Chapter 60
Not long ago he’d liked a woman enough to leave marks on her throat, and now he was treating her as a liability to be managed. Even once Hitaon took Luirene as his wife, he had no intention of ever introducing Broil Pesche to her. The man might be a suitable business partner, but when it came to his views on women, he was rotten.
“It’s a beautifully warm afternoon.”
A lovely voice drifted over from behind the gathering at the table. It was Panae Tourso, escorted by a young nobleman. The young nobles seated around Hitaon all rose in a flash to greet her.
After exchanging standard pleasantries, Panae looked toward Hitaon. She covered her mouth with a lace-gloved hand and smiled shyly.
“Sir Glair. This is the first time I’ve seen you since the riding competition. Have you been well?”
“I have, of course. It’s an honor to see you again, Lady Tourso.”
With every movement she made, the ornaments adorning her hair glittered. Hitaon answered with a social smile every bit as polished as hers.
“Sir Pesche is over there.”
“How kind. Might I trouble you to escort me, if it’s no imposition?”
At Panae’s words, the young nobles gathered nearby jumped at the chance, each volunteering to escort her. Panae smiled, looking troubled.
“Thank you all for your consideration. But I was hoping to use this opportunity to ask Sir Glair something in private.”
“Ah, then you must go with Hita.”
“A lady’s request should never be ignored.”
“Hita, you lucky bastard. Go on!”
With a boisterous round of encouragement, he was pushed out from the table. In the end, he found himself escorting her, though he hadn’t planned on it.
“There’s no one else around now, so please speak freely.”
“I’ve heard the two of you were close friends who spent your academy years together. I happened to be agonizing over the perfect wedding gift for Sir Pesche.”
“Is your family close with his?”
“If I had to say, my family has been more frequently in contact with House Monsel than with Sir Pesche.”
“In that case, tailoring the gift to House Monsel’s tastes should suffice. Pesche will be receiving more than enough from me and the other young nobles.”
“Do you think so, then?”
Perhaps because they were alone, Panae was being quite forthright. Hitaon studied her with a meaningful gaze. Last time, he’d made his sentiments clear enough with the handkerchief—he’d assumed that if they met again, her pride alone would compel her to pretend not to know him. But her actions were running entirely counter to expectations.
“Arnoba Tenbra Academy, isn’t it? My younger brother once aspired to attend that academy as well. But due to family circumstances, he couldn’t leave his position, so it remained only a dream in the end.”
“Your younger brother… You mean His Grace the Duke Tourso?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“What harm in a dream remaining a dream? He never attended the academy, and yet he grew into a fine man and an honorable head of his house.”
“Do you think so?”
Panae smiled smoothly but chose a counter-question instead of agreement. Something about her manner felt subtly suspect, though he couldn’t quite place it. It didn’t help that Panae immediately pressed on with conversation, keeping his mind from wandering elsewhere.
“You were away in a foreign land for four years—you must have missed your homeland terribly.”
“It would be hard to deny it.”
“What came to mind the most? Family? Food? Hobbies?”
“There was something I’d left behind at the mansion.”
“Something you’d left behind…? An object, you mean?”
He couldn’t lay everything bare, so Hitaon only smiled quietly. Panae, who’d been walking beside him, stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of his face.
“…You smiled.”
“Pardon?”
“That was the first time you smiled.”
“…That can’t be. I don’t believe that was the first.”
Hitaon awkwardly touched the corner of his mouth. Hadn’t they exchanged greetings with smiles at the table just earlier? Even at his correction, Panae kept her eyes fixed on his face. The silence stretched until Broil and his fiancée spotted them and approached.
“Hita. What are you doing over here? Looks like you’re enjoying yourself at my celebration?”
“…That’s enough of that—rude remarks in front of Lady Tourso. She says she wanted to offer you her congratulations in person.”
“Ah! I see. What an honor. Lady Tourso.”
Panae, who hadn’t taken her eyes off Hitaon’s face until then, slowly, reluctantly looked toward Broil. Her taut yellowish-green eyes softened again once they found their new target. A stiff feeling prickling at the back of his neck, Hitaon made introductions and then quietly slipped away.
As he was accepting a guest goblet, Mikale approached and reported quietly. There was someone requesting an audience with him.
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