Unfortunately, it seemed House Valencia hadn’t arrived yet.
No sooner had disappointment set in than a familiar name was heard nearby.
Aisha Selturode.
Edith’s head turned sharply on instinct, and she confirmed that Aisha was there.
‘Aisha? Did she come alone?’
But there was no one around her.
Where was the Marquis?
Did she not even have a partner?
Even if she was now in an affair with Lisellon, coming alone to a party like this…
Moreover, it seemed no one intended to approach Aisha.
Instead, only whispers could be heard, as if deliberately excluding her.
It even sounded as though they were speaking loudly on purpose for her to hear, yet Aisha didn’t even scoff.
Aisha had always acted like a lone wolf, but now she looked slightly pitiful.
Of course, her expression was still vicious beyond measure, so the pity was only momentary.
At that moment.
As House Erves entered, Aisha’s face brightened.
‘What is that…?’
Was she not even ashamed of the fact that it was an affair? Then again, if she were ashamed, she wouldn’t have committed adultery in the first place.
Aisha showed no hesitation.
She pushed aside the official wife, Rosena, and naturally took her place beside Lisellon as if it were her rightful spot.
Meanwhile, Rosena, the actual wife, was left pushed aside.
She even looked quite used to it.
She trembled as if she felt humiliated, yet she couldn’t raise her voice.
A few noblewomen were simply comforting her and patting her gently.
“Tsk, the world has truly gone to ruin.”
An elderly noblewoman clicked her tongue.
At that, several people chimed in as if in agreement.
“Every time I see her, I get chills wondering how someone can be that shameless.”
Glancing to the side, even the Duchess had a hardened expression, as if she didn’t think well of Aisha either.
It had already sounded like a complete mess when she heard about it from Verina, but seeing it in person was even worse.
“What are you all talking about so loudly?”
Aisha, who had been quiet until just now, reacted.
She was picking a fight.
“It is nothing.”
“Why? It sounds like you’re having an interesting conversation. Let me join too.”
Was Aisha originally this kind of woman?
In the original story, she had only appeared as an extra and died soon after, so Edith didn’t know her detailed personality. Perhaps because of that, she found it even more fascinating.
“Oh my? Well, if it isn’t you?”
At that moment, Edith felt Aisha’s gaze land precisely on her.
Aisha brightened and greeted her familiarly, making Edith tilt her head without realizing it.
“I heard you woke up. Have you been well?”
“Huh?”
Did they know each other?
Seeing Edith’s confused expression, the smile on Aisha’s lips deepened.
Their gazes met in midair, but it was the Duchess who broke the stare first.
“Lady Selturode. Please remain quiet and leave.”
“Have I been making noise? I was merely expressing my delight at hearing that the Young Lady of House Capanteni had awakened.”
Edith was quite surprised. She had never imagined that the Duchess, who always wore a gentle smile, could show such a fierce expression.
“You were never that close.”
“Still, we’ve crossed paths a few times. It seems Edith doesn’t remember. How disappointing.”
What?
So they really did know each other.
Of course, rather than being close, it was probably just that both families held high status and had seen each other a few times.
“You still have that foolish-looking face.”
Aisha said loudly, as if making sure she would hear.
Then she lowered her head and leaned toward Edith’s ear, whispering something.
“I hope you live like that forever.”
“What?”
Edith widened her eyes and looked up at Aisha, wondering what that meant, but Aisha simply lifted her head again as if she had said everything she wanted, smiling as she walked away.
The noblewomen and young ladies nearby rolled their eyes nervously and held their breath, while the Duchess glared at Aisha’s retreating figure.
They remained in silence for quite some time, but soon the Duchess eased the atmosphere again.
Edith also smiled as if nothing had happened, but she couldn’t help her gaze drifting toward Aisha again and again.
Perhaps the Duchess noticed that gaze, because she tightened her grip on Edith’s arm and signaled her with her eyes, her expression full of concern.
Seeing that worry, Edith could only respond with a gentle smile.
***
How much time had passed since the banquet began?
The Emperor hadn’t yet appeared, so the festivities hadn’t truly begun, but it seemed to be nearing its peak, as fewer and fewer guests were entering.
At that moment, a newly announced name once again drew everyone’s attention toward the entrance.
“Duke Luzbel Valencia and his son, Jeron Valencia, are entering.”
‘Gasp, finally!’
It was the entrance of the two people Edith had been waiting for.
However, just like with Lisellon and Aisha, the reaction to Luzbel’s appearance was cold.
Since there was no one who didn’t know about the tangled relationship between the three of them, such a reaction was only natural.
Above all, this was Valencia’s first public appearance since the divorce, which made it even more so.
“My goodness. His beauty is still the same.”
Everyone had heard that Duke Valencia had gone mad, but the moment they saw his face, they couldn’t help but admire him.
Edith was also screaming internally.
‘It’s been two years, and this lunatic got even more handsome?’
But having lived with him, even briefly, she could tell at a glance how devastated Luzbel had been over the past two years.
He was someone she had wanted to see so badly, but now that she saw him, thinking about how much he must have suffered left a bitter taste in her mouth.
In contrast, Aisha looked happy.
***
Because Edith was watching only Luzbel, it wasn’t hard for her to notice that the end of his gaze was Aisha.
“Oh my. Has he still not forgotten her?”
Of course, Edith wasn’t the only one watching them closely.
Since this was their first encounter after the divorce, everyone was observing them.
But Aisha, as if she didn’t care whether Luzbel had arrived or not, simply stood beside Lisellon with her arm linked through his, smiling.
Everyone watched with keen interest, wondering how Luzbel would react, but he did nothing and simply took a quiet seat in a corner.
“The child looks exactly like Duke Valencia.”
“I suppose so. He will live up to that face later.”
Since he didn’t show the reaction everyone wanted, slightly disappointed conversations were exchanged, and soon their attention shifted to Jeron beside him.
But despite the remarks about his shining appearance, his eyes looked dark and lifeless.
After Aisha left, he must have been hurt deeply, and it seemed Luzbel had also stopped paying attention to the child.
He himself was struggling, so he likely couldn’t spare any attention elsewhere.
“…Sigh.”
She had been worried this would happen, and as expected, it really did.
Even though she had anticipated it, her chest still ached. She had been the one who made Jeron smile, so what was with that expression now, really?
Of course, she was now a complete stranger, and she shouldn’t be involved, but she couldn’t help her gaze drifting toward him again and again, nor stop herself from worrying.
“What’s wrong?”
“Yes?”
“No, you let out such a deep sigh. Are you tired?”
“Ah… a little…”
“Then you should go rest on the terrace. Do not overexert yourself.”
The Duchess quickly took Edith’s arm, asked the others for their understanding, and led her away.
After drawing the terrace curtains and sitting down to rest, the Duchess looked at Edith with concern.
“Are you in a lot of pain?”
“It is not that bad.”
“How can it not be, when your face has gone pale like this?”
“By the way, was I acquainted with Lady Aisha?”
Aisha’s words from earlier kept bothering her.
The Duchess had said they weren’t close, but it felt like she knew something.
And what did she mean by saying she hoped she would live like that forever?
“As I said earlier, you weren’t close. You only met a few times through interactions between our families, and after that, you…”
The Duchess trailed off.
It seemed that after those few meetings, she had collapsed and never regained consciousness.
But why had Aisha approached her and said such a thing?
As if she were pleased by her misfortune.
“Now that I think about it, it’s strange.”
“Yes? What is?”
“Before that, the two of you were merely distant acquaintances. But before you collapsed, you began exchanging letters privately.”
“What? What letters?”
“I don’t know the details, but you looked quite bright whenever you received them.”
What?
Was there something going on?
Edith fell into deep thought, her expression growing serious.
“If you search, there may still be letters left. But at the time everything was so chaotic, the servants likely cleaned them away.”
She would have to look for them.
“More importantly, your complexion has worsened. Just rest here.”
But the banquet had only just begun, and Edith, who wanted to see Luzbel and Jeron even a little longer, smiled and said she was fine.
Of course, she had also promised to share the first dance with Theo.
“If it becomes too difficult, you must tell me.”
“Yes. I will.”
Just as she was catching her breath for a moment under the Duchess’s worried gaze—
“Edith, are you unwell?”
As if they had been watching her the whole time, the three men rushed onto the terrace, causing a commotion.
“Why is your complexion like this? Are you really alright?”
“Are you in pain?”
The Duke and her brothers repeated the exact same words as the Duchess, as if rehearsed.
“She says she is fine. She just came to rest for a bit.”
The Duchess answered for her instead.
“I am fine. I will just sit for a while and return, so please go back.”
“…Still…”
The three of them hesitated, clearly unwilling to leave, but at the Duchess’s sharp glare, they retreated without a word.
They were so cute and amusing that she couldn’t help but smile.
“Rest well. I will bring you some water.”
“Yes.”
The Duchess, wanting Edith to rest comfortably, left the terrace to fetch water.
Left alone, her mind quickly filled with thoughts.
And then—
Click.
The terrace door opened, and the sound of someone approaching echoed step by step.
Had the Duchess already returned?
Tilting her head, Edith slightly parted the curtain and peeked out.
