When we arrived at Silverstel, all that greeted us were cold stares and whispered gossip.
As soon as I stepped into the Silverstel mansion, the head of the house didn't show his face. Only Frederick, Lloyd's older brother and the first son of Silverstel, gave a formal greeting. Even that was devoid of warmth in both his gaze and words.
It was to be expected. The head of the house, as well as Frederick, and even the maid cleaning the dishes, must all know that I was once the wife of Valdormer.
Not only had I disappeared without a trace, triggering the war between Valdormer and Heister, but I had also dragged Silverstel's capable second son into it. There was no way the people here would look at me kindly.
"Can you believe this? The woman who was once the mistress of Valdormer is entering Silverstel's mansion…"
"Even if you're blinded by love, isn't it a shame for Lloyd? To be with a woman who already has a child…"
"Did you see the kid? His hair color is just like Lloyd's."
"Could it be… that child is actually Lloyd's?"
"If that's true, then she's been with Lloyd even while she was still married to Valdormer."
"Shh-! They'll hear!"
They didn't dare speak like that when Lloyd was around. Perhaps they knew he was so blinded by love that he wouldn't care. Instead, when I walked alone through the mansion, I would hear those whispers regularly. They thought they were speaking quietly, but with my heightened senses, every word reached me clearly.
In my past life, I had been the lady of Silverstel, admired and respected by the staff. But now, as an unwelcome guest, I could feel their cold, dismissive stares.
It didn't matter what they said. In two weeks, I would be leaving, and none of this would concern me anymore.
As I walked through the hallway, I absentmindedly gazed out the window. Silverstel's winter was bitterly cold and barren. Even though the spring winds had already begun to stir at Vent Castle, all I could see outside here were snowstorms that felt like the dead of winter.
It was just like how I felt inside. I had hoped that spring would come soon, that everything would get better. But all that awaited me was a cold, harsh reality, like the snowstorm outside.
I shook off the heavy feeling and opened the door to the room where Denian was staying. Inside, Lloyd, who had arrived earlier, was teaching Denian to write, holding him gently in his arms.
"Did you arrive, Yuliana?" Lloyd asked with a soft smile.
"As soon as I got here, Denian asked me to teach him to write," he continued, smiling fondly at Denian.
As Lloyd said, Denian was focused on the table, writing out the spelling without noticing I had arrived.
Proudly watching Denian, Lloyd continued, "I might need to hire a teacher for him soon. He's already writing well, so I think he'll learn quickly."
Unlike Lloyd, who was beaming with pride, I watched Denian's back with a heavy heart.
Before we left for Silverstel, Denian had wanted to leave a letter at the cabin. He thought Kallian might come looking for us. But of course, a four-year-old child, who had only just started speaking fluently, couldn't possibly write a letter.
That lingering disappointment stayed with him, and upon arriving at Silverstel, Denian said he wanted to learn to write.
Though I hoped Denian would forget Kallian and play with other children, he wasn't interested in the other children around him, even when I had a few of the young servants accompany him.
"When are we leaving for the royal palace?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
Lloyd answered without hesitation, "We'll likely leave the day after tomorrow. You don't need to prepare anything; the maids will take care of everything."
Unlike other banquets, the royal palace's events could last from one to two days, or sometimes up to a week. The palace, normally empty, would be filled with guests during these events.
As I spoke to Lloyd, Denian, who had been intently writing, looked up at me.
"…Can I not go?"
After a pause, Denian looked at me shyly, gauging my reaction.
"Denian, you're still too young to attend the banquet."
That was the truth. Only those who had come of age could attend the royal palace's banquets.
Even though I had been invited, there was no way a four-year-old child would be allowed into the banquet hall.
"But… I don't want to stay here alone…"
The thought of leaving Denian alone in Silverstel made me uncomfortable. We had only just arrived, and with all the gossip about us, leaving him alone here wasn't easy for me.
But taking him to the royal palace didn't comfort me either. The palace was unfamiliar, and I'd have to leave him behind at a guest house while I attended the banquet.
I sighed and walked over to Denian, crouching down to his level and gently brushing his shoulders.
"I'll be back soon, and I'll bring back something you like."
"…No, I don't want that…"
Denian pouted and looked like he was about to cry, which startled me. Lately, he had been acting more sulky, but I didn't expect him to react like this.
Had it been since we parted with Kallian?
Frustrated and biting my lip, I was about to say something when Lloyd softly placed his hand on my shoulder.
"We'll take him with us."
"But…"
"You're worried about leaving him here alone, aren't you? I'll be taking a few servants with me, and while we're at the banquet, you can leave Denian with them. It'll be better for him to stay with us, even if just for a little while."
Lloyd's gentle persuasion, along with Denian nodding eagerly behind him, made me hesitate.
I looked at Lloyd, who was always kind as long as I stayed within his "fence." But sometimes, there were things about him that felt strange and unsettling.
I sighed at his thoughtfulness and reluctantly nodded.
"Thank you for looking out for him."
"Well then, I'll let them know that Denian will be coming with us," Lloyd said with a soft smile, patting Denian's head before walking out of the room.
I stared at the door with a troubled expression. Lloyd's thoughtfulness was aimed at Denian and me, but why did it feel so uncomfortable and uneasy?
When the carriage stopped in front of the banquet hall, Lloyd got out first and helped me down. Denian was left at the guest house assigned by the palace, spending time with the maid.
The maid had dressed me carefully in a white dress, and I cautiously took Lloyd's hand as we entered the banquet hall.
Immediately, all eyes turned to us as we walked in. The murmurs began, and they were all the same.
"Isn't that the wife of Valdormer?"
"Well, technically, she's his ex-wife. How shameless to move from Valdormer to Silverstel and even attend a royal banquet…"
"She has a thick face. I couldn't even imagine showing my face here if I were her."
I didn't care about what they said. After all, I was just playing a role for a short time. In two weeks, I would be far removed from these people's lives.
"But didn't they say that someone from Valdormer would attend the banquet today?"
"I heard the head of Valdormer would be attending, but it seems like he hasn't arrived yet."
When they mentioned Valdormer, I froze for a moment.
Lloyd noticed my reaction and gently placed his hand on my shoulder.
"Don't feel uneasy. You're my partner for tonight's banquet."
With his hand pressing gently on my shoulder, I straightened up, trying to appear calm. It was a relief that Kallian wasn't attending, though it still felt like I was walking on eggshells in the banquet hall. I just had to endure for a little while.
At that moment, all eyes in the hall were drawn to the entrance. A strange silence filled the air, and I couldn't help but turn slowly.
There, standing in the doorway, was Kallian de Valdormer, staring at me with unwavering eyes.
In an instant, I froze, unable to breathe, caught in the intensity of his gaze.