Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: A Granddaughter's Plea
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Resuan swallowed hard and called out to him.
"...Grandfather."
"Resuan, what are you doing instead of sleeping?"
He tried his best to maintain his usual demeanor. But the sense of betrayal in his granddaughter's eyes stood out even more clearly under the room's illuminating light.
'She heard.' ...The fear that his granddaughter might leave him just like his daughter spread through him like poison. If that actually happened, he didn't know where or how he would end up dying. Marquis Epekle cried out urgently.
"It's all for your sake!"
Resuan shook her head.
"If you care about me, please stop getting involved in that sort of thing."
Marquis Epekle groaned.
"I can't do that. We're almost there. It's just a process to ensure you live the rest of your life without ever worrying about your health..."
"You're making me worry about you right now, Grandfather."
"You don't need to worry."
"...You promised to be a grandfather I could be proud of. Please listen to me." Resuan pleaded. Marquis Epekle, who had been gazing at her with pity, pulled her into a tight embrace. Resuan sniffled in her grandfather's arms and spoke.
"Grandfather..."
"No."
But the marquis remained firm. Resuan pushed him away from her embrace. She didn't want to live by breaking someone down. Especially not if it was Marso, whom she had already hurt. She felt deep disappointment toward her own grandfather. All the more so because he had always seemed like someone who would take the righteous path. And because she loved that grandfather, she wanted him to stop even more.
"If you won't stop, Grandfather, I'll tell Lady Marso everything I heard today."
"...No."
Marquis Epekle looked at Resuan with eyes full of affection but did not nod in agreement with her words.
"...Grandfather. You're not the type to act without reason. Please tell me why you've decided to do this."
Resuan tried desperately to understand the marquis somehow. There must be some reason she didn't know about. She was frantic. Marquis Epekle squeezed his eyes shut. Resuan seemed to expect that he would confide everything in her.
"Stay and rest in the mansion for the time being."
But that was all Marquis Epekle said. And the next day, Resuan was confined to her room.
Darsi couldn't answer my heart right away. I didn't press him for a response either.
'Tell me when you're ready.' This time, the waiting felt different. I was certain he felt the same way I did. He just needed time to accept his own feelings. But simply confirming each other's thoughts like this made me feel even more confident. The day after the tea party, a letter arrived from Duchess Weruna. The letter addressed to me was densely packed with her career, her current life, and all the assets she could offer as a duchess. It was more like a thesis than a letter. '...At least now I can turn her down properly.' Remembering my conversation with Darsi lightened my heart. It felt like eliminating a rival. I wrote back immediately. 'Talking in person would probably be best.' Since Duchess Weruna had shared her feelings directly, this approach seemed right. I sent the letter, and a reply came back in just half a day. Our meeting was arranged for the next day.
"Oh, Lady Etwar."
She greeted me warmly. Even though she must have picked up on the hint in my letter, her cheerful attitude remained unchanged. I decided to lay out the truth before she could build up more expectations.
"I'm sorry, Duchess Weruna, but it looks like a match between you and Prince Darsi won't happen. As I mentioned..."
"Ah, I understand."
I was surprised by how quickly she gave up—faster than I'd expected. Wait, hadn't she outright asked if I liked him? It left me feeling suspicious, like she was hiding something. As if sensing it, Duchess Weruna explained.
"No, that question the other day aside, the two of you seemed pretty close. I just wanted to test the waters."
It was so characteristically her.
"I wish you both the best."
Even as she wished us luck, I felt a strange emotion stirring in me. What exactly was it? Duchess Weruna... She was the most enigmatic person I'd encountered so far. But it was true—my impression of her improved in an instant. Someone who supported the bond between Darsi and me. A good person. Suddenly embarrassed, I scratched my head and mumbled.
"...We're not even officially together yet."
"But unofficially, you're quite tangled up with each other, aren't you?"
"..."
"You're not denying it. Anyway, thanks for telling me directly."
Duchess Weruna stood up neatly from her seat. She was apparently about to leave.
"You're leaving already?"
It was a pang of regret I never felt around Ryan. Now that I knew I wouldn't have these talks with her anymore.
"Yes, now that we're done talking. It's a shame I missed out on the long-haired beauty."
"...Why do you like long hair so much?"
I tossed out the question, hoping to prolong the conversation somehow. Truth be told, I was curious too. Long hair wasn't particularly common here, and few people were so open about liking it. Duchess Weruna, who had seemed ready to leave without hesitation, paused.
"That's a first—someone asking me that."
She lowered her gaze thoughtfully. Lost in contemplation, she resembled a scholar burning with academic passion or a philosopher pondering the meaning of life.
"My first love had long hair."
"..."
"My first love, whom I never saw again."
The unexpected reason made my eyes widen.
"I've never told anyone before. Saying it out loud feels a bit relieving. Thanks for listening."
Her smile carried the bittersweet scent of autumn. It seemed things hadn't ended well with her first love. Seeing this human side of her made me want to get closer. ...Even though she hadn't been interested in me, she was the first person I'd been able to talk to about love.
"Duchess Weruna."
"Yes?"
"Are you really not going back to your activities at all now?"
Weruna grinned at me.
"Occasionally. Very occasionally, we could grab a meal together. Our banter was more fun than I expected."
"..."
"There really aren't many people willing to argue with me."
We weren't close, but it seemed I'd made a friend to exchange greetings with now and then. She had enjoyed our conversation as much as I had. I saw her off. 'Today's guest reception is over.' Maybe I should finish packing. Interest in me had grown even more after the successful tea party. Pitol's play continued its box-office run, constantly mentioning me and building anticipation. Of course, that was at my request. Anyway, preparations for departure were nearly complete. I'd leave the mansion within two days. I'd told Marquis Etwar I was heading to our estate to rest. As I rose from the drawing room, I tilted my head at the sight of a servant approaching quickly. Was there more to relay to me?
"Lady Marso, a guest has arrived."
"Their name?"
Ever since unwittingly receiving Ryan, I'd made a habit of confirming guests' names one by one. To avoid letting any weirdos into the mansion again.
"They said to let you know it's Leti."
"Leti?"
The Leti I knew? But what reason would she have to come all the way here to see me?
"...It's the Leti who used to work in our mansion before. She insisted on seeing you, Lady Marso."
The rumor was that Leti had been fired because she fell out of favor. Perhaps because of that, the servant fidgeted uncomfortably as he spoke, glancing at me cautiously. It was almost pitiful. 'Not even using people properly.' There must be a good reason for her to come here in person. Considering she was Ryan's person, it could be a trap... 'Speculating alone is pointless.' I wasn't Leti, so I couldn't predict what she'd say. Even if I sent her away, it was right to at least hear her out first.
"Let her in."
However, I called her into a room that was utterly unprepared for guests. Letting her into the mansion aside, the messy drawing room signaled that she hadn't been properly invited.
"Have you been well, Lady Marso?"
She stood before me. Letisia, the head of the back-alley merchant guild who bore that name, had completely shed the appearance I'd last seen and returned to being my maid, Leti. '...What is she playing at?' Her innocent face made it seem like the person I'd last seen didn't exist. I couldn't hide my bewilderment.
"The servant's gone, so you don't need to put on that act... What exactly are you doing here?"
"I have something to tell you."
The moment we were alone in the room, her eyes flipped completely. The way she switched her gaze, like turning over a piece of paper, was the mark of a born actress. 'Shouldn't she have joined a theater troupe?' I inwardly admired her.
"Is this a message from... Prince Ryan?"
"No. This is something I'm delivering to you personally, Lady Marso."
"...You?"
Did she have something to tell me directly?
"In a month, rumors will spread throughout the capital."
"Rumors?"
"That the Etwar Marquis House has been mocking the imperial family all this time by monopolizing magic crystals, that they've found a new mine, and used it to line their own pockets."
It was absurd. The claims she just made would be instantly debunked by checking the magic crystal mines, the amount our Etwar House possessed, and the records of deliveries to the imperial family. Why bother? If a new mine could be found, every noble would have claimed one by now and be living large. The imperial family, Etwar Marquis House, and Epekle Marquis House didn't monopolize magic crystals for no reason.
"Yes, normally, you wouldn't believe it."