To the One Who's Only Cold to Me - Chapter 34

“Hoho. Now that I think about it, you’re all following the trend quite well. Showing off your shoulders like that. How embarrassing.”

“But Miss Luanna, you didn’t even wear a shawl. Didn’t your father say anything when you left?”

“Don’t even get me started. My father said it was fine, but my mother was so fussy about it. These days, I get a headache from all her nagging whenever I see her.”

“Oh, us too. My mother has become stricter than my father. She keeps talking about marrying into an old noble family instead of someone like my father who’s from a newly risen noble family… Oh dear.”

One of the girls was talking about clothes when she suddenly covered her mouth. But the others, who were likely in the same situation, didn’t scold her for the slip. Instead, they smiled bitterly.

“It’s okay. Honestly, our situations are all similar. Our fathers may be against the old noble families, but our mothers often think differently.”

Young ladies from the new noble faction were in a delicate position in the marriage market. Normally, they would be expected to marry within their own group for political reasons. But surprisingly, that wasn’t always the case.

“That’s right. My mother keeps introducing men from the old noble families as suitors. My parents argue every time marriage comes up.”

This started happening as the new noble families approached their hundredth year. With wealth came the desire for things money couldn’t buy like a long family history and the unique culture of the old nobility. Some new nobles chased that so eagerly they were mocked for it. In fact, some of the talk about “true nobles” started as a way to mock them.

“It can’t be helped. Most of our mothers can’t let go of the past.”

As the new nobility moved into their second and third generations, it became more common for their daughters to marry into declining old noble families. And the noblewomen from those families, now married into new noble houses, wanted their daughters to marry into prestigious, traditional families.

“Both my parents are like that. Even when the other side has better conditions, they insist I should marry someone from the old families. It’s exhausting.”

“I don’t like the match my parents are thinking of either. You know if I marry into that family, I won’t be able to go out freely like this, right?”

“You’re right. And once you’re there, you’ll have to live under pages of family rules. I heard one family doesn’t even let their wives and daughters leave the house without a husband or male relative.”

“Oh my, really? That’s awful.”

But some of the young women from new noble families didn’t want to marry into the old ones. To them, who had lived relatively freely in noble society, those long-standing families felt like shackles.

“Now that you mention it, one of us is about to marry into one of those families. Miss Aisha, I heard you’re finally engaged to Marquess Lloyd?”

“Really? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“Me too. Miss Aisha! Tell us already!”

As the group turned their attention to Aisha, she gave an awkward smile and nodded.

“Yes, I think so.”

“That’s great! You’ve liked the Marquess since you were little, right?”

“Congratulations, Miss Aisha! Oh, and forget what I said earlier. Not all old noble families are stiff and boring. I’m sure you’ll be happy.”

“So what if they’re a little strict? It’s the Lloyd family we’re talking about. With a noble name like that and a handsome marquess, I think anyone could put up with it.”

The girls laughed brightly as they congratulated her, their faces full of cheer. But Aisha’s eyes darkened slightly.

“Daniel…”

The day Sophia knelt, Ian and Aisha received permission to get engaged. Somehow, Ian managed to persuade Marissa, who had opposed it. But her cold attitude didn’t change, and Daniel, who had fiercely objected to the end, left the house, shouting that he wouldn’t see Aisha’s face again.

“He’s going to stay at the knights’ quarters for now. And I think I’ll stay at the academy for a while too.”

After Daniel left, Arthur also returned to the academy. Now, only the Count and Countess, Edward, and Aisha attended breakfast.

Their absence was deeply felt. Meals passed mostly in silence. Graham and Edward tried to make conversation, but nothing lasted long.

“Uh… Lady Aisha? Daniel really doesn’t want to come back. If it were anyone else, I’d drag him over somehow, but your brother has… a difficult personality. Sorry I can’t help more.”

Aisha even went to the Imperial Palace all week hoping to see Daniel. But he avoided her completely. His coldness, so unlike the younger brother who always let her win in the end, made it hard for Aisha to enjoy the engagement she had waited years for.

“So, when’s the engagement ceremony? Are you skipping it?”

“Of course not! You have to have at least a ceremony.”

Not knowing the full story, the girls sparkled with excitement over Aisha’s engagement. Snapping out of her thoughts, Aisha answered.

“It’ll be at the end of next month. It’ll be a small ceremony with just family and a few close friends. Of course, I hope all of you will come”

“Of course!”

“Late summer, just turning into fall that’s perfect. The flowers will be lovely, and the dresses will look beautiful too.”

“Let us know once you pick your dress, so we don’t wear the same color!”

“What should we bring as a gift? Oh, can I bring my fiancé along too?”

The young ladies were excited to be invited. They chattered nonstop about the venue, what dresses to wear, and what gifts to bring.

“Lady Buell’s engagement had lilies everywhere, and it was just so…”

Knock knock.

The conversation paused at the sound of a polite knock.

“Oh, that must be Miss Viola.”

“Finally. She’s really late. She should pay for dessert today as a penalty.”

No one was curious about the knock they were expecting someone. As expected, the door opened, and a young lady stepped in, almost an hour late.

“Miss Viola, aren’t you a bit too late?”

“You’re paying for dessert today as punishment.”

The familiar face was met with light teasing. But Viola, her face full of excitement, strode to the table and shouted before even sitting down.

“That’s not the point! Do you know who I saw just now on the way in?”

Everyone turned to her, curiosity piqued. Viola tapped the table and revealed what she’d seen.

“Out there… Helen Fitz! I saw her with my own eyes!”

The girls gasped. Helen Fitz perhaps the most famous woman in the Caesar Empire.

“What? Are you sure it was really her?”

“Of course. I even heard the staff call her name.”

Helen Fitz was as famous as she was beautiful. Her vivid red hair, olive eyes with green and brown hues, her tall figure, and curves that even a dress couldn’t hide she didn’t fit the typical standard of beauty, but everyone agreed she was striking.

“Is she really as beautiful as they say? Can she compare to Princess Catherine?”

“Wow. I heard she’s planning to stay in the empire. So it’s true.”

“Will the Empress let her stay? Nothing’s been said yet, but remember how things exploded when the Emperor kept Helen’s mother as a mistress? There was even talk of divorce”

“Can someone be called a mistress if she was only around for less than a year? And Helen’s mother she’s known for being with a lot of men. She’s currently the mistress of King Kaisar and called Countess of Revidon.”

But Helen wasn’t famous for her looks alone. Her appearance was only the third or fourth thing mentioned. She was the illegitimate daughter of the Emperor and a foreign noblewoman, and now a rapidly rising businesswoman.

“No matter her background, I want to see her. It’s cool that she’s made such a name for herself.”

“Cool? Have you seen the businesses she runs? They rely on her fame and her half-noble status.”

“Even so, I think that’s impressive. Not just anyone can use their name that way.”

“That’s not a real achievement. Just attracting attention for investments is risky. Honestly, I find her disgusting. A bastard child boldly using a royal name? Seriously.”

People were divided on Helen Fitz. Her shady origins and bold behavior sparked strong opinions. But everyone agreed she was always the center of attention.

“There’s more. I was ten minutes later because I stayed to eavesdrop.”

The group, buzzing with curiosity over Helen, leaned in as Viola spoke again.

“Fifty minutes late or an hour doesn’t matter now. Just tell us already.”

“Yes, come on. If it’s juicy enough, we’ll cancel your punishment.”

Viola smiled and leaned closer. The others perked up their ears. She put a finger to her lips and whispered dramatically.

“Helen Fitz was with a man. Want to guess who?”

“It was Marquess Ian Lloyd.”Top of Form

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