Chapter 23
Returning to the drawing-room, the two sat in their seats and calmly sipped their tea.
“I had some personal matters to attend to, so I had to step out for a moment,” Ebony explained briefly to those waiting for an explanation.
“Personal matters?” Irene reacted to the word “personal.”
“It was about Leon. His Grace had something he wanted to ask me,” Ebony replied.
“If it was about that, sending a letter would have been faster,” Herman interrupted with a pout, showing his dissatisfaction.
“Well…”
“Leon lives in the capital of Evgenia. Even if His Grace resides in the North, wouldn’t it be quicker for him to go directly to Leon rather than traveling to Prinid?”
“…”
“Isn’t that right?”
Herman’s relentless questioning made Ebony feel like a criminal being interrogated.
If Diego weren’t there, she would have snapped back with, What business is it of yours?
Seeing that Edward and Irene weren’t stopping Herman, it was clear they also wanted answers. If she told them Diego’s visit was about reconciling with Leon, it might only spark more suspicion.
“Are you her guardian now, young master?”
A firm voice suddenly cut through the conversation.
Clack.
Diego placed his teacup on the table with a distinct sound, his gaze locking onto Herman. Crossing one leg over the other, he tapped his polished shoe against the floor, the well-shined leather reflecting the chandelier’s light.
“…What?”
Herman, startled by the sharpness in Diego’s tone, visibly flinched.
“She said it was a personal matter, yet you persist in asking to the point of being unpleasant.”
“T-That’s just because…”
“Are you trying to pry into the Magnus family’s private affairs?”
“N-No! I was only worried that my sister might have been rude to His Grace…” Herman stammered.
The tapping of Diego’s shoe suddenly stopped.
Clack.
This time, his heel hit the floor with a heavier sound.
“The only one being rude here is you, young master.”
“…”
“You continue an uncomfortable conversation in front of a guest without any awareness.”
“I-I sincerely apologize, Duke Magnus…”
Herman, unable to argue, bowed his head in apology.
“This has gone too far. Please forgive him, Duke Magnus. My son is still learning proper etiquette,” Edward stepped in, trying to ease the situation.
“Very well. I trust His Grace will also forgive my oversight as a host in letting emotions take over.”
With Diego accepting the apology, he straightened his posture.
Relieved that the issue was resolved quickly, Edward continued, “I truly apologize for the repeated discourtesies my children have shown you. I also heard from Leon about Ebony’s reckless actions the other day. I sincerely apologize for that as well.”
At the mention of Ebony, her and Diego’s eyes met. Diego lifted his teacup with a relaxed gesture, raising an eyebrow slightly.
“There’s nothing to apologize for. Spending time with the young lady was entertaining, so I wouldn’t call it discourteous.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
As the atmosphere lightened, Irene gathered the courage to speak.
“Um, I heard that Your Grace read my letter.”
Her eyes, filled with anticipation, locked onto Diego.
“If it’s alright… may I continue sending them? Even if you don’t reply, just knowing you read them would be a great joy.”
Diego remained silent as Irene went on, expressing how much he meant to her.
Observing the conversation, Ebony noticed a slight wrinkle forming on Diego’s face. She braced herself for what she expected to be a harsh response.
“You’re free to send letters, but you shouldn’t expect a reply.”
To Ebony’s surprise, Diego’s response was surprisingly normal. Not exactly warm, but not outright cruel either.
“Oh, I wouldn’t dare expect a reply! Just knowing my letters are part of Your Grace’s daily life is enough,” Irene responded cheerfully.
She was so enamored with Diego that even his blunt words didn’t discourage her. She seemed overjoyed simply because he had not responded at all.
Irene continued her one-sided confession for quite some time. Diego, listening in silence, finally left for his own country when evening came.
At last, Ebony and Diego had a private moment.
“I’m sorry. That must have been exhausting for you.”
“Nothing was tiring about simply listening and ignoring.”
“Still…”
“I already told you, I’ll make sure to get compensated for the time I lost.”
“Oh…”
“No need to feel guilty. Instead, worry about yourself—I plan to use your abilities to the fullest.”
Hearing this, Ebony felt uneasy about what awaited her.
“Oh, by the way, I’m thinking of setting up a gate at the mansion.”
“A gate would be great! It’d make travel so much easier—Wait, what?”
Ebony, nodding along, suddenly froze in shock.
Did he just casually mention setting up a gate as if it were an everyday thing?
“I mean exactly what I said. It’ll make traveling more convenient,” Diego said nonchalantly.
“But how often would you even visit to justify setting up a gate…?”
“Whether it’s once or twice, the hassle remains the same.”
Only priests had the power to create gates, and it was incredibly expensive to install one for personal use. Most people simply endured long journeys by carriage.
“That would cost a fortune… Are you sure about this?”
“You’re the first person to worry about my finances,” Diego sneered.
Embarrassed, Ebony averted her gaze.
“My time is money. Saving time is the same as saving money.”
“…I see. Do whatever you prefer. But make sure to come up with a good excuse for it.”
“You’re also the first to worry about how I explain myself. I’ll do my best to make it convincing.”
Checking the time, Diego put on his coat and stepped outside.
“Well then, see you again.”
Even as he disappeared into the distance, his presence lingered.
“…See me again?”
Ebony mulled over his parting words.
For some reason, again felt much sooner than she expected.
As usual, two letters sat on the table.
The only excitement in Ebony’s otherwise dull days came from her two pen pals—Leon, who wrote about his daily life, and Diego, who discussed plans.
Despite once being reluctant to send letters, Diego had now installed an expensive gate at his mansion and had his messengers regularly delivering letters.
“Writing letters is annoying. Conversations don’t flow, and it feels like talking to the air.
Since we’re negotiating something as important as a marriage, we need faster communication. I’ll visit soon—I’ll handle the excuses, so don’t worry.
Oh, and I sent you a dress in Leon’s name. I hope you accept it with joy.
Wishing my dear lady another peaceful day.”
Just a day had passed, yet he found even that too slow and announced an upcoming visit.
Smiling, Ebony finished writing her replies to both letters and left her room.
On her way to find the messenger, she ran into Irene in the hallway.
Irene greeted her with a bright smile and pointed at the letters in her hands.
“Are you off to see the messenger?”
“Yes, I’m sending replies.”
“One is for Leon, and the other is for Diego, right?”
Ebony nodded, and Irene’s lips curled slightly.
“My dear sister, you’ve been exchanging letters with Duke Magnus quite often lately, haven’t you?”
