54. Organizing the past and present (4)
The greetings did not reach my ears.
“Lady Theodora, long time no see…!”
“I don’t know if you remember…!”
Theodora pushed them away with a hand. Should I approach The distance between Maxim and Theodora seemed farther than it actually was. The nobles coming and going, or flocking between them, created a human barrier to isolate the two.
Maxim looked at Theodora’s lost eyes, then turned his head. If you watch more, you will only have complicated feelings for each other. Theodora’s gaze followed Maxim. They weren’t eyes that questioned where they were looking, but eyes that contained a sad, complex gaze.
Theodora stepped forward. Towards Maxim, he slowly approached after biting people. Every time I take a step, people’s eyes follow and fall.
“Maxim?”
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No one else covered Theodora’s face. Theodora was just looking at Maxim. Relatives I’ve never seen before, standing protected in front of him under his gaze.
Maxim’s eyes were not looking at Theodora. Theodora heard the soft voice calling Maxim.
Of course, you don’t want to see it.
Theodora’s head went blank. Theodora didn’t know what to do or why she came to this place. Theodora could hear Maxim talking softly to Marion.
It’s the first time I’ve seen Theodora.
Marion’s voice answered in a shy voice.
Yeah… I haven’t met many other nobles.
…relatives?
…Yeah.
Theodora stopped. I didn’t know anything about his relationship with Marion. However, looking into Maxim’s eyes, Theodora could tell. Maxim never hated Marion. It wasn’t the eyes he used to see. different eyes. I thought it was the kindest look I could see in Maxim’s now dead eyes.
Marion did not know what the relationship between Theodora and Maxime was. Maxim had no intention of telling Marion right away. At the engagement ceremony, there was nothing nice to hear about that. Marion, restless at Theodora’s gaze directed at her, turned to Maxim.
“Should I say hello?”
Marion asked Maxim. Maxim looked blankly at Theodora. Theodora’s shoulders trembled. how far does she know Maxim led Marion slowly toward Theodora. The gazes of the nobles were pushing their backs.
In particular, young ladies and wives with good touch were paying attention to the scene. They covered their mouths with fans and let their imaginations run wild. What kind of relationship did you have, actually having an affair? The young ladies and the aristocratic wife exchanged guesses and secretly looked at each other.
If you say hello, you’ll get less attention, and if you don’t say hello, the picture gets weird. Theodora, as if aware of this fact, started approaching the place where Maxim and Marion were standing.
“engagement…”
Theodora looked face to face with Maxim and spoke with difficulty. I have something to say first. I’m sorry, I have to say I’m sorry first.
Theodora seemed somehow to be a child who did something wrong. He didn’t say anything and just stared at Maxim with a pale face.
hurry.
Theodora pushed herself. Theodora congratulated Maxim and Marion, struggling to clear her voice.
“Congratulations on your engagement. For a long time, I hope both of you can live happily ever after.”
The voice was muffled, intermittently.
Were you that anxious? Maxim heard Theodora’s trembling voice. If they stretched out their arms right away, they could reach each other, but they were too far away. At an unreachable distance, in an unreachable position, they were facing each other.
“…Marion.”
Theodora called Marion. A child of the Bunga who knows nothing. Neither jealousy nor resentment was allowed.
“…Yes, Mr. Theodora.”
Marion answered Theodora in a withered voice. All Theodora knew about Marion was her name. I didn’t know why Marion was wearing a mask, or why they looked so close in a relationship close to a blackmailed marriage.
All Marion knew about Theodora was her name. It was only that the eyes she was looking at Maxim, and the very deep and painful feelings in those eyes, gave only a vague guess.
“It’s the first time we’ve seen it.”
The voice was hollow and empty. Marion quietly faced Theodora’s face. A little emaciated, but very beautiful. Those gray dark cloud-like eyes were painfully and sadly staring at him deeply. Marion nodded.
For some reason, I still felt like I couldn’t do it if I didn’t make eye contact with my head down like before.
“Yes… It’s embarrassing, but there weren’t many outside activities…”
Marion faced Theodora right away.
“It’s only today that we met like this.”
Theodora hardened her lips. As Theodora took a step forward, Marion moved a little closer to Maxim.
“How are your brothers, Baron Borden and the Baroness?”
family stories. Marion answered in a slightly withered voice. It was a topic she didn’t want to think about very much.
“…Yeah. I’m doing well.”
I’m doing well. To the extent that all of her siblings, except for her father and mother, who were the organizers, did not show up at her engagement ceremony. However, Marion did not find it unpleasant. If it had been reflected, only more things could have happened that were difficult to handle.
“…I’m glad you seem happy.”
Theodora said that while looking at Marion’s face. Marion, who was intimidated, smiled faintly when she heard that. Although it was a half-smile covered by a mask, it was a warm and happy smile that would hurt anyone to see.
“Yeah. happy.”
Marion’s smile and words were hard for Theodora to bear.
“This is… probably the happiest moment of my life.”
Marion answered, putting her hands together over her chest. The sapphire shining on the ring on her left hand resembled her eyes. Brilliantly, the summer sun beat down on her like a halo. Those blue eyes and white dress matched perfectly with the summer grass.
Theodora thought that she was a north wind that appeared out of nowhere in such a summer. He is a person who is very far from his place. All that was left was a sinner who confessed his sins to Maxim. Maxim looked at him with eyes full of concern. Theodora didn’t know what face to answer that look.
“I’m really… glad I did.”
Relief.
It was the best word Theodora could come up with. Even if she wanted to say something more, her tongue was stuck.
Maxim is a good person, so he must be happy. As long as no one interferes, there will be no cloud over that smile, a smile like a forget-me-not that blooms in summer.
Blessings on your future.
Theodora said briefly. After talking with Marion, Theodora was even more unable to face Maxim. Theodora turned her back. Deep down, I know that I have no qualifications, but I want Maxim to catch me. I wanted you to hold onto me and say thank you for coming. Theodora needed those voices, even if they were just meaningless words.
There was no voice heard.
Know.
He knew that calling Theodora again and attracting the attention of more nobles would only cause trouble for them all. Theodora just walked away with a hard face. The nobles notice each other and divide themselves into the side where Theodora is and the side where Maxim is.
“Theodora…”
“Did you have any conversations with Lady Marion or her fiancé…”
Why he had been invited, Theodora did not even know himself. Did he just miss Maxim, or…
Theodora pushed back the aristocrats and found Emile Bordain.
Someone who is more deeply involved in Maxim’s situation than anyone else. The crowd at the social church didn’t seem to want to leave easily, seeing the atmosphere that Theodora exuded. Why did the eldest daughter of the Bening family participate in the engagement ceremony of the Borden family, which is only a branch family? Are you an invited guest?
“Count Benning…”
“there,”
Theodora shook her head roughly and called out to a nobleman. The named nobleman bowed his head in front of Theodora, startled.
“Yeah, what’s going on…”
“Do you know where Baron Borden is now?”
The aristocrat rolled his eyes curiously and glanced at them.
“That… I wonder if the reason you’re here today is because you have something to do with Baron Borden…”
Theodora glared at the nobleman with cold eyes. The aristocrat shook his head quickly, avoiding his gaze.
“Poetry…there were many instances. Baron Borden was there just now…”
The nobleman pointed in the direction where Maxim and Marion were standing. Theodora’s eyebrows furrowed.
“Where are you now…”
“this.”
The voice came from right behind Theodora. Theodora suppressed her hostility to jump out and turned her head.
Emile Bordain was standing with a thin glass in one hand. Bubbles were slowly rising over the translucent fruit wine in the glass.
“My lady, did something happen to me?”
The nobleman who was talking to Theodora hurriedly stepped back.
“…Yes. There is something I want to ask you.”
Emile Bordain looked at the place where the banquet was taking place with dry eyes. The nobles all looked happy, joined hands, and moved their feet to the beat of the minuet. Light footsteps and flirtatious gestures, the hem of the dress of the noble young ladies swayed and rippled whenever they made a movement.
Emile Bordain smiled emptyly as if mocking the scene.
“okay. Then, I will take you to the parlor for a while.”
When Emile Bordain raised his hand, a servant who had been waiting for him walked over.
“Did you call, Master?”
“Take the lady. Let’s go to the parlor in a moment.”
The servant bowed his head and took Theodora to the mansion.
When you enter the back door of the shady mansion, the summer sunlight disappears and only shade remains. Even the noise in the banquet hall seemed to be from a distant world. The servants of the Borden family were all busy in the banquet hall. The drawing room was even more silent. Theodora bit her lip and sat down in silence where not even the noise in the banquet hall could be heard.
“Any inconvenience or need…”
the servant asked cautiously.
“There is not. You are welcome to go.”
Theodora said firmly. The servant bowed his head again and withdrew. In complete silence, seemingly isolated from the rest of the world, Theodora thought of what to say. I didn’t expect to be able to hear it by asking directly, but
Theodora clenched her palms.
If you won’t say it, you have to make it say it.
—
Émile Bordain appeared in the drawing room, neat and tidy. I must have had a fair amount of alcohol, but I didn’t feel drunk or smelled at all. With that correct, exemplary gait of an aristocrat, Emile Bordain sat across from Theodora.
“…”
Theodora suppressed her hostility and looked at Emile Bordain. Emile Bordain did not approach Maxime in the same sarcastic manner. Theodora let out a short sigh.
“You should know why I called it differently.”
Theodora’s words were cold. Emile Bordain raised his eyebrows and nodded slowly.
“You found out.”
“Are you going to take that lightly?”
Emile Bordain sighed.
“I’m sorry, but I thought something like this could happen…”
“Is it all your father’s plan?”
Theodora questioned Emil in a trembling voice. Emile Bordain nods without changing his expression.
“What the hell, what on earth were you thinking…why…”
Emil was about to say something, but was interrupted by Theodora.
“Don’t think about blaming Maxim again.”
“It was just what Count Benning wanted.”
Emile Bordain shrugged. Little by little hostility rose from Theodora.
“The lady wanted to break up. We weren’t meant to break up just because we asked for it verbally.”
“…dirty…”
Emile Bordain’s voice also hardened.
“The Count is always for the young lady.”
My father.
Theodora gnashed her teeth as she tried to say that.
“Why did you use such a dirty method called a curse?”
Emile Bordain shakes his head.
“I didn’t want to get your hands dirty.”
“What nonsense…!”
Before Theodora’s hostility grew too thick to bear, the words flowed from Emile Bordain’s mouth.
“Did you really think that curse was a curse that would only take your life?”
Okay here we go, blackmail arc 😌