Chapter 9
Something felt off.
It wasn’t just a passing hunch—this unease was far beyond what could be ignored.
“Come to think of it, my lady, I heard that one of your friends arrived at the estate today.”
“A friend of mine came here?”
“Yes. She insisted on seeing you after you left the count’s estate without a word.”
The news came unexpectedly from Daisy as she assisted Diana with her morning preparations.
A noblewoman, supposedly feeling slighted by Lillian’s silent departure, had come all the way here—to the Valencia duchy, no less.
Diana had only been at the duchy for a day, and already, someone had shown up in what sounded like a scene from a tragic tale of devotion.
“Do you remember her name?”
“Well… she refused to give it.”
“What?”
“She claimed that if I simply told you what she said, you would recognize her immediately.”
What kind of nonsense was this?
Even when Diana pressed for more details, Daisy only shook her head.
“She just kept saying she was upset that you left without telling her…”
The unknown noblewoman had overstepped all bounds of propriety.
Visiting unannounced was rude enough, but refusing to state her name and demanding an audience made it even worse.
More baffling was the fact that the duchy had allowed such a person in without informing Diana beforehand.
“There’s no way I wouldn’t notice something like this.”
Lillian’s close friends had already had a farewell gathering before parting ways.
If this woman hadn’t been invited, it meant they weren’t as close as she claimed to be.
But if they weren’t close, why take such a bold step—especially when the place in question was the formidable Valencia estate?
Diana sorted through the information in her mind as she walked, and before she knew it, she had arrived at the reception room.
A person who claimed to know Lillian well, yet whom she herself didn’t recognize—it was only natural to feel on edge.
Taking a deep breath, Diana gathered herself and knocked on the door.
“Lady Mernaard! It’s so wonderful to see you!”
The door swung open, revealing a noblewoman she had never seen before, beaming at her.
“It’s been so long! How many years has it been? I meant to visit sooner, but I’ve been so terribly busy!”
“Ah, well…”
“It was quite heartbreaking to hear that you left your territory without a word.”
Before Diana could properly respond, the stranger kept chattering away.
She had intended to be firm, to warn this woman not to tarnish Lillian’s name, regardless of whether she had been close to her sister or was merely deluding herself.
But now that she was face-to-face with the woman, the words wouldn’t come out so easily.
She spoke as if they were old acquaintances—was it possible they truly had a connection?
Yet, Diana had never seen her before, nor had the Count ever mentioned her.
“Lady, please, invite your fiancée inside.”
Just as the conversation was growing drawn out, an unexpected voice interjected.
Ersivan.
“That look means ‘go in.'”
The noblewoman, smiling sweetly, gestured for Diana to enter the reception room.
With no other option, Diana followed her inside.
“I do apologize to both of you for the sudden visit.”
Now in the room, the woman offered another apology.
Oddly enough, she seemed more desperate for Ersivan’s attention than Diana’s.
Even the bravest individuals struggled to completely overcome their fear of him, it seemed.
Diana returned a polite smile, responding with a mild nod before taking a seat.
“Have you been well? Oh, I hope I didn’t startle you by arriving so suddenly. Was it too soon?”
The noblewoman barely waited for Diana to sit before resuming her relentless stream of questions.
“I was a bit surprised, but….”
“But you do remember me, don’t you?”
That was a direct hit.
Diana bit her lip, delaying her response.
“Judging by the conversation, she must have been a childhood friend of my sister’s…”
But in the past year, Diana had never met this woman—not once.
Nor had she ever heard about her from Count Mernaard.
Lillian would undoubtedly recognize the deception the moment they met. So why would this woman take such a reckless risk?
Unconsciously, Diana glanced toward Ersivan.
He was watching their exchange with an expression of intrigue.
His crimson eyes flickered, not with beauty, but with something chilling—just like they had yesterday afternoon.
“You do remember my name, don’t you? Of course, you do, right?”
The uninvited guest showed no patience, pressing Diana for an answer.
Had she been thinking clearly, she would have found the situation even more suspicious.
But caught off guard, she failed to keep her composure.
“Well, that is…”
The woman’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, but Diana had no name to give.
She wasn’t a clairvoyant—how was she supposed to guess the name of someone she had never seen before?
“Ersivan?”
Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed movement.
Ersivan, who had been resting his chin on his hand, was now pointing at something—the red serviette on the table.
His gaze, unwavering, was locked onto her, as if urging her to look.
“Look at the serviette… and then what?”
She had no idea how that was supposed to help.
Ersivan furrowed his brows at her lack of reaction.
Then, he casually reached for a bright red apple from a nearby bucket.
“Why does he keep pointing out red things?”
And at that moment, a sudden realization struck her.
“Red!”
Diana’s thoughts snapped into place.
The woman claiming to be Lillian’s close friend also had red hair.
A fleeting memory resurfaced—an old naming tradition that had once been popular in the empire. Children were often named after the color of their hair or eyes.
She couldn’t be certain that her deduction was correct. But remaining silent wouldn’t resolve the situation either.
“Lady Scarlet. That is your name, isn’t it?”
Diana finally spoke with an air of confidence.
The moment she saw Scarlet’s expression brighten, she knew she had guessed correctly.
Scarlet, thrilled that Diana had remembered her, eagerly launched into a stream of childhood memories.
It was unfortunate that Diana could not relate to a single one of them.
“It’s nearly time for lunch. Perhaps it would be best to continue your conversation another time, Lady Scarlet.”
Ersivan, who had patiently listened until now, finally brought the meeting to an end.
Glancing at the clock, Diana realized that the hands had indeed moved to indicate lunchtime.
Scarlet’s previously lively expression turned crestfallen.
“Time flew by so quickly… I feel like we barely talked! How unfortunate.”
“Next time, it might be best to arrange a proper meal together.”
“I will! When I visit again, I’ll borrow an entire day from my dear friend. So please, do grant me your time!”
With that, Scarlet was escorted out by a knight.
As she turned in the hallway to bid them farewell, she smiled brightly.
“Goodbye, Lady Mernaard—or should I say, Lili!”
“Goodbye, Scarlet.”
The name, though unfamiliar, rolled off Diana’s tongue surprisingly smoothly.
Scarlet beamed, her eyes crinkling affectionately before she disappeared from sight.
“She reminded me of a lark.”
Ersivan mused as they walked back.
It was an apt description—her high-pitched, cheerful voice did bear a striking resemblance to the lively chirping of a bird.
“You must be exhausted from such an eventful morning. Rest a bit during lunch.”
“I think I will.”
Back in the reception room, Diana retrieved a light spring shawl from the coat rack.
Her gaze fell upon the seat Scarlet had occupied—it was left in complete disarray, a stark contrast to their own.
Not very noble-like.
But perhaps it was simply because she was too overjoyed to see her old friend.
If Diana ever reunited with someone from her days in the slums, she might behave similarly.
“If I hadn’t guessed her name, she would have clung to me for hours, lamenting her disappointment.”
Judging by her personality, she might have even burst into tears.
The thought of trying to console Scarlet for that long made Diana shudder.
“She didn’t give her name, did she?”
Had it not been for Ersivan’s subtle hint, she would have been stuck in that mess.
“But wait… she specifically refused to state her name.”
So how had Ersivan known?
“Did they introduce themselves while waiting?”
That seemed the most plausible explanation. Since it was their first meeting, exchanging names was only natural.
“She must have been quite dear to you, given how eager she is to visit again.”
“I suppose so?”
Diana answered vaguely.
She couldn’t outright say, “Oh, we were the closest of friends!” when she knew nothing about Scarlet.
Nor could she admit that she had no idea who the woman was.
“But I must say… you seem rather indifferent.”
“Pardon?”
“You couldn’t even recall the name of your childhood friend.”
It was only then that Diana realized her mistake.
She had let him believe that she had simply forgotten Scarlet’s name.
Not only did this make her seem heartless, but it was also undeniably suspicious.
Ersivan smirked as he watched her flustered reaction.
That detached, arrogant smile—it was a stark reminder of what kind of person he truly was.
A familiar sense of wariness crept over Diana, making her instinctively recoil.
“That’s…”
“Well, childhood memories are best forgotten. What good is there in clinging to the past?”
“…….”
“Come along. I’ll escort you to lunch.”
She had been debating whether to explain herself, but Ersivan dismissed the matter with unsettling ease.
Instead, he simply guided her toward the dining hall, as if their conversation had never happened.
“Just now…”
Caught off guard, Diana followed him without protest.
But as she stared at his back, she replayed the last moments of their exchange.
His lips had twisted slightly, a movement subtle enough to miss at first glance.
Unlike the composed smirk he had worn earlier, this was something else entirely.
It was unmistakable, he had sneered.
The midday sun cast a golden glow over everything, warm and inviting.
Yet, Diana felt nothing but a cold chill crawl up her spine.
