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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: A Unique Interpretation
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‘Right, I’m with the Duke right now!’
I meant to think it, but the words just slipped out!
I gave an awkward laugh.
“My apologies. That was presumptuous of me.”
“Not at all, my lady. You were neither presumptuous nor did you misspeak. How is it presumptuous to voice one’s own thoughts?”
His blue eyes stared straight at me.
“I am simply… curious about your thoughts, my lady.”
“…”
My mouth went dry.
After a moment’s hesitation, I carefully began to speak.
“Perhaps the nymph simply wanted to live for herself?”
The Duke raised an eyebrow as if surprised.
“Live for herself, you say?”
“Yes. Even if the nymph loved the god in the beginning, there’s no way of knowing if those feelings persisted to the very end, unless we were her.”
The female protagonist of this world, Serapina.
And Lalitt, who admired Serapina so much she devoted her body and soul to her.
But there was no guarantee that such admiration would last forever.
“When she transformed into a birch tree, how do we know the nymph was only sad? She might have finally felt relieved, shaking off that tiresome unrequited love.”
I concluded my words carefully.
“Couldn’t one interpret it as… the nymph finally obtaining her freedom?”
Just as I, after a long period of devotion, had completely cast aside my admiration for Serapina.
And had chosen to defy the protagonist, Serapina, resolving to stop being her doormat.
‘Oops.’
In that moment, I snapped back to my senses.
‘Did I get too carried away?’
I felt I’d been rambling on too much in front of the Duke…
Fortunately, however, the Duke didn’t seem particularly displeased.
“A unique interpretation. Very interesting.”
The Duke, who had been watching me with a curious gaze, gave a light nod.
“I’ve never considered it from that perspective before. There’s some merit to it.”
…In fact, he seemed to be rather enjoying this conversation?
The Duke added gently.
“Come to think of it, Eva has been much more proactive in everything since she started spending time with you, my lady.”
“The Duchess?”
“Yes. Frankly, I never expected Eva to volunteer to act as the lady of the house, let alone study for it…”
The Duke’s eyes crinkled into a smile.
“Perhaps she was influenced by your intellect, Lady Ansi.”
…Receiving a compliment is still a little unfamiliar.
This ticklish feeling.
‘Calm down, Lari.’
I quickly put on a smile to hide my awkwardness.
‘It’ll be a disaster if I get carried away and make a mistake.’
To my great relief, the Duke turned his head just then to look at the Duchess standing in the distance.
“Personally, I’m pleased to see that Eva seems much brighter.”
A warm light flickered in his deep blue eyes.
With his gaze fixed on the Duchess, the Duke concluded calmly.
“It seems she has made a good friend… I’m very happy.”
He looked just like a loving older brother who truly cherished his younger sister.
I felt a little strange.
To think that such a kind brother would send his own sister to a convent after falling in love with Serapina.
I just couldn’t imagine it.
“It is all thanks to you, my lady.”
“You’re too kind.”
I hurriedly shook my head.
Maybe it’s because it’s been so long since I’ve received this kind of acknowledgment.
…My heart pounded for no reason.
* * *
‘Huh?’
Meanwhile, Evanjeline, who had been busy greeting guests, suddenly turned her gaze.
At the same time, her blue eyes sparkled with curiosity.
‘Lady Ansi and my brother look like they’re getting along really well, don’t they?’
At the end of Evanjeline’s gaze were Lalitt and Dietrich, standing side by side, admiring a piece of art.
The two of them looked quite friendly, not at all like people who had just met for the first time.
They were talking with each other, and sometimes their eyes would meet as they smiled.
‘What’s gotten into him?’
The truth was, Dietrich had a surprisingly guarded personality.
Outwardly, he was impeccably polite, but he didn’t let others get close to him.
It had been a long time since she’d seen Dietrich smile so brightly in front of someone.
Besides.
“Oh my, the Duke and Lady Ansi are together?”
“I didn’t know the Duke could be so relaxed.”
“I always thought he was so strict…”
It seemed Evanjeline wasn’t the only one who thought the pair looked friendly.
Evanjeline perked up her ears.
The topic of conversation had just shifted from Dietrich to her.
“Come to think of it, didn’t the Duchess and Lady Ansi seem very close as well?”
“That’s right, I saw it too!”
Another lady chimed in.
“You know, I saw the Duchess linking arms with Lady Ansi earlier.”
“They looked very close, didn’t they?”
Heh.
Evanjeline felt a surge of satisfaction.
‘See? I have friends too!’
The ladies continued their conversation in low voices, covering their mouths with their fans.
“It was quite surprising, actually. I was under the impression that the Duchess didn’t associate with anyone…”
“She seems to have an unexpectedly down-to-earth side to her.”
To summarize their conversation, it was basically, ‘I see the Duchess in a new light now.’
‘Oh?’
Evanjeline blinked.
‘Lady Ansi’s advice is really working!’
Excited, Evanjeline sidled up to the group of ladies.
Unable to contain her excitement, she almost blurted out to them,
*Really? Do Lady Ansi and I look close?*
Just as she was about to ask, Evanjeline belatedly came to her senses.
‘Oops, I can’t look too excited.’
She was, after all, the hostess of this salon, the only duchess in the empire, and acting as the lady of the Duchy of Claudius.
She had to maintain a minimum of dignity.
Evanjeline composed her expression and spoke haughtily.
“What are you all discussing? I thought I overheard Lady Ansi’s name…”
The ladies, who had been chatting amongst themselves, turned to Evanjeline with a start.
“Y-Your Grace. It’s just…!”
The ladies glanced at one another, their faces paling as they bowed their heads.
“We are terribly sorry!”
“How presumptuous of us to dare speak of you, Your Grace…!”
Evanjeline narrowed her eyes.
‘Honestly, you’d think I was going to eat them.’
Well, she knew her reputation in high society wasn’t the best.
But still, there was no need to make such a fuss, was there?
“I’m not angry.”
“We will be more careful so this never happens again… What?”
At the unexpected response, the ladies looked up, their faces bewildered.
Evanjeline gave a light shrug.
“You saw correctly. Lady Ansi and I are indeed very close.”
“Y-Your Grace?”
“So, there’s really no need to apologize like that.”
Evanjeline’s eyes curved into a bright smile.
“Did you know? Lady Ansi was a great help to me in hosting this salon.”
“Sh-She was?”
The ladies stared at Evanjeline, still looking dazed.
Evanjeline lifted her chin haughtily.
“The flow of this venue, for instance. Isn’t it wonderfully easy to move around?”
“Ah, yes.”
“It’s nice that it’s not complicated.”
The ladies nodded cautiously.
Evanjeline couldn’t hide her pride.
“Right? Everyone thinks so, don’t you?”
Utterly excited, Evanjeline completely forgot about dignity and all that.
“That’s all thanks to Lady Ansi’s detailed advice. And those flower arrangements…”
After rattling on for some time with words that were a mix of praise for Lalitt, boasting, and showing off their friendship.
“Well then, I must be off to see Lady Ansi. Do enjoy yourselves.”
Leaving them with a cheerful farewell, Evanjeline strode away triumphantly.
“…What on earth just happened?”
“I-I know, right? I thought the Duchess was going to reprimand us.”
The ladies looked at each other as if they had just seen a ghost.
