You Can't Catch the Wind (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 6

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The host of the banquet came and pleaded with the old nobleman almost like begging before he finally left the venue. Still seemingly furious, he shouted loudly enough for everyone to hear:

〈It’s utterly unpleasant just being in the same place as such an arrogant and rude person!〉

Those words meant he didn’t want to see Ael at any banquet he attended.

Upon learning of the commotion, Viscount and Viscountess Aradis naturally blamed Ael.

〈All she needed to do was smile sweetly and stand quietly among people like a proper lady—but she dared interrupt the men’s important conversation and ruin the whole banquet! Does she even know who that old nobleman is? Just how outrageously arrogant was she? Everyone’s pointing fingers, saying we failed to properly educate our daughter!〉

From that day onward, no more invitations arrived for Ael.

The following year, although the offended old nobleman passed away, Ael still couldn’t attend any banquets—because Elise made her debut into high society that year.

Viscount and Viscountess Aradis poured their hearts into Elise’s debut. Understandably so, since suitors had already been flooding in with marriage proposals even before her official debut.

Nothing about Elise’s debut was done without utmost care.

From her gown, jewelry, and shoes to the carriage she’d ride in that day and even the footmen attending her—

it was as splendid and beautiful as any great noble’s, though everything had been bought on credit.

Since so much money had been spent on Elise, expenses elsewhere had to be cut.

Half the household staff were dismissed, and Ael was barred from attending any banquet—after all, merely showing up cost money.

Moreover, with Ael’s reputation already ruined beyond repair, Viscount and Viscountess Aradis had no intention of investing further in her.

Ael inwardly rejoiced at their decision. High society had never suited her from the start. She far preferred staying home, helping the servants with chores, and quietly reading books.

Meanwhile, Elise received countless marriage proposals—but still remained unmarried.

〈Someone worthy of our Elise should easily afford a dowry of 300,000 guilders. And after marrying Elise, they must also maintain frequent contact with our family.〉

In other words, they were seeking someone who would not only pay the 300,000-guilder dowry but also settle all the Viscount’s outstanding debts.

Elise, proud of herself, considered such expectations perfectly reasonable. Yet, however beautiful she might be, few were willing to offer such a staggering sum outright.

Had there been no suitors at all, the Viscount couple might have reconsidered the dowry amount—but since several engagements had collapsed at the last moment, they still couldn’t let go of their fixation on that figure.

Thus, four years passed.

Now Elise was twenty-four. In Denerthum, noblewomen typically married by age twenty-five at the latest. So Elise intended to settle her marriage this year—and it was then that she developed a connection with the Grand Duke.

Opening a new invitation sent by the Grand Duke, Elise said,

“The Grand Duke paid 300,000 guilders for a new rifle for this hunting season.”

At last night’s banquet, when this topic came up, Viscount and Viscountess Aradis hinted they expected a similar amount as Elise’s dowry.

Hearing this, the Grand Duke merely chuckled dismissively—and subtly took Elise’s hand, avoiding others’ notice.

Elise, delighted, didn’t pull away.

‘If he spends that much on a mere rifle, surely he’ll offer an even larger dowry.’

It wasn’t just about money. Becoming the Grand Duchess would place her at the pinnacle of high society for life.

Satisfied with her own worth, Elise turned to Ael, whose face had gone pale, and said,

“Oh, and Mother and Father mentioned—they’re thinking of setting your dowry this year at…”

A smile played on Elise’s lips.

“…1,000 guilders.”

One thousand guilders.

“Miss! Your apron! Your apron’s on fire!”

“……!”

Startled by Jena’s alarmed voice, Ael snapped back to her senses. Indeed, an ember from the stove had landed on the hem of her apron, and smoke was already rising.

Frantically, Ael searched for water. Luckily, a bucket was nearby. Without thinking, she grabbed it and dumped the water straight onto her clothes.

Fortunately, the fire only burned the apron, leaving her body unharmed—but muddy water stains from the vegetables she’d washed earlier now stood out vividly on her dress.

“Are you alright?”

“Mm.”

“Have you been feeling unwell lately?”

“Huh? No.”

“Then why have you been spacing out all day like this?”

Jena’s voice was full of worry, as if her sister were seriously ill. At her words, Ael gave a weak smile.

“You’re right. Maybe it’s because the weather suddenly turned warm. I’ll go change my clothes first.”

Holding her removed apron, Ael left the kitchen.

“Phew…”

Her steps up to the upper floor felt heavy. Ever since hearing Elise mention her dowry, she’d been like this.

‘One thousand guilders.’

Trending

Compared to the 100,000 guilders she’d once commanded, this was an embarrassingly low sum.

Ael thought of wilted vegetables merchants desperately sold off at closing time. She wondered what difference there was between those vegetables and herself.

Women like her were typically married off—almost sold—to minor provincial nobles who held outdated views against marrying commoners.

Ael had heard stories about what became of women who vanished from high society like this.

Most were sent to remote countryside estates so isolated they could barely send a letter, where they spent their lives endlessly pregnant and giving birth.

Honestly, even that was the better outcome.

Occasionally, some women who’d been practically sold into marriage reappeared in the capital, battered and broken, with bruises and fractures all over their bodies.

They’d beg their families to grant them a divorce, pleading they’d surely die otherwise.

In Denerthum, divorce required navigating numerous complicated procedures—but more crucially,

the dowry paid by the husband at marriage had to be fully repaid.

Such women were either seen as family disgraces or had been sold purely for money—so naturally, their families neither returned the dowry nor permitted divorce.

‘So most of them just went back to their husbands…’

What happened to them afterward, no one knew—not even whether they lived or died. Thus, ever since Elise mentioned her parents had lowered her dowry to 1,000 guilders, Ael had been consumed by anxiety.

She felt certain she’d face that same fate.

‘At least no marriage proposals have come yet—that’s a relief.’

Apparently, her reputation was even worse than her parents had hoped.

But she couldn’t stay relieved forever. At summer’s end, the royal family would host the Summer Banquet.

It was the grandest banquet in Denerthum, and everyone listed in the noble registry received an invitation.

Even nobles from distant regions would come to the capital then—and naturally, many marriage negotiations took place during the event.

Some even called it Denerthum’s finest bride market, offering everything from expensive brides to very cheap ones.

“Sigh…”

Now sighs escaped her habitually. Would she really be sold off somewhere after the Summer Banquet ended?

After changing clothes, Ael checked under her bed. There, neatly placed on a cloth, were the books she’d borrowed from the library.

“I really need to return these soon.”

After all, a marriage proposal could arrive at any moment.

Though unlikely, if her parents lowered her dowry further to clear her out before Elise’s wedding, someone might actually send one.

In truth, she’d already finished nine of the ten borrowed books. Unable to sleep easily, reading was all she could do.

But the last book was problematic.

‘I expected it to be difficult, but I didn’t think so many terms would be completely incomprehensible.’

The book was harder than Ael had anticipated—not because the content itself was complex, but because she didn’t understand the meanings of the terms repeatedly mentioned.

‘Since they’re all newly announced imperial economic laws, the library probably doesn’t even have related reference books.’

If only someone could explain them once—she’d grasp it immediately. But such explanations were likely only available in Academy lectures, which she obviously couldn’t attend.

Just as Ael was descending the stairs to return to the kitchen,

“What do you think you’re buying this nonsense for—so you can send it to the Grand Duke?!”

Elise’s sharp voice rang out.

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