The communion proceeded in a sequence that was as familiar as the sun rising and setting, just as it had every week during Mass. Nothing happened to Valentin until the sermon by the bishop was over and the communion ended.

Was it because he was worried and afraid of ‘social activities’ and ‘people’? As if it were some kind of foreshadowing, the incident occurred when everything was over and they were having a simple fellowship.

In fact, the ‘fellowship’ on Sundays didn’t refer to any other event or special time. It was just the natural greetings and conversations that took place when leaving the chapel after finishing Mass, in the lobby or entrance of the church, or where people waited for their carriages. That was the Sunday fellowship in the Heston Empire.

If you came to church, you should just attend Mass well and go home, so why are you doing that? You might want to retort, but that was the culture and custom. As mentioned in the Bible, fellowship was also a duty of being a churchgoer.

Fortunately, Valentin, who had it ingrained in his body since childhood, wasn’t uncomfortable with the fellowship itself. He just thought he should greet a few people and go home quickly.

The start was very polite.

As he walked through the lobby of the chapel holding Reynard’s arm, his eyes met those of the Marchioness of Wilgrave, who had always helped and supported Valentin.

“Marchioness of Wilgrave.”

As their distance got closer, Valentin immediately called out to her and greeted her first. He gave her permission to speak to him and greet him.

There were various etiquettes in the upper class, such as royalty and nobility.

What Valentin just did by calling her was a very basic greeting etiquette.

Unless they had a special relationship, it was the principle that the person of higher status spoke first. Conversely, those of lower status could not initiate conversation with someone of higher position. Knowing this, Valentin called out to her and greeted her first. It was a sign of respect for a faithful and wise vassal.

“Your Grace the Grand Duchess, Your Grace the Grand Duke.”

The elderly Marchioness of Wilgrave called them by old-fashioned titles befitting a high-ranking noblewoman and bowed her knees in greeting. The feather decoration on her hat swayed gently.

She called Reynard and Valentin by their highest titles as the Grand Duke’s successors in a more ostentatious manner, as it was a place with many people. It was no different from demanding more respect from those around by showing a mature high-ranking noblewoman treating Valentin with the utmost courtesy and bowing her head. The Marchioness, as a seasoned figure in high society, knew very well such subtle influence. In fact, the gazes of people closely observing their greetings could be felt.

“Your Grace the Grand Duke, if you have a moment.”

“Hmm…”

After the Marquis of Wilgrave greeted Reynard, Valentin nodded and whispered, realizing that he was asking for a brief private conversation.

“Go ahead.”

Even after hearing that permission, Reynard hesitated with a slightly uneasy expression, but at Valentin’s urging, he simply kissed his cheek lightly and moved with the Marquis.

Staring at the spot where they had left, the Marchioness of Wilgrave congratulated Valentin in a low voice.

“I congratulate you on carrying a precious heir.”

“Thank you for congratulating me.”

“By the Lord’s blessing, the heir has come to your side so quickly. So today, I especially made an offering in gratitude for Your Grace’s conception.”

The Marchioness made the sign of the cross on her chest and was solemnly moved.

“I’m grateful to you for doing what I couldn’t do.”

An offering of gratitude. It was something he hadn’t thought of. Valentin was once again overflowing with gratitude towards the Marchioness of Wilgrave.

‘Yes. As expected, after attending the service, my heart is at ease, and I’m hearing such good things. I’m so glad.’

As they were exchanging simple greetings, a group of ladies approached them.

They couldn’t speak first out of courtesy, but they were blinking their eyes and constantly trying to make eye contact nearby. Seeing their behavior, Valentin had no choice but to speak first. He was swallowing a sigh.

“Marchioness Cunningham, Countess Daker, Countess Bray, Viscountess Arlington.”

It was the woman who was said to be the queen of Dales’ high society and her clique.

If only Valentin had been a little more shameless. If he had the skill to naturally ignore them by raising his chin and lowering his eyes like a skilled master of high society, it would have been really refreshing.

But our Valentin was a bean sprout that was too inherently kind to maturely use such cheeky and sophisticated skills. Moreover, if he had been someone who could use such lively or cunning skills in the first place, he wouldn’t have been in this position.

‘…Still, if they want a greeting, I should accept it.’

What should be done with this soft, fluffy, and white mochi who was thinking such thoughts in his heart?

As soon as Valentin acknowledged them, they opened their mouths in unison.

“Greetings to the Duke of Dennox.”

Marchioness Cunningham, who was much younger than Marchioness Wilgrave and just past her forties, lowered Valentin’s status when addressing him. That’s when he should have steeled his heart.

It was also confusing because she greeted so politely in the eyes of others, bowing her knees and holding her dress hem in a curtsy (a courteous greeting method for noble women) while addressing him like that. Moreover, Reynard’s title wasn’t simply a ‘courtesy title.’ It was an honorable position with a territory, so it was ambiguous but not impossible for a Marquis’s spouse like Valentin to be called ‘Duke’ by a subordinate.

“Congratulations. It’s a joyous occasion for the noble and exalted grand ducal house.”

“Thank you.”

Valentin answered with a nod. ‘Congratulations.’ It was a congratulatory greeting using quite grandiose words. Indeed, it was a subtle technique befitting the queen of high society.

Marchioness Cunningham was subtly suppressing Valentin by appropriately mixing the highest honorifics and subtle condescension. If the listener wasn’t paying attention, it was perfect for being put down without even realizing it.

“I was surprised by the quick news.”

It was a tone implying surprise that he was pregnant not long after getting married. If they had known it was a premarital pregnancy, they might have fainted.

“…Is that so?”

Valentin, who was slow-witted and kind but not stupid, was feeling strangely offended. This tightrope walking where he couldn’t directly confront them by saying, ‘You wicked human, you’re doing this on purpose?’ because it would only make Valentin seem more sensitive and strange…

Valentin was reminded of what he had always suffered in Eldon’s high society.

‘Right… This was how it felt.’

This humiliating, unfair, and dirty feeling… There had always been people who disliked and hated Valentin among the nobles. But compared to this, Evener Luwin in the past was rather comfortable. Because he always confronted Valentin directly without beating around the bush. Of course, he was the same in cunningly manipulating public opinion. This envy and jealousy that existed everywhere…

‘Even if it seems like I’m threatening their position in high society, to this extent…?’

What the hell was so important about that kind of thing…? He couldn’t understand, so he could only let out a hollow laugh. He was about to be torn apart by a pack of hyenas that existed everywhere. He shuddered at the dark side of high society that had approached again.

Not knowing what Valentin, whose expression had stiffened, was thinking, they continued to speak.

“As expected, a dominant omega is different. I can see why His Grace the Grand Duke chose you.”

They even called Reynard with the highest honorific while lowering the way they addressed Valentin. It was a subtle manner of speaking that people who didn’t know wouldn’t even think the two were married.

“Indeed, your superior quality makes you different.”

“We thought we would have to wait a little longer to hear the news.”

“Among the numerous high nobles, and not even traditionally, I wondered why he went all the way to Eldon to find a companion…”

“Oh my, did you think that too, Madam? I was also very puzzled by that.”

They seemed to be talking to Valentin, but now their clique was conversing among themselves. They were subtly excluding Valentin.

“The reason he left the noble and long-standing blood of Dales and went far away was there.”

It was a disparagement implying that there was nothing to see but his quality.

“Well, until now, it was common for the companion families of the grand ducal house to have a history of more than 5 generations…”

Now they were easily mentioning even Valentin’s family. Bringing up the short history of only 3 generations since rising to the ranks of high nobility. They were disparaging the Wiche Viscounty too lightly.

Valentin could hear everything as they hid their faces with fans and whispered among themselves as if to let him hear. It was infuriating beyond words. Just as Valentin was about to open his mouth at their behavior that went beyond the line and was rude.

The Marchioness of Wilgrave, who had been watching their behavior from a step back rather than as the party involved, couldn’t bear it any longer and stepped forward, raising her voice.

“What is this rudeness? I can’t stand it when I see it!”

“Oh my, Marchioness.”

“How dare you wag your tongues in front of such a noble person!”

“Marchioness Wilgrave. Lower your voice. You’re old, so I’m worried you might collapse from high blood pressure.”

“Aren’t you too old to be involved in a place like this?”

They sneered with a foxy smile even at the Marchioness’s angry voice. Treating even her, who raised her voice, as a senile old lady.

The sound of giggling and whispering. The cheap words like quality, body, beautiful face, and seduction heard in his ears. Money, family, short history, degradation of his family…

Suddenly, the criticism from the dream began to overlap with their whispered words.

It was a vivid voice from the past, as if the dream was replaying.

[Relying only on money and quality. This is why families without a long history…]

[I don’t know what you’re thinking, holding your head up in this state.]

[You acted arrogantly as if all of high society was beneath you, and now you’re in a sorry state, Valentin.]

[I knew that even your good looks would only last for a while.]

A huge trauma was triggering a panic attack.

He felt dizzy.

‘I didn’t intend to act like a fool. I have to make a counterargument…’

It felt like his neck was being strangled again.

“Haa…”

Breath.

Air…

…It didn’t seem like air was properly entering his mouth. Feeling his head spinning and his stomach churning, Valentin unknowingly grabbed the arm of the Marchioness of Wilgrave beside him.

“Your Grace…?”

As soon as he did that, Valentin’s eyes rolled back.

“How can this be…! Your Grace!”

His delicate head slowly bent backwards.

The knees of his body that had already lost consciousness slowly crumbled.

It was a blackout.