If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 111

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

It was a complete contrast to the Cain of the night. She almost wondered if the man before her was a stranger wearing Cain’s face.

“What’s the point of soothing a wound after causing it?”

She couldn’t forget the chilling Cain from the night before. His voice still echoed in her ears, murmuring another woman’s name while lying beside her. And now he was here, pretending to care with mere ointment?

It was infuriating. Agatha raised her hand and pushed Cain’s arm away.

“You should have never caused the wound in the first place. Once a scratch is made, it can never truly go back to how it was before.”

It was too late for him. Before she knew all the truths. That was the only moment when Cain could have corrected everything.

Cain’s hand, having lost its purpose, awkwardly hovered in the air. His gaze, looking down at her, seemed just as lost. His pupils, in fact, looked as if they were on the verge of becoming vacant.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Nobles invited to the birthday party of Marchioness Vernat were arriving one by one. The guests ranged from the wife of a Count to the daughter of a Baron, with a diverse array of families and ages.

It was the first time in nearly 30 years that the doors of the Vernat mansion had been opened.

The late Marquis, who had been reclusive due to illness long before Cain became an adopted son, had locked the mansion firmly after losing his only son. Was it that he first closed the doors, or did people’s visits cease first? It was said that it was a life without visitors anyway.

After the late Marquis received no guests for several years, his successor, Cain, the new Marquis Vernat, also kept the mansion locked.

Of course, there was one exception: Madame Dubois, invited to fit Agatha’s dress. Apart from this small group of necessary invitations, no one else had set foot inside the mansion.

As interest in Cain Vernat grew in high society, the number of people eager to be invited to his home increased. However, no one dared to directly ask him to invite them to the mansion. Who would have the audacity to do so?

Nobles typically engaged in social activities and formed connections to curry favor with the Emperor or those of similar power. Unfortunately, Cain Vernat was known as a stern knight who despised flattery and deceit. No noble would dare ask him to open the doors of his mansion.

“Congratulations, Marchioness.”

“It’s an honor to meet you. I’ve prepared a small gift to celebrate your birthday.”

“I’ve been looking forward to this meeting. Thank you for inviting me.”

The ladies who had come up to the toilette room where Agatha was, beamed with smiles and offered their congratulations.

“Thank you.”

Agatha responded to each of them with a smile that was neither excessive nor insufficient, maintaining an appropriate level of decorum.

There was a reason why Agatha, who disliked being in the spotlight, had invited the noblewomen of Leden. She had previously kept her distance and acted cautiously, believing she was not yet qualified as a Marchioness.

However, it was now time to proudly announce her status as Kristin’s Madam to the outside world. For that, she needed people who could directly witness Duchess Kristin’s authority and quickly spread the word.

The invitations were meticulously sent to a list that was made according to Agatha’s careful calculations.

Of course, these invitees may not have been entirely enthusiastic about Agatha’s invitation from the beginning.

Rumors had spread in Leden that the Emperor’s confidence in Cain was beginning to waver. If Marquis Vernat, who had risen solely on the Emperor’s trust, were to lose that confidence, they would doubt the necessity of making a favorable impression on him.

The reason why so many guests attended Agatha’s birthday party with their hands full of gifts was largely due to the absence of any emerging forces that could challenge the Vernat family. They likely wanted to gauge the extent of the Marquis’s influence.

Cain’s instruction to hold a lavish birthday celebration without any budgetary constraints was probably motivated by this reason.

Agatha was not unaware of his thoughts.

That was why she couldn’t offer any words of comfort to Liana, who had said, ‘Even if he did not openly express it, the Duke must truly care for you.’

“Madam, all the guests have arrived.”

“I understand. You may go.”

After all the guests had left, and following her final touches, Agatha stood up from her seat.

Teschen attended to Agatha with a level of respect greater than usual. The realization that the usually reserved and seemingly weak Agatha might actually be a tiger hiding her claws made her nervous.

Apart from Agatha, who had no desire to celebrate her own birthday, everyone else was enjoying the party.

The celebration proceeded magnificently. While everyone ate, drank, and conversed cheerfully, Agatha, the guest of honor, was left alone with her boredom, unable to leave her place.

She wished for the tiresome event to end soon.