If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 112
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
read more chapters on luna kofi
Agatha gazed blankly at the raised glass in front of her.
The deep red wine reminded her of Cain—the husband who, in his drunken state last night, had held her while murmuring the name of another woman. The memory of his touch still made her wrist ache, and she quietly rubbed it to avoid attracting attention.
“Madam, once again, happy birthday.”
The Countess who had first offered her congratulations approached, holding a jewel box that seemed to be a bribe disguised as a gift.
“Yes, thank you.”
What was her name again? Normally, Agatha would remember and address guests by their titles and names, but today, she felt utterly listless, as if her mind were shrouded in a fog.
“And… where is the Marquis?”
The Countess’s question prompted murmurs among the guests, who wondered why the Marquis, who should have been present at his wife’s birthday celebration, was missing.
Many of the guests had come hoping to gain favor with the Marquis. They thought they could present gifts to the Marquis’s wife as a pretext for flattering him, and they were delighted by this opportunity.
But now that the Marquis was absent, Cain’s absence was the only glaring flaw in an otherwise perfect party.
The hall fell silent for a moment as everyone waited for Agatha’s response to the question about Cain’s whereabouts.
“The Marquis was summoned to the palace by imperial decree.”
“Oh my, are you saying His Majesty called him on a day like today?”
“Yes, His Majesty holds the Marquis in very high regard.”
Revealing any discord between them in front of so many people was not an option. Concealing her true feelings was a basic duty for a noble. She couldn’t let slip that the validity of their marriage contract was nearing its end or that Cain had another woman.
Even if she had decided to end things with him, that was a separate matter from her feelings of resentment.
The prospect of divorce from Cain would undoubtedly damage Agatha’s standing. It would raise questions about her capability as the head of the Kristin family. Even though there was no direct connection between divorce and her ability to lead, managing a large family required responsibility in even the smallest matters. Doubts about her ability to govern a grand household would inevitably arise if she couldn’t even maintain her own marriage.
Thus, Agatha strategically mentioned Cain’s absence as due to an imperial summons. The absence wasn’t a result of any discord between them but rather because Cain was an exceptionally skilled individual worthy of such attention from the Emperor.
She subtly warned against fabricating any rumors or interpretations about the absence, hinting that such speculation would indirectly insult the Emperor as well.
“Yes, I see. The Marquis is indeed an outstanding person… This is a small gift from our family to celebrate Madam’s birthday. It’s nothing compared to the stature of the Vernat and Kristin families, but I hope you’ll accept it with the goodwill it was intended.”
“Such things… I didn’t invite anyone for gifts, but I’ll gratefully accept the gesture.”
“Thank you, Madam.”
Even after handing over the gift, the Countess seemed hesitant, as if she had more to say. Perhaps she wanted to ask Agatha to look favorably upon her family.
“Madam, our family has also prepared a small gift.”
“From the Baron von Burton’s house.”
“From Viscount Raymond’s house. It’s a piece of jewelry that should suit Madam…”
The line of people presenting gifts seemed never-ending, but eventually, it began to thin. Teschen stepped in to handle the gifts, recording the names and tidying them up.
After what felt like an eternity, the flow of gifts started to dwindle.
“Greetings, Madam. It’s an honor to see you up close.”
“Yes, it’s a pleasure. Thank you for attending.”
“Oh, I wasn’t directly invited…”
Agatha was exhausted from greeting dozens of guests. She wanted to just finish the event and return to her room. She sensed a distinct discomfort from the last visitor than the previous ones.
“Countes Kirilovna has sent this. She asked me to deliver her congratulations and this wreath to Marchioness Vernat.”
“Countess Kirilovna…”
She was a relative of Princess Alexandra, the same person who had once embarrassed Agatha during the princess’s birthday party four years ago.
“Yes, she also asked me to express her apologies for not being able to attend in person.”
“That’s quite all right. I’m very grateful just for the gesture of congratulations.”
It seemed ironic that someone who had once mocked her while siding with the princess now sent a congratulatory wreath.
Agatha wondered if Countess Kirilovna had reassessed her position, deciding that aligning herself with a loyal retainer favored by the Emperor would be more advantageous than supporting a princess who had left the Empire to marry a foreign prince.
