“Now it seems there’s not much time left for the three of us to dine together like this.”

During breakfast, Lady Eida Pelton, the Dowager Duchess, said.

Melly’s hand, which was peeling off the flesh of a nicely grilled swordfish, stopped abruptly.

“When Edric gets married, a new person will join us. Without a doubt, the house will become more lively and better. A home should ideally be inhabited by a husband and wife, and children. That’s the most ideal form of a family.”

Edric smiled and lightly agreed with those words.

“Then it’ll be four of us now. Including Rosalyn, that is.”

Eida shook her head with a benevolent smile.

“Someday it will be four. But I think it’ll take a few years for that to happen.”

“…”

“I’m thinking of going down to the duchy right after your wedding.”

It was a fact Melly had already heard through Oz.

Edric opened his eyes wide as if hearing it for the first time, but soon burst into laughter.

“Oh, Mother.”

“…”

“What do you mean? You should continue living with us.”

“No, that’s not possible. Don’t you think I should enjoy my own life now too? I have no intention of staying here and troubling your cozy married life.”

“No one thinks you’re troubling us, Mother. On the contrary, we’ll be happy. Rosalyn has been praising you non-stop, saying she feels more comfortable with you than with the Marchioness Adel.”

“What a thoughtful child.”

As she listened to the lady and Edric exchanging warm words about Rosalyn, Melly felt complicated emotions.

But now that was out of her hands.

What more could she do when the person herself said it was none of her business?

“So live with us, Mother. All of us together.”

Edric urged again.

“No. That’s still not right.”

Lady Pelton was surprisingly adamant.

“People should know when it’s time to leave. I’ve already decided. Besides, the southern region is warm even in midwinter, so it should be good for my health too.”

Suddenly, the lady’s and Melly’s gazes met in mid-air.

Melly thought the lady’s gaze lingered on her a bit longer than usual today.

“Before I go down, I plan to find a match for Melly too. I promised your mother, Jasmine Enwood, even linking our fingers.”

“That’s not necessary…”

Eida Pelton didn’t give Melly a chance to refuse and continued with a graceful smile.

“As it happens, a suitable marriage prospect has appeared.”

“…”

“Lord Blair, the owner of Blair Trading Company, has expressed interest in you. He says he saw you at Countess Cecilia’s birthday celebration the other day. He quite likes you.”

Melly had no memory of seeing him at that party. But she knew he was a self-made merchant, wealthier than most nobles.

“The age difference is a bit of a flaw, but he seems like a very upright and diligent person. What do you think? Would you like to meet him once?”

“…”

“If you’re not inclined, you don’t have to meet him. I just asked for your opinion because he seemed like a good person.”

If only she had forced it, it would have been better.

Giving her the choice with such a kind smile made it painfully difficult for Melly to refuse.

Melly hesitated for a moment but soon made a decision.

For the sake of the lady who had raised her no less than others, she had to meet Lord Blair. She could think about marriage afterwards. Not every meeting leads to marriage anyway.

“Yes, I’ll do that…”

“For now, Mother.”

A voice with force behind it drowned out Melly’s tiny voice.

“Please give her some time to think.”

“…”

“It must be sudden for Melly too. Right?”

Edric said, turning to look at Melly. His eyes were gently curved, but the blue irises within were decidedly firm.

After helping with the cleanup after the meal, Melly climbed the stairs to return to her quarters. After turning two corners, she saw Edric leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

‘What’s this? Was he waiting for me?’

As Melly approached with a tilted head, he uncrossed his arms and stood up straight.

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

His gentle expression was no different from usual. Clearly, he must have developed some ‘topics’ to share with her.

He often confided in Melly about negative emotions that didn’t suit the image of a noble duke, such as sharp mockery towards rivals, or psychological fatigue from saying things he didn’t mean.

Then Melly would patiently listen until his emotional trash can was emptied clean.

Today too, with that thought in mind, she quietly followed him as he led the way to her room.

He plopped down on Melly’s bed as was his habit. Melly watched him lean back comfortably on the sheets as if it were his own room, then sat down on a chair far away.

She never sat on the same bed as him.

When she was about ten years old, perhaps?

There was just one time when she had sat on the same bed with him. The two of them had jumped up and down on the bed together and then lay down.

The feeling of the springs bouncing back with all their might felt good, and they laughed together, facing each other. It was a pure moment, fitting for children. But such a moment never came again. Because they were caught by her mother who happened to come in with the laundry.

Her mother sent Edric out politely, then scolded Melly severely.

‘Don’t think you and the young master are of the same class just because you live in the same house. He clearly lives in a different world from us.’

Her mother emphasized that fact to Melly until her dying moment. Along with the harm that a marriage between different social classes would bring.

Her mother was quite a renowned earl’s daughter but married a mediocre lower nobleman father and suffered hardships throughout her married life.

As it was advice born from her own experience, Melly had no choice but to take it to heart.

“Are you going to meet him? That Blair fellow?”

Edric broke Melly’s reverie.

From the word ‘fellow’, Melly could tell that Edric didn’t think much of him.

Why?

Melly was puzzled for a moment, but soon a plausible reason occurred to her.

It seemed natural that a nouveau riche would be displeasing to someone who had grown up as a high nobleman to the bone.

“Well, I haven’t decided yet.”

“Haven’t decided…”

Edric repeated Melly’s words and then said.

“So you’re not against meeting him.”

“If that’s the only option given to me, what can I do?”

“Why are there no options? Just keep living here. Rosalyn agreed too.”

“…”

Melly shook her head.

“I don’t think that’s right.”

Although it was curious that Edric’s expression seemed more downcast than usual, Melly didn’t change her mind.

“I just feel uncomfortable. Even if Miss Rosalyn likes me.”

She was sincere.

What good would come from living as a freeloader in the house of the man she had an unrequited love for?

Moreover, he was about to become someone else’s man now. It didn’t seem right to keep harboring unrequited love for another’s husband.

Even if she couldn’t give up her feelings right away, she needed to distance herself from his sight.

“Then…”

Edric thought for a moment and said.

“I’ll give you another option.”

“…?”

“I’ll get you a house in the capital. Live there.”

Melly was puzzled by Edric’s unexpectedly stubborn attitude.

Why was he going this far? Because he felt sorry for a friend who was like a little sister?

Or was he reluctant to lose someone who would listen to his stories?

Well, one can’t always sit properly wearing elegant formal attire. Sometimes there need to be moments of relaxing in pajamas. Melly was precisely the kind of person he could be himself with, without the cumbersome pretense.

Even if that wasn’t the case and it was truly sincere consideration, Melly was a woman with proper discernment.

There are women who think they can remain friends with a married man for life, but she at least was not one of them.

“For now, Edric.”

Melly let out a small sigh and said.

“I’ll decide after meeting Lord Blair.”

Even though she was looking at her skirt while speaking, she felt Edric’s gaze.

It didn’t seem to be a very pleasant look.

“If you find him alright after meeting?”

Edric said. His voice sounded somehow cold.

“If he’s alright…”

Melly couldn’t continue her words.

If he’s alright… She hadn’t even thought about such a case.

Because there was no way he would be alright.

How could someone whose head was filled with only one man have eyes for anyone else?

While she was hesitating on how to give a plausible answer without revealing her feelings at all, Edric opened his mouth.

“Think carefully, Melly.”

The suddenly softened voice strangely stirred Melly’s heart.

“This marriage is over the moment you meet that man. In this kind of arranged meeting, the one holding the choice is not you but that man.”

“…”

“Such a merchant is not your match, Melly.”

Melly bit her lip gently and looked at Edric.

It seemed as if only she was reflected in those blue eyes resembling lapis lazuli.

It’s an absurd thought, but… No matter how much she thought about it, it couldn’t be, but a streak of doubt sprang up in Melly’s heart.

What was the real reason he was going this far? Could it be that just as she liked him, he also liked her…

“You deserve to meet a much better person.”

“…”

“Trust me. I’ll find you a better groom.”

All Melly could confirm from his gentle voice was how much of a fool she herself was.

‘Get a grip, Melly Enwood. The feelings he has for you are friendship at best, and if not that, then just pity.’

Edric got up from his seat and approached Melly. Then he lowered himself in front of her and looked up at her as he spoke.

“Tell Mother you won’t go on the arranged meeting. Understood?”

The wavering gaze like seawater. The voice sweet like a whisper. It was an excessively seductive attitude for persuading a friend who was like a little sister, but Melly didn’t want to do the stupid thing of trying to find possibility in it again.

But regardless of that, Melly was not confident in her decision to go on the arranged meeting.

As Edric said, if it was an arranged meeting directly linked to marriage, she thought it was right to approach it carefully.

It was not something to attend lightly out of a sense of gratitude towards the Dowager Duchess.

“I’ll think about it.”

That was the best Melly could say.