The servant approached Viscount Moldovan and handed him the coat, delivering a message I could easily guess: “Don’t do unnecessary things.”

Viscount Moldovan looked flustered, glancing our way before offering a helpless smile. He bowed slightly in our direction and then exited the ballroom.

I watched him leave before turning back to Ains. “What on earth are you doing?”

My voice had grown sharp without me intending it.

“Keep your voice down. People are staring,” Ains replied.

I glanced around and noticed that indeed, people were watching us, and my confrontational tone had drawn even more attention, silencing nearby conversations. Continuing this discussion here would only fuel rumors.

“Let’s move somewhere else,” Ains suggested, turning away.

I hesitated but reluctantly followed him to the terrace. Once there, Ains removed his coat and handed it to me. I looked at the coat, then back at him.

“What is this?” I asked.

“If you’re going to dress lightly, at least wear a shawl. Don’t accept coats from Viscount Moldovan.”

“Why are you acting so strangely?” I demanded, refusing the coat. Ains draped it over my shoulders and sighed.

“You’re being too naive,” he said.

“Me? Naive?”

“Yes. Are you not aware of your situation?”

“Of course I am. I’m just the head of a lowly viscount family who divorced you.”

“The alimony you received—”

His words silenced me.

I remembered the whispers about the alimony. While the exact amount wasn’t public, rumors suggested I had received a significant sum from Duke Graham upon our divorce.

Now I understood Ains’ implication. He was suggesting that Viscount Moldovan might be interested in the alimony I had received.

Indeed, I had my doubts about Moldovan’s intentions. Even if his feelings were genuine, people would likely suspect otherwise given the circumstances.

“Look into Viscount Moldovan and his circle. Then you’ll understand why I’m acting this way,” Ains said, turning to leave the terrace.

I watched him, and just as he reached for the door, I called out, “Wait.”

“What is it?”

“I understand your concerns. But why are you acting like this all of a sudden? I told you, let’s stay out of each other’s business. Do you really think I’d fall for Viscount Moldovan and hand over all my money?”

Ains remained silent.

I didn’t need to guess what his silence meant. I took a deep breath, trying to suppress a bitter laugh.

“No one can seduce me into doing that,” I said firmly.

Even if Moldovan’s confession were a lie and he was only after the alimony, I wouldn’t give him a cent. That money was meant to secure my future, and I wasn’t foolish enough to squander it before ensuring my survival. I no longer had the luxury of being swayed by love.

“Rest assured, there’s nothing for you to worry about. And please, don’t act like that in the ballroom again. What do you think people will make of your actions?”

I glanced back at the bustling ballroom, where a few people were still watching us. When our eyes met, they quickly turned away, pretending to be engrossed in their conversations.

Ains’ behavior had undoubtedly seemed odd to others—approaching me, taking Moldovan’s coat off my shoulders, and then walking with me to the terrace. If we weren’t divorced, it would have seemed normal, but given our situation, it was bound to raise eyebrows. People might even think I was using Moldovan to win Ains back.

“We’re divorced, remember? The divorce you wanted so badly,” I reminded him.

“Let’s just act like we don’t exist to each other.”

It felt odd to say this, almost as if I were the one who had begged for the divorce, but it had been Ains who had insisted on it.

“Thanks for your concern. But I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interfere anymore,” I said, handing his coat back before turning to leave the terrace.

Ains stood there, silently staring at the coat in his hands.

As I reentered the ballroom, I felt the weight of everyone’s gaze on me, just as I had when I first arrived. Given the recent events, staying unnoticed seemed impossible. I decided it was best to leave and head back to the viscount’s estate.

I crossed the ballroom toward the exit.

“Are you leaving?” a servant asked.

“Yes, please call for my carriage.”

“Of course, please wait a moment.”

I closed my eyes as the servant went to prepare the carriage.

Attending this ball had been a mistake. It had only given me a headache.

I had thought that by showing up at a few balls, people would lose interest in me, but it turned out to be the opposite. Many families were eager to get close to the now-single Ains, and I worried that my actions might have left a bad impression on them. I sat down in the waiting room, resting my head in my hands.

Thinking about my headache only made it worse. The pain intensified to the point where it felt like my eyes would burst, and soon I felt nauseous. I tried to pound my chest to relieve the pressure, but my hand wouldn’t form a fist.

I raised my trembling hand. “Oh no,” I muttered. It was a sign of Trintz disease.

I prayed for the carriage to arrive quickly, clutching my shaking hand to my chest. If it took too long, I feared I would lose consciousness. I closed my eyes tightly to steady my dizzy head.

“Viscountess Marves, your carriage has arrived,” a servant announced.

Thankfully, the carriage arrived soon after. Rivet, who had come to escort me, paled when she saw my condition.

“Madam! Are you alright?”

“Rivet, quickly, the mana stone…”

“Hold on, just a moment!”

Rivet rushed to the carriage and retrieved the mana stone I had prepared in advance. I took the stone from her and held it in both hands, concentrating. The stone began to glow faintly, and the light slowly absorbed into me. The crushing headache and nausea gradually faded, and sensation started to return to my fingertips.

Once all the light had been absorbed, I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. I was relieved I had decided to leave the ball early. If I hadn’t absorbed the mana in time, my body would have stiffened, leaving me immobile. Returning early had allowed me to act quickly.

“Madam, are you alright?” Rivet asked, her voice trembling with concern.

I handed her the now-dim mana stone and smiled reassuringly. “Yes, thanks to you, I’m fine.”

“I’m so relieved.”

Even though I felt better, walking was still a challenge. With Rivet’s help, I slowly made my way to the carriage. Once I managed to get inside and sit down, I finally relaxed.

“Let’s go,” I instructed.

“Yes, Viscountess,” the driver replied, and I heard the horses being urged forward.

I closed my eyes in the moving carriage, feeling exhausted from the symptoms.

After returning from the ball, I didn’t leave the estate for some time. With no mana stones coming up for auction, I could afford to stay in. I took the opportunity to rest, something I hadn’t done in a long while. Rivet, who had been shocked by my episode at the ball, was doing her best to care for me.

Sometimes, it felt nice to do nothing and escape from complicated thoughts. When I was the Duchess of Graham, I had hosted salons and constantly interacted with people to maintain appearances. Back then, it hadn’t felt exhausting, but now I wondered how I had managed it.

Perhaps I hadn’t realized how taxing it was because I believed those interactions helped my grandfather and Ains. In reality, my efforts had contributed to some of Ains’ business successes and opened new opportunities.

However, thinking those interactions were genuine had been a mistake. After the divorce, no one reached out to me, and at the ball, no one acknowledged me—they only gossiped. Among them were people who had benefited from my help and entered high society through my connections.

Realizing that all my achievements as the Duchess of Graham were a facade filled me with a deep sense of emptiness. Maybe I had lived my life wrong, or perhaps people had always looked down on me. Even though I thought I had done my best…

I covered my face with my hands. The cold touch of my fingers against my skin seemed to clear my mind a little.

“Madam! It’s Rivet,” came a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

Rivet entered the room, and I removed my hands from my face to see her approaching. She was holding a letter.

“What’s that?” I asked, unable to hide my curiosity.

“It’s a letter from Viscount Moldovan,” Rivet replied, handing it to me respectfully.