698
What...? Audrey's eyes widened slightly, but perhaps because she had already prepared herself when her father began planning to flee, she unexpectedly found herself much calmer than she had imagined.
So she clenched her skirt, put on the frightened expression befitting an innocent young noblewoman, and looked at her father in disbelief.
"Papa, Hibbert is going to Intis alone? To inherit a noble title there?"
"Papa, does that mean Mama and I will never see Hibbert again?"
Earl Hall nodded silently, while the countess gently wiped away her tears.
Audrey opened her mouth, but nothing more came out.
If Alfred were still here, he would be the one going to Intis. The departure of a great noble's second son wouldn't damage Earl Hall's or the Hall Family's reputation, and it would be the most effective way to hedge their bets... Audrey silently clenched her teeth. But now Hibbert is the one leaving. The earl's eldest son leaving will definitely cause an uproar in society... Besides, Hibbert has plenty of social connections and nominal positions. Although there must be quite a few noble families doing the same thing, it will certainly draw attention at a time like this...
But Intis happened to be a country with such a terrible reputation. Audrey felt that even if she became a Sequence 5, she would find little sense of security there on her own.
*Was this the best arrangement? If Father wanted to preserve the family's reputation and noble dignity, he should send his youngest daughter over and keep his eldest son here. I've just come of age and made my social debut, so I can get engaged and use that as a legitimate reason to go to another country. Once noblewomen marry, they can essentially sever all ties with their families. When