My Engagement Got Broken, But I Don’t Remember Getting Engaged in the First Place

y the way, it seems like a lot of people have seen Lord Elias go in and out of the royal castle recently.
Rumor has it that he’s meeting someone.”

“Oh, who could it be?”

In Nora’s mind, she wanted to ask the lady, “Well, who are you?”

Could there be more uninteresting than listening to strangers gossip about other strangers?

Possibly nothing.

The only thing that bothered her was how poor the vocabulary of that lady who kept saying, “Oh, Lord Elias, how unfortunate of him.” as though she were an idiot.
What was funny was that the more she heard her say it, the more it sounded like “Oh, Lord Elias, it serves him right.”

In any case, their conversation was still worthless gossip.
Nora pretended to listen intently as her mind wandered into thoughts of how to save money in preparation for the toll increase.

“I heard she was very feminine.”

“Then, does Lord Elias have a secret lover in the royal castle?” The young ladies turned their heads and looked expectantly at Nora, whose face had a frosty expression.

“Well, don’t you think you’re looking at the wrong person?” After telling them so, the group scattered away immediately.

Only the strong scent of perfume lingered in the air.

Nora and Flora looked at each other and let out a sigh at the same time.

“That was tiring.”

“I’ve been saying this all this time, but I truly am not suitable for Elias, am I?” Nora knew that best.
The poor baron’s daughter and the highly esteemed marquis’ son were like world’s apart.

“Whiny losers, the lot of them.
Don’t pay them any mind… Oh, I might have dropped my handkerchief earlier.
Hold on.”

As she waited for Flora to return from the toilet, Nora moved her shoulders around to loosen their stiffness.
She had only been listening to the young ladies but she felt so weary and exhausted.

“My, how inelegant of you.”

One of the young ladies from earlier had returned, the black-haired one, and stood in front of her.

“There are several rooms at the end of this hallway.
Have you any idea what they are for?”

“No.”

“I suppose people like you hardly come to the royal castle.
Well, those are retiring rooms.”

Retiring rooms were generally used for people who are sick or tired so they can rest.

“At soirees and balls, they are often used by men and women of close acquaintances.”

In other words, it was a place for clandestine meetings.

But why would she make an effort to come back and tell her such a thing?

“I chanced upon Lord Elias walking towards this hallway earlier.
What do you reckon he would do here?”

Nora didn’t answer but simply gave her a curt smile.

Flora returned, standing at the same spot the young lady earlier had stood before she left.
Now all they needed to do was return to where Allan was waiting.

But she couldn’t shake the unease she felt.

“I think I might’ve dropped my handkerchief too.”

“All right, I’ll wait for you here.
Or do you want me to accompany you back?”

“No need.
It’s just right there.
If we go any later, Allan might be worried, so go on ahead without me.
I won’t be long.”

“Well, we sure were held back by those troublesome young ladies.
But it would be indeed quite a sight if the rumored marquis’ son were to be seen loitering in front of the ladies’ room.
All right then, go on ahead and come back soon.”

“Of course.” She said before turning back towards the toilet.

The aforementioned room was supposed to be beyond that.