[To the Marchioness of Andert.]

Melly picked up her pen to ask Jeina Andert about the date and topic of the next gathering.

[The last gathering was truly a useful time for me. Thanks to it, I was able to gain the valuable realization that I need to work harder to become a member of your group. Additionally, I was able to obtain a good painting]

That’s when the smooth flow of the pen was interrupted.

“Hmm… this doesn’t seem right.”

She thought it might be seen as provocative.

Recalling Jeina’s humiliated expression when handing over the painting, she couldn’t help but think so.

Melly crumpled up the paper she was writing on and took out a new one.

Then she carefully wrote the letter so that there would be no parts that could be misinterpreted by the recipient.

After finishing, she skimmed through it and thought it was sufficient, although somewhat submissive, so she sealed it with wax and called for an attendant.

“Yes, my lady.”

“Lisa, could you please send this to the Andert house?”

“Of course, my lady.”

“And I’d like you to bring me a summary of modern art techniques from the library.”

“Understood, my lady.”

Lisa faithfully carried out Melly’s instructions and left the room.

But when Lisa returned shortly after, the letter was still in her hand.

“You didn’t send the letter?”

“No, my lady.”

Lisa said confidently. The reason being, there was no need to send the letter.

“Lady Andert has come to visit. She wishes to see you, my lady.”

“…”

Jeina Andert had come of her own accord.

Melly felt bewildered by this sudden situation.

Why on earth would that person come to see me?

Is it to find fault with something? The more she thought about it, did she come because she couldn’t understand what happened last time and wanted to check my skills once more? Or…

Or did she want to see the painting she gave proudly hanging in the Pelton ducal residence…

“…!”

Suddenly, Melly’s expression turned pale.

“This is bad.”

Melly looked back at the fireplace. The fireplace had been cleaned thoroughly to the bottom, so not even a piece of the picture frame remained.

“Ah… I understand. Tell her I’ll be down shortly.”

“Yes, my lady.”

After sending out the faithful Lisa, Melly composed herself, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart.

If asked about the painting, she would have no choice but to say she had given it to a dear acquaintance as a gift.

It would be less criticizable than saying she had burned it.

Jeina was waiting in the reception room.

Unlike her usual arrogant demeanor everywhere else, she had a rather demure appearance.

“I greet the Duchess of Pelton.”

“I’m overjoyed that Lady Andert has come to visit me.”

“Are you not surprised?”

Jeina said, straightening her bent back.

Those words made Melly flinch.

“Well, I was a bit surprised. You and I aren’t close enough to visit each other without reason…”

Without reason.

Regretting the somewhat direct word choice, but it was already too late.

“Visit without reason? I came with a reason.”

“What… is it?”

Melly waited for Jeina’s answer with the feeling of awaiting a judge’s verdict.

“I came because I want to become friends with you.”

Jeina said with a friendly smile.

“…?”

Momentarily relieved that it wasn’t the reason she had thought, Melly became extremely confused by this sudden change in attitude.

Noticing her reluctant scrutiny, Jeina said:

“I’m a person who can be quite helpful to know. My influence on the ladies of high society is similar to how Duke Pelton encompasses the men.”

At those words, Melly narrowed her eyes and asked:

“Do you perhaps have another motive?”

For instance, using her acquaintance with Melly as an excuse to see Edric up close.

As other women who had rarely approached her with friendliness had done.

“Not at all.”

Jeina shook her head and smiled, as if she knew exactly what Melly was thinking.

“The one I’m interested in is not Duke Pelton, but only you, my lady.”

There was no trace of lies on her face.

Surprisingly, she was sincere.

Melly felt bewildered, and also afraid. Because she knew where Jeina’s fondness for her stemmed from.

“If it’s because I won that bet that day, I’d like to say it was just a coincidence.”

“Even coincidence is a skill.”

As the attempt to lower the excessively high evaluation failed, Melly felt at a loss.

It seemed Jeina was the type who would never believe anything until she confirmed it with her own eyes.

She suddenly took something out from her lap with sparkling eyes and placed it on the table.

“In that sense, there’s something I’d like to show you.”

What she placed was a drawing tube.

‘Oh no.’

Her hands clasped under the table started to claw at each other.

She had come to have Melly evaluate her painting!

She could have lied and said she came to see Francis’s painting, but this she couldn’t lie about.

She shouldn’t have guessed the meaning of that abstract painting that day.

“What do you think?”

“…”

But the painting Jeina unfolded before Melly instantly relieved her tension.

There was no need to rack her brains to understand the painting’s meaning. The painting she showed was not an enigmatic abstract, but a landscape that beautifully and colorfully depicted the scenery visible to the eye.

Moreover, it was the evening scenery of Milord Square that she knew well, wearing the sunset like a roof.

And it was filled with the plebeian charm from before the redevelopment.

Melly couldn’t take her eyes off the painting for a while. Then Jeina asked:

“Did I… paint it that well?”

Her words and expression were full of expectation.

It wasn’t in Melly’s nature to betray such expectations, and moreover, the painting was indeed well done.

So vivid that it brought back the moment five years ago when she had looked at the sunset there and resolved to live an independent life.

“Yes, it’s really well painted.”

“Actually, I painted it myself.”

Jeina said. Melly turned her gaze from the painting with a startled face.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“I thought you only had a deep appreciation for art, I didn’t know you painted yourself.”

“It’s a hobby.”

Jeina said, shrugging her shoulders.

Her arrogant attitude was consistent, but this time it wasn’t unpleasant.

Rather, it felt like reverence for well-grounded self-esteem.

“The painting is dynamic. It’s as if you painted Milord Square while looking at it directly.”

“Actually, my teacher roughly laid out the composition.”

“Your teacher?”

“A painter I sponsor.”

“Ah…”

In an instant, Melly understood everything.

If that man had looked at the painting, yes. Such a painting could have been produced.

Because that man was also at Milord Square five years ago.

“That person… I mean, that gentleman gives you lessons as well, I see.”

“It hasn’t been long.”

“…”

“At first, he wasn’t going to, but when I said I wanted to have a small exhibition inviting only our salon members, he agreed.”

Jeina said.

Melly was momentarily curious about what kind of relationship they had.

Were they really just a sponsor and an artist? Were they merely teacher and student?

The reason she couldn’t easily define it as a simple relationship was because of Francis’s history.

He had had that kind of relationship with his cousin.

“Have you ever brought the painters you sponsor to salons or appreciation events?”

Melly asked casually.

“Of course. Quite often.”

“Even the one who painted Milord Square?”

“Ah… not him yet…”

Jeina trailed off, unlike her usual self.

“He tends to pursue mystique, you see.”

“…I see.”

“Are you curious?”

Jeina suddenly asked. Was it just her imagination? Her subtle tone seemed to carry Francis’s instructions. It felt like he was trying to play another mischievous prank on her, starting with the painting on the cover of the diary.

‘No, that can’t be.’

The diary was no longer Melly’s weakness. Therefore, he no longer had a weapon to manipulate her.

“No, not at all.”

“That’s a shame.”

“…”

“My painter has been wanting to meet you ever since you guessed the meaning of that difficult painting last time.”

“I see.”

Melly responded indifferently to Jeina’s words and continued to exchange a bit more conversation about the painting.

Jeina, having put aside her hostility, was quite a pleasant conversationalist.

She had a sincerity that Melly hadn’t felt from other ladies. For the first time in a long while, Melly could be comfortable and relaxed in front of someone who wasn’t family. For Melly, it was unacceptable to think of such a person as merely someone useful to know.

When they parted, Melly said to her:

“For me, there are no people who are good to know.”

“…”

“There are only people who are good to have known, and those who are not.”

A smile spread across Jeina’s lips.

[This is the timeline separator]

It was morning a few days later.

As Eida, who had returned late from Viscountess Loarne’s party the previous evening, was skipping breakfast, Edric and Melly ended up dining alone.

Although it was an intimate meal for just the two of them, somehow it felt even more difficult than when the mother-in-law was present.

Edric ate while listening to Wilson’s report with his ears and reviewing the documents handed to him with his eyes.

He looked extremely busy.

Taking advantage of a brief pause in the report, Melly asked:

“Will you be home early today?”

“I’ll be late. I have an important meeting.”

He answered indifferently without taking his eyes off the documents.

He was scheduled to attend a regular monthly meeting aimed at fostering friendships and exchanging information among the highest-ranking noble family heads.

That meeting, which included Crown Prince Lucius, was strictly for men only. On the surface, at least.

In reality, there were occasional instances where wives were accompanied, and in the case of unmarried men, they sometimes brought their lovers. There were also cases where famous female singers or actresses of the time were invited to liven up the atmosphere.

But Melly had never once received an invitation from Edric to accompany him to the meeting.

“You’ll be very late then.”

“Probably.”

Edric replied dryly while gulping down his coffee.

He was too busy to answer her words sincerely, and Melly knew that well.

Nevertheless, feeling a great sense of disconnect compared to their time in the bedroom the other day, Melly’s mood sank oddly.

She wondered if having such a passionate relationship with him that day had actually been her delusion.

“Your Grace, the carriage is ready.”

Just as Edric raised his teacup, the butler informed him. Melly looked at the clock. Seeing that it was earlier than usual, he really did seem busy.

Edric put down the coffee cup he was holding.

More than half of his meal remained untouched.

She couldn’t let him leave like this.

“Just a moment, Edric. Please wait a moment.”

Melly said to Edric, who was about to stand up, and ran to the kitchen.

There should be some light food he could eat in the carriage on the way.

Fortunately, there were cookies and muffins that had been baked for morning snacks.

Melly put them in a wicker basket along with a thermos of tea and returned to the dining room.

“Here, eat this on your way…”

But he wasn’t there.

The sound of carriage wheels rolling over gravel could be heard from the entrance.

He had left without waiting for Melly.