“What happened? Why are you making such a fuss?” Harty shouted, trembling with fear. As he grabbed her arm and struggled, the letter fell from Britia’s lap to the floor.
“Hold on a moment. It’s nothing serious, so don’t cause a commotion!”
Though he said it was nothing serious, Britia’s heart raced. The awaited contact had finally arrived. Her mind couldn’t calm down as she wanted to quickly open the letter and see its contents.
“It’s not a big deal, so why did that sound happen? And what’s this smell?”
Harty covered his nose with his hand, thinking it isn’t a good idea to breathe in an unknown looking smoke swirling around.
“Duke Turas.”
At the urgent cry of the duke, a Slanford knight stopped the carriage and opened the carriage door.
“The mage detected a magical reaction inside the carriage. My Lord, are you okay?”
The knight asked while surveying the thick purple smoke-filled interior.
“It’s nothing, really.”
Britia said, but the knight didn’t easily dismiss his suspicions. They could hear the sound of the two of them fighting, even from outside, so it was hard to trust Britia easily.
“A magical reaction? So this sweet smell was the clue?”
Harty, unable to open his eyes, was amazed. Poor-quality magic often emitted a moldy smell, while good ones carried a faint sweet fragrance. If that’s the case, the magic used now was undoubtedly a special product.
‘Who would use something like this? To kill me!’
Harty’s spine shivered at the thought that someone was trying to kill him again. He hadn’t yet figured out the identity of the man the attacking women had mentioned, but it was clear that he was responsible for what happened.
“My Lord, let me go inside and check.”
As the knight tried to enter, Britia quickly picked up the fallen letter from the floor.
“What are you hiding now?”
The knight’s brows furrowed, suspecting Britia’s suspicious behavior. In an attempt to snatch the letter right away, Britia urgently whispered in Harty’s ear.
“It’s not someone attacking Count-nim. It’s just a letter from Duke Turas sent to me.”
“…Duke Turas? So it’s not someone aiming for my life?” Harty’s trembling subsided as he processed the information.
“No, I swear to the goddess,” Britia assured Harty, and she briefly glanced toward the knight. Harty still kept his eyes tightly shut, unable to muster the courage to open them.
“The search is complete. Let’s continue the carriage journey,” commanded Harty, and the knight, still suspicious of Britia, followed his orders. Instructing the coachman to restart the carriage, it began to move again.
“So, what did Duke-nim write in the letter?” Harty questioned, his curiosity getting the better of him.
With caution, Britia opened the envelope of the letter, linking her action to Harty’s question.
[Dear Britia,
Firstly, I must apologize. I am sorry for not contacting you all this time. I haven’t even mentioned a word to you when I came here, and it is difficult to express my remorse adequately. It is entirely my fault.
Realizing it belatedly, I am sending this letter, hoping you can forgive me with your generous heart. I earnestly hope that my place remains by your side when I return.]
After reading that far, Britia raised his head for a moment. The sentences he usually wrote were always short and concise. It seemed that his writing was even more awkward than his spoken words.
To offer an apology and seek forgiveness so naturally, he couldn’t do such a thing.
Britia felt a suspicion that it seemed as if someone had written it for him.
[My beloved Britia, I…]
However, as she read the next passage, she desperately hoped that it wasn’t written by someone else.
Beloved Britia!
Her heart raced with excitement. Britia quickly continued reading the letter.
[I have a lot to say sorry for and a lot to fix when we meet. I’ve been eagerly waiting for that day, unable to sleep at night. I’ve been bothering my innocent subordinates because I can’t wait to see you. I feel sorry for them…]
[I had decided to give him enough good alcohol to make his nose crooked….]
That sentence was originally written, but there were traces of it being crossed out.
[Now, I am urging my subordinates. Britia, have I been too late? I hope not. I like you. I miss you.]
Then, the sentence suddenly became short. It was Sig’s familiar writing style.
[I, to you, someone other than me….]
And then, due to the completely blackened stroke, Britia couldn’t read what was written.
[I will return to you urgently. With love, your Sig.]
After reading the letter, Britia bit her lips tightly. Otherwise, she felt like she would burst out laughing uncontrollably.
Sig had said that he liked her many times, but it was the first time he said he loved her. Although it could mean that he loved her as his owner, Britia couldn’t help but be bothered by it.
Beloved Britia. With love, Sig.
Isn’t it nice to hear? It could be something you don’t know. After returning to Altheim, maybe his feelings changed, and he wanted to be more than just a dog, to become a lover or a husband.
‘I’m imagining it to be so good, but thinking is freedom, isn’t it?’
“Why are you silent? Why did you send a letter to yourself for no reason?” Harty asked, puzzled.
“Just a personal letter sent to me. It’s nothing important.”
Britia drew a line, indicating that she wouldn’t reveal the contents.
“Sending a letter for an unimportant matter and using a seal?”
“It could be possible. Count-nim doesn’t need to know.”
Britia wanted to show Harty the phrase “Beloved Britia” written by Sig. But she held back. It felt like showing it would make it lose its meaning.
Britia’s heart was swinging like a pendulum, unable to calm down. She thought it was funny that she was acting like this over just one letter, but there was no other way.
“I could tell that there was hardly any content in the letter since you couldn’t confidently say it out loud. That’s why it felt bitter.”
Harty closed his lips sadly and lowered his head. In response, Britia looked at him sharply.
“I heard it loud and clear. Duke Turas has no intention of marrying you.”
Britia’s mood suddenly sank when her sore spot was pierced.
“Poor Britia.”
“Why do you keep pitying me? You’re not in no position to laugh at me for failing in love.”
After being stabbed with a knife and traumatized by the carriage, who would mock anyone?
Britia couldn’t believe it. And then, Harty, for some reason, admitted her words and nodded.
“You’re right. I painfully realized my failure through this incident.”
“If you realized it, then stop making fun of me…”
“I’m just contributing to the world by my mere existence.”
No matter what happens, this person is overflowing with narcissism even while feeling depressed.
Britia felt that fact was incredibly impressive. As someone who easily loses confidence, she might have to learn a little from him.
“Wanting to love everyone was my innocent greed. Admit it.”
“…Innocent?”
“But now I’ll stop. Those humans who couldn’t accept the fact that no one can possess me even tried to kill me.”
With a strong tone, Harty said, “If you don’t want to die.”
“Now I won’t love anyone, nor will I behave kindly. I won’t let anyone underestimate me!”
He timidly clenched his fist while hanging on Britia’s arm.
“You wouldn’t dare touch a work of art recklessly just to maintain its beauty. I should be a subject of reverence that you can’t dare to underestimate.”
Britia thought his current appearance was quite pitiful to be called a subject of reverence.
“In the end, you’re saying that you’re too frightened by people due to the shock and can’t love anyone. You say it with overflowing confidence.”
Harty, pierced in his weak spot, bit his lip tightly.
“Both Count-nim and I have failed in love.”
“Wrong. I chose to do so, but you’re just a victim of a disappointment.”
Harty drew the line, saying that he is not as pitiful as her.
“At least I didn’t get hit by a knife.”
But when Britia drove the wedge, Harty’s face twisted. The wound disappeared cleanly, but her stomach still felt queasy.
“Duke Turas saw through that you’re actually such a wicked woman. That’s why he didn’t welcome you as his wife. Ah, I got it! I won’t say anything anymore!”
When the carriage stopped, Britia couldn’t hold back any longer and pushed him away, getting up from her seat. Harty quickly grabbed onto her waist.
“Let go, Count-nim. You might blame me for my flaws.”
“No, you’re not flawed. You, um, well…”
Even empty words of praise seemed to escape Harty as he groaned in pain.
“Enough. You don’t have to force yourself to compliment me.”
When Britia abruptly turned her head, the coachman opened the carriage door, announcing their arrival at the mansion.
“Excuse me, sir. Would you please take this person away now?”
The sharpness in Britia’s voice startled the coachman.
“Where are you going? You should take me to my place!”
“Why should I? Bringing you here was enough.”
“If it has come to this, you should take responsibility until the end!”
“Responsibility, you say!”
The coachman who opened the door and the servants waiting behind him watched the confrontation between the two in disbelief.
Harty was known for not interfering with anyone coming or going. His “lovers” who visited Slanford Mansion were enough to overwhelm the servants.
But there had never been a time when Harty asked them not to go or to stay a little longer. It was mostly the opposite.
“Come with me to my bedroom. I’m begging you, Britia.”
In an unusual scene, Harty held onto the legs of a trembling woman, telling her not to go. The servants exchanged subtly amused glances.
“Do you really need to see me shed tears? Am I not pitiful enough as the beautiful me?”
With tears welling up in his eyes, Harty looked up at Britia.
“I’ll even give you a really nice car. It’s the Harty Special that I personally blended.”
He tried to hold onto her, even offering something he rarely gave to guests.
“I like you, I really do. Britia! Don’t go!”
“Stop saying such things!”
If someone overhears, they’ll misunderstand. Britia became angry.
And there was Robert, with his mouth wide open, looking at Britia and the desperately proclaiming Harty with a hint of doubt.
‘Is this Count trying to make a move on our future mistress while Lord Duke is temporarily absent?’
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for the chapter 😊
🤗💐