Chapter 63
The servants working in the capital were starved for scandals.
In a city where dozens of rumors surfaced daily, the mansion of the duke and duchess—quiet and uneventful during their stay in the territory—was beyond dull.
“I heard she has quite the temper.”
“Her taste for luxury is said to be excessive.”
“According to Lady Kenderville, who recently returned to the capital, she breathes threats as if it were second nature.”
“Oh, really?”
“Apparently, her hobby is crushing helpless people underfoot.”
“Thanks to Lady Kenderville, rumors have spread like wildfire.”
Thus, they indulged in wild speculations about what kind of person the duchess might be, often drawing upon anecdotes from people like Lady Kenderville, who hailed from Frantor.
“How strange. With so many rumors swirling, how did she manage to win over the proud residents of Frantor?”
“You know Eskel’s specialty—buying people with money. The medical centers and factories she built were probably part of that plan. It’s likely she offloads all the real work onto his subordinates.”
Finally, they were to catch a glimpse of the duchess, the subject of these rampant rumors. This was a perfect opportunity to assess what kind of person she truly was.
The servants in the capital didn’t serve Helena directly. Instead, most of those serving the duke and duchess were people like Emma or the butler, who were born and raised in Frantor.
“I’ll be counting on you all. I still have much to learn, so I hope to improve little by little.”
Contrary to their expectations, the duchess was nothing like the malicious and prickly figure they had imagined. She seemed more like an innocent young girl.
“Do not worry, Madam! I, Emma, will lay down my life in service to you!”
“…There’s no need to go as far as sacrificing your life.”
Flustered by the earnest gaze, Helena stammered and fled the scene, as if embarrassed. The way she blushed, like a girl experiencing her first love, was somewhat endearing.
“Is she really the duchess?”
“Are you sure she’s not some country girl fresh to the capital?”
“She looks so much younger and more innocent than I expected.”
This first impression was quite different from Lady Kenderville’s stories of a ruthless woman driving out hapless victims.
“Now, quiet! Quiet! Let’s refrain from disrespectful comments about the duchess! She is the one we are sworn to serve.”
Emma was well aware of how cruel rumors could be.
In the close-knit, insular environment of Frantor, there weren’t as many baseless rumors about Helena. If anything, stories of her good deeds were more likely to circulate.
But the capital was different. Here, even kind actions could transform into tales of villainy once they passed through enough mouths. Determined to protect both Helena and the duke’s reputation, Emma decided to enforce a strict rule of silence among the staff.
“No one is to disclose anything that happens in this mansion. Understood?”
The sprawling Frantor mansion housed a large number of servants, and many eyes were on Helena.
—
As she gradually adjusted to life in the capital, Helena often explored the mansion’s garden with Jeremy. The boy was delighted to have her all to himself and eagerly held her hand, leading her around and explaining the various sights. Before the physician arrived to interrupt, he planned to make the most of his time with her.
“Look at this! Isn’t it amazing?”
Jeremy first took Helena to the rose garden visible upon entering the mansion.
“These roses were planted when the mansion was built.”
“They’re very well maintained.”
“Right? These roses were gifted by the first emperor after saving the empire from an invasion. They turned them into this garden. Isn’t that incredible?”
“Yes, it’s incredible.”
Next, he showed her the greenhouse.
“This is the largest greenhouse in the empire!”
“It’s enormous.”
“Isn’t it? You can see flowers here even in winter.”
Jeremy, full of excitement, kept chattering away. However, Helena’s response was less enthusiastic than he had hoped.
“Isn’t it amazing? You can see flowers even in winter!”
“It’s amazing.”
“Then why does your face look like that? Don’t you like it?”
“No, it’s just… I think winter is meant for resting.”
Jeremy recalled the bleak winters of Frantor.
“What? How can you say that? Don’t you remember how we spent all winter leveling the fields? You don’t like the idea of seeing flowers in winter? That’s ridiculous.”
“When you spend the whole year farming, you need to rest sometimes too.”
“What? How can you say something like that so casually?”
“Finally, you’ve realized.”
“Well, Joshua told me everything, so I’m not falling for it anymore. I’m not helping with fieldwork for free again!”
“Sure, sure.”
Helena chuckled softly, knowing full well that Jeremy would still end up helping.
After wandering around for a while, they finally came upon a spot that caught Helena’s fancy.
“Why do you always like barren places like this?”
The place Helena liked best in the Frantor mansion was an open field. It was an old training ground for knights, but after a dedicated training facility was built, it had been left unused.
“There aren’t any flowers or anything here.”
“That’s exactly why I like it—because it’s empty. It means I can plant seeds here.”
Helena smiled faintly as she replied.
“If I plant something here, someone passing by might discover the flowers or trees I planted.”
“That’s the gardener’s job, isn’t it?”
“So what? I like doing this. It feels good, like I’m leaving a trace of myself in this world.”
Jeremy tilted his head, unable to understand her excitement as she happily murmured about the quality of the soil.
“I wonder if someone might remember me when they see this.”
“But I’m right here with you, so why does it matter? I’ll always be here, so there’s no need to think about remembering. If I want to see you, I’ll just come find you.”
“Hmm, that’s true too.”
Helena chuckled softly and gently pinched his cheek.
“Jeremy.”
“What?”
“Let’s eat.”
“…Fine.”
Once again, Helena somehow procured ingredients and started cooking. She made sandwiches with sautéed spinach and cheese, paired with a stew full of various vegetables.
There was a time when Jeremy thought her stew tasted bland. But over time, he learned to appreciate the natural flavors of the ingredients. Tending the fields, watching the crops grow, and sharing meals with her had taught him not to waste food.
“By the way, you’ve grown taller.”
“Really?”
“Over the past few months, it looks like you’ve grown about a finger’s length.”
Jeremy was utterly content with the life he shared with Helena. Even on uneventful, ordinary days, he felt happy.
The warm sunlight, the birds’ songs resonating through the dense forest—none of this would have been possible without her.
“I’ll grow up fast and outgrow you.”
“Oh, will you now?”
“Next time, I’ll carry you on my back.”
“What? Are you still sulking because I carried you last time?”
“No, I’m not! I can carry you even now!”
“Sure you can.”
“I mean it!”
As they laughed and chatted, Helena, while eating fruit, accidentally dropped her fork.
“Again? You clumsy thing.”
Helena had a habit of frequently dropping her utensils. Jeremy thought it was because she was simply a bit careless.
“Why are you so out of it? Stay sharp and focused, like me! Keep your eyes alert!”
When she dropped the fork, Helena seemed a little startled. Jeremy, wanting to ease her embarrassment, picked it up and teased her playfully.
As he handed her the fork, his hand briefly brushed against hers.
“Why are your hands so cold?”
“My hands and feet have always been cold.”
“Your hands feel like marble, not human hands.”
Jeremy grumbled.
“You should eat more and gain some weight.”
“I’ll try.”
“How are you going to manage if you stay this skinny?”
Helena, who already ate very little, had started eating even less.
Her meals consisted of a bit of bread, some stew, a few slices of fruit, and a little milk.
She didn’t even touch meat anymore, which had recently become Jeremy’s favorite.
How delicious it was to pick pieces of meat off the bone and savor them!
She also avoided fish dishes. Was it because she didn’t want to bother picking out the bones?
Jeremy found it odd, but when Helena transferred some meat from her plate to his, he quickly got busy eating, forgetting his questions.
—
After eating to his heart’s content and basking in the sunlight, Jeremy must have fallen asleep.
When he woke up from his pleasant nap, the first thing he did was check on Helena.
‘I hope I grow up and marry someone like Helena someday,’ he thought with a grin.
The boy smiled broadly as he gently draped his jacket over her sleeping figure.
But the jacket was too small to properly cover her.
“Hey, it’s spring, but you can’t just sleep outside like this.”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Jeremy grumbled and tried to wake her up. She needed to eat more and grow stronger.
“That doctor… no, that doctor ‘guy’ is supposed to come later. Didn’t you ask me to wake you up?”
But no matter how much he tried, Helena wouldn’t wake up.
She was always a heavy sleeper, and once she fell asleep, it was hard to rouse her.
“Look, I tried. Got it? If you miss seeing that doctor guy, it’s not my fault, okay?”
Secretly, Jeremy wished she’d miss the meeting altogether.
Chuckling mischievously, he poked her cheek.
“Hey.”
He was worried she might catch a cold sleeping outside, even in spring.
But then a strange thought struck him.
Why was it so quiet?
“Helena?”
Jeremy shook her body.
Helena, who had been leaning against the tree, suddenly slumped to the ground.
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“I wonder if someone might remember me when they see this.”
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