“I’m getting married, Melly.”

At Edric’s words, Melly felt her heart crumble.

“W-Who… with?”

“See for yourself. I’ll bring her here tomorrow.”

He winked at her and ruffled Melly’s dark brown hair.

At his gentle touch, Melly felt her heart sink once again.

‘How foolish.’

Edric Pelton was twenty-three years old. It was natural for him to be thinking about marriage at this age.

Melly stared at Edric intently.

Suddenly, she recalled the first time she saw him.

‘Greet him, Melly. This is the future Duke of House Pelton.’

Ten years ago. When she arrived with her widowed mother at the home of her mother’s friend, the previous Duchess Pelton, she saw a neat young boy.

Edric Pelton, who looked down on her with a faint sneer on his noble and elegant face, had now grown into such a splendid and handsome man about to be married.

“You’ll congratulate me, won’t you, Melly?”

Of course. Congratulations.

Though she knew she should say that as an old friend, Melly found the words stuck in her throat.

‘How foolish.’

Melly blamed herself once again.

Even though she had always known it would come to this someday.

She had always assumed that Edric, the head of one of the Empire’s greatest noble families with his delicate and beautiful appearance, would form a happy family with a well-matched partner. She never dared to think that someone like herself – a hanger-on living off House Pelton, a noble in name only, small and petite, and not particularly pretty – could end up with him. And yet, watching Edric calmly announce his marriage, Melly felt a bitter emotion.

It seemed the time had truly come to let him go from her heart.

Melly barely managed to suppress her feelings as she spoke.

“Congrat… ulations. Edric. Really… congratulations.”

The smile on her lips kept twisting.

The carriage came to a stop in front of the entrance.

The golden goat crest unique to House Adel glittered brilliantly in the fading sunlight. It was a sight befitting a prestigious family that had produced several empresses throughout history.

Edric took the hand of the woman alighting from the carriage, then helped her mother down as well.

As the families exchanged formal greetings with each other, Melly carefully observed Edric’s fiancée, Lady Rosalyn Adel.

Her hair was an intriguing bluish-purple that changed color depending on the angle, and her ruby eyes sparkled with warmth as she was introduced to the family members. She was a stunningly beautiful woman with refreshingly open features and a bright smile, quite striking for a woman.

The woman herself seemed well aware of her own beauty.

Her clothing and demeanor exuded confidence, and she clearly knew which angles showed her off to best advantage.

While Edric surely hadn’t decided to marry based solely on her looks, there was no denying that her beauty must have played a part.

“This is Miss Enwood. She’s like a younger sister to me.”

At Edric’s introduction, all eyes turned to Melly.

“…”

Melly’s face flushed bright red at the sudden attention. She bowed her head shyly and greeted them timidly.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Melly Enwood.”

Melly finished her introduction as concisely and plainly as she could. But perhaps thinking that brevity was insufficient to satisfy the curiosity of their future in-laws, the Dowager Duchess Eida Pelton quickly added:

“She’s the daughter of my friend. When her friend died with no one else to care for her, I took her in.”

“Ah…”

The others nodded a few times and quickly averted their gazes. As if that was enough attention to pay to a hanger-on.

Only the heir to the Marquis, the Adel young master, let his gaze linger a bit longer.

Well, it couldn’t be helped.

He too was a ‘rolling stone’ like Melly, having been adopted as the heir to House Adel a few years ago in accordance with imperial law stating that only males could inherit titles.

But even that lasted barely three seconds.

He too soon turned his gaze to his stepsister Rosalyn. Then, as if realizing anew how much prettier Rosalyn was compared to House Pelton’s hanger-on, a pleased smile spread across his face.

Melly didn’t even feel self-loathing at such an obvious thing.

“Let me show you inside, Rosalyn.”

As Edric held out his arm with a charming smile, Rosalyn took it shyly. Eida walked on the same level as the Marquis couple, with Francis following behind.

Melly slowly followed at the very back. Her steps felt especially heavy today.

Upon reaching the banquet hall and everyone taking their seats, Dowager Duchess Eida Pelton proposed a toast.

“To celebrating our new family ties!”

“Cheers!”

Clink.

The sound of crystal glasses clinking was as clear as music.

The dinner atmosphere was warm and lively.

Especially Rosalyn, befitting a young lady who dominated high society, led the smooth conversation.

She brought up topics that both sides would be interested in, and naturally drew everyone into the conversation so no one was left out.

Occasionally the flow split into two streams.

When the adults needed to chat amongst themselves for a moment, Edric and Rosalyn would lean in close to whisper to each other, giggling at whatever amused them.

Melly wondered if her knife was particularly dull today.

How else could the meat be so difficult to cut?

At times like this, the perceptive Edric would quickly swap his plate with Melly’s, but he didn’t do so today. He seemed unaware that Melly was even beside him.

“Why don’t we have tea out in the garden? The night air is so pleasantly cool.”

Eida Pelton suggested after the meal. Rosalyn agreed with a pretty smile.

“That sounds lovely, Mother.”

‘Mother…’

To be able to call someone Mother so naturally…

Melly envied her gentle and friendly demeanor.

Right after her mother passed away, the Dowager Duchess told Melly that she would be like a mother to her in place of her deceased friend, and that Melly should feel free to call her Mother.

But even after living together for over ten years, the word ‘Mother’ never left Melly’s lips.

How could a hanger-on dare to call the Duchess Mother?

It was unthinkable.

But that wasn’t the only reason.

If she called her Mother, then she and Edric would become siblings. She didn’t want to place another obstacle between them besides her unrequited love, futile as that reasoning may have been.

In the end, it all became a meaningless struggle anyway.

“I think I’ll return to my room now, Madam. I’m feeling a bit tired.”

Melly said quietly to Eida in the hallway as they moved from the dining room to the garden. She didn’t want to linger in this kind of gathering any longer.

“Are you very tired?”

Eida Pelton looked at Melly with concern.

“I’m feeling a bit dizzy.”

It wasn’t a lie. Though it stemmed from her heart, a headache was still a headache.

“I see. Well then, go ahead. You’ve worked hard today. Go up and rest soon.”

“Yes.”

Melly bowed politely and went up to her quarters.

As she sat on her favorite velvet chaise lounge trying to calm her troubled heart, she could hear the murmur of people’s conversations drifting in through the window. Most of it was praise for Edric and Rosalyn.

“They make such a well-matched pair. I’ve never seen a couple more suited to each other.”

“It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say these two are the very definition of soulmates.”

Melly’s mood grew even more troubled.

‘Of all places, why did they have to set up the tea table right below my room?’

But suddenly she thought this might be an opportunity. Perhaps she could see the cracks between the two better from a slightly removed vantage point. In other words… a chance to confirm the possibility that Edric and Rosalyn might not make it to marriage after all.

Melly slowly moved to the window seat.

“…”

The brief spark in her eyes quickly faded.

It certainly was an opportunity.

An opportunity to confirm that Edric and Rosalyn would undoubtedly get married.

A handsome couple that matched perfectly. And their conversation flowed so naturally, never ceasing.

The two were happily engrossed in their own conversation. Rosalyn’s legal brother seemed to have stepped away for a moment too, so they could focus even more on their mutual understanding.

‘Edric Pelton. You really are getting married.’

Melly sighed and accepted reality.

Edric was a man with high standards.

And Rosalyn was living proof of just how high those standards were.

Beauty and grace, a prestigious family background were the basics, and on top of that she had witty speech and excellent social skills. She was by far the best of all the women he had brought home so far.

If pressed to find a flaw, perhaps a touch of vanity?

Well, it might be unreasonable to demand the virtue of humility on top of such perfection.

Suddenly, Rosalyn excused herself from the group and stood up.

Melly turned away, seeing no reason to keep watching.

‘What should I do now?’

Having said she had a headache, she couldn’t wander around. She figured she might as well continue the novel she had been reading earlier.

But as she looked around, she couldn’t find the book anywhere.

“Where did I put it?”

Melly carefully retraced her memory.

Suddenly she recalled leaving the book in the downstairs living room.

Only the servants would be there now anyway, so it shouldn’t be odd if she quickly went down to retrieve it.

Melly carefully descended the stairs, trying not to make any noise.

She had just passed the reception room and was about to turn the corner into the hallway leading to the living room.

That’s when she heard a sound.

‘Is someone cleaning the floor at this hour?’

The creaking sound was similar to when someone vigorously scrubbed the marble floor with a mop.

They usually cleaned in the morning, not at this hour, but perhaps something had been spilled?

Melly turned the corner without much thought. But in less than a second, she had to hurriedly retreat back to her spot.

‘Good heavens. What did I just see?’

Pressed against the wall, a gasp escaped her lips before she could stop it. She quickly covered her mouth to muffle the sound.

Then she cautiously peeked her head around the corner.

“…!”

Her eyes took in the sight of Rosalyn locked in a passionate kiss with some man.

The creaking sound wasn’t from mopping, but from the friction of body parts.

For a moment their faces shifted and the man’s face became visible.

Melly’s dark brown eyes widened in shock.