CHAPTER 6
“Welcome back. Did you have a good time?”
Ruby hurried down the stairs, forcing the corners of her stiffening mouth into a smile.
She hoped she looked as though she hadn’t noticed the awkward atmosphere her presence had created.
“How was it?”
“You should have come with us. It’s a shame you didn’t.”
Perhaps because Eli was there, even Marie, who normally wouldn’t have bothered answering, didn’t ignore her this time.
“Let’s go together next time.”
Ruby felt the corners of her mouth twitch slightly as an awkward smile threatened to form.
When she sensed someone’s gaze upon her, she turned her head and immediately locked eyes with Eli.
“Good work.”
Unlike the smile she’d shown Marie, Ruby’s eyes curved as she gave Eli a genuinely heartfelt smile.
But even in response to her smile, Eli merely looked at her in silence.
“What…”
“Let’s choose the jewelry tomorrow.”
Ruby had been about to ask if something was wrong, puzzled by his expression, but her voice was drowned out by Marie’s louder one.
“Understood.”
Eli answered as he turned his gaze away from Ruby.
“Are we going to look around the estate, too?”
“Then let’s take an outing to the lake!”
Eve and Emily immediately began chattering beside them.
“Yes. You should come along tomorrow, too. You need to buy some new jewelry as well.”
Ruby hadn’t expected Marie to invite her along, so she nodded shyly.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve all gone on an outing together. Now, why don’t you discuss what we’ll need to prepare for tomorrow? I have something to discuss with Ruby privately.”
Marie linked arms with Ruby, asked the head maid to serve tea, and headed toward a small drawing room.
Eli watched the two of them until they disappeared from view.
“How are the preparations for the party coming along?”
As soon as the maids, who had quickly prepared some pineapple tea, left the room, Marie asked.
“Well. I’ve checked everything we need.”
Marie replied, “Good,” and took a sip of her warm tea. Then she continued.
“I think we’ll have to change the flowers for the decorations and the food we’re preparing.”
“…All of a sudden?”
“Yes.”
Unlike the startled Ruby, Marie remained perfectly composed.
“But we’ve already finished making the arrangements.”
The food and decorations for a party were supposed to be ordered well in advance.
That was to ensure that the many guests attending the party would be served the finest ingredients.
This time had been no different.
“It’s been so long since Eli attended a party with us. Wouldn’t it be nice to make some changes?”
“But last time…”
“Don’t tell me you were planning to do the same things we do every year?”
Marie didn’t raise her voice. Instead, she accompanied her words with an elegant smile.
Ruby, who had been about to explain herself, fell silent.
Ever since the beginning of her marriage, it had been Marie who had insisted that Ruby simply follow her instructions.
Although Ruby wasn’t as experienced as Marie, who had spent many years managing such affairs, she’d become quite capable of following her lead.
Whenever Ruby had carefully tried to introduce even the smallest change, she had invariably been scolded. As a result, she’d been more attentive to that particular point than anyone.
And yet, she couldn’t understand what had suddenly prompted Marie to demand that she change the decorations and food they’d used every year.
“Honestly. Do you even realize that you’re part of a marquess’s household? At this rate, people might start saying we’re inferior to the families of our own vassals. This is an event Eli will be attending for the first time in years. If we become the laughingstock of everyone there, what will that do to his reputation?”
This was the tactic Marie used whenever Ruby continued to resist understanding, right up to the very end.
Ruby knew that her marriage had become a blemish on Eli’s reputation.
That was precisely why she didn’t want to become a source of disgrace for him in anything beyond their marriage.
If anything, she wanted to do well enough that people would say he’d made a good choice in marrying her.
And so, the moment Eli’s name was brought into the conversation, Ruby was already in a position where she couldn’t win.
“…I’ll look into it.”
“Good. We still have five days.”
Only then did Marie smile with satisfaction.
It was almost the smile of a victor.
“Since Eli has accomplished something significant and returned, I think Lubern blue would be lovely for the floral decorations.”
Marie spoke as though the idea had just occurred to her, then promptly left her seat.
It was an order to proceed exactly as she’d said.
“Haah… And where am I supposed to find those…?”
Ruby clutched her head.
The Lubern blue Marie wanted was named after being the first flower to herald the arrival of summer in the Lubern Empire.
In other words, to obtain the flowers while the weather was still cold, Ruby would have to find somewhere with a greenhouse.
However, greenhouses were neither easy to build nor easy to maintain, so most territories had only one, if any.
To begin with, there were no flowers of the kind Marie wanted in the greenhouse of the Grit Marquessate.
Of course, Marie knew that, too.
“Could you bring me a map? I’ll also need a servant who knows the surrounding territories well.”
In the end, it meant Ruby was expected to somehow procure the flowers from somewhere far away.
Ruby unfolded the map brought by a servant and began scanning the nearest territories first.
“Count Barnes.”
The name caught her eye as she anxiously searched the map.
“Count Kane Barnes is an old friend of his, isn’t he?”
“Yes. They’ve known each other since childhood.”
Ruby remembered Kane as well, since she’d spent most of the ball watching Eli.
“If I explain the situation properly, he’ll agree to help.”
Ruby spread out a sheet of stationery and quickly began writing.
The letter might look like a polite request, but the recipient might realize that it was closer to a desperate plea.
Still, she didn’t mind, as long as she could get some help.
“Send this with the fastest messenger you can find, and tell him we’re asking for the flowers as quickly as possible.”
Ruby handed over the letter.
“Yes, my lady.”
While waiting for some hopeful news, Ruby had to get moving on preparing the new dishes.
“Oh, my. You’re really not coming?”
Just before getting into the carriage, Marie asked Ruby, who had come out to see them off.
“…No. Have a wonderful time.”
“All right. Let’s go together next time.”
Perhaps because the person assigning her all this work was the one wearing such a regretful expression, it actually looked as though Marie was teasing her.
In reality, there might not have been much difference.
“Have a pleasant outing.”
Ruby greeted Eli, who was escorting Emily as well.
He answered with nothing more than a slight nod.
Only after the carriage had gradually disappeared into the distance did Ruby turn away with a wistful expression and return to the mansion.
“The weather is absolutely lovely.”
Perhaps because of the clear, sunny weather, Marie seemed to be in a good mood.
It might also have been because she’d just purchased some jewelry.
Eli couldn’t understand Marie’s taste, but he generally made an effort to respect it.
Marie was the same way. Whenever they occasionally shopped for accessories or clothes together, she seemed to make an effort to accommodate his differing tastes.
As a result, the two had never once argued while shopping together.
The maid who had accompanied them quickly finished preparing everything for their outing.
Before long, the lakeside had been transformed into a lovely spot for afternoon tea.
The lake in the Shubern region was famous for its clean water, and many people came to visit.
“Oh, my! What a coincidence to run into you here.”
“Oh, it’s been such a long time!”
The woman who greeted Marie so familiarly was Arien.
“Eli. Aren’t you going to greet Lady Mile? It’s been a long time since you’ve seen her.”
Despite Marie’s scolding, Eli remained silent.
“It’s been a long time, Marquess Grit.”
Lady Mile, Arien, greeted her with an elegant smile, completely unbothered by his reaction.
“We were just about to have an outing. Why don’t you join us, my lady?”
“Oh, my. Would that really be all right?”
“Of course.”
Before the words had even left her mouth, an extra chair appeared as if from nowhere.
“I’d like to sit beside the Marquess.”
“Oh, my. Would that be all right?”
The whole scene unfolded as smoothly as flowing water.
To anyone who didn’t know better, it would have looked like a genuinely chance encounter.
“…Sit down.”
Eli frowned ever so slightly and pulled out the chair for her.
His gesture was technically polite, but the lack of enthusiasm in it was unmistakable.
Arien sat down, her expression suggesting she was holding back laughter.
“Where’s the Marchioness?”
“She’s busy preparing for the party that’s coming up soon.”
“Oh, dear.”
Arien wore an expression that suggested she could easily guess why.
Since this was a popular place, there were naturally plenty of people who knew one another.
Marie left the two of them together and went off to chat with some acquaintances.
Eve and Emily did the same.
In the end, only Eli and Arien remained at the table.
Eli was certain this was another part of Marie’s plan.
“But seriously, when are you two planning to have an heir?”
“…I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
“It’s just that the Marchioness keeps worrying about it.”
Arien shrugged.
The polite demeanor she’d displayed just moments earlier had vanished.
“At this rate, she looks ready to find you another woman herself.”
Eli quietly sighed, understanding what she meant.
“I’ll handle it myself, so don’t worry. And stop coming to Shubern.”
“Aren’t you curious how long this is going to go on?”
“That’s a nasty hobby you’ve got.”
“The Marchioness enjoys it, too, so what’s the harm?”
No matter how many times he told her, she seemed completely incapable of understanding what was wrong with it.
“Sleep somewhere else.”
“There are plenty of rooms.”
“There aren’t.”
“How does it make sense for a mansion that huge not to have a single room available?”
Eli answered with nothing but his eyes.
Under his icy gaze, Arien looked slightly cowed.
“All right, all right,” she replied reluctantly.
Only her expression changed. Eli knew perfectly well that she hadn’t been hurt in the slightest.
While he drank his tea, Arien gazed at something in the distance.
“What is it?”
“…Nothing. There are just so many people here. I thought I recognized someone.”
Then she smiled as though she hadn’t been the least bit affected.
Eli sighed and shook his head slightly.
“…Please take me straight back to the mansion.”
At Ruby’s command, the coachman turned the carriage around near the lake.
She’d gone out to purchase ingredients.
Fortunately, after visiting several places, she’d managed to find enough to cover the immediate requirements.
The remaining ingredients were supposed to be delivered within the next few days, so she could purchase them again before the party.
As long as she could finalize the decorations while waiting for Count Barnes’s reply, she would finally be able to breathe a little easier.
Since she’d already come out, she’d planned to stop by the lake on her way back, as she’d heard that the others were taking an outing there.
But even after spotting Eli, Ruby had no choice but to turn around.
“…I didn’t see anything.”
Despite her words, Ruby had to struggle to erase the image of the two of them from her mind.
(To be continued in the next chapter.)
