Chapter 71

Chapter 71

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Evan sat next to Kallaudin with a sullen expression on his face. After being kicked out by Laria’s maid, Lisa, he couldn’t even escort her.

He couldn’t believe it was all because he refuted Lisa’s words about the red dress. In the banquet hall of Duke Icard’s residence, the vassals of the Duke family were sitting and guarding their seats. There were not many events in which vassals were summoned.

It was a party that the Duchy’s servants prepared with great care. When it was time for Laria to appear, the door opened and the orchestra and choir entered.

“What is it? I definitely told Laria to dispose of it.”

As Kallaudin frowned, Morand answered quickly.

“Miss Laria said that she decided to play now.”

“Really…? Why the hell?”

“I heard that she asked for a congratulatory song.”

The Duke, as well as Evan, smiled.

‘Isn’t it cute that you prepared a celebration song yourself at a party?’

An orchestra group lined up at the entrance to the banquet hall began to play a famous song for celebration.

Accordingly, the choir also sang a beautiful melody.

Laria came in with the song that started slowly. Evan stared silently at his wife, who walked in. He hated to admit it, though just as Lisa said, Laria in a pale yellow dress was as cute as a chick.

She smiled brightly at Evan.

He couldn’t even smile well because he was awkward with it, but Laria really smiled brightly at everyone.

‘It’s a problem to smile like that to men other than your husband…’

Still, Evan decided not to talk about the matter any further, as Laria had told him to trust her. He really hated it, but still, listening to Laria was the most important thing.

As the celebration song reached its peak, Laria approached him. The size of the party was bigger than expected, so he thought she would be surprised, although she didn’t show any signs of feeling burdened.

Yesterday, she seemed so moved by the fireworks as if she had ever seen something similar, and yet, today, she was too calm.

“Evan!”

Laria held something out to him.

“I wish you a happy birthday from the bottom of my heart.”

Evan, as well as everyone there, looked stiff.

“Your birthday party is so grandiose that my present is shabby.”

Saying so, what she handed out was a letter.

“I drew and wrote it by myself.”

Seeing that, Evan accepted the thick letter with trembling hands as Laria continued her words.

“I think you’ll get a lot of expensive and good things, anyway.”

She glanced around and smiled innocently before added, “Even if it’s less than what the people gathered here have prepared, I’ve put all my sincerity into it.”

The performance of the congratulatory song ended just in time.

Eventually, she grabbed his wrist and tucked a hand-made red ruby sparkling cufflinks.

“This is just a souvenir I bought on my way back.”

Originally, his shirt was a design that didn’t require cufflinks, but it looked like it was inserted just for decoration.

“Of course, I brought for father, too!”

Laria ran towards Kallaudin and placed a set of cufflinks with the same design.

“Oh, but father is already using cufflinks…”

Immediately, Kallaudin took off his cuffs and dropped them randomly. In the end, she was able to attach the cufflinks to Kallaudin’s shirt.

After the celebratory song was finished, there was silence in the spacious banquet hall. Everyone looked somewhat puzzled.

Laria came back to Evan’s side and smiled awkwardly, wondering what was wrong with the silence.

“I guess auntie Olivia hasn’t arrived yet? Let’s wait a bit and start the birthday par—”

“Laria.”

Evan spoke in a low voice.

“This isn’t my birthday party.”

“…Uh?”

“It’s your welcome party.”

At that moment, Laria’s purple eyes widened in astonishment. “I-i-is- isn’t it your birthday today?! Did-did I misunderstand?”

“No, that’s true.”

Evan replied calmly.

“Though, I don’t celebrate my birthday like this.”

When even she shut her mouth, there was a cold silence in the banquet hall.

The vassals who attended with a gift for Laria turned their gazes, embarrassed. They all attended after receiving an invitation to her welcome party. It was even an invitation card with Kallaudin’s own handwriting, saying, ‘My daughter-in-law, who has made a significant contribution to receiving this medal, is back, so prepare yourself for the welcome.’

Evan, the party involved, also answered calmly, though he was bewildered as well.

He, of course, lived his life without even thinking that he should be congratulated on his birthday. So far, he spent his birthdays at the academy and wasn’t greeted by anyone in particular.

His birthday marked the day Matilda passed away. Therefore, he never considered his birthday a special day.

Congratulatory song, happy birthday, a thick letter, and a gift… It was totally unexpected. It wasn’t until the corner of his chest fell with a thump that he knew he was touched.

In such a splendid banquet hall, he could only see Laria handing out a letter among so many people.

‘Is this what happens when you get married?’

‘Does everyone feel so warm and stable when they have a wife?’

‘No, can you say this is a stable feeling? Aren’t your hands shaking nonstop?’

Evan had just turned fourteen and had never had a normal relationship with people. Therefore, he was still young and inexperienced in properly comprehending his emotions.

Moreover, a marriage relationship obscured the desire for the other. They could always be together even if they stood still, so he had never thought deeply about it other than that he just wanted to get along well.

But, one thing was certain…

That something definitely changed after Laria entered his life.

The desire to be together unconditionally until the end, the idea of never wanting to miss her, that he didn’t want to share her with others, has gradually become clearer.

“N-no… E-e-even so… it’s the birthday of Icard’s only heir…”

The door to the large banquet hall swung open as she continued to mutter blankly.

“I’m late for the party. I’m sorry.”

Everyone’s frozen eyes turned back as if they were lucky. One of the vassals of the Icard family, Viscount Hielin, arrived late.

However, Viscount Hielin was not alone.

“Though I have a situation…”

Viscount Hielin said, showing a girl the age of Evan and Laria.

“This is Matilda’s niece, Rosaline Maple. She said her father had passed away and had no place to go.”

“Hello.”

Rosaline was a girl with red curly hair and blue eyes. Because Matilda had red hair and blue eyes, everyone thought of her on the spot.

The hair, and eye color; as well as the mole on the right cheek and the white dress she used to wear, all of her reminded them of Matilda.

“You also took the daughter of a close friend of Madam Matilda…”

Hielin’s gaze stopped in Lariat for a second.

“I brought her here. Having Matilda’s bloodline, I thought it was a must.”

So, it meant that she was a distant relative of Evan.

Kallaudin remained silent for a while with an expressionless face.

However, everyone noticed that his eyes were on Rosaline. He couldn’t help it. The child looked very much like Matilda in her childhood. Even the servants of the Duke’s family have no choice but to hold their breath.

After a long silence in the sudden commotion, the Duke spoke again.

“Matilda’s niece from her second cousin… I see. Morand, let’s give her a room and a maid for now.”

“Thank you, Duke.”

Today was Evan’s birthday, but at the same time, it was the day Matilda passed away. The atmosphere of the banquet hall subsided once again when a girl resembling Matilda appeared.

And, it was another guest who set the mood.

“Damn it, it’s a little late. Have you already started?”

With her white hair up splendidly, wearing a tight-fitting dress and high heels, Olivia entered the banquet hall.

“My eyes hurt if I don’t see my Laria! Your godmother is here…!”

Not yet aware of the situation, she screamed and hugged Laria tightly.

“Thanks to our lucky child, now we have received a medal. What a thing to celebrate! I had no choice but to run to you right away!”

“A-auntie?”

“I brought a lot of presents! I don’t give presents to others because I’m greedy. Still, I’m still a godmother! Did you hear that, everyone? I’m a godmother! I have a goddaughter, too!”

Laria’s mouth widened even more. Her visit had nothing to do with Evan’s birthday.

It was the beginning of trouble.

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