For the Lady's Wise Regression - Chapter 19

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 19
“By the way, my son Kalaile hasn’t been eating properly lately, and it worries me terribly. Do you have anything that might stimulate his appetite?”
At the Duchess’s remark, the women who had been bickering before her arrival stiffened noticeably.
“My granddaughter-in-law sent me something—a tea with a pleasant tartness. I’ll have a box sent to you.”
She took her seat at the head of the table without a single soul moving to stop her.
Even the most senior among them offered no rebuke; instead, she pressed a gift into her hands.
Which could only mean one thing: everyone in this room was, knowingly or not, backing her.
“Oh my… a gift from Grandmother herself? Then would it be all right if my son and I came to receive it?”
“Of course. It would be nice for our granddaughter to see it as well. You’re all much of an age—I’m sure you’ll get along.”
“Your Grandmother’s granddaughter—isn’t she studying abroad in the Eastern Kingdom?”
“She takes after her father—sharp as a blade. A bit stubborn, perhaps, but well-rounded in every virtue. She’d make a worthy match.”
“If she’s your granddaughter, then my son would hardly deserve such an honor. But children’s hearts matter most, and I’m grateful simply for the chance you’ve given them.”
“Nonsense. You’re simply blessed.”
The Duchess Leonard’s eyes, shielded behind her hand as she laughed, slid briefly toward Margarita.
‘Perhaps it’s time to end this gathering.’
Margarita set down her empty teacup.
“Grandmother, I believe I should take my leave. I’ll call for you next week.”
“Very well.”
“Are the two of you going out somewhere?”
“Princess Sharoze sent an invitation card.”
“…An invitation card?”
“Didn’t you receive one?”
“…No matter how noble a princess is, she wouldn’t wish to send an invitation card to someone who nearly became her mother-in-law. It can’t be helped.”
“The princess is still young. One must distinguish between public duty and private feeling.”
Margarita bowed her head to the eldest in the room, then rose and began to walk.
This gathering was not what Grandmother had intended in its early days.
Once, any noblewoman of baroness rank or higher could attend if she pleased the old woman’s eye.
But gradually, more and more women had begun wearing jewelry to these meetings—and all of it had started after the Duchess arrived.
‘Grandmother is aging.’
In her prime, she would have turned such ostentatious display away on the spot, with sharp rebuke to follow.
Her judgment had clouded so much that she now tolerated a vain fox at her side.
‘The leadership of this circle will change soon.’
The voice of the Duchess Leonard came from behind her.
“Me? But I’m an uninvited guest, after all…”
Beneath the tone of reluctance, barely concealed joy shimmered through.
From the nuance, it seemed Grandmother intended to send the Duchess in her stead.
“Oh, if you would do that, I’d be so grateful, but I do hope Lady Margarita wouldn’t mind…”
Margarita had foreseen it.
When that time came, there would be no place for her.
And that time would arrive sooner than she thought.
***
“…A concert?”
Vanessa stopped mid-bite, her fork freezing.
“I happened to have two tickets.”
Ian produced two concert tickets with gilt borders.
Gilt borders meant same-day reservations.
Had he stepped out briefly to book a concert?
“I don’t mind, but are you all right with it?”
“What do you mean?”
“You said you don’t like crowds and noise.”
“…Either way, I consider your invitation accepted.”
Ian gave a small cough and slowly worked through the dessert on his plate with his fork.
He hadn’t touched the food at all, only picking at dessert—nothing else.
Didn’t it suit his palate?
It wasn’t quite on the level of Dominique Freya’s restaurant, but it was one of Pommelde’s better establishments.
Vanessa tilted her head and pushed her own dessert toward Ian’s plate.
“…?”
“The food alone fills me up.”
Ian, who would have refused, instead quietly finished the dessert Vanessa had slid across to him.
‘So he does have a taste for gelato.’
After finishing two plates of slice cake, Vanessa blinked when she saw Ian order something additional.
Correction—he clearly loved desserts.
What he’d ordered was a round dessert wrapped in a thin membrane.
For a moment, Ian’s lips twitched upward.
‘…Did he just smile?’
Just as Ian was about to scoop the thin membrane and the peachy-hued dessert beneath it with his small teaspoon and bring it to his mouth—
“…Here.”
When Vanessa, who’d set down her utensils and was watching him, met his eyes, Ian extended the teaspoon toward her instead.
“…What?”
“Weren’t you looking at it because you wanted some?”
No, she was just curious to see him smile—it was so unlike him—but she didn’t say that.
“…It’s delicious, so eat it.”
Vanessa took the dessert Ian offered in one bite without thinking.
“…Wait, you meant for me to pick it up with my hand and eat it directly…”
“Oh! Sorry. I just handed it over… here, use this. I haven’t used it.”
“…It’s fine.”
Ian murmured and scooped the dessert with the same teaspoon that had been in his mouth, then swallowed hard.
Such a reaction over sharing a spoon.
Anyone watching would think the utensil was poisoned.
But wait—he’d offered it first, hadn’t he?
Whether she picked it up with her hand or just brought her mouth to it, there shouldn’t be any difference, so why that reaction?
What’s this? Why are his ears turning red?
Then, in the end, he couldn’t bring it to his mouth and set it back down. Only after seeing that did Vanessa silently place her own teaspoon down with a tap in the center of the table.
“Use this one. Give that to me.”
“…”
At this rate, the ice cream inside would melt completely.
Vanessa snatched the teaspoon from Ian’s hand and put the dessert on it straight into her mouth.
“Is it ice cream?”
Ian’s expression at the sight of this was far from showing approval.
One poke and it’d burst.
Did he have some germaphobic tendencies?
“…Yes.”
“This is delicious. The thin membrane especially has a nice chew to it.”
“…It’s an Eastern Kingdom dessert. Gelato is wrapped inside the thin membrane.”
“Do other flavors exist?”
To Vanessa’s question, Ian silently pushed forward the dessert plate he hadn’t yet eaten.
Vanessa scooped without hesitation and brought it to her mouth.
“Strawberry?”
“…That’s the best one.”
“It’s delicious. I usually don’t care for desserts because they’re too sweet, but I think I could eat this often.”
“Should I order more?”
“Why? We can just come back next time.”
“Next time… yes.”
Unlike before, Ian’s expression blank, he quickly finished the remaining dessert and stood from his seat.
“Then, shall we go? It’s almost time for the concert.”
And as he did, the hand he extended toward her was already perfectly natural.
“Yes.”
Vanessa smiled and took Ian’s hand.
She’d thought it would be a waste of time, but this was quite enjoyable.
If dates were like this, she wouldn’t mind doing it often—if not frequently.
***
“We suddenly cannot let you in? But I purchased a ticket this morning when they were still available.”
“I apologize, madam. We’re offering a refund at double the price for the tickets you purchased, so if you’ll come this way…”
The closer they drew to Nirvana Hall where the concert was being held, the stranger the voices became.
A refund? You can’t enter?
What in the world was going on?
“Ian. It seems something’s happened with the concert…”
“Don’t worry about it.”
But… the ticket she was holding and the ones being refunded there were the same color?
“So… please understand…”
“Good heavens. What nobleman throws away that much money just for a date?”
The aristocrat who’d been squabbling over the ticket a moment ago accepted the refund with the expression of someone wondering if the other man had lost his mind entirely.
Oh. Vanessa let out a silent whistle of admiration.
To charter the entire venue on the same day for a date.
Whoever it was, he must care for his companion a great deal.
“Ian, what time does the concert start?”
“When we enter.”
“…?”
The concert must have a set time, surely.
Did it begin the moment they walked in? That seemed rather odd, though not entirely impossible….
No. Surely the nobleman who chartered the hall for a date wasn’t Ian?
Nirvana Hall alone would cost three times what he’d spent on the ring.
And if he’d rented all the performers as well… how much money would that even be?
He couldn’t possibly have spent wedding-level funds just for a date.
‘…Could he?’
Nirvana Hall had separate buildings for each concert hall, so two different performances could run on the same day.
There was no chance the aristocrat who’d gotten a refund at double the ticket price was attending the same concert as her….

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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