If We Had Known Each Other a Little Earlier (1)

The social circles of the Anatolian Empire were strict toward outsiders. Only after passing rigorous verification of family history, head of household’s rank, wealth, and connections could one finally be recognized as a member of high society.

It was natural that Adelaide Cornwall was not welcomed in social circles. After all, haughty nobles would never accept a merchant who had bought his title with money.

‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have come.’

Adelaide, hiding in a dark corner of the mansion while watching the ball, lowered her gaze dejectedly.

Despite having carefully dressed up since early morning to attend the ball, no one showed any interest in her, making her efforts seem wasted.

Adelaide touched the handkerchief carefully tucked in her dress pocket and sighed. It was a handkerchief that someone had given her a month ago at the imperial ball when she was crying.

‘I really wanted to find him.’

The handkerchief given by a man whose name, age, and face she didn’t know had the initials “V.I.” embroidered on it.

She had checked almost all nobles with names starting with V to find the handkerchief’s owner, but no one matched the condition of being a man in his twenties who attended the imperial ball that day.

Then, wondering if “V.I.” might represent the number 6, she had inquired about families associated with the number 6, but no one claimed to have lost a handkerchief.

‘Who could it have been?’

It might have been meaningless kindness from a compassionate nobleman, but Adelaide couldn’t shake her attachment.

‘I thought that even if I don’t know who he is, he might recognize me.’

Adelaide carefully examined the noblemen moving around the ballroom once more.

There were faces she had seen at the imperial ball and faces she hadn’t, but no one who seemed likely to be the handkerchief’s owner appeared.

‘I thought he might come since this is the largest gathering after the imperial ball.’

Adelaide bitterly caressed the handkerchief. Just as she was about to give up on finding the handkerchief’s owner here and leave:

“Excuse me. You are Lady Cornwall, correct?”

“Yes?”

An unfamiliar man approached her amiably.

‘Could it be… this man?*

“Do you know me?” Adelaide asked with a hint of expectation. The man nodded with a smile.

“Of course. Who in social circles doesn’t know Lady Cornwall?”

“Ah…”

‘So it’s not him.’

Disappointment filled Adelaide’s face.

“I’ve seen you many times, but this is our first greeting. I’m Danny McKinnon.”

“…Yes, hello.”

It was a name she had heard before. He was the eldest son of Count McKinnon, notorious for his meddlesome nature and complicated relationships with women.

Not wanting to get involved with him, she tried to awkwardly avoid the situation, but he subtly asked:

“You’ve been looking around for a while. Are you searching for someone?”

“No, nothing like—”

Adelaide waved her hand dismissively but trailed off.

‘This person might know.’

Though there was a risk of strange rumors spreading rather than finding the handkerchief’s owner, she felt Danny McKinnon might know.

“Do you know whose handkerchief this is?”

“Handkerchief?”

Danny McKinnon took the handkerchief with a puzzled expression. As he examined the plain handkerchief, his gaze stopped on the initials embroidered in the corner.

“V.I.?”

He scrutinized the letters on the handkerchief intently before speaking:

“I have a hunch, but since I’m not certain, it’s difficult to give a definite answer. Let me check and get back to you in a few days.”

“Thank you.”

—

“A handkerchief?”

Callion, who was entertaining Danny McKinnon who had barged into the palace suggesting a game of chess, raised his eyebrows.

Danny McKinnon, having captured Callion’s pawn, moved the chess piece aside and answered:

“Yes. It had ‘V.I.’ written on it. Don’t you know it?”

“Why do you ask?”

Callion, holding a bishop, pondered his next move as he questioned.

“Because a young lady from a certain family is desperately searching for the handkerchief’s owner.”

“The handkerchief’s owner? Who?”

“Lady Cornwall, the Earl’s daughter.”

A clear disturbance crossed Callion’s face. He put down the chess piece he was holding as if throwing it.

After giving her the handkerchief, there had been no contact for over a month, so he thought she had forgotten about it.

Though he regretted losing a handkerchief with deep meaning, if she was his uncle’s woman as rumored, it was understandable that she might feel uncomfortable contacting him.

So he had resigned himself to it, but to think she had been searching for the handkerchief’s owner all this time without knowing it was him.

“So it is Your Highness’s handkerchief.”

As the silence lengthened, Danny McKinnon shrugged, saying he had suspected as much.

“I did some investigating just in case, and she’s gone to considerable effort to find the handkerchief’s owner. She doesn’t seem to have any idea it’s you.”

Callion silently nodded.

‘It must not have been easy.’

Considering Adelaide Cornwall’s position, it was understandable how much effort it would have taken to search for the handkerchief’s owner.

Nevertheless.

Callion tried to hide the smile forming at the corners of his mouth.

“Isn’t this the first time Your Highness has shown interest in a woman?”

“…”

“As far as I know, you never showed such kindness even to Lady Shayla.”

“Don’t imagine strange things, Danny.”

Callion feigned seriousness at the playful tone. But Danny McKinnon paid no heed.

“You don’t need to lie to me. Lady Cornwall is indeed that beautiful.”

“That’s not it, I tell you.”

“Well, what does it matter? To be honest, everyone’s holding back because of you, Your Highness. There are quite a few men dying to approach her.”

“Ahem.”

As Callion cleared his throat, having his true feelings exposed, Danny McKinnon continued with a smirk:

“If you’re thinking of meeting her, I can arrange it.”

“Well. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if I can trust that loose tongue of yours.”

“If you don’t trust me, I could just take the handkerchief and deliver it to her.”

“…”

Callion cast a sidelong glance. Danny McKinnon chuckled and moved his rook.

“Checkmate, Your Highness.”

Callion, who had forgotten they were in the middle of a chess game, looked down dejectedly at the decided match.

Danny McKinnon, having captured the king from the Crown Prince, rose without hesitation.

“There’s a salon at Marquis Grant’s this Sunday evening. Why not take an outing for once?”

“…Keep my attendance a secret.”

“Understood.”

—

Marquis Grant’s salon was one of the most notable gatherings in social circles.

Befitting a salon hosted by the Marchioness of Grant, known for her encyclopedic knowledge, the level of discussion was high and the guests were prestigious, making invitations as rare as stars in the sky.

In other words, it was a gathering that Adelaide, a merchant’s daughter, had absolutely no chance of attending—if not for the invitation from Danny McKinnon.

Adelaide sat in an inconspicuous corner of the reception room, observing people engaged in heated discussions.

‘He must be somewhere here.’

‘Did he not recognize me, or has he not arrived yet?’

She nervously fidgeted with the handkerchief, which she had washed clean and even sprayed with perfume. No matter how much she looked around, there was no sign of Danny McKinnon.

‘Surely he didn’t invite me here just to make fun of me?’

Danny McKinnon, famous for his mischief, was certainly capable of such things.

Just recently, Adelaide had been fooled by a fake invitation delivered to her home and had knocked on the door of a salon that wasn’t even being held.

As the thought that she had been deceived again grew stronger, her chest ached. With her vision blurring from tears, Adelaide lowered her head.

Not wanting to show an unsightly appearance in front of others, she barely swallowed her tears and raised her face, only to meet eyes with an unfamiliar man.

He was a man who had caught her attention since she entered the reception room. Though he rarely joined the conversations, judging by how others treated him, he seemed to be from a considerably distinguished family.

Adelaide met his persistent gaze before looking away.

‘Did I… do something wrong?’

Wondering if she had unknowingly made a mistake, Adelaide swallowed a bitter smile.

‘My very existence must be bothersome.’

The look that questioned why someone who didn’t belong was here was now familiar, but still uncomfortable.

Since she couldn’t leave in the middle of the salon, Adelaide quietly rose and went out to the balcony.

The night sky, with the moon hidden behind clouds, was dark. Her exposed shoulders felt chilly in the breeze, and she huddled, embracing her pitiful self.

‘I shouldn’t have looked for the handkerchief’s owner from the beginning.’

As she was blaming herself for taking a conventional courtesy as sincere, someone pulled back the balcony curtain.

She quickly raised her head at the unfamiliar shadow.

“Oh…?”