Chapter 20
The next day.
Word came that the construction was finished. I immediately prepared and set off for Remute Territory.
Perhaps because of the rain that had poured down, the weather was exceptionally clear.
‘Oh, it’s looking pretty good?’
For something cleaned up in just one day, the road was in remarkably fine shape. I felt glad I’d called in the workers.
Moreover, the workers I’d summoned hadn’t stopped at just road repairs as requested—they were even helping rebuild collapsed houses or assist with repairs.
When the carriage passed along the road and entered Remute Castle, I encountered a familiar voice.
“His Grace the Duke has refused the Duchess’s visit.”
Oh. It was the rejection I’d expected, so it didn’t surprise me.
I crossed my arms and stared steadily at the knight.
One second, two seconds, three seconds… The knight began to sweat profusely.
“Susan, don’t glare like that.”
“…….”
“Anna, you too—stop glaring on the sly. Beth, quit muttering curses with your hands behind your back.”
At that, the maids who’d been shooting daggers at the knight from behind me flinched. They looked up at me with faces like abandoned puppies on the verge of tears.
……They hadn’t been this devoted to me before.
Ever since that day when the rain poured so heavily and I returned with a cold, they’d nursed me diligently, and they’d become even more zealous after that.
It might’ve been because of the limited-edition accessories I’d lavishly gifted them in thanks for their care.
“Girls, even if you glare at him, he won’t pay you.”
“Du-Duchess……! It’s not about the money!”
“That’s right! It’s not about money. How could we not hate the place that left our Duchess out in the rain!”
“Exactly, you were so terribly ill!”
I’d meant it as a joke, but a flurry of chirping protests poured out like birdsong, startling me.
Their earnest, tearful faces made me feel a bit strange.
Hm, was this the moment when the maids became the first ones to overcome Charlize’s infamous reputation and prejudices?
“……Enough, everyone. I get it.”
Feeling awkward and embarrassed for misunderstanding them as money-grubbers, I flushed red in the cheeks.
I took a moment to cool my face and turned my head.
“If waiting inside isn’t an option, then waiting outside like before should work, right?”
It was door-knocking rejection anyway—exactly as expected.
I turned away from the main entrance of the manor and headed toward the garden where I’d parked the carriage.
‘I knew it would come to this, so I left the carriage right there.’
From my fiancé’s perspective, I must look like a total nuisance. Sorry about that. I’ve got my own grievances too.
Still, I’ve become more desperate helping your flood victims, so couldn’t you cut me a little slack?
“Here’s some cassane tea for you, Duchess.”
“Yes.”
As always, I sipped my tea while watching the garden.
A few flowers caught my eye that I hadn’t noticed during my overnight stay.
Wow, those are so uniquely pretty. I like their color.
Meanwhile, inwardly, I began a tug-of-war whose end I couldn’t predict.
Fine, my fiancé. Let’s see whether you show me that handsome face first or I give up first.
I was sipping my tea like that when I felt a gaze from somewhere.
Since the servants had watched me curiously from afar after my overnight stay here, or the knights had kept a wary eye on me, I wondered if it was them.
But the one whose eyes met mine was an unexpected person.
‘……Aria?’
Peeking out from behind a tree was my fiancé’s younger sister, Aria.
When our eyes met, her shoulders twitched, but she didn’t look away.
She even hesitated before approaching.
“H-H-Hello.”
“Yes. Hello?”
Oh, in the bright light, her skin looked even whiter than it had at night.
Pale, yes, but if she regained her health, she’d easily be called the empire’s greatest beauty.
Well, with a brother who’s such a beauty and looking so similar to him, it was only natural.
“Um, D-Duchess. I’m sorry…….”
Her immediate apology after the greeting left me baffled.
What had this pretty, delicate young lady done wrong to me?
Searching my memories, Charlize had only pinched cheeks if anything—nothing like that.
“Has the Duchess of Remute done something wrong to me?”
“Ah! No, what I mean is, last time… I’m sorry, my brother m-misunderstood…….”
Ah. I recalled that day.
“Are you feeling okay? You’re not hurt anywhere? Y-You fell so painfully back then.”
“I’m fine. I’m sturdy.”
To seal their lips, I glanced at the nearby maids.
They nodded to each other.
Yes, I need to get close to this young lady. That way, my fiancé might at least show his face once.
Getting an audience with him is proving so very difficult.
“Don’t worry. I have plenty of money to heal from any illness.”
As I said it, I realized—oh no, not the right thing to say in front of a sick Aria.
I need to watch my tongue. I mentally slapped my own cheek, and then a small laugh reached my ears.
Aria was stifling her laughter.
……Where did that burst come from?
“As expected, I must’ve had some m-misunderstandings about you all this time.”
“…….”
“Because of the image of the Duchess known to the world, I had p-prejudices.”
Excuse me, forget the image—you should remember what Charlize actually did.
As I’d seen in the carriage a few days ago, this truly innocent young lady had let down her guard after just a bit of kindness, her eyes sparkling.
I’d intended to win her over, but with her responding like this, my conscience pricked, leaving me a bit troubled.
“……Want some tea?”
That was the best I could manage.
Aria nodded eagerly, looking delighted.
“My brother’s out of the castle right now. He said an important guest is coming in the afternoon, so he stepped out briefly beforehand…….”
Aria joining had its advantages.
This innocent young lady was spilling details about my fiancé’s whereabouts without hesitation.
‘A guest.’
I pondered her words carefully.
My thoughts scattered as Aria struck up more conversation.
“Were you doing something in the garden by any chance?”
“Ah, just sipping tea and looking around. The flowers are pretty, aren’t they? Especially that one…”
“Flowers! D-Did you like them?”
Ah, that startled me… Aria hurriedly apologized. She’d jumped up shouting, knocking over her cup, but luckily the tea was cold, so no one was hurt.
She floundered, apologizing more, and I calmed her, saying it was fine.
“Th-That flower is one I grew myself, so I got so happy that I…….”
“You grew it yourself?”
Aria’s hobby was gardening, particularly crossbreeding existing varieties to create new seeds—she had a strong interest in that.
Listening to her, I was surprised at how seriously she took it.
‘In the book, she was just a pitiful character who died tragically because of Charlize…….’
She couldn’t stay outside long due to her poor health, but she smiled brightly, saying she worked at it diligently whenever she could. She looked happy.
In the midst of explaining, Aria started coughing. Cough, cough.
“Shall we stop here for today?”
“Y-Yes?”
“You should go inside.”
At that, Aria visibly panicked, her face falling in disappointment.
I waved my hand gently in front of her and gave a soft smile.
“It’s not just today, right? I’ll come again, so you need to stay healthy for then.”
“……Ah!”
Only then did Aria nod and stand from her seat.
Her cough wouldn’t stop.
Worried, I offered her my handkerchief, and her white cheeks flushed pink.
“D-Duchess, could I possibly ask one thing……?”
“You can ask two.”
Aria clutched the handkerchief I’d given her tightly to her chest.
Even as she coughed lightly, her pale face broke into a bright smile.
“By any chance, is th-this what friends are like……?”
“…….”
I froze.
‘Whoa, for a moment there, I felt utterly purified.’
Any scheming intent to get close to my fiancé through Aria felt cleansed away.
At my speechlessness, Aria drooped, misinterpreting it.
“I-I’m s-sorry. For me to dare with someone like the Duchess…… I-I’ve never had friends, so I wondered if this was what friends are like…… No bad intentions, I swear.”
It was as if droopy rabbit ears hung above her head.
“Friends don’t form that difficultly, do they?”
I said it thinking of that rowdy group who’d declared lifelong friendship after one drinking session.
“And from what I know, you and I are already friends. Friends call each other by name. Aria is fine, right, Aria?”
A lovely smile bloomed on Aria’s face.
“Y-Yes!”
Once again, recalling that this pretty young lady died so quickly in the book filled me with pity.
Was there a cure for her in the book?
Doubting she could make it all the way to the building on her own, I stood and led the way.
Aria tilted her head but followed like a chick trailing its mother hen. Tap, tap, tap.
“Duchess, Duchess, where are you going?”
“Not Duchess—Charlize. I’m seeing you back, Aria.”
“Ah! Ch-Charlize…….”
Watching her smile, I thought once more that the reason my fiancé guarded his sister so fiercely wasn’t just because of her illness. That was when it happened.
I turned at the sound of murmuring. Across the wide garden, I saw a crowd of people gathering.
‘What’s going on?’
