Chapter 7 – Dissonance

The residence of Viscount Dillor, where the social music concert was being held, was a family renowned for its endless dignity and refinement. They had no interest in politics, focusing solely on estate management and the patronage of the arts. This family tradition bore some resemblance to that of Count Martel, and there was even a marital connection between the two during the current head’s tenure. Lady Katarin Martel, daughter of Count Martel, had stopped by the venue to pay her respects to her uncle after a long time. However, she found herself being endlessly nagged by the elders of the family, asking if she truly had no intention of pursuing music seriously.

Danielle Odillon was well aware of the stories of Katarin being a piano prodigy during her childhood. It seemed inevitable that she would not be able to leave today without playing at least one song. Deciding to let the youngest of the Royal Investigation Bureau enjoy some family bonding in peace, Danielle took her partner’s hand.

Danielle’s partner, Felix Ingram, escorted her into the hall. The scattered gazes of the salon immediately converged upon them. She muttered to herself internally, ‘What a spectacle.’

The arrival of the Ingram siblings in the capital was, in some ways, an even bigger topic of conversation than their father’s appointment as the new Director of the Investigation Bureau. While the Duke’s frivolous schemes were only a concern for a few administrative officials, his children were always warmly welcomed in high society. They were young, attractive, and unmarried.

Felix Ingram, although he had been in the capital until just a few months ago, was virtually unknown to the public since he had been a magic apprentice. Ordinarily, a mage was not considered an ideal son-in-law. However, the narrative changed entirely when he was described as “the heir to one of the wealthiest families in the South, and intelligent enough to study magic.” 

Moreover, his unexpectedly warm and approachable personality scored him additional points, making Felix the subject of immense interest among all the parents in the capital. Meanwhile, Danielle, who appeared holding Felix’s hand, was now… receiving sharp glances as a woman who, despite being engaged, was interfering with others’ marital prospects.

“I hope I didn’t make an unreasonable request.” 

Felix said apologetically as they settled into a corner seat, away from the center stage and the generously arranged audience seats.

Danielle quickly shook her head. 

“It’s more of a privilege for me to have the opportunity to guide you into society, Young Master Ingram. If your father hadn’t been appointed as Director, I might not have had the chance to speak with you so closely.”

“Did you know?” 

Felix leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. Danielle instinctively leaned closer, tilting her head to listen.

“Originally, the Investigation Bureau’s personnel dispatch for this spring wasn’t supposed to be Ivan Nazari. It was going to be me.”

“What?!” 

Danielle burst into laughter. Felix shrugged his shoulders, still leaning forward.

“I had to let it go when I was suddenly called back to the estate. I still regret it.”

“Regret? If you knew how much Sir Ivan scowls every day when he comes to work, you’d probably think you dodged a bullet.”

“Ivan isn’t exactly suited to a nine-to-five schedule… In any case, my father ended up taking my place. I’m not sure how to apologize for that.”

“You’re joking, right?”

Of course, she hoped he wasn’t joking. For a brief moment, Danielle genuinely thought so. However, a smarter Ingram didn’t necessarily mean a better Ingram. After all, Felix belonged to the elite group of “high-ranking noble lords” that Danielle remained wary of.

Seizing the opportunity, she asked,

“Even though it didn’t work out, it’s nice to hear. Were you originally interested in the Investigation Bureau?”

“Well… Ah, excuse me. It seems someone is looking for me.”

Unfortunately, Felix stood up at that moment. Danielle cursed inwardly as she rose to her feet. A woman entering the salon, escorted by her partner, waved in their direction. 

Oh, great. 

Danielle hurriedly unfolded her fan to cover her mouth. It was Annemarie Ingram and Cyril.

***

Annemarie Ingram was the true catch of this autumn’s social season. Unlike her brother, who carried the slight stigma of “well, he’s a mage…,” there was no room for such disappointment in her case. Annemarie was beautiful, lively, cheerful, and, above all, appeared utterly harmless. Even her slightly airheaded demeanor, inherited from her father, added to her charm as a woman.

Watching men from families as prominent as the Ingrams—or even those who weren’t remotely in the same league—dress like peacocks in hopes of catching her attention made Danielle chuckle to herself. Though she had been engaged since the age of ten and thus excluded from such matters, there was always a “flower of the marriage market” each year. Such chaos occurred at least once every other year.

For Danielle, however, Annemarie was nothing more or less than a member of a group of prime suspects. She should have felt indifferent toward her. Yet, her perspective shifted when Cyril’s behavior began to change.

Cyril Frey, since the summer festival, had started frequenting social gatherings he would normally avoid. At first, Danielle ignored the invitations he sent, simply because she was still upset. By the middle—around ten days later—she began thinking she should meet him to hear about the situation in the Knights. But by then, her pride got in the way.

Danielle realized belatedly that she had never voluntarily conceded to Cyril before. Even the errand boy delivering his letters seemed to pity his master, which only made her more stubborn. She refused to relent in front of him.

So, when Cyril showed up at her mansion with a bag of pastries from the Rose Flower Shop, Danielle secretly felt a huge sense of relief. She planned to subtly inquire about whether the Ingrams were pressuring the Knights while introducing him to the siblings. 

At the same time, she intended to ask why he was so determined to attend every social gathering lately. If there was a good ball coming up, she thought she might even suggest going together, offering to help if he was looking for something—or someone. 

Until the moment Cyril locked eyes with Annemarie Ingram, Danielle had been happily nibbling on the last biscuit, thinking along those lines.

And the result was as you see. Cyril, who had shoved the bag of pastries into her hands, spent the rest of the conversation visibly distracted. Danielle, who knew him well, could tell that his responses to her usual chatter were oddly half-hearted.

His attention was clearly focused on… Annemarie, sitting across from them. A lovely young lady with black hair and green eyes like Danielle’s, yet so strikingly different in her sweet and charming aura that it was hard to believe they shared similar features.

Ah, so that’s how it is.

Choosing Felix as her partner for the musicale had been a rather impulsive decision. Danielle wanted to walk side-by-side with another man in front of Cyril. At the same time, she wanted him to experience what it felt like to attend a social event with a woman who drew everyone’s attention. She wanted to push him into the spotlight and make him endure the whispers, like the ones she was hearing now from behind her.

‘Oh my, look at that. Lady Odillon came in with someone else.’

‘She’s been wandering around alone a lot lately… Do you think she’s looking for a new groom?’

‘Oh, come on. A dance partner can be anyone.’

‘Besides, the heads of both families still seem to get along. Just the other day…’

‘Can marriages still happen like that in this day and age? The couple themselves need to get along! Those two have been at odds with each other since forever, haven’t they?’  

‘True, I hear the gap between the Knights and the Investigation Bureau has widened even more recently. Miss Odillon is the kind of woman who would outright reject the Knights just because she didn’t want to work with her future husband.’  

‘But who’s the young lady accompanying him? Oh my, you’re saying it’s Miss Ingram?’  

‘Goodness. Doesn’t that make things look incredibly strange?’  

It couldn’t look stranger than this. Danielle quickly grabbed Felix’s hand and stood beside the two, presenting the image of an engaged couple escorting their siblings. It was the only way to prevent this cultured salon from turning into a den of rumors.  

Summoning all her social grace, Danielle spoke first.  

“I was worried you might be late, Miss Ingram. The recital is about to begin.”  

“The garden at the Dillor estate was so beautiful… I ended up pestering Sir Cyril to take a look, and we lost track of time. I’m so sorry for worrying you!”  

Annemarie replied with a bright smile, her voice unnecessarily loud. 

Was she bragging about taking a private stroll with someone else’s fiancé? 

Danielle was left speechless by the unexpected audacity of this seemingly innocent young lady. Behind her, she could feel the silent cheers of an audience watching a gladiatorial match. 

What on earth should I do about this?  

For now, Danielle hid her twitching lips behind her fan and led Annemarie to the seating area. It was even more secluded than the spot Felix had chosen earlier. Sitting in a prime spot would only distract the performers… Danielle, who had always been fond of Dillor’s musical soirées, decided to blame Cyril for the mess they were in.