The engagement ceremony was interrupted. During the exchange of vows, Terio Alte collapsed.
The murmuring nobles left the temple, almost pushed out. Goyo could have stayed in the temple if she wanted, but after confirming that Terio wasn’t dead, she blended into the crowd and exited the temple.
In the carriage heading back to Bethelgius, Goyo recalled the moment Terio Alte collapsed.
Just before the suffering man lost consciousness, he made eye contact with Goyo. At that moment, Goyo felt an inexplicable chill.
“His eyes were strange.”
“Are you talking about Terio Alte?”
“Yes. I’m not sure how to describe it.”
“His gaze was very persistent and unpleasant. I saw it too.”
“Was it an assassination attempt?”
“I’m not sure. Poisoning someone who handles mana isn’t easy. Moreover, there aren’t many types of poison that can cause headaches.”
“Headaches… Now that you mention it, he did complain of headaches when we met before.”
Goyo’s memory traveled back to the ball after the hunting tournament.
While they were talking, Terio Alte suddenly stopped speaking and complained of a headache.
It didn’t seem like just any ordinary pain, but despite his suffering, he didn’t look surprised. As if he was accustomed to such headaches.
‘Strange, this didn’t happen before my return.’
Goyo’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Terio Alte from her memories was buried in pain due to Melissy’s death, but he was never physically ill.
During this period before her return, Goyo had spent a lot of time with Terio, so she was certain. Terio Alte had never suffered from any physical ailments at this time.
Lost in thought, feeling unsettled, Goyo was silently observed by Annecy. After a while, Goyo noticed his gaze and lifted her head.
Their gazes met, and his eyes curved softly. However, the gray pupils held a subtle emotion that even Goyo didn’t recognize, so despite the curve of his eyes, he didn’t appear to be smiling.
“Are you worried about him, Madam?”
“…No, it’s not that.”
“I see.”
“I don’t know if I should say this, but I didn’t feel any worry or concern at all.”
‘I just… don’t want to see him again.’
It wasn’t old resentment or fear that he might bother her.
Goyo felt a sense of foreboding. An instinctive intuition that she shouldn’t meet Terio Alte again was vividly clear.
Annecy, looking slightly surprised by Goyo’s response, soon smiled gently. His long fingers softly pressed Goyo’s chin, and he kissed her smooth forehead.
“There is no such thing as something you cannot say, Madam.”
Her husband’s face, as he said that, seemed somehow satisfied.
* * *
Several days passed since the engagement ceremony was interrupted. Goyo felt uneasy, thinking something might happen soon, but thankfully, nothing serious occurred.
If there was anything unusual, it was that Terio, who had lost consciousness, still hadn’t woken up.
The two of them welcomed the morning in the rose garden for the first time in a while. The sunlight was warm, and the gentle spring breeze carried the scent of flowers. On such a clear, beautiful day, Goyo felt good for no particular reason.
“Oh, by the way, I received an invitation from Rajin. She invited me to visit the Eliom mansion.”
“A sudden invitation? Haven’t you been going there often?”
“This time, she made it a bit of an event, asking me to spend the whole day there.”
“The whole day…?”
“Yes. She wants to have a small party in the evening. So, I was wondering if it’s alright to go.”
At Goyo’s question, Annecy reflexively thought of Iel Eliom. But he quickly brushed off the thought. What’s the harm in spending a night at the mansion?
But his mouth said something that was the exact opposite of his easygoing thoughts.
“No, you cannot.”
“Pardon?”
It was the first time Goyo had heard a negative response from Annecy, so she was a bit surprised.
“I forgot to mention, but we’re scheduled to attend a couple’s party that day.”
“I didn’t specify the date. It hasn’t been set yet, so if there’s somewhere I must attend, I can adjust the schedule.”
“Do you really… want to go that badly?”
‘What’s wrong with him?’
“Earl Eliom will be away from his mansion all throughout April, and Rajin says she’s lonely. She says that, but when the Earl is home, I can’t stay overnight at Eliom, so I think she sees this as the right time.”
“Now that I think about it, that party seems to have been canceled. You may go.”
“What?”
“Where and when you go is your decision, Madam. I hope you enjoy your time.”
‘What is wrong with him?’
Goyo blinked in confusion at her husband’s incomprehensible behavior.
* * *
After finishing the meal, Annecy went up to his office. Until the moment he opened the door and walked in, he seemed just as he always did. But the moment the door closed, his expression immediately twisted into a frown.
He knew he had been changing, but the shift was becoming more rapid by the day.
Emotions he couldn’t even identify were growing uncontrollably. Naturally, this was not something Annecy welcomed.
‘I need to distance myself.’
At least until he could sort out all his emotions. His hand clenched anxiously.
* * *
‘He really doesn’t know.’
Reflecting on his behavior during the meal, Goyo became even more certain. Well, she hadn’t known either until Annecy had told her directly, so it wasn’t such an unbelievable story. Kolabe and Exer must have kept the secret well. Thinking so, Goyo’s eyes drifted toward the calendar.
Today’s date was April 1st, the day Annecy Bethelgius was born.
“My lady, this dress looks absolutely wonderful on you!”
“Thank you, Annie.”
“The Marquis really has an eye for these things. How does he always choose dresses that suit you so perfectly? Of course, my lady, you would look good in any dress!”
Goyo half-listened to Annie’s admiration as she glanced toward the mirror. The dress, which was similar to her skin tone, was the most modest one among those Annecy had bought for her.
Since her old casual clothes had become worn out and discarded, Goyo had no choice but to pick from the new ones.
Given Annecy’s preferences, she had worried there wouldn’t be anything suitable, but fortunately, among the dresses he chose, there were a few that were practical for daily wear.
The dress, which matched her skin tone, was slightly see-through overall, but other than that, there were no flashy elements. It had a luxurious feel due to the fine material, so it didn’t look too plain. It seemed suitable for a brief outing.
“I’m heading out now.”
“Are you sure you don’t need the carriage?”
“It’s nearby. I’m not so frail that I can’t walk for even a few minutes.”
“Understood. Should the knights accompany you?”
“Yes, three of them.”
Although she had something prepared, Goyo felt it was insufficient, given the many gifts she had received on her birthday. But she had been unable to think of anything special and, after delaying for so long, today had finally come.
She still couldn’t think of a special gift, but since the day had arrived, she had to prepare at least a formal one.
‘Buying a gift on the day itself feels a bit insincere.’
Swallowing her guilt with a sigh, Goyo stepped out of the dressing room.
As Goyo was walking down the central hallway, she happened to run into Annecy, who was coming down the stairs. His eyes twitched slightly, as if startled, just when he was about to greet her casually.
“Where… are you going?”
“I received an invitation, so I thought it’d be good to prepare at least a small gift. I’m wearing the simplest outfit you gave me, but it still feels a bit too much. Does it look okay?”
Goyo pulled out the excuse she had prepared in advance. Fortunately, the words came out smoothly even by her standards, and Annecy didn’t seem to suspect anything at all.
In truth, even if her behavior had been a bit awkward, he wouldn’t have noticed in his current state.
Annecy’s head was spinning.
It wasn’t as if the dress was revealing. Even if it had been, he had no right to interfere with what someone else wore.
It was obvious that even between spouses, there were boundaries to be respected. More importantly, there was no reason for him to feel this way about what Goyo wore. Hadn’t he just decided moments ago to keep some distance?
He should just greet her and let her go. Despite his internal debate, he came to a conclusion.
Noticing the prolonged silence, Goyo looked up at Annecy with a puzzled expression.
“Annecy?”
He snapped back to reality.
“I just happened to want some fresh air. I’d like to come with you.”
“If you’re not too busy, feel free.”
Contradicting his rational thoughts, Annecy’s words came out, and Goyo nodded willingly. She was still unsure what to get, so having him accompany her was a welcome relief.
Since Annecy was joining her, the knights who were supposed to escort her didn’t need to follow.
The two of them left the mansion side by side. A cool breeze brushed past, and a hint of delight flickered across Annecy’s face.
“Goodness, it’s quite chilly after the rain.”
“Are you cold? Should we head back inside to get something warmer?”
“I’m not cold, but I was referring to you, Madam. May I offer you my coat?”
“I’m not that cold, but thank you for your concern.”
“…I see. If you do feel cold, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”
At his subtly smiling words, Goyo nodded.
Their first destination was Bremen’s tailor shop. Designer Baron Bremen specialized in menswear, particularly ties and cravats.
Since it was an odd choice of shop for buying a gift for Rajin, Annecy’s face showed a hint of confusion.
“It’s an honor to have you both here, Madam Bethelgius, and Marquis Bethelgius as well. Please, just call me Bremen.”
“Nice to meet you, Bremen. I’m here to look at cravats.”
“I’ll bring out the best selection for you. Please be so kind as to wait a moment.”
The man with a monocle, despite his elegant gestures, quickly disappeared into the back.
While they waited, Annecy cautiously brought up the question that had been on his mind.
“Forgive me, Madam, but I didn’t know Lord Eliom wore cravats.”
“It’s not for Rajin, it’s for the young earl. I thought it’d be awkward to only bring a gift for Rajin.”
“Ah… for Iel Eliom, then.”
“If you don’t mind, could you help me choose a cravat? As you know, I’m not very knowledgeable in this area, but I trust your taste.”
“…That’s not a difficult request.”
As soon as Annecy reluctantly responded, Baron Bremen returned. Following his lead, they were shown a display case full of cravats.
“If you have a specific style in mind, please let me know.”
“Show me something extravagant. Something that won’t be overshadowed by a striking appearance.”
“That happens to be my specialty.”
Baron Bremen pulled out a few cravats.
As expected from someone renowned in this field, the cravats were flamboyant yet tasteful, without any tackiness.
There were even a few that matched Annecy’s taste, but none of them caught his eye.
Something that wouldn’t be overshadowed by a striking appearance…? Was Iel Eliom’s appearance really that impressive?
Annecy tried to recall Iel’s face as rationally as possible, but no matter how objective he tried to be, all he could think was that the man’s face resembled a watercolor painting with too much water mixed in.
He concluded that Goyo’s standards for a man’s looks were far too generous.
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