Chapter 52: An Unexpected Encounter
“Woof!”
A retriever ran circles around Liliana, barking excitedly.
“Oh, you’re adorable! Who are you, hmm?”
Liliana picked him up and smiled brightly.
“That scared me. When did it get here?”
The drowsiness that had been creeping over Estelle vanished in an instant, replaced by relief that it wasn’t anything serious.
“Riri, come here. You shouldn’t jump on people like that.”
At Estelle’s firm tone, the dog glanced at Liliana before letting out a small whimper.
“No, it’s fine. It seems to like being with me too. Is its name Riri?”
“Yes, it’s Riri.”
Liliana waved her hand dismissively, as if to say it wasn’t a problem, and gently stroked the retriever. Riri remained still, enjoying the affectionate touch.
Then, suddenly noticing the unusual silence from Lazvette, Liliana turned her gaze toward her.
“…Lazvette?”
She stood frozen in place, her face pale as she darted her eyes around nervously.
“I-It’s not that I hate dogs. I just got a little startled. I was bitten when I was younger…”
She tucked her hands behind her back, trembling slightly, as if that was where she had been bitten.
“Liliana, would you mind taking Riri somewhere else and playing with him for a bit?”
“Hmm, okay.”
Seeing Lazvette’s condition, Liliana readily agreed to Estelle’s request.
Once Liliana led the retriever away to a more distant spot, Lazvette finally relaxed, exhaling deeply.
“Thank you… Estelle.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for. If I had known you were afraid, I would’ve told you earlier. Riri loves people and doesn’t bite. But if it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll make sure he doesn’t come near you.”
Estelle felt a bit guilty—she had unknowingly compared Lazvette, who feared dogs, to one.
“Estelle… don’t you think I’m pathetic? Even at this age, I still can’t move past the past. I’m still afraid.”
Lazvette’s voice was small and subdued.
“Why do you think that makes you pathetic?”
“Because… that’s what my father said. He told me that as the heir of Charel, I should be able to handle hunting dogs. Every year, the Charel family hosts a hunting event where even our distant relatives gather. But I’m the only one who can’t manage the hounds that drive the game…”
Estelle felt a pang of sympathy for Lazvette. At the same time, she felt a sense of kinship.
That feeling of self-disappointment, the pressure from those around her—it was all too familiar.
“…A memory that’s deeply embedded in your mind doesn’t just go away. Even when you try not to think about it, it can suddenly take hold of you. It’s not your fault, Lazvette. You’re not pathetic.”
She spoke in a calm and reassuring voice.
“And really, does it matter? It’s not like you’re planning to raise a dog. Besides, it’s even stranger to force someone to ‘overcome’ something when they’re clearly afraid of it.”
“…You’re the first person to say that to me.”
“Don’t force yourself just for the hunting event. I think it’s smarter to focus on how Charel benefits from it rather than worrying about socializing with distant relatives.”
Lazvette shut her eyes tightly at Estelle’s words. She seemed embarrassed that she had calculatedly approached people with such an intention.
“If I’d known I’d feel like this, I wouldn’t have greeted them that way.”
“…One day, that time will come. When you’re able to leave the past behind without carrying it with you.”
Estelle spoke, hoping the same would eventually apply to herself.
“But why ‘Riri’? It’s not just because he’s a retriever, is it?”
At Lazvette’s question, Estelle shrugged. Riri belonged to Lucas, and she had never asked why he named him that.
“I’m not sure. He’s not my dog—he belongs to my brother, Lucas. But your guess might be right.”
She swallowed the last part of her thought—’Lucas is pretty simple-minded like that.’
“…Sir Lucas is his owner?”
A faint blush crept up Lazvette’s ears.
“May I ask when Sir Lucas will be returning?”
“…If nothing unexpected happens, he’ll come back in time for the coming-of-age ceremony.”
Lazvette, who knew Lucas had gone to the southern regions, seemed oddly excited.
“Estelle… if it’s alright, may I attend the coming-of-age ceremony as well? I—I’d like to congratulate him.”
The cautious way she asked made Estelle suddenly uneasy, filling her with an ominous feeling.
‘No way… it can’t be.’
Estelle stared intently at Lazvette.
“I’d be grateful if you came to the ceremony. But Lazvette… just to check, you don’t happen to… like my brother, do you?”
“…Does he already have a lover? Or… is there someone he’s engaged to?”
Lazvette’s face fell into a worried pout.
At that, Estelle was sure of it.
‘She likes him.’
She understood that emotions weren’t something a person could control at will, and she also knew it would be rude to pry into Lazvette’s personal feelings.
But still… this felt complicated.
“What a waste…”
Estelle couldn’t hide the sigh that escaped her lips.
“Estelle?”
‘I just think it’s such a waste. Why, of all people, does Lazvette have to like him?’
Forgiving Lucas was one thing, but that didn’t change the fact that, objectively speaking, he wasn’t a good person. He shouted when he was in a bad mood, forgot the pain he inflicted on others, and acted on impulse.
‘If Lazvette likes him, I won’t oppose it. I don’t have the right to. I just… feel a little unsettled.’
She knew even feeling this way was rude, but she couldn’t completely suppress her emotions.
Contrary to Estelle’s expectations, Lazvette didn’t seem offended. Instead, she laughed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes.
“Lazvette? Why are you laughing?”
“I don’t have any siblings, so I don’t fully understand why you feel that way… but I like that you think it’s a waste. It makes me happy. Besides, knowing that Sir Lucas owns the dog somehow makes it easier to overcome my fear.”
If Lucas was enough to help her get over it, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to introduce them.
“Lazvette, I’ll introduce you to my brother at the coming-of-age ceremony.”
“Really? That makes me even happier. If Sir Lucas and I end up together, then I’ll become family with you too. I can already hear Liliana gritting her teeth in jealousy.”
“Why would Liliana be jealous…?”
Lazvette simply covered her mouth and chuckled quietly.
For some reason, Estelle felt drained of energy and leaned against a nearby surface, letting herself relax.
—
It was a quiet afternoon after their meal.
After seeing off Liliana and Lazvette, Estelle decided to take a leisurely walk to help digest her food.
‘Liliana kept giving me food, so I ate more than usual.’
Every time Estelle set down her utensils, Liliana would insist, “You need to eat more, Estelle! You’re too thin!” before piling more food onto her plate.
She wasn’t uncomfortably full, but she felt slightly sluggish.
As she reached the garden, she suddenly sensed someone nearby and instinctively turned around.
“…Estelle.”
“…Your Highness?”
Standing there was Michael.
“How did you get in?”
If he had arrived officially, Estelle would have been informed. She was puzzled as to how he had entered the mansion unnoticed.
Michael didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he let out a small, unnecessary cough.
“…Are you not going to tell me?”
“You wouldn’t like the answer. But don’t worry, I didn’t knock out any knights or anything. I just… knew a way inside.”
He always appeared in unexpected places, without any prior notice.
‘If he had told me in advance, I could have prepared.’
She suddenly became self-conscious about her appearance, subtly averting her gaze.
“…Estelle. If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll leave. I didn’t contact you beforehand because I thought the Empress would find out. I didn’t mean to be rude.”
If his reason for coming unannounced was the Empress, then she could understand.
‘We’re not married yet. Until then, if I show any signs of getting closer to Michael, she’ll be wary of me.’
The Empress believed Estelle was her spy. Since Estelle had even pretended to dislike Michael in front of her, it was best to maintain that act.
“…Did you come here to see me?”
For a brief moment, Michael looked surprised. Then, his lips curled into a lazy smile, answering her question without words.
“There’s somewhere I’d like to go with you. Would you spare some time for me?”
As he spoke, he extended his hand toward her. His hand was large, with long, prominent knuckles and veins running across the back.
“Then, please wait here for a moment. I’ll get ready quickly. I’m dressed too casually.”
“…You look beautiful as you are.”
Pretending not to hear Michael’s quiet remark, Estelle hastily turned back toward the mansion.
‘What does he mean, beautiful? I didn’t even dress up properly…’
Even though he was the one who had said something embarrassing, for some reason, Estelle felt her face heat up.
—
Back in her room, Estelle quickly freshened up.
Anna, who had been brushing her hair, gave her a questioning look, as if to say, “Didn’t you already bathe?”
Making an excuse that she was going out, Estelle changed into a light green dress that she had received from Count Madel.
She also picked out matching earrings and put them on.
‘Is this too much?’
Every time she moved her head, the earrings made a soft jingling sound. She worried it might be excessive.
Just as she was about to remove them, she paused and stared at her reflection in the mirror.
‘I hope he says I look pretty again.’
After a long moment of hesitation, she decided to leave the earrings on.
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