Chapter 8: Rubina’s Thoughts

I came to another evening party today. Since my family was invited, I had no choice but to attend. In the year of my debut, there are a lot of family invitations, so when it’s a family event, Onii-sama escorts me. Cynthia-san told me not to worry about it since that’s how debut years are.

“There are a few heirs from families who sent marriage proposals. Be careful.”

Marriage requires parental consent, and there are many factors like family agreements and compatibility, so I can’t decide on my own. Sending a proposal means the other family has already agreed, I suppose. But even if I need to be careful, it’s rude not to return a greeting when someone speaks to me, so that should be fine, right?

“Understood, I’ll be careful.”

Don’t follow someone I don’t know.

Don’t drink anything handed to me by a stranger.

Don’t be alone with someone I don’t know.

I don’t want to stand out, so I decided to behave quietly. While making the rounds with Onii-sama as usual, I spotted a blond man I recognized.

“Oh!”

I couldn’t help but let out a small exclamation, and Onii-sama followed my gaze. Since we were talking with Onii-sama’s friend at the time, his friend also looked at the blond man.

“Rubina-chan, do you know him? He’s the heir of the Helm count family.”

Onii-sama’s friend seemed to know the blond man.

“We’re not exactly acquaintances, but we go to the same academy.”

He was the one who helped me when I escaped from Diet. I need to thank him somehow. Since the Helm heir (I just learned his name) is popular at the academy, I couldn’t approach him, and we hadn’t crossed paths in my daily routine, so I hadn’t seen him since that day. While I was lost in thought, my eyes met the Helm heir’s. I gave a small bow, and he noticed me, parted from the stout man he was talking to, and walked over.

“Hey, we’re at the same academy, right?”

“Yes. Thank you for the other day. I’m Rubina Rosen. This is my brother.”

I had told Onii-sama about him, so he asked, “Is he the one who helped you?” and I nodded.

“Thank you for helping my sister the other day. I’m Luke Rosen.”

“No need to thank me. I just stretched out my leg, and suddenly a male student came running and tripped over it by chance. I’m sorry for the late introduction—I’m Lance Helm.”

He playfully mentioned his long legs, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hehe, it really seemed that way. I was saved that day. I’m sorry for the late thanks.”

I curtsied, holding the hem of my dress, and bowed my head.

“No need to worry about it so much. That guy from that day ended up leaving the academy, it seems. He was taken away by a teacher afterward.”

What? Diet left the academy? I hadn’t heard anything about that from anyone. Why does the Helm heir know about this when I don’t…? I looked at Onii-sama, and he averted his gaze. He clearly knows something!

“Onii-sama, please tell me about it later.”

I smiled, and he looked away.

“…It seems I said something unnecessary. Please forgive me. I’ll take my leave now.”

The Helm heir returned to his acquaintances. He sounded apologetic, but I’m glad he told me.

“Onii-sama? What’s going on?”

Onii-sama sighed as if he’d given up and started explaining.

“Dietrich-dono has left the academy. Viscount Morrison decided to have Dietrich-dono live on their estate. As a result, the Morrison viscount title will be inherited by his younger sister, Cecil-chan. Dietrich-dono has done some things that… deviate from common sense, and it seems Viscount Morrison is quite troubled. We kept it from you, Rubina, because we planned to tell you after everything was settled. I thought you might be hurt since he was your former fiancé. I’m sorry for keeping it a secret.”

Diet was disinherited? The title will go to Cecil-san… Cecil-san is very responsible, so I think she’ll be fine, but what will Diet do now? When did he change so much? I thought I understood Diet, but maybe I wasn’t really looking at him. If I keep thinking about this, Onii-sama will worry, so I greeted people as usual and spent the party as normal. Then I said I’d be right back, went to the restroom, and stared blankly at the lit-up garden. I need to return to the venue, but I’m already exhausted today.

“Sigh…”

I let out a sigh naturally, and someone spoke to me.

“Rubina-chan, what’s wrong? You’re in a secluded spot like this.”

It was Jay-sama who spoke to me. So Jay-sama was invited too.

“Jay-sama, good evening.”

“Good evening. It’s a lovely night, isn’t it? That dress looks wonderful on you today.”

As expected of Jay-sama, he casually compliments me while greeting.

“Thank you. Did you just arrive, Jay-sama? I didn’t see you at the venue earlier.”

“Yes, I just got here. Rubina-chan, do you have something troubling you? If you’d like, I can be someone to talk to.”

Someone to talk to… I feel hesitant to tell Jay-sama about Diet.

~Jay’s Perspective~

I got caught up talking with the artisans and arrived late to the venue! We were discussing a brooch for ladies that’ll be sold at the shop—it was intricately crafted and beautiful, so I asked about the details they focused on. Tonight’s party is hosted by a family acquainted with Viscount Rosen, so Rubina-chan might be here! With that thought, I hurried into the venue, but I couldn’t find Rubina-chan. I spotted her brother, Luke-dono, and greeted him. He said Rubina-chan is here and should be back soon. For some reason, I left the venue to look for her and found her in the hallway, gazing at the garden. Even though it’s close to the venue and there are guards, it’s dangerous for her to be alone. I’d heard that some people target debutante ladies in a despicable act called “debut hunting.” They mainly target innocent young ladies. I heard that some families are forced to let it go even if something happens, possibly because a high-ranking noble is backing the perpetrators.

Young ladies who are “tainted” either become second wives to much older families or are sent to a convent. If they conceive a child, they might even be disposed of. I decided to bring her back to the venue and was about to call out to her.

(Sigh…)

It’s rare for her to sigh like that. Even when she was left behind, she didn’t show such weakness.

“Rubina-chan, what’s wrong, being in a secluded spot like this?”

I phrased it gently to avoid saying outright that a secluded place is dangerous.

“Jay-sama, good evening.”

She didn’t notice at all… That’s dangerous. I wanted to say so, but I didn’t want to scold her right after seeing her.

“Good evening. It’s a lovely night, isn’t it? That dress looks wonderful on you today.”

She’s wearing a light purple dress today. The ribbons on her shoulders and waist emphasize her slender figure.

“Thank you. Did you just arrive, Jay-sama? I didn’t see you at the venue earlier.”

It seems she was paying a little attention to me.

“Yes, I just got here. You look troubled, Rubina-chan. Did something happen? If you’d like, I can be someone to talk to.”

Is she worried about something at the academy? Her family seems close, so it’s probably not a family issue, right?

For now, staying here might worry Luke-dono, so we returned to the venue. With Luke-dono’s permission, we went to the terrace. I had two glasses of sparkling water prepared and placed them on the table on the terrace. The sparkling water had grapes in it, giving a refreshing sweetness when sipped.

“Is something troubling you?”

She looks downcast.

“Are you troubled by being introduced to another man again?”

From what I’ve heard, Viscount Rosen doesn’t seem like the type to force an engagement on her.

“…No, that’s not it.”

“Are you feeling unwell, perhaps?”

“…Maybe.”

She clearly lacks energy.

“That’s troubling. You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to, but sometimes sharing with someone can lighten your heart. I’m the type to keep secrets. I don’t want you to dislike me, after all.”

Rubina-chan took a sip of the grape-flavored sparkling water and looked at me.

“…Can I talk about a friend’s issue?”

“Of course.”

When someone says it’s about a friend, it’s usually about themselves, but I’ll pretend not to notice. That’s part of Rubina-chan’s charm, I thought.

“So, will you tell me about this friend’s story?”

…I’ll give advice as if it’s about her friend. What I’m about to hear is definitely not Rubina-chan’s own story.

“My friend had a fiancé, but due to various reasons… a personality mismatch, perhaps? They ended up annulling the engagement.”

“I see. That’s a difficult situation.”

“My friend’s family was the one to propose the annulment. Since engagements are agreements between families, she discussed it with her family, and they understood. Her father spoke to the former fiancé’s family about it.”

“An engagement can’t be annulled without family consent, so your friend was fortunate to have a supportive family.”

“Yes! I think so too.”

Rubina-chan answered happily. She must feel like her family was praised. Seeing Rubina-chan, it’s clear she has a close family.

“That’s good to hear. And then?”

“Um… after the annulment, it seems her former fiancé spoke to her for the first time in a while. And, um… I think he said something like he’d take back the annulment?”

“…Huh. That’s a strange thing to say. Who initiated the annulment?”

“Yes, my friend’s side initiated it, but for some reason, the heir claimed he was the one who ended it.”

What? What does that mean? She said the families had settled it, right? Let’s dig a bit deeper.

“What did this heir… misunderstand, I wonder?”

“She was taken to a secluded place to talk, and the heir started acting strange. She got scared and tried to escape, but her mouth was covered, and…”

“What!? Her mouth was covered with what?”

“…? Her mouth was covered with his hand.”

I was shocked! Covered with a hand… I see. I overreacted. That’s a poor way to phrase it, Rubina-chan.

“…I see, a hand… She managed to escape well. You should tell your friend it’s not good to be alone with someone.”

“It seems she was shocked by the sudden situation. She escaped by applying pressure to his thumb, something she’d been taught. But her legs are slow, and she was almost caught. When she thought she’d be caught, a knight course student tripped the heir, giving her a chance to escape on a carriage.”

“…We need to teach her better self-defense methods. There are ways to escape without much force, but… teaching a young lady those methods might be tricky…”

There are various methods, but would her body move in a moment of crisis? Fear might overpower her. I can’t exactly tell Rubina-chan to kick someone in a vital spot. I was the one who taught her to apply pressure to a thumb, but it’s sounding more and more like her own story. Rubina-chan is terrible at lying.

“Jay-sama? Is something wrong?”

“Oh, sorry, I got lost in thought… Please continue.”

“It seems it caused a small commotion and was reported to the heir’s family.”

“Was there a witness or something? Since you mentioned the knight course, was this at the academy?”

“Yes, it happened on the way back from the academy festival.”

“I see… During the festival, there are a lot of people, and the festive mood might make one let their guard down.”

“That might be true. She had just parted from her friends and might have felt safe seeing the carriage.”

“She should be more careful even on campus from now on. And then?”

Why does someone so cautious keep getting entangled…? Pointing that out might make her dislike me. If even the academy isn’t safe, I’m starting to worry.

“Oh, and it seems the heir… deviated a bit from common sense, so he was disinherited, left the academy, and is going to the estate. When I heard that, I…”

She probably feels like she didn’t want that to happen.

“I see… So Rubina-chan, you’re feeling pained for your friend, right?”

“I didn’t want him to be disinherited. Yes, I was hurt, but to think I’ll never see him again without even talking it out properly… it feels…”

She’ll never see him again, but is it okay for it to end like this…? That’s what she means.

“I understand. Why don’t you meet him directly and talk?”

“It wouldn’t lead to a proper discussion… I always end up being talked over.”

“You need to speak up clearly, or misunderstandings will happen. Some people see holding back as a virtue, but if you don’t say it, it won’t be understood.”

The former Smith countess blew up on her own before, but this is different. She needs to settle this properly.

“…But I don’t know how to meet him. My family planned to tell me after everything was settled… Oh!”

I was going to play along with her pretense, but she admitted it’s her own story. After looking surprised, her face turned bright red! Damn, she’s so cute!

“…Um, it’s not actually my friend’s story…”

She looked at me, embarrassed. So cute!

“…Could it be Rubina-chan’s story? In that case, I’d like to share my perspective. Is that okay?”

“…Yes, please.”

Rubina-chan hid her face with both hands and looked down. Her ears are red from embarrassment—what is this adorable creature!

“I think Rubina-chan should properly settle things with your former fiancé.”

“Eh? Settle… things?”

She looked up at me, seemingly surprised. If she has something to say, she needs to say it now. Someone as kind as Rubina-chan will likely keep thinking about her former fiancé if she doesn’t. It’s not her fault.

“It’s a matter between families, and you understand that, so you probably feel you can’t discuss it with your family. You don’t want to worry them, right?”

“Yes, that’s exactly it.”

“This is hard to say, but don’t you lack confidence in yourself, Rubina-chan?”

“…Yes, because I’m just…”

“Don’t say things like ‘I’m just.’ I think you’re an honest young lady who grew up surrounded by your family’s love. If your family heard that, they’d be sad, you know?”

“…But my former fiancé said I lack loyalty, that I’m lower than a dog, that I’m selfish…”

“What!? Wait a moment!”

What? Loyalty? What’s that supposed to mean? I can’t keep up.

“? Yes.”

“Did your former fiancé really say you lack loyalty?”

I can’t believe it!

“Yes. That time at Jay-sama’s shop, he got angry that I went home on my own, and the next day…”

“You didn’t go home on your own in the first place… That idiot—no, your former fiancé… Does he think he’s some kind of lord? Or someone worthy of that? And to call you lower than a dog… Yes, some dog breeds show loyalty to their owners. But that’s because they live together with love, forming a bond. To say that to a fiancée… to a future partner! A partner is someone you walk alongside and support each other. To compare you to a dog… You should be angrier! What annulment!? You should have thrown the engagement in his face! To a scumbag like that! One or two punches wouldn’t be enough… I should find a way to bury him…”

If I asked the darker side of the marquis family, it’d be over in an instant… I knew he compared her to a dog, but hearing the details makes me furious. What an idiot that heir is! Who does he think he is!

“Jay-sama! Jay-sama!! Please come back. Your face looks scary.”

I snapped out of it. Oh! I didn’t mean to scare her, but my face must have looked bad.

“S-sorry. I got so angry… I couldn’t help it.”

“…No, when I told my friends about this, they all got angry for me too… But as Jay-sama said, I might be struggling because I haven’t settled things in my heart. I should have things to say. I just couldn’t say them… I want to meet his family and talk. But they’d probably oppose it, and I don’t think we’d have a proper conversation alone, plus I’m scared.”

“You want to talk, right? That’s what you wish for, isn’t it?”

“…Yes, if possible.”

“Understood. I’ll accompany you, so let’s make your wish come true.”

“Eh? Jay-sama? I can’t trouble you with something that doesn’t concern you.”

Rubina-chan shook her head vigorously.

“It does concern me. I was there when you were left behind, wasn’t I? I felt angry and sympathetic when that idiot rushed to pick you up. We’ve danced together multiple times, and we’ve gone out together, right? It’s not an exaggeration to say we’re already close.”

It’s… not quite like that, is it? She tilted her head, but I emphasized that we’re close.

“Don’t worry. I’ll arrange things with your family and that idiot’s family. So think about what you want to talk about and what you want to say. Consider this your last chance to meet that idiot.”

…Idiot, idiot… Hehehe.

“Yes, Jay-sama, I’ll leave it to you… I’ll organize what I want to say. I don’t know if Father will agree, but if he does… I’ll give him a piece of my mind.”

“Oh, that’s the spirit!”

“I’ll do my best!”

Rubina-chan was filled with determination. By the end, she had a good expression on her face.

~Viscount Rosen’s Perspective~

“…I can’t agree to that.”

Jay came to see Rubina’s father, Viscount Rosen, saying he had something to discuss. How many times has this happened now…? I thought it might be another request to take Rubina somewhere. If he’s taking her out, I wish he’d choose the location carefully…

“Rubina-chan isn’t as much of a child as you think, Viscount Rosen.”

As a parent, I might selfishly want her to stay a child who relies on me forever, but why does my precious daughter have to go get hurt on her own…?

“To me, she’ll always be a child. Besides, the matter has been settled between the parents, and…”

“Yes, I fully understand that. But that’s between the parents—Rubina-chan hasn’t been able to process her feelings. To her, this matter feels like it was forcibly ended. She’s so kind that she shared her feelings as ‘a friend’s story.’ Hearing that, I came to see you, Viscount.”

The Morrison heir isn’t normal. If he says something cruel to Rubina again, I don’t know if I can handle it… But seeing the Morrison heir might make me emotional. Luke would be the same. To fulfill Rubina’s wish…

“The Morrison heir isn’t normal… If Rubina gets hurt… I can’t agree to this, but if Rubina says she wants to go with Lord Hudson… She seems to get entangled easily… I tell her not to be alone, but the moment I take my eyes off her, she gets caught up in something.”

…Should I assign not just a maid but a guard to her? I considered that too.

“Yes, hearing about his outrageous behavior makes it clear he’s not normal. But I’d like to arrange a meeting before he’s sent to the estate. I want to honor Rubina-chan’s feelings. Of course, if there’s any hurtful behavior or words, I’ll take action.”

Lord Hudson bowed as he said this. I didn’t expect him to go that far.

“Sigh. Understood… But why does Lord Hudson go to such lengths for Rubina? Even getting involved in this mess…”

I’d been wondering for a while—when should I ask? Now’s the time.

“It’s as you might have guessed. I care for Rubina-chan, and I hope she’ll turn her attention to me someday. But she can’t move forward without cleanly settling things with her former fiancé. It’s for my sake too.”

I figured as much. Hearing his feelings is enough… I heard he was granted a count title but has no land. His business is doing well (for now). I know families with land that are on the brink of bankruptcy due to poor management. Having land doesn’t guarantee a stable life. Managing it comes with many challenges, but seeing the people live peacefully makes it worthwhile.

He has the backing of a marquis family. As long as he lives in the capital, he won’t cross paths with the Morrison heir (who can’t leave the estate). His title is a count, he works diligently, and he has connections with other countries. He’s five years older than Rubina… That might be just right for her. Even if something happens in the country, Lord Hudson’s deep ties with other nations mean he could help Rubina escape. I want my daughter to be happy. If Rubina has feelings for Lord Hudson, I can’t stop her. After thinking it over thoroughly, my answer was…

“…If you betray Rubina, I won’t forgive you.”

Jay smiled gently.

“Yes. Thank you for your permission.”

Lord Hudson said he’d visit the Morrison family and left. I don’t dislike how he always seeks permission before acting. He must be busy with work, yet he comes to ask for permission each time—he’s a serious young man, which is good, because I’d be troubled if he weren’t. Maybe I should look into him more thoroughly… I decided to investigate Lord Hudson’s background. It’s a standard step before an engagement. If there’s anything problematic, he shouldn’t have done it in the first place. Finding out after the engagement that he has a lover, a problematic family member, a near-bankrupt estate, or bad behavior would be too late. This would be Rubina’s second engagement. I need to proceed carefully.

~Diet’s Father’s Perspective~

“…This is my first time meeting Lord Hudson. What brings you here?”

Why would a marquis family’s heir come to see me? We’ve never met, but I knew he was the owner of the shop where Diet left Rubina-chan behind. I was internally panicking.

“Nice to meet you. I sincerely thank you for taking the time to meet me after my sudden letter.”

We were in a room at a hotel in the capital—a parlor often used for meetings, prepared by Lord Hudson.

“No, not at all. It’s an honor to meet you…”

I still don’t understand why I was called, but perhaps it’s a conversation he doesn’t want others to overhear?

“I’m on good terms with Viscount Rosen, so I often speak with Rubina-chan.”

Oh! So the man Rubina-chan danced with at the evening party was Lord Hudson! It was the first time I’d seen her dance with anyone other than her brother, Luke-dono.

“I see. My family isn’t in a position to face Viscount Rosen, so I didn’t know you were close to them.”

“Yes, I became close to Viscount Rosen thanks to your son.”

“My son?”

“The shop where Rubina-chan was left behind is one I own. I was the one who instructed someone to escort her home, and that’s how I met Rubina-chan. I was moved by how she waited so earnestly and gracefully in front of my shop.”

Lord Hudson crossed his long legs and smiled gently. Hearing this, Viscount Morrison broke out in a cold sweat. Jay was one of the people who witnessed his son’s shameful behavior.

“I apologize for my son’s rudeness at that time. I’m sorry for the trouble he caused.”

Was this a protest…? I’m so relieved nothing happened to Rubina-chan.

“? I’m troubled if you apologize to me. Didn’t you settle things with Viscount Rosen? I thought that matter was resolved.”

“Well… what do you mean? I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”

“Rubina-chan wished to annul her engagement with your son. Of course, there’s no falsehood in that, but after the stalking incident at the academy, your son left the academy and is now to live on the estate. Hearing this, she’s been feeling pained. After the annulment, it was discussed between the families, and she only heard about it afterward. The same happened with the former Smith countess and this incident.”

“…I don’t know how to respond to that.”

…My son’s way of thinking is a bit different from others. Just when I thought he’d reflected, he caused another commotion. I couldn’t let him meet Viscount Rosen. If he were truly remorseful, I’d have made him kneel and apologize, but such a performative act wouldn’t earn forgiveness.

“Yes, I understand. I heard the Morrison viscount title will now be inherited by your daughter. You and your wife must be pained, and your daughter must have been surprised by the sudden change. I sympathize with you.”

“My foolish son caused this, but my daughter has accepted it…”

“Then let me get to the point.”

…Finally, the main topic. I almost forgot, getting caught up in the conversation!

“Yes, what is it?”

“I’d like Rubina-chan to have time to speak with your son before he goes to the estate.”

“What! No… that’s… My foolish son is a problem child who says things even I, as his parent, can’t understand. It’s better for him to have no further involvement with Rubina-chan… If something happens again and I have to take responsibility, I’d have to step down as head of the family. I can’t burden my daughter…”

No, no, no! My son doesn’t understand reason… I can’t let the Morrison family’s shame be exposed further…

“Yes, I’ve heard about that. But since Rubina-chan wishes for it, I’ll overlook some things. Viscount Rosen won’t be present, so I’ll accompany Rubina-chan instead. I heard your son is currently under house arrest, so I’d like to visit the Morrison residence.”

“No, my son, to put it bluntly, has such intense delusions and skewed thinking that I suspect he might have a mental illness…”

With someone from a marquis family here, if he does something rude, it could lead to our family being ruined! That’s how foolish my son is!

“Please, I ask for your understanding.”

Lord Hudson bowed as he said this…

“Please stop! Please raise your head!”

How can he bow so easily for someone else…? I’m curious about his relationship with Rubina-chan, but I shouldn’t ask. It’s not my place… I just want Rubina-chan to be happy.

“I won’t raise my head until I hear a positive response.”

I have no choice but to tell Diet not to be rude… I surrender. I can’t let him keep bowing like this.

“…Understood. He’ll depart for the estate in ten days, so please contact me before then.”

“Thank you. I’ll reach out again soon.”

Diet, please don’t bring any more shame…