-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: The Watkins Book Club
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“What is it?”
At the same time, the Duchess peeked over at the invitation.
Her blue eyes, filled with curiosity, read the name written on it.
“The Watkins… Book Club? Ugh.”
The Duchess scowled.
Well, I couldn’t blame her.
She was the type to keep a healthy distance from books.
“Lady Ansi, are you planning to join a book club?”
“Yes, I was thinking about it.”
“Why? Is there any reason to join a book club? When you have me…”
The Duchess looked up at me intently, like a prim cat.
But that was only for a moment.
“D-don’t tell me.”
A look of shock slowly dawned on her face.
“Am I not enough for you?!”
Her voice, filled with a sense of betrayal, boomed out.
“I… I only need you, Lady Ansi!”
“Pardon?”
“So now you need other friends besides me!”
“Pardon?”
Flustered, all I could do was repeat, “Pardon?”
This was…
Like a housecat scolding its owner for looking at a stray.
But first, clearing up this misunderstanding was the priority.
“Of course not. I very much enjoy spending time with you, Duchess.”
As I gently tried to soothe her, she protested with the most aggrieved expression.
“If you enjoy being with me, then why are you suddenly talking about some book club!”
“Well… about that.”
I chose my words for a moment before carefully asking back.
“Our original goal was to improve your reputation, wasn’t it?”
“Ah.”
For a moment, the Duchess looked as if she’d been caught off guard.
As she blinked blankly, I calmly continued.
“In that respect, this book club is quite a good option.”
“A good option?”
“Yes. Our original objective was to ‘improve the Duchess’s reputation by showing her more down-to-earth side,’ wasn’t it?”
I laid out my explanation step by step.
“Although this is a small gathering, and its members aren’t ladies with significant influence in high society, if you look at it the other way…”
I gave a slight, smiling glance to the Duchess, whose eyes were now shining with curiosity.
“It also means their families are powerful enough not to worry about the whims of high society.”
Just look at Serapina.
Doesn’t she struggle just to attend mainstream society gatherings?
The Duchess, on the other hand…
‘The mere fact that she attended the Viscounty of Ansi’s party was enough to set society abuzz.’
That’s how immense the influence of the Duchy of Claudius is.
I continued again.
“Of course, the invitation was addressed to me, but it’s less that they didn’t send one to you and more that they didn’t dare to.”
The sole daughter of the Duchy of Claudius, which boasted the greatest power in the empire.
Befitting that status, the Duchess was quite whimsical about which gatherings she attended.
To be more precise, she only attended a very small number of famous gatherings when she felt like it.
‘The problem is, she rarely ever ‘feels like it’...’
How could such a modest gathering send an invitation to a duchess like that?
So, that invitation, in the end.
Is likely a way of hoping that by inviting me, you will attend as well.
“Hmm.”
After a moment of thought, the Duchess glanced at me sideways.
“A-a book club… means you have to read books, right?”
“I would assume so.”
“Ugh, I hate reading.”
Pouting and grumbling, the Duchess soon began to mutter to herself, loud enough for me to hear.
“Still, if Lady Ansi were to ask me to go with her, I think I might want to go.”
“…”
“I really, really hate reading, but if it’s a request from Lady Ansi, I might just be able to grant it.”
“…”
Sigh.
I sighed inwardly and opened my mouth.
“This is just my personal opinion, but I think it would be good if you attended as well, Duchess.”
At that, her face lit up as if a lamp had been turned on.
“Lady Ansi is the one asking me to go. Right?”
“Of course. I am asking you to come with me.”
“Alright. Since Lady Ansi insists, it would be difficult for me to refuse.”
The Duchess lifted her chin, as if to make a point.
Well, as long as the Duchess is satisfied…
I watched the beaming Duchess with weary eyes.
* * *
And so, the day of our first book club meeting arrived.
Having nearly finished getting ready, I found myself picking up and putting down a jewelry box, lost in thought.
‘…When would be a good time to wear these earrings?’
Inside the box were the rose quartz earrings the Duke had given me.
Of course, I knew full well.
The Duke had given me the gift simply as a thank you for taking good care of the Duchess; there was no other special meaning behind it.
Still… since I had received a gift.
I wanted the first person to see me wearing them to be the one who gave them to me, the Duke.
‘I mean, h-honestly, that’s just how it is, right?’
It’s not that I have any particular feelings for the Duke, it’s just that it looks better to show the gift-giver first…!
‘Alright. I’ll save these earrings for another time.’
After much deliberation, I finally put on a different pair of earrings and went downstairs.
The Duchess, who was lounging in our living room as if it were her own chamber, simply raised a hand and gave a little wave.
“There you are, Lady Ansi.”
“Ah, yes.”
My eyes were drawn to the Duchess’s wrist.
On her slender wrist was a brilliant blue turquoise bracelet.
It was the very bracelet the Duke had given her as a gift from his recent trip to the south.
“You know.”
As I stared at the bracelet, the Duchess narrowed her eyes and posed a question.
“Just when are you planning on wearing the earrings my brother gave you?”
“P-pardon?”
Caught off guard, my shoulders tensed.
The Duchess then clicked her tongue disapprovingly, as if to make a point.
“Surely you’re not just keeping them tucked away in a drawer to ‘save’ them, are you? The prettier an item is, the more you should wear it. That’s how you get your money’s worth.”
Then she gave me a suspicious look.
“Or perhaps… you don’t like them?”
“No, of course not!”
I shook my head, startled.
The Duchess pressed me again.
“Then why aren’t you wearing them?”
“Ah, well.”
I started to speak, but found myself at a loss for words…
‘What should I say?’
Honestly, if it were any other gift, I would probably just wear it happily without a second thought.
Worrying about when to wear it is strange in itself.
‘I-in that case.’
I swallowed hard.
‘It might be obvious… that I’m conscious of the Duke.’
I have to answer as calmly as possible.
I tried to calm my wildly beating heart and spoke.
“Well… this is the first time I’ve ever received a gift from a gentleman.”
“Hmm?”
The Duchess raised an eyebrow.
It felt like I was making an excuse—well, I guess I was!
‘But it’s not a lie!’
I could feel my face flush.
“Gregory never even gave me a handkerchief, and, uh, of course, I know the Duke was just being polite by getting me a gift as well, but still…”
The more I spoke, the more it felt like I was shouting, ‘I’m totally conscious of him!’ with my entire body.
Ah, my head is spinning…
Meanwhile, the Duchess watched my tormented state with a look of indifference for a long moment before speaking.
“I doubt that.”
“Pardon?”
“Those earrings. I doubt he gave them to you just to be polite.”
…What on earth does she mean by that?
Slightly bewildered, I looked at the Duchess.
“Honestly, you two are so frustrating.”
Shaking her head, the Duchess hopped up from her seat.
Then she trotted ahead of me.
“Let’s go. We’ll be late for the book club at this rate.”
Wait, Duchess.
What in the world did you mean by that?
