Attending a Social Gathering

So, for the two days leading up to the social gathering, we spent our time touring the Esfelt Duchy.

Honestly, there weren’t many sights that particularly moved me, but I think I was happy just being able to watch Sylvia’s smile.

The fact that I didn’t have to put an eyepatch on her right eye was also something I was proud of.

,”We’re finally going to meet people from other families soon. I’m feeling kind of nervous.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

About two hours before the party, while we were having tea together on the terrace, Sylvia couldn’t keep her hands still, whether it was because of nervousness or anticipation.

If it’s because of nervousness, it’s probably because she’s worried that her presence will be uncomfortable for the people coming to the party, and if it’s the opposite, it’s an emotion befitting her, who always seeks new experiences.

Either way, I thought my job was to stand by her side, so I expressed my agreement and took a sip of my tea, and somehow the surroundings became quiet.

When Sylvia’s chattering voice, which I always heard, disappeared, I wondered if something had happened, so I tilted my teacup and slightly raised my head to check the opposite side.

There was Sylvia, staring at me with a sulky expression.

,”Lied-gongja-nim, you always just say ‘That’s what I’m saying’ to everything I say.”

“Is there something wrong with that answer…?”

,”It feels like you’re just forcing yourself to agree with me. Sometimes I want to hear Lied-gongja-nim’s thoughts, too.”

“I don’t really have any thoughts. I’m just a boring person.”

It seemed that Sylvia thought I was just agreeing with her so as not to offend her, but the truth is, that’s not the case at all.

It’s just that even if she and I see the same thing, we feel very different things.

In the first place, to me now, there is nothing in the world that has value other than the woman Sylvia Eleanor.

No matter what I see, I don’t really feel anything, and no matter what I experience, there’s nothing really new.

The whole world is a monochrome space, and only Sylvia has color in it.

And through Sylvia’s eyes, I’m finding colors in the world one by one.

When I look at the world, which is all monochrome, through her eyes, I realize, ‘Oh, that’s blue,’ and I just nod my head.

That’s why I unconsciously agree with her words.

,”Don’t say that. I have a lot of fun when I’m with Lied-gongja-nim.”

That’s what I meant when I said that, but Sylvia looked at me with sunken eyes, as if she didn’t like my way of expressing myself.

I felt like the atmosphere was getting a little heavy, so I tried to lighten the mood in my own way and threw a joke that didn’t suit my personality.

,”Are you making fun of me?”

,”Hehe, of course, there’s that too… Just for various reasons.”

Fortunately, Sylvia took it well.

Perhaps because she is quick-witted, she knew early on that I was joking to lighten the mood, and she responded without being awkward.

Thanks to that, we were able to continue our conversation normally without any awkwardness.

,”Excuse me, you two. The young masters of the other families are starting to gather.”

Because of that, I didn’t even realize that two hours had passed, and we realized that a lot of time had passed when we heard the servant who was walking around the castle, and we quickly got up from our seats.

,”I was so focused on the conversation that I didn’t even realize the time was passing.”

“That’s wha-“

“That’s forbidden.”

“……”

“Silence is also forbidden.”

I wouldn’t have to be so careful with my words even when meeting the Emperor, but I wonder why there are so many things to forbid.

I vowed to quickly find another way to agree with her and walked to the hall with her.

As expected of a Duke’s castle, the hall had a very magnificent appearance.

First of all, the number of lights hanging from the ceiling was on a different level, and the first impression I had when I entered the hall was that it was dazzling.

The hall in Frieh Castle isn’t small either, but I can’t even put my name out there in front of this.

Anyway, there seem to be more people than I thought.

Even though I invited young masters from various families in the Empire, I didn’t expect it to be this many.

,”There are so many beautiful people… I feel a little intimidated.”

“Is that so.”

Unlike me, who was overwhelmed by the number of people, Sylvia compared herself to the women around her and lowered her head sadly, as if she was intimidated by something else.

At least in my eyes, there was no woman who looked more beautiful than her, but I guess her feelings were different, so I nodded appropriately, and Sylvia’s retort followed.

,”Tsk, even if it’s just words, you should say, ‘The Princess is also beautiful, so there’s no need to be intimidated’.”

“I’m sorry.”

I should have just told her honestly.

I ended up getting scolded for not saying a word.

Actually, I was too embarrassed to say it.

,”Lied-gongja-nim is a very funny person.”

“Haha, I have that side of me!”

“……?”

In the meantime, I heard someone suddenly call my name, so I turned my head, and there was a familiar face that I saw for the first time in the hall.

Even though it was a familiar face, it wasn’t a face I was particularly happy to see.

It was my brother, Hasel, who I hadn’t even run into in the castle despite arriving yesterday.

Looking at him surrounded by women and bursting into laughter in a way that didn’t suit his personality, it seems he’s still immersed in his role as a cool guy today.

Even before the regression, he always tried to show off his generous and cheerful side in front of women.

Whether that’s actually the personality that women like is another matter, but honestly, it’s heartbreaking to see him struggling to wear clothes that don’t fit him.

,”Lied-gongja-nim’s older brother is here, too.”

“He probably came a lot earlier. That way, he’ll be less buried.”

“Buried?”

“Let’s just say he has a personality that likes to receive attention.”

“Ah…”

Sylvia seemed to have guessed something about Hasel from my brief explanation, and she sighed and turned her head.

Yeah, there’s no need to bother looking at something ugly. Good choice.

,”Kyle, Eleanor. You’re a little late.”

Since I didn’t really know anyone else, Georg, who I had met two days ago, came up to us and acted like he knew us while Sylvia and I were aimlessly wandering around.

To be exact, I met him yesterday, too. We became quite comfortable with each other after that, so we started calling each other by our first names.

When I asked why he only called Sylvia by her last name, he said that he had decided that the first woman he would call by her first name would be the woman he promised to marry in the future.

He has a rigid personality, but I like him quite a bit.

“Yeah, we were spending some time on the terrace.”

,”The scenery outside was so beautiful that I didn’t even realize the time was passing.”

,”I’m glad to hear that. My mother put her heart and soul into decorating the garden. I’ll tell her. She’ll be very happy.”

Georg, who was happy about Sylvia’s words as if it were his own, stared at us intently, then tilted his head and asked cautiously.

,”By the way, don’t you know anyone? You seem to be strangely unable to mix in and floating around.”

As expected of his honest personality, he didn’t know how to beat around the bush, and he asked a question that could be quite embarrassing for the listener without hesitation.

But rather, that’s why I could laugh and joke.

,”Of course not. In the first place, this guy was treated as the shame of the family until recently.”

,”I-I’m embarrassed, but I’m not much different…”

,”Oh, did I ask the wrong thing? That’s not what I meant.”

He seemed really embarrassed that he didn’t mean to do that at all, and he scratched his cheek awkwardly. He looked like he was thinking, ‘What should I do?’ and suddenly started looking around as if he was looking for something.

Then, as if something had caught his eye, he waved his hand urgently and called someone desperately.

,”Ber, over here!”

,”Oh, who is this! It’s been a while.”

Then, a neat-looking blond man wearing white gloves on his hands came this way.

The other person, who seemed to be quite friendly with Georg, hugged him instead of shaking hands and enjoyed the reunion, then checked us and gestured to Georg as if asking who we were.

,”Ah, let me introduce you first. This is Kyle, and this is Eleanor. I met them two days ago, and we started talking to each other.”

“I’m Kyle Lied.”

“I’m Sylvia Eleanor.”

“Lied…? Eleanor…?”

He seemed to have heard our names at least once, and he frowned for a moment, but he quickly changed his attitude and reached out his hand with a bright smile.

,”Ah, I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m sorry for the late introduction. I’m Vermilian of the Drake family.”

“……!”

When I heard his name, I felt something cold pass over my back.

That’s right. The Drake family.

It was the reason why I participated in this social gathering, and I had encountered the man I wanted to meet and confirm in a moment that I didn’t know whether it was coincidence or fate.