Chapter 93
Claude took Lea Lintew’s hand in the middle of the music. Yuls appeared uncomfortable watching Lea Lintew and the Crown Prince deliberately moving to draw attention. Adi remained indifferent.
The music soon ended. While the band took a break, people moved toward the walls. Claude gestured to Yuls to come up with him. The upper level was a space forbidden to women.
Claude asked Adi without giving time to hesitate, “Will you be alright?” Adi nodded. It was an action made knowing they would say it was fine. Claude was often cunning. Perhaps overtly so.
As the two men went up, Lea Lintew approached Adi, who stood properly against the wall.
“Could we talk for a moment?”
Adi nodded.
“I saw you at His Grace’s residence? I heard you received a knighthood – should I call you Sir?”
Lea Lintew didn’t seem to remember their meeting in Palesa. When Adi gave no answer or reaction, Lea asked, “Or should I use your name?”
“Whatever suits you.”
At Adi’s response, Lea Lintew nodded and went straight to the point.
“His Grace told me it was time for me to leave.”
They knew about this from hearing it. That he had told her to leave. But they’d also heard that Lady Connolly had done something to make that difficult. Though the rest had become unclear.
“Are you close with His Grace?”
Lea asked next. Adi, who had been lost in thought, asked,
“Is that your own thought? Or did Lady Connolly tell you to ask?”
“…The Lady said you were aiming for something bigger.”
“Like you?”
For a moment, Lea looked lost for words. But she quickly composed herself.
“Is there something wrong with that?”
“No,” Adi answered.
“Just as there’s nothing wrong with my being by His Grace’s side.”
That wasn’t incorrect. Lea Lintew had long approached Duke Woodpecker but had been rejected until now. Though she occasionally dined with him when he was in the mood, she couldn’t stay by his side.
In contrast, Adrina Din, who had appeared from nowhere, had immediately claimed the place beside Duke Woodpecker, even if as a guard knight.
Had such an option existed? But even knowing this method, Lea Lintew would never dare attempt it.
“Do you like His Grace?”
Adi asked then. Lea looked surprised, eyes widening as she stared at Adi, before breaking into a bright smile.
“Of course I like him.”
Adi pulled at the corner of their mouth. They had known since Palesa. At least about Lea Lintew having designs on Duke Woodpecker.
“He has so much.”
“Has… what?”
“Of course his appearance is good, but I wouldn’t care what kind of person His Grace was. Even if he were still like a child.”
“So it’s all about conditions.”
“Isn’t that natural?”
Lea Lintew responded as if she’d heard something strange. Then she said softly, “Ah.” Like someone who had realized something.
“Adrina Din, wasn’t it? Sir Bert Din’s niece.”
While Bert Din was a famous and excellent knight, his roots were still common. He likely didn’t know much about noble etiquette.
“You must have grown up as a commoner.”
His niece had only just received a surname, so naturally wouldn’t understand noble affairs.
“Then you might not know. That marriage arrangements aren’t made for love.”
Lea spoke carefully. She thought she should explain within bounds that wouldn’t hurt the other’s feelings. Still, the difference between commoner and noble thinking was unavoidable. To think she had to explain even this. She wondered how commoners lived.
Could they live on love and affection alone? Impossible. She didn’t think commoners could do what nobles couldn’t. They must have similar patterns, though their conditions differ.
“What matters is family and benefit. How much it helps my family, and how much I can contribute after joining that family.”
Adi still wore an uncomprehending expression. What Spencer Grimaldi had demanded of Adi was vastly different from what Lea Lintew was saying.
“And I want to live under high ceilings,” Lea said. High ceilings. Obviously an idiom, they knew. Wealthy nobles’ homes had higher, more elaborate ceilings than others. Woodpecker’s mansion was high. Grimaldi’s too. Had Lintew’s been different?
“Don’t you?”
“I…”
They weren’t sure. How important high ceilings were in life.
While it might be irreplaceable for some, Adrina knew of unhappy people under high ceilings.
“But why His Grace specifically?”
After all, Woodpecker wasn’t the only one with high ceilings.
“There’s also His Highness the Crown Prince.”
There was even one at the pinnacle of this country.
“His Highness has too many people pursuing him.”
At Lea’s words, Adi thought, ‘That Crown Prince?’ He didn’t seem the type noble daughters would like. Would they like him? Well, his high status wouldn’t hurt.
“And becoming queen would be difficult.”
Yes, that was also an issue. Moreover, for a queen, family background was crucial. Even as Lady Connolly’s adopted daughter, having a baronial house from the south as her original family wouldn’t help much. They would only consider at least a count’s family.
“Becoming a duchess is difficult too, but more possible than becoming queen.”
As she said this, Lea’s gaze turned upward. She seemed to be looking at Yuls and Claude. Adi followed her gaze up.
Yuls was listening to conversation with an uninterested face, while Claude, feeling their gaze, waved down at them. Lea Lintew smiled back. Both smiles were empty of meaning. Adi wasn’t used to situations like this.
“Though I wonder what will happen from now on.”
Lea also spoke while giving him a small bow.
“When people learn of His Grace’s growth, competitors will increase.”
Competitors. The gazes felt while dancing weren’t just from Claude and Lea Lintew. They were looks directed at a newly appeared figure. But if that figure was the Duke…
“Still, we’re first, aren’t we?”
Lea said. At this sudden statement, Adi turned their head. Seeing their wide-eyed look, Lea smiled. As if finding common ground, she spoke in a friendly voice like they were friends, saying, “Others noticed late.”
“We should have that much advantage, right?”
“I suppose.”
Adi answered.
“So this is how noble women live.”
They had a general idea of how noble women lived. Their mother had been noble too. But she had been isolated from other noble women. The reason was unknown. It had been that way from the start.
The only noble woman Adrina had known was their mother. So they hadn’t known. They’d thought all noble women were just capricious figures who cried, smoked tobacco, spoke curses, and occasionally smiled when in a good mood.
But they too were working hard to find their way in this world. Not just the noble men.
However Lea took those words, she hardened her expression and asked,
“…Are you criticizing?”
“No, it’s pure admiration.”
Adi answered.
“Nobody taught me such things.”
…Well, that’s because you’re a commoner, Lea thought. But she wouldn’t say such things to someone’s face.
“Each person has their own battlefield, so I have no reason to criticize. Rather, I find noble women’s lives admirable. Truly.”
But this one seemed unable to consider that such words should be restrained. Having received less education, it couldn’t be helped, Lea showed what she considered mercy to a commoner. And then what to say…
“I like you.”
Adi wondered what they had done. They hadn’t done anything to make her like them.
“But that doesn’t mean I’ll concede. I have Lady Connolly behind me.”
“Do as you…”
Had they even entered this competition to begin with? They weren’t sure. Though they couldn’t say they weren’t close, since there was something between them and the Duke… Still uncertain.
Seeing Adi’s indifferent reaction, Lea smiled and looked up again. People could be seen gradually gathering. Baron Carver approached among them. Though his title was low, his was one of the central region’s old noble houses.
“People are approaching His Grace. Soon everyone up there will know.”
At Lea’s words, Adi also raised their gaze. They could see Yuls conversing with someone.
“And they’ll send their daughters to Duke Woodpecker. Trying to form connections somehow. Woodpecker’s power in the south is significant. And its influence isn’t limited to the south either.”
Spencer Grimaldi was there too.
“Many will start preparing for winter now, Adrina.”
Summer, the parliamentary period, was men’s battle, but winter’s social season was women’s battle. Lea Lintew too would move for that day. With her new name, Connolly.
Their gazes crossed.
Lea thought it would be good to be friendly with this commoner who knew nothing and had just received a knighthood. Moreover, if she went to Woodpecker, having this person with her might be good. After all, having a female knight as guard would be beneficial for a lady.
Lea glanced at Adi. Though pretty, Duke Woodpecker was still inevitably noble. He wouldn’t take a commoner as wife. So she felt confident.
“Let’s get along well together.”
Lea said. Lady Connolly approached behind her. When Adi bowed their head to her, Lea turned around.
“My Lady, you’re here?”
“Lea.”
“I actually had someone to introduce. This is…”
“Bert Din’s niece, wasn’t it? Later, when there’s time, with Sir Bert Din.”
“Ah…”
Lea looked flustered. She had tried to make an introduction but was rejected by Lady Connolly. Though it was an extremely rude situation, Adi’s face showed no concern. Seeing this, Lady Connolly thought this was why commoners were hopeless.
“We have matters to attend to, let’s go first, Lea.”
Saying this, Lady Connolly placed her hand on Lea’s shoulder and suddenly froze. Then she turned her head to look at Adi. Adi met her gaze with an unchanged expression. An expression of disbelief crossed Lady Connolly’s face.
“…Malvina?”
It was an unfamiliar name. When Adi showed confusion, Lady Connolly said “Pardon me” with a face that suggested it couldn’t be, then turned away. Lea Lintew followed behind her.
