Two people arrived at the marquis’s outer gate. At Lucullui’s gesture, the massive door creaked open.
As Annecy headed towards the carriage that would take him to the imperial palace, a familiar voice blocked his path.
It was Sir Rajin Eliom, a knight with a black mane and an androgynous appearance.
“Mrs. Bethelgius! Ah, and the marquis is here too. It’s been a long time.”
“Sir Eliom…?”
“Oh, it seems I’ve been demoted from Sir Rajin to Sir Eliom while I wasn’t looking. It’s a sad matter, but I’ve been busy lately, so I’ll endure it.”
Rajin smiled and handed over a bouquet. The small bunch of light purple flowers, though not bright, gathered a delicate beauty.
“Happy birthday, madam.”
With a bewildered expression, Goyo accepted the bouquet.
“It’s sweet alyssum, your birth flower. Its meaning is ‘exquisite beauty,’ so it suits you perfectly!”
“Oh, thank you. But how did you know?”
“I asked the butler of the mansion. I remember there was a birthday party held in the Rubiette house in winter, but I couldn’t recall the date, so I asked.”
Goyo smiled with a somewhat vague look. The birthday parties at Rubiette were usually in February, around Melissi’s birthday.
She didn’t like drawing attention to herself and wasn’t fond of formal congratulations, so she hadn’t held a party since she was ten. However, it wasn’t something important enough to explain in detail, so she didn’t add anything.
Rajin soon began handing over each of the gifts she had brought.
“This is a whale plush made by Designer Bruja. The color didn’t come out as clear as I hoped, but I bought it because it caught my eye.
This is perfume I bought in Albreta. It’s said to be a lucky perfume, so I hope you use it for the hunting competition.
And this is a cake made by Tail B. It had an incredibly long reservation period, so it was touch and go whether it would be ready before your birthday, but thankfully, it was…”
As Rajin poured out a torrent of words, Goyo’s expression became increasingly subtle. The lack of communication had made her now feel awkward about what to say.
Although she knew she should decline the visit, it was quite embarrassing to say such a thing to someone who came to congratulate her on her birthday.
Rajin’s gifts were clearly chosen with great care, and even though Goyo suspected there might be other intentions, she couldn’t avoid feeling apologetic.
But there was nothing to be done. She would speak after Rajin finished. Goyo licked her dry lips.
Regardless of her inner feelings, Goyo Bethelgius was adept at controlling her expression, so her discomfort was not overtly visible on her pale face.
If there was any difference in her expression, it was very slight, but it was enough for Annecy to notice.
Annecy swallowed a short sigh. Being perceptive was a burden in such situations.
‘It can’t be helped.’
Before Goyo could open her mouth, Annecy interrupted Rajin’s words.
“I need to speak with the madam for a moment. Please wait in the drawing room.”
* * *
Despite their initial departure, the two reentered the mansion. They couldn’t leave a guest outside, so after sending Rajin to the drawing room, they re-entered.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t send a message to decline the visit because I hadn’t heard from you for a while.”
“No, it would be strange to tell someone not to come when they hadn’t even said they would. I understand that you might have wanted to surprise me for my birthday.”
Given that Rajin had contacted them previously, it wasn’t surprising she came unannounced this time. Still, Goyo couldn’t fully understand Rajin’s intention to surprise her.
‘……I can’t say for sure, but there is something uncomfortable about it.’
‘If that’s the case, I’ll handle it as such.’
Goyo recalled her straightforward reply from earlier and felt embarrassed. Sensing her discomfort, Annecy decided to change the subject.
“Come to think of it, madam, if we suddenly decline the visit, it might make things more suspicious.”
“Yes?”
“If someone had other motives, it would be better to pretend not to notice and set a trap. It might be easier to manage if they’re not suspicious.”
Annecy’s suggestion wasn’t entirely clear, and Goyo blinked slowly in response.
“What do you mean…”
“You’re free to refuse if you think it’s too much, but if you’re willing, could you pretend to be a friend of the guest and spend some time with her?”
Annecy’s consideration felt familiar but also struck a deep chord at times. This was one of those moments.
Goyo’s eyebrows twitched slightly as warmth spread in her chest.
‘He knew I was struggling.’
“If you’re sure it’s alright.”
“Thank you, madam. I’ll assign secret guards within the mansion, so there shouldn’t be any issues even in an emergency. However, please make one promise.”
“Anything.”
Do not give your heart away.
Meeting his pale eyes directly, Annecy said this.
Though it was clearly directed at Rajin Eliom, Goyo couldn’t shake the feeling that it was meant for Annecy as well.
“Because we don’t know what kind of person she is yet.”
“……Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Her heart warmed and then suddenly cooled, making Goyo feel as if she had become as capricious as her husband.
Goyo managed a somewhat strained smile. However, the smile was so natural that even Annecy couldn’t discern the emotions behind it.
“Thank you, Annecy.”
“Thank you for cooperating with this difficult matter, madam.”
Even as she looked at his perfectly smiling face, Goyo felt an odd discomfort.
* * *
The cake from Tail B, brought by Rajin, was soon displayed on the table in the drawing room.
Goyo wasn’t particularly fond of cakes, but Rajin couldn’t seem to take her eyes off the cake box.
When Goyo suggested sharing the cake, Rajin’s eyes sparkled in a way that could be compared to when she first saw the Wartin.
As if Goyo had been thinking along these lines, Rajin soon brought up the topic of the whale.
“How is Wartin growing?”
“Quite well, actually. Would you like to see?”
“I wouldn’t refuse.”
Goyo, now quite accustomed to it, summoned the water-colored whale.
Wartin had grown so much that it now almost filled her arms, though it was still slightly too large. The whale had grown enough to think at the level of a three-year-old child.
“Wow, it’s grown so much! It’s like seeing our puppy turn into an adult dog. Though, it’s far more beautiful than a dog!”
“You have a puppy?”
“I have a platinum Labrador. It’s cute and smart. If you’re interested, you can come and see it.”
“At the Eliom mansion?”
“I’m not sure what kind of training you’re doing, but it might be useful to try some real-life situations with a living animal. It could help if you train with our puppy.”
“That’s not a good idea. It would be… like water torture.”
“Excuse…?”
Rajin was puzzled by the method. Goyo hesitated slightly before explaining.
“It can’t trip or knock something over yet, so it could only block the other’s breath. Even though it doesn’t kill, it’s still painful. It’s not a beast to hunt, so it’s not right to do that.”
“Well, what if you grab it by other parts instead of the face?”
Ah. A small gasp escaped Goyo’s lips. Her embarrassment at not having thought of this made her lips twitch.
“Just in time, Jessy has been complaining that she can’t bathe the dog, so its fur is dirty. Maybe you could wash it while you’re here.”
Rajin smiled warmly, pretending not to notice Goyo’s confusion.
Goyo, feeling strangely familiar with her consideration, said she would think about it.
* * *
“If you’re just staying at the mansion, it might be a bit stifling, so you’re welcome to go out.”
Goyo had thought she would refuse Rajin’s invitation if Annecy showed discomfort, but surprisingly, he did not show any negative reaction.
Thus, for the first time since the tea party, Goyo left the marquis’s mansion, though accompanied by five secret guards.
The Eliom mansion was located on the outskirts of the capital, unlike the Bethelgius mansion. The white three-story mansion wasn’t very large, but it had a traditional charm.
Following Rajin’s guidance, Goyo entered and soon encountered a large dog right after passing through a well-kept garden.
The dog, named Elieze, was indeed not very well washed, with its fur appearing rough and dirty. Despite this, it wagged its tail upon seeing a stranger, showing a friendly disposition. However, Elieze shot a resentful look at Goyo after its fur got wet from the whale.
Since it was Wartin that had been soaked, and considering the intelligent explanation Rajin had given, it was clear that Rajin’s description had been accurate.
Elieze, who had been avoiding water, eventually gave in and went off to be bathed by the maid, Jessy. Jessy, who had proudly declared that it had been eight months since Elieze had last been washed, seemed quite pleased despite the dog’s reluctance and health concerns.
Thanks to Jessy’s efforts, Elieze regained its soft and beautiful fur, while Goyo felt a pang of self-reproach. She couldn’t help but feel embarrassed, reflecting on the effort she had put into getting the dog wet.
“Elieze is so quick that even I find it hard to catch it, but Wartin has become very fast too. The hunting competition should be no problem!”
“I hope so.”
If after all this effort she couldn’t even catch a single rabbit, Goyo felt she would regret her initial enthusiasm for the competition.
“Oh, Sir Eliom.”
The mention of the hunting competition reminded Goyo of something, and she called Rajin.
“For the competition, it’s customary to prepare handkerchiefs to cheer on the participants, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Is there someone in particular you’d like to cheer for in the competition?”
“Annecy, that is, the marquis is also participating in the hunting competition.”
It seems I should prepare a handkerchief.
Since Goyo hadn’t known Annecy was participating and, if she had known, it would have been unreasonable to ignore him while preparing a handkerchief, she couldn’t just pretend not to know.
“I actually know a boutique that sells wonderful handkerchiefs. Would you like some help with that?”
“No, I think I should make it myself.”
“Really?” Rajin tilted her head in curiosity.
“When I mentioned that I would participate in the competition, he promised to prepare a handkerchief for me. Since it will be handmade, I feel it’s awkward to just sit idly. Even if making it is difficult, adding some embroidery should be manageable. Is there a designer who can assist with that?”
“Well… I know that most designers are busy due to the competition and the upcoming ball.”
“I figured as much. Given the timing, it can’t be helped.”
“But I think I can help.”
Rajin’s smiling offer made Goyo’s eyes widen a little.
“Do you know how to do embroidery?”
“Not only do I know how, but surprisingly, I’m quite skilled at it! Though… it’s not as good as Iel’s. I’ve never won against him in delicate handiwork.”
“Iel?”
“Lord Iel Eliom, my older half-brother.”
Rajin led Goyo to the central corridor, where a portrait of a young man was hung on the wall. The man, with light brown hair, had a gentle and handsome appearance, very different from Rajin Eliom but with similar eyes and mouth.
“Isn’t he handsome?”
“Yes, he is very handsome.”
“More so than the marquis?”
“Not quite.”
Goyo shook her head firmly, unwilling to compare.
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