Our Summer Isn't Over Yet - Chapter 20

“I was impressed the entire time I came in. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a beautiful party.”

“Is that so? I’m glad you think so highly of it, Madam. There are other ladies waiting inside. Shall we go together?”

Mia whispered to Dylan, who wouldn’t let go of her hand. “Then I’ll go spend some time with the ladies, Dylan. I hope you have a good time with the other gentlemen.”

He frowned as if recalling something very unpleasant, and tightened his grip on her hand. “If that kind of situation happens again.” “Don’t worry, it won’t.”

Anabel, who had already targeted Mia and Dylan once, probably wouldn’t appear at the party again. Anabel leaves without regret once she has accomplished her goal. This was information she had learned from past conflicts with Anabel.

But from Dylan’s point of view, who didn’t know that fact, he seemed worried that the same situation might happen again. “Still, if it does, I’ll be around.”

Mia hesitated to mention the previous incident to calm Dylan down, then closed her mouth. The moment she brought it up, everything Anabel had done while he was away would be revealed.

If Dylan were to have a conflict with the Duke Luke, the Duke Luke might not help the Richard family in the future. Mia, concluding that it was better not to create a difficult situation, opened her mouth. “Dylan, didn’t I tell you before I came? I’m not a child. Above all, you need to socialize now too.”

Mia herself was the one who was insulted by Anabel, but for some reason, Dylan acted as if he had been the one who had heard harsh words. She had only thought of him as a blunt person, but lately, she felt like she was seeing many new sides of Dylan. “Don’t worry about me, I hope you enjoy the party.”

When Mia stroked the back of Dylan’s hand, who still hadn’t loosened his grip, he finally let go. Mia smiled brightly at the Marchioness Philville, who was waiting, and then disappeared.

Dylan stared blankly at his hand where Mia’s touch had lingered. The nobles, seeing him standing still at the entrance of the party hall, tilted their heads and began to greet him.

Only then did he realize that Mia had completely disappeared from his sight, and he moved his feet.

Familiar faces were present at the place where the Marchioness Philville had led her. They were about to greet Mia, but instead, they were captivated by her appearance.

“My goodness.”

Someone gasped.

“Madam!”

“You’re so beautiful.”

The Marchioness Philville, who had been unable to examine Mia’s appearance because of the tension earlier, finally realized that Mia was different than usual.

Her hair, neatly tied down, was similar to her usual style, but the pin holding her hair in place was not the one Mia usually used. Moreover, her clothes were not the simple style she always wore, but a lavish and extravagant dress that seemed to have been meticulously crafted by a master craftsman.

Someone recognized the identity of the dress and couldn’t hide their surprise.

“It’s a Madam Elise dress!” Everyone gasped when Elise’s name was mentioned.

There was a special condition to commission Elise’s salon. The client had to fill out and submit all the documents created by the Madam, and the client had to choose each design one by one.

As demanding as it was, the quality of the clothes was guaranteed.

It was a dress shop that nobles dreamed of visiting at least once. However, it was much easier to get clothes from other places than to pass Elise’s demanding conditions, so only a handful of people bought Elise’s clothes.

Perhaps because it was a rare dress, Elise’s dress shop was the most famous in the capital.

Even Mia, who had no interest in clothes, knew that she was so famous that she was briefly surprised when Dylan brought Elise. However, when Mia saw the many clothes that Elise had brought out, she was convinced.

It was clear that it wasn’t Dylan who had chosen the design, but one of his aides.

Dylan choosing the designs for not just one or two, but dozens of dresses. If it was the Dylan she knew, it was something he wouldn’t do even if he had plenty of time.

“My goodness!His Excellency Richard seems to be more meticulous than he looks.”

The ladies, who didn’t know the truth, envied Mia, mentioning Dylan’s meticulousness. Mia could see the growing misunderstanding, but she didn’t feel the need to correct them, so she simply smiled and stayed in her place.

Just as their conversation was becoming tedious, she turned her head and saw Dylan, who was particularly radiant among the crowd. It felt like everything that shone in the party hall was reflecting him.

Dylan was the only one in Mia’s sight, so much so that it was difficult to recognize who was standing in front of him. A noblewoman, noticing that Mia wasn’t responding, followed her gaze and murmured softly.

“It’s like the Duke and His Excellency Richard ?”

“What are they talking about?”

“Wouldn’t they be talking about the war?”

Only then did Mia realize that the person standing opposite Dylan was Walter March.

As his jet-black hair fluttered in the wind, Walter swept it back with a frustrated expression. He didn’t look like he was nearing fifty.

One might be frightened by his crimson red eyes, but the noblewomen covered their mouths, their eyes fixed on Walter’s face. “The two of them standing together look like a masterpiece.”

Everyone knew that Walter, who had lost his wife and late-born daughter in the war with Murad, had no one by his side now. Although he didn’t seem interested in the opposite sex, the nobles thought that someone would take Walter’s side now that the war was over.

The conversation between the two, which had been going on for a while, seemed to have come to an end soon. When Dylan nodded, Walter patted him on the shoulder a couple of times and moved away. As Walter disappeared from sight, sighs of regret erupted from here and there.

The gazes that had been fixed on Walter until just now were about to return to their original places, but because of someone’s question, everyone’s eyes turned to Dylan again.

“Viscount Borman has also visited?”

“Oh my, it’s Vice Admiral. He’s famous for not attending banquets, what’s the occasion today?”

“The PhilvilleMarquis family must have thrown a big party. All the nobles who are hard to see unless it’s a royal banquet are gathered.” “The Marchioness Philville must be thrilled.”

Everyone’s attention was focused on Elio Borman, but Mia’s gaze couldn’t be taken away from Dylan, who was in front of him.

Elio kept saying something to Dylan. Unlike when he was talking to Walter, Dylan’s face was full of annoyance and irritation. Only after Dylan’s expression completely covered Elio’s face did Mia turn her gaze to the ladies.

She knew it wasn’t polite to have other thoughts while having someone in front of her. However, Mia couldn’t concentrate on the conversation because Dylan, whom she had just seen, wouldn’t disappear from her head. In the end, she asked the ladies for their understanding and moved away from the crowd.

Then, several nobles followed her, introducing themselves and asking to continue the conversation.

“I’m sorry, I need some time to rest alone right now. I’ll be back soon, then we can talk.”

Everyone expressed their regret to Mia, who spoke with a kind face, but they didn’t bother her any further. Mia held a glass of champagne and scanned the bright party hall.

Once Dylan was out of sight, she was finally able to stop thinking about him. She found it strange that she could find Dylan so easily anywhere. “Am I bewitched or something?”

She couldn’t define what this feeling, this mood, this thought meant, but this much was certain. It would be difficult if they got any closer than this.

She had to continue sleeping with Dylan as he wished for a year, and then receive her parents’ remains and return to her hometown. Wasn’t her wish, which she had accumulated over seventeen years, so important that she shouldn’t be swayed by insignificant emotions?

So? That’s when it happened. Not far away, there was a place prepared for young lords and ladies, and she heard small chattering.

“It’s Princess Seydimia.” “You should say the Duchess Richard !”

A little girl with puffed cheeks said to a little boy with her hands on her hips.

Mia, pushing back the rising thoughts, turned her gaze towards them. As if realizing that she had seen them, the little girl came to Mia with quick steps.

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