Chapter 24 : Attend a social party

Until the day the social party was held, we spent two full days touring the Espelt Duchy.

Honestly, there were many sights that didn’t really impress me, but I think I still enjoyed it just by watching Sylvia’s smile.

The fact that there was no need to put an eye patch on her right eye was also something I felt a little proud of.

“Finally, we’ll soon meet people from other families. I feel a little nervous.”
“Yes, that’s true.”

About two hours before the party, while we were drinking tea together on the terrace, Sylvia seemed to be fidgeting with her hands, possibly because of her nerves or excitement.

If it was nerves, it was probably because she was worried that her presence would make the people at the party uncomfortable. On the other hand, if it was excitement, it would be a feeling suited to her, as she always seeks new experiences.

In either case, I thought my job was to stay by her side, and I expressed my positivity before taking a sip of my tea. Suddenly, the surroundings became quiet.

When Sylvia’s usual chatter disappeared, I raised my head slightly, holding my teacup, to check the situation.

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

“Lord Lyard, you always just say ‘Yes, that’s true.’ to everything I say.”
“Is there a problem with that answer…?”
“It feels like you’re just humoring me. Sometimes, I’d like to hear your thoughts too.”
“There’s not much to say. I’m just a rather boring person.”

It seemed that Sylvia thought I was simply going along with her to avoid upsetting her, but that wasn’t the case at all.

The truth is, even if we were looking at the same thing, we felt very differently about it.

For me right now, nothing other than Sylvia Eleanor has any value in this world.

I don’t feel much about anything I see, nor do I find anything particularly new in what I experience.

The whole world feels like a colorless space, and only Sylvia, the woman, has color in it.

And through Sylvia’s eyes, I find myself discovering what color means in this world.

When I look at the world through her eyes, which are entirely colorless, I suddenly realize, “Oh, that’s blue.” and nod without thinking.

That’s why I unintentionally agree with her words.

“Please don’t say that. I really enjoy being with Lord Lyard.”

She said it with that meaning, but perhaps my way of expressing myself didn’t sit well with her, as she looked at me with a somber expression.

The atmosphere seemed to be getting a little heavier, so I, trying to lighten the mood, made a joke that didn’t really fit my character.

“Are you teasing me?”
“Heh heh, well, that too… but it’s for a lot of reasons.”

Fortunately, Sylvia accepted it well.

Perhaps because she’s quick-witted, she could tell I was trying to ease the atmosphere with a joke, and responded without making things awkward.

Thanks to that, we were able to continue our conversation normally without the air becoming uncomfortable.

“Excuse me, both of you. The children of other families are starting to gather.”

We hadn’t noticed how much time had passed, but when a servant passing through the castle informed us, we realized that quite a bit of time had passed, and hurriedly got up.

“I lost track of time because I was so focused on our conversation.”
“Yes, indeed…”
“That’s prohibited.”
“…….”
“Silence is also prohibited.”

Even when meeting the Emperor, I wouldn’t have to be this cautious with my words, so I couldn’t understand why there were so many things that were prohibited.

Determined to find a better way to respond soon, I walked alongside her.

As expected of a Duke’s family, the hall was quite impressive.

Just the number of lights hanging from the ceiling was on another level, and the moment we entered the hall, the first thought that crossed my mind was how dazzling it was.

The hall of Frehi Castle is not small, but it can’t even compare to this.

By the way, there seem to be more people than I expected.

Even though several young heirs from various noble families were invited, I didn’t expect this many people.

“There are many beautiful people here… I feel a bit intimidated.”
“Is that so.”

While I was overwhelmed by the number of people, Sylvia seemed to be intimidated by something else, lowering her head in comparison to the other women around her.

At least in my eyes, there was no one more beautiful than her, but I nodded appropriately, thinking that her perception must be different. Then Sylvia made a comment.

“Tch, at times like this, you should say, ‘You’re also beautiful, so there’s no need to feel inferior.'”
“Sorry about that.”

I should’ve just been honest.

I ended up receiving a scolding for not saying something.

To be honest, I couldn’t bring myself to say it because I was embarrassed.

“Lord Lyard, you’re quite an amusing person.”
“Heh, I do have that side to me!”

…?

In the meantime, I heard someone calling my name, and when I turned my head, I saw a familiar face for the first time in the hall.

Although it was a familiar face, it was certainly not a welcome one.

It was my older brother, Hasel, whom I hadn’t run into since I arrived yesterday, even though I had been walking around the castle.

Surrounded by women, he was laughing boisterously in a way that didn’t suit his character, so it seemed like he was once again deep into his playboy act.

Even before the regression, he had always tried to appear like a big shot in front of women, striving to show off his charismatic side.

Whether or not that was actually the kind of personality women liked is another matter, but it’s honestly pitiful to watch him struggle so hard to wear clothes that don’t even fit him.

“Lord Lyard’s older brother is here too.”
“He probably came quite a bit earlier. That way, he won’t be overshadowed as much.”
“Overshadowed?”
“He’s the kind of person who loves to be the center of attention.”
“Ah…”

At my brief explanation, Sylvia seemed to have guessed a bit about the person named Hasel, letting out a sigh and turning her head.

Well, there’s no need to try too hard to see something so distasteful. A good choice.

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

Since I didn’t recognize any other familiar faces, Sylvia and I wandered aimlessly around the area. Then, Georg, whom we met two days ago, came over to greet us.

To be exact, we met yesterday as well. After becoming somewhat comfortable with each other, we started calling each other by our names.

I had wondered why Sylvia was called by her last name, but she explained that the first woman she ever called by her first name would be the one she promised her future with.

She’s a bit old-fashioned, but I quite like her.

“Yeah, we spent a little time on the terrace.”
“The outside scenery was so beautiful that I lost track of time.”
“That’s wonderful to hear. My mother worked hard on the garden. I’ll tell her, she’ll be very pleased.”

Georg, who was happy for us like it was his own accomplishment, stared at us intently before tilting his head and asking indirectly.

“By the way, don’t you know anyone here? It feels like you’re somehow out of place, floating around without blending in.”

Being as straightforward as he is, Georg didn’t seem to realize that his question could put the listener in an awkward position, but he asked it without hesitation.

However, because of that, I was able to chuckle and respond jokingly.

“Of course not. I was considered the disgrace of my family until recently.”
“Ah, well… I’m not much different…”

“Oh, did I ask something unnecessary? That’s not what I meant.”

Seeming genuinely surprised, Georg scratched his cheek awkwardly, looking like he didn’t know what to do next. Then, as if searching for something, he started looking around.

Eventually, something caught his eye, and he waved his hand frantically, calling out to someone.

“Ver, over here!”
“Oh, who do we have here! It’s been a while.”

A well-groomed, blonde man wearing white gloves approached us.

It seemed like Georg and this man were quite friendly, as they shared an embrace rather than a handshake, enjoying their reunion. When the man noticed us, he glanced at Georg as if to ask who we were.

“Ah, I should introduce you. This is Kyle, and this is Eleanor. We met two days ago and started talking.”
“I’m Kyle Lyard.”
“I’m Sylvia Eleanor.”

“Lyard..? Eleanor…?”

He seemed to have heard our names before, furrowing his brow for a moment. Then, his attitude changed completely, and he greeted us with a bright smile and extended his hand.

“Ah, I’ve heard of you. My apologies for the late introduction. I’m Vermilion of the Drake family.”

“……..!”

At hearing his name, I felt a cold shiver run down my spine.

That’s right. The Drake family.

This was the very reason I had come to this social party, and I had unexpectedly encountered the man I had been wanting to meet, whether by coincidence or fate.