Chapter 69
“I’m just so happy that you two are getting along. I used to stew in frustration all alone every day…”
“In a way, it’s all thanks to you, Sophia. If it weren’t for you, how could an old woman like me ever mingle with such young ladies?”
“Hoho. Now that you mention it, this meeting really is thanks to Miss Sophia.”
In that gathering, the only one who was sincerely pleased by their camaraderie was Sophia. After more than ten years of having no one on her side, she was thrilled to suddenly gain two allies.
‘But this girl… I’m not sure she’s of any use. She visits the marquessate all the time, yet hasn’t once run into Ian…’
‘This must be the fifth or sixth time she’s visited. Shouldn’t Ian at least be called over once by now? Do they think I’m some idle noble lady with nothing better to do than drink tea?’
Whatever their true thoughts, the three ladies laughed and chatted cheerfully. Most of the topics were trivial, but no one looked bored.
“Um… Madam.”
Time passed until finally, there was a small knock at the door. A brown-haired girl timidly entered—it was Leah, the young maid Diane had brought from the kingdom. Sophia’s eyes narrowed into triangles the moment she spotted her. Leah noticed instantly and began to fidget nervously.
Seeing Leah’s face, Diane deliberately set her teacup down with a clink. As all eyes turned to her, Diane naturally addressed Leah.
“Leah. What is it—?”
Clatter.
Before she could finish, the parlor door flung open. Even among family, one didn’t enter a private drawing room unannounced. Everyone in the room widened their eyes in surprise. The one who appeared in the open doorway was Ian. With his blue eyes, he motioned to Leah to leave. The frightened girl stepped aside, and Diane bit her lip slightly.
“Lady Helen. I’d like a word with you.”
Ignoring Diane and Sophia, Ian addressed only Helen. Sophia jumped to her feet, about to scold her brother for his rudeness, but Diane quietly reached out to stop her.
“…Alright.”
Though she felt a tinge of fear at the sharp glint in Ian’s blue eyes, Helen nodded. After all, the whole reason she kept visiting the marquessate was for a chance to see him, even just once. If she fled in fear, it would mean she lacked courage. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to believe that.
“Helen…”
As Helen rose from her seat, Sophia looked between her and her brother with concern. Anyone could tell—his intentions right now were far from good. But since Helen had accepted, there was nothing Sophia could do to stop it.
So Helen followed Ian out of the parlor, leaving only Diane, Sophia, and Leah behind.
“Grandmother! Shouldn’t we follow them right now?”
Sophia stared furiously at the door her brother and Helen had disappeared through, then turned to Diane with rising anxiety. But Diane shook her head and calmly approached her.
“Don’t get worked up, Sophia.”
“But did you see Ian’s face? He’s clearly going to say something awful.”
“Hmm… look over there, would you?”
Diane pointed out the large window behind Sophia. When Sophia followed her grandmother’s finger, she saw Ian and Helen stepping into the garden, having just come down the stairs.
“They’re heading to a romantic spot full of flowers. A handsome man and a beautiful woman…”
A smile played on Diane’s face as she gazed at them, but Sophia remained sour. The garden they entered wasn’t even the main one—it was worse, and conveniently close to the front gate, making it easy to escort someone out. And more than anything, her brother wasn’t even offering his arm.
Still, Diane watched them with a strange glint in her eyes, and when the two disappeared behind the shrubbery, she turned to Sophia.
“Seeing that just now… it reminded me that you were probably right before, Sophia.”
“Huh? What do you mean…?”
“You once said you were sure Helen liked Ian, and that Ian probably liked her too, but he pretended not to because of what others might think or because of lingering feelings for the Pardons.”
She had said that before, though Sophia hadn’t been entirely confident in it. As she hesitated, Diane gently took her hand and gave her a warm smile.
“I’m convinced now too. So don’t worry. Keep supporting them. True love always finds its way. Your parents are a good example, aren’t they? Cliff may not have been fit for the Lloyd family, but he found a love that was real. I heard from the kingdom—your father truly loved your mother, even though she came from a family with no noble title or inheritance.”
Sophia’s eyes wavered at the mention of her parents. Yes, they had been like that. So surely Ian and Helen could be too…
“And you, Sophia—you haven’t told me yet, but aren’t you also in a love that doesn’t bend to status or public opinion?”
As Sophia gazed out the window, trying to shake off her unease, Diane locked eyes with her and delivered the final blow.
“That’s right. Those two… I have to help them.”
Once Diane brought up Arthur and her own feelings, Sophia was completely convinced. She nodded, believing Ian and Helen had met to finally confess their feelings. But the lingering discomfort still clung to her like a bitter taste.
“…Hm? What’s that?”
Just as she swallowed the dryness in her throat, Sophia noticed a carriage pass through the main gate and narrowed her eyes. Diane, still holding her hand with that gentle expression, turned to look as well.
“What the—Aisha and Daniel? What are they doing here?”
Recognizing the Pardon family’s carriage, Sophia burst out angrily. She hated them so much she could even recognize some of the horses pulling the carriage.
“They didn’t even ask permission… I’m going to tell James to throw them out right now. If I order it secretly without Ian knowing—”
But today, more than the usual irritation, she felt a sharp, unpleasant stab in her chest. Not knowing it was guilt, she stormed out of the drawing room to chase Aisha away. Yet before she could take more than a few steps, Diane blocked her path and asked in a calm, deliberate tone,
“Sophia. Do you really think James will listen to you?”
“T-then Grandmother should…! What if that girl ruins Ian and Helen’s time together? Ian already treats Aisha too gently…”
“Hm… well, there’s no way we can get that carriage turned back now. Then why don’t we turn this situation to our advantage?”
“Huh? What do you mean—?”
“Aisha Pardon… that young lady needs to face the truth. The truth that the man she loves is in love with someone else.”
Sophia blinked in surprise. Her grandmother, who always seemed kind and gentle, now had a sly and ominous gleam in her eye.
“It may sound cruel, but it’s better to face such pain early on. And in the end, it’s best for people in love to be together. Just imagine if Ian marries that girl and she becomes the marchioness. Ian, living with someone he doesn’t love—what a tragedy. And what about Helen? Besides, if Aisha becomes the marchioness, then you, Sophia…”
“…”
“Sophia, my poor dear. Think about it realistically. When that time comes, do you think Ian will take your side… or hers?”
Diane gently stroked the most sensitive part of her granddaughter’s heart. As her words piled on, Sophia’s face contorted more and more—until, at last, she could no longer hold back and shouted,
“Grandmother, tell me what to do!”
“My sweet, kind granddaughter… all you have to do is help Ian and Helen get together. Let this old woman be the villain. Leah, bring me a pen and ink from that desk over there.”
Diane affectionately patted Sophia’s head, as if understanding her dilemma. Then she gave an unexpected order to Leah, who had been listening silently all this time.
“Madam, here it is…”
When Leah brought the pen and ink, Diane dipped the pen and wrote a short sentence on the girl’s bare left wrist. Sophia, watching from the side, looked at her grandmother in confusion. But Diane didn’t seem to mind her gaze—she simply waited for the ink to dry.
“Now, Leah. Take this to the Marquess. You know how delicious they are, right? I’m sure he’ll love it too.”
Once the ink dried, Diane did something else strange. She took some of the uniquely shaped cookies from the parlor tray, arranged them prettily on a plate, and handed them to Leah.
“Grandmother, what exactly are you scheming…?”
Sophia couldn’t hold her tongue any longer, but her voice trailed off at the end. This felt like some underhanded plot. Even though she disliked Aisha, this didn’t feel satisfying.
“Sophia. Earlier today, didn’t I tell you and Helen an interesting story while serving these cookies? Do you remember?”
Diane remained calm no matter how her granddaughter reacted. She paused Leah, who was about to leave, and picked up a cookie.
‘These cookies contain sihochou, a rare herb found only in the Kingdom of Todome. It grows on high cliffs deep in the mountains, making it hard to find and harvest—hence its very high price. That’s why even lowborn treasure hunters climb those cliffs, sometimes leading to brutal fights. It’s so competitive, they have a saying: Whoever picks the herb first earns the greatest right. Thanks to that, a well-known proverb was born… Beat your neighbor to the sihochou.’
“If I were to interpret that proverb for you…”
“Don’t lose to your rival—seize the opportunity before you.”
