“Isn’t it strange?”
Due to his large chest, fur peeked out from the gap of the unbuttoned shirt every time he moved his arm.
Even though he had brought the largest shirt, it was still like this.
‘I need to order a larger shirt.’
If the Duke’s appearance wasn’t exposed, starting to interact with others in this way was a good sign.
Mrs. Wells was assured that her radical choice of bringing in Teacher Carol was not wrong.
“Miss Margaret also seems like a good person.”
“Lady.”
“Yes?”
“Just because Teacher Carol doesn’t mind my appearance, don’t hastily harbor hope.”
Carol’s case was special.
At the Duke’s cool words, Mrs. Wells, who was about to float with excitement, reined in her feelings and nodded.
“It seems I was a bit excited.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such vitality in the Duke.”
“Well, I have some preparations to do.”
“Alright. Go ahead.”
The Duke, who had issued a guest invitation, stopped Mrs. Wells who was about to leave.
“No, wait a moment. How to the banquet hall…”
“Teacher Carol will be here soon to guide you.”
As she answered while opening the door, the Duke visibly stiffened.
“What?”
But Mrs. Wells disappeared in a hurry instead of further explaining.
After the door closed, the Duke sighed while stroking his chin.
“Sigh…”
No matter how unfamiliar the place, he had received a cane so he could walk alone…
“At first, it’s a must to receive guidance.”
For that, it was essential to hold hands.
It was a part that he didn’t care about last time because he was focused on going out.
He definitely received help when he went out to the garden, but he didn’t know why it felt so new now.
Rather, meeting people should be more nerve-wracking than going out…
“Sigh.”
In his head, he could only think of Carol.
****
‘I really can’t live.’
Carol crossed the corridor with a brisk step due to her anxious heart.
Suddenly.
When she wondered which of the two brothers had come, the two came together as a set.
The two people who had been guided separately to the small tea room were sprawled on the sofa, making Carol’s worries colorless.
As soon as she opened the door, she felt a warm heat as if the stove had been lit.
She was speechless at the sight of the two people lying down without a care.
“You guys!”
At Carol’s scolding voice, Dylan and Kevin’s eyes turned to the door at the same time.
The two men sat up as if they knew they were wrong.
“Sister!”
“Sigh…”
Carol pressed her forehead and looked at the two men alternately.
“The thing that arrived for my sister, it came just before departure.”
Dylan took out the unopened package from behind and handed it to Carol, looking at her face.
“Is this a book?”
“Did you look inside?”
It was a book that should not be seen because it was in Braille. Fortunately, the answer she wanted came back.
“No.”
The awkwardly smiling posture revealed a hope that she would calm down with this.
“Were you very angry?”
As Carol looked at the two men with her arms crossed, their voices quickly faded like a candle.
“Of course I was angry.”
“I brought it just in case you really needed the item.”
“So it wasn’t really necessary today.”
Kevin clicked his tongue as if he knew it. Dylan hit Kevin’s side hard.
“Ouch!”
Carol brushed her hair and checked the most important fact first.
“…The person who guided you here, was it an old lady by any chance?”
“No.”
“Then who was it?”
“I didn’t hear the name.”
“It was a young servant, but he just guided us and left.”
Phew. Carol sighed with relief.
Fortunately, Mrs. Wells seemed to have delegated the handover of the guests to someone else due to the upcoming tea time.
If she had greeted the two people, she would have definitely made a proclamation.
‘If it had been discovered…I would have been kicked out immediately.’
She had thought of the worst while walking down the corridor, but that was avoided.
Her shoulders, which had been hunched up, finally relaxed a bit.
Carol had a teaching certificate. Thanks to the knowledge from before tramigrating, she was able to obtain the certificate in a short time.
However, one certificate was not enough to enter the Duke’s Mansion.
She wanted to build her career honestly and go to the Duke’s Mansion, but unfortunately, there wasn’t much time.
In the end, all Carol could do was forge her career.
[Can you explain why you’re doing this, Miss Carol?]
[That…I can’t say, but it won’t be harmful to the Duke.]
The only thing that came out was an appeal, as she couldn’t say that she had a career before transmigrating, or that she had to save the Duke.
She just wanted to save the Duke’s life and disappear quietly.
[I believe you…even though you could have found another job and forged an identity…]
It must have been a difficult request for Lord Elias. Lord Elias had only called her parents to help, and it was not his responsibility that they died on the way. But he, who felt a sense of debt over the death of Carol’s parents, readily helped Carol without asking any further.
[Thank you.]
[But don’t forget. High nobles are more capricious and stubborn than anyone else. They think it’s natural for others to be swayed by their decisions.]
[I’ll keep that in mind.]
She had a reliable guarantor, and she thought she wouldn’t be caught because she would only stay for a while, but she changed her name just in case.
It was a minimal device for real emergencies.
[Once my siblings graduate, I’ll dispose of the house I’m living in now…]
Both Carol and her siblings were thinking of moving to the capital where it was easy to find work.
She couldn’t walk around during the day, and unlike the north, the houses were densely packed, so Carol would be very uncomfortable, but she was willing to put up with that.
She intended to live among humans in any way possible to help the beastmen like Lord Elias.
Now she had to give up many conveniences because she was living in a place where she could go to her original house.
Carol had been staying there so far, while struggling to forget her family, but it was a place that was too rundown to continue living in.
She remembered the small nest that was buried in the white world when it snowed heavily.
A place where she wouldn’t be able to return for a long time if she moved.
But she couldn’t risk it for herself. Anyway, her siblings were already going there occasionally to clean instead.
Memories were precious, but they weren’t enough to replace her siblings who are here now.
There would also be a reason for her siblings to move without suspicion.
She intended to keep the momentary time as her own secret.
If her siblings found out, it would be easier to run away, but this was Carol’s burden.
“Sister?”
“Huh?”
“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.”
“…Your face is pale.”
“Don’t worry about it. There’s no one here who had a separate conversation, right?”
“No.”
Dylan and Kevin noticed that Carol’s condition was different from usual, but they didn’t show it.
“We just quietly rode the carriage and came here.”
Instead, they definitely explained the part she was worried about.
“That’s good. That’s a relief.”
“Do we look that unreliable?”
“It’s not that…it’s just sudden.”
She had thought that an unexpected moment could come.
But she didn’t expect to face such a sudden, unexpected situation.
After confirming that she had avoided the worst situation, Carol raised her eyebrows.
“I told you before, but did you both follow because Louis said to come?”
Seeing Carol with her hands on her hips, the two hurriedly spoke.
“Don’t get mad at Louis.”
“Do I look angry?”
At Carol’s words of blaming Louis, the two clung to her arms to dissuade her.
“We came because we were worried, not just because of Louis.”
“What are you so worried about?”
“…Suddenly, you’re doing a good job and going out every night.”
“That’s right. You don’t even explain properly.”
Carol rubbed her forehead, calming her anger.
She didn’t find it incomprehensible.
She herself would have thought it suspicious.
“Did you think I was doing something strange?”
“It’s not that… but you don’t say anything.”
“How can we not worry, regardless of trust!”
Kevin and Dylan mumbled with a sullen face, pouting their lips.
Kevin and Dylan were much taller than average, with a robust physique like a knight.
Between the two of them, Carol looked even more petite.
But no matter how big her brothers were, they only looked young to Carol.
The sullen face of her brothers was one of the things that made Carol weak.
She used to talk a lot, but she had been neglectful because she was busy adapting to work. This was clearly Carol’s fault.
“I told you, I got this job through Lord Elias. Of course, I don’t want to be more criticized.”
“We know.”
“From now on, even if I’m busy, I’ll talk as often as before.”
Carol touched her forehead.
It was more important to crack down than to explain this.
“I’m not worried because you’re not reliable, sister!”
Dylan grabbed Carol’s hand, as if to make sure she understood.
Carol gently stroked the back of Dylan’s hand.
“That’s right. I understand your worries.”
“Have you calmed down now?”
Carol nodded her head.
