Chapter 115
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 115
My mind was a mess. How was I supposed to respond if Tez pressed me for details about our relationship?
Fortunately, Tez broke the awkward silence with a casual shrug.
“My apologies. I should have looked after Miss Harriet more carefully.”
It was true, but agreeing outright would have been rude. Still, she had no intention of simply giggling and brushing it off like a witless fool.
“You must have been pleased to see your acquaintances. I don't entirely misunderstand, but…”
As her words trailed off, Tez raised an eyebrow.
“What sort of conversation did you have with them about me?” she asked.
“Pardon?”
“The way they looked at me was hardly proper. And earlier, Duke Kailas mentioned that my name came up at the polo match…”
Tez’s jaw tightened for a fleeting second.
However, he showed no sign of displeasure. Instead, he let his expression soften, offering an apologetic smile.
“Back then, your departure for the convent was the talk of the town. Honestly, there was a great deal of gossip. But I swear, I didn't say a word about you.”
“I see.”
“And regarding my acquaintances earlier, I’ll apologize on their behalf. It must be rare for them to see such a beautiful woman as yourself up close; they were likely just taken aback.”
It wasn’t a particularly convincing explanation, but since he had gone this far, she figured he wouldn't dare take her lightly in the future.
“Very well. I’ll believe you.”
At her brief reply, Tez observed Harriet’s expression before leading her toward a shaded tent. It was as if he hoped a cool drink and some savory, sweet cookies would put her at ease.
Just as Harriet finished a cookie, he leaned in and whispered, his voice subtle—as if launching a counterattack.
“But I also have something to ask you. Many claim to have seen it, but almost no one knows the full story…”
Harriet nodded, signaling for him to continue. As she took a sip of her champagne, his voice grew even softer.
“Why on earth did Her Majesty the Empress invite you? I also heard that Duke Kailas was with you.”
The unexpected question nearly made Harriet choke.
She cleared her throat, set down her glass, and dabbed at her mouth with a handkerchief. She stalled for time before finally shaking her head.
“It was nothing, really.”
“You’re likely the only person in the empire who would call a private audience with Her Majesty 'nothing out of the ordinary'.”
As expected, that excuse wasn't going to fly.
Harriet had prepared several backup explanations in anticipation of such questions, so she let out a sigh, acting as if she were reluctantly confessing a secret.
“To be honest, I merely went in my great-aunt’s stead.”
“Is Countess Fellon unwell?”
“Rather, my great-aunt simply wanted to give me the opportunity to meet Her Majesty. Without her favor, when would I ever have the chance to stand before the Empress?”
Tez’s eyebrow twitched slightly. He seemed convinced.
“So that means Duke Kailas was supposed to escort Countess Fellon that day, not you?”
“That’s about right, I suppose.”
“So that’s why you left separately.”
Harriet felt a chill run down her spine at his muttered remark.
He even knew we left separately? Come to think of it, why is this man so interested in me?
Upon reflection, she realized she knew very little about Tez, especially compared to how much he seemed to know about her. That was likely the biggest reason she couldn't let down her guard around him.
Fiddling with her glass, Harriet decided to test him.
“By the way, Young Master Roark, who are you seeing these days?”
“Me? I see many people. To be called the prodigal son of high society, one must regularly tend to one's friends, you see.”
“I don't mean friends.”
“Hmm?”
He raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes as if his curiosity had been piqued.
“A woman, you mean? Why the curiosity? Does it bother you?”
“It does bother me a little. I’m worried your lover might misunderstand our situation. You do have someone you’re seeing, don't you?”
“Don’t worry. It’s hardly news that I have many female companions, is it?”
“Hmm… I always think this, but for someone who claims to want to be friends, Young Master Roark, you don’t talk about yourself much.”
Harriet sipped her drink with a calm expression. She felt Tez’s gaze lingering on her profile but feigned ignorance.
When she clammed up like a seashell, Tez finally confessed in an embarrassed tone.
“…I do. I wasn’t deliberately trying to hide it. I simply assumed everyone knew I always had a string of lovers.”
“It seems rather late to ask, but does she know that you chose me as your partner today?”
“There’s no particular need to inform her. She doesn’t mind if I meet others. That’s one of the reasons we’re such a good match.”
“That sounds as if she also has other men. Could she be a woman with a fiancé… or perhaps a husband?”
Harriet’s observation must have been sharp, as Tez paused for a moment.
Thanks to years of living under the watchful eyes of her uncle’s family, Harriet was quite adept at noticing such subtle cues. She smiled leisurely, feigning nonchalance.
“Then I don’t have to feel burdened by being your partner today. What a relief.”
“Ha, hahaha! Would I ever make a suggestion that would put you in such a difficult position? Rest assured.”
Tez laughed heartily, but Harriet didn't miss the moment he—a man who always seemed in total control—was momentarily flustered.
Even though she had learned a little more about him, she couldn't afford to let down her guard in the slightest.
* * *
The Albeman Bank outing concluded before sunset. It wasn’t a boisterous affair of excessive drinking, nor did it stretch late into the evening, but for most attendees, it was an event that always left them feeling utterly satisfied.
Cedric, who had started attending a few years prior, also returned home feeling that this year’s outing had been enjoyable. Naturally, it was all thanks to the little squirrel who never failed to provide him with unexpected amusement.
That man sticking by her side is quite bothersome, though.
Tez Roark.
Cedric had been keeping an eye on him ever since Harriet attended the Angelic Party with him. As the second son of the House of Roark, he was rumored to be such a lover of alcohol, entertainment, and women that Count Roark was constantly troubled by his antics.
However, after digging deeper through <Cloud>, it turned out he wasn't a man to be lightly dismissed.
The mere fact that Tez Roark attended today’s outing instead of Count Roark or his eldest son proves that.
On the surface, it seemed he was making excuses—that his father or brother were too busy and he had come in their stead—but Cedric, who was close with Count Albeman, had overheard a few things.
“I can’t tell you the details, but that fellow seems to be a pillar of the House of Roark. He’s quite talented.”
It meant that while he was still far from being compared to true powerhouses, no one knew what the future held for him. Of course, Tez’s potential was of no importance to Cedric.
Why is such a calculating man showing Harriet kindness without expecting anything in return?
As far as Cedric knew, there was no such thing as kindness without a price in this world. Even the kindness he himself had shown Harriet proved that, didn't it?
If that man has the same ulterior motives as I do, I’ll be displeased. And if he has a different purpose... that would be even more irritating.
How Harriet truly felt about Tez was also a considerably bothersome point.
If her past experiences were still a wound, she wouldn't likely go around with him, yet Harriet had chosen to accompany him twice now. But it was also hard to say she had fallen for the man. There were no traces of her meeting him unless it was for a clear, purposeful occasion.
Cedric unbuttoned his collar, sat on a single-seater sofa, and gazed out the window.
Harriet Listerwell... She has a strangely competitive streak she provokes in others.
From what he had observed so far, she probably had no idea she was provoking such a spirit in those around her. But that was what made her even scarier. To charm people without even intending to... did she possess an innate talent for seduction?
Does the House of Listerwell simply have such a knack for it?
He snorted at his own thought. To compare Harriet to a low-class woman like Bella, even in a passing thought no one would ever hear, was absurd.
Cedric leaned his head back against the sofa and recalled Harriet as he had seen her today.
She had worn a cool, light blue dress and a wide-brimmed hat adorned with a ribbon of the same color. The sunlight had broken upon her clear ivory skin, making her look dazzling.
Why did I turn my head away then?