The End of First Love - Chapter 9

“Hey, Milia. Did Father mention in his letter that the son of Duke Schwein would be coming?”

“No, as far as I know, there was no mention of the duke’s son arriving.”

“I thought so…”

The heir of the Schwein Ducal House, the Crown Prince’s right-hand man, and the person widely regarded as the next Prime Minister—Heinz Schwein. He was also Elizabeth’s sworn enemy.

At every soirée, he would find Elizabeth, who had turned into a wallflower, and throw sarcastic remarks at her. In high society, where unmarried women were discouraged from speaking with men other than their partners, Heinz’s frequent interactions with Elizabeth troubled her greatly.

(Because of that man, how many times has William doubted me needlessly?)

If not for the unspoken rule that marriages between ducal families were forbidden, Elizabeth’s reputation would have suffered from her frequent encounters with another man. She was only given some leeway because William’s womanizing habits were well-known in high society.

(He keeps approaching an engaged woman just to annoy me! He’s the worst!)

Strangely enough, despite being such an irritating person, Heinz was highly regarded among both men and women in noble society.

(Well, I suppose he does have the looks…)

Sleek black hair, obsidian-like eyes, a straight nose, and thin lips. That cold, somewhat aloof demeanor, combined with his dark features, gave him an air of mystery.

He was, without a doubt, a handsome man.

And yet, there were no rumors of romance surrounding him.

He remained unmarried, without even a fiancée, making him a prime target for noblewomen. At every soirée, the sheer number of young ladies flocking around Heinz had practically become a spectacle in itself.

(Instead of bothering me, he should just enjoy himself with those hyena-like noblewomen!)

“Honestly, what is he even doing here?”

Both Kyle, the Captain of the Royal Guards, and Louis, the Vice-Captain, were close aides to the Crown Prince. That meant they were colleagues of Heinz as well.

(Maybe their vacations coincided, and in the middle of a conversation, Heinz heard they were coming to the Baker Duchy, so he decided to tag along out of boredom? That must be it. Otherwise, there’s no reason for him to come here.)

“By the way, does Father know that Heinz is here in the Baker Duchy?”

“I would assume so. After all, the steward doesn’t seem the least bit flustered.”

“That’s true. There’s no way he wouldn’t know. But if he did, he could have at least mentioned it in his letter.”

There was no point in blaming anyone for the lack of notice. Even if she hated Heinz, acting coldly toward him would be immature. As the host of the Baker Duchy, any misstep would tarnish her family’s reputation. She had to act like an adult.

(No matter how much he mocks or teases me, I have to endure it!)

With that resolve in mind, she suddenly realized something.

“Wait, has Heinz’s room been prepared…?”

“You need not worry, my lady. Everything has been taken care of.”

“Oh! That’s a relief. As expected of the excellent staff of the Baker Ducal House. By the way, which room is he staying in?”

“That one over there.”

Elizabeth followed Milia’s pointing finger and was left speechless.

“W-Wait a second! Next door?! But that’s the master bedroom!”

“Is there a problem, my lady? Sir Heinz’s social standing is higher than the others, so he must be given the most prestigious room. There are only three guest rooms available. We cannot possibly ask Lady Miranda to stay in a servant’s room. Assigning Sir Heinz the master bedroom is the most appropriate choice.”

“That’s true, but… I know! I’ll move to a servant’s room!”

“What are you saying, my lady? You are the host. It would be disgraceful for the host to stay in a servant’s room.”

“But still…”

“What exactly is so unacceptable about having Sir Heinz as your neighbor?”

“Because this room has that!”

Milia followed Elizabeth’s pointing finger and nodded knowingly.

“Ah, the adjoining door.”

“Yes! I’m sure Sir Heinz will be bothered by it too.”

“My lady, there is no problem. In fact, this arrangement may be quite convenient for him…”

“Wait, what?!”

“Oh, nothing at all. Rest assured, my lady. Of course, the door has a proper lock.”

“R-Right. We’re an unmarried man and woman—of course, the door should be locked.”

“Well, considering that my lady was just recently freed from an engagement and Sir Heinz is an exceptionally eligible bachelor… it would be a shame to waste this opportunity.”

“Huh?! Milia, you’re not… seriously…?”

“Fufufu, who knows? You could always find out for yourself. Now then, it’s almost time for dinner. I shall take my leave.”

“W-Wait! Miliaaa!”

Elizabeth’s desperate cry was met with the indifferent sound of a closing door, leaving her alone in the room.