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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