Chapter 10

Patrice was troubled.

He wondered if it was right to have offered to escort Clarice to the evening party.

If they were seen together, would it not expose Clarice to prying eyes again?

He thought he would be the only one to suffer, but what if the heartless ones would hurt Clarice as well?

The moment he realized this possibility, his worries vanished the instant he saw Clarice appear at the top of the stairs.

Tonight, if he were not by her side, Clarice would be taken by another man.

Clarice was so beautiful that he was convinced of this.

(… I will protect Clarice. I won’t let anyone say anything bad about her.)

Patrice reaffirmed his resolve and stared intently at Clarice as she slowly descended the stairs.

Clarice, her cheeks flushed, looked straight at Patrice with her emerald eyes.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

"No, it's fine."

When Clarice finally reached Patrice, he couldn't find the words to say.

He desperately tried to remember what Lucien would say to a woman in such a situation, but he couldn't recall.

Clarice, seemingly unfazed by his curt response, smiled calmly.

Patrice felt the tension in his shoulders ease.

Still, even after they moved to the venue, leaving the Carriers to greet the guests, the conversation did not flow.

"... Patrice, are you perhaps nervous?"

"No, — no, I am. I suppose I am nervous. I'm not good at such formal occasions."

Patrice turned his face away and mumbled his response.

He felt embarrassed, as such glamorous settings made him uncomfortable.

"Patrice… I appreciate your offer to escort me as a friend, but you don't have to force yourself. Please feel free to spend the evening in your room. The room should be quiet, and you won't hear the noise."

"I'm not forcing myself. I'm just nervous."

His honest answer made Clarice worry.

He tried to smooth things over, but Clarice only smiled ambiguously, and he couldn't fool her.

Patrice stared at Clarice and spoke his thoughts.

"You are very… beautiful."

Clarice, who had been looking back at Patrice despite her flushed face, turned even redder.

Her appearance became even more charming, and Patrice felt anxious.

"You are so attractive… I never realized I could be so jealous."

That was all he could say, and Patrice turned his face away.

Clarice, slightly deflated, responded.

"Patrice, you are so kind."

"… No, I'm not."

"But—"

Why couldn't he express himself properly? Patrice felt embarrassed.

Clarice started to say something, but the first guest entered the venue, and she fell silent.

From then on, the venue filled up quickly, and Clarice was busy introducing Patrice, so their conversation did not continue.

It seemed the guests were curious about Clarice and Patrice being together after their divorce.

Occasionally, they would subtly probe, but Clarice would respond before Patrice, assuring them that they were still wonderful friends.

In trying to protect her, he was being protected.

Such worries were forgotten while dancing with Clarice as the orchestra played.

It was the first time he had enjoyed dancing, and a smile appeared on Patrice's face.

Still, when the dance ended, Patrice was troubled again about how to change the situation.

How did men—excluding Lucien—express their feelings to the women they liked?

Standing in a corner of the venue, Patrice watched men ask Clarice to dance, trying to deter them from behind.

But the stream of men did not stop.

"Patrice, um—"

"Clarice, it's been a while."

"Michael!"

When Clarice smiled and greeted someone, a man's voice interrupted.

Instantly, Clarice's face lit up.

Seeing her expression, Patrice was taken aback and confirmed the man, then let out a sigh of relief.

The man who made Clarice look so unguarded and happy was the younger brother of Lord Carrier—Clarice's uncle.

"Michael, what's wrong? Did you get dismissed from the knighthood?"

"Don't be rude, Clarice. I happened to be on leave and returned to find my brother's celebration, so I joined in."

"That's so… Ah, Patrice, this is my uncle, Michael Carrier. We met once at this estate three years ago, I believe."

Patrice was happy to see Clarice's joy at the reunion, but Michael did not seem to share the sentiment.

Even when introduced to Patrice, Michael's guard remained up.

"Yes, I remember. Hugo was taken back to the capital as a squire, right? I believe you are now a full knight in Lucien's unit?"

"Yes, that's correct. I've been granted a long leave, so I returned home after a long time. But why are you here, sir?"

"Michael, that's rude."

"No, it's fine."

Michael's attitude was understandable.

If Patrice were in Michael's position, he would have acted the same.

"His Majesty ordered you to divorce Clarice. I hope you won't toy with her like this."

"Michael!"

Their conversation was in hushed tones, but the uneasy atmosphere drew the attention of the surrounding guests.

Despite this, Patrice envied Michael's unwavering stance.

Friendship was important to Patrice, but he wanted to be in a position to protect Clarice openly.

When he realized he couldn't hide his feelings, Patrice's heart strangely calmed.

He gently squeezed Clarice's hand, which had turned pale, and then released it, looking Michael straight in the eye.

"Indeed, I followed His Majesty's order and divorced Clarice. But His Majesty never said I couldn't be near her or court her again."

"Huh?"

"… What?"

Patrice's words left Michael and Clarice speechless.

The surrounding guests also gasped.

Amid the murmurs, Patrice turned away from Michael and moved to a vase by the wall, pulling out a flower and returning to Clarice.

His action made even the dancers stop to watch Patrice.

"What are you doing…?"

Michael muttered beside Clarice, puzzled.

But in Patrice's world, only Clarice, with her wide eyes, existed.

Patrice didn't know what kind of flower it was, but he thought it was the right size for Clarice to use as a sword.

It was a gesture they both understood.

Like their reunion by the river, Patrice offered the branch to Clarice.

The difference was that they were at a glamorous evening party, both in formal attire, and surrounded by many spectators, but Patrice only had eyes for Clarice.

"Clarice, I was a terrible husband before. I wanted to start over as friends because I didn't think I deserved more. But recently, I gained a small hope from that bet. Since then, I've been desperately trying to figure out how to build a relationship beyond friendship."

"Patrice…"

"Please, Clarice. Will you accept this branch and marry me again?"

"… Yes."

At Patrice's straightforward proposal, Clarice hesitated for a moment but nodded and accepted the branch.

Honestly, Patrice had expected to be rejected, and it felt like a dream.

To keep the dream from ending, Patrice only looked at Clarice and firmly held her hands.

The surrounding guests, witnessing the dramatic moment, were excited, and the orchestra, which had stopped playing, began a celebratory tune, but the two remained locked in each other's gaze.

"Clarice, it's nice to be in our own world, but can you accept everyone's blessings now?"

"Huh? Oh!"

"Sir. This time, I look forward to working with you."

"Yes."

Clarice, snapped out of her daze by Michael's exasperated voice, turned red and hurriedly faced the guests.

Patrice, disappointed by the interruption, released one hand but kept the other firmly on Clarice's as he solemnly responded to Michael.

The guests came one after another to offer their congratulations, and Patrice silently nodded in response, while Clarice thanked them.

However, the timely arrival of the widowed countess and the Carriers, who provided a grand celebration and skillfully managed the crowd, allowed the two to slip away.

"… Patrice, are you really okay with marrying me again?"

"That's my question, Clarice. I promise I will never make you suffer like that again. If you become my wife again, I have no intention of divorcing you. Is that acceptable?"

"Of course. I won't let my husband treat me like that again. Is that acceptable?"

Hearing Clarice's bold response, Patrice laughed out loud.

Clarice, hearing Patrice's laughter for the first time, widened her eyes.

Finding Clarice endearing, Patrice stared at her again, and Clarice turned red and fell silent.