66 - The Bride of the Great Lord is a Warrior from Hell
“I’m not that busy. I just have a few appointments. Is something wrong at home?”
In contrast, the man’s reply was so breezy it felt insincere.
Judging by the atmosphere, the woman seemed to be Countess Istevna, and the man, Count Istevna.
Count Istevna, Reikart’s immediate older brother, was known to be a bit of an airhead.
Born into nobility, he was naturally Affability and got along well with his sensitive and picky imperial siblings.
What’s with this guy?
Alisha knew she shouldn’t be saying this as an eavesdropper, but she was dumbfounded.
A husband telling his wife he hasn’t been home for three days?
Even the Emperor, busy as he was, wouldn’t do that.
But she shouldn’t dismiss Count Istevna as just another idle royal living without a care in the world.
Currently, Count Istevna, along with his third older brother, Marquis Lennox, seemed like sycophants who just clapped and exclaimed next to the Emperor.
It seemed like Marquis Lennox was the one receiving the Emperor’s secret orders and gaining his trust, but Marquis Lennox was already struggling to maintain his current power.
It was Count Istevna who would become the Emperor’s political partner in the future.
He would moderately oppose the Emperor and point out his mistakes, which set him apart from Marquis Lennox, who only flattered him.
The Emperor would bestow upon Count Istevna, who had become a good political partner, the grace of inheriting the title of Duke.
However, Count Istevna, who would become the Emperor’s political partner and rise to the rank of Duke, currently just seemed like someone who neglected his family.
“It’s nothing like that. If you have time, I was hoping we could… have dinner together.”
Alisha felt the urge to beat her chest at Countess Istevna’s weak, halting voice.
“Dinner? I don’t think I can today. I promised to hang out with the Knights after the hunt, since it’s been a while. I’m planning to sleep at the Knights’ quarters and go straight to the Imperial Palace. Tomorrow won’t work either. I have a prior engagement with friends from the Academy. Once we meet, we’ll hang out until late, so I’ll be late.”
“Academy friends?”
“Yeah, it would be nice if you could come along, but I guess not this time.”
“Yes…”
“The day after tomorrow, I only have a morning schedule, so shall we have dinner together that day?”
Alisha wondered if she might be mistaken.
Even nobles with very bad relationships usually lived together in the same mansion.
But the more she listened to their conversation, the more it seemed like the two lived in different places.
Or perhaps it was just that the man suspected to be Count Istevna made it a routine not to go home.
“It would be nice if Your Highness is available then.”
The weak, small voice sounding so grateful made the listener even more frustrated.
“Pauline. It might be difficult now, but why don’t you invite your friends over for a Tea Party or host gatherings? It must be lonely being alone all the time?”
The royal who didn’t come home on time was seriously spouting nonsense.
Alisha was suddenly reminded of someone who had asked her if she really didn’t have any friends.
“I find friends difficult.”
“What’s so difficult?”
The royal, who had always been fawned over, didn’t understand the intricacies of interpersonal relationships.
“I find it more fun to read books, knit, and draw.”
“You need to think about your position. Is that really true? Why are friends difficult when you think about your position? If people are difficult, you should meet them more often and get used to them. Maybe it’s more difficult because you don’t meet often enough. If friends are difficult, invite your family from your parents' home and hang out. Why are you alone every day?”
The small voice cautiously replied to the loud scolding.
“I write letters to my family every day.”
“It’s better to see them in person.”
“I don’t know…”
The person who couldn’t understand her passive attitude sighed deeply.
“…”
Alisha nodded every time the small voice whispered, but she couldn’t hide her pity.
She could somewhat understand the feelings of the person sighing and feeling frustrated.
But would forcing it really work?
The clear, refreshing voice, without a hint of hesitation, confirmed the arrangement.
“Anyway, let’s have dinner the day after tomorrow. I’ll be going now.”
“Be careful.”
The footsteps that seemed to be leaving turned back.
“Make a friend while I’m away hunting. That’s your homework. Don’t hide here, go out somewhere and meet someone. Got it? Friends can be made just by taking a walk.”
Alisha was dumbfounded by the even forceful suggestion.
Judging by the fact that he said friends could be made just by taking a walk, the man speaking was definitely Count Istevna, known for his good personality.
“Yes…”
There was no energy in the voice that replied.
The footsteps that had hurriedly approached grew distant, and silence fell.
Alisha pondered for a moment.
Eavesdropping on a personal conversation and not revealing herself felt like doing something bad.
But would it be okay to acknowledge someone who had difficulty interacting with others?
It wasn’t just about acknowledging them; she also had to show that she had heard a story the other person wanted to hide.
After hesitating for a moment, Alisha cleared her throat exaggeratedly.
“Ahem.”
There was a flustered sound from the other side.
When Alisha stepped out from between the tents, she saw someone flapping their hands in a small, flustered manner.
The demure apricot-colored dress seemed simple at first glance, but upon closer inspection, the dense embroidery caught the eye.
The embroidery-covered bodice and the matching skirt had layers of semi-transparent muslin over a glossy lining.
The hem of the dress was only as voluminous as to not hinder movement.
The apricot-colored dress turned towards the direction Alisha had appeared from, swaying gently.
“…Lady Alisha…”
Alisha lightly curtsied at the Countess’s call.
“It’s a pleasure to meet Countess Istevna.”
“The Grand Duchess… is kind.”
The way she received the greeting and returned the courtesy made the onlookers nervous.
Alisha didn’t feel frustrated or sorry.
She struggled to suppress her pity, but she tried not to show it.
The person who suffered the most in such situations was the person themselves.
“You flatter me. I apologize, Countess. As you may have noticed, I happened to overhear your personal conversation while passing by. I’m ashamed to ask, but please forgive me.”
Countess Istevna, who had been unresponsive as if her breath had stopped for a moment, let out a sharp sound.
“It’s… okay!”
The reverberation, an octave higher than her usual voice, rang out with difficulty.
It was definitely not an intentional high note.
In such situations, regret was bound to rush in from the moment the words were uttered.
The thought that she had made a mistake by putting on a false front made her feel suffocated, her vision blurred, and the world spun.
Affability. Affability. Affability. Shameless. Shameless. Shameless.
Alisha bowed her head and repeated the words in her mind.
At this moment, she envied her second older brother, Harry.
She needed the shamelessness to spout nonsense with Affability.
It was time to learn Roderick’s excessive sociability.
She even wanted to imitate Count Istevna, who blurted out nonsense with a refreshing attitude.
“May I get up now, then?”
Alisha raised her gaze, which had been directed downwards, and said cheerfully.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please get up, Lady.”
Countess Istevna’s face turned pale as she poured out words to Alisha.
Alisha smiled warmly, showing friendliness.
She wanted to sweep away the awkwardness with a relaxed smile, but it was difficult.
Alisha smiled lifelessly and stared intently at Countess Istevna, Pauline’s, stomach.
She knew it was rude, but her gaze was drawn there involuntarily.
“…”
Kain Istevna, who would become Duke Istevna as the Emperor’s political partner.
Pauline Istevna, who would become the future Duchess Istevna.
Kain and Pauline, the Duke and Duchess, had no children for at least the next nine years.
After Duke Istevna received the title of Duke, many people gossiped about the Duke and Duchess not having children.
They said that the Duke would eventually have a child outside and force the Duchess to adopt it.
Duchess Istevna was known to be cold and aloof, with no one around her.
In reality, she seemed to be shy and reserved.
None of the rumors about royals or nobles could be trusted.
But the talk about children was different.
It was especially hard to imagine that there were no descendants when there were royal descendants.
That’s why Alisha couldn’t take her eyes off Pauline’s moderately swollen belly.
What’s that?
Alisha almost pointed her finger at the bulging part of the elegant dress without realizing it.
Pauline’s face, which had been blushing with embarrassment, turned even redder.
“Ah, I guess Lady Alisha wouldn’t know. There have been several incidents in the Imperial Family recently, so we haven’t been able to publicly announce the child. It’s only been five months, but I don’t know why my belly is so big. It’s too obvious, isn’t it?”
Alisha blinked blankly.
No matter how thoroughly she searched her mind, she had no memory of the Duke and Duchess having a child.
That meant…
Alisha’s dazed face crumbled in shock.
Pauline was too embarrassed to notice her surprised expression.
Kain Istevna, who would later become Duke, fiercely protected the Duchess, who was said to be passive in social activities and cold.
Today, an accident occurred at the Imperial Spring Hunt.
Because the majority of the participants were royals, the accident was downplayed and reported as a minor disturbance.
Because it wasn’t an incident she had witnessed directly, the information Alisha had was fragmented.
She knew the results roughly, but she didn’t know the exact details of the accident.
Now, she knew one thing for sure.
The Istevna couple would lose their child in today’s accident.
An accident would occur that would prevent them from having children again.
“Congratulations on your pregnancy, Countess.”
Alisha reflexively offered her congratulations while her mind was still numb.
Pauline’s face flushed bright red.
“Th-thank you. You’re the first person who isn’t His Highness or family to congratulate me. Ah, Lady Alisha will soon be a member of the Imperial Family too, but still, what I mean is…”
Pauline, who had been chattering busily with a happy face, trailed off.
She was desperately worried that something she had said in gratitude might have offended the other person.
“I understand what you mean.”
Alisha tried to regain her composure.
She needed to think.
She didn’t forget to give the person in front of her an appropriate response.
“Thank you for listening to my words so generously.”
Pauline smiled, her dimples deepening in her cheeks.
“Shall we take a walk, as a way to become friends?”
Alisha said, putting on a smile on her face that kept trying to stiffen.
Pauline, who realized whose words Alisha had quoted, burst out laughing.
“Shall we?”
Pauline nodded, her face a little less awkward.
The two left the area crowded with tents and headed towards the promenade.
Alisha walked, lost in thought.
What should I do?
The information Alisha knew was too limited.
There was an accident at the Imperial Spring Hunt.
It was reported that there were no deaths or major injuries.
But a few years later, rumors circulated that the accident that happened around this time left lasting aftereffects.