At those words, Noction's heart sank.
The person that guy was weakest against was a kind yet strong-willed mother with a child.
It was a very unpleasant taste.
Of course, that didn't necessarily mean he was getting soft-hearted just because he saw her as a woman, but still, he should take precautions to prevent any potential problems from arising.
So Noction tried hard to change the subject.
"Most parents in the world sincerely love their children, whether they are their biological children or not."
"I know."
He said he knew, but he didn't seem to know at all.
So Noction left him with a word to snap him out of it.
"You may think you are rebelling against your father, but looking at your current state, isn't it nothing more or less than a stallion if he tells you to?"
For a moment, silence hung over the wall of deficits.
But soon, as always, Raphael let out a laugh.
It was that distinctive laugh, one that made it impossible to tell what on earth the person was thinking.
“...I enjoyed the moral lecture.”
"Anyway, snap out of it."
"Thanks, but do you have any more information about Count Tabes?"
"That’s all I told you before. Come to think of it, it was just due to forgetfulness. He blamed himself for making mistakes at work sometimes because of his forgetfulness, so I told him to get plenty of sleep and eat lots of walnuts."
Not long ago, having received help from Raphael, Noction was also passing some information on to him.
But honestly, it wasn't a huge scandal, nor was it information that would cause a problem.
"He is simply a hard-working person. As His Majesty's close aide."
"That's a shame. I was planning to look into it because I thought I might meet the Marchioness again today."
"Anyway. Hey, there's talk that the Marquis's hobby is locking people up. It never hurts to be careful."
“That’s it.”
Raphael stood up and said goodbye.
“See you later.”
"Hey, stop coming to the confessional already!"
Noction, who had suddenly lost his temper, soon regained his composure at the closed door opposite.
However, the last glimpse he caught of Raphael's expression through the lattice window was uncharacteristically subdued, leaving him with a lingering sense of unease.
"Phew, my dear Erkel, inner peace."
Noction hoped that the guy would live an upright life, even from now on.
Appearance, status, and even wealth.
Why does he torment himself when he has everything others are desperate to have?
Noction clasped his hands together in prayer.
"Merciful Erkel, please make that bastard come to his senses, even if it means making his penis rot and fall off."
He went back into his main job mode.
Even Noction didn't know until this point.
Just how far his friend could go.
***
"It's certainly busy during social season."
I didn't know I would have a schedule booked every single day before the social season officially started.
The position of Marchioness can't possibly be easy.
It was even worse because my mother still handles the household administration.
'Now that I just need to deal with the Grand Duke, the culprit of the assassination, and the insider, I guess I'll have to start learning from Mother!'
The Marchioness's life was more similar to that of a self-employed person than expected.
'From managing household finances and overseeing charitable activities to leading servants and managing household affairs, seasonal interior design, networking through social events, and even hosting social events...'
Come to think of it, I have to handle accounting, CS, HR, PR, marketing, sales, operations management, and branding all by myself!
'Fortunately, perhaps because he was worried I might be a burden, Carcel said that the separate staff he assigned could handle it, so I just needed to say something if there was anything I wanted done, but...'
Normally, the lady of the house would have to oversee all of that.
I respected my mother anew for doing this so effortlessly.
Carcel asked me.
"Would you like to cancel your attendance at today's event?"
"No! I’ve just been feeling a tiny bit off lately, but it’s not like I’m having a hard time!"
Actually, I felt a bit embarrassed because it seemed like I was faking it for no reason.
Besides, is the event I have to attend today just an ordinary one?
It was a ball hosted by the Imperial Family. I suppose I should attend on a day like today to get a better overview of the situation.
'I have to move diligently to prevent any trouble from happening to Amira.'
With that in mind, I set off for the Imperial Palace.
***
I thought I wouldn't be able to enjoy it properly since I was going while tired, but once I actually got here, it was fun.
"Asha, are you feeling a bit better?"
"Maybe it's because it was fun, but I feel perfectly fine—it's as if I was never sick!"
There were so many people inside that after dancing a few songs, it got hot, so I had just come out to the garden with Carcel.
"It looked like you had been limping slightly for a while."
It seems Carcel had been watching me closely the whole time.
"Ah. I wore these shoes for the first time today, so they aren't broken in yet."
My heels were only slightly scraped.
“Let’s see.”
Saying that, Carcel hurriedly lifted me up.
Even so, as he embraced me effortlessly as if I were almost weightless, I found myself inadvertently holding Carcel’s neck as well.
"Hey, Carcel! People are watching!"
"If there are people who want to criticize me for hugging my wife, let them do so. Because I cannot bear to see my wife walk even a single step limping or wounded."
Carcel strode over and carefully seated me on the marble bench in the garden.
Then, he naturally knelt on one knee in front of me, grabbed my limping foot, and placed it on his thigh.
"Wait a minute. I'm sweating from dancing, and my pronunciation...!"
I wasn't on complete terms with Carcel yet!
Feeling embarrassed, heat instantly rose to the back of my neck.
"Asha, don't worry, you only smell like roses. Even if your feet smell terrible, I'll enjoy the fragrance."
"Really!"
"If we were going to live seeing only good things our whole lives, why would we become family? I find even this part of you that you're shy about just adorable."
"Still, we're newlyweds, so I want to show you only the good things for now!"
Carcel, knowing I was embarrassed, laughed softly and took off my shoes.
"No matter what you do, Asha looks good, so don't worry."
He looked at my feet and soon opened his mouth.
"Anyway, your heel is a bit scraped. I think I need to disinfect it so it doesn't leave a scar."
"Then let's just go home in a little while."
I heard that balls usually go on until 3 AM.
As a weak person untamed by social events, I absolutely could not endure it.
"It's already over for today anyway."
Count Tabes went into the VIP room and did not come out, claiming he was attending to important diplomatic figures by His Imperial Majesty's side.
And it seemed that the priest Noction was not present, and Baron Belmont was not seen either.
In addition to that, I had already spoken about the children once with Countess Annexa and other ladies with whom I was separately acquainted.
'Since we decided to meet with the children at Countess Annexa's house soon.'
All overall objectives have been achieved!
Carcel took a handkerchief out of his inner pocket and carefully wiped the wound.
"Shall we just look around the garden for a bit and then head home?"
I placed my hands on the bench, looked into Carcel, and asked.
Carcel nodded to me.
Then, feeling thirsty because I had been dancing excitedly just moments ago, I said to Carcel.
"Before that, I'd like to have just one glass of champagne! I heard even the drinks served at the royal balls are high-end."
"I should make a small bar at home for Asha."
"You’ll end up becoming a heavy drinker if you keep doing that. It’s better to just enjoy the atmosphere at a gathering like this."
If Carcel said something like that, it would definitely go too far, so I had to block it beforehand.
"I'll be right back."
So Carcel took off my shoes, placed them to the side, and went back into the palace.
It'll probably take a little time to go and come back, right?
I looked up at the night sky for a moment and stomped my feet.
"May I sit next to you for a moment?"
It was then.
It was a familiar voice heard from beside me.
I glanced over and acknowledged the handsome man, who was showing off his dazzling face again today.
"Baron Belmont wasn't at the ball."
"I'm a bit tired of dancing now, so I slipped away for a moment."
I didn't know, but there was a tear mole at the corner of the curved eye of the Baron I had just met.
However, a subtle shadow hung over that smile more than usual.
So I spoke in a lighthearted tone for no reason.
"What? You mean the Baron would give up the opportunity to dance with women?"
He is a suspicious man, but even if he is an enemy, the moment he reveals hostility, there will be no chance to obtain information.
In the case of the Grand Duke, I know for sure that there is no room for me to become close to him, but...
The Baron was still in the gray zone.
Upon hearing those words, the Baron was somehow more cynical than usual.
"I know, right. It's ridiculous even for me."
Just then, a couple walked past us, clinging tightly to each other and linking arms.
"Yeah, honey. No, my mother-in-law is asking why you didn't come home this morning yesterday."
"My dear, you've already given me three kids. How many more do you want me to do?"
“That’s it!”
Conscious of them, I spoke to the Baron who had quietly approached me.
"Don't sit next to me; stand over there and let's talk. Did you get any more information, or something?"
I was not particularly pleased with the possibility of a misunderstanding arising from sitting with him.
"No. I wanted to get it, but it seems I still need more time."
Then why did you strike up a conversation so blandly without any reason?
As I made that face, a commotion was heard from the side.
It was the sound of that couple suddenly starting to argue just moments ago.
"No, honey. Listen to me! I'm not in any relationship with that woman!"
"Don't make me laugh. Do you think I'm a fool just because I've been pretending not to know?"
It's a passionate fight.
High society was a mess, and Baron Belmont could be blamed.
Since there are many loveless marriages, some couples simply have children and then freely go on to find partners.
Baron Belmont may seem strange to me, but to those for whom extramarital affairs were conventionally tolerated, he was an attractive candidate for a lover.
"Hey, and do you think I dated you because I liked you? You're a total mama's boy, and you always suddenly disappear when it's time to pay the bill."
"Honey, I've told you this many times, but I really have bad intestines."
"I pay for everything, and I've put up with you always acting like an older brother just because you're a month older, putting up with your condescending behavior. But let's break up now, you piece of shit!"
Their fight became more intense than expected.
The man roughly grabbed the wrist of the woman who had turned around to leave, his eyes darkening in an instant, and he let out a scream.
"Hey!"
Fearing that this might escalate into a physical fight, I instinctively sprang to my feet barefoot.
"Who do you think you are, speaking so carelessly about someone else's pain! Have you ever peed your pants while walking down the street?! I'm telling you, have you?!"
In a split second, the man raised his fist after raising his voice.
Suddenly.
Pack.
With that sound, the man moved away from the woman.
“W-what!”
The man who was hit let out a single scream.
However, what really surprised me was the Baron.
Before I knew it, the Baron had run out and was now grabbing the man by the collar.
Besides, even though he was the one who did the hitting, he looked pale and terrified as if he were the one who had been hit.
"Let go! I said, let go of this!"
The man twisted his whole body, trying to escape from the Baron's grasp.
At that, the Baron's whole body trembled, and in an instant, his fist shot swiftly into the air again.
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