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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Duchess's Shopping Spree
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Seeing her bristling like a cat with its fur on end, Dietrich couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Alright, let’s just say that’s what it is.”
“No, it’s true! She’s really just a temporary friend! I’m Duchess Claudius, do you think I make friends that easily?!”
“I said I get it, didn’t I?”
Even as he casually placated his indignant sister.
A smile never left Dietrich’s face.
‘It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Evanjeline this happy.’
Fundamentally, Evanjeline was the type of person who had very clear likes and dislikes.
If she had truly disliked her, she wouldn’t have even bothered to speak to her…
‘She said she spent the whole day with Lady Ansi.’
Although she was grumbling this and that.
That in itself was proof that Evanjeline had taken a liking to Lady Ansi.
“More importantly, brother, about my allowance.”
Hearing his sister’s coy voice just then, Dietrich was pulled from his brief reverie.
“You’re not actually going to touch my allowance, are you?”
Evanjeline shot her brother a sidelong glance, pouting.
“I promised to go out with Lady Ansi tomorrow.”
“So?”
“I may be the only Duchess in the Empire, but I can’t just ask Lady Ansi to pay for everything, can I? Huh?”
“Aha, so you’re asking me to forget about cutting your allowance?”
Dietrich shrugged and replied playfully.
“That depends on how you behave.”
Evanjeline’s face fell.
“Oh, you can’t be serious!”
* * *
I stepped into the Viscounty of Ansi’s townhouse, a large bouquet of roses clutched in my arms.
“Welcome back, my lady.”
Amy, who was there to greet me, stared with wide eyes.
“My goodness, where did all these roses come from? They’re so beautiful!”
“They were a gift. Could you put them in a vase for me?”
“Of course.”
As Amy carefully took the bouquet, she spoke with a somewhat troubled expression.
“Oh, my lady. A letter arrived from Lord Gusto a little while ago…”
Ugh, why him again?!
My face twisted into a scowl.
The wonderful feeling of walking on clouds I’d had just moments before came crashing down.
“Just burn it.”
I shook my head.
What’s the point in reading it?
It’ll only be bad for my eyes.
Amy nodded and was about to leave.
“In that case, I will burn all the letters…”
“Wait a moment.”
I turned to Amy with a puzzled look.
“‘Letters’? You mean there was more than one?”
“Yes? Of course.”
Amy replied, her expression one of utter weariness.
“There are fifteen in total.”
“What?”
Fifteen?
I was aghast.
I had visited the Duchy’s townhouse just after lunchtime and returned home in time for dinner.
In other words.
I had been gone for four or five hours at most.
Which meant…
‘He sent almost three letters an hour!’
What is wrong with him?
He’s like a stalker, it’s so creepy!
Just then, Amy continued with a deep sigh.
“And the servant from the County of Gusto insisted that you must send a reply.”
“He did, did he?”
“Yes. Should I burn all the letters as you said?”
At that question, I furrowed my brow deeply, but.
“…No.”
In the end, I stopped Amy.
If he went so far as to send fifteen letters, there might be something important.
Well, I had been meticulous with the annulment notice and related documents.
The County of Gusto wouldn’t be able to find any fault with them…
“I’ll check them first.”
“Understood. The letters are on the vanity in your bedroom.”
“Thank you.”
I nodded and headed to my bedroom.
On a silver tray atop the vanity, I saw a large pile of letters.
‘What could be so urgent…?’
Swallowing dryly, I picked up one of the letters and unfolded it.
A moment later.
“Ugh!”
With a look of disgust, I crumpled the letter into a ball and threw it into the trash can.
And for good reason—the contents of the letter were…
[What on earth are you thinking, Lalitt?
Get a grip.
Who else would marry a woman like you if not me?
Stop this nonsense and apologize politely to Sera and me.
If you do, I’ll forgive you.
My parents also said they’d call off the annulment if you just apologize.]
Something like that!
There was no need to read the others.
They would all say the same thing anyway!
I mean, come on.
“I’m truly disappointed. I’ll have to reconsider our engagement.”
“I can no longer maintain an engagement with a woman as graceless as you!”
“I’m going to tell my father! Do you understand?!”
Who was the one who said all that?
Why was he clinging so pathetically when I just did what he wanted?
“Phew, I worried for nothing.”
With a deep sigh, I trudged into the bathroom.
I had to meet the Duchess first thing tomorrow morning, so I planned to wash up and go to bed early.
At that moment, I had no idea.
Just how pathetically Gregory would act, using those letters as an excuse.
* * *
The next morning.
The Duchess came rushing over to the Ansi townhouse as soon as the clock struck nine.
I greeted her politely.
“Welcome, Your Grace.”
Having met her once before, I wasn’t as nervous today as I had been yesterday.
“Ugh, another drab dress today…”
The Duchess, who openly frowned the moment she saw my attire, gestured toward the carriage with her chin.
“Anyway, it’s good to see you. Shall we get going?”
Huh?
For a moment, I narrowed my eyes and studied the Duchess carefully.
‘The Duchess looks a bit tired.’
Though she had concealed it perfectly with makeup skills that bordered on divine.
A closer look revealed faint shadows under her eyes.
I asked her without thinking.
“Did you not sleep well last night, by any chance?”
“M-Me?”
The Duchess jumped like a startled cat.
“Of course not! You must be mistaken, Lady Ansi!”
“Ah, I see.”
I suppose I was just being overly sensitive.
Just as I was about to nod in understanding.
“As if I would be so excited about our outing that I couldn’t sleep all night…!”
The Duchess cried out, clenching her fists.
“…”
I stared at her blankly, desperately suppressing the smile that threatened to break across my lips.
I forced a serene expression instead.
I have to make this as natural as possible!
“Sh-Shall we get going, then?”
Saving a friend from creating an embarrassing memory is part of being a friend.
Yes, it certainly is.
Meanwhile, the Duchess, her face crestfallen, followed behind me with quick, short steps.
“It’s true. I slept soundly last night!”
“Yes, yes, of course.”
“I’m telling you, I didn’t lose any sleep!”
* * *
The carriage, bearing the crest of a sword and rose, glided onto Elnore Street, where the most expensive shops in the capital were gathered.
“Dresses! We must buy dresses for Lady Ansi! And shoes, and hats, and bags!”
The Duchess’s eyes shone with a determined expression.
‘How… much of my allowance do I have left?’
I frantically tried to calculate my remaining funds in my head.
Well, this much was fine.
Since the Duchess had a profound dissatisfaction with my attire from the start, I had expected we would go to a dress shop.
But.
As I stepped out of the carriage, my face went pale, and I turned stiffly to look at the Duchess.
“…Your Grace.”
“Yes?”
“It seems there aren’t any other customers in the dress shop…”
The Duchess simply shrugged.
“I rented out the whole place for today. Is there a problem?”
“…”
I was speechless with shock.
