Chapter 29

Emperor Grain looked at Isabelle, who was elegantly sipping tea across from him.

“Your Majesty, I heard that the east of the continent is in turmoil.”

Isabelle blinked slowly. It was a habit of hers to wipe away her bright expression and show a more intelligent look.

“You need not worry. This time, the Dragon Knight Order will go. We intend to set an example once again of what happens when one dares defy the Petrus Empire.”

“Your Majesty, send Lexion and Stephan.”

“Lexion and Stephan? Both of them?”

Emperor Grain had always only sent Lexion, fearing that sending both might incite a rebellion in Ernst. Honestly, he didn’t care whether Stephan lived or died.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Tell them that if they return, you will grant permission for their marriage. You could even say that the Imperial Family will prepare the wedding.”

Isabelle spoke with a bright smile. Her smile and words melted away all of the Emperor’s irritation.

“Hahaha. So be it. Distance might make the heart grow fonder. Especially if a handsome man like Leophris stays by her side.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. A month is a long time. This is a girl who mingled with a man within a week of meeting him. What couldn’t she do in a month?”

Isabelle’s lips curled gently. Her emerald eyes shone with unparalleled clarity.

+++

The next morning, Jaeyon visited the Florin Marquisate under the pretext of a portrait.

‘I feel suffocated.’

The Florin Marquisate maintained an impeccably elegant and neat appearance. Everyone acted with disciplined precision as they greeted Jaeyon and Hailyn. The interior was filled with high-quality furniture made of deep brown mahogany, adding a sense of gravity.

‘It feels like a ghost castle. Everyone is on edge.’

Behind the courteous facade of the Marquisate’s people lurked a chilling vigilance towards Jaeyon and Hailyn. As he entered the hall, Jaeyon loosened his cravat slightly, despite the breach of etiquette. In an attempt to impress Adelina, he had worn a Petrus-style suit with a voluminous white cravat, which now made him sweat around the neck.

“Jaeyon!”

“Adelina.”

Like a ray of light in the dark brown surroundings, the silver-haired Adelina came running down the central stairs. Even her dress was a faint sky-blue white, contrasting starkly with the gloomy Marquisate.

‘Now it feels like a house where people live.’

Finally, expressions returned to the faces of the Marquisate’s people, though they were expressions of annoyance.

“Haha. Adelina, you’ll hurt yourself.”

Jaeyon caught Adelina by both arms as she came to a stop right in front of him.

“Are you here to paint a portrait again today?”

Adelina asked with wide eyes, like a puppy waiting for attention.

Jaeyon glanced around the interior. A bright spring day. A space like a prison. Sharp, watchful eyes. And a puppy begging to go for a walk.

“No, Adelina. Today, let’s have tea on Emerald Street.”

Adelina beamed with joy.

“Sounds good!”

She boldly grabbed his hand, unaware that the hand might one day tighten the leash around her neck.

+++

Adelina rode in Jaeyon’s carriage to Emerald Street.

“Now I feel alive!”

She opened the carriage window wide, letting the wind tousle her hair.

‘Lexion! That guy always leaves me out of his secret missions!’

Stephan and Lexion had gone somewhere secretly, leaving her behind again. Each time, Adelina had to endure the suffocating Marquisate alone, under the watchful eyes of the maids.

“Do you like it that much? Shall we come out every day?”

Sitting across from her, Jaeyon leaned his elbow on the window sill and rested his chin on his hand. The cravat around his neck had been loosened at some point, and even his shirt buttons were undone.

“No, you have to paint the portrait. Just come out occasionally.”

As the carriage entered a crowded area, Adelina closed the window and smoothed down her hair with her hands.

“I know a place that makes excellent parfaits. Shall we go there?”

“Par…fait…”

Adelina swallowed her saliva. She had seen it in pictures in her past life.

‘Isn’t that the one with ice cream, cookies, fruit, and a little umbrella?’

What should I eat first? The cookies? The fruit? Would it seem too cheap if I said I wanted to take the umbrella as a souvenir?

+++

-“Hey! Fake! Look at this!”-

In her past life, her cousins would bring something back every time they ate out, overturning her insides. On days when they went out to eat, she had to either find leftover cold rice or go hungry. That day… there was no cold rice, so she had to eat whatever was left in the fridge, leaving her stomach feeling salty and spicy.

-“We went to that famous cafe in town and had parfaits. They even give you these umbrellas.”-

The 9-year-old boasted to the 8-year-old, showing off that trivial umbrella. Adelina had stared at that umbrella for a while. When she went to school, her classmates would bring those umbrellas as proof that they had been to that cafe. The umbrella was a symbol. Proof that one had eaten the parfait, which cost twice as much as a pork cutlet. A symbol that one’s parents cared that much. She was the only one without that umbrella. More than the sweet ice cream, the tangy fruit, or the crispy cookies… she wanted that umbrella she couldn’t eat.

+++

“Do they, by any chance, also give you an umbrella there?”

Adelina asked as nonchalantly as possible, pretending she had no interest in such things. 

“An umbrella?”

When Jaeyon asked back, Hailyn, sitting next to him, burst into laughter.

‘Ah… I guess they don’t have umbrellas.’

That’s fine. An umbrella is something you can’t eat, so it doesn’t matter whether they have it or not.

Even though they were state guests, since they weren’t from a Duke or Marquis family, Jaeyon’s carriage couldn’t drive down Emerald Street. Adelina and her companions got off at the carriage storage and walked slowly into a café with white walls and a green roof.

“Sir Jaeyon, I shall step out for a moment.”

As soon as they sat at the best window seat, Hailyn mentioned she had something to purchase and left. Adelina ordered the most expensive item on the menu and crossed her legs under her dress, swinging them slightly. Each time, the cool touch of the anklet against her ankle lifted her spirits.

“Oh my, isn’t it Jaeyon? Meeting you in such a place, I must be very lucky.”

A middle-aged man approached Jaeyon and extended his hand. Jaeyon stood up and shook hands with him.

“Marquis Lawrence, it’s a pleasure to meet you here.”

Adelina also stood and gave a slight nod to him.

“Marquis Lawrence.”

“Ah, Miss Adelina Florin. Have I interrupted your date?”

Marquis Lawrence’s voice was quite loud. Even though people in the café had been glancing at them, now they openly stared at Adelina and Jaeyon.

“No, Marquis.”

“Is that so? Then may I borrow Jaeyon for a moment? It’s hard to catch him otherwise, and I wanted to discuss the new silk import deal.”

As soon as Adelina answered, Marquis Lawrence, making a fuss, gripped Jaeyon’s hand even tighter.

“Marquis Lawrence.”

“Please do so, Sir Jaeyon. I’ll wait here for Hailyn.”

Seeing Jaeyon about to politely decline, Adelina quickly interjected. Given Marquis Lawrence’s demeanor, he wouldn’t back down easily. With all eyes on them, continued refusal would only put Jaeyon and herself in an even more awkward position.

“Ha… Marquis Lawrence. I’ll give you ten minutes. Please explain the business details to me within that time.”

Jaeyon sighed as he spoke, and for a moment, Marquis Lawrence’s expression turned grim.

“Hahaha. Very well. I have an office on the second floor of this building. Let’s talk there.”

Marquis Lawrence, like the businessman he was, quickly regained his composure and led Jaeyon out of the café.

‘Again… alone…’

Adelina sat and waited for the ordered parfait and Hailyn. The sunlight streaming through the window brightened her face, but the shadow in her eyes, seeing the two empty chairs in front of her, deepened.

“Here’s your set menu.”

Fortunately, before she could feel the melancholy, the waiter placed the ordered food on the table.

‘Oh my! It’s so beautiful! It’s such a pity I can’t capture this in a picture!’

A tall glass layered with white ice cream and strawberries, interspersed with various colored berries and cookies densely decorating the top. The crepe that came with the set was also generously topped with ice cream and fruits.

‘I wouldn’t regret it even if my sugar levels spiked and I died after eating this! Truly, becoming a noble lady was worth it!’

With a reverent heart, Adelina picked up the cookie on top of the parfait.

+++

“Oh my, there are Viscount Bello’s gang here.”

“Shall we go elsewhere, Lady Lawrence?”

“It’s fine. No matter how much of a scoundrel they are, they wouldn’t dare flirt with me.”

Four ladies took seats at the table next to Adelina’s and whispered, glancing at the noblemen across the way.

‘Viscount Bello? That guy rumored to have toyed with many pretty maids?’

Adelina had heard of him; he was so infamous. She’d heard he was the number one person to be wary of among the palace maids and servants.

‘Anyway, such scoundrels exist everywhere.’

Deciding to ignore them, Adelina picked up her fork and began cutting the crepe.

“Eat.”

Viscount Bello’s voice resonated low in the café. People at other tables put down their utensils and leaned back in their chairs to watch.

“Come on. Surely you wouldn’t refuse what I offer?”

Viscount Bello held a cherry in his hand, pressing it to a female employee’s lips.

“No, sir. I cannot eat the customer’s food.”

The female employee twisted her arm desperately, trying to pull her hand away, turning her head aside.

“Come now, don’t be so coy. Just take a bite. I’d like it even more if you took my hand too. And then.”

Viscount Bello lowered his gaze to his lower body. Following his gaze, the female employee’s face turned crimson with shame.

“Or should I devour you instead?”

“Viscount!”

Viscount Bello pulled the female employee forcibly into his embrace.

Hee-hee-hee. His companions laughed vilely and whistled at the sight.

“Again, that female employee. How many times is it now?”

“The last time… even the lady’s…”

“Quiet!”

One of the women at Lady Lawrence’s table nervously sucked her drink through a straw.

“Trying to change her fate with that face, I suppose. Though it’s a pointless endeavor.”

“Well, she could at least become Viscount Bello’s concubine. Her face is decent enough.”

People around gossiped not about Viscount Bello but the female employee. Eventually, their comments concluded with the same sentence.

“Honestly, those Ernst people.”

Adelina put down her fork and looked at the female employee. Black hair and black eyes, the typical appearance of someone from Ernst.

A man who seemed to be the café owner stood before Viscount Bello and the female employee, his face hardened.

‘That owner will help the female employee.’

Adelina turned her head, reassured.

Slap. The sharp sound of flesh being slapped made her turn her head back to the scene, causing her to drop her fork.