“Episode 15”
“Is there only that story you’ve heard?”
“Should I tell you another?”
“I think it would be useless to meet anyway. But is that all you’ve heard?”
“I’m a duke. I don’t care about the servants. So, you don’t have to worry about it.”
Diana calmly nodded at Rixio’s confidence.
“Diana. But really… Are you planning to divorce me in a year?”
“Are you trying to say something else?”
“I just wish you were by my side.”
Looking back, it was love. However, Rixio couldn’t think of any way to win her back.
“At least, let’s have good memories, don’t force it.”
His heart sank at her clear boundary. He clenched his fists.
“I was impatient.”
He thought a year was a long time, but each day passed quickly. The rumors about Diana spreading throughout the aristocratic circles shook him further. It felt like she had become someone else.
“I see…”
“Don’t misunderstand, Rixio. A year of separation isn’t for reconciliation. It’s just time for proper divorce preparations.”
His bitter laughter escaped his lips.
“Is there anything else to say?”
“I guess not.”
“That’s it.”
That was all. Diana didn’t add anything more, despite hoping for a different kind of conversation.
“She hasn’t changed at all.”
The household servants of the ducal family claimed Diana had changed, but Rixio, who had rushed in with expectations, found the current situation disappointing. But he couldn’t blame her for it.
Just moments ago, instead of expressing discomfort, he spoke in a flat and stiff voice, as if reading from a script.
“Then whose words should I listen to?”
“It’s Mother.”
“Alright. My beloved son. Shouldn’t you listen to me well?”
Like a puppet, he nodded his head up and down.
“Do you know how I raised you? I cherished you more than my own son born from my womb.”
“Mother… You loved me. You loved me more than anyone else.”
“Right. So, should you listen to me?”
In response to her words, Rixio placed his hand on Histeria’s hand that touched his cheek. It was as if he wanted to feel that touch once more. A smile naturally appeared on Histeria’s face.
“Okay. Then tell me. My son. What are you worried about these days?”
“I… What should I do? I don’t want to let Diana go.”
“…I don’t particularly like that girl.”
“But… My heart hurts too much. Mother. I’m afraid of losing her.”
Even in his state of mind, he spoke in a sorrowful voice. Histeria, who had been smiling until now, clenched her fist without realizing her long nails were digging into her palm. As a result, a little blood seeped from her hand that wasn’t holding onto Rixio’s cheek.
“Does it have to be that girl?”
“Yes.”
“Then have another child. Maybe then there will be no other choice.”
“Another child…”
As if it were a spell, Rixio repeated Histeria’s words. But it didn’t stop there. After that, Histeria whispered various things to Rixio for a long time.
Most of the words were about Diana. They were about the future arrangements, and until the next morning, the two of them exchanged various conversations.
To be precise, it was a one-sided conversation.
Episode 15.
Diana, who couldn’t easily fall asleep due to the uncomfortable feeling she felt just before falling asleep, got up from her bed as soon as dawn broke.
She couldn’t attribute it to any specific emotion. Was it because she was going to the orphanage, or was it another feeling? Diana sat on the edge of the bed, chuckling to herself, and stretched her body.
“I seem quite excited too.”
Deciding to think that way, she rang the bell next to her bed. Beta came in.
“You’re up early.”
“I’m going to start preparing slowly.”
In response to her words, Beta brought a warm towel to her. That marked the beginning of Diana’s preparation. Knowing that Diana paid particular attention when going out, all the members of the ducal household tried to assist her.
But.
“I’ll keep the preparation simple. I think it’ll be enough with just you and one or two helpers.”
“Do you intend to prepare simply?”
“Yes.”
After some time, the carriage carrying Diana arrived at the orphanage. As she had made an appointment, the children at the orphanage greeted her wearing clothes they wouldn’t normally wear, with clean faces.
As soon as the carriage stopped, Diana got off and approached the children with a rather cheerful expression. The children, who had been hesitant for a while, seemed to remember Diana one by one and greeted her.
“Hello, Duchess Mother!”
“Nice to see you.”
However, not everyone was like that. While some children greeted her eagerly, most of them just watched her from a distance.
Guests coming to the orphanage. Surely it wasn’t just Diana.
For political reasons, to show off to the outside world, or to console themselves as kind people taking care of the poor and unfortunate, nobles who visited were not just one or two.
Each time, the children had to endure. They had to be forcibly brought out and pretend to smile at them, and they had to act as if they were the happiest in the world with the gifts they received.
Knowing this, Diana simply watched the children who didn’t approach. When the orphanage director greeted the children and approached Diana, who had taken a seat on the bench in the corner, she went to her.
“Duchess Mother, thank you for coming like this.”
She exuded a kind impression with a cautious attitude.
“No problem. I’m sorry for not visiting for a while.”
“No, it’s okay. It’s been difficult lately with fewer visitors. So, I’m truly grateful for the Duchess Mother coming at this time.”
The orphanage director, speaking calmly, bowed sincerely to Diana.
“If the word gets out that you came here, the donations will surely increase.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes! Of course.”
After hearing that, Diana looked at the children again quietly. The children, who had been clustering around eagerly when Diana first sat on the bench, were now busy playing.
“I brought similar donation items this time as before, but next time, I’ll bring what I’ve thought of. It’ll be more useful.”
“Anything is fine.”
That’s when it happened.
As the orphanage director was talking to Diana about various things beside her, a woman with thick blonde hair and a golden brooch approached them.
“Director, there’s an inquiry about donations. You should probably come to the office.”
“Oh. Is that so? Then I’ll go, so could you stay here for a moment?”
“Yes! Don’t worry and go.”
“Duchess Mother, I’ll step aside for a moment.”
“Don’t worry and go. I just wanted to see the children playing.”
After the orphanage director left, the woman who had delivered the news asked cautiously, “Um… Duchess Mother, may I sit here?”
With a bright smile, Diana gazed endlessly at Baseney before speaking.
“The name Baseney. Was it given to you by your parents?”
“Yes! Is there a problem with my name?”
“It’s not a common name these days. And… it’s also the name of the deity I believe in, the name before becoming a god.”
She wasn’t the type to talk like this to someone she had just met, but somehow she felt comfortable around her. Perhaps it was because this was an orphanage. The orphanage itself had a strange power to make Diana feel at ease.
“Do you believe in any deity?”
“These days, there are hardly any people who know about the deity I believe in. Briana, the deity.”
“Oh! I’ve heard of Briana from mythology!”
“Is that so? There are hardly any people who know about it, so it’s somewhat nice to hear. Baseney, are you perhaps affiliated with any religion?”
She might have hoped a little. If Baseney said she was a follower of the Briana faith, Diana thought she might be the helper the deity mentioned.
“Maybe the name Baseney was deliberately given to me as a hint by the deity.”
If she didn’t like the mythology of Briana, it would be an unknown name. Therefore, Diana looked at her with an expectant expression.
“I believe in Augusto, known as the creator deity.”
“I see.”
The excitement of finding a helper easily faded when she heard the name “Augusto.” The disappointment was greater than she had expected. However, Diana forced herself to smile, not wanting to convey her true feelings in front of someone she had just met.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“No, it’s okay. Maybe it’s better to believe in Augusto. Believing in a deity with such weak power, almost no followers… is sadder than it seems.”
“Is that so…”
Baseney sighed sadly at Diana’s words.
“Rather than that, I was going to show it to the orphanage director, but would you mind taking a look at this?”
Diana looked at Beta, who had been behind her all along. Beta hurriedly approached and handed her the parchment that Diana had entrusted her with when they left the ducal palace.
“What is this?”
“I thought Baseney, who meets the children up close more than the orphanage director, would recognize it better. It’s for the next donation item I’ll bring.”
Baseney couldn’t hide her surprised expression at that.
“Are you coming again next time?”
