As expected, Lucio blinked slowly, then nodded shortly after.
Seeing this, I quickly got on the carriage with joy.
I was so thrilled that I wanted to shake hands to show my happiness.
I had been a little disappointed every time I met Lucio because he always acted foolishly, but finally it seemed like my image had somewhat recovered.
“I saw it just now.”
At that moment, as the Duke of Ellard closed the carriage door for the last time and took his seat, he asked the Duchess of Ellard, “With such a foolish expression.”
Then, he burst into laughter in a way that didn’t suit him at all.
Although the Duchess tightened her lips as if she weren’t interested, I felt like something was going on, but I couldn’t understand it.
When I looked at him with a smirk, the Duke also glanced at me.
His face, still tinged with laughter, changed to a more satisfied expression when he saw me.
Then, he burst into laughter again for some reason.
Just a moment ago, people seemed annoyed and crowded, but suddenly, I don’t know why, I felt good.
I realized that I still couldn’t guess the Duke’s mind, so I thought I should work harder in the future.
Comforting Diana, who blinked heavily, and holding the pocket and magic circle in my arms, I leaned against the windowsill and looked up at the dark night sky.
Although I was exhausted, as I looked at the slanted crescent moon, instead of falling asleep, my mind became filled with various thoughts.
Thinking about taking the magic circle to Telen tomorrow, thinking about proceeding with the business in earnest…
Suddenly, the image of Ascart, whose eyes were turning red, came to mind.
For some reason, it seemed like that image wouldn’t easily be forgotten.
* * *
“Your Excellency, I’m studying hard as you instructed. I go to the library every day. Please trust me to take good care of the young lady!”
Lucio burst into a hollow laugh, pouring out words as if he were grading overdue homework, thinking of Rhea’s fresh face as she boarded the carriage.
Ultimately, that was the only proper conversation he had with the child all day.
“Pitiful.”
Turning away, not knowing what he was disappointed about, Lucio felt a sense of disappointment somehow.
Everything, from the ball to everything else, felt exhausting.
However, knowing he had to attend, Lucio headed back to the dormitory for a brief rest to cool his head.
Just as he entered the floor where his room was, he sensed someone’s presence.
At the moment when all the students rushed to the ballroom, leaving the dormitory deserted…
“Ascart.”
When Lucio called out quietly, Ascart, who had been sitting on the sofa in the lounge with his face buried in his knees, lifted his head slightly.
“Lucio.”
Ascart asked with a surprised expression.
“Why are you here at this hour… I thought you’d go straight to the ball. Did you come back after seeing off your family?”
Though he was speaking cheerfully, Lucio keenly noticed the redness around Ascart’s eyes.
“I’ve seen Allen a few times since he was young, but it was my first time seeing your youngest brother, and he looked exactly like you. I was extremely surprised. He resembles you so much. Oh, maybe he takes after the Duke, not you.”
“….”
“I also saw the Duchess for the first time in a while, and she looked exactly the same as before. Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since I last saw the Duke. I should greet him sometime…”
“Ascart.”
“Yeah?”
“Stop chattering and go back to your room to sleep.”
As Lucio spoke, Ascart, who had been speaking non-stop like an excited person, fell silent.
Seeing his long-time friend Lucio’s indifferent expression, Ascart scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Lucio, maintaining his usual composed demeanor, showed no signs of comforting him.
However, seeing him like that made Ascart’s heart feel lighter.
Feeling warm inside at his seemingly indifferent friend’s silent consideration, Ascart asked,
“Lucio, can I come over to your house?”
Lucio, who had been making a somewhat irritated expression, stopped and for the first time faintly raised the corners of his mouth.
“No.”
* * *
*Tap, tap, tap.*
Bianca, who swiftly moved her steps, arrived at the department responsible for managing the correspondence of the Grand Castle, entering directly with a knock.
“Director? What brings you here?”
“I heard a letter arrived from the Empire.”
Specifically, it was from the Duke of Ellard.
Bianca asked without paying attention to whether the department’s employees were flustered or not.
But her words only seemed to increase the confusion among the staff.
Bianca held a position next in line to the Grand Duke and Duchess in the castle, and she had countless subordinates including assistants.
Even if she stayed still, by this afternoon, enough people would have brought the letter to her office. Nevertheless, there were plenty of people who could bring it to her immediately with just a word.
“But why did she come here personally like this?”
“It means an important letter has arrived from the Empire!”
The minds of the frozen employees thawed with her appearance.
At that moment, one quick employee found a letter from the stack of correspondence being urgently sorted.
“Here, Director. Here it is.”
Seeing the person handing over the letter with a determined face, Bianca made a puzzled expression.
She roughly understood what they were thinking, but she couldn’t correct them either.
While she was lightly stretching her body in the council chamber, upon hearing that a letter had arrived from the Duke of Ellard, her body was already moving; she couldn’t say it was out of dignity.
Of course, it could be a letter sent by the Duke as she had requested sudden help before, but she had a premonition.
The letter that had just arrived was the one she had been waiting for.
“Ah…!”
Sure enough, on the envelope with the crest of the Duke of Ellard, the small, neatly written characters spelled ‘Rhea.’
‘She knows how to write.’
Somehow, she felt relieved.
While waiting for the letter to be sent, she had asked the Duchess to help Rhea write a reply, but she had worried about burdening the girl unnecessarily.
However, receiving a handwritten reply unexpectedly was astonishing.
Perhaps she’s a clever child who has learned to read and write during that time.
Bianca wanted to tear open the letter and read it right away, but there were too many eyes watching, so she left a brief word of appreciation and turned away.
And as soon as she stepped outside, she tore open the envelope.
She knew that reading letters while walking outside wasn’t a good look, but she couldn’t help it.
“Hehe.”
As soon as Bianca read the first line, she burst into joyful laughter.
[To my dearest, most splendid Countess Bianca,]
How can you be so adorable and charming?
Looking at the neatly written characters pressed with fern-like hands, my heart unexpectedly felt warm.
Though a bit embarrassing, I was also pleased to see the kindness the child feels towards me so clearly.
Of course, it was a carefully chosen phrase from Rhea, considering her status as a servant girl, but Bianca continued to read the letter.
“Hmm.”
As Bianca finished reading the last line, she touched her chin and let out a subtle sigh.
The contents of the letter written by Rhea were full of praise for the Bellus Kingdom. Apparently, she had studied about the Bellus Kingdom through a book recently.
But what Bianca was curious about was not mentioned at all.
Whether she was feeling unwell, if anyone was bothering her, if she was having a hard time…
‘I wonder how she’s doing.’
Of course, she was grateful for the knowledge about the kingdom and the positive sentiments, but she didn’t expect the letter to be filled with stories about the kingdom alone.
Though she initiated the conversation herself, it was her way of appealing, but somehow it seemed to have taken an odd direction.
However, Bianca decided to think positively.
This letter was probably written in consideration that the Duchess would convey it to her, thinking that Rhea wouldn’t know how to write, but next time, she thought she could express herself more actively.
The Bellus Kingdom had been doing charity work for orphans more extensively than any other country for a long time, and the quality of their facilities and sponsorship was incomparable.
Moreover, with Rhea’s vast mana, she would be able to find a place easily and be treated well because the kingdom employed talent regardless of their background.
‘It’s a waste for her to stay as a servant.’
As Bianca, understanding her sudden urge to see Rhea as an aspiration for talent, was contemplating the contents of the next letter she would write, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. She had already mapped out a curriculum to teach Rhea martial arts if she had even a little bit of interest in it, but there was one concern.
It was the youngest daughter of the Duke, Diana, who had not followed her to the Ellard Ducal Mansion.
‘It hasn’t been long since we met, but by now…’
She must have been deeply attached.
“She seems too kind. It worries me even more.”
If only she had a little more time instead of hastily returning to Bellus, there would have been more opportunities to appeal, and if she had gone all the way to the ducal mansion, there would have been more opportunities during that time.
“If she had grown a lot.”
They say children grow day by day, and Rhea, who had spent her time in less than proper surroundings, looked much smaller than her peers, so she might have grown quickly.
Thinking she wouldn’t see that sight made her increasingly regretful, so she sighed and lamented silently.
“Bianca.”
“…Lady Bi!”
Despite the thin voice that seemed like it would break, Bianca heard it clearly, and she rushed towards the woman walking with the maid’s support.
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
This chapter was translated by Bree.
If you like my work please support us in Patreon. Next post will be released on February, 24.
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