A few days passing wouldn’t magically produce a proper excuse to refuse. Even if something major happened to the knights or the Caesius Marquis family, Aila wasn’t particularly useful, so I didn’t expect to be called anyway.
‘At least the hastily purchased clothing arrived.’
Lady Jane also preferred neat attire, and there was no need to dress in a way that would attract attention when going to atone for past wrongs.
Unlike me, who had somewhat dark silver hair and deep-colored eyes, Aila had silver hair as dazzling as blonde and blue eyes like sunlight sparkling on a lake, so he inevitably stood out even when staying still. Even I, who had no interest in people’s appearances, had once glimpsed him at the Academy and thought, ‘He has looks that crows would covet,’ so that said it all.
‘Still, I need to keep up appearances.’
Finally, I straightened my posture and headed to the garden where the tea party was being held. However, the closer I got, the stranger the atmosphere felt. Even though I hadn’t attended, I had seen Lady Jane’s tea parties from the side a few times. They were refined enough to show care in everything, truly the pinnacle of nobility, even if not overtly glamorous.
‘Today’s tea party looks a bit more modest than usual. People’s clothing is almost all black too. Am I the only one who wasn’t informed of the party’s atmosphere?’
Even Lady Jane, the hostess, wore a dress not much different from what I saw at the funeral. Even though I had also taken care to wear calm clothing, the bright fabric made me look like I didn’t match the atmosphere.
“You’ve come, Sir Aila. Thank you for accepting the invitation. Though it’s an inadequate gathering, I hope you enjoy yourself.”
Lady Jane approached me as if she’d been waiting and gracefully greeted me. I hastily hid my confusion and placed my hand on my chest before receiving the greeting. Since I came to this place as an omega, not as a knight, the greeting was somewhat awkward. It was fortunate this body was specialized in such social greetings so it came out properly, or I would have received strange looks.
“Not at all. I’m very honored to be invited. I’ll quietly keep to my seat and then leave.”
When I firmly declared I wouldn’t cause trouble this time, Lady Jane covered her mouth with a fan to hide her expression.
“Is there a need for that? Mingle with people and enjoy yourself sufficiently. There haven’t been many such occasions recently, so you should enjoy it enough.”
After saying that, she sighed softly and turned her eyes away. I could realize before long that the reason “such occasions were rare” was because of Tienas Sayus’s—that is, my—death.
“Thank you for your thoughtful words.”
Since I couldn’t very well tell her that Tienas’s body had died but his soul remained, I substituted a greeting with a light bow. Then I took the restless Ian and moved to the most secluded spot.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
Ian, who had been silent since arriving at the Tenor Ducal Family, couldn’t hide his anxious expression and stayed stuck right by my side. Seeing his lips constantly twitching, it seemed he had much to say, but it bothered me that he just circled around like a puppy.
“No. It’s nothing. Please just stay like this today. Understand? This is a request from Ian, your eternal attendant, young master.”
“I said I got it.”
Since it was a request he’d made dozens of times even before departing, I gave up and sat down in a chair. Though modest, the spread was naturally complete, so the desserts looked delicious.
‘There are éclairs too. And they look like they’re from Merienne Bakery.’
Until I attended the Academy, I had no interest in such desserts and didn’t even know their names. Knights were mainly interested in reeking of sweat while tearing meat and drinking alcohol, not paying attention to such delicate and sweet things.
The reason I came to know even which bakery desserts came from was purely thanks to His Highness. One day when tea and desserts were served, he called me, who had been standing at the door, and asked if I had ever eaten an éclair. Not even knowing that was an éclair, I naturally answered I hadn’t eaten one, and he cut the chocolate-laden éclair with a knife and put it in my mouth.
I don’t know if it was His Highness’s kind smile I liked, or the rich and sweet chocolate scent spreading in my mouth, but the taste of that day remained vividly in my memory. Enough that I periodically sought out and ate éclairs.
“Will you eat it?”
“Yeah.”
When I cut through the glossy chocolate coating with a knife, the cream packed inside poured out. When I scooped up the spilled cream and put it in my mouth, a sweet scent spread after the crispy and savory taste. Though not as happy as before, the taste matched exactly. Due to a feeling like longing, a smile slipped out.
“Sir Aila, why aren’t you conversing with other people and just eating desserts here?”
Just as I was about to take another bite, a man wearing gray clothes approached. He had a faint impression but I remembered him as a marquis family’s son.
“I’m planning to stay quiet and leave today.”
“Hmm, it’s unlike you, Sir, but that’s not bad either.”
He didn’t leave but rather sat next to me. A slight difficulty arose. Anyone who acted friendly toward Aila like this was, without exception, doing so to make a move. If I were standing like at the banquet hall, I could slip away, but since I was settled in my seat, there was no gap to escape.
“Oh my, you two were here. May I sit too?”
As if adding insult to injury, two ladies took seats at the same table. A subtle pheromone scent and perfume spread. Moreover, the distance was close, so it felt like I might sweat. This was my first time coming to a place where so many omegas, not knights, gathered, so my body kept shrinking.
‘Stay calm. Calm.’
Aila’s body was too insufficient to be called a knight’s, so I knew they wouldn’t be hurt by me touching or grabbing them. Still, habits ingrained in the body don’t disappear easily, so I ended up pulling back as much as possible.
“By the way, Lady Serina just arrived. Did you hear?”
“Isn’t Lady Serina close with the Duchess? What news would there be?”
I tried not to make eye contact with those conversing with me in between and took another bite of éclair.
‘I don’t want to encounter the Lady either.’
It was one-sided awkwardness, so guilt rose to my throat. The Lady always treated me no differently than when dealing with other knights, not knowing my dirty desires, which made me more apologetic. But because of what came next, such uncomfortable feelings became nothing.
“Hey! I wouldn’t say this if she came alone. I hear she’s coming with His Highness. He’s escorting her.”
“Really? There have been persistent rumors of neglect for a while, but they must have all been false rumors.”
“Exactly. Seeing him escort her even to such occasions, he seems to be trying to raise her prestige… It really seems like he cherishes her, doesn’t it?”
The éclair in my mouth felt rough and gritty, as if it might have turned to stone. I was afraid both that His Highness would come to this place, and that he would be with the Lady. No, I was most afraid of what emotions I would feel seeing that scene.
“But isn’t it a bit much to call it affection?”
Another person lowered their voice, looked around, and whispered.
“Don’t you know what happened at Sir Tienas’s funeral? Many people seem to think His Highness just lightly kissed him… but when I heard from people who actually saw it, they said it wasn’t like that at all.”
As expected, it wasn’t something that could be stopped just by trying. I even stopped breathing and worried about how to cut off this conversation’s flow.
“Oh my, you mustn’t say such impious things. What could have happened between His Highness and a knight who’s a beta and even male? And is that knight just any ordinary knight? He was even a bastard, so it doesn’t make sense. Everyone’s probably spreading such absurd rumors because they’re thinking of slyly getting in line if the Lady becomes a dropped thread.”
Fortunately, there was someone who restrained them before I stepped forward. It bothered me a little that they seemed particularly cautious when talking about Tienas, but that didn’t last very long either. Just as I was catching my breath, a small commotion arose from the entrance. Without needing to check, it was because Lady Serina and His Highness had appeared.
Those who had been sitting and chatting sprang up from their seats. Of course, I was no exception. Even with my head bowed, I could tell His Highness was in the same space by the familiar footsteps. My hands tingled with tension.
