A Summer With Bitter Rivals - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: With the One You Love

The sudden shift in topic made Emeline raise an eyebrow. But she soon gave her mother a proper response.

“Yes, I’ll be an adult soon too.”

“I hope you meet someone you love and marry.”

Someone I love?

Emeline felt momentarily puzzled but nodded with a smile.

“Of course.”

The corners of her lips curved into a smile, as if she had no worries at all.

Lily’s visit ended after about two hours, and they left the mansion. They had to move quickly, as they were scheduled to attend a concert hosted by nobles who loved the arts.

‘It’s already this late. How unfortunate.’

If it were up to her, Emeline would have stayed with her mother in the annex for days on end. But that wasn’t possible unless it was a school break.

The closer they got to the gate, the heavier Emeline’s steps became.

Then Bernard spoke, “Emeline, it’s best to disregard what your mother said about marriage.”

“Mother told me to marry the person I love?”

“Yes, though Lily’s words are sometimes right, there are also times when they’re not. You’ve been raised to marry for the sake of the family.”

Emeline didn’t answer readily.

It wasn’t because of some romantic illusion about a loved one, but it was because her father’s words seemed to foreshadow the inevitable end of her life, where she would be forced to comply without power.

Finally, Emeline opened her tightly shut lips. “You are right, Father.”

“I’m still selecting your fiancé. You’ll hear about it soon, so keep it in mind.”

“Yes, Father.”

She smiled quietly.

***

On the way back to Hilbert to attend the evening concert, Emeline had to fight off sleep.

She had been fine right after visiting her mother, but fatigue began to rapidly set in once they started traveling in the carriage.

‘Is it because I studied too long last night…?’

The previous night, driven by her determination not to lose to Zenon, Emeline had stayed up until dawn, relying on a lantern for her review and preparation, before eventually falling asleep.

She couldn’t afford to fall asleep in front of her father, so Emeline pinched her thigh to fight off drowsiness. After a tough battle, she finally arrived at the concert hall.

‘Just hold on for a few more hours. I’ll go home and sleep early tonight.’

The concert, featuring a renowned conductor and rising stars of the music world, began in the afternoon and ended only late at night.

Emeline, however, couldn’t concentrate on the endless series of concertos. Her mind felt oddly foggy.

Suddenly, she became fully aware again amidst an unexpectedly thunderous applause.

Blinking blankly, she looked straight ahead with wide eyes.

‘There should still be more left… Why is the curtain already closing?’

According to the pamphlet she had received upon entering the concert hall, there were still several pieces left to be played.

So why was it ending?

Trying to grasp the situation with her clouded consciousness, Emeline suddenly felt a chill on the back of her neck. It felt as if the blood had drained from her entire body.

She had no memory of some of the events.

‘Did I… fall asleep?’

As soon as she realized it, she felt breathless. As the curtain finally fell, people began to stand up one by one.

It had been a private concert hosted by the upper class, attended by well-known nobles.

‘Judging by the last song I remember… it was just a brief moment. The box seat was dark, so no one must have noticed me.’

Her father cared a lot about appearances. Though he hadn’t woken her, it wasn’t because he hadn’t noticed her sleeping. Rather, he had quietly waited for her to wake up, without drawing others’ attention.

“Let’s go.”

The Duke of Delzeier, who had been next to her, stood up first. Trembling with anxiety, Emeline followed him, trying to look as composed as possible. Her hands, in their white lace gloves, shook slightly, so she clasped them together to steady them.

‘…Calm down.’

She needed to remain composed.

The first thing to do was to make excuses to her father. If she showed unnecessary nervousness, it would be like a thief confessing to their crime.

As soon as they reached a quiet place outside the concert hall, the Duke turned around.

“Emeline, where is your mind wandering?”

Hearing Bernard’s stern voice, Emeline bowed her head in tension. She blurted out an excuse, “I’m sorry, Father. I haven’t been feeling well since last night, and I couldn’t sleep…”

“You should know that your ability to manage your health is something others evaluate you on. No one else knows or cares about your situation.”

Emeline gently bit her lower lip. Her heart pounded loudly.

She feared being punished. She feared being confined again in that stuffy room. Bernard clicked his tongue and tapped his cane sharply on the floor.

“If your behavior ever causes a scandal for the family, you will be held accountable. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but if it does, we’ll revisit this.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

Emeline answered obediently. Judging by his words, it seemed he wasn’t planning to punish her immediately. Bernard Delzeier valued visible results more than the process.

For now, he was just issuing a warning. If anyone were to spread this incident, Emeline would face punishment immediately.

In the worst case, her father could investigate the entire situation and find out that Emeline still pursued her dream, stripping everything away from her forever.

“Lady Delzeier!”

Suddenly, a warm voice called from behind. When Emeline turned to look, she saw Angel approaching with Count Laresa and his wife. Emeline wiped away her solemn expression and stood beside her father. The Laresa family approached and greeted them.

“Thanks to being included on the guest list, we enjoyed a wonderful performance, Your Grace.”

Bernard, having seamlessly changed his expression, laughed heartily. “I’m glad you were satisfied. Since your second daughter has been getting along well with ours, I invited you as a gift, so please don’t feel any burden.”

“Of course. It is our honor.”

While Bernard and the Count exchanged pleasantries, Bernard spoke to Emeline, who was quietly standing by.

“Emeline, I have some matters to discuss with the Count. Go on ahead with your friend.”

“Yes, Father.”

It was clear he was working to gather investors for the new business venture he had recently been focusing on. Emeline greeted the Laresa couple and left with Angel. After the concert, there was to be an after-party in the banquet hall.

“Lady Delzeier, it was truly a beautiful performance. Thank you for the invitation. I’m happy to see you even on a holiday.”

“Me too. I’m relieved that you enjoyed the concert, Lady Laresa.”

Emeline entered the adjoining banquet hall with Angel.

“Your dress today is truly lovely, Lady Delzeier. For a moment, I thought an angel had descended to earth.”

“Such flattery. Thank you. Your attire is dazzling as well, Lady Laresa.”

As they exchanged small compliments, Angel suddenly lowered her voice.

“By the way, I noticed the Marquis of Trancium was also invited. And Zenon Trancium came along as well. I thought he didn’t enjoy these kinds of events.”

“He came too? I haven’t seen him…”

Emeline tried to recall whether she had seen him in the lobby before the concert began. But she had no memory of seeing someone like Zenon Trancium. Maybe she had just been too tired to notice.

“Perhaps so. It’s not like there’s any particular reason for…”

Emeline suddenly froze.

“Lady Delzeier, you don’t get along well with Young Lord Trancium, do you? Just like last time…”

A chilling sensation washed over her, as if something was flowing. Emeline reflexively tilted her head slightly back and covered her nose and mouth with her hand.