“Who is he?”

“I don’t know, they didn’t say it but isn’t it obvious….”magic

Decisively, the child of Viscount Arlen showed up with an outside man who was perhaps her husband. Even though she didn’t officially debut to the social scene, the person who knew best about formalities of a noble household was Ilyin de Arlen.

It was a truth that was known by few of the guests that came to the Viscount’s mansion which spread to the rest that showed up to the funeral.

“She wouldn’t have brought him without knowing the meaning of this.”

“He doesn’t seem like someone that’s known.”

Aden knew that the whispers amongst them was mostly concerning him. Ilyin also had quite a few different words reach her ears, but she knew that the main topic of these whispers was him.

It was his choice to reveal his identity, however. Ilyin looked up to Aden. Was he really okay?

She heard that he had severed ties with the warm region after becoming the Duke of Biflten. This particular information might become a fire starter and cause tension amongst the people there but Aden smiled reassuringly at her like he read her mind.

“Den of Acid Merchant,” said Aden, his voice strong and clear.

Viscount Arlen already knew him as part of the Acid Merchant, as the agent of the Northern Circulation Manager. From what he heard and from Milo’s report, Viscount Arlen hadn’t told others about Ilyin’s marriage.

He was probably going to start a rumor regarding Ilyin, of how she ran away from home because she didn’t want to listen to her father. Then he would’ve gotten the uncharacteristic title of an adoring father who tried to listen to his daughter, giving up raising the family name just to give her joy.

And later, he would try to figure out which family Ilyin married into so he could profit off it. It was hard to find someone who could be read so easily after meeting only a couple times.

Nobles found marrying a merchant lowly.

Aden was a bit worried about that, but Ilyin was already holding his hand. That meant that Ilyin didn’t think that they should be hiding their relationship here. Even if it was a small gesture, Aden couldn’t help feeling happy. This meant that Ilyin was proud to show him outside.

“Ah, a merchant. I see,” said the child of Baron Vitin the disapproval clear in her tone.

Aden could make out her shallow thought of how a higher position child Ilyin married a lowly merchant.

Their conversation echoed in the funeral home.

“Then with a merchant?”

“The Viscount Arlen’s family….”

Aden’s ears tickled by the whisperings that started up again. He listened without any change in his expression.

The news spread fast of the child of Viscount Arlen who never disrespected the etiquettes of the nobles. She was escorted by a man whose affiliations were uncertain, and that man also stood by her mother’s coffin as Ilyin was there.

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He must be her husband.

The Viscount family was keeping silent but that man was definitely chosen by the child. By the looks of Viscount Arlen, he didn’t seem to like it.

Ilyin de Arlen, no, the person who used to be the child of Viscount Arlen was married to the man with slicked black hair and dark blue eyes.

***

After taking in the funeral home Ilyin proceeded to kiss the Viscountess in the coffin who had her eyes closed. It meant something that she repeated this action that only had to be done once.

She knew that a commotion like this always happened where nobles gathered – whether a funeral, marriage, or any other event for that matter.

Soon after, the funeral home became quiet like she wanted. Aden stood by Ilyin until the end of the funeral. He woke up before her in the morning and went to bed later than she did.

Bertha also stood by Ilyin without a word. She didn’t even notify her son-in-law, Viscount Arlen.

As Viscount Arlen was busy greeting other nobles, it was possible that he neglected the guests that came alone.

After the first day of the funeral, Idith went to Bertha who was leaving the Viscount’s mansion.

“I have an order to bring you to our madam’s bedroom,” Idith said as he bowed politely. He didn’t have to show such degree of loyalty to someone who wasn’t his master or madam, but he made sure to be as respectful as possible.

Bertha looked at him with an interested expression.

“Is it Ilyin’s order?”

Bertha could make out half of the situation just by looking at Idith’s face.

“It’s my master’s order.”

But Bertha really only realized half. It was Aden’s order to bring Bertha to where Ilyin was.

“Oh.” Bertha smiled.

Conniving, very conniving. Bertha thought joyfully and took her cane and followed Idith.

Idith realized that the purpose of the cane wasn’t for walking after she took a few steps. He carefully reached out his hand.

“I’ll escort you comfortably.”

It wasn’t like an escort. It felt rather like he was asking for something.