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Daphne: “What the, Erez Oraboni[1]? I didn’t think we’d see your face before you left the capital since you’ve been stuck in your lab for so long.”
Pretending to be surprised, Daphne greeted her cousin.
Erez: “I figured I’d show my face before I left, even for the sake of my uncle, who fed me and gave me a place to stay while I was in the capital. Isn’t that polite? I’ll leave the capital again tomorrow.”
Daphne: “Oh my, since when were you polite?”
This time, Daphne asked in pure surprise. Erez Shore was an unusual person in more ways than one.
Although quite different from Keira, he was also an outsider, wasn’t he?
Even though Erez was a handsome man of marriageable age, he had no aristocratic air. Aside from rarely participating in social gatherings and speaking with people… Daphne could feel right away after a short conversation.
‘He’s a psycho.’
Daphne: “You should really appreciate your talent. If it weren’t for that, you’d have no chance of being chosen, and there would be no hope for you to ever get married.”
Erez: “There’s no space for marriage in my life. Anyway, you’re too obsessed with marriage.”
Daphne: “That’s another strange thing to say.”
Born and raised as an aristocrat, she could not understand such a way of thinking. The only people who can’t marry at their age in aristocratic society were those who had some serious flaws.
Even if Erez chose not to get married, the moment he announced his intentions to remain single for the rest of his life, it was obvious that people would gossip.
People would wonder if something was wrong with him, that he was impotent or was not in good shape.
To live your whole life being treated as ‘defective’!
It was totally unacceptable for her.
Daphne “It’s not like you’re a psychic. I’m sure you’ll hear all the dirty noises behind your back.”
Erez: “Ah, speaking of hearing things. I heard that Lady Parvis is here. Where is she?”
“…”
It was a clear statement of intent to change the subject. This man, really… Daphne sighed and pointed to the other side of the hall.
Daphne: “There, the woman with the black hair. The one in a silver dress.”
Erez: “Oh, she’s beautiful.”
Daphne: “I guess.”
Relieved he’d changed the subject, Erez grinned. But as he stared at the woman his cousin pointed, his face hardened.
Daphne: “Why? Have you met her before?”
Erez: “…Uh, I don’t remember meeting her, but maybe I have before.”
Daphne: “What are you talking about?”
Erez: “I think I’ll go over there for a while. I’ll see you later.”
Daphne narrowed her eyes.
Daphne: “Do you have any business with her? I don’t think she’ll even deal with you, so…”
The moment she was about to say ‘give up,’ she paused.
“There was no malice intended. You see, it’s rare for me to socialize, right? I just met so many strangers at once that I was overwhelmed…”
She remembered what Keira had told her.
Lost in thought, Daphne held Erez by the sleeve. For a brief moment, there was a look of annoyance on Erez’s face.
Erez: “It’s really urgent. Can you let go of me?”
A strange light passed over Daphne’s eyes as her face turned blank, as if she were hypnotized.
Daphne replied meekly as if she had forgotten that she had just lost her temper.
Daphne: “…Okay, if it’s urgent, it can’t be helped. Hurry up and go ahead.”
With the blank look still in place, she waved her hand and sent her cousin away.
Erez: “See you later, then.”
Daphne: “Yes, see you later.”
Erez went straight ahead to Keira, who was talking with her partner.
Joseph: “Y-you look terrible! The Viscountess, too. What happened?”
Her Ladyship was rarely perplexed. Joseph didn’t know why but… she reminded him of a baby chick flapping around.
He shook his head to get rid of that rather rude imagination and said.
Joseph: “Your expression was scary.”
Keira: “It was…?”
Joseph: “I guess you have a habit of stiffening your face when you’re nervous.”
Should I have made a more apologetic expression? Keira patted the corner of her lips and pondered.
But it was then.
“If you’ve returned, you should’ve come to me first. What are you doing here?”
“…?”
What should Keira do if a complete stranger approaches her, pretending to know her?
If it were Keira from the past, she would have dealt with it heartlessly. But things were a little different now. Keira was quite flustered.
‘Did I forget another person I talked to again?’
She looked at the man and tried to recall if she’d met him before. Blond hair with his bangs half swept up. Clear blue eyes. In addition, he had fair skin that made him seem to glow.
‘I wouldn’t forget a person with such a conspicuous appearance…’
And there were more than one or two strange things about him.
His unusual appearance aside, Keira would never forget someone who confidently spoke so informally to her.
And what he just said to her…
“If you’ve returned…”
Keira has never left the capital since she was born.
Joseph moved to stand in front of Keira, providing distance between her and the man.
Joseph: “She hasn’t left the capital recently. I think you’re mistaken. Please mind your manners.”
Erez: “No, no, not the capital… Anyway, it’s none of your concern. I need to talk to this Lady.”
It was a rare, obstinate attitude. Keira gaped in wonder.
‘Wow, I’ve never seen anyone treat me like this except the Grand Duke.’
Even before Cosette showed up.
Joseph, too, seemed nonplussed.
But it wasn’t just Keira and Joseph who were baffled.
The man seemed even more embarrassed when Keira didn’t recognize him.
Erez: “Hey, don’t you remember? Well, wasn’t that what it looked like back then? The contract, the contract. The contract you made with me before you came back.”
Keira: “…What?”
The more he spoke, the more it sounded like gibberish. Keira’s brows furrowed.
A man approached Keira, who had already caught the attention of the people in the party, and even made a fuss, so it was inevitable to attract attention from the crowd further.
The man scratched his head in embarrassment, noticing that people were whispering and looking their way.
He then mouthed something to her.
‘Regressor.’
“…!”
Keira was so taken aback that her hands went limp. The fan she was holding almost fell to the ground, but she managed to grab it again.
The man who saw it whistled and said.
“You have good reflex. You don’t remember that time, so let’s go outside and talk.”
Joseph: “Wait.”
It was Joseph who responded before her. He looked between Keira’s startled face and the uninvited guest.
Joseph: “This is the Lady of the Parvis family. Please mind your manners.”
“Uh..”
The stranger didn’t hide his irritation. But nevertheless, he changed his attitude obediently.
I don’t know if you heeded Joseph’s warning or you just didn’t want to fight.
“I’d like to hear something from you, isn’t that right, my Lady? Now, will you stop this knight?”
Keira: “Sir Joseph, I’ll be out on the terrace with this man for a moment, so please wait. It won’t take long.. No, on second thought, it might.”
It seemed that the man had the clue of going back in time, so a lengthy conversation would probably be necessary.
Joseph: “I’ll be waiting here, then.”
Keira: “No, you don’t have to…”
At any rate, this dutiful knight would wait for her here. Normally, she would have dragged him to sit there, but things were different now.
I can’t wait to hear the secret from that man.
Keira walked past the man and said.
Keira: “Let’s go to the terrace. We can’t talk here.”
“Of course, my lady.”
People around them looked at the young man and the esteemed Lady entering the terrace, obviously curious about what was happening.
‘Come to think of it, there are rumors that Her Ladyship started socializing because she wants to get married.’
‘The Shore family… They’re nothing compared to the Grand Duke’s family.’
However, there could be no room for such trivial matters.
She went straight to the terrace without looking back. She then locked the terrace door and asked.
Keira: “Did you just say ‘regressor’?”