Chapter 61

Only curious glances passed by.

The noble ladies pretended not to and looked at me secretly once in a while. I don’t know if they realized it, but they did it very blatantly.

“Marchioness, it seems you have no intention of stepping up to say something like you used to.”

Carla, who was chatting with the attendees, sat down next to me and said so.

I smiled a little. “From the point of view of the young ladies, it must be surprising to finally see the real life of the marchioness, who is rumored to be fierce and bad-tempered.”

Carla, who I thought would just leave after a short conversation out of politeness, continued speaking unexpectedly.

“Everyone is very curious since you haven’t been out for a few years.”

“I should work hard from now on.”

“It was wonderful to see the Ainel family together the other day. It would be nice to see your face often.”

It was an unexpected compliment. Why are you being nice to me?

“Ah… Thank you for saying that.”

“Your husband, the Marquis, is also a very famous person. Oh, Marquis Ainel is popular among young ladies,” she said softly.

I said with a laugh, “Looks like it’s time to get attracted to a man who exudes a dangerous atmosphere.”

In fact, my husband probably exudes a dangerous atmosphere on the outside. Looking at his recent activities, I wonder if there is a safer man than him.

My answer must have been funny, and a weak smile appeared on everyone else’s face.

“It’s something we say among us who are married, but he’s also popular among young noble ladies. Everyone avoided him as a dangerous person, but they still glanced at him.”

I could guess why.

“Because he has a nice body.”

In addition, he is a good-looking man. In one way or another, gazes fell on him at least once.

“He exudes a frightening aura, but he’s handsome after all, isn’t he? Thanks to that, everyone only sharpened their eyes.”

She said it in a joking tone, so I replied lightly, “Actually, he’s the type of person who sleeps just holding hands.”

Carla chuckled. “I guess you made a joke while you couldn’t see him.”

Hmm, sometimes telling the truth sounds like a lie.

“Marchioness, you have changed a lot. The last time I saw you, I wondered if it was a dream, so I sent an invitation once.”

She looked at me curiously, but it didn’t look like she was shocked, wondering ‘Is this someone I know?’ like before.

It seems like she’s trying to move on to the fact that I have become more approachable than before.

If she thinks so, I’d be grateful for this one too.

“Call me Noel like you used to. You’re the only one who pretends to know me after all.”

“Yes, Noel. Everyone has a little bit of a connection.”

“I think you bumped into me the most often.”

But is she okay? I meant it, but she answered lightly.

“Before I got married, I was stubborn enough to make my parents sick of me, and now I can’t fight by pulling each other’s hair like I used to.”

Come to think of it, it happened to me when I was about fourteen years old. We both grabbed each other’s hair.

“But didn’t you say hello the other day to be sarcastic?” I asked curiously.

“Because our conversations always started that way, whoever attacks first. If I didn’t, I thought you’d do it.”

It certainly seems like it was. I muttered without realizing it.

“I was too lazy… … .”

“But I realized it anew when I saw the young lady of Ainel and you. That we’re past that time.”

Carla’s expression softened a bit, probably thinking of Leah.

It was similar to the feeling of meeting a nasty rival in middle school and high school at a reunion.

Well, we’re still too young to act as if we’re reminiscing about the distant past.

However, we are not young enough to stay stuck with the emotions of that time.

I averted my eyes in embarrassment.

‘I heard that you can know 10 ways under the water, but not 1 way under people.’[1]

[1] It is very difficult to know the inner thoughts of people.

To be honest, I didn’t expect the atmosphere to be so heartwarming. She didn’t hate me as much as I thought.

“Thank you, Carla. I don’t think I need to correct what I said to my daughter that you are my friend.”

“The young lady was very lovable. I hope we can meet again next time.”

I feel much lighter.

“I know, right? Besides, she looks nothing like me. Instead of grabbing other people’s hair, she learned how to hold up her skirt to say hello in society.”

Carla laughed at my words.

For a while, the mood for the tea party flowed smoothly.

That is until someone showed up, none other than my birth mother, Alex Opion.

Carla muttered, “… why is she here?”

At those words, rather than feeling bad, I was puzzled.

The Hoffens and the Opions were originally a family with active exchanges.

I hadn’t been in society since I got married, but it wouldn’t be strange for my mother to show up here.

“What happened with the Opion family? I don’t think you got along well with them.”

“I’m sorry to you, but it’s been a while since I sent a tea party invitation to the Opion family,” she replied awkwardly.

“No need to apologize. I used to burn all the letters my family sent me from three years ago.”

I know my mother’s personality better, so I didn’t mean to reprimand her.

I was just curious as to why.

Carla explained very briefly, as if she understood what I was saying.

“As you can see, she acts like that every time she sees the young ladies.”

I turned my head.

“Viscount Aaron? It’s a bit lacking, but… well, it’s not that bad. I have a wonderful son, and I’m sure you will be interested too, young lady.”

My mother said this to a young lady who looked to be in her late teens.

I have guessed the purpose.

I muttered, “Looks like she’s still looking for a marriage partner for Goth.”

My older brother is 29 years old and still unmarried. It was rare in aristocratic society not to be married at that age.

It’s not that he’s a misogamist. If that’s the case, there won’t be a problem.

‘Because he’s a bastard who scares every young lady he sees.’

It is simply that his violent temper has been famous for a long time, so few families want to marry him.

‘My parents have high standards, too.’

Not even seeing the flawed side of their own son, they wanted a perfect daughter-in-law.

‘Now it seems nobody wants to marry Goth.’

It must be for that reason she must have come to the tea party uninvited and subtly coerced the young ladies like that for no reason.

“The Opion family is a noble family that upholds traditional values. It will be a great opportunity for you as well, young lady.”

At my mother’s words, the young lady was troubled, but she couldn’t refuse firmly.

‘Because my mother is still a Countess.’

I’m sure that lady was worried that she would look bad and get into trouble.

At this tea party, I am the one with the highest status. It means that I am the most suitable person who can strongly restrain her.

Eventually, I approached my mother.

“Countess Opion.”

***

Alex Opion turned around at the familiar voice.

And it wasn’t until she saw Noel standing in front of her that she realized her daughter is there too.

“Oh, it’s been a while.”

Alex was half thinking about her daughter and half forgetting.

Recently, however, she was worried as she only had one granddaughter. She would be in trouble if her daughter was kicked out of Ainel’s family.

Wouldn’t it be no different from the disgrace of the family in such a situation?

“It just so happened. Help me, too.”

Noel frowned. I had almost lost touch with her since I got married so this was all she said even though I haven’t seen her in a long time.

“You came to the tea party uninvited and are behaving like this. Just stop it.”

She was stunned. “What are you saying to your mother who you haven’t seen for a long time?”

I hold back my sigh.

The thoughts of Alex, my mother, always revolved around her son. Everything about him is good.

“It’s a noble move to stop my mother from embarrassing behavior.”

“What have I done? I was just trying to introduce a good marriage to this lady.”

“What woman in the world would marry Goth?”

“You… !”

When I mentioned her son, her voice grew louder.

This could be a nuisance for Carla, the party hostess, so I grabbed my mother’s wrist and moved into the back garden.

“How could you say something like that!” Alex shrieked as Noel stopped her steps.

“That’s what I’m going to say. That young lady is ten years younger than Goth!”

“That difference is not a problem.”

“I hope you know that it’s a big deal when you force someone to hook up with your son.”

“My god, it’s been a while since you crawled out and all you do is gossip about your brother.”

Alex shouted sharply, “On top of that, Marquis Ainel broke Goth’s wrist, and you didn’t even come and kneel down and beg him for forgiveness right away!”

“Are you okay with the fact that Goth tried to hit me?”

“You must have done something to deserve it!”

“… … .”

I expected it, but it didn’t make sense either.

“I really can’t talk to my mother long.”

My mother’s words really pissed me off.

“Restart the Miracle herb trade in the Ainel territory immediately. What are you thinking? Unilaterally breaking the deal with the marquis just because that pathetic bastard whined about being sick.”

“It is a natural action. Your father is very angry.”

“My father is always angry.”

There can be no smooth solution in this situation, but I asked first. “What do you want us to do?”

Then Alex raised her chin in response.

“Unless the Marquis Ainel personally bows his head with sufficient compensation, there will be no deal.”

“Seeing that you bring up the topic of money right away, it seems that you are in trouble with your finances?”

“… it’s none of your business to know, you are now married into another family.”

Judging by her evasiveness, it was nothing short of positive.