“Oh, it’s the Allen couple.”

“I thought they had left earlier?”

“Looks like she returned with her husband. That’s unusual.”

The murmurs slowly spread from the entrance of the hall.

“There was a delay due to some urgent matter, it seems. There must have really been something urgent.”

Regardless of the talk, it was useless in the face of reality. The noblemen engaged in business started getting busy suddenly.

“I’ll go have a chat for a bit.”

“I’ll join you.”

Men who had been drinking around the party started approaching Edward to greet him.

They cheerfully greeted him, saying, “Isn’t this the famous engineer, Mr. Allen!”

“It’s the first time seeing you and your wife together at a party.”

To their remarks, Edward casually pulled Louisa’s hand towards him and responded.

“Unfortunately, I have been quite busy, to my wife’s dismay.”

“What could keep you so busy?”

Someone asked with a laugh, and Edward replied casually, “Just read the newspaper. It’s always filled with stories about me.”

His semi-joking, semi-serious response made people awkwardly laugh while trying to hide their discomfort.

Louisa, seeing her husband interact with others as the representative of Allen Corporation, was a bit, rather quite, surprised.

She knew he had a high self-esteem, but didn’t realize it was to this extent.

“Ah, that’s true. With such fame, it’s not strange to be busy. Seems like there was some issue today too.”

“Came across a rat. Took some time dealing with it.”

Hearing his conversation, Louisa was shocked and pulled his arm. Edward looked down at her, and she whispered softly.

“Edward, even if it can’t speak, calling it a rat…”

“It’s harmful. Why should it eye people’s food?”

His expressions were quite blunt. But the nobles, not wanting to upset Edward, laughed it off.

“Indeed. It’s not good for such creatures to roam around, especially for the lady’s sake, right?”

“Exactly. Should have exterminated it as soon as its tail showed.”

However, one nobleman, looking uncomfortable with their conversation, couldn’t hide his displeasure.

Westwood passed by them and remarked, “If rats are appearing, perhaps more attention to the sanitation of the research facility is needed, Allen.”

“I’ve been thinking of getting some cats. The kind that’s good at hunting.”

Westwood glanced at him and laughed loudly.

“Ha ha, just make sure they don’t bite you.”

Despite his hearty laugh, Westwood’s expression hardened as he walked past them.

Edward noticed this and watched him carefully.

“Edward?”

Louisa called him.

“It’s nothing. We’ve got many places to show our faces.”

He briefly informed the gathered nobles and moved past them without further engagement.

A confused Louisa looked back, and Edward softly said, “Don’t worry about it.”

“But still…”

“They’re people you don’t need to worry about.”

Louisa might have thought differently, but as per her husband’s words, she had no time to dwell on those they had left behind.

They hadn’t walked far when people started approaching them with various comments.

“Mrs. Allen, are you feeling better now?”
“I was so startled earlier. Thankfully, there was a spare dress available.”

“Indeed. It’s bold of whoever did that. Right?”

Behind the approaching women, their husbands stood.

Recognizing this, Louisa simply smiled as usual.

“Fortunately, my husband had prepared something for me. I’m fine.”

But soon, another murmur started in the background.

Anthony Lawrence Wincott, the current heir of the Wincott royal family, made his appearance.

Anthony expressed his surprise, “Look who it is. Edward Allen, with his face all gilded!”

He approached them and said, “It’s so hard to catch a glimpse of that face, and here I am, lucky today.”

It was clearly a sarcastic remark. An irritated Edward retorted.

“That effort turns into money, and money becomes national power, Your Highness. As a prince of a nation, you should know that well.”

“Of course. And not just that, I also know that sometimes, showing a bit of sincerity can be more effective than all that money in protecting someone by your side.”

Anthony’s words made Edward’s face stiffen. It was a valid point, but he didn’t feel it was the prince’s place to point it out.

Just as Edward was about to counter, he felt a tug at his shoulder.

Looking down, he saw Louisa shaking her head.

Taking the opportunity, Louisa stepped forward and said, “Your Highness, my husband seems tired. We were thinking of getting some fresh air.”

“That sounds good. Enjoy your intimate time,” Anthony replied.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Louisa gracefully curtsied and Edward, albeit reluctantly, nodded and followed the direction led by Louisa.

As they disappeared behind the thick velour curtains onto the terrace, someone exclaimed, “Oh, how bold!”

“You followed me. What’s wrong?”

Edward spoke gruffly, while still observing Louisa’s expression.

Louisa, having made sure the curtain was completely closed, exhaled deeply and said, “Goodness, Edward. How can you be so confrontational?”

“Me?”

Edward looked surprised.