Time flew and the day of the great party at Icarus Manor had finally arrived. Under the dazzling chandeliers, elegantly dressed nobles mingled and approached each other. Nearly every noble who had received an invitation – and even some who hadn’t, accompanying others as guests – set foot in the great hall.

“Why is the Duke of Icarus throwing a party all of a sudden?”

Someone asked as they sipped sweet wine, curiosity evident in their tone. Though they belonged to different circles, the subject of their conversation was the same.

“The invitations clearly mentioned that he was going to reveal something to everyone, didn’t they?”

“The real question is, what could it be?”

“Could it have something to do with the Whisper of Love he bought? After all, the Duke is of marriageable age.”

For days, the nobles repeated variations of this conversation, speculating endlessly. Sometimes they tried to guess when Calix would make his entrance, sometimes they simply passed the time basking in the warmth of the wine. Just as their usual topic began to feel stale, something new caught their attention.

“What the hell is that ridiculous outfit?”

It all began with someone’s startled exclamation. The nobles, always on the lookout for the next juicy tidbit, pricked up their ears and scanned the room. It wasn’t hard to spot their new prey. Lilia, dressed in that unmistakable red, green and orange patchwork dress, immediately became the focus of gossip.

“How could she think of wearing such a thing?”

“Is she losing her mind from all the scandals she’s been through?”

Negative murmurs rippled through the crowd, drawing even more attention to Lilia. Just then, someone whose face was hidden behind a fan spoke up.

“Doesn’t that necklace Lady Lilia is wearing look familiar?”

A necklace? The voice came from an indistinct source, but it quickly drew everyone’s attention back to Lilia. For a moment, her striking dress had obscured it, but now the crimson diamond resting just above her flawless neck had their full attention.

“To me, it looks like the whisper of love…”

The nobles who belatedly noticed the necklace inhaled sharply. Was it really the Whisper of Love, or perhaps just a convincing imitation? More importantly, why was Lilia wearing it in the first place? The shocking development made their tongues wag like never before.

‘Hmph. Noisy.’

From her hidden position in the crowd, Ciela used her fan to cover most of her face. Snippets of gossip about Lilia’s scandals, her dress and her necklace reached her ears. Though they whispered among themselves, the cumulative murmur created a din she couldn’t ignore

Surely the source of the commotion was also aware of this. It seemed as if mother and daughter were searching for Ciela, probably to avert any possible trouble.

Since Calix’s envoy’s visit, the Marquis and his wife, along with Lilia, had been paying close attention to Ciela’s health. They insisted that she take every remedy they could find to restore her condition, and they made every effort to grow closer to her. The reason for their concern was obvious, even without asking.

“Sister, I have a request for you.”

On the day of the party, they had asked Ciela to reveal the truth for Lilia’s sake. They put pressure on her under the guise of a request, insisting that as an older sister she should help her younger sibling clear her name. Naturally, Ciela agreed.

‘If I hadn’t agreed, they wouldn’t have brought me here.’

It wasn’t hard to tell the truth. The only problem was that it wasn’t the right time yet. Ciela waved her fan lightly, barely enough to stir the air.

‘They can search all they want.’

Just as hiding a tree in the forest made it hard to find, hiding in the crowd meant they would have a hard time finding her.

‘I never said they should let their guard down.’

Ciela took advantage of a moment when her family was greeting familiar nobles. Silently, she disappeared into the crowd. Now she waited, undisturbed, for the inevitable.

‘Lilia was so conspicuous today, this was bound to happen.’

Apart from the necklace, there was that ridiculous dress. Even knowing how it would draw attention, Lilia insisted on wearing it, claiming Calix would like it.

‘How impressive.’

No matter how many times she looked at it, she still couldn’t get used to that outfit. Thinking back to how the Marchioness had tried to stop Lilia – practically begging her with a desperate look on her face, even packing a lunch box to bring to the argument – Ciela’s hand trembled as she held her fan.

‘They had really put a lot of thought into this.’

The letter hadn’t mentioned the dress. She’d have to thank them next time. Stifling a laugh, she let her eyes narrow slightly. She’d seen enough for now. Following her plan, Ciela slipped discreetly out of the party hall.

* * *

The Marchioness of Arcel opened her fan to hide her strained expression. Standing protectively in front of Lilia, she muttered in frustration:

“Lilia, don’t worry too much about those looks. It will all be over soon.”

“Yes, I’ll try not to pay attention to them.”

“When the scandal is over and everyone knows who your lover really is, I can’t wait to see their reactions.”

The Marchioness whispered, her eyes narrowing with pleasure. She silently noted each person who cast a disparaging glance in her daughter’s direction.

“But I haven’t seen my sister for a long time.”

Lilia said, scowling. She had been at her side when they entered the hall, but now she was nowhere to be found.

“What?”

The Marchioness turned her head so quickly it made a sharp whooshing sound.

“Where did she go without saying anything?”

To clear Lilia’s name, Ciela still had to be present. Her sudden disappearance – without fulfilling her role – was aggravating.

‘She promised to reveal the truth to everyone.’

Unable to hide her irritation, the Marchioness struggled to keep her composure. Lilia touched her arm gently, trying to calm her.

“She should really think about how worried her family would be if she suddenly moved like this.”

Lilia’s eyes grew moist, as if she might cry at any moment. She let out a heavy sigh and whispered softly to her mother.

“Look around you.”

The Marchioness finally became aware of her surroundings and folded her fan. Behind her earlier sharp tone, she now revealed the worried mother within.

“I’m afraid she may have fainted. Let’s find her quickly.”

“Yes. I’ll ask Father if he’s seen her.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Mother and daughter, their eyes equally weighed down with worry, acted in perfect harmony. They were about to approach the Marquis, who was discussing business with other nobles, when they were intercepted.

“Unrequited love is truly terrifying. It makes people wear bizarre clothes and even fake necklaces.”

The Countess of Tuslan, stepping into their path. She must have moved quickly, for the wine in her glass came dangerously close to spilling.

“Perhaps we should feel sorry for someone so desperate to be noticed.”

“And who exactly are you talking about?”

“It has nothing to do with you, Marchioness. Why are you reacting so strongly?”

The Countess replied, a crooked smile on her wine-soaked face.

“Do you feel guilty? If not, I don’t see why you’re upset.”

“Upset? Not at all. I have no reason to be.”

“Let’s just say so.

The Countess replied dismissively and took a sip of her wine. Since the birthday party, she had taken every opportunity to pick a fight with Lilia. It was clear that she still held a grudge for the humiliation she had suffered. Her eyes swept over Lilia’s entire body before she spoke again.

“By the way, Marchioness, you seem to respect your daughter’s fashion choices.”

“Hoho, I believe in supporting what she wants.”

“What an admirable mother you are.”

“Why, thank you. I hope the Countess turns out to be an admirable mother too.”

“I’ll keep working on it. Although my approach is different from the Marchioness of Arcel’s, so I can’t promise I’ll ever succeed.” 

At that moment, the Marchioness’ hand shook so badly that it seemed she might break her fan in two. 

“Mother, let’s just find Father.” 

Lilia wrapped her arms around her mother’s and held her close. With calm, measured words, she locked eyes with her mother and continued.

“We have to find my sister. I’m worried because we can’t see her anywhere. Let’s go.” 

“Yes, you’re right.” 

Taking a deep breath, the Marchioness followed her daughter’s lead. She folded her fan and concentrated on the more pressing matter. 

“We will excuse ourselves. I must find my unwell daughter. Let’s go, Lilia.” 

“Yes, but first – just a moment.”

Lilia paused for a moment and looked at the Countess of Tuslan.

“You seem a little tipsy. I suggest you rest in the lounge. I only say this because I’d hate to see anything unfortunate happen to you. I hope you don’t take this the wrong way.”

With tears glistening at the corners of her gentle eyes, Lilia wiped them away and smiled sweetly as she finished her words.

“Well then, let’s go.”

The Countess clenched her wine glass tightly and watched Lilia’s innocent face. She suddenly remembered Lilia at her birthday party, hiding behind Lady Hayley and laughing. The trembling in her fingers rippled through the wine, distorting her own reflection in its surface.

‘I don’t like her.’

The Countess of Tuslan swallowed the wine in one gulp. The flush that rose to her face made it unclear whether it was from the alcohol or her anger.

“Thank you for your concern, but I’m not that drunk yet. However, Lady Lilia…”

With a faint, crooked smile, the Countess fixed her gaze on the mother and daughter trying to get past her.

“Up close, the necklace you’re wearing looks like the ‘Whisper of Love’.”

The Countess’ voice, every word carrying the sweet aroma of wine, hung in the air.

“Am I right?”

Lilia stopped abruptly. Until now she hadn’t felt the need to answer, but the directness of the question was like an arrow aimed straight at her. Sharp, piercing looks came at her from every corner of the room.

‘Go on,’ Lilia’s eyes seemed to say, reassuring her mother with a calm look. After her mother left, she approached the countess, her steps measured and deliberate.

“You are right. It’s the whisper of love.”

Lilia spoke softly, a hint of shyness in her tone.

“What did you say?”

“It’s not a fake, Calix won it at auction. It’s the real thing.”

Calling him ‘Calix’ instead of ‘the Duke’ subtly revealed their special bond. A strange thrill blossomed within her, rising from her toes. Soon everyone would know that she and he were destined to be together. Her hands clasped around the necklace, Lilia’s eyes curved into crescent moons.