Chapter 57
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n“Lady, did anything bad happen to you?”
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nMary, who was tapping my shoulder as she brushes my hair, asked cautiously.
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n“…Is it that obvious?”
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n“Um… If the Duke or the young master sees it, I think they’ll recognize it right away.”
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n“First of all, your cheeks are swollen.”
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nMarilyn, who was stroking my hair from behind, helped Mary.
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nI sighed deeply at their answer.
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nI’m sure yesterday I went to bed feeling refreshed after taking a bath.
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nI hesitated for a moment, contemplating alone, and then carefully opened my mouth.
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n“You know, this is about someone I know…”
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n“Yes.”
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n“This is a secret from the rest of us. People I know are a bit shy. Okay?”
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n“Okay. I’ll never tell anyone.”
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n“I’ll keep it a secret.”
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nHaving accepted Mary and Marilyn’s secret promise, I began to talk with a casual expression as if I was talking to someone else.
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n“For the time being, I’ll call him someone I know, Berry, who met someone twice, and only knows his name, and has played together.”
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n“But?”
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n“Um, but one day, Berry went out to the square and saw him. Berry thought they had definitely met, so she was going to say hello, but he was gone after a blink of an eye.”
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n“Hmm…”
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n“What do you think?”
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nAfter hearing my words, Mary and Marilyn remained silent for a moment, as if contemplating for a moment.
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nI told them it was someone else’s story, but of course it was my story.
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nThane came and I forgot about it yesterday, but even thinking about it again, the one I saw in the square yesterday was Lian.
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n‘To be a person who looks like him, their faces are too similar.’
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nIt wasn’t seen from far away, it was only a few steps away, so I’m sure.
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n“By the way, lady.”
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n“Yes?”
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n“Is the person Berry said she met a guy?”
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n“Yes.”
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n“…All she knew was his name? She doesn’t know his age or where he lives?”
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n“Hmm… She doesn’t know his age, only that he lives in the capital…?”
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nMary’s hand, who was still moving busily, stopped when she replied slightly to Marilyn, who looked fierce.
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nMarilyn, who asked the question, also sighed, not saying a word.
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nFor some reason, there was an uncomfortable silence for a while.
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n“Miss.”
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n“Yes?”
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nMarilyn called me with a serious look for some reason.
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nAnd the words that followed were a very sharp and direct insult for Lian
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nI was just expressing my complicated mind, but Lian quickly turned into a bastard, and I had to work up a sweat to stop Marilyn.
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nꕥ
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n“Erita, it’s a letter for you.”
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nWith those words, my father pushed the pale purple envelope towards me.
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n“What? A letter for me?”
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nAs I was sipping tea, I set the teacup down on the pedestal at the words of my father.
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nWhy did the letter addressed to me end up with my father?
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n‘Originally, the letters that come to me are brought to my room by the maids.’
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nIn fact, because I had not yet made my social debut, I did not receive many letters because I don’t have any close acquaintances.
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nThe senders were at most the maids of the north or Lily.
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n“Um, that’s odd, did it go up to the office by mistake?”
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n“It’s not a mistake, this is a letter I received.”
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nThose words made me even more confused.
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n“I met Seian earlier this morning. At that time, he asked me to give it to you.”
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n“The Marquis?”
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nWhen I picked up the letter my father had pushed me, my name and Seian’s name were written in neat handwriting.
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nThe letter was sealed with a smooth seal. He sent a response late last night
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nWhen I saw that he had asked my father, whom he met this morning, to deliver it, he appeared to be in a hurry.
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n“I’ll have to go up to my room and write a response later.”
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nI smiled a little and took care of the letter. My father’s eyes were warm to see me like that.
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nFrom the beginning, my father wanted me to get along well with Seian.
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n“More than that, Seian boasted that he received a gift from you.”
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n“A gift?”
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n“Yeah, how much he loved that you got him embroidered handkerchiefs and artifacts.”
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n“Ah, that’s what he’s talking about.”
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nSince our first meeting, we’ve met twice more so far.
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nOnce Seian came to my house, and just last time I went to Seian’s house.
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n‘The place where Seian lives now is a mansion where he lived with Serbia when he was young.’
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nBecause of that, Seian’s face, who had been invited to our house after hesitating for a while, was still clear.
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nThe handkerchief and artifact that my father said were gifts from me when I visited the Vicente mansion.
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nI was going to prepare jewelry or clothes too, but for some reason, I thought he’d prefer something I made myself, so it was a great choice.
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n“I gave it as a thanks for the gift he gave me when I first met the Marquis.”
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n“Well.”
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n“Fortunately, he liked it.”
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n“Of course he would have liked it. It was a gift from someone important.”
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n“Well, it’s nothing compared to the gift the Marquis gave me.”
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nI still remember the feeling of embarrassment at that time. When I said that with a light smile, my father sighed and muttered.
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n“Even though he’s aged so much, he’s still like a child. His personality of giving things to the people he likes doesn’t change at all.”
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nThe words flowing out were close to lamentation or complaints if you look at the contents alone.
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nHowever, from the faintly curved eyes, I could see that the words contained affection for Seian.
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n“Even though you say that, you care about the Marquis. The Marquis also likes father very much.”
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n“Well… I can’t help it, because the face that sometimes cries is still like a child in my eyes.”
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nAt the playful remarks, my father smiled and affirmed.
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nIt’s understandable because Seian was not even ten years old when my father married Serbia.
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nAccording to Seian, my father came from a very good family.
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nBecause of his blunt personality, he taught young Seian how to use swordsmanship and even gave him a horse ride.
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nIt’s only natural that Seian, who experienced my father’s kindness, likes him.
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nI recalled crying Seian, telling me that I grew up so beautifully like my father and his sister.
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n“The Marquis seems to cry a lot even now.”
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n“Did he cry again in front of you?”
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nSeian, who burst into tears from the first meeting, could not hide his tears even in the previous meeting.
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n“Well, actually, when I gave him a present. He cried, saying that I grew up like my father and my mother.”
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nFor some reason, when I affirmed in an awkward voice, my father laughed as if he was dumbfounded and covered his face with one hand.
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n“He said he wouldn’t cry anymore, but it didn’t last a week.”
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nAfter that, after talking to my father for a while, I came up to my room.
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nSitting at my desk humming softly, I took out the letter I had brought.
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nWhen I took out a small knife and took off the seal so that it wouldn’t rip, a faint smell of flowers spread out.
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n“He must have sprayed perfume.”
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nSmiling at the subtle scent of flowers from the paper I took out, I slowly read the contents.
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nI sent a reply yesterday evening, but this morning I received two letters from Seian.
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nSeian liked to talk more than expected, despite his soft and quiet appearance.
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n“Did you have a separate schedule after two days?”
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nThe content of the two-page letter was that he wanted to have lunch at a restaurant in the square together in two days.
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nLast time I met him, he listened carefully to my story of going to the plaza with Aaron.
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n“Miss, this is Mary.”
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nJust in time, Mary knocked on the door.
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n“Yes, come on in!”
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nMary’s arms, which opened the door, were carrying a yellow box.
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n“I think that’s one of the accessories that was ordered for the debutante first. I thought you should check it out, so I brought them all.”
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n“I see. That came very quickly. Since we ordered it from the same place, don’t we usually get it around the same time?”
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nI walked over to the sofa and muttered in doubt.
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nWell, other nobles often buy dresses, shoes, and accessories separately, but I bought them all in one place.
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n“Oh, you know what? This isn’t from Madame Derrin’s salon.”
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n“Huh? Other than that, I don’t think I’ve ordered anything else.”
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nI looked at this mysterious box with narrow eyes.
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n“Isn’t it from my father or brother?”
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n“Yes. According to the kid who gave it to me, he was sent from another area.”
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nMary’s words somehow reminded me of my other family.
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n“Mary, I think I know who sent it.”
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n“What? Who?”
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nAt my words, Mary asked, widening her round eyes.
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nI remembered a kid who had round eyes like Mary but had a very timid character.
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n“The naughty girl who liked yellow.”
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n“Oh, you mean Miss Lily?”
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nAt Mary’s question, I nodded my head.
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nLily was the Countess’ girl I met when I was in the North.
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nI’d be lying if I didn’t remember that grumpy Lily at Lysen orphanage when I first saw her.
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n‘Well, her appearance and her personality were completely different.’
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nIt was only for a moment that I felt bad when I heard the name Lily.
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nLily Lemian, who was the sole daughter of Count Lemian, the family’s vassal, followed me around, calling me my older sister. I also adored Lily.
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n“In other areas, Lily is the only one who will send these yellow boxes.”
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nWith a smile, I pulled on the white ribbon wrapped around the yellow box.
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nThe soft ribbon was loosened without much resistance.
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n“Hey, you were really sorry that you couldn’t attend Miss Lily’s farewell party.”
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n“I can’t help it because Countess Lemian is suddenly sick. Oh, my!”
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nNodding nicely at Mary’s words, I couldn’t hide my surprise at the object that was revealed in the box.
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n“What’s wrong? No matter what the problem is…. Woah!”
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nMary, who glanced at the box, had a surprised expression as I did.
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n“It’s the same color as your eyes! It’s really pretty.”
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nWhat was sitting quietly in the box was a pair of colorful earrings with purple jewelry like the color of my eyes and a bracelet that looked like a set.
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nAnd on the side of the box a small envelope was gently fitted.
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n‘I have two letters to reply to.’
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nI quickly pulled out the letter and read it, I couldn’t hide my laughter.
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