Wedding (4)

The eldest among Raphaello Manners’s surviving male nephews.

The infant son of the nephew Raphaello Manners cherished most.

A descendant of an ancestor who had once been head of House Manners and served as chancellor.

All sorts of people stepped forward, claiming they were the more rightful Marquis of Manners.

With the marquis title at stake, House Manners was splitting apart from the inside.

The Marchioness of Manners and Viviana persuaded their relatives by leveraging Baroness of Goggins’s position in the imperial palace and her family ties.

With the Baroness of Goggins closely tied to the palace, it would benefit the house more if Viviana became marquis.

Regardless of her mother’s urging, Viviana had no interest in becoming the Marquis of Manners.

She didn’t want to hand it to anyone else—but she didn’t want the title for herself either.

The burden of inheriting the title and leading the house felt suffocating.

Uncomfortable staying at home, Viviana came to Ruffkin Street.

Even here, everywhere she went was noisy about Alicia and the Grand Duke of Tessen’s wedding.

Just hearing it made her stomach twist, but it was still better than being at home.

“Please come again, my lady.”

A shop clerk bowed politely to Viviana as she left the store.

“Thank you.”

Viviana had arranged for her purchases to be sent to the manor, and was just about to walk the street once more.

“Oh my—Viviana.”

Octavia called out to Viviana as she entered the lane lined with boutiques.

“Ah, Octavia. Have you been well?”

These days, Viviana didn’t want to see anyone she knew.

All she would hear were consolation and gloomy words of pity.

But she couldn’t pretend not to know someone who greeted her.

“It’s been a while, Viviana.”

It was a relief that it was Octavia, at least.

Octavia generally wasn’t the type to spout nonsense that scraped at people’s nerves.

“It has.”

Viviana answered deliberately without warmth.

Quick-witted Octavia should have taken the hint and stepped aside with that alone.

“I’ve been hearing news about House Manners. It seems conflict hasn’t ceased within the marquisate. In the secret rumors going around, they say some are even putting forward the late marquis’s illegitimate child to seize the seat, too?”

Octavia spoke in a lowered voice, stringing together words that sounded concerned.

But only her tone sounded worried—what she said was practically mockery.

“What did you just…?”

Viviana’s expression changed in an instant.

It was unpleasant that Octavia, of all people, was acting like this.

“House Manners’s influence isn’t what it used to be. That must be heartbreaking, Viviana.”

With a voice dripping with pity, Octavia kept babbling rude remarks.

Her slightly curved eyes and upturned lips studied Viviana.

The condescension was hard to bear.

House Manners was still standing strong.

Octavia—only the daughter of a baron—was not someone who could look down on them.

“What are you even saying, Octavia? Are you out of your mind?”

“Oh my, Viviana. Out… out of my mind…? How can you say something like that? Why are you getting so angry? Is anything I said wrong?”

Octavia raised her voice without a shred of tact.

In an instant, everyone’s attention snapped to the two of them.

“Can’t you lower your voice?”

Viviana stepped closer and snapped back in a low, cutting tone.

“Lady Viviana. Aren’t you the one who forgot your manners? Whether I raise my voice or lower it—isn’t that up to the person speaking? I truly don’t understand what I said that offended you. I was worried, hearing rumors that even an illegitimate child was being pushed forward.”

Octavia spouted more words that made anger boil just from hearing them.

Panicked, Viviana moved right up to Octavia’s side.

Thud!

The moment Viviana took a threatening step—

Octavia staggered and collapsed to the ground.

“Viviana!”

Viviana had been about to call Octavia’s name to warn her, but she went blank.

Octavia covered her cheek with her hand and looked up at Viviana with teary eyes.

“Octavia…?”

Now people weren’t just glancing—they were coming closer, whispering openly.

“Viviana, how could you hit her!”

Octavia cried out, sobbing as though she were the saddest woman in the world.

“……”

Viviana was dumbfounded.

She couldn’t understand what had just happened.

Octavia clutched her cheek and trembled, weeping in earnest.

“How could you suddenly do this to someone who greeted you because she was happy to see you again? How can friends treat each other like this!”

Octavia screamed nonsense as though it were the truth.

“…What are you talking about…”

Viviana tried to help Octavia up.

At Viviana’s roughly extended hand, Octavia convulsed and shrieked.

The instant Viviana’s hand touched her, Octavia’s head snapped violently to the side, like a painting.

“Aah! Viviana… how could you…”

Octavia stammered with a deathly pale face.

Her shaking shoulders looked nothing but pitiful.

“I—”

The problem was that Viviana was being mistaken for the aggressor.

“Octavia?”

At that moment, a warm, gentle voice called to the theatrically sobbing Octavia.

Octavia welcomed the owner of the voice as if she had met her savior.

“Alicia….”

Viviana’s mind was in shambles.

Alicia—who should have been sweeping Queen Street bare—walked over lightly and helped the fallen Octavia to her feet.

Octavia’s tearful face looked completely real.

“Lady Viviana. I heard you’ve been going through a difficult time lately, but must you vent your grief by being cruel to a friend?”

Alicia spoke like a stern judge.

It was the moment a nail was driven into Viviana—branding her as a harsh person who struck her friends.

“You two are framing me…!”

Unable to believe it, Viviana tried to separate them first.

She felt like she had to do something.

Octavia shielded Alicia, blocking Viviana’s approaching hand.

Rip!

In Viviana’s hasty grab, Octavia’s ribbon tore.

“…Th-this is…”

Viviana stared at the torn ribbon caught in her hand, her face stricken.

She hadn’t meant to harm Octavia.

Even if she was being wronged, she wanted to clear up the misunderstanding.

“Lady Viviana, I thought we were friends, but I suppose I was wrong. Let’s go, Alicia. I’m fine…”

Octavia turned away, tears spilling down her face in sorrow.

Alicia supported the staggering Octavia as they left.

“……”

Only Viviana remained on Ruffkin Street, along with the people whispering about her.

Viviana fled as if running away.

That evening, rumors about Viviana Manners’s arrogant temperament spread quickly.

The incident where Viviana had slandered Alicia, and the things she had done to other ladies, were dragged up again.

Within Baden, Viviana’s reputation plummeted at speed.

In just a few days, public sentiment worsened beyond recovery.

As rumors spread that Viviana might become the next Marquis of Manners, the atmosphere turned even uglier.

In the end, House Manners announced it would seek a new heir.

Alicia visited the Rain marquisate residence for the first time in a while.

It was the day her family had come from Rain.

Marchioness Marine Rain and Felix stayed at the Rain marquisate residence in Baden.

Harry from Juma, Francis from Echeveria, and people from the Appel barony also planned to stay at the Rain residence.

Everyone was busy, and time flew just from talking about what had happened since they last met.

Between eating, laughing, and chatting, she couldn’t tell where the hours went.

Alicia ate through the evening and returned to the Grand Duke’s residence.

It was too late to call it evening, but too early to call it deep night.

“Did you enjoy your time with your family, Your Highness?”

Henrik attended to Alicia and looked at her with moist eyes.

“Yes. Next time, Henrik, eat with us too.”

At Alicia’s words, Henrik looked deeply moved.

“It would be an honor.”

These days Henrik’s mood was at its peak.

The Grand Duke’s residence—always lonely—was overflowing with guests and things to do.

There had been plenty of work before, too.

But it had been lonely work: filing documents, border reports, lists of visitors to refuse.

Not sparkling things like weddings, banquets, and festival days.

“Was anything unusual?”

“His Majesty sent someone.”

“But I wasn’t here….”

Alicia said it boldly, with a face that somehow still looked cautious.

Henrik nodded vigorously to show he had handled it well.

He looked utterly reliable.

“And Her Majesty as well. Her Majesty sent pearls, saying the pearls for the pearl earrings to be worn with the last dress were too small.”

“Again? Did she forget the pearls she sent yesterday?”

“Yes. She said those pearls still seemed small, so she sent new ones.”

Alicia should have felt happy and honored by the Emperor and Empress’s intense attention.

She shouldn’t show displeasure at familial warmth.

“What else?”

“Debi says Her Majesty may have Your Highness’s veil altered.”

Since no one was listening, Alicia didn’t pile on words of gratitude for the imperial family’s doting affection.

She dodged the burdensome love with an awkward smile.

“Does Her Majesty dislike the veil?”

“Isn’t it because she cherishes Your Highness?”

Henrik looked proud as if he were the one receiving the Empress’s affection.

“I suppose so.”

Talking about this with Henrik wouldn’t lead anywhere.

What Alicia considered plenty lavish, Henrik and the Empress regretted as “too plain.”

With Josephina and Pauline at her side shouting, “More extravagant!” the final result always exceeded Alicia’s expectations.

“Please rest.”

Henrik withdrew with proper etiquette.

He was probably going to devise ways to decorate the post-wedding banquet even more lavishly.

“Ah.”

Back in her room, Alicia remembered something and turned around.

There was something to add to the wedding guest list.

She went straight to Reichardt’s room.

She arrived in an instant, then hesitated at the door.

It was a shame she hadn’t heard whether Reichardt was back—she’d been talking about other things with Henrik earlier.

Henrik must have forgotten.

These days, Henrik’s entire focus was Alicia and Reichardt’s wedding.

More precisely, how to dress it up to be lavish and majestic.

Reichardt had been busy with official duties.

It seemed the Emperor intended to squeeze every last bit of work from Reichardt before the Duchy of Tessen was formally established.

He returned late every night.

She knocked out of courtesy, but it was silent.

It seemed he’d be late again today.

“Rei?”

Just in case, Alicia looked around and stepped into the bedroom.

As expected, it was quiet.

She couldn’t sense anyone.

“Guess he’s not here.”

Muttering in disappointment, she looked for the wedding guest list.

She scanned the enormous bedroom, but the guest list that was in its final revision wasn’t in sight.

She wondered if it had been taken to the study, but that didn’t seem likely.

Whenever Reichardt had time, he invited Alicia to his room and made decisions with her about wedding matters.

So the guest list was always in his bedroom.

Alicia stopped merely glancing around and began searching in earnest.

Rummaging through someone’s room when they weren’t present made her uneasy, but it seemed best to handle it while she remembered.

As she opened and checked the drawers of the cabinet by the desk—

“What are you doing there?”

A low voice sounded behind Alicia as she crouched to open the lowest drawer.

It was Reichardt.

“You’re back—”

Alicia turned around in delight, then froze.

“What are you doing?”

Reichardt’s hair was soaked through.

Maybe he had just washed—he wore only a long towel wrapped below his waist.

His damp upper body wore nothing.

The ash-gold hair, wet with water, looked darker than usual.

From the still-wet tips, droplets fell, traced down his bare chest, slid past the side of his navel, and disappeared beneath the towel.

“……”

Alicia’s gaze followed the water droplet.

Without meaning to, she swallowed.

Reichardt, dressed in a way she could never imagine on him under ordinary circumstances, seemed completely unaware of what was wrong with this situation.

“Alicia?”

No—what was “wrong,” exactly?

There was nothing wrong. Alicia was over twenty, which meant she was an adult. Seeing any side of her betrothed shouldn’t be a problem.

And yet she couldn’t help going blank.

Reichardt looked at Alicia—frozen like stone—as if puzzled.

Alicia tried to say something.