“This won’t do. Rather than staying here like this, I think I need to go out for a change of mood.”
“Again? You went out just last week.”
Masa looked as though she had heard something terrible. Without thinking, Yellodia began cobbling together an excuse.
“Back then, a new release had come out at Bellus Bookstore, so I went book shopping. This time, I’ll buy summer clothes and accessories.”
“But clothes—you cleared out the shops on Ionel Street the week before last. Is that not enough?”
“I seem to be rather short on riding habits.”
Masa swallowed a sigh as she pictured the riding trousers, shirts, leather boots, and the hats and gloves arranged by color that filled the dressing room.
If only she would take an interest in dresses and jewels like other noble ladies; instead, this lovely young mistress’s hobby was, of all things, horseback riding.
It was a hobby that reeked thickly of horse dung and leather.
Of course, riding was a basic accomplishment for nobles, and she naturally knew that noble ladies learned to ride as an expensive pastime. She also knew that fine-blooded horses symbolized wealth and power among the aristocracy.
But Yellodia never enjoyed it at the level of taking a graceful turn around Riris Park with a servant in tow.
If she only had Duke Sabie’s permission, she possessed more than enough skill to compete as a jockey at the Hiposeu Racecourse.
Even now, Masa was not altering dresses but mending the riding shirts Yellodia had purchased.
“You might as well buy and collect jewels. The dressing room is so stuffed with shirts and trousers that one might believe me if I insisted it was the second young master’s wardrobe. It’s embarrassing to speak of anywhere.”
“Masa, you don’t understand. Jewels are far more expensive and useless.”
“It is you who does not understand, my lady. Rare jewels can be resold at high prices. And if you are only going to wear black anyway, why do you buy hats in every color?”
As always, Masa’s objection was shrewd and ruthlessly practical.
Even so, Yellodia lifted her chin and brazenly insisted,
“Because they’re pretty.”
“Surely that is not the only reason?”
“Of course it is. Even if it is you, Masa, I will not stand by if you insult my children.”
“Ah… Yes, my lady.”
Masa looked up at the empty air, at a loss for words. This gentle and lovely young mistress had a side to her that was so absurdly stubborn, it occasionally left one speechless.
Of course, Masa cherished and loved even that side of her young lady.
But looking back now, she worried that she had perhaps let her grow up too much like a willful tomboy.
‘Should I have restrained her more?’
Born with a weak heart, Yellodia had never properly left her bedroom, let alone the mansion, until she turned ten.
Because even slight exertion would send her to bed with a grave illness, everyone in the mansion had lived on edge, their hearts in their throats at every little cough.
There was a time when they thought Yellodia would follow her late lady mother to the grave and never open her eyes again.
When Yellodia finally recovered her health, the servants—and even Duke Sabie himself—were so moved and delighted that they welcomed whatever she did. Even when the young lady acted somewhat willfully, everyone was of a mind to cheer her on.
‘Even so, I should have stopped her from riding.’
Masa’s regret quickly evaporated.
At some point, the corridor grew noisy, and a servant from the ducal mansion knocked and entered the drawing room. Yellodia set down her embroidery hoop and lifted her head.
“What is it?”
“My lady, your betrothed has come to call.”
“Betrothed? Who is betrothed?”
Yellodia tilted her head blankly.
“Your betrothed, Baron Adrian, my lady.”
At the servant’s reminder, Yellodia finally opened her eyes wide.
“Surely not right now? He has come to the mansion?”
The servant nodded briskly at Yellodia’s impatient question, unable to hide his excitement at the arrival of his young lady’s betrothed at the duke’s mansion.
“He is in the first-floor drawing room at this moment. Might you go down at once?”
“Why? Did he say he wishes to break off the engagement?”
The servant made a bewildered expression at Yellodia’s frightened question.
“It seems he has come to see His Grace the Duke… Er… He did not strike me as so heartless a man. Though he did not bring flowers.”
“…….”
The servant added awkwardly,
“Shall I go ask the baron?”
“No. There is no need.”
Yellodia answered, waving her hand. An inexplicable sense of relief made her feel as though all the strength was draining from her body.
“See? It seems you do not dislike him so very much, my lady.”
Masa spoke as if she had expected as much. Yellodia sprang up from her seat.
＊ ＊ ＊
Duke Sabie had sent a reply that very day through the courier who carried the letter. It came with an invitation to visit the ducal mansion.
And the very next day after exchanging letters, Edward found himself standing before the main gate of the Duke of Sabie’s mansion.
A servant of the stately ducal estate respectfully escorted Edward to the drawing room.
“Please wait a moment. The master will be down shortly.”
“My thanks.”
At Edward’s reply, the servant wore a faint smile. Soon another servant appeared and set down black tea and biscuits for him. The attitude was exceedingly deferential and polite.
“Should you need anything, please speak up at any time.”
Edward wanted to clear his throat. It was right after the servants had begun to peek and steal glances at him from beyond the drawing-room door.
He was not well versed in the etiquette of high nobility, but he at least knew that a crowd of servants gathering to spy on a guest was a flagrant breach of manners.
But Edward was a soldier, and he did not mind overmuch. Rather, he found it amusing that the servants were so curious about their young lady’s betrothed.
As Edward absentmindedly lifted his teacup, he burst into a cough. For among the servants, he had spotted a lovely girl gracefully letting her red hair tumble down.
“Lady Sabie?”
“Ah, Baron. Hello. Is it not a fine afternoon?”
Yellodia poked her head quickly through the door. Then she walked into the drawing room as if she had merely dropped by on her way past.
Whenever she walked, a pair of kid leather shoes peeked out from beneath the hem of her fluttering sky-blue dress.
Edward thought that the foot inside that shoe could not be larger than the span of his palm.
“Father seems to be busy. He must send letters to the vassals one by one, have the garden redone for the engagement ceremony, place orders with the trading company, and, well, there is much else to prepare besides.”
“…Is that so?”
Yellodia pointlessly glanced around the drawing room, then carefully sat across from Edward.
Only then did Edward think that he ought to have risen from his seat, but he did not let it show.
“For an unwed woman to receive an outside guest alone is a breach of etiquette, but I trust you will be broad-minded enough to understand, Baron.”
“If it is a grave breach of noble etiquette, I have no objection to waiting for His Grace the Duke alone.”
At Edward’s flat reply, Yellodia bit her lower lip lightly.
Edward was taken aback. Yellodia was looking at him with the exact expression one might give a subordinate soldier who could not take a hint.
“You are my betrothed, so so long as you do nothing to gravely damage my reputation, my father will not mind either.”
As if asking if he would refuse her even now, Yellodia slanted the outer corners of her eyes upward in a sulk.
Thinking that she looked exactly like a kitten flicking its tail against the ground, Edward gave a faint smile. The smile lingering at his lips vanished almost at once.
“I wished to apologize for the incident at the dinner. I am lacking in eloquence and caused you distress.”
“That is….”
Yellodia trailed off, her eyes trembling. Color began to rise in both cheeks. She had clearly not expected him to apologize so suddenly.
Edward continued calmly,
“From the time I learned to walk, my father taught me the sword, and I have spent my life among rough, coarse men. I am unaccustomed to noble etiquette, and I may cause you further offense in the future. I am deeply sorry.”
“I see….”
Yellodia stared at Edward’s face with apparent surprise.
Edward saw a strange curiosity sparkling in her eyes. Her irises, caught by the afternoon sunlight, scattered into a kaleidoscope of colors.
To Yellodia, Edward must have been an unknown man; yet Yellodia was not the sort of noble lady he knew well either. It was a rather interesting point.
“I accept your apology. And if you had refused me before His Majesty the Emperor, I would never have been able to set foot in society.”
“Pardon?”
Edward was startled. He had not expected the discourtesy he committed to have such far-reaching consequences.
“To break a betrothal granted by His Majesty the Emperor is an immense dishonor. I had assumed you were already aware of that, so I….”
Yellodia faltered, touching her bright red cheeks.
In other words, Edward had refused something that could not be refused.
Moreover, he had offered the excuse to the Emperor that Yellodia did not suit him. The humiliation a young noble lady must have felt was unimaginable.
‘So that was why she even asked if I had a lover.’
Edward stifled a groan inwardly and bowed his head.
“I apologize, my lady. I did not realize it extended that far. Please forgive my rudeness.”
“There is no need to apologize so—ah, thank you for speaking honestly. I had thought you must have been rather flustered. Actually, His Majesty the Emperor….”
“Yellodia.”
Startled, Yellodia sprang to her feet. Duke Sabie, entering through the drawing-room door, roared at the butler who followed him.
“Why is my daughter alone with a strange man without a chaperone!”
“My apologies, Your Grace.”
The butler bowed his head with a pale face. Yellodia looked flustered.
“Father, the baron is my fiancé….”
“Not until the betrothal ceremony has taken place. You must never behave so recklessly again!”
At Duke Sabie’s stern warning, Yellodia’s lips poked out in a pout. In an instant, the composed demeanor she had shown until moments before vanished, leaving only a girl of seventeen.
Thinking that the duke must be acting far stricter than usual before a man of another house, Edward rose from his seat.
“I failed to observe proper decorum and gave offense. I am sorry, Your Grace.”
“The baron need not defend his betrothed already. This is a family matter, so do not interfere.”
Duke Sabie seemed to bear Edward no small amount of ill will as well.