Chapter 68

The party, which began with the biggest surprise, was in full swing, and Adi was, as expected, being pulled in all directions. Having entered the Albert family as a groom from the position of a servant, it was only natural that he would be so busy, and his hectic pace was even more than Mary's.

"Surprisingly relaxing," Mary said.

"Milady Mary, Mr. Adi is in quite a predicament," Alicia said, pouting and puffing her cheeks as she sat next to Mary on the bench in the courtyard, chatting leisurely. However, the fact that she was holding a plate with a cake on it suggested that she was not about to go and help Adi or Patrick.

Just as the two of them were watching their busy husband and lover, a voice called out, "Milady Mary..."

Looking up, they saw two young ladies standing there, hesitantly calling out. Parfait, dressed in a light pink, fluffy dress with a small floral decoration that swayed in the wind, and Carina, dressed in a navy blue, chic dress. The contrasting dresses of the two highlighted their respective charms of cuteness and beauty to the fullest.

Both appeared nervous in front of the princess—especially for Carina, the protagonist of the previous work—and Parfait was trembling like a small animal.

"Parfait, Carina, you've come."

"Milady Mary, c-congratulations! You look so beautiful and happy, and I'm so moved, I'm so happy, so happy..."

Tears welled up in Parfait's eyes, moved to the point of tears, and Mary hurriedly said, "Stop crying over every emotion!"

Then, she deliberately looked at the person behind Parfait and exclaimed, "Oh!" It was, of course, Gaius Eldland. His well-built figure looked good in formal attire, and a flower matching Parfait's hair decoration was pinned to his chest.

He must have been her escort. Seeing this, Mary smiled mischievously, and Parfait, realizing what she was implying, shook her head frantically.

"So, you ended up asking him to be your escort."

"N-no, that's not it! Mr. Gaius really wanted to come to the party and greet you, Milady Mary!"

"Is that so? But that's strange, I sent an invitation to the Eldland family, so he could have come even without being an escort."

"Ah! T-that's... because he... he knew about the café I wanted to go to, and he was showing me the way!"

Parfait turned bright red and desperately tried to explain, and Mary, hearing this, replied, "I see," with a sly smile.

Parfait's obvious attempt to avoid Gaius was amusing, and her cuteness made Mary want to tease her even more.

"So, he was just showing you the way to the café."

"T-that's right! And when the party time came, he insisted, so I came with him! It's not an escort or anything!"

"That's good. Wait here, I'll go get the others."

"Wh-what? W-wait, please! That... that's..."

Parfait hastily tried to stop Mary, who was about to return to the party. Seeing her obvious reaction, Mary chuckled, and Alicia and Carina shrugged their shoulders in unison.

"You're not being honest at all," their expressions seemed to say, directed at both Mary and Parfait.

"It seems a bit early. If so, make time later."

"Y-yes, sometime..."

Parfait's response, with her eyes darting around, was clearly insincere, and Mary, realizing she might have teased her a bit too much, was about to offer some reassurance... when she was suddenly grabbed by the shoulder from behind.

"Milady Mary, congratulations. By the way, I'm always available."

"I knew you'd come..."

The ambitious young lady, with her eyes gleaming like a hunter eyeing her prey, spoke with passionate rapidity. Her red dress accentuated her beauty, but for some reason, Mary could only see it as a battle uniform. The red, perhaps, vividly represented her burning ambition.

Despite the overwhelming pressure, Mary was momentarily taken aback, and then a hesitant, timid voice called out again, "Milady Mary..."

This time, it wasn't Parfait or Carina—Parfait was too busy puffing her cheeks at the ambitious young lady, who had muttered, "The Eldland family is quite large, you know," and Carina was sighing in exasperation at the two of them. Instead, several young ladies were looking at Mary awkwardly.

Mary recognized them... as she searched her memory, she recalled the envious glares that had often pierced her back at the many parties she had attended. Cold, yet burning with jealousy, they were the ones who had always looked at her with envy when she monopolized Patrick.

However, now, there was no jealousy in their eyes, only confusion. It was understandable that they were bewildered, given that the Mary they had feared would steal their prince had announced such a marriage.

So, Mary smiled confidently and bowed her head in gratitude.

"Thank you," she replied, with a hint of sarcasm, "I hope you'll stop your misplaced jealousy and suspicions."

The young ladies, looking awkward, exchanged glances and then one of them muttered, "Why?"

"Excuse me, but why him?"

Mary, surprised by the question, blinked.

"He" was, of course, Adi. It was incredibly rude to question someone's choice of partner, especially during a wedding reception, but the young ladies, living in a world where political marriages were the norm, were genuinely curious.

Why would the young lady of the Albert family, who possessed beauty, talent, and authority, and could have any man she wanted, choose a servant?

They didn't ask directly, but their gazes spoke volumes. Moreover, they kept mentioning the names of men they thought Mary might have chosen, most of whom were unknown to her but were, in their eyes, the "princes" Mary could have chosen.

Mary, understanding their confusion, chuckled and shrugged.

"Why? It's obvious, isn't it?"

"...Huh?"

"Because there's no better man than Adi."

Mary's answer, delivered with a smile, made the young ladies widen their eyes.

They had never seen Mary, the always composed and envied Mary, be so openly, honestly, and happily smiling. She had always taken Patrick's hand with a calm demeanor, never blushing or smiling happily, and her composed attitude had made some cry in jealousy, feeling the overwhelming authority of the Albert family.

But now, Mary was the complete opposite, blushing and happily talking about her beloved.

"Milady Mary, perhaps we've misunderstood you."

"Yes, if the misunderstanding is cleared up, that's good. What will you do now?"

"Do... do what?"

The young ladies, tilting their heads in confusion, looked at Mary, who glanced sideways at the party.

Today's party was attended by a large number of guests, not only from within the country but also from foreign lands. The "princes" they had thought Mary might have chosen were likely among them.

"So, are you going to sit and wait again?"

"That's... "

"Didn't you learn from Patrick's time that just waiting will get you snatched away by some country girl with only guts?"

Mary's sly smile made everyone catch their breath.

But they remained hesitant, and Mary sighed at their continued timidity.

"There are people in this world who only realize how much they love someone when they are told. It's frustrating, but true."

She added, "Not naming names, of course," and Alicia chuckled.

Mary cleared her throat, as if reprimanding Alicia's reaction, because, of course, she was talking about herself. She had only realized her feelings for Adi after he told her he loved her and Alicia had advised her. The thought of her own slowness made her too embarrassed to name names.

So, Mary emphasized, "Not naming names," and continued.

"There are such slow people in the world, so waiting for them to realize their feelings is a waste of time. I'm not saying you should always take the initiative, but look at the people who have succeeded by doing so."

She glanced sideways, and Alicia, understanding her point, smiled sheepishly.

Alicia had moved to win Patrick's heart, pursuing him relentlessly despite the fact that he was a prince everyone desired. She had overcome the differences in status, birth, and numerous rivals with her love alone.

And... Mary looked at Adi, who was inside the mansion. It was because he had moved that she, the slow one, had finally realized her feelings.

Of course, moving on one's own doesn't guarantee success. There are cases like Lilianne, who made a mistake, and Carina, who was too late. Sometimes, it might end in heartbreak.

Still, Mary said in a calm, advising tone:

"Taking the initiative takes a lot of courage. You might be rejected, or seen as improper, and I understand those fears. But... I think it's very admirable to be able to take that step."

Her loving tone made the courtyard fall silent for a moment.

The silence was broken by the light music from the party, signaling the start of a dance.

"Why don't you all try asking someone to dance?"

Mary's suggestion, which seemed like a good idea, made the young ladies widen their eyes in surprise.

They had never considered a woman asking a man to dance. They always waited for the first dance with their escort and then waited for men to ask them. At best, they might use family or friend connections.

So, seeing their expressions, which seemed to protest such unconventional behavior, Mary smiled mischievously.

"Today is the day the eccentric young lady of the Albert family is revealing her marriage to a servant. Asking a man to dance shouldn't be surprising at all."

Mary's sly smile made everyone exchange wide-eyed glances. They seemed to be thinking, "She's still as eccentric as ever."

But their expressions gradually changed, suggesting they had their own thoughts. Perhaps they were determined not to let their beloved princes be taken away again, and they were feeling a sense of urgency. Still, the habit of waiting held them back, and they looked at each other in confusion.

Just then, a voice calling for Alicia was heard from the corridor connecting the party and the courtyard.

---

As always, the ambitious young lady is pushing forward. I have prepared a short story about her as a side story, and I'm relieved to have received positive feedback.

By the way, I received comments about her name, but she has already appeared in the story.

I try to avoid mentioning the names of characters other than the main ones (I find it difficult to remember names, and as a reader and writer, I get confused when there are too many names), but there is one place where a character's name, who hasn't appeared before, is mentioned. That is her name. (laughs)