Odette’s gaze was fixed on a certain lady with chestnut-colored hair.

Seated next to Viscountess Myra, a beautiful lady with a gentle smile.

“Welcome, Duchess of Ertman. This is your first time here, right? My cousin, Lady Noirche, here. She is the Duchess of Ertman.”

“…Thank you for the invitation, Viscountess Myra.”

As Odette paused in her speech, Lady Noirche nodded slightly a moment later.

“Nice to meet you, Duchess of Ertman.”

“Nice to meet you too, Lady Noirche.”

Only then did Lady Noirche respond with a bright smile as Odette spoke.

It seemed as if time had passed by without leaving any marks on her, and despite being in her middle age, she retained a beauty that showed no signs of aging.

The name of this beautiful lady was Ivon Noirche.

In the past, she was known as Ivon Ertman.

In summary,

‘Balter’s stepmother… well, that’s what she’s become.’

Ivon, after the imperial prince and escape incident with Javan, requested the annulment of her marriage to the imperial family, expressing her unwillingness to stay in Ertman any longer.

However, legally, in the case of an annulment rather than a divorce, she couldn’t claim any rights against the marrying family, and that included rights related to her children.

In other words, Ivon had even requested the imperial family to erase her son, Balter, from her life.

As the embarrassed imperial family, which had spread disgracefully along with Ivon, had no choice but to accept Ivon’s annulment request, Ivon remarried the Viscount Noirche not long after.

Only then did people realize why Ivon wanted to separate from her son.

From the beginning, she had intended to leave Ertman and remarry.

‘Maybe, apart from avoiding the imperial wrath towards Ertman, the annulment was also a way to escape from the imperial family’s anger.’

Regardless of the reason, the decision to completely erase even her own young son was quite heartless.

The gossipmongers who loved to pick at scandalous stories made noise about this issue for a while, and thanks to that, Odette also occasionally heard about it in the palace.

Duchess of Ertman, or should I say, Viscountess Noirche now? That person has been quite low-key lately.

After experiencing such disgrace, does she want to come out in society? Since she’s already remarried, she must be staying home.

Viscountess Noirche is quite impressive. Chasing after him since her maiden days, only to end up marrying like this…

It seems like the young master of the Ertman Duchy is quite unlucky. I heard that Viscountess Noirche doesn’t even give him a glance.

Those who spoke ill of Balter looked polite, but to young Odette, they didn’t seem much different from Ivon.

‘In the end, no one is helping, huh.’

Young Odette remembered people who would glance at her and mutter, “How unfortunate.”
In the delicate warmth contained in that voice, hastily melting one’s hands could make the piercing loneliness feel even colder.

‘I wonder if the Duke of Ertman feels as cold as I do?’

Maybe even colder than me. I don’t know my mom, but he knows what his mom looks like.

Although Odette had never seen him, she wanted to embrace him with her young heart.

‘Someday, if we meet, I should hug him.’

She had thought that way.

…Now it was a faint memory.

Thanks to it, she recalled the memories she had forgotten and wondered if she should be grateful.

Odette let out a small sigh.

After that incident, Viscountess Noirche, Ivon, had completely refrained from entering society.

It was only natural.

With the news of her husband having an affair with another woman and fleeing to Javan spreading throughout society, how could she expect to hear anything good by coming out to society?

Even though they were related as cousins with Viscountess Myra, their interactions were not frequent, and Emma didn’t say anything likely because of that.

‘But why bother coming to this place…’

It must be because of me, too.

If Viscountess Myra intentionally intervened, Odette would have fallen into a trap by now.

Due to Odette choosing a small-scale social gathering, the attendees were all people close to Viscountess Myra.

Considering the favor Viscountess Myra might have for Ertman, Odette thought it would be okay, but now it seemed not so easy.

‘Can’t help it.’

Odette nonchalantly took her seat, pretending not to know anything, and discreetly observed Viscountess Noirche.

Was she friendly or hostile?

‘Maybe she came out because she was curious about her son, whom she hadn’t heard from for a while.’

Don’t be too nervous.

Viscountess Noirche might have missed Balter as well.

You can’t exclude the possibility that she came out with good intentions…

“These days, everyone seems so free. In the past, it was customary to visit your in-laws as soon as you got married.”

…That might be true.

Odette quickly dismissed any positive thoughts.

It was Viscountess Noirche who had cut her losses.

Viscountess Myra, who was sitting next to her, laughed heartily and received the conversation.