Raymond was shocked by Charlotte’s behavior.

It was far too unexpected. He had thought she was so gentle that she would foolishly let herself be taken advantage of.

There was a reason he could not help thinking that way.

It was from when Peter, the merchant he had sent to help Charlotte, came to report to Raymond after meeting her.

Why is she supplying them at this price?

Questioning the price Charlotte had set, Raymond asked Peter in return whether he had properly informed her of the surrounding market rates.

Peter nodded with an awkward expression.

I also told her it would be better to raise the price a little more, but the young lady said that since it was luck that had come to her suddenly, she felt it was right to return it to everyone.

Ha.

What a hopelessly innocent child.

It seemed Charlotte was not suited to business after all. People like that often felt uncomfortable with the very act of making a profit.

It feels like only yesterday that I was satisfied just because she wasn’t giving away pieces of herself to feed others.

But now she could calculate like this.

She had even acted slyly.

“What reason would I have to feel offended? You adjusted it to a fair price.”

Raymond said with a small laugh.

Charlotte quietly felt relieved.

Because Raymond spent money so freely, she had thought he might be displeased and ask why she was calculating so much over such a trivial amount, or become angry because she had wounded his pride.

“More than that, I was impressed. The dress shop owner will have no idea you had your own intentions, my lady. You deceived her very well.”

“Intentions… might be a bit…”

Charlotte trailed off, then gave a small laugh.

“You’re right. I did have intentions. But I didn’t mean to deceive her.”

“Is that so? For someone who didn’t mean to, you did well. You have some talent for acting. You could become an actress.”

“It wasn’t that impressive. And they say actresses have to be truly beautiful.”

At that moment, Raymond’s mouth opened without hesitation, but no words came out.

When Charlotte looked at him strangely, he rolled his eyes once, swallowed, and said, “Since we’re talking about actors, I heard there’s a theater here too.”

“Ah, I’ve heard of it.”

Ferris had a dream that the stories he wrote would become popular enough to spread across the country and be made into plays.

He had said he hoped they would begin in Romen, the capital, then move on to the large city of Divens, and eventually be performed at the theater in Glasko as well.

“Have you ever seen a play?”

“No.”

“Then when a performance is staged later, let’s go see it. To be honest, I don’t have great expectations. But perhaps they’ll do surprisingly well.”

Charlotte nodded.

A play.

She felt a little excited. She had only ever read about plays in the newspaper and had never even been near a theater.

When will a play be performed?

Meanwhile, Raymond felt relieved as he watched Charlotte walking silently while looking straight ahead.

That was close.

When Charlotte had said actresses had to be beautiful, he had nearly said, That is precisely why I said it.

It was a good thing he had barely managed to rein in his tongue. Otherwise, he would have created another strange atmosphere.

What on earth is wrong with me?

Get ahold of yourself.

Charlotte was no longer simply a child. Rather than smiling brightly and being pleased at being called pretty, she would probably ask what on earth he meant by saying such a thing.

And if that caused some strange misunderstanding, he would be the one in trouble.

Charlotte was a little sister to him!

So he needed to be careful.

There was no choice but to be careful.

It would not be easy, but…

* * *

The day of the party arrived.

Elena, who had finished preparing to go out, met Eric’s eyes and asked, “Eric! Won’t you come with us? Mr. Ferris will be waiting for you.”

Eric avoided her eyes and shook his head.

Elena smiled awkwardly and said, “We won’t be too late.”

Eric nodded halfheartedly, then looked at Charlotte.

Charlotte’s eyes curved softly as she said, “Then should I just not go and play with Eric instead?”

Eric thought for a moment, then shook his head.

<No. If you do that, Mr. Ferris will probably bother me.>

“Dear. You should call him Teacher Ferris.”

Elena jumped in and corrected him.

Eric pouted.

Charlotte touched her chin and thought,

Mm. Mr. Ferris and Eric’s relationship is complicated.

It was as if they were each other’s teacher.

Still, Ferris had met Eric as his teacher, and even now, he taught Eric his studies at least once a week, so it was right to call him teacher.

Though it does seem like Eric spends more time reading and critiquing Mr. Ferris’s novels than Mr. Ferris spends teaching Eric.

But Mr. Ferris was a noble…

But Mr. Ferris disliked dividing people by status…

Goodness, if she started weighing things like this, there would be no end to it.

<I’ll be careful. Then both of you, have a good time.>

Eric yawned widely and waved.

As Charlotte and Elena went down the stairs, Elena whispered bitterly, “Somehow, I don’t think Eric likes me very much.”

“What? That isn’t true.”

Charlotte hurriedly denied it.

But Elena only shook her head.

“Even when my husband was alive, he liked his father more. They say most children prefer their mothers, but Eric was like that…”

It had been painful enough to lose her husband so suddenly, but her only son had lost his voice from the shock.

When Elena saw him like that, she could no longer collapse and do nothing but cry.

She lived normally, as though nothing had happened.

Because she wanted to tell her child.

That even so, they had to keep living.

Smiling, if possible.

Happily.

“But from that child’s point of view, I must look like nothing more than an immature mother who acts carefree even after her husband died. And in truth, I suppose I am immature. Even recently, I caused trouble and ended up hurting you too, Charlotte.”

“Goodness, why would you say that? If anything, I received help from it. I was even gifted the dress I’m wearing now because of you.”

Charlotte said this as she touched the dress she was wearing.

“And Eric too. It only feels unfamiliar to him. He’s never really acted affectionately toward his mother before… I suppose you could call it a matter of personality.”

“Do you think so…”

Elena, who had been murmuring in a slightly sad voice, shrugged.

“I’m sorry. I ruined your mood with unnecessary talk right before you head onto the battlefield, Charlotte. I’m fine, so don’t worry too much. I’m much better than you might think.”

“Mm, I’m truly glad to hear that… but what do you mean, battlefield?”

Weren’t they going to a party?

“Oh my, Charlotte. You haven’t forgotten who your partner is, have you? He’s the man receiving the most attention in all of Glasko!”

“Ah…”

Charlotte’s face stiffened.

She was already nervous because she had never really attended parties, and now, after hearing such a warning, her palms were damp with cold sweat.

“Oh my! Charlotte, don’t be so nervous. I only tossed it out as a light joke. People in Glasko are so sociable and kind. Even so, if anyone is rude to you, tell me! I’ll deal with them, noble or not!”

Elena raised a thin fist that did not look reliable in the slightest.

“I’m sure today’s party will be a good time for you, Charlotte.”

“Yes. I only hope I don’t cause any trouble…”

“That will absolutely never happen.”

Before they knew it, the two of them were standing in front of the entrance.

Charlotte was about to follow Elena, who was walking ahead, when Elena turned back and said, “Oh my. Charlotte, you should wait here for that person.”

“What? Who… Don’t tell me, him?”

Charlotte’s eyes, which had grown cloudy with worry, flashed.

“Yes! He’s your partner. Of course he’ll come to escort you.”

“No. No! He never said he would come pick me up. That’s why I was relieved.”

The person she had no choice but to call him, in case someone overheard, was coming to the Spencer estate?

That could not happen.

Even if Mrs. Spencer was out, all the servants were still in the mansion…

“Don’t worry. I told the servants that a gentleman would be coming to escort Charlotte, but not to mention it to Mother.”

The Spencer family’s servants tended to treat Charlotte carefully, as she had once been in a state similar to Eric’s.

Perhaps they were afraid that if they carelessly let something slip and Charlotte stopped going out again—then they would surely be careful.

“But there is no way he would come to pick me up. Naturally, he’ll think I’m coming with Elena.”

“Even so…”

Just then, a carriage appeared from across the garden.

Elena pointed at the carriage and laughed softly.

“See? I was right.”

Charlotte wanted to believe that someone else had come to visit.

But the man who truly stepped down from that carriage and emerged through the darkness was…

“Good evening, Lady Prairie.”

Raymond, already tall and striking to begin with, greeted her dressed properly in a tailcoat.