?”

-……

“Hello, Duke Hylus. You told me to use the communication stone, so I did, and why is there no answer.”

-……

“You absolute scoundrel, Eden Cler Hylus.”

-What is a scoundrel?

Startled by Hylus’s sudden voice, I inadvertently flung the communication stone I had been holding.

No! Do you know how much this costs!

I quickly picked it back up and held it in my hand, and at that moment, Hylus’s voice came through again.

-The sound of it does not seem very pleasant.

This perceptive man.

“Oh, no. It is a tremendous compliment!”

-Really?

“Yes, really! It means you have all four qualities.”

-What four qualities?

“Um… intellect, tenacity, character, and sensitivity?”

What remarkable quick thinking.

Good job, me!

It was a made-up answer, but whether it pleased him or not, Hylus asked no further questions.

-How are you feeling.

“Oh, I am fine. If anything, I feel positively energetic right now.”

-Energetic?

“The tonic that Schmitz left me is working wonderfully. Oh right, you knew I had woken up and sent Schmitz over, didn’t you?”

-……

The absence of an answer was likely his silent affirmation.

“Thank you.”

-Let us hold the engagement ceremony next week.

“But I have not yet spoken to Marquis Ter Giuo about…”

-I will handle it.

After a brief exchange about the engagement ceremony, the conversation came to an end.

***

And so, one day about a week before the engagement ceremony.

Summer came running into the room once more, newspaper in hand. Unlike when the engagement with Ter Giuo had been broken off, Summer came running in with a very bright expression.

“Miss!”

“Summer, you will trip if you keep that up.”

“Look at this. There is a nationwide newspaper article saying that you are getting engaged to Duke Hylus!”

“A nationwide newspaper?”

When things had gone sour with Marquis Ter Giuo at the social party, it had only made it into the local town newspaper, yet the announcement of my engagement to Hylus had made it into a nationwide newspaper.

It felt like the power that his, no, that the name Hylus carried.

“And right now, servants from the ducal household are downstairs.”

Hearing Summer’s words, I hurried downstairs, and sure enough, servants bearing the badge of the Hylus ducal household were lined up in the entryway of the count’s residence.

The moment they saw me, they greeted me as though they had been waiting.

“We are honored to meet the Duchess. I am Neves Briere, come from the Hylus ducal household. Please feel free to call me Neves.”

The reason for their visit was clear. They had come to have a dress fitted and accessories selected for the engagement ceremony taking place in a week.

“We had originally intended to receive you at the ducal residence, but since the Duchess had only recently collapsed, we came to the count’s residence instead.”

The title of Duchess that Neves used made me cringe.

“Since we are neither engaged nor married yet, please feel free to call me simply my lady.”

“But…”

“It is alright. I will speak to the Duke myself. The title of Duchess still feels unfamiliar to me.”

“Very well, then.”

At Neves’s signal, the servants of the ducal household began moving busily about.

“All of these garments were purchased by the Duke for the young lady at ‘Elang Artier.'”

Elang Artier?

That Elang, where even the most high-ranking nobility had to wait their turn? All the dresses in the novel were handmade and had their price, but Elang was on an entirely different level.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that every fashion trend in Ermensel originated from ‘Elang Artier.’ The women’s riding attire, and even the trousers that were comfortable to wear due to their stretch, all came from ‘Elang Artier.’

And the wedding dress worn by Hesse Herrmann in was also one of Elang’s masterpieces.

How many pieces are there in total? Even just selling these would leave me well-funded after the divorce.

“There is no particular tradition for an engagement ceremony, so the young lady may choose whichever dress she likes.”

And as though to take responsibility for her own words, Neves set about with the intent to have me try on every single garment she had brought.

A soft pink dress that looked as though it had been fashioned after cherry blossom petals, a blue dress that seemed to capture the night sea lit only by moonlight on a dark night, a dress that brought to mind the bright and cheerful leaves on a summer morning, and many more varied dresses were tried on.

Feeling as though I would be wearing dresses even in my dreams if this kept up, I chose something appropriate.

“Neves, I like this one.”

What I chose was a deep green dress that suited my blue-tinted black hair beautifully. It looked both composed and refreshingly pure.

“It suits you wonderfully.”

To think that such a color suits me so well, in the end, it really does all come down to the face.

“I will have it altered to fit the young lady’s measurements.”

Only after the servants of the ducal household had departed was I able to sink into bed and rest comfortably.

***

The day of the engagement ceremony.

When the servant of the ducal household knocked briskly on the door of the count’s residence, it swung wide open.

The courtyard of the count’s residence was lavishly decorated with ornaments and flowers that were never usually seen there, and a white carpet had been laid all the way to the carriage, as though waiting for me.

The engagement ceremony was to be held simply at the temple, and we were to travel to the temple by the ducal household’s carriage.

At the end of the carriage stood Hylus, dressed in a deep green suit that seemed to match the color of my dress. And there were also Brandt, holding back tears with glistening eyes, and Kayla, gently comforting him.

“Loa.”

Kayla’s warm voice reached my ears. At the sound of her voice, I turned my steps toward her.

“Mother.”

“We are not going anywhere, so you may come whenever you wish.”

Whenever you wish…

I felt a pang in my chest. To be precise, it was my conscience.

Kayla’s hands gently stroking the back of my hand, and even the look in Brandt’s eyes as he shed tears at this engagement ceremony, none of it was truly mine.

They were the family of the real Eloa Rumania, not the Eloa Rumania that Jang Hye-a had entered.

They were never my family.

Feeling as though something would come over me if I kept looking at them, I quickened my steps toward the carriage.

With Hylus’s courteous escort, I stepped up into the carriage. We departed, leaving behind the parents and servants who were celebrating for us.

Those who married in this country were required to go to the temple and receive a blessing. It was not a matter stipulated by law, but because the belief had spread that couples who received the blessing would live together happily for a hundred years.

But I would be divorcing Hylus in two years, so I would be unintentionally breaking that belief.

Though the country was well-developed in terms of transport magic stones and means of transportation, magic stones could not be used in the vicinity of the temple. This was because the magical energy emitted by magic stones and divine power itself were of completely opposite natures.

Ordinarily one would walk or ride on horseback, but fortunately we were able to travel in the ducal household’s grand carriage.

The only sound was the rattling of wheels rolling over the ground, and the inside of the carriage was silent. It was Hylus who broke that silence.

“Your belongings will arrive at the ducal residence by the end of today.”

“My belongings?”

“We are holding the engagement ceremony, so you will need to move in now.”

I had been hoping to hold out until the wedding ceremony! There is still so much I need to find out about Eloa! Should I make a run for it…

As though reading my thoughts, Hylus spoke quietly with his gaze directed toward the window.

“If you are thinking of running away, I suggest you give up on that idea.”

“R-running away? Whatever do you mean.”

“Get some rest. It is about an hour’s journey to the temple. You must have been busy since this morning as well.”

“If you say ‘as well,’ does that mean Your Grace was too?”

“Well, was I any different?”

Imagining Hylus being fussed over as he dressed in his ceremonial attire and was adorned made me laugh.

“Pfft.”

“Is it funny?”