The next day, news arrived that the construction was finished. I prepared myself immediately and headed straight for the Remut Territory.
Perhaps because of the previous night’s downpour, the sky was exceptionally clear.
‘It’s in pretty decent shape, isn’t it?’
Considering the road had been repaired in just a day, the result was quite excellent. I congratulated myself on the decision to hire those specific workers.
Furthermore, they hadn’t stopped at the road repairs as requested; they were busy rebuilding collapsed homes and assisting with general maintenance.
As the carriage passed through the gates and entered Remut Castle, I was met with a familiar, cold reception.
“The Duke has declined the Duchess-To-Be’s visit.”
Oh. It was a rejection I had anticipated, so it didn’t even surprise me.
I crossed my arms and stared intently at the knight.
One second, two seconds, three seconds… The knight began to sweat profusely under my gaze.
“Susan, don’t glare.”
“…….”
“Anna, don’t glare in secret, either. And Beth, stop standing with your hands behind your back and cursing.”
At that, the maids who had been diligently scowling at the knight from behind me flinched. They looked up at me with teary eyes, appearing just like abandoned puppies.
……They hadn’t been the type of people to follow me this closely before.
Ever since they nursed me back to health after I returned on that rainy day and caught a fever, they had become much more protective. Perhaps it was the limited-edition accessories I had gifted them as a token of my gratitude.
“Girls, I’m not going to pay you extra just because you glare like that.”
“D-Duchess-To-Be……! It’s not about the money!”
“That’s right! It’s not about the money. How could we not hate a place that left you out in the pouring rain?”
“Exactly, the Duchess-To-Be was terribly ill!”
I had meant it as a joke, but the chorus of protests—sounding like birds chirping—poured out all at once, catching me off guard.
Their pained expressions were entirely genuine, and it left me feeling a strange warmth.
Hmm, is this the moment the maids finally cast aside the notoriety and prejudices surrounding Charlize?
“……Alright, I get it. Stop now.”
Feeling awkward and embarrassed for having misjudged them as solely money-driven, I felt my cheeks flush.
I cooled my face for a moment and turned away.
“If I can’t wait inside, I can just wait outside like before, right?”
Being turned away at the door was something I had expected anyway. I pivoted toward the garden where the carriage was parked.
‘I left the carriage there because I knew this would happen.’
I’m sure from my fiancé’s perspective, I must look like an absolute nuisance. I’m sorry. I have plenty of grievances of my own, too.
Still, since I ended up in this state while trying to help your displaced victims, couldn’t you be a little more understanding?
“Duchess-To-Be, here is your Kasane Tea.”
“Thanks.”
I watched the garden while drinking my tea, just as I had been doing for days.
There were flowers I hadn’t noticed when I was camping out here. Wow, they were truly fascinating—I loved the colors.
I settled in, starting a tug-of-war that had no end in sight.
Yes, let’s see which happens first—you showing your handsome face, or me finally giving up.
I was sipping my tea when I felt a gaze fixed on me.
Ever since I started camping here, attendants had been watching from afar with curiosity, and knights had been standing guard with wary faces, so I assumed it was just one of them.
However, the person I made eye contact with was entirely unexpected.
‘……Aria?’
The one who had softly peeked her head out from behind a tree was my fiancé’s younger sister, Aria.
She flinched when our eyes met, but she didn’t look away. After a moment of hesitation, she slowly approached me.
“H-h-hello.”
“Yes. Hello?”
Oh, seeing her in the bright, clear light, her skin looked even paler than it had at night.
Though pale, if she were to regain her health, she would easily be hailed as the greatest beauty in the empire.
Given that her brother is such a stunner and she shares his features, it’s only natural.
“U-um, Duchess-To-Be. I’m sorry……”
I was bewildered by the apology that followed her greeting.
What could this beautiful, frail lady have possibly done to me?
Searching my memory, I found nothing. Charlize was the one who usually looked down on others; there was no record of conflict between us.
“Does the Duchess of Remut have something to apologize to me for?”
“Ah! That is, I’m sorry about last time. My brother m-misunderstood……”
Ah. I thought back to that day.
“Are you feeling alright? Are you not hurt anywhere? You… you fell and hurt yourself back then.”
“I’m fine. I’m sturdy.”
I glanced at the nearby maids to keep them quiet. They met my eyes and nodded.
That’s right. I need to get close to this lady. Only then will my fiancé show his face at least once.
Honestly, it is far too difficult to catch a glimpse of that dragon-like man.
“Don’t worry. Even if I’m sick, I have plenty of money to get better.”
I realized my mistake the moment the words left my lips. It wasn’t the right thing to say in front of the frail Aria.
I really need to learn to hold my tongue. As I inwardly slapped my own cheek, a small sound of laughter reached my ears.
Aria was stifling a giggle.
……What did she find so funny?
“As expected, I think there were some… parts that I had misunderstood about you.”
“…….”
“I think I had formed a prejudice because of the image of the Duchess-To-Be known to the world.”
*Excuse me, forget the image—you should remember what Charlize actually did.*
I’d noticed it in the carriage a few days ago, but this truly innocent lady had already let her guard down, her eyes sparkling simply because I’d treated her with a modicum of kindness.
I had intended to manipulate her, but with her acting like this, my conscience pricked me. I felt a pang of unease.
“……Would you like some tea?”
That was all I could offer.
Aria nodded enthusiastically, as if even that small gesture were a profound kindness.
“My brother has left the castle for now. He said he had to go out for a while before an important guest arrives this afternoon…….”
A new benefit emerged from Aria’s presence.
This naive girl was spilling information about my fiancé’s whereabouts without a second thought.
*A guest, huh.*
I pondered her words, my thoughts drifting. Aria continued, sensing no hesitation.
“By any chance, what were you doing in the garden?”
“Ah, I was just looking around while drinking tea. The flowers were pretty, weren’t they? Especially that bloom over there…”
“Flowers! D-did you like them?”
Oh, she startled me. Aria apologized hurriedly. She had stood up so abruptly that a cup tipped over, though fortunately, the tea was cold, and no one was hurt.
She apologized profusely, flustered and unsure of what to do, until I calmed her, insisting it was fine.
“U-um, I grew those flowers myself, so I was just happy that you liked them…….”
“You grew them yourself?”
Aria’s hobby was gardening; she was particularly dedicated to cross-breeding existing species to create new ones. Listening to her, I was surprised by how earnest she was.
*In the book, she was just a character who died pitifully because of Charlize…….*
Although her poor health kept her from staying outside long, Aria looked genuinely happy as she smiled and explained her hard work.
In the middle of describing her process, she began to cough.
“Shall we stop here for today?”
“Y-yes?”
“I think it would be better for you to go inside.”
Aria looked visibly flustered and disappointed.
I waved a hand gently and offered a bright smile.
“It’s not like today is the only day, is it? I’ll come again, so you need to be healthy by then.”
“……Ah!”
Only then did Aria nod and stand up.
Her coughing wouldn’t stop.
Concerned, I handed her a handkerchief. Her pale cheeks flushed a soft, rosy hue.
“U-u-um, Duchess-To-Be, may I dare ask you one thing……?”
“You can ask me two.”
Aria pressed the handkerchief I’d given her tightly against her chest. Even as she coughed, she offered a bright, delicate smile.
“By any chance… is this what friends are like?”
“…….”
I froze.
*Wow, I feel like I’ve just been purified.*
My ulterior motives for getting closer to my fiancé through Aria felt as though they were being scrubbed clean. I was struck speechless, and Aria, misinterpreting my silence as a rejection, grew sullen.
“I—I’m so sorry. I dared to… to think that someone like you, Duchess-To-Be, and I… I haven’t had any friends, so I wondered if this was what friends were like… I didn’t mean anything bad by it.”
It was as if I could practically see rabbit ears drooping dejectedly over her head.
“I don’t think becoming friends is supposed to be that difficult, is it?”
I said this while recalling the group of rowdy scoundrels who insisted that because we’d shared a drink once, we were friends for a hundred years.
“And as far as I’m concerned, you and I are already friends. Friends should call each other by name. May I call you Aria?”
A radiant smile bloomed on Aria’s face.
“Y-yes!”
Once again, I felt a pang of pity, remembering that this beautiful young lady was a character destined to die young. Did the book happen to mention a cure for her?
Worried about whether she would even make it back to the building, I stood up and took the lead. Aria tilted her head, then followed, trotting along like a chick trailing its mother hen.
“Duchess-To-Be, Duchess-To-Be, where are you going?”
“It’s not Duchess-To-Be; it’s Charlize. And I’m taking you back, Aria.”
“Ah! Cha, Charlize…….”
Watching this smiling girl, I thought once again that the reason her fiancé was so fiercely protective of his younger sister probably wasn’t just because of her illness.
It was then.
I turned my head at the sound of a commotion. Beyond the vast garden, I could see people gathering.
*What’s going on?*