“I’m sorry. The conversation took longer than I expected. Have you been waiting long?”

“No, not at all. May I take my leave now? My fiancée has arrived.”

Edward bowed politely toward the noblewoman, seeking her understanding.

The noblewoman, with a face full of regret, waved her fan.

“Since your fiancée is here, I suppose you should go now. I do hope, Baron, that you’ll accept my invitation someday.”

“I’ll need my fiancée’s permission for that.”

At Edward’s response, the noblewomen covered their faces with silk fans and giggled. They seemed to find his answer incredibly innocent and charming.

What’s so funny?

The flirtatious laughter, as if they were dismissing him, strangely upset Yelodia.

The noblewoman, who had been talking to Edward, closed her fan with a sharp snap and curtsied to Yelodia.

“Good evening, Lady Xavier.”

“Good evening, madam.”

“Oh, I’m Biona. Heehee, I heard you’ll be having your coming-of-age ceremony soon, but you look so young, I was quite surprised.”

Yelodia couldn’t help but admire how Biona had subtly implied that she wasn’t suited for Edward.

“Thank you for the compliment. I, too, would like to learn from you, madam.”

Biona’s expression subtly stiffened, as if she understood that Yelodia’s words meant, I wish I could look as older as you do.

Unexpectedly, it was Edward who broke the silence between them.

“I hope you have a pleasant evening. I will take my leave now.”

Edward quickly walked over to Yelodia and extended his hand.

Yelodia glanced at his hand silently for a moment before speaking.

“Did you call for me?”

“Yes. I think I’ve only been looking for you throughout the banquet.”

At Edward’s response, Yelodia bit her lip.

The incident earlier, when a strange man had grabbed her wrist, was still fresh in her mind, leaving her angry, embarrassed, and fearful.

But…

The thought that Edward had been in the same space as his former fiancée during that time made her feel so hurt and resentful.

Seeing her troubled expression, Edward’s face visibly stiffened.

“Was something wrong?”

“I want to go back to the mansion right now.”

“Please, let me accompany you.”

Edward extended his hand again. This time, Yelodia did not refuse.

***

Throughout the ride back to the mansion, Yelodia kept her gaze fixed on the window.

After a long period of silence, Edward, who had been watching her closely, cautiously spoke.

“Was something unpleasant at the banquet?”

“I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

Yelodia looked down at the floor, then finally glanced at Edward.

Her delicate skin near her eyes turned a faint red, causing Edward’s expression to harden.

“Is it something too difficult to talk about?”

Yelodia opened her mouth, her voice slightly sulking.

“If I speak now, I’ll definitely end up crying.”

If she cried, Edward would probably try to comfort her like she was a child.

Being treated like a child by someone she liked was even more painful than she had imagined.

“Did something bad happen enough to make you cry?”

“I already told you I don’t want to talk about it…”

Yelodia tightly pressed her trembling lips together. She didn’t want to become emotionally overwhelmed any further.

She barely managed to calm her emotions and lowered her gaze, then asked a question that had been bothering her.

“By the way, what was that about the invitation?”

“Excuse me?”

Edward looked puzzled, not expecting such a question from her.

“You mentioned a noblewoman at the banquet inviting you, the Baron. Was it Lady Biona?”

“Ah, yes. Lady Biona is hosting a concert at her mansion and invited both me and you. She said she had invited famous singers and musicians from the Kingdom of Farrell.”

Without hesitation, Yelodia replied.

“I’m turning it down.”

“I understand.”

Edward responded almost as if he had been waiting for that answer, and it almost seemed like he welcomed her decision.

Seeing her hesitate, Edward raised an eyebrow.

“Why do you look at me like that?”

“I was wondering if it’s alright for me to decide on this matter however I please. You’ll probably need to start attending social events soon, won’t you…”

“I don’t mind. The concert doesn’t seem like it will be particularly interesting.”

Edward answered nonchalantly. It was clear he had no real interest in Lady Biona’s concert.

Yelodia let out a long sigh and then clasped her hands together.

“I’m also sorry for something else. You practiced so hard for a week, but because of me, you didn’t get to dance a single song.”

“That’s what you’re worried about?”

“Yes. I feel like I’ve been too focused on my own emotions… I’ve been reflecting on it.”

She didn’t want to appear naive to her fiancée, but it seemed like she kept showing only her innocent and fragile side.

Edward carefully wiped the corner of Yelodia’s eye with his fingertip. Her eyelid fluttered slightly.

“….”

Edward gazed at her quietly.

His gaze wasn’t just kind as usual; it was serious, and in a way, it was intimidating.

“I don’t want you to cry, Yelodia, for any reason.”

“….”

“Do you still not want to tell me?”

Yelodia swallowed nervously. The skin where Edward’s fingertip had touched was burning with heat. Her heart pounded rapidly, and her throat felt tight.

After a long silence, Edward sighed deeply.

“I will wait. Until you’re ready to speak, Yelodia.”

Yelodia nodded without a word. That was all she could do.

***

The next morning, as soon as the sun rose, Yelodia headed to Rellia’s mansion. It would be more accurate to say she barged in.

Rellia, who had returned from the banquet late last night and only barely fell asleep in the early morning, yawned and greeted Yelodia with a half-hearted smile.

“Yelodia, haah, sorry, you’re here already?”

Yelodia, flustered, clumsily tried to apologize.

“I’m sorry. I came too early, didn’t I?”

“No, no. You’re welcome, Yedi. I was also curious about yesterday’s events and couldn’t sleep.”

At that moment, a maid entered and set down tea and biscuits between the two of them.

Rellia, wearing a thin robe that fell to her knees, plopped down into a chair and immediately added sugar to her tea, taking a large sip.

“Ah, now I’m starting to wake up. So, why did you leave so early yesterday?”

“Ah, yesterday…”

Yelodia hesitated, glancing around nervously. Sensing something was off, Rellia’s eyes sparkled as she urged her.

“Yes, what happened yesterday?”

Finally, Yelodia explained the events of the previous night to Rellia.

She glossed over the happenings on the terrace but went into detail about Edward being in the same space as Lady Dallas, describing it in vivid detail.

“My goodness.”

After listening attentively to Yelodia, Rellia’s eyes widened, and she immediately responded.

“That awful woman.”

Yelodia flinched in surprise and unknowingly defended Lady Dallas.

“No, I don’t think she deserved to be called that… I think she was just standing in the middle of a group of friendly ladies.”

“Exactly. She’s completely out of her mind.”

Rellia’s blunt criticism made Yelodia feel even more flustered.

Rellia clicked her tongue, as if Yelodia still didn’t understand.

“If I were the one who broke off the engagement, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere near my former fiancée. Yedi, that’s just not respectful to the other person.”

“But…”

“You said her gaze seemed suspicious. Ha, she’s so shameless. She broke off the engagement for money, and now she’s acting like she wants to be pitied.”

“Rellia, please calm down…”

“Yelodia, don’t tolerate things like that. You should tell the Baron that you feel uncomfortable being around his former fiancée.”

That was the turning point.

Yelodia pressed her lips together and rolled her eyes. Once her thoughts cleared, she blurted it out.

“I feel like I’m the only one who’s jealous.”

“Excuse me?”

Rellia’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Isn’t that the case? The Baron has probably been popular with women his whole life… If I bring up his past, it’ll just make me seem like an overly jealous woman.”

“Then, aren’t you going to confess?”

“Confess?”

Yelodia’s eyes went wide, and her lips parted in shock.

Having grown up as the daughter of a noble family, Yelodia had never imagined confessing her feelings to a man.