* * *
“Welcome, Marquis.”
Zeroth smirked and shook his hand.
When Sylvian offered his hand, Karl leaned in to press a kiss on the small back of it—
Smack.
“Hey. Back off.”
“Hurk.”
Before his lips could reach, the Lady of House Nefer shoved him away with her fan.
Startled, Sylvian gasped without meaning to.
As the daughter of a Marquis, she technically committed a crime to Karl, who held a title—but she clearly didn’t care about such things.
Karl, hit suddenly on the forearm, for the first time dropped his usual smile and backed away with a look of disgust.
He even took two full steps away, as if he couldn’t bear to stand near her.
‘So she’s not all sweetness and grace. She’s using that image cleverly.’
People who witnessed Karl’s reaction said it made him seem more human.
Usually too perfect with his manners and politeness, Karl now appeared cute and approachable thanks to the Lady Nefer.
“Duchess, thank you for inviting us. I’ve brought a gift I thought would suit you.”
With a smirk tugging just one side of her mouth, Lady Nefer signaled to a servant to present the gift she brought.
“Be sure to open it in your bedroom.”
“Thank you. It’s cold—let’s head inside.”
Despite the loaded expression on Charlian’s face and the lady’s shoulders bare under a thin shawl, Sylvian quickly led the group inside.
Normally, guests would exchange pleasantries, but the two of them were completely ignoring each other, so there was no choice but to skip that.
“May the new year be filled with happiness.”
Once seated, Zeroth offered a toast.
Everyone raised their glasses and echoed, “To happiness.”
“Ah, this is wine from the Lujentel vineyard. It lives up to its name.”
“We must have special wine for special guests, don’t you think?”
Zeroth replied to the Lady’s comment.
Sylvian sipped his wine while glancing between Lady Nefer and Karl.
His wine, unlike the others, was sweeter and lower in alcohol.
“You must not handle alcohol well, Duchess.”
Seeing that, Karl chuckled and asked.
His gaze was fixed on someone else, as if he had no intention of acknowledging Lady Nefer at all.
But Lady Nefer seemed to be the same, and Sylvian sighed quietly at the sight.
‘I should’ve just invited the Marquis.’
Watching them exchange cold, tense looks like they didn’t care what anyone else thought, Sylvian realized using Karl to provoke Zeroth had failed.
He should’ve listened when people said the two didn’t get along.
To hide his disappointment, Sylvian took small sips of his wine.
He didn’t notice when Karl’s gaze briefly passed over his increasingly flushed face.
“I was so happy that Lady Nefer accepted my letter. You’re so beautiful, and wonderful, and…”
“Oh my, hearing that from the Duchess himself is quite embarrassing.”
Lady Nefer’s eyes curved with amusement as she looked at Sylvian.
She’d only taken interest because someone said Karl and he looked good together.
She glared at Karl but graciously accepted the Duchess’s attention.
She had found Sylvian cute at the last party too.
But seeing that smiling face now, cheerfully chatting away, she realized that the Duchess truly didn’t belong in this setting.
‘What a waste.’
If he had remained the Viscount’s heir, she might’ve considered keeping him as a charming lover.
Praising Sylvian with sweet, superficial compliments, she kept up appearances.
Duke Graham’s attention remained fixed on the Duchess, perhaps concerned about his reddening face.
Meanwhile, Charlian quietly drank wine as he observed the couple.
It would’ve been a rather enjoyable dinner if not for that insufferable Karl.
There was no way that man would accept an invitation to a dinner like this unless he had some hidden motive.
He wouldn’t have shown up otherwise.
‘I’d like to ruin it for him.’
But what could it be?
Lady Nefer’s eyes sharpened as she scanned the dining room.
‘This is boring.’
Karl Rooster scoffed internally at the sight of the blushing Duchess, clearly smitten with Charlian.
An omega, fawning over another omega—ridiculous.
He had no particular desire to talk to Charlian.
As annoying as it was, they had been acquainted since childhood, so they still exchanged letters out of obligation.
‘He left the ring behind.’
At least he had the sense not to wear the informant’s ring around.
The ring hadn’t moved from the Duke’s estate for days now.
Since returning from the general store, Sylvian hadn’t left the house.
‘Maybe he was shocked by his brother’s situation.’
Karl had expected him to beg the Duke to take action against the Count’s family after learning the secret, but there was no sign of that.
Maybe he was just relieved Timothy had already been executed.
“Is Young Lord Martius doing better now?”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. Thanks to so many people’s help, he was able to recover quickly.”
As soon as Karl brought up his brother, Sylvian’s green eyes welled up with tears.
Clearly, he was more shocked after learning the truth—and he was holding it in for his brother’s sake.
His eyes, glistening with sorrow, looked heartbreakingly gentle as he thought of his brother.
Karl’s expression darkened further as he watched Zeroth gently comfort his wife.
“I also received the gift you sent, Marquis. Thank you.”
“I’m glad to hear that. It just so happened that I’d acquired a large batch of medicinal herbs.”
At Martius’s words, Karl smiled softly, as if it had been the natural thing to do.
“Karl is really kind. And handsome, too. It’s such a shame he’s still single. Do you really not have a lover?”
“…No. Unfortunately not. I once had someone very dear to me, but we broke up.”
At those words, Karl felt Charlian’s gaze on him.
That woman, always ready to tease him, was now staring at him with disinterested eyes, which felt oddly out of character.
“You were in love with someone, then.”
“Yes. Someone just as lovely and radiant as Sylvian.”
No, perhaps even nobler.
Not someone who leeches off others but someone who trained every day to become stronger on his own.
‘And this is supposed to be better than Hailey?’
To see the Duke, who had so quickly cast Hailey aside and now clung to someone even more pathetic—it made no sense.
Sitting at the highest seat, adored by all, and yet the Duke was the filthiest and most disgraceful of them all.
“If Karl loved them, I’m sure they were amazing.”
“Hahaha, I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Karl’s a sincere person. I’m sure they were like that too.”
She doesn’t even know them, yet she believes it so firmly.
Seeing those unwavering eyes, Karl’s lips tightened slightly.
‘Who, me? Sincere?’
He felt sick to his stomach.
“Ahem, that’s a bit embarrassing to hear.”
Sincere? Him? The one with the filthiest secrets?
Karl fought the urge to burst out laughing.
“Well, Marquis Rooster does have that kind of side to him.”
“You think so too, my lady?”
“He’s annoying—ahem—I mean, he’s not that great, but I suppose he has a few decent traits.”
Karl frowned at the way Charlian responded so readily to Sylvian’s words.
“I’ve hated anything unjust since I was a kid.”
If you’re going to compliment someone, at least relax your brows.
Charlian said it with a scowl, clearly displeased at having to say anything nice.
‘Why?’
‘Shut up.’
“Nobody can match Charlian when it comes to being consistent.”
“What?”
“She’s been like that since he was young. Hes personality’s always been the same.”
“Oh, that part is just the same with the Marquis too, Duchess.”
The moment of sentimentality was brief.
* * *
