Chapter 73
#073. For a Daughter Who Resembles His Wife
Ha. Duke Madeleine, Giovanni couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. He let out a heavy breath and ran a hand over his face.
His precious daughter had been avoiding him lately because of Olivia, that girl.
The moment he faced the fact he had been trying to ignore, his breathing became labored as if someone was strangling him. It was beyond miserable; it was atrocious.
How far was that girl really going to go to make him unhappy?
"...Whatever she said, it doesn't matter, Esella."
Giovanni spoke slowly, trying to regain his fading consciousness. It was a statement for Esella, but also for himself.
Everything Olivia said doesn't matter.
"I will erase Madeleine, completely."
The words that she would erase Madeleine,
"I didn't make you unhappy, Duke."
And the words she had said to provoke him.
It was nonsense. She had made Giovanni unhappy not just from the moment she came to the mansion.
Twenty-one years ago, on the night when her mother, a dancer for whom money was everything, was with him while he was drunk, on the night he had a private meeting with Duke Elkin, the head of the Aristocratic Faction, she had made him unhappy.
So, her only use was to be sent to the Imperial Palace in place of Esella.
"...It matters."
Giovanni lowered his hand at Esella's tearful voice, and his heart ached for a moment. Tears welled up in her amethyst eyes, which resembled his own.
"My sister didn't do anything wrong."
"The fault...!"
Giovanni gritted his teeth. His vision blurred with anger. His clenched fist was numb, but he couldn't bring himself to tell his daughter the truth.
"...She's not your sister."
The words he uttered to reason with her were sharp. But even with tears in her eyes, Esella stubbornly shook her head.
"She is my sister."
"Esella!"
Giovanni regretted it as soon as he shouted. He had never raised his voice like this to his daughter in his entire life...
Why did he become so unhappy every time that girl got involved? Would everything have been alright if he hadn't brought her at all?
Giovanni lowered his head in misery. His rough breathing filled the drawing room.
"...Mother."
He couldn't breathe for a moment.
"Mother told me that she was my sister."
"......"
"Olivia is definitely my sister."
"......"
"So. She is my sister."
Giovanni could feel Esella's gaze on him, but he couldn't bring himself to look up. After a while, the gaze was withdrawn, and the sound of heels faded away.
Only after the door opened and closed did he slowly raise his head in the drawing room where he was completely alone. His amethyst eyes, looking at the door, were stained with longing and pain.
"...Esella really takes after you."
...Hazel.
After the words he uttered hoarsely, a name he couldn't bring himself to call came to mind. Just thinking of the name made it hard to breathe, as if a knife was stuck in his heart.
"You didn't even bother to look in on her, even though you assigned her such a terrible nanny? She didn't do anything wrong!"
The moment the cold voice came to mind, Giovanni bit his lip. The afterimages of the past stirred in his head.
It was when Hazel's tightly closed door was opened for the first time after that girl came to the mansion. Giovanni had mistakenly thought that Hazel had decided to understand him when the door opened.
But, the moment her always warm brown eyes looked at him coldly, he realized the reality.
"The fault lies with you, Gio."
"I... At least I think you should take responsibility for bringing her here."
"...She should be treated similarly to my children, as Conrad and Jade's sister, and as Esella's sister."
Just recalling the voices that poured out like daggers made him feel both affection and pain at the same time. Giovanni staggered for a moment and slumped down on the sofa.
His forehead was hot. A pulling sensation in the back of his neck and a stabbing pain filled his head.
Giovanni closed his eyes. It was what the doctor had told him to do whenever he felt the pulling sensation in the back of his neck.
But even when the pitch-black darkness came, nothing improved. His breathing became labored.
Knock, knock-. Sir Huxley entered with a knock.
"A moment ago, the young lady went out..."
Sir Huxley, who had brought the teapot and teacup, hurriedly put the tray down on the table and approached the Duke. He hadn't looked well lately, but this was the first time he had turned so pale.
"I will call the doctor."
"...It's alright. Let's have a cup of tea."
"Still..."
Sir Huxley trailed off for a moment and resigned himself. The Duke never changed his mind. Whatever he said with his unyielding nature, he couldn't change it.
Helplessly, Sir Huxley brought the tray back. He picked up the steaming teapot and poured tea into the teacup. With the sound of the tea pouring, one of the Duke's eyebrows rose.
"...The tea I used to drink."
The tea in the teacup in front of him was a pale green color. The tea that usually calmed his sensitive nerves was a clear brown. At those words, Sir Huxley lowered his head with a troubled expression.
"I am sorry, Duke. I tried to get that tea, but..."
Tried to get it? Sir Huxley had always been in charge of his tea for years. From the beginning, when he was a rookie aide, he had brought tea that suited his taste.
The Duke stared at Sir Huxley for a moment, then swallowed a sigh. The tea he used to drink at the mansion reflexively came to mind.
The teas that Esella occasionally brought to his office, which were transparently brown.
Strangely, a blurry figure came to mind from the stuffy memories. A very long time ago, the young figure of a girl became clearer and clearer from the time when this tea first started to be served to him.
The Duke shook his head as if to shake off his thoughts.
"...Is there still no response from the Territory of Vikander?"
"That is, I'm sorry."
The inside of his mouth felt gritty, as if it was full of sand, at Sir Huxley's unsure answer. Then the Duke slowly opened his mouth.
"...Sir Huxley."
"Yes."
"Go to the Territory of Vikander."
Sir Huxley's eyes widened. The Duke, who only kept one aide, was sending him to the Territory of Vikander.
"Tell Olivia directly to return to the mansion."
And that was for the sake of the first young lady.
Sir Huxley's heart skipped a beat at the first time he had heard those words. He couldn't even imagine how happy the first young lady, who always looked at this office with expectant green eyes, would be to hear this story.
If the first young lady came, even the minor things that had gone wrong would all be put back in their place.
The Duke's illness, who was suffering from vascular disease, and the Duke's residence, which had become somehow strangely lonely every time he went there.
Even the face of the second young lady, who had left a moment ago with tears in her eyes while holding her head high.
Sir Huxley moved quickly. Meanwhile, the Duke let out a low sigh. And he blinked his dry eyes.
Bringing Olivia back to the mansion was solely for his daughter's sake.
...For Esella, who was kind-hearted like Hazel.
He decided to forgive her, who always brought him unhappiness, just a little.
Giovanni closed his eyes again.
He desperately hoped that if Hazel knew his true feelings now, she would forgive him just a little.
A terribly dark darkness filled his closed eyes. In that place, Giovanni longed for Hazel's voice.
But salvation did not come.
* * *
The Etel family's carriage passed through the main gate of the Imperial Princess Palace.
Maria Etel snorted as she watched the passing scenery outside.
"It is the order of Her Imperial Highness the Princess to enter the Imperial Palace quickly."
"Oh my, Her Imperial Highness the Princess, who is like a Saintess, is looking for our young lady. I should really call you Her Highness the Crown Princess Consort now, young lady."
A palace attendant had visited the mansion a little while ago. The nanny was overjoyed and hurriedly helped her prepare to go out. But Maria was inwardly annoyed.
She already entered the Crown Princess Palace almost every day, but she couldn't stand not calling her on her day off.
It must be because of the Summer Ball. She had contacted her so much about holding a Tea Party today, and it seemed she had been called as soon as it was over because she didn't attend.
She had avoided the last call by acting spoiled to Leopold, so she couldn't avoid it today.
No, there was no reason to avoid it. After all, she was now in a position to do the Princess's work, and at the same time, she was now the Crown Prince's fiancée, the future Crown Princess Consort, not just a mere Marquess's daughter.
The carriage stopped and the door opened.
Maria, who got out of the carriage gracefully, grabbed the hem of her dress and walked lightly.
A young maid saw Maria and quickly bowed her head.
"I will escort you to the drawing-room. The nanny who accompanied you, this way, please."
"Goodness. What a luxury thanks to you, Miss."
The nanny mumbled in a daze. She was already happy just to have come to the Imperial Palace.
Even Maria was experiencing such polite treatment for the first time.
It was a courteous greeting that she could not have received solely as the daughter of Marquis Etel. Maria's lips curved into a soft arc at the thrilling feeling.
That's right. I am soon to be the Crown Princess Consort. The Princess must be aware of that fact and instructed her maids.
Having kept it a secret this long, it was my turn to reveal the truth to the Princess.
That with the help of the Empress and Duke Elkin, I am scheduled to have an engagement ceremony at the Summer Ball.
Perhaps the Empress had already mentioned it to the Princess. If that's why the maids are so polite, it made sense.
Her pretty nose lifted a little higher.
Maria moved her feet with a triumphant air, completely oblivious to the ominous atmosphere of the Imperial Palace.
.
.
.
"Maria Etel greets Her Highness the Princess."
The drawing-room of the Imperial Princess Palace.
A clear voice echoed through the drawing-room. Maria Etel, who had paid her respects in perfect posture, blinked with her head bowed.
There was no greeting to rise or thanks for coming. According to etiquette, a person of lower status could not raise their head until permission was granted by the superior.
The posture, which would cause sweat to form on the forehead even if maintained for only thirty seconds, continued.
It was a method Maria often used to tease young ladies she didn't like at Tea Parties. But she had never been on the receiving end. I am the daughter of the Etel Marquisate and the Crown Prince's only lover. No one could humiliate me like this.
What is going on?
Maria Etel was confused. Surely the Princess should like me. Duke Elkin said he would speak well of me to the Empress, and above all, Leopold had soothed the Princess well.
"I've soothed her well, so you have to do well from now on, Maria. Got it?"
There must be some misunderstanding. Maria tried to rise.
But she soon let out a shallow groan. The moment she tried to get up, someone pressed her down with a strong force.
"Pay your respects to Her Highness the Princess, young lady."
The word mixed in the oppressive voice was more infuriating. Young lady! I am, I am going to be the Crown Princess Consort.
But here, behind closed doors, I was alone, and the Princess was nowhere to be seen.
Sweat began to form on her forehead. The carefully applied makeup must have been ruined by the sweat. Her arms and legs, which she always kept slender, trembled.
Etel bit her lip tightly. It felt like an eternity was passing.
"...It's hard to get a glimpse of your precious face."
Along with the languid voice, someone roughly pulled Maria up. Beyond the blurry vision, blurred with tears or sweat, she saw the Princess smiling brightly.
The sea-blue eyes in the slender, beautifully curved eyes were looking down at Maria Etel, filled with mockery.
