The End of First Love - Chapter 11

“I couldn’t sleep…”

Elizabeth’s muttered words echoed emptily through the dark room. She had fled from Heinz’s room and buried herself in the bed of her own quarters, but of course, there was no way she could sleep after that.

Hiding under the covers, unable to stop the endless flow of tears, Elizabeth could do nothing but tremble.

(Why did Lord Heinz kiss me?)

That question continued to spin endlessly in Elizabeth’s mind.

Even if it was just another one of his usual teases, this was going too far. Besides, she knew Heinz wasn’t the kind of man to engage in such childish behavior.

(I need to stop thinking about this. Right now, my duty as a host takes priority. If I let Lord Heinz distract me and fail, that would be a disgrace I’d carry for life!)

It was because she kept brooding in the darkness that last night’s events kept haunting her. She needed to bathe in the morning sunlight and breathe in the fresh air to clear her head.

Throwing off the blankets, Elizabeth got up, strode over to the window, and pulled the curtains open with force.

♦︎♢♦︎♢♦︎♢♦︎♢

(Ugh, how frustrating!)

After breakfast, Elizabeth had come to the gazebo in the garden to have tea with Iris and Miranda. However, Heinz’s composed expression kept swirling in her mind, making her simmer with rage.

At the long table in the dining room, where the morning sun poured in, she had met Heinz’s gaze several times. Each time, she had been the only one flustered, which only made her angrier.

(I bet I’m the only one who lost sleep over this!)

She knew it was entirely her fault for sneaking into a man’s room in the middle of the night. However, he was the one who made the first move. And above all, there had been absolutely no reason for him to kiss her. A kiss…

Tracing her lips with her fingertips sent a tingling sensation through her body. It had been her first kiss.

“Lady Elizabeth, are you alright? Your face is completely red.”

“Huh?”

“Indeed. Are you still feeling unwell? You seemed restless throughout breakfast, and I was quite worried.”

“Ah, no, um, that was just…”

“Even now, you seem quite out of it. If you’re feeling unwell, perhaps you should rest in your room.”

She had caused them unnecessary concern. And it was all Heinz’s fault. She had to shift the blame onto him, or she wouldn’t be able to bear it.

“…Lady Iris, Lady Miranda, my apologies for worrying you. I was the one who invited you, yet I made you concerned. I’m fine now, truly. I just didn’t get much sleep last night and feel a little tired.”

“Oh dear! Then all the more reason to rest, don’t you think?”

“Thank you for your concern. But honestly, my desire to chat with you both is stronger than my fatigue. After all, it’s been half a year. Would it be alright if we continued our tea party?”

“It’s not a problem at all! If you’re feeling up to it, we’d love to continue. Right, Miranda?”

“Yes, it’s been so long. We have so much to catch up on.”

“Then let’s continue.”

“Of course!”

(I think I managed to smooth that over…)

She absolutely couldn’t let them find out the real reason for her odd behavior at breakfast. If word got out that she had been sneaking into a man’s room in the middle of the night, her reputation as a duke’s daughter would be ruined. She would be deemed unmarriageable and sent to a convent.

(Wait a moment… doesn’t this mean Lord Heinz has leverage over me?)

What if Heinz had kissed her to ensure she wouldn’t forget what had happened? What if he had done it as a threat, to remind her that he now held a weakness of hers? And if Heinz told Kyle or Louis about last night, her already precarious reputation would be utterly destroyed.

Realizing this, Elizabeth’s face went pale.

“Lady Iris, Lady Miranda! Have you heard anything from Lord Kyle or Lord Louis?”

“Hm? About what?”

“Um… about Lord Heinz, or about me, perhaps…”

The two of them tilted their heads in thought. Seeing this, Elizabeth realized she had just dug her own grave.

(Ugh! Why am I bringing this up myself?)

“Ah! No, that’s not what I meant! I was just wondering… why did Lord Heinz accompany you all to the Baker Duchy?”

“Oh, now that you mention it, I don’t know. Miranda, have you heard anything?”

“I don’t know much either, but I heard that it was Lord Heinz who first suggested the visit to Lord Kyle.”

“Yes, same here. Lord Heinz invited Louis and his partner to come along.”

What?! Lord Heinz was the one who arranged this visit?

There had been no mention of this in her father’s letters. Elizabeth had assumed Heinz’s presence was a last-minute change, but according to her friends, he had been the one to initiate the trip.

(Father and Lord Heinz must have communicated about this.)

With the recent broken engagement, the neutral Baker Duchy had distanced itself from the Second Prince’s faction. On the other hand, the Schwein Duchy was a staunch supporter of the Crown Prince.

(Could Father be trying to strengthen ties with the Crown Prince’s faction by fostering a relationship between our families? But does he not know that Heinz and I can’t stand each other?)

If this visit had been arranged for political reasons, it would have made sense for her father to inform her beforehand. That way, she could have prepared herself to act as the perfect host. But instead, he had left her in the dark, leading to the chaos of last night. Now, Heinz even had leverage over her.

(Why didn’t Father tell me Heinz was coming?)

Elizabeth had no idea what kind of conversation had taken place between her father and Heinz. But one thing was certain—it had something to do with her.

(What exactly is Lord Heinz’s goal?)

A sudden ominous feeling sent a shiver down Elizabeth’s spine.