Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 174
The atmosphere created by the intimate space, the faint moans coming from the next room, and the distant melody all served to stir base desires.
Therefore, Nigel Rosencrantz must not enter that study.
That space would affect him in strange ways. That space would… affect him and Cecilia…
‘No. Why am I even worried about this?
Suddenly, a question arose.
‘What do they have to do with me?’
Yes, they have nothing to do with me.
Whether the young marquis loses his temper and throws a punch at Cecilia, or if something unexpected happens between them as they become infatuated with each other.
Whatever happens, it’s not my concern.
Ulysses looked at his mother. Her eyes, fixed intently on him, were clouded with anxiety.
Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I’m going to do something?
‘Me? …To the young marquis? Or to Cecilia, that girl?’
Ridiculous. What a joke.
What relationship do we even have?
“Ha…”
A sigh, tinged with self-mockery, escaped his lips.
Guinevere stepped back and looked at her son, tilting her head and frowning as if she couldn’t understand him at all.
You don’t understand me. Of course, you don’t. I don’t understand you either.
‘Mother, we are truly different.’
Yet, he was thankful that she stopped him today.
He had almost done something incredibly foolish.
“…Were you in a conversation?”
Ulysses removed his foot from the step and looked past Guinevere to the other side. His blue gaze had already regained its cool rationality and calmness.
Guinevere let out a short sigh of relief and affectionately linked her arm with his.
“Yes, I was catching up with friends from far away, and the time just flew by. You know all of them, right? They’ve adored you since you were little.”
Since you were little. That point in time was only after she became the Marchioness of Rosencrantz.
Sometimes, Guinevere acted as if Ulysses’ earlier childhood never existed, as if her life as a mistress wasn’t part of her memory.
“Won’t you come and greet them?”
Guinevere asked with the warm gaze she reserved for others.
Ulysses allowed himself to be led by her. He didn’t particularly want to refuse an opportunity to uphold his mother’s dignity.
Though his mother might consider him the most unfilial son in the world, he wanted to live as a dutiful son as much as possible.
“My son has grown so much, hasn’t he? It feels like just yesterday when his face was as small as a fist, but now he’s so grown up that he could carry me around.”
He listened to Guinevere’s predictable praise of her child while greeting the ladies.
The women, who had all witnessed the commotion caused by Nigel, accepted his greeting without betraying even a hint of discomfort. They were women of high standing in society, after all.
One of the noblewomen, who lived in the capital, smiled kindly at Ulysses.
“Truly a remarkable son. I hear you’ve achieved great success at the academy as well?”
For a moment, Guinevere’s expression stiffened, then relaxed.
“Hoho, yes. But he only attends as a hobby.”
“Won’t you have him graduate?”
“It wouldn’t hurt, but… Who knows? Does he really need to graduate from such a place?”
Guinevere spoke tenderly as she patted Ulysses’ arm.
“I just want him to stay by my side. Even though children don’t understand their parents’ hearts, parents long for their children every day. That longing never gets easy over time.”
“They say a parent’s love for their child is like an unrequited love that lasts a lifetime.”
The noblewoman laughed.
“But a son who can handle things on his own is much more reassuring than one who causes trouble, don’t you think?”
“Absolutely. I have no complaints about Ulysses. He’s so thoughtful of me. Although he’s a bit of a blockhead…”
Guinevere shot Ulysses a playful look.
“He’s too indifferent to women for his own good.”
“It’s better that way! You wouldn’t believe how much trouble young men of his age can get into with women. And here we have one…”
The noblewoman covered her mouth with her fan and raised her eyebrows. Her gaze shifted to the center of the hall.
There, Christian was dancing a passionate waltz with Caroline.
“O-Oh my… I didn’t realize… truly.”
The noblewoman’s expression visibly showed her embarrassment. Guinevere’s lips also tightened slightly.
Noticing the awkward situation, Ulysses smoothly changed the subject.
“It seems your glass is empty, Madam. I’ll instruct a servant to bring a new one.”
The noblewoman highly appreciated his tactful intervention in the uncomfortable situation.
“You truly have a wise son, Lady Rosencrantz.”
