A Summer With Bitter Rivals - Chapter 77

Chapter 77: Eccentricity

Having finished writing one invitation, Emeline smiled with satisfaction.

The Duke had said he would be staying at the exhibition hall on the first day, and for several days after that, he would likely be preoccupied with his gallery.

So Emeline deliberately chose to invite them ten days after the opening of Edelroa, his building.

Since the day she parted ways with Zenon, she had been contemplating.

‘How can I uncover Zenon Trancium’s true intentions without taking on unnecessary risks?’

She had made up her mind that even if she got hurt while digging into him, she would endure it. But that didn’t mean she would willingly put herself in danger.

Such a move should only be used as a last resort when all other efforts yielded no results.

‘After all, there’s nothing better than observation.’

Although she hesitated a bit since she hadn’t parted on good terms with Labore, it didn’t matter much. There was no way Labore would have the audacity to refuse an invitation from the Duke’s household.

After carefully sealing their invitation, Emeline set it aside separately.

‘Father probably won’t personally check every name on the invitation list.’

She also completed invitations for other guests and had them sent out in advance.

As for the invitations for those two, she entrusted them to Benica on the eve of the exhibition’s opening.

***

Under the clear blue sky and lush greenery of a bright afternoon,

Emeline sat at a small tea table in the greenhouse, leisurely enjoying her tea while reviewing the list of invited guests.

It had already been several days since Edelroa, her father’s exhibition hall, had opened.

Most of the people on the list had attended on the first or second day. Those who came later were either delayed due to circumstances, repeat visitors, or artists interested in the displayed pieces.

‘So, most of the guests accepted the invitation… and sent their replies in advance.’

Her gaze lingered on the last two names marked separately on the list.

Labore Fendine, Zenon Trancium.

Tomorrow was the day she had designated for them to visit the exhibition.

And yet, no response had come from them.

Typically, invited guests would send a letter of thanks confirming their attendance or a note of apology if they couldn’t make it.

‘Could this be Lady Fendine’s doing?’

Had she decided they shouldn’t respond or attend at all?

Emeline let out a brief chuckle, amused.

If that were truly the case, it was an incredibly rude act.

Considering that they had slapped each other, it wasn’t surprising that Labore might react this way.

Ah, no—Labore had been slapped twice.

Regardless, Emeline was curious as to how Labore planned to deal with the consequences.

To outright refuse an invitation from the Duke of Delzeier’s household was reckless beyond belief.

‘Did Zenon Trancium agree with Lady Fendine’s decision?’

Emeline stirred her tea with a spoon and took a sip.

If that were the case, then Zenon must already be aware of the fight between her and Labore.

However, he didn’t seem to know that Labore had been the one to strike Emeline, nor did he seem aware of the details of their encounter.

It seemed she would have to wait until tomorrow to uncover more clues. She was curious to see how they would respond.

Just as she was savoring a sweet bite of cake with her tea—

Someone suddenly strode over and plopped down across from her.

Emeline, enjoying her quiet afternoon, lifted her gaze with an annoyed expression at the interruption.

Antony called for a servant and ordered his own tea before turning to her.

Emeline watched him in silence before speaking.

“What do you want?”

“To keep an eye on you.”

“…There are already people doing that. And I haven’t done anything suspicious.”

“Haven’t you? I know you invited Zenon Trancium to the exhibition.”

Emeline flinched at his words, then furrowed her brows in irritation.

“I recently had some interactions with Lady Fendine, so as a courtesy, I invited her. Since he’s her fiancé, I extended the invitation to him as well.”

“Interactions? You mean the time you two slapped each other?”

“……”

“You really take socializing seriously, huh? You even invite people who’ve slapped you. Just drop the excuses and be honest.”

“Honest about what?”

“You still have feelings for Zenon Trancium, don’t you?”

Emeline widened her eyes at Antony’s blunt question before letting out a dry laugh.

“You must think I’m incredibly foolish. You know exactly how Zenon Trancium left me.”

Emeline frowned and spoke in a displeased tone, but inwardly, she felt as if she had just lied to herself.

Of course, Antony’s question wasn’t wrong.

After all, she had never once succeeded in erasing Zenon Trancium from her mind.

She stood up from her seat. She wasn’t patient enough to sit and share tea with Antony alone.

As she gathered her guest list and prepared to leave, Antony suddenly called out to her.

“Emeline.”

His voice was unusually heavy. Unlike usual, there was no trace of his typical arrogance or overconfidence.

“What?”

“…Never mind. Go ahead.”

After a long pause, his answer was surprisingly anticlimactic.

Emeline looked at him with discomfort before walking away from the tea table.

***

The long-awaited day finally arrived, and Emeline gracefully approached the mansion’s main gate in a pale blue dress.

Just then, a man leaning against a carriage while checking his watch looked up.

With a delighted voice, she called out to him.

“Mathis.”

“Miss Emeline, it’s been a while. Have you been well?”

He approached with a gentle smile. When Emeline naturally extended her hand, he took it and lightly kissed the back of it.

“Yes, I’m always well. I heard you had some unexpected business arise. Were you able to resolve it?”

“I can’t say it’s completely settled, but to some extent, yes.”

Hearing his response, Emeline smiled in relief.

“Finally, we’re going to the exhibition together today. My father has been regretful about not meeting you on the opening day. He only stayed at the exhibition that day to greet guests.”

“Is that so… I should visit him personally sometime.”

Mathis looked at her with a slightly bashful expression.

Coincidentally, the day before the exhibition opened, an urgent issue had arisen in Mathis’s banking business, forcing them to postpone their visit together.

The issue in question was largely related to the Trancium Marquisate’s bank, which had previously held the fourth-largest market share in Elvarto’s banking sector.

‘Mathis rarely discusses business matters, so I don’t know the full details…’

Based on what she had read in the newspapers, the Trancium Marquisate’s bank had suddenly begun aggressively acquiring other banks, rapidly expanding its influence and drawing customers at an alarming rate, causing industry-wide concerns.

Within a short span, the gap between the third and fourth largest banks had narrowed to a razor-thin margin, shocking the financial world.

That was the analysis she had seen in the news.

‘The strange part is that the Marquis of Trancium has never taken such an approach before.’

Perhaps a different executive had taken over its management.

Regardless, due to this, Emeline and Mathis had ended up meeting after quite some time, and their plan to visit the exhibition on the opening day had been postponed.

And, of all days, it had to coincide with the day she had invited Zenon and Labore to the exhibition.

Though the situation had changed slightly, Emeline accepted it without much concern.

Facing Labore after their altercation would be easier with Mathis by her side rather than alone.

“Mathis, my father understands that you had your own circumstances, so don’t worry too much. Instead, he’d be pleased if you toured the exhibition and shared your compliments. That would make him quite happy.”

“If you say so, then it must be true. Shall we head out?”

The two boarded the carriage and set off for Edelroa, the exhibition hall shining at the heart of Elvarto.

Emeline had already toured Edelroa several times.

Though Mathis hadn’t accompanied her on opening day, she had been busy attending to guests and assisting her father then.

Designed by Kuhn Beller, Edelroa was a masterpiece, living up to his reputation as a world-class designer.

Upon their arrival, Mathis looked up in admiration. “I’ve seen it from a distance while passing by, but up close, it’s even more impressive.”

“Isn’t it? But don’t be too surprised just yet.”

Since the Duke of Delzeier had poured his heart into it, the building’s interior was even more remarkable than its exterior.

The exhibition featured a wide range of works, from those of renowned masters to rising stars in the art world.

The lower floor even housed a small café, demonstrating careful attention to visitor experience in various ways.

“Mathis, let’s go that way.”

As they toured the vast exhibition hall, Emeline led him toward an area they had yet to explore, scanning her surroundings closely.

She had been looking for someone in particular since she arrived.

The ones she had invited today—Zenon and his fiancée.