“This is about me, so let me handle it first.”
At my words, Raynan immediately shifted his gaze away from Erin.
Instead, he looked at me with an amused expression, gently brushing his fingers over my cheek as he asked,
“And how do you plan to handle it?”
“First, let me explain—Erin seemed uncomfortable with how our relationship had suddenly changed. So, I simply told her that if she wanted, she could leave.”
“I see. And she made this much of a fuss over just that?”
Erin looked like she wanted to say something, but she quickly shut her mouth, realizing that this was not the time for her to interject.
“Either way, this situation didn’t need to get so dramatic. If Erin wants to stay, I don’t mind, but…”
“But?”
“She still seems very uncomfortable to me.”
I turned to Erin as I spoke.
“No, that’s not true! I’m really fine. I was so grateful when you called me here.”
As if gaining permission to speak, Erin hurriedly poured out her words.
“I think we both need some time. I don’t want us to keep feeling awkward around each other.”
“Time…?”
“I’m not saying you should leave. Just that, for now, I’d rather we didn’t run into each other too often.”
“But that’s…”
“Cecile is here anyway, so let’s go with that arrangement.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
I had been speaking to Erin, but it was Raynan who answered.
“If that’s what you want, then that’s what will happen. There’s no need to ask a maid for permission.”
His voice was colder than usual, and for some reason, I found myself unable to look away from him.
I realized then—Raynan had started to appear different to me.
I should have been used to this version of him, but somehow, it felt unfamiliar now.
When had that changed?
At first, I had only seen him as a terrifying and emotionless man…
“Renee?”
His voice and gaze as he called my name were filled with warmth.
To an outsider, it might not have sounded any different from usual.
But to me, the difference was striking.
Was this also just for show?
Suddenly, I felt confused.
And perhaps because of that, my vision wavered, and my body swayed.
Fortunately, Raynan was close enough to catch me before I collapsed.
“You don’t look well.”
“I just got a little dizzy for a moment.”
“Just in case, I’ll call Carlson.”
I tried to wave off the idea, but Raynan didn’t listen and instead guided me to the bed.
Brushing my hair back, he spoke in a concerned voice.
“It’ll only take a moment. Otherwise, I’ll be too distracted to focus on anything else. Just let Carlson check you.”
There was no point in arguing.
“Alright.”
At my agreement, Raynan looked relieved as he held my hand.
Even though he undoubtedly had a busy schedule, he stayed with me until Carlson confirmed that I was fine.
Only after hearing that there was nothing wrong did he finally prepare to leave.
“Still, don’t overexert yourself, just in case.”
“I won’t.”
Even as he exited, he kept glancing back at me multiple times, lingering as if reluctant to go.
In the end, Roman had to come and drag him away.
I sat on the bed for a long time, staring at the ring on my finger.
At some point, Raynan had started to feel affectionate.
It had happened so gradually that I hadn’t noticed it until now.
Could he really make it seem this genuine?
I knew the affection he showed wasn’t real, and yet… I kept instinctively believing it.
Why was I even thinking about this?
A year from now, or whenever this arrangement ended, we would both get what we wanted and part ways.
That would be the end of it.
“The end, huh…”
“Lady Renee?”
A voice called out to me, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Ah…”
When I looked up, I saw Amelia watching me with concern.
“You don’t look well. Should I call Carlson back?”
“No, I’m fine. My thoughts were just wandering a little too much today.”
“It must be because of all the noise. But you should get plenty of rest. Starting tomorrow, we’ll need to prepare for the Founding Festival.”
“I know… By the way, where are Cecile and Erin?”
“You seemed overwhelmed, so I sent them off to run errands.”
“I see. More importantly, Amelia?”
“Yes?”
“Why are you calling me Lady Renee all of a sudden?”
Her tone hadn’t changed, but the formal title felt oddly distant.
“Lady Renee.”
“Yes?”
“You need to start speaking informally with me too.”
“Is that how it works now?”
“If it’s difficult, just follow Edwin’s example.”
“Edwin… speaks casually to everyone except the Grand Duke.”
“Exactly. That makes it simple, right?”
“That’s a very clear standard.”
I almost reflexively spoke formally again, but Amelia winked at me, signaling me to stop.
It was a small moment, but it effectively broke my habit.
“Well done.”
“Then… does that mean I can’t call Roman Lord Roman anymore either?”
“That’s right. You can now freely call him by name and order him around as much as you want.”
“Ha… That sounds dangerous. I feel like if I do that, he’ll never forget it and hold onto it forever.”
“He is that type of person. But I doubt he’d ever try to get revenge.”
Trying to avoid formal speech made my words come out strangely.
But as always, Amelia just encouraged me, praising my effort.
“It still feels awkward, but you’re doing great. I think you’ll get used to it quickly.”
“Thanks.”
“And you did well distancing yourself from Erin too.”
“Did I?”
I had only suggested it because she seemed uncomfortable, but I hadn’t expected to be praised for it.
“Yes. Honestly, having Cecile by your side might be the better choice.”
“Why’s that?”
“Cecile is calm and detached. Someone like that will help you stay steady.”
“That’s true.”
Amelia had a point.
If Erin stayed, I would inevitably hear every little piece of gossip.
And knowing Erin’s personality, she would exaggerate everything and make a big deal out of it.
“Yes, with Cecile around, things will be much quieter.”
“Exactly. Anyway, since preparations start tomorrow, make sure to rest well.”
“You don’t have to say it twice…”
I already knew why Amelia kept repeating herself.
For a brief moment, I saw a very familiar look on her face—one I had seen before.
It was the same expression she had worn when we were preparing for that vacation.
Excitement. Pure, boundless excitement.
A chill ran down my spine.
I could practically hear her high-pitched laughter ringing in my ears.
“The preparations for that trip were intense enough… But now we’re talking about the Founding Festival—a grand event with the Emperor himself attending…”
I hesitated before cautiously looking up at Amelia.
She beamed at me.
“This time, I’ll finally get to buy everything I couldn’t last time!”
“I need to sleep. A lot.”
My complicated thoughts about Raynan and Erin no longer mattered.
The most important thing now was preparing for the chaos that awaited me tomorrow.
*****
“You should have known the feeling of unease would eventually turn into reality.”
Ever since that day—when I saw Amelia’s delighted smile—things had been overwhelmingly busy.
The sudden flood of lessons was one thing, but what truly exhausted me was, as expected, shopping.
No matter how much we bought, there was always something else we apparently needed. It made no sense to me.
And yet, Amelia insisted that we still lacked so much, calling in new merchants every single day.
“Are you alright?”
After the latest shopping spree, I collapsed onto the sofa, completely drained. Cecile handed me a glass of water.
Her face mirrored mine—exhausted and utterly done with everything. She looked at me with sympathy.
“Thanks,” I mumbled as I forced myself to sit up and take a sip.
Unlike Cecile and me, Erin seemed to be having the time of her life.
She practically glowed with excitement, even though she couldn’t pick anything for herself.
“Why do you look so tired? I think this is so much fun!”
Even now, her voice was filled with genuine enthusiasm.
Cecile and I exchanged looks.
She looked even more exhausted than before, and I was sure my expression wasn’t much different from hers.
“I wish I could take your place,” Erin sighed wistfully.
The moment she said it, I had a very real desire for that to happen.
I turned to Erin, letting my feelings show clearly in my gaze.
She was already looking at me—and the second she saw the emotion in my eyes, her face slowly stiffened.
Then, something flickered to life in her expression.
Envy. Resentment.
A mixture of both, twisting into something unmistakable. Bitterness.
Even I could recognize it, and I wasn’t always the most observant.
Did she really want to go shopping that badly?
I tilted my head slightly, confused.
Then, a thought crossed my mind.
It wasn’t a bad idea, actually.
But before I could voice it, I hesitated.
It was… a delicate question.
I must have been staring at Erin for a while, deep in thought.
She blinked at me, her previous expression disappearing as she spoke hesitantly,
“Why… are you looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?”
“No, that’s not it. I just… was wondering something.”
“What is it?”
“Well… No, never mind. Forget it.”
“Come on! Now I have to know. You know I can’t stand not knowing!”
She was right.
Once Erin got curious about something, she wouldn’t let it go until she found out the answer.
And she could be persistent.
If I refused to say anything now, she would just keep asking until I eventually gave in.
“Promise me you won’t take it the wrong way. It was just a passing thought.”
“Why would I take it the wrong way? Of course not! Just tell me already!”
“Then… come here for a second.”
I walked over to the wardrobe in the corner of the room and opened the door.
Erin’s eyes widened as she looked inside.
The small wardrobe was filled with dresses—ones that the old Renee had collected over time.
“I was wondering… if you’d want any of these.”
I glanced at her cautiously.
“It was just a random thought. Forget it.”
Erin said nothing.
She simply narrowed her eyes slightly, staring at me.
Her gaze felt like she was evaluating me, trying to gauge if I was serious.
She looked between me and the wardrobe a few times before finally speaking.
