“Is that really true?”

“Yes, I’m going to submit the divorce papers tomorrow.”

Ah! Lilien covered her mouth with her hand, beaming brightly. She no longer looked like the person who had been depressed earlier because the gardener’s beloved puppy had caused trouble in the flower bed.

I was taken aback by her somewhat intense reaction as I was leisurely sipping my tea, but soon smiled back.

Lilien hugged the maid standing beside her and bounced up and down. The maid looked flustered, her body swaying weakly from the sudden hug attack. Lilien’s expression, pure to the point of being exuberant, seemed to convey satisfaction on my behalf as well.

“Thank you for being so happy for me as if it were your own news.”

Lilien sat back down across from me with an elated look.

“Of course, it’s about you, Lady Etricia…!”

We should tell Edmond too, she muttered to herself, cupping her flushed cheeks.

“Duke Mifidian has been a great help to me.”

“Really? Edmond didn’t mention anything to me about that…”

Lilien lowered her widened eyes. Her lips protruded in a pout.

“If he had told me, I would have helped too.”

It was unavoidable for Edmond. How could he ask for help with things like surveillance and information gathering that would shock her if she knew?

I reached out and patted Lilien’s hand resting in front of her teacup.

“You’ve helped plenty, Lilien.”

Lilien maintained her sulky expression despite the unnecessary consolation. She seemed displeased at having no credit.

My words about her being helpful were true. Just being with Lilien was enough to refresh my emotions that had been tainted from mingling with rotten people, like a floral breeze.

As I was about to speak again, Lilien wore a bitter smile at the corner of her mouth.

“Edmond said he had a cold, but he actually noticed. Something happened that day, didn’t it?”

“…Ah.”

Lilien was referring to the day I returned after being kidnapped.

Reading my troubled expression, Lilien curved her lips upward as if to say it was okay.

“I know, Lady Etricia must have had her reasons for not mentioning it. But I felt a bit hurt, and also frustrated that I wasn’t strong enough to help.”

Lilien looked at me squarely and patted my hand.

“You’ve worked hard, Lady Etricia.”

See, she is helpful. The kind Lilien washing away all the ominous feelings. The corners of my mouth lifted contentedly.

After finishing her tea and chatting casually as usual, Lilien gently brought up a topic.

“Lady Etricia, how about going on a vacation away from all the complicated affairs?”

“A vacation?”

It was unexpected, but a welcome suggestion given all the tiring events that had occurred.

Most of the privileged class left for summer vacations. Like viewing cherry blossoms in spring, it was a kind of seasonal culture. The system was hotter than other regions due to the crowds, and also dirtier because of events.

Originally, I had planned to take a vacation after the divorce and reclaiming my inheritance. I would need to adjust my schedule for a short break period to plan the Le Bron business I thought of at the dress shop.

‘It sounds good, but…’

I glanced down at the pile of invitations Lilien had received stacked to one side. Of course, I was also receiving letters occasionally, but they were only encouraging advice from elderly ladies.

‘With so many coming even now… I wonder if there will be time.’

Summer was soon to be garden party season. When that happens, Lilien would have to attend at least once or twice for the sake of Lady Wickley’s, the influential socialite’s, reputation. Usually, it was a noble’s duty to accept invitations unless there were exceptional circumstances.

Noticing my gaze on the invitations, Lilien smiled awkwardly. She subtly pushed the invitations, causing them to tumble down.

The maid beside her hurriedly picked them up, exclaiming “Young lady, you’re receiving so many more invitations than before!” which had the opposite effect.

Lilien glared at the maid with wide eyes, shaking her head quickly to signal her. Her half-up silver hair swayed with the rapid head movements.

Unable to hold back, I burst out laughing at her cute behavior.

Well, it would be nice to go.

Soon, there would be a trial for Devon’s will tampering, and after the verdict, I would receive my inheritance.

Then I’d find a place to live and this lifestyle would come to an end too. Feeling a sudden bitterness in my mouth, I smiled wryly.

“Alright, let’s go on vacation.”

Lilien, who had been exchanging meaningful glances with the maid, turned to look at me with round eyes.

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Then can Edmond come along too?”

Asking if she could bring him along, it sounded like she was looking after a younger sibling left home alone. When Lilien speaks of him, even Edmond’s cold and fierce image from the original story crumbles like mere sand. Though he probably lets her have her way in everything.

I nodded with a pleased smile.

Perhaps because the saying about being in the same boat had taken root, he was no longer as cold towards me or on guard with tension in his eyes as before.

Above all, I felt the distance between us had dramatically shrunk since he came to rescue me. Honestly… it was also fun teasing the shy him.

“I don’t mind. It sounds enjoyable.”

“Yes! It would be so beautiful if you two had a wedding by the sea!”

Um. That won’t happen. I immediately objected inwardly to Lilien’s fanciful thoughts and gave an awkward smile.

After submitting the divorce papers at court and returning home, I encountered Edmond on the landing as he was coming down the stairs, adjusting his shirt sleeves, apparently with some appointment.

He was dressed neatly and smartly. With his hair tidily styled, revealing his silver eyebrows and features, he was so handsome it was intimidating even for me as a woman.

“Looks like you’re going somewhere.”

“Yes, I’ll be back in the afternoon. Please take care of my sister until then.”

It was just as Edmond was passing by with a nod. He who had gone ahead belatedly furrowed his straight brow and turned back to look at me.

“Your clothes…”

My clothes? I looked over my attire. It was a sleeveless square-neck dress that exposed my collarbones.

“They’re thin.”

Startled by the calm voice falling on my head in that moment, I opened my eyes wide. Even though such an incident happened recently. The quiet voice that followed was clearly filled with concern, which momentarily confused me.

“Are you worried about me?”

“…Me?”

Edmond blinked his dense silver eyebrows as if flustered. After a moment, he crumpled his face and turned his head.

“More nonsense.”

He must think I’m trying to tease him again.

“What you just did was worry.”

“If you’re going to keep talking nonsense, I’ll be going.”

Edmond turned on his heel and went down the stairs. I could see his back, broad and solid like a field. My, it makes one want to just hug him. After making that idle observation, I turned to leave but paused.

I had remembered something I’d forgotten. After finishing breakfast today, Lilien had quietly approached me and brought up a topic.

‘Lady Etricia, did something happen between you and Edmond on the day you fainted?’

‘Well, my memory is hazy because of the fever.’

‘Is that so…?’

Lilien pressed her brow intensely, falling into serious contemplation. Worried she might feel hurt again, I reluctantly revealed that I had taken a drug similar to an aphrodisiac due to an unfortunate incident.

‘What!’

Lilien jumped up and down angrily, then blushed as if something had occurred to her.

‘T-then there’s definitely a possibility…’

‘Why, what’s wrong?’

‘Lately, it’s strange that Edmond listens to everything without interrupting when I talk about Lady Etricia… There’s something bothering me, but I’m afraid he’ll get angry if I ask…’

‘What happened?’

‘Well, that day I left to get a towel for Lady Etricia. But something came up and I only returned much later.’

Lilien cupped her reddened cheeks and glanced at me.

‘A-and Mari said she heard m-moaning coming from the bedroom for quite a while, then saw Edmond come out adjusting his shirt… I explained it absolutely wasn’t like that and made her keep quiet!’

‘…’

‘O-of course, Edmond isn’t a scoundrel who would do such a thing to Lady Etricia while she was unconscious! But just in case… You both might have done it unintentionally because of the drug… I heard somewhere that they do it for treatment purposes when taking such drugs… I really just want to check, just in case…’

Contrary to her words, Lilien’s glances at me were filled with subtle expectation.

I felt like I was traveling through vast space. Just as my mind was drifting far away and returning, Lilien hurriedly left, saying she had a favor to ask. Leaving only me standing there in a daze.

On the day I was kidnapped by Devon and collapsed, my memory was hazy. But there was a moment when I regained consciousness briefly.

In my blurry vision, someone in a white shirt was looking down at me under the bright sunlight. For a moment, I thought it was an angel, it was so radiant.

The forearms that looked as hard as stone under the rolled-up shirt sleeves. Prayers that seemed to stick to things like the veined back of the hand fluttered, and my chest was uplifted.

At the time, I wasn’t in my right mind due to the fever. I think I might have grabbed that person’s shirt sleeve and begged for something. After that, my vision flickered out as if a fuse had been cut.

But… it seems that person was probably Edmond.

In reality, there’s no possibility that what Lilien mentioned actually happened. If such a thing had occurred, Edmond wouldn’t have been able to face me or even have a conversation.

But as Lilien said, I’d also heard that sometimes bodies are mixed unavoidably for treatment purposes when consuming drugs with aphrodisiac effects. It could be that he helped me because I clung to him in my fevered state. Maybe he’s pretending not to know afterwards out of consideration, in case I feel embarrassed?

‘It wouldn’t hurt to check.’

“Little brother?”

Edmond, who had already reached the bottom of the stairs, turned to look at me as if asking what was wrong. I spoke with an ambiguous smile.

“…Could you spare me a moment?”