As Avril’s cheeks reddened, Martina pressed the issue.

“B-but, I have heard that even if someone has a person they love dearly, there are many cases where they are not satisfied with just one person.”

“I-is that so…?”

She reflectively asked Martina in return. This was the first she had heard of that. Martina gave a solemn nod.

“Yes. My father used to say such things. That if you see the same face every day, you grow tired of it. Apparently, people seek novelty.”

“My…”

The former duke, her father, Corinna’s playmates, and the face of Fernand—who she had met just recently—came to mind. Now that she was thinking about it, that might have been how it was. Avril had felt something similar at the music festival as well. Wasn’t it a blessing that Dylan didn’t have a mistress?

Avril paled.

“I can understand such a way of thinking. I heard that Sir Fernand Brandner, whom I met earlier, has many lovers. He has a fiancée, and yet he still wants to spend time with others as well.”

“Then, does that mean there’s still hope for me too…?”

“Possibly…?”

As Martina’s words made Avril tilt her head in confusion, Samuel made a hesitant question.

“Lady Avril, shall I request some strong tea or fruit water with lemon squeezed into it? It will refresh your mood and clear your head.”

“I’m alright, Samuel. I’m thinking clearly.”

“Of course. Then let’s have some spiced sweets. I’ll go to the kitchen and get them for you.”

“That sounds great. Be as quick as you can.”

Alexandra’s expression twitched as she voiced her agreement. Samuel nodded like an attendant and got down from his chair.

“—What is my wife talking about?”

Avril blinked at the low, sweet voice that rang out above her.

“Lord D-Dylan…?! Why are you here?!”

“My appointment finished early, so I came to pick you up… Miss Alexandra, has my wife caused you any trouble?”

For some reason, Dylan, who was supposed to have been acting separately after they arrived at the royal palace, was there. He placed a hand on Avril’s shoulder and apologized to Alexandra. He was met with a bright smile from the mistress of the place.

“No. In fact, I was just being tremendously entertained. Every day is boring when one is in this royal palace. However, when I invite Lady Avril, there is never any opportunity to grow bored, which is quite nice.”

Meanwhile, Samuel, who had been about to go get some sweets, looked relieved upon seeing Dylan and sat back down. Then he timidly began his report.

“My lord, I believe it may be better if you explain things to Lady Avril a little more. She was influenced by my playboy of a brother… and on top of that, she was no match for Her Highness the future queen as an opponent… my apologies.”

Dylan gave a wry smile at Samuel’s apology.

“Miss Alexandra, I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t tease my wife so much.”

““Wife…””

Avril and Martina’s voices overlapped. Dylan’s voice, coming from above, sounded incredibly sweet. Merely hearing that voice was so much that she couldn’t stop her cheeks from burning.

Dylan turned his gaze to Martina.

“I am merely a man who is being rolled around in the palm of his wife’s hand like this. Even though I love her so much, she’s elusive. There is no time to grow bored.”

“Y-y-y-yes…”

The allure emanating from Dylan was overwhelming. Despite it being their first meeting, Martina had been thoroughly exposed to it; her face was bright red, she was trembling all over, and her eyes were moist. Avril, incidentally, was in a similar state.

Finally, Martina rose from her seat and, while trembling, managed to squeeze out her voice.

“M-m-m-my deepest apologies…!”

“Lady Martina…?!”

Dazed, Avril watched her run off accompanied by her flustered maid.

Over that brief period of time, a feeling akin to camaraderie had sprung up between Martina and Avril. To be honest, now that she no longer had a companion to stand against Dylan’s allure with, she felt uneasy.

I’m happy that Lord Dylan said such things to me, but my heart can’t take hearing it put into words like that.

As she held her pounding heart with both hands, Alexandra, who had been watching, laughed gleefully.

“I thought I ought to apologize for taking away precious time from the newlywed Duke and Duchess of Lanchester. However, the result is that you remain so fresh and innocent that it cleanses my heart.”

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t tease me as well. Even so, I have my struggles.”

Though Dylan spoke words of denial and held his head with one hand, he still seemed to be enjoying himself somewhere beneath it all.

Avril could do nothing but avert her eyes, having been caught with the romance novel she had borrowed from Alexandra, and having an idea of what “Dylan’s struggles” referred to.

“Lady Avril, please have another cup of tea.”

“Ah, thank you very much, Samuel.”

Samuel poured tea from the teapot for the flustered Avril. At such times, drinking tea and calming down was the best thing to do.

While Avril was calming down with the help of the ten-year-old apprentice in etiquette, the conversation between Dylan and Alexandra seemed to be heading in a different direction.

“I bear some responsibility as well for encouraging it, but… that scheming man is going to be the cause of difficulty for the Duke of Lancester. It’s fortunate that the young lady just now was practically like a baby, but there are genuinely malicious women in high society as well. I think it would be best if you remained on your guard.”

“I can feel that firsthand. The people around me are nuisance.”

“Indeed. Many families wanting to get close to the Duke of Lancester, who has the potential to become crown prince, have begun appearing. It may still be too early to reveal Lady Avril’s true nature.”

Avril tilted her head as she listened to their conversation.

“Then shall we leave the rumor that Lord Dylan has a preference for villainess women as it is…?”

“It’ll allow us to filter out families who approach with ulterior intentions, and to begin with, those who take such rumors seriously aren’t worth associating with. Besides… a possibility that unexpected side benefits arising because of Lady Avril continuing to remain a villainous woman also exists.”

“Certainly, the people of the Claughton Kingdom make for a good example.  It’s just as you say.”

Avril nodded as she glanced at Dylan who was giving a wry smile.

“I understand. Then, I shall spend my time in high society as a villainous woman while refraining from correcting the rumors…!”

“Yes. That will do.”

““…””

Alexandra smiled brightly while implying something. Dylan and Samuel meanwhile looked on with concern.

As a major change came to the position of the House of Lanchester, at the very least, their direction going forward had been decided.

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