Translator: Nox

Chapter 22

~Chapter 22~

The letter stated that it wasn’t too late even now—if she simply apologized to her father, everything would be forgiven.

“Those who haven’t lost something for themselves can’t accept it even after it’s taken from them. Well, if she keeps acting like such a fool, that’s all the better for me.”

Harriet suddenly came to mind.

Even after her uncle drowned and her father inherited the Listerwell title, Harriet hadn’t realized her situation for quite some time. She still tried to take the seat of honor as if she were the daughter of Baron Listerwell or meddle in household affairs as if it were natural.

At first, Bella had mocked her in anger, but as despair gradually clouded Harriet’s eyes, Bella began to feel a growing sense of relief.

She remembered the thrill of that day when she had invited her old friends to a tea party and introduced them to Harriet.

‘That expression when she realized everything had been taken from her—it was truly a sight to behold. Daphne will be the same soon enough.’

The Laurel family had influence, so once the rumors died down, Daphne would be able to get engaged again. But it was certain no one she met next would be better than James Cheslow.

Someday, Daphne would bite her lip in regret at the sight of Bella as the Countess Cheslow.

“Pfft!”

Unable to hold back, Bella burst into laughter. James, noticing, bowed his head and asked, “What’s so amusing, Bella?”

“Oh, it’s nothing… I’m just happy that everyone seems to finally accept me as your lover.”

“That’s something I should say. After all, I’m the one who won Genoa’s golden rose. I couldn’t possibly be happier than this.”

The two exchanged sweet words and shared a light kiss. Knowing that Daphne’s friends were watching made even that brief touch feel immensely provocative.

Unexpected events were unfolding at St. Clarissa Convent as well. Trisha had sent a reply through a messenger.

“From Aunt Trisha herself?”

“Yes. You should read it first.”

The woman in her early thirties who had brought the letter looked far stricter and colder than the Trisha Harriet remembered.

Even during their greetings, the woman didn’t so much as offer a polite smile. Harriet could even sense a hint of negative feelings toward her.

With an anxious heart, Harriet unfolded the letter.

「To Harriet. It’s been a long time. I’ll skip the outdated pleasantries. I never imagined the first letter from you would be a guardianship request. It struck me as rather bold, but it wouldn’t sit right with me to see Arthur’s daughter cast out onto the streets and reduced to a commoner. So for now, I’ll take on the role of your guardian, given my circumstances are somewhat better.」

For a moment, Harriet nearly cried out in joy. She had considered it the most likely outcome, but she hadn’t expected such straightforward approval.

However, Aunt Trisha was no pushover, just as the rumors said.

「……Of course, there are conditions. If you’re going to enter society under my name, I won’t tolerate anything that tarnishes my honor. It seems John didn’t educate you properly, so for the next few months, learn everything you need from the tutor I’m sending.」

“A home tutor?” Harriet looked up at the woman seated across from her. Only then did the woman introduce herself.

“I’m Roxana Valbanus. I’ll be teaching you for the next five months.”

Would it be rude to say she looked more like a nun than the actual nuns?

With clear blue eyes, pale skin, brown hair neatly combed back without a single stray strand, and a somewhat slender build—she exuded the distinctive aura of someone who had spent years in convent life.

“Um, do you know the contents of the letter? It seems you’ll be staying at the convent too, Teacher…”

“I’ve already received permission from Abbess Catherine. It might just be my imagination, but she seemed quite pleased that you’ll be receiving an education.”

In truth, Trisha had prepared a petition along with the guardianship documents to persuade Catherine, but Catherine had been overjoyed at the news of Harriet gaining a new guardian and welcomed Roxana as an honored guest.

“She was probably worried about sending you out from the convent. I look forward to working with you.”

“I’ll warn you in advance—steel yourself. You might find me strict, but now isn’t the time to leisurely rest.”

As expected, Roxana didn’t seem to hold any fondness for Harriet.

But Harriet was already accustomed to others’ cold shoulders and contempt. A faint sting pricked at her heart, but in five months, she would have to step back into society, which was filled with far harsher people. She decided to treat this as practice.

“I have no intention of complaining about the opportunity to learn. I’ll do my very best.”

True to being someone sent by Trisha, Roxana was an excellent teacher with profound knowledge not only in etiquette and manners, society’s and the royal court’s fundamentals, but also across politics, society, and economics in general.

Etiquette and manners weren’t too difficult, as she had studied them for about three years under a home tutor in her childhood and picked up more by observing while living with her uncle.

But there was more to learn than that, so Harriet pushed herself to her limits. She quit her work at the soap workshop, cut back on sleep, and wrestled with books all day, mastering proper conduct, the workings of society, and the current trends in high society.

Roxana traveled to Genoa every two weeks, and knowing she would report everything to Trisha, Harriet could never afford to slack off.

‘This is an opportunity that won’t come again. I absolutely can’t let it slip away!’

As the letters from Trisha, delivered through Roxana, piled up, her determination only grew firmer.

「It seems you’re keeping up well even though Roxana isn’t an easy teacher. But don’t get complacent over that much. You’ve only just laid the foundations. You’ll need to continue studying under her even after returning to Genoa.」

After exchanging letters several times, Harriet began to understand Trisha’s way of giving praise.

‘She points out my mistakes more than my successes, but that’s because she wants me to improve further.’

The reason Harriet realized this was simple: Trisha never condemned her failures.

It was a rare attitude for someone investing both money and care in her. Thanks to that, Harriet felt great trust and gratitude toward Trisha Felon.

On the other hand, even after spending five months together, the distance with Roxana didn’t narrow in the slightest. Roxana looked at Harriet with eyes that seemed convinced—almost certain—she might one day betray the countess.

‘Well, nothing to be done about it. I don’t expect everyone to understand me.’

It felt a little unfair, but Harriet knew there wasn’t much she could do. She simply had to faithfully follow Roxana’s teachings.

Time flew by.

It felt like only yesterday they had exchanged New Year’s greetings, but before she knew it, the ice had melted, flowers had bloomed, and early summer was upon them.

On June 1st, a date that had seemed like it might never arrive, Harriet packed her belongings in preparation to leave the convent.

‘Good thing I didn’t get rid of my winter shoes, or I wouldn’t have enough bags.’

Harriet pressed down firmly on the bulging luggage. Even after removing the bulky shoes, the bags were stuffed full because of the winter gear she had acquired over the past winter.

Just before the first week of January ended, an anonymous package had arrived containing a perfectly fitting scarf, gloves, muffler, and socks. Though anonymous, she could more than guess who had sent it.

‘Looks like he has a conscience after all. He didn’t seem the type to think of things like this.’

The only person who knew she was spending the winter without even a scarf was Cedric Kailas. Since he had grumbled that she could at least have brought a scarf and gloves, Harriet had felt quite embarrassed when the package arrived.

Thanks to the items he sent, she had been able to endure the harsh winter relatively warmly.

‘I’ll have to repay him someday.’

Since it had been sent anonymously, it didn’t seem like he expected thanks, so she hadn’t even written a letter of gratitude. But that small package left a sense of debt in her heart. He might have sent it lightly, but for Harriet, the battle against the cold was a matter of survival.

“All done!”

Click. At last, the lock on the travel bag closed.

Harriet set the bag down on the floor and slowly looked around the room where she had stayed for the past year.

The hard bed, which she had thought she’d never get used to, had become comfortable before she knew it, and she had grown fond of the small table and chair.

“I wondered if anyone could possibly live in a place like this…”

In the end, she had survived somehow.

That was why she wasn’t so afraid of the days ahead.

She had cultivated the strength to endure cold and despair, learned the skill to create small things with her hands, and built the mental resilience to find peace even in cramped, shabby spaces.