Theodor Joachim Lef (4)

“I apologize that, unexpectedly, there were many guests in the household today. I would like to guide you first through the southern side where people do not enter. It is truly an honor to be able to introduce Your Highness to the Deonseu family’s residence.”

Baron Deonseu beamed as he opened the study door.

“Think nothing of it.”

Reichardt, in his heart, wanted to avoid people’s eyes, hole up in some corner, and take a nap.

But he moved his steps, following Baron Deonseu, who looked at him with eyes full of expectation.

Baron Deonseu introduced the residence meticulously.

He moved through passageways that seemed known to only a few, guiding Reichardt through every corner of the house.

There was no way there could be a point of contact between Baron Deonseu in the far north and the Grand Duke of Tessen on the western border.

And yet, considering the possibility that he might someday become close with the Grand Duke, the baron did his utmost to show friendliness.

The last part of the tour was to show the banquet hall where the party was in progress.

Baron Deonseu’s residence had a teardrop-shaped garden.

Brilliant lights had been lit throughout the garden, famed nearby for its beauty.

The banquet hall arranged along the garden’s perimeter made one feel the illusion of being outdoors while still inside the building.

“Your Highness may not know this well, but today is the day Lady Alicia of the Marquess of Rain makes her debut in high society. Oh, and just in time—here comes the lady.”

Baron Deonseu and Reichardt stood in a hidden space where people’s gazes did not reach, looking down over the banquet hall.

“…….”

Reichardt’s face remained as indifferent as ever.

He, too, had long heard about Lady Alicia, who was said to have been born in the Marquess of Rain’s household for the first time in nearly two hundred years.

But he did not explain anything separately to Baron Deonseu and simply let it be.

There was no need for the other party to know whom he did or did not know.

At present, the only Lady Rain—Alicia Rain—was a lady famous even among the great nobles of the imperial capital.

Yet, despite her fame, there were almost no people who had actually seen Lady Alicia.

Among the girls entering the banquet hall, there was one especially pale face.

A face that seemed to radiate coldness like Rain—where winter was said to be harsh—had fine lines and a delicate impression.

On that cold yet slender face, there was no expression at all.

Reichardt looked with pity at the face that passed through the center of the banquet hall with a stiff expression.

To someone who did not know her well, Alicia Rain would look cold and frigid.

Those who judged people by appearances might say Alicia Rain was arrogant and haughty.

But in Reichardt’s eyes, the unsteadily trembling violet irises and the tiny twitch at the corner of her mouth were plainly visible.

More than anything, the sound of her heart pounding as if it would burst was far too loud.

She was a pitiful lady who made even him—usually indifferent to people—want to speak a word of consolation.

‘At this rate, she looks like she’ll cry.’

Reichardt watched Alicia Rain closely as she went surrounded by four young ladies.

“Alicia, don’t you know how to smile?”

“Everyone’s watching. At least try waving your hand. They’ll say a great noble’s lady is arrogant.”

“At least offer a simple greeting to the people whose eyes you meet.”

At her frightened face and the sound of her heart only growing louder, Reichardt swallowed a sigh in secret.

Just as he had expected, Alicia Rain was only frigid in appearance; in truth she was very timid, and she was being looked down on by the peer ladies who were supposed to stay by her side.

‘That’s unfortunate.’

Reichardt, offering a dry comfort to himself, loosened the tension he had kept in his sharpened hearing.

He also wanted to say something to help her relax, but it was not as though he meant to speak like he was scolding her, the way those ladies around Alicia Rain were doing.

Everyone had their own difficulties.

The people of the world would think Alicia Rain, born into a marquess’s household, would only enjoy wealth and honor—but it seemed she, too, had her own hardships.

“The one in the middle wearing the dark lilac dress is Lady Alicia. She looks cold at first glance, but she is very courteous and gentle.”

Baron Deonseu, who had seemed calculating due to his strict impression, said it with a pleased smile.

He explained familiarly, as though he were Alicia Rain’s uncle.

And yet it was a fairly accurate assessment.

Reichardt had regarded Baron Deonseu as little more than a frontier noble trying to curry favor with the central nobility.

Though brief, his words were enough to break the prejudice Reichardt had held about the baron.

“Is that so?”

Reichardt replied evenly, without showing surprise.

“Thank you for listening to an old man’s long-winded boasting about his house, Your Highness. It seems I have shown you enough places by way of introduction. You must be tired from the long journey—please rest for a while. I have prepared a private room where you may stay comfortably, if only briefly. If you would grant the Deonseu family the opportunity to host Your Highness, it would be a great honor.”

“I appreciate it.”

At Baron Deonseu’s courteous words, Reichardt gave permission.

“If Your Highness’s visit had not been unofficial, the guests who came to the household would have experienced a great honor as well, but it is regrettable. In particular, it would be most saddening for the ladies who debuted in high society today not to be able to meet Your Highness.”

Baron Deonseu personally guided him to the annex room where Reichardt would stay.

For the head of the house to guide a guest personally was an extraordinary matter.

But it was not a situation that surprised Reichardt at all.

He was always attended by the Baron of Rens in his usual life.

When he lived in the imperial palace, he was attended by at least a count, and his nursemaids had been baronesses or countesses.

Baron Deonseu, walking ahead, also knew the special circumstances of royalty.

That was why he personally introduced the residence and attended to him.

Of course, it was also a special experience for the baron himself.

Baron Deonseu’s special experience was cut short before long.

“Baron.”

Just as Reichardt was about to reach the annex room where he would stay, a servant hurried over and delivered news.

One of the countesses who had come from the imperial capital, Baden, had lost a precious ring.

At the unpleasant incident, Baron Deonseu lost his composure and his expression darkened.

“Your Highness.”

“The first room after turning right in the corridor—I know it, so go.”

Reichardt—who was often judged tactless for not waiting until the other party finished speaking—rarely spoke first as if to say he already knew.

“I apologize.”

Perhaps the countess from the imperial capital had quite the temperament; Baron Deonseu hurriedly paid his respects and left.

Reichardt gave a light nod instead of a formal return. He was fine.

Rather, being alone was more comfortable.

Thanks to the baron’s painstaking tour, he had already memorized the interior like it was his own home.

The one who was not fine was Baron Deonseu.

It seemed that the countess’s group—who lost a ring in some ridiculous place and then nitpicked that the ring had been lost at the party—had advanced all the way into Rain.

‘So the news hasn’t reached here yet.’

Reichardt found it hard to understand the mentality of making a commotion at a party by claiming to have lost something, merely to draw people’s attention.

Silently consoling Baron Deonseu who would suffer for it, he headed toward the private room prepared for him.

The moment Reichardt passed down the long corridor and turned right—

Tap.

A slender figure in a deep lilac dress slipped into the room said to be prepared for him and shut the door.

“…….”

Reichardt checked the corridor and direction again, wondering if he had been mistaken.

The room whose door had just closed swiftly and firmly right before his eyes was undoubtedly the one prepared for him.

If his memory was not wrong, the one who had entered the room just now was Alicia Rain—the girl said to have debuted in high society today.

It was strange that the Lady of the Marquess of Rain had slipped away alone in the middle of the banquet.

It was rare for a great noble’s lady to hide away from people’s eyes during a party.

Moreover, Alicia Rain had debuted in high society today.

In such cases, she normally received the whole world’s attention as the party’s heroine.

At times, she might take a rest during the party, but even then, for a marquess’s lady, there would usually be an attendant lady staying by her side.

“This is my room……”

Reichardt muttered in a very small voice.

He raised his hand as if to knock, then stopped.

Instead, he focused his ears to gauge the state inside the room, and Reichardt unconsciously took a step back.

From beyond the door, the pounding of a heart rang out frighteningly.

A pitiful sound of trembling breaths being expelled one after another followed.

Just from the sound of her breathing, it was enough to worry she might stop breathing at any moment.

An ordinary person would think the room was quiet, but to Reichardt, the room Alicia Rain had entered was as loud as a stormy night sea.

Each time he listened, Alicia Rain’s heartbeat only grew louder and louder.

Reichardt, feeling sorry for the timid lady’s situation, let out a faint smile.

It was frightening and terrifying, yet on the outside she had to look authoritative—the unavoidable duality of a great noble’s lady was pitiable and, at the same time, endearing.

Just then, an irritated voice rang out from the far end of the corridor.

“Where did she go?”

“She’s seriously such a hassle.”

Reichardt, hearing the rough footsteps approaching, started to hide—then realized there was no need, and stood guard before the door.

He raised the collar of the cloak draped over his shoulders to cover around his chin.

“No way she came all the way here—”

The women, trading complaints with tightly crumpled faces, spotted Reichardt and approached.

Reichardt addressed those coming toward him as though he were on guard.

“What is the matter?”

At the firm, authoritative voice, the ladies who had been approaching without hesitation flinched and slowed.

“I apologize. We are looking for a lady. Have you perhaps not seen her? She is wearing a dark lilac dress, with long dark-brown hair and a pale complexion. She is Lady Rain.”

The woman’s voice, which had erased all signs of displeasure, was polite and deferential.

She invoked the status of the person she was seeking, subtly trying to press down on the other party.

Considering that they had been condemning the very person they were looking for just moments ago, it was a ridiculous thing.