Episode 3
“…There are additional documents that need to be confirmed.”
Judging by the hesitant speech, it was clear that something was being concealed.
“Why is the servant bringing me such important documents, and where is Uncle Henrik?”
“Hen… Henrik is, um, not feeling well today, so he took a sick day…”
At that moment, a robust man entered, exchanging greetings with the servants. It was Father’s aide, Sir Henrik. He casually nodded upon seeing me in front of Father.
“Miss Petunia is also here.”
“Oh, my, you’re not feeling well, yet you’re wandering around like this?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“Father mentioned that Sir Henrik took a sick day today. Is that not true?”
“…Did I take a sick day?”
Henrik silently looked at the Count. Following Henrik’s gaze, Father, not the Baron… no, Father, gave a meaningful look.
“Father?”
“…”
“What are you hiding, exactly?”
“What… hiding?”
“You’ve been lying since earlier.”
“…”
“Are you going to keep deceiving me?”
In the face of my stern voice, Father sighed as if conceding defeat.
“…Sorry. Let’s go inside and talk. Inside.”
Huff, I won.
With a victorious smile, I followed Father into the study.
Inside the study, the Countess… I mean, Mother and Forte were seated. At my sudden appearance, both of them stared wide-eyed at Father.
“Petunia, why are you here…?”
Mother’s voice trembled faintly.
“…It’s an important matter, and I thought I shouldn’t proceed without the involved party.”
Father said earnestly, his eyes signaling something.
The two mothers, grasping the situation roughly, exchanged uneasy glances.
“Petunia, take a seat.”
“Yes, Father.”
I sat gracefully in the vacant chair.
We engaged in small talk for a while, but the conversation didn’t last long. Mother and Forte were busy scrutinizing my reactions.
Father, who had been postponing the inevitable, couldn’t resist my insistence any longer and opened the envelope containing the documents. As I reviewed the contents, I couldn’t help but be shocked.
* * *
“What is all this…?”
There was no one to answer my question. With all three of them bowing their heads, only the dazzling golden forelocks were visible.
I blinked as I looked at the pile of documents on the table. Among them were a few letters that had been brought to me. The sheer volume of papers was overwhelming.
“Could someone please explain?”
Since no one seemed willing to speak, I eventually picked up the closest document within reach.
At the bottom of the document, there was a sentence that seemed to belong to a noble family, along with information about the next male heir. It was written as if it were from a matchmaking agency.
“Huh?”
I hastily checked other documents. There were documents sent directly by the heir, as well as others sent with formality through intermediaries. Most of them contained similar content to what I had seen initially.
I looked at Father with a bewildered expression. When Father avoided eye contact, I turned to Mother, and when Mother avoided eye contact, I looked at Forte.
I shifted my gaze in order, but there wasn’t a single person trying to make eye contact with me. Everyone just seemed to be avoiding it, possibly feeling uncomfortable.
Sitting here like a statue, I wondered with what audacity they carried out this plan.
Gritting my teeth, I opened the letters in front of me with a paper-knife.
Lo and behold, this is…
“Marriage proposals…?”
“…”
“Will someone please give me an answer?”
Whoever decided silence is golden must not have known the spike in blood pressure it could cause. For me, silence was a triggering factor.
I checked the letters with a clenched stomach. There weren’t many letters addressed to me, but every single one of them was a marriage proposal.
In the original work, nobles exchanged marriage proposals to discuss potential unions. While it didn’t matter for those in love, nobles engaging in strategic marriages typically used marriage proposals. Usually, if a proposal came from the man’s side, the woman would respond.
It wasn’t legally specified, but given that it was ‘marriage’ and not ‘courtship,’ the documents were sent with care when discussions between families were mostly concluded or when the other party was on the brink of death due to affection.
Of course, even if it didn’t fit into these two cases, there were still ways to send marriage proposals.
It was a moment when the benefits of a marriage between two families seemed certain.
There was no noble who didn’t know that Petunia was deeply in love with Sonode. Considering how quickly news of their breakup had spread throughout the capital, the answer was obvious.
A marriage proposal for the benefit of the families.
As I organized my thoughts, I felt a sudden drain of energy from my body. Why was it that only the three of us gathered here?
I swept my long hair back and put down the marriage proposal I had been holding.
“Could someone please explain what happened?”
“…”
“…Since no one is saying anything, I guess I’ll just have to misunderstand and judge as I please.”
“Petunia!”
“I’m sorry…”
“Explain everything!”
This should have been done earlier.
I gazed at the three people with a stern expression. Unlike Forte, who resembled Mother with a gentle demeanor, Petunia had a cold and distant impression, resembling Father. Staring at her frozen expression, it felt like a chill permeated the surroundings.
As the family members, leaning against the sofa in silence, sought the right moment to step forward, Father was the first to speak.
* * *
The trio carefully and cautiously began to weave a tale to not disturb my mind.
In the end, all of this was planned to comfort the unfortunate Petunia.
Petunia, would always be under low pressure after a disagreement with Sonode. It was more like receiving Sonode’s unilateral annoyance than an actual argument.
Petunia, who always struggled even in trivial fights. It was difficult for her, not only hanging onto Sonode to the point of exhaustion but also facing a breakup. How sad and desperate it must be. As evidence, Petunia locked herself in her room for ten days.
But I wasn’t Petunia. So from my perspective, parting ways with Sonode was a welcome relief.
However, in the eyes of others, a poignant filter had already been applied. They looked at me with the filter of ‘a pitiable young lady who couldn’t overcome the scars of heartbreak no matter where or what she did.’
Whenever I went outside, the words ‘poor Young Lady of Incladeaux…’ always followed me like a shadow. That’s why I deliberately avoided social gatherings.
While others believed that Petunia’s family would understand my feelings… they were sorely mistaken.
“Isn’t it said that you overcome the wounds of love with new love?”
“…Didn’t I never have any wounds, to begin with?”
“You don’t have to say it. Do we not understand your heart?”
“Mother…”
You don’t. You really don’t.
Of course, I didn’t lack the desire to date. The men here were generally handsome, with distinct features.
Just by looking at the articles about the viscount in the newspaper, there was an abundance of charming men. Why wouldn’t I want to date at this young age!
But…
“Petunia, I actually saw you endlessly staring at the knights in the training grounds.”
Oh my god, seriously?
“Oh, brother…!”
“You seem lost in thought.”
I looked at Forte with a gaze shaking intensely. I thought only the maids knew about my secret hobby, but apparently not?
“Your eyes are half-open.”
A dreadful memory briefly flashed through my mind. It was the memory of being caught watching adult content without my parents knowing during the stormy days of junior high school.
…No wonder it felt awkward.
Of course, watching (half-naked) knights wasn’t wrong. They were the ones undressing in public, and I had no vulgar hobby of peeking at other people’s bodies.
So, I boldly watched them without hiding!
Peeking secretly was something only those with no integrity did.
Since I had no shame, I openly observed the knights’ training ground without hiding.
But, separate from that, it was quite embarrassing to be caught by the family doing such a thing.
If I were to compare, it felt like when watching a drama with my parents and hurrying to drink water when a kissing scene comes up…?
It’s not something else, just a mere kissing scene, but parents coughing awkwardly and children pretending to be busy with their phones… It was a similarly awkward situation.
But this wasn’t South Korea, and I had a conservative status as the Countess.
If Petunia’s quiet and gentle hobby of watching the knights’ bare bodies became known… It wouldn’t just end as a simple embarrassment.
The discreet hobby of the aristocratic lady would become juicy gossip in the social circles. It didn’t matter to me how the rumors spread, but for the owner of this body, Petunia, it was a significant issue.
The Count of Incladeaux was a well-known family even within the empire. From their wealth to contributions to the empire, they had an endless reputation.
If my trivial hobby were to be blown out of proportion and spread externally… And if, as a result, I became the embarrassing protagonist of a rumor that people hesitated to mention…
…It would undoubtedly be a disgrace to the family. Wearing the shell of Petunia, I couldn’t defile someone else’s household.
To escape this crisis, I had to do whatever it took.
