“Oh, it’s been a while, Lady Antrue.”

He had quite a brazen expression on his face. Of course, he’s so brazen that he’d go ahead and break a partnership agreement after accepting a request for one.

I tightened my grip on Dorothy’s arm.

[I called you because there’s something I want to clarify.]

“What is it, milady?”

Seth Dolorante looked at me with a gaze that seemed coated in honey. Oh dear, at this rate, Dorothy might run away.

[When you applied to be my partner before, I didn’t know you had another partner.]

Dorothy blinked in surprise at the words floating in the air.

Seth Dolorante stared at the letters as if lost in thought.

[I don’t have a habit of stealing other people’s partners. I don’t mind anyone, as long as they’re not my husband, but you are not someone I would go through that trouble for.]

The beautifully drawn letters contrasted with the cold and firm content. Seth Dolorante responded with a grimace-like smile.

“Indeed.”

[I want to set things right.]

As I spoke, I turned to look at Dorothy. She seemed flabbergasted, blinking in confusion.

I quietly relaxed my grip. Then I said to Dorothy,

[I wanted to clear up the misunderstanding between us. Ah, of course, if you still feel uncomfortable, there’s nothing I can do about that.]

At my words, Dorothy stammered a question.

“So, um, what you’re saying is that the Duchess didn’t know the Marquis had a partner, and the Marquis applied to be the Duchess’s partner despite having one?”

“Very impressive. You’re right.”

At those words, Dorothy’s eyes sparkled. Then she glared at Seth Dolorante with a fierce look.

“You didn’t say that to me!”

“I just didn’t elaborate. Didn’t I say I was sorry, though?”

Dorothy seemed to become agitated in an instant, starting to pout. Her friends and I raised our hands, trying to calm her down for a moment.

[Don’t get too worked up.]

“Dorothy, calm down…”

“Other people are watching.”

“But…!”

Dorothy looked at me. A whirlwind of emotions swirled in her eyes. There seemed to be a mix of indignation, anger, and confusion.

“I thought you deliberately stole my partner…!”

I brought my finger to my lips. Shh, people are paying attention to us right now.

It must be quite an interesting scene. The person who had their partner stolen and the one who stole it. And the sight of that man being together with them.

[Let’s go to the terrace for now.]

“Of course.”

Seth smoothly rolled his tongue. Though Dorothy glared at him, he just smiled as if it didn’t bother him at all.

‘He really is an impressive man in many ways.’

I took Dorothy’s arm and headed to the terrace with him.

[Could you wait outside for a moment?]

“Oh, yes. Of course. Take your time.”

It seemed that Dorothy’s friends gathered in front of the curtains to keep watch outside the terrace.

As soon as we entered the terrace, Dorothy raised her voice.

“Explain yourself properly!”

“Well, I’m not sure if there’s anything to explain.”

Seth spoke as if he had no fault at all. It was a bit infuriating the way he said that. Dorothy couldn’t hide her excitement and continued.

“At that time, you said it was as if the Duchess requested it first!”

“I never said such a thing.”

‘Well, it’s true that man wouldn’t have made a statement that could be easily picked apart.’

I tilted my head and touched my cheek with my fingertips.

[For now, Dorothy, could you try to calm down?]

“Do I look calm? Do you have any idea how much, how much…!”

Anger was evident in her eyes. I thought she would be sad, but perhaps this is better.

[Of course, I also acknowledge my fault for not confirming things properly.]

“That’s not a fault! That’s a mistake. The one whose fault is…!”

She shot a glare at Seth.

“That person did it!”

Seth smoothly raised both hands in a gesture of surrender. Then, as if doing her a favor, he said,

“Oh dear, it seems I misspoke. I apologize, Lady Antrue.”

However, his attitude did not quell Dorothy’s anger. In an instant, she raised her hand. I was startled and tried to grab her hand, but—

Smack—!

A loud sound echoed immediately. Dorothy had slapped Seth across the face. Seth blinked for a moment with his head turned, then smiled and said.

“Have you calmed down now?”

“No!”

Dorothy raised her hand once more. I hurriedly grabbed her hand.

[Dorothy, if you go any further, it will become a problem.]

“But…!”

[Take a deep breath and stay calm. And Lord Seth Dolorante, please stop provoking Dorothy.]

“Oh dear, did it show?”

[I have no idea why you would do such a thing.]

“It’s just a little hobby of mine. And…”

Seth Dolorante stepped closer and took my hand, gently kissing the back of it.

“I actually hope your anger subsides.”

At those words, Dorothy’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“Are you insane? Lady Ariadeline is a married woman!”

“But you were almost divorced once, right?”

“What kind of nonsense is this!”

Dorothy shouted. Oh dear. That noise is going to carry outside. Unable to contain her anger, she said to me,

“Was that man always this brazen?”

[In my memory, he has always been brazen.]

“It hurts my heart to hear you think that.”

“Milord, please be quiet!”

Dorothy growled immediately. Seth smiled sweetly, turning her insides upside down. Honestly, I should just sew that mouth shut.

As I clicked my tongue in disapproval, Seth soon opened his mouth. His voice was gentle but very low.

“But isn’t there something that should be done properly?”

“What do you mean?”

“I never said that Lady Ariadeline proposed to be my partner first.”

“So you cleverly worded it. It made it seem as if Lady Ariadeline stole my partner…!”

He interrupted Dorothy’s words.

“No, it was you who went around saying it as if Lady Ariadeline stole your partner, Lady Antrue.”

“……”

Oh dear.

Dorothy’s mouth snapped shut. I gently stepped between the two of them.

[Anyway, I just wanted to clarify the facts. If the misunderstanding is resolved, that’s enough.]

“Oh dear, Duchess. How could you make me out to be the bad guy?”

Seth approached me with a gleam in his eye. In an instant, he wrapped his arm around my waist. I blinked in surprise as he pulled me closer.

“You should compensate for that, Duchess.”

Oh, look at this.

I simply raised the corners of my mouth in a smile. What kind of manners are those, hitting on a married woman? I was trying to politely reject a man who was behaving so uncouthly.

Suddenly!

Dorothy unexpectedly pushed my shoulder and the lord’s shoulder apart.

She bit her lip in frustration, then turned to me and shouted,

“It’s annoying, but you’re right.”

I was taken aback, my eyes wide open in surprise.

[Dorothy, it’s alright.]

“No, I think we need to address this, as the Marquis said.”

Dorothy grabbed my arm and pulled me out to the terrace. People briefly turned their heads at our appearance. It was a rather eye-catching combination, after all.

Dorothy walked with me towards the center of the hall. She took a deep breath, then turned to me, grasped the hem of her dress, and curtsied.

“I apologize formally for this. I misunderstood and spread rumors about the Duchess. I will reflect on my actions for a long time. The Duchess never stole my partner.”

“Oh, what’s going on?”

“Ah, are they talking about that incident?”

“Why, wasn’t Marquis Seth Dolorante the Duchess’s partner before?”

“Ah, that incident?”

“So, the rumor about her stealing her partner was false?”

People began to murmur. I scratched my cheek, feeling a bit embarrassed. Dorothy, you really have a fiery personality.

‘And I don’t dislike that about her.’

[Thank you for apologizing.]

I also grasped the hem of my dress and curtsied lightly to make her feel less awkward. People were gossiping about us, each with their own opinions.

I met Dorothy’s gaze. I couldn’t help but smile, and Dorothy looked at me as if I was crazy for smiling. Well, what’s wrong with smiling?

I turned my head slightly and looked towards the terrace. Seth Dolorante was leaning against the terrace, looking this way. I narrowed my eyes for a moment.

‘Did you find that helpful?’

His lips formed those words. So, did he have this picture in mind from the moment he met Dorothy?

‘Hmm, I don’t like this.’

I turned my head slightly and thought.

‘In the end, he just slipped away again. Dorothy is taking responsibility like this.’

It’s hard to feel any affection for someone who thinks so obviously.

In the meantime, I held Dorothy’s hand and smiled. I could see her feeling awkward, but she mouthed,

‘Smile, smile.’

“Hah, haha, hahaha…”

Dorothy started to laugh forcefully. Yeah, if we’re going to have such a blatant apology performance, we should have thought about a reconciliation performance too.

As we laughed together, I looked back at where the lord had been, but he had already disappeared from his seat.

‘I need to find out what his intentions really are.’

With that attitude, saying he loves me feels like a lie.