1.1.2

“Leviwan’s family must be struggling. If they’re trying to ally with the Crayble family…”

Taylor glanced cautiously toward the wall where Leviwan stood and lowered his voice.

“They almost lost their mansion.”

Another officer also spoke quietly. Since it wasn’t a pleasant topic, they whispered so others wouldn’t hear.

“I heard they’re buried in debt.”

“Ah, so that’s why.”

The officers now understood and discreetly looked over at Kailo’s clothes. Although Kailo had tried to dress well, the fabric wasn’t high-end, and the discerning eyes of Lohandra’s nobility could tell at a glance. The Leviwan family’s financial troubles were well-known in Lohandra.

“And the Crayble family needed noble status, too.”

The Crayble family was a rising nouveau riche in Lohandra, but their status was still that of commoners. They tried in every way to squeeze into high society, but the wall was tall and solid. It was then that news spread that the prestigious Leviwan family of Lohandra was declining. The interests of both families aligned, and talks of marriage proceeded quickly. There was nothing to lose for either side. Sophie Crayble began to show her face in Lohandra’s social circles around the time of her engagement to Kailo.

“But Miss Crayble, doesn’t it bother her at all that her fiancé’s childhood friend is such a beauty?”

Harry whispered into Theofield’s ear, watching Clara and Kailo.

“Don’t whisper in my ear, it’s unpleasant.”

Theofield’s gaze darkened at the hot, wet breath that swept past. His expression was genuinely displeased.

“If you look at it that way, Lady Selgier is also engaged to Duke Aliph. Maybe the Duke is always busy, so he asked his childhood friend to escort her.”

Taylor, who was beside them, replied to Harry as if it was no big deal.

Clara Selgier was the fiancée of Ian Aliph, Duke of Lohandra, and had come to Lohandra for the wedding.

“Seeing those two so close reminds me of you and Lady Lisner.”

Harry tapped Theofield’s shoulder. But Theofield’s gaze at Clara and Kailo was crooked. Was he and Milia like them? No way.

“They say the two have been close since childhood, almost like siblings.”

The words he heard made Theofield even more confused. He didn’t know why, but he felt a strange sense of doubt.

‘They’re so close, yet they say they’re like siblings?’

To Theofield, Clara and Kailo were different from himself and Milia. The two of them had never looked at each other with such sticky, heated, and wistful gazes.

Milia and Theofield had been together since they were babies—so young that neither remembered. Their parents, Viscount Lisner and Count Manders, were very close. The mansions of both families were nearby, so Milia and Theofield often visited each other’s homes and spent time together.

Maybe it was because they had been together for so long. Their close friends often tried to pair them up.

‘You two have been together since you were little, so you must know each other best.’

‘Wherever you go now, you’re always a set, you know?’

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if you two end up marrying each other.’

‘So, when are you getting married?’

Whenever that happened, Milia and Theofield’s expressions would turn cold. Their relationship was so plain and comfortable, even more than family. They were siblings and friends to each other. Not romantic friends, but just friends. Even if they slept in the same bed or bathed together in a small tub, nothing ever happened. Of course, the bathing together was only when they were very young.

* * *

During the break, the women and men rested in separate lounges, dressed comfortably in their undergarments. Clara, who arrived late, was also lying on a soft sofa with the other young ladies, dressed only in her corset and bloomers.

“It’s already been half a year since you came to Lohandra, Lady Selgier.”

The young ladies had quietly gathered around Clara.

“Has it really been that long? It feels like I just arrived in Lohandra, but the seasons have already changed.”

Clara smiled brightly as she picked up a pastry brought by a maid. Her smiling face was so lovely that even the other ladies blushed, despite all being women. How could that lady’s smile be so sophisticated?

“That’s right, Lady Selgier, you first came to Lohandra in May, and now December is approaching.”

“Time really flies.”

Clara, who came from the capital, Caincridge, was the daughter of Count Selgier and had only been in Lohandra for half a year. Yet, in that short time, she had already conquered the social scene. All the young ladies her age followed Clara’s lead, and even the older Madames wanted to invite her. Clara was elegant and mature, yet cheerful and witty. Her eloquence and confidence persuaded everyone.

Especially among her peers, Clara’s influence was enormous. Clara was free-spirited and open-minded, and she knew many secret stories about men and women.

‘They say it’s very painful the first time you’re intimate.’

‘A virgin bleeds a lot on her first night.’

‘Some men are as small as a twig.’

‘Of course, there are men as small as a child’s finger, too.’

Hearing such shocking stories for the first time, the young ladies were all appalled. Yet their curiosity drove them to ask Clara all sorts of questions, and Clara would answer everything without hesitation. If anyone doubted how she knew all this—

‘In the capital, this kind of knowledge is just common sense…….’

It was also Clara who started the trend of risqué romance novels among the young ladies, including Milia.

“When I first heard the rumor that Duke Aliph was getting engaged, I was so surprised. I thought, ‘He’s finally getting married.’ There were so many women who adored him……”

As the conversation deepened, Milia’s close friend Catherine mentioned Duke Aliph. Instantly, some groups started glaring fiercely at Catherine.

“Why? Is it so shocking that Duke Aliph is getting engaged?”

Margaret Wenster snapped sharply. Margaret’s close friend Robelia quietly stared at Catherine. Milia and the other ladies watching couldn’t hide their confusion. ‘Why are they acting like that?’ The atmosphere instantly turned cold.

“N-no, it’s just that Duke Aliph never had any affairs with women……”

Flustered by Margaret’s aggressive question, Catherine stammered. Then Margaret and Robelia’s group began to chide Catherine.

“Still, you shouldn’t say that in front of the fiancée.”

“That’s right, talking about someone’s fiancé behind their back isn’t proper, Lady CatherineRomson.”

Only after seeing Robelia’s deeply displeased face did Milia realize her friend Catherine had made a mistake.

‘Oh no, Catherine.’

But their harsh treatment of Catherine wasn’t truly for Clara’s sake. There were complicated reasons behind it.

It was an incident from half a year ago, one that everyone had forgotten, but now the other young ladies began to remember. In the tense atmosphere, Clara, who knew nothing, finally spoke up.

“Thank you for getting angry on my behalf, but I’m not offended, Lady Wenster.”

Clara smiled gracefully at Margaret and Robelia.

“This is a pleasant gathering. Besides, I want to hear it! As the fiancée, I’m honestly curious about how popular my fiancé was.”

At Clara’s relaxed gaze, Margaret and Robelia looked away. Robelia, seeming displeased, called for a maid and began to put on her dress. Her close group followed suit and got dressed.

“Where are you going? Stay and rest with us.”

“The air is stuffy here, so we’ll excuse ourselves.”

“Then, goodbye.”

Clara waved her hand to see them off. No one in the lounge tried to stop Robelia’s group from leaving. Once they were gone, the remaining young ladies all sighed in relief.

“What a sight. Do they still think they’re queens?”

Sierra, Milia’s friend, grumbled. Catherine, who had been attacked, was still trying to calm her racing heart, her face now bright red.

“Now that they’re gone, I can say this, but Robelia Redrave used to have a crush on Duke Aliph.”

Another lady scoffed.

“Oh my, really? This is my first time hearing that.”

Clara’s eyes sparkled with interest.

“I had forgotten too. I made a slip because I forgot about Lady Redrave’s feelings.”

Catherine laughed awkwardly.

“Before you arrived, Lady Selgier, it was a well-known story. When news of Duke Aliph’s engagement broke, it was chaos. We kept quiet out of consideration for her pride, but she didn’t even appreciate it.”

Soon, everyone began to criticize Robelia and Margaret’s group. Robelia had been the queen who ruled over the young ladies of Lohandra’s social scene before Clara arrived. But when Clara Selgier from the capital appeared, Robelia lost her throne. Unlike Robelia, Clara was always humble, lively, and kind to everyone. That’s why all the young ladies in Lohandra liked Clara and wanted to become close to her.

Then, Sophie Crayble came out of the restroom, looking startled. Her expression showed clear embarrassment as she looked around.

“Did Lady Redrave and Lady Wenster leave already?”

Sophie’s thin voice was like a mosquito’s buzz. Milia remembered that Sophie Crayble used to follow Robelia’s group around. Not exactly by choice—Sophie was simply dragged along.

“They said the air was stuffy and left first.”

Another lady explained to Sophie. With no close friends, Sophie seemed lost.

“Stay and rest with us, Miss Crayble. It’s cold outside.”

Milia offered her hand first, and Sophie shyly smiled and sat next to her. Milia thought Sophie, with her small and delicate frame, seemed like a baby bird. But Sierra and Catherine, apparently displeased, nudged Milia’s side.

“Why’d you call her over here? I don’t like her.”

Sierra muttered quietly, clearly annoyed. The aristocratic-born girls disliked the idea of a merchant’s daughter sitting with them. Sophie had only recently appeared in social circles, and even then, she was mostly left out by her group.