CH 9

“The Marquis Ajas sent a letter?”

“To my brother?”

“Yes. He said he wanted a reply as soon as possible, so I guided the messenger to you for now.”

My eldest brother immediately opened the letter John had delivered and looked at the contents. Me, my younger brother, and my older sister Lily clung to my older brother’s back, wondering what kind of letter Leonhard had sent.

“He wants to tour the capital, so ask for a guide. Why is he asking brother for that?”

“You idiot. Does this look like a favor to brother?”

“Then?”

“He is sending it to Nell. Could someone as a Marquis really send such a letter because there was no one to guide him to the capital?”

When I heard that, my little brother looked back at me with his mouth wide open.

“You said you are not that close!”

“We’re not that close!”

I only said that I would receive a bouquet of flowers as a gift and wish him happiness, but Leonhard and I were not really close.

“If you didn’t, he would have sent a letter for me, or he would have sent a letter to Brother Oliver.”

“Of course, he should send the letter to brother.”

“Anyway, does it make sense to send and receive letters with an unmarried young lady without permission from a guardian?”

“No, what’s wrong with exchanging letters…”

However, my little brother’s mouth dropped open at my small words.

“I can’t believe you are already with Marquis Ajas…!”

“I never sent or received a letter. So stop being surprised.”

“Doesn’t the fact that you have never exchanged letters mean that both of you are met separately?”

“It’s not, Don’t worry about it! I only met him twice! Then at the banquet and when he came to my house!”

And I was going to say that I don’t intend to meet separately from now on, but my eldest brother shut us up because we were so noisy.

“Nell.”

“Yes, brother.”

My older brother’s serious expression made me nervous as well. Standing quietly with his hands together, my eldest brother asked me, while rubbing his forehead with his hand.

“What do you think of Marquis Ajas?”

“Hmm… I think he is so handsome that the moment our eyes meet, my mind will fly.”

“Doesn’t she have a crush on him? She intends to marry him…”

“No! It’s not because I fell for him!”

Fortunately, my older sisters and brothers nodded their heads as I said that admiring Leonhard’s face is like admiring a well-made piece of art.

“I’m saying this now, honestly, I’m not interested in marriage or anything. I’ll make my living by selling paintings and embroidery, so can’t you take me with you until I die?”

“You say that now…!”

“There’s nothing impossible.”

“Brother!”

“Shouldn’t we avoid the dishonor of not getting married because of a broken heart instead?”

For me, it seemed to have been said.

I know that my eldest brother puts my personal honor ahead of the count’s honor. I quickly nodded.

“Please write back that you will send your young sister instead because you are busy. I will get Leon’s cooperation and put an end to the ridiculous rumors.”

“Then, what if rumors spread with Marquis Ajas this time?”

Is there a rumor in the social world that unmarried men and women meet and date? My name was on the lips of many people with too bad a meaning to answer.

Besides, the opponent is Marquis. Of course, we’ll bury everyone else’s rumors. I sighed as I imagined that future.

“I’ll go and think about it then. Anyway, it’s a hundred times better to be entangled with Marquis Ajas than Duke Khalid.”

A single man and an unmarried man. Soon after, a man impregnates a lady of the same age and a man who doesn’t look at other women after a divorce.

No matter how I think about it, the last option is better than the first which is rumors about Duke Khalid.

“Besides, Leon won’t come to the capital when he returns to Ajas. Unlike Duke Khalid, rumors won’t last long, right?”

“You… Do you know why Marquis Ajas came to the capital in the first place?”

“Well, I know. He was here to find his fiancée.”

My younger brother’s face contorted in shock at my confident answer. That face was asking me. Are you going to meet him even knowing that?

And concerns with similar implications came from the older brother’s mouth.

“Think carefully, Nell. The moment you go out to meet him, the Marquis Ajas might mistakenly think that you are interested in getting engaged to him.”

“Oh, I didn’t think so! I’m so sorry if I made him misunderstand. But I really did it to return the favor he had shown me! …Wouldn’t it be okay if I said that?”

“You…”

“Oh my goodness! Is it time to worry about Leon? I’m not sure how I can calm my rumors if it’s not Leon right now. By the way, Leon has a lot of young ladies to be engaged to, even if it’s not me!”

“Well, that’s right.”

“But if the Marquis Ajas gets mad at you for playing with him… ”

“He is a knight. Would he mind raising a hand on me, a lady?”

Someone who willingly approached me who had not received flowers from anyone except my family handed me flowers, and requested a dance would never do that.

It was a conclusion that I could draw not because I had read the book, but because I had been through with a person named Leonhard for even a moment.

“So brother, please send him a reply with details of my situation so that Leon doesn’t misunderstand. I want to meet Marquis Ajas for this reason, so if he doesn’t like it, please decline.”

“Can we do that? If he gets angry… ”

“He will never get angry”

I smiled brightly as I thought of Leonhard, who cherished the clover, which would seem shabby to someone.

“I’m sure he’ll be willing to help.”

And that evening. After returning from the Hotel, John returned with a reply saying that Leonhard would be happy to help if it was to protect the Lady’s honor.

* * *

A few days later.

Early in the morning, with the help of Helen and Sarah, I dressed up and got into the carriage with a full set of capes, gloves, and lace parasols.

“I can’t believe a homebody like me goes out like this… ”

“The weather is nice, Lady? On a day like this, eating a delicious dessert and getting some fresh air will definitely change your mood!”

“I feel like you feel good, Helen.”

“Oh my, is it obvious?”

As I was shaking off the hem of my dress, which had been crumpled from sitting in the carriage, I smiled without realizing it.

“I’m glad you feel good too.”

“Are you not feeling good, young lady?”

“I don’t think so… I’m a little nervous.”

In fact, I pretended to be bold in front of my sisters and brothers, but honestly, I couldn’t help but feel pressured to meet a man who I proudly declared, “I will use you.”

“Are you worried that Marquis Ajas will be angry?”

“Maybe?”

I wasn’t worried about getting hit. I believe in his chivalry. It’s just that getting a cold glare from that handsome man is a bit… Just imagining it hurt me a lot. I was treated very kindly from the first meeting with him.

‘Once we meet, I should politely apologize.’

But it’s scary to think so.

“Nice to see you again, lady. Give me your hand here.”

The beauty of Leonhard, who reached out to me with pouring light behind his back through the wide open carriage door, was terrifyingly dazzling.

“Yes….”

Like I did the other day, I lost my mind and gave up my hand.

* * *

Turn back time a little, a few days ago.

“Ruby, Ruby? Where are you?”

“Ruby! Answer me!”

“Are you good, Ruby? Here are snacks!”

Climbing the stairs with a letter in his hand, Robert sighed at the raucous echo of the name Ruby. As he climbed the last stairway and set foot on the floor, he saw that all the visible visits were open.

Is that all? More than five people, each holding a snack or toy, were busy looking for Ruby.

Fortunately,  the entire top, royal floor of this hotel was rented, so if it wasn’t, it would have caused a lot of trouble to other guests.

“Rob! Haven’t you seen Ruby?”

“I didn’t see it.”

A woman with curly red hair came out of a nearby room, saw Robert, and rushed over to ask.

Looking much younger than her age due to her short stature, she glared at Robert, she waved her hand at him with a hint of annoyance, with eyes as red as her own hair.

“What is it, answer me properly. Did you forget that Ruby was in your charge in the first place?”

“I forgot because there are too many people who act as if they are in charge of Ruby.”

“Rob!”

“I’m busy, Cathy. I have to go see the captain.”

Robert waved the letter in his hand.

Since Leonhard’s name was mentioned, it would normally be right to step back, but Katherine puffed out one cheek and let out a groan.

“It’s a letter that the Captain won’t even look at anyway.”

“Wrong. Unfortunately, this letter is from the Howard family.”

“Count Howard?”

Catherine’s eyes widened. It was because she was Leonhard’s aide, and she knew it too. Who Leonhard danced with at the banquet held at Duke Khalid’s residence

“Who from the Howard family sent it? The young lady who danced with the Captain?”

“Probably the reply the count wrote.”

“Reply? Did the captain send the letter first? when?”

“Today during the day, when you sleep.”

Even if openly told her to stop asking, she wouldn’t listen. Robert gave a rough answer and started to cross the hallway.

But contrary to his intentions, Catherine started to follow him. With a snack in Her hand.

“Did the captain really have a crush on that young lady? Is that why he ignores all invitations from other families?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you know? You’re the closest to the captain. You stick together most often.”

“By that logic, shouldn’t Sir Iron be closest to the captain?”

“Iron is not here. What’s the point of talking about someone who’s not here?”

“Okay, let’s stop talking about people who aren’t here. But you don’t want to go find Ruby?”

“Right now, I’m more curious about Lady Howard than Ruby. Did you actually see her pretty or cute? What color are her hair and eyes?”

“Why are you curious about that?”

“If the Captain is going to take her as His wife, I like a cute person. Like Ruby.”

“Okay…  It’s good that the conditions are simple.”

Robert grumbled once for nothing. Frankly, he didn’t like young lady Howard very much. He knows that the Howard family is a prestigious family that has maintained its existence for a long time. But isn’t the young lady that Leonhard is interested in an adopted child?

‘If you’re really going to make Master Noah your successor, you’ll have to bring a more precious lady….’

Adopted stepmother and adopted son’s successor. Isn’t that the perfect combination of a story to put on the board and tell people about it?

‘The captain doesn’t seem to have any intention of meeting a young lady from another family, but…’

Still, just in case, Robert wonders if Leonhard has a list of the families who sent the letter first.

When he thinks like that.

Suddenly.

“Uh, Captain.”

“Catherine? Oh, there was Robert, too..”

The door to Leonhard’s private suite opened and he appeared. Seeing that he was wearing a simple shirt and a pair of pants, he didn’t seem to intend to go out anywhere.

When Robert was about to ask where he was going, Leonhard asked Robert first.

“The bookmark you made yesterday is gone.”