TMIAP Chapter 37

"Oh... Is something the matter?"

Monica asked, but the man didn't answer. Instead, he pointed with his thumb toward her side.

Where she turned her head, there was a small passage leading out of the hall. Not the main one—this led to a staircase that descended through the terrace to the lower garden.

He must mean to speak somewhere without people about.

"But..."

At that moment, she heard it—thunk—a piano key being struck. Everyone's attention turned in that direction at once, Monica's included. Liella, standing in the center of the hall, had begun to play.

Martinael stood beside her, looking rather proud of himself. He'd clearly positioned himself to turn the pages of her music.

But Liella's gaze wasn't fixed on the sheet music. It was fixed on Monica.

Monica started, and only then did she look at Enrique standing before her. She was startled all over again—because Enrique's gaze wasn't directed at Liella, but at her.

"Lord Solivén, right now is hardly—"

The man tilted his head.

Monica glanced back toward Liella in agitation. Liella was still staring at her, and the moment their eyes met again, Liella turned her head away.

The guests seemed to think she'd merely been looking out at her audience.

But Monica knew better. Liella had been watching her and Enrique. Monica looked back at Enrique Solivén from the corner of her eye.

'If it's inconvenient, shall we speak later?'

Still smiling, the man shaped the words with his lips.

Monica hesitated for only a moment, then reached out and tugged once at his damp sleeve. Then she slipped away toward the passage before anyone could notice.

Enrique Solivén glanced around once, waited just long enough that no one who'd seen them disappear could possibly misunderstand, then followed toward the passage.

The bottom of the stairs opened onto a colonnade. Monica was leaning against the inner wall when she turned and saw Enrique approaching. She bowed her head.

"I'm sorry about your sleeve. I didn't see it."

"No need to apologize. I bumped into you on purpose."

"Pardon?"

Monica's eyes went round. Enrique looked at her as if to say something, but Monica was faster.

"Is it Luis?"

Enrique—or rather, the man pretending to be Enrique—smiled broadly.

"Correct."

Of course!

Monica thumped him on the chest.

Luis laughed—ha-ha-ha—lightly. Monica was startled, but thanks to the piano music, his laughter didn't carry far.

"I was bored to death and then I saw you. Thought I'd play a little prank, pretending to be Lord Solivén."

"I actually thought you were Lord Solivén!"

Luis winked mischievously, then reached to take Monica's hand before remembering his glove was soaked with liquor. He pulled it off.

Then, bare-handed, he laced his fingers through hers and pressed a soft kiss to the back of her hand.

"Is that why you ignored me so thoroughly? Because you thought I was Lord Solivén?"

"I could hardly acknowledge you!"

It was a strange thing. The man who'd seemed so difficult and distant just moments ago suddenly felt comfortable the instant she knew he was Luis.

Monica deliberately yanked her hand away with some force and wrinkled her nose at him.

"You're truly awful."

"Women like bad men, don't they?"

"What's worst of all is saying such things when you don't mean them."

"Ha-ha-ha."

He laughed but didn't deny her words. Truly, truly a bad man.

Luis had fully expected the party to be tedious and dull. He hadn't the slightest desire to attend.

But Andrei had emphasized repeatedly that he absolutely must attend today's gathering.

"Besides Miss Mollette, two other young ladies handpicked by Lady Solivén will be in attendance."

We can't let such an excellent opportunity slip by, came the additional comment. Luis tilted his head.

"It's not much of an opportunity for me."

"Mm..."

Andrei hesitated. He was still working out how to deal with his employer's other personalities.

At least it was fortunate that Luis had awakened today.

If it had been Garcia, there wouldn't have been time to discuss any party at all. Luis was, at least, a personality conscientious enough to pretend to be Enrique for Lady Solivén's sake.

"Don't worry, just tell me."

At Luis's words, Andrei opened his mouth as if he'd been waiting.

"I'll be direct. As you ordered—the first installment of the Solivén family's war reparations is due in two months. Besides Miss Mollette, one of the two other young ladies is a major investor in Red Hill Bank."

"I suppose I can't just ignore this and not go?"

"It would cause considerable difficulties."

"Can't have that, then."

Luis stood up obediently. Andrei, looking satisfied, proceeded to dress him.

In the townhouse without a single maid, Andrei demonstrated abilities bordering on the miraculous. As a result, Luis was able to attend the party punctually, looking every inch the perfect gentleman. Disguised as Enrique.

"In exchange, you'll let me loose this evening."

At Luis's words, Andrei answered stiffly.

"I've never imprisoned you."

"Hmm. So I can forget all that business about war reparations, then?"

"I apologize."

Andrei apologized swiftly. He needed to avoid the disaster of his employer missing the party because he'd offended this second personality.

Luis opened the notebook where Enrique always left notes, listening to Andrei's apology.

Enrique's three personalities—or more precisely, four, though one almost never appeared, so it didn't count—the three of them used Enrique's notebook to write down what the others needed to know.

They could have left it to Andrei, but Andrei was particularly intimidated by Garcia. A thug who went around causing trouble—Andrei had reason to find him uncomfortable.

Luis raised an eyebrow.

"Monica Orphen?"

Andrei nodded. Luis sighed.

"I went to such trouble to avoid her."

Enrique's notebook contained a brief description of Monica. A young lady who'd served as a nurse during the war.

Both Luis and Garcia knew perfectly well that Enrique was trying to obtain the 'green medicine.' Luis had always opposed it.

And seeing that she'd agreed to help Enrique, Luis clicked his tongue.

"Interesting."

Luis muttered.

"At this point, it's not coincidence—it's fate."

Then he began counting on his fingers in front of Andrei.

"We met at the harbor, Garcia got into trouble with her. Because of that, I ran into her again. Now she's agreed to deal with Enrique."

In Andrei's opinion, the arrangement with Monica didn't seem likely to be much help.

She certainly seemed intelligent... and appeared to understand her place well... But while Andrei was still considering, he missed his chance to respond to Luis's words. Luis smiled brightly.

"At this rate, won't he end up marrying some completely unexpected girl?"

Andrei answered calmly.

"That's precisely why you must attend today's party."

"Why? I think marrying Moni wouldn't be half bad. She's adorable."

At those words, Andrei rolled his eyes.

"Those aren't appropriate words from someone who meets countless women every night."

Heh. Luis propped his chin on his hand and smiled charmingly.

Andrei inwardly beat his breast. In contrast to his employer—the distinguished second son of the Solivén family—having no particular interest in exploiting his beautiful face, this personality called Luis was using that face with devastating effectiveness.

For what purpose? For a most peculiar sort of wall.

"But I could settle down with Moni."

"Moni?"

"Lovely Moni-Moni. Isn't she cute?"

Where?

Andrei glared.

Luis smiled even more brightly.

Teasing Andrei, who clung stubbornly to Enrique's side out of ambition for advancement, was Luis's favorite pastime.

The party was going to be bloody boring—he had to enjoy something—and this thought was written all over Luis's face.

Predictably, the party was tedious for Luis from start to finish.

The ladies, having already finished their teatime discussion of charitable funds, wove among the gentlemen urging donations. There would be relief work for the poor soon, apparently. Luis would have bet a million shing that not one lady here would actually go to that place themselves.

The young ladies, dressed splendidly, chattered away—tee-hee-hee—then whispered among themselves while glancing toward the young men in their prime.

A few spirited young men extended hands to the ladies and danced, but perhaps because it was an afternoon party, most merely sipped sparkling wine and exchanged pleasantries.

The young lady who was the bank investor showed a flicker of interest in her eyes upon hearing the Solivén name, but made it clear she had no romantic interest in Enrique.

A sensible attitude. No matter how fine a young man might appear, the moment one accepted Enrique's ring, one would owe an enormous war debt.

"Compared to her, that one's certainly aggressive, wouldn't you say?"

Luis stood in the afternoon sunlight, watching a young lady tuning the piano, and whispered to Andrei.

Liella Mollette wore a large pearl headband that suited her fair skin beautifully.

"I wonder how much that pearl headband costs?"

Andrei responded with a pitying expression.

"Why on earth are you curious about that?"

"Didn't you see it up close?"

Luis confessed that when Liella had spoken to him earlier, he'd been staring down at her headband, wondering how much those pearls cost.

"The pearls are so large and fine. With only slight exaggeration, they're the size of five-shing coins."

"...Luis. I have a favor to ask."

"Go ahead."

"Could you perhaps maybe smile at that young lady with such devastating effect, instead of at all those 'Roses'?"

Luis smiled at Andrei with devastating effect.

"No."

Andrei demonstrated a skill he'd recently acquired from associating with Enrique's personalities—smiling while glaring with his eyes alone. Luis smiled even more brightly.

In any case, Liella withdrew with a dark expression, perhaps thanks to Luis's indifferent response.

She'd realized that no matter what she said, Enrique—or rather, Luis disguised as Enrique—had no intention of listening.

If Lady Solivén had witnessed that scene, she'd have been utterly shocked. The second son she remembered always treated people with sincere and proper courtesy, no matter who they were.

'But Madame, if you wanted Lord Solivén to remain constant, you shouldn't have made him into such a coward.'