“Oh, my lady.”

Joy flickered in the green eyes fixed on Ilenia.

“My apologies for the late greeting. I am Count Voclain Pablo.”

“Ilenia Lukehardt.”

Even after their light exchange of greetings, Count Pablo’s gaze lingered on her, as though studying her. Stroking his chin with interest, he gave a sly smile.

“If I could turn back time, I would give up a thousand things just to attend your wedding. You are so beautiful now — how much more radiant must you have been on your wedding day?”

“You flatter me too much, Count Pablo.”

“Haha! You know I’m not one for empty words.”

His hearty laughter rang loudly through the garden.

They said he was one of Delphius’s important business partners, and the familiarity between them seemed more than casual. Count Pablo, beaming with delight, glanced between the two again and again before finally nudging Delphius in the side with a playful elbow.

“I finally understand why you were in such a rush to marry, my lord.”

“If you’ve caught even a glimpse of my impatience, then I’m glad.”

Delphius replied with practiced ease, prompting Count Pablo’s laughter to ring out even louder.

The Count’s bold, open nature was as large as his booming voice. Though it was their first meeting, he approached Ilenia warmly, speaking to her without formality. Most of his conversation was shared with Delphius, yet his manner—never forgetting her presence—helped ease the tension that had tightened her shoulders.

Whether he knew or not, Count Pablo made no mention of the rumors swirling around her. That silence, that deliberate courtesy, touched Ilenia deeply.

“Lord Lukehardt, when will you visit the club again? The poker games we shared were so extraordinary that they even come to me in dreams!”

Of course, seeing the flush that spread across both his cheeks as he spoke, it seemed doubtful that these tales were brought up solely out of consideration for her.

The sight reminded her of the rare occasions when gentlemen’s faces reddened during gatherings. She recalled old Mr. Thomson, who would always shout, “No gathering of men is complete without drink!”

“My! I’ve kept the two of you standing far too long.”

“Not at all.”

“Please, enjoy yourselves freely. That is why I opened the event outdoors.”

Count Pablo’s garden was nothing like the Lukehardt estate. It wasn’t just elegant or beautiful; it bore the unmistakable mark of its owner’s personality. The trees and flowers had been shaped into bold, sweeping forms that reflected his generous spirit, and their size meant they could be admired at a glance.

The round tables placed throughout the garden added a surprising sense of charm. Canopies had been set up between the trees to shield guests from the blazing sun, lending the place an air of unexpected grace.

“The atmosphere here is wonderful—it suits the beauty of the garden perfectly.”

No sooner had Ilenia spoken than Count Pablo’s eyes lit up.

“All of this is my wife’s work. I organised the banquet, but she designed and created this magnificent garden from start to finish. You cannot imagine how many weeks she spent working towards this day. I once saw her wrestling with the seating plan late into the night, only to find her still working on it the next day!”

What started as a polite compliment to his hard-working wife turned into a never-ending speech. The grand praise rolled on and on, leaving no room for a reply.

“Oh dear, you’ve been caught now.”

“Wh-why?”

Startled, Ilenia’s round eyes widened as she glanced up in confusion. Delphius leaned slightly towards her and lowered his voice.

“Count Pablo is a most devoted husband. Now that he’s found a chance to boast of his wife, this will last for at least several dozen minutes.”

“Such a romantic man.”

“Wait until you’ve heard the same words a dozen times—you’ll think differently then.”

At his heartfelt sigh, Ilenia burst into laughter, unable to stop herself. When she realized this, she hurried to cover her mouth as though trying to hide her laughter.

Even though the two of them were whispering openly in front of him, Count Pablo showed no sign of ending his speech. By the time he had repeated the same tale for the third time, she found herself agreeing with Delphius.

“I take back what I said earlier. The Count really ought to restrain himself.”

“Exactly.”

A quiet voice brushed against her ear, intended only for her. The shoulder pressing against hers suddenly felt impossibly close.

“Just a little longer. It’s almost over.”

And indeed, Delphius’s words proved true. At last, Count Pablo brought his grand boasting to a close with the final drop of a period, then offered them a warm, generous smile.

“…So, I hope you enjoy yourselves to the fullest.”

It was truly a greeting as long and towering as a speech. With a polite nod, the two were finally able to slip away from their host.

In the well-kept garden, clusters of guests had gathered here and there. One thing was unmistakable: the division between men and women was sharply drawn.

Even at a banquet, it seemed they preferred not to see the faces they already saw without pause at home. They positioned themselves on opposite sides, forming their groups with perfect symmetry.

Of course, it wasn’t as though they never crossed paths. From time to time, a husband would seek out his wife, proudly showing off his hand of cards.

“There he goes again—gambling.”

The wife’s weary look came as no surprise, of course. After all, few women cared to hear about land, gambling or the men’s world that was beyond their reach.

Ilenia’s fingers curled slightly into fists. Whether she wanted to or not, she was preparing herself for what was about to happen.

“Lukehardt! Over here!”

“I’ll go first.”

Delphius was the one to move ahead. He brushed lightly at the strands of hair that had slipped free beside her bonnet before drawing his hand away.

“Ah—”

Ah! Ilenia squeezed her eyes shut, unable to stop herself.

From the moment she set out, she had promised herself dozens, even hundreds, of times. Yet all those vows had crumbled like foam, leaving only a heavy weight pressing down on her chest.

“Why do you look like that?”

His gaze fell upon her. It was ordinary; no different from any other day. But precisely because it was so familiar, she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

“N-no, it’s nothing…”

She shook her head and let go of the fabric.

“I just… wanted to wish you a safe return.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

‘I’m ruined.’

The thought escaped in a burst of bitter despair. All she could manage was an awful smile, so dreadful that she loathed herself for it. She already feared the cold reproach her husband might direct at her, pointing out the discrepancy between her words and her expression.

Even though she knew he wasn’t that sort of man. The fear lingered like a guilty shadow at the back of her mind, tormenting her.

“Is that so?”

Delphius’s simple reply was calm and untroubled, which stood in stark contrast to her own worries. Although it was exactly as one might have expected, it still felt strange. It was almost as if something were misaligned.

“I’ll be back soon. See you in a little while.”

He gave her shoulder a light pat before turning away. She stared blankly after his retreating figure. The pitiful smile she had forced onto her face was long gone.

“You are the wife of Lord Lukehardt, aren’t you?”

How long had she stood there, lost in thought? A voice called to her from nearby.

“If you have nowhere else to be, please come this way.”

“Yes, join us. We would love to speak with you.”

They were insistent, bordering on pressuring her. Half-pushed, half-led, Ilenia found herself drawn into their circle. As expected, once she drew close, she felt their gazes fall upon her more heavily than ever.

“You cannot imagine how much we’ve been looking forward to Lukehardt’s visit.”

“Looking forward…?”

“What else could it be? Of course, the anticipation of Lady Lukehardt’s very first official appearance in society!”

One lady cried out, her expression brimming with interest.

“Since your marriage, despite the many invitations sent for events and banquets, you have never attended a single one… So here we are, all gathered, eager at last to behold the esteemed Lady of Lukehardt.”

For an instant, the memory of her wedding day surged up, making her stomach churn, but Ilenia forced herself to endure it and managed a smile.

“I apologize. I’m still inexperienced with household matters, so when it comes to attending banquets, my husband makes the decisions.”

“Oh my! Even matters within the household are left entirely to your husband?”

“Ah, that is…”

“My goodness.”

With that single sigh, the warm atmosphere collapsed. Faces that had been smiling as gently as a spring day turned sharp in an instant.

“Lord Lukehardt must be under great strain. He already has so many businesses in hand, surely enough to wear him down. And then to return home only to face more duties?”

“Indeed. Isn’t the estate’s management supposed to fall to the mistress?”

But invitations? Ilenia hadn’t even known they existed. She had never once heard of an invitation arriving for her.

“It’s all right. You’ll learn one thing at a time, and one day you’ll manage quite well.”

“Of course. A wife’s role isn’t only to sit prettily like a flower at her husband’s side.”

At first, the words might have seemed comforting—but on reflection, they dripped with condescension.

Whenever they praised her, it was only in matters tied to Lukehardt. Anything remotely connected to Ilenia herself was dismissed without hesitation, cut down at once.

It was as if they were whispering in her ear: ‘This is no place for you.’

Yet surrounded by their smiling faces, she found she could not utter a single word in her own defense.

“Oh dear, we’ve been so busy chatting, we forgot to serve tea.”

“What kind do you prefer? And with what additions?”

Suddenly, a spread of dishes filled the space before her eyes—tea leaves, honey, lemon, sugar, chocolates, and pastries. Her gaze darted helplessly among them. She had only ever drunk tea prepared by Meg, and the abundance of choices made her dizzy.

“Go on. Surely you don’t mean to say you don’t know?”

“Ah, I…”

Overwhelmed, her body stiffened. She knew well enough what she liked, yet the words refused to leave her lips.

Then—tap. A light weight settled on her shoulder.

“My wife enjoys black tea with honey. She has a fondness for sweetness.”