As they began to traverse the garden, there were quite a few people clinging together and chatting despite the day not being so dark yet.

Seeing a man suddenly embrace a slender woman’s waist, Jade quickly clung to Belita and whispered in a shocked voice.

“It’s still, still daytime!”

“It’s already past eight in the evening, you know?”

“The lights are bright!”

“It’s safer than doing that in a dim place. How do the people of the Broen territory even play around?”

Jade mumbled about the beauty of the Broen territory, but Belita snorted.

“I’ll verify it next time I go to your coming-of-age ceremony.”

Entering the party venue, the atmosphere was unexpectedly calm. People were gathered in small groups, holding glasses and laughing quietly, while the musicians were playing a slow major waltz.

Jade looked around with a face full of curiosity.

So this is the famous Lishin Moretti’s party. The famous people of the year are all invited.

“I’d like to greet Moretti first. Can you come with me?”

“It may be Moretti’s party, but Moretti is hard to see. He likes throwing parties, not staying at the party venue. Just go around and achieve your goal.”

Belita lightly gestured with her chin. Surprisingly, in that direction was Joya Libra, a magician who had inherited the marquis title and hadn’t shown her face at social gatherings much since then. She had only moderately communicated with Jade through letters.

“I’m going.”

With flashing eyes, Jade took big strides. Watching her back, Belita shrugged and muttered.

“She’s not a child, so… it should be fine.”

Then she went back to check the face of the tall man lingering near the entrance. The dimple near the man’s mouth was quite her type.

As Belita assured, Jade did not regret coming here.

“Of course. I’ll definitely come. I actually love the southern weather. Especially the place with that fantastic lake in the Broen territory. Right?”

“You mean Lake Nevad? That’s right. The lake as blue as a jewel.”

Carolia, arm in arm with Nate, smiled.

“I’ll definitely go. Actually, I’m very interested in Broen Castle too. It’s a must-visit place for magicians. Send the invitation to my mansion.”

“I’ll bring it myself.”

“No, no. I know you’ll be busy with work anyway. What’s the point of keeping excessive manners after conversing like this? It’s a waste.”

Jade nodded with a bright smile.

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“I’ve known you’ve been through a lot for a long time. And…”

Carolia whispered. Felix, was it? That man is still the same. When you disappeared and he immediately insisted on a funeral, it was so undignified. I’d like to see his face contort.

Jade slightly lowered her eyelashes. A slight blush spread across her white skin.

She knew well how small and pitiful she looked at times like this, so she didn’t feel ashamed to utilize this appearance. Because she actually felt embarrassed.

“Oh, I brought up the wrong topic. Cheer up.”

“Ah, no. It’s alright.”

“I’ll definitely go. I’ll even cheer for you there. Ah, should I make flowers bloom on the ground too?”

At the encouragement befitting a magician specializing in earth magic, Jade smiled faintly.

“I’ll prepare the flowers. Thank you.”

As Carolia led Nate away gracefully, Jade quickly discarded the pitiful act and counted numbers in her mind.

Wow, the invitations are already gone, and it’s the effect of visiting twelve people in a day. I must express my gratitude to Lishin Moretti.

Around the time she was inwardly grinning with satisfaction, she saw Blake waving his hands wildly from afar.

Jade greeted him back. But she, with her red hair bouncing, shook her head as if that wasn’t it.

What is it?

When she was about to become puzzled, someone approached and greeted her.

“Hello. Long time no see.”

The moment she turned her head at the neat voice, Jade felt her mouth fall open. She quickly controlled her tongue that was about to stammer.

“H-hello. Haha, have you been well?”

The one looking at her with a straight gaze was Hank Melling, whom she had completely erased from her memory due to a series of events!

Oh my god, come to think of it, there had been engagement talks with the Melling family a few times.

They must have left their second son alone, thinking there was a possibility of connecting with the Broen family, but Jade didn’t contact him separately even after returning from the subjugation team.

Why? Because after facing Axel, she completely, utterly forgot about such matters!

Of course, there were countless contracts or engagements in the world that fell through without a word after talks, so it wasn’t a problem, but it wasn’t polite either.

Moreover, now that rumors of her engagement to Jenassen had spread, Hank Melling would have thought he was simply dumped hard.

“I’ve been doing relatively well. Although there was something I was waiting for.”

The man’s eyes, somewhat filled with melancholy, seemed to already know her answer.

Jade wanted to cry.

Damn it. What kind of answer should be given at times like this!

But the thoughtful and considerate man continued first with a gentle smile.

“How was the subjugation team? I heard you even went to the Jisen Kingdom. It must have been tough.”

“Y-yes… It was. I was so busy with work that I had no leisure at all…”

“At times like this, I feel so lacking. It feels like I’m not properly doing what I should as a knight.”

“That’s not true. There’s truly a lot to do within the kingdom, so why would you need to wander around?”

“But staying in such a comfortable position may make me seem lacking to you. That’s one of the reasons I thought you were cool.”

The conversation turned to an embarrassing topic again.

After pondering, Jade finally sighed and gave an honest answer.

“I’m not good at sugar-coating words in this regard. I just want to say that it wasn’t because of someone’s shortcomings that I had a change of heart, but that I made up my mind when it was wavering.”

Hank Melling looked at Jade with chocolate-like soft brown eyes.

“You’re saying it wasn’t because I was lacking.”

“That’s right. But I’m definitely sorry for not being able to reply. I really had no spare time in my schedule.”

At Jade’s honest gaze, the man with light-colored hair finally smiled.

“It’s a pity. But you must have made a choice for the better, right?”

“Maybe… I hope so.”

“Then that’s enough. Instead…”

The man hesitated and held out his hand.

“I’d be grateful if you could give me at least one dance. I’ll be really plain so your fiancé won’t get angry.”

“I don’t mind that, but… I really, truly can’t dance.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll forget everything with this.”

Jade eventually grabbed the tip of Hank Melling’s fingers with a weak force that seemed to hold but not hold. If she could apologize with this, it was rather simple. What’s so special about a dance?

At that moment, Blake’s waving hand was seen again from afar. She looked really urgent.

No, what the hell is it?

The moment she frowned, a very high-pitched woman’s voice was heard nearby.

“Lord Leon, how about taking a stroll in the garden with me−”

Upon hearing the content striking her ears, the back of her neck immediately stiffened.

No, a very familiar name…? I must have heard wrong? Yeah, that must be it. Why would Axel be here?

But she had to check.

The moment she creakily turned her head, Jade could face a somehow very familiar chest.

Raising her gaze, she could see a very crookedly curved mouth. From the slowly parting, well-shaped lips, a cold voice leaked out.

“I’m sorry, but I have little interest in the garden.”

Those fierce gray eyes were directed at the fingertips of the man that Jade was holding with a weak force.

Jade really wanted to faint. No, this is really nothing!

But before she could make an excuse, she was dragged away by Hank’s hand.

“This music is nice, right?”

“Huh? Oh, yes… Of course…”

Jade answered in a daze. But as soon as the string instrument began to play, Hank expertly spun her around.

Round and round. It felt like her ankle was creaking.

The music was long and lengthy. Axel was standing near the wall, avoiding the approaching people, but he was in a position where his and Jade’s gazes inevitably clashed whenever she occasionally rotated.

Thanks to that, she was distracted even while dancing. The dance, which was already not very talented, became even more of a mess.

“Oh my, one time is definitely not enough.”

At the voice with a gentle laughter, Jade broke out in a cold sweat. No. Not twice!

“I’m really sorry. Your instep isn’t broken, right?”

“Haha. How could that be? You’re like a feather.”

The man laughed pleasantly, but Jade couldn’t bring herself to laugh at all.

Rather, she only felt more and more like crying. Because she realized Axel’s gaze was as cold as an ice field. It kept feeling like arrows were flying and piercing her back.

The time that felt like a thousand years finally ended, and Hank Melling politely bowed his head.

“As you said, I hope everything goes in a good direction.”

“Thank you.”

Leaving behind the man who had been polite until the end, Jade quickly turned around.

She had already distributed all the invitations and achieved more than expected results.

Now she was going to hurry back home, avoiding Axel’s eyes, and act innocently as if she knew nothing.

Hank Melling? I don’t know anyone like that? I went to distribute invitations?

Of course, it wouldn’t work, so she would have to prepare detailed excuses in a miserable way.

But the feet she had hurriedly lifted hesitated and settled back on the floor.

A woman with sparkling black eyes was standing near Axel.