Chapter 52
The nobles who were about to make their debut as debutantes.
As the nobles began to appear in order of rank, the sound of applause filled the banquet hall.
I spotted Nick among the crowd at the very front.
It looked as though he had deliberately styled his brown hair and set it in place.
Beneath features that resembled a duke, a black suit hugged his body elegantly.
Normally, he acted like a child, but dressed up like this, he looked like a truly handsome young man.
The surrounding young ladies’ eyes flickered toward Nick.
For some reason, I felt a swell of pride, as if I were seeing a child I had raised myself.
Nick, having safely entered the hall, looked around.
Was he looking for me?
…It seemed he really was.
Nick’s gaze soon landed on me, cloaked. He tilted his head, noticing the familiar cloak.
I couldn’t remove my hat because too many eyes were watching. Instead, quietly, I raised my hand slightly to greet Nick without anyone noticing.
Nick’s eyes widened. Then he smiled brightly.
It was then that the hall noticeably stirred. What was happening?
Startled by the sudden commotion, I turned my head and looked toward the source of everyone’s attention.
The entrance of the banquet hall.
After the few dukes and marquises had appeared, the sons of earls, the next set of debutantes, began to make their entrance. People watched eagerly as they arrived.
“Finally, Angela Green is coming out?”
I heard whispers from the nobles beside me.
Ah.
Angela Green.
Now I understood the situation.
She was Adela Green’s younger sister, the second daughter of the Green Earldom, about to officially debut in society alongside Nick this year.
I had heard of Angela Green before.
Even during our academy days, her beauty was widely praised.
It was said her appearance was as angelic as her name suggested.
Some even called Angela Green the “second Diana,” because she, like Diana, had a similar rank and position and a strikingly beautiful appearance.
In fact, the Green Earldom was considered to have replaced the Allison Earldom in the social scene, which had lost influence after Diana and her parents passed away.
I raised my head to watch the newly arriving nobles.
Several sons of earls appeared, and a woman in a pure white dress came into view.
Gasps echoed through the crowd.
She was neither a girl nor fully a lady—just perfectly her age.
Mature enough to seem grown-up but still carrying traces of childhood—her face struck that perfect balance.
Her skin was whiter than her dress, and her hair, tied halfway down, was black as the night sky.
Yet, upon closer inspection, her hair was actually a deep green.
The contrast of pure white and deep green was captivating, enough to attract everyone’s attention.
She had a familiar yet exceedingly rare beauty.
“Wow… she’s really pretty.”
For that moment, everyone—man or woman—was captivated by Angela.
Nick was no exception.
I stepped out onto the balcony to catch some fresh air.
After the debutante main characters had appeared, they were expected to mingle and dance according to etiquette.
I had stepped outside after watching Nick dance with composure.
The hall was large, but the crowd made it feel suffocating.
Having seen Nick dance enough to ensure he wouldn’t feel neglected, I was content.
The balcony was empty.
The cool evening breeze brushed past me, giving a sense of liberation.
I had come here for Nick, but as expected, these noble parties were not really my scene.
I chuckled to myself, feeling like my younger self who would dutifully attend but then drift off elsewhere had resurfaced.
How did I ever endure boring parties at the duke’s house?
The duke had been considerate, holding as few parties as possible, yet there were still occasions I had to attend as the duchess.
And I had endured them until they were over.
Seven years passed that way.
Now that I was away from the duke’s house, I could leave the hall whenever it became too tiresome, revealing my true self.
And I loved those moments.
It felt like I could truly feel myself, unfiltered by anyone else’s gaze.
Lost in that thought, I tilted my head.
I wondered, when would Nick finish dancing?
Would he even see me?
As the heir of the grand duke’s house, he would be approached from all sides.
He must be swamped.
Would it be better to quietly leave so as not to disturb him?
Just then, Nick appeared.
“Mother.”
I turned at the voice from behind.
Nick appeared, pulling aside the curtain at the balcony entrance.
“Nick.”
Up close, he looked even more imposing and tall.
I smiled warmly at him.
“You look great today.”
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime day.”
Nick smiled.
“Honestly, I didn’t think you’d really come. Thank you so much for coming.”
“It was your request, I couldn’t say no.”
I smiled and spoke the words I had prepared.
“Congratulations on your official debut into noble society, Nick.”
I pulled out a gift I had prepared from my pocket.
Nick tilted his head at the small box, then opened it to reveal a small handkerchief inside.
His eyes widened.
“…Mother. What is this?”
“It’s a handkerchief. I made it myself.”
It was embroidered with a small dragon, the symbol of the Whidrian ducal family.
I had asked Sophie to buy the materials and worked on it little by little while practicing drawing.
It wasn’t a grand gift, but I wanted it to be meaningful for Nick.
“I made it with the wish that you grow into a capable adult and lead the family well.”
“Mother… you didn’t have to, really…”
Nick seemed more touched than I expected. His eyes glistened, and he sniffled before smiling at me.
“Thank you so much. I’ll always carry it with me.”
Though grown physically, his tears made him still a child.
I smiled, finding Nick endearing.
He placed the handkerchief in his pocket, then, as if remembering something, looked at me.
“Brother is here today too. Did you see him?”
“…Yes. I did.”
I remembered Ken standing motionless on the stage. When had he grown into such a capable adult?
A bitter yet proud smile crossed my face.
“Royal guards are only entrusted to the finest knights. It seems your brother is doing really well in the order.”
“Yes. He loved swords since he was young.”
I continued.
“That’s really great.”
“Um…”
Nick hesitated, then spoke cautiously.
“If you’d like to meet him, Mother, I can arrange it for you.”
“Oh, no!”
I waved him off.
“That’s not necessary, Nick. Ken would feel pressured. I’d feel uncomfortable too.”
“…I wasn’t forcing anything. I just thought I’d offer.”
Nick nodded, understanding completely.
“Then instead, I’ll show you another friend.”
“Another friend?”
“Yes, the one I told you about before… the friend I like.”
Thinking of the child made Nick blush unconsciously.
He cleared his throat and motioned for me to come toward the balcony entrance.
I approached, and together we peeked into the hall, using the curtain as a shield.
“Can you see him?”
“….”
“This is the friend I like.”
As expected, the person Nick pointed to was Angela Green.
Angela Green, smiling brightly among the nobles.
I had sensed something in the way Nick glanced at her earlier, and my intuition had been correct.
“She’s a pretty girl.”
“…Yes, though her personality is something else entirely.”
“Huh?”
“Nothing.”
Nick chuckled softly, then continued.
“After I consulted you last time, I thought about it a lot on my own.”
“Mm-hm.”
“I realized Angela started avoiding me right after graduating from the academy. I tried to figure out why that happened.”
Nick continued.
“There’s one major difference from what you told me.”
“What is it?”
“Angela went back to her family after leaving the dormitory.”
This time, Nick pointed elsewhere.
From afar, a man seemed to be watching Angela.
“And at home… there’s this man.”
A middle-aged man with an impressive, upright posture and deep green hair.
The Earl of Green.
