Chapter 25
After my father’s visit, Richard became so busy that I barely saw him outside of mealtimes.
Even when I went to his office, he wasn’t there, and when I looked for him at the training grounds of the knight order, which he cherished so much that he never showed it to me, he was nowhere to be found.
Sometimes, he would be away from the estate for days on end due to some business, and even when he returned, I never saw him resting.
It was as if he was being chased by something, constantly moving in a rush.
Though I was curious, we weren’t a normal couple, nor were we in a relationship based on affection, so I couldn’t question why he was so busy or why he was often absent.
I tried to get some information through the servants or his aides, but it seemed Richard had already told them to keep quiet, as they didn’t easily open up to me.
In the end, I decided not to pry into Richard’s affairs, assuming there must be something going on.
He had spent the last few days dealing with my matters, but originally, Richard was a very busy man.
He was involved in business, ran a trading company, managed his estate, and maintained his social connections.
It was easier to think that he was simply catching up on the work he had neglected while staying by my side.
That didn’t mean he was neglecting the lawsuit against the Duke of Tristan.
He had been diligently attaching evidence and drafting statements related to the case whenever he had the time, so he had done everything he could on his end.
And through one of Richard’s aides, I learned that the date for the lawsuit had been set by the Supreme Court.
Everyone in Count Theodore’s household assured me that everything would go well, and that I had nothing to worry about.
After spending some time observing the people in the household, it became clear that they had a strong tendency to believe that whatever Richard set out to do would inevitably bring about the result he desired.
So, they were already acting as if we had won, even though the first hearing date had just been set.
I wasn’t overly concerned either, given the abundance of evidence we had on our side.
I just hoped that the trial wouldn’t take too long.
After all, it would be more advantageous for me if I were still alive.
And now, I wanted my father to pay for deceiving me.
If my father was the third-rate villain of this world, then he deserved a fitting end.
“My lady, you seem to have been quite low on energy lately,”
Just as I was about to enjoy a rare sunny day with a tea break in the garden, Luen, who was pouring tea for me, spoke in a concerned tone.
I stared at Luen as she filled my teacup and then forced a smile.
“It’s just… I guess I’ve been feeling down. I haven’t seen Richard in a while, and my body feels a bit sluggish.”
“It started after the Duke of Tristan’s visit, didn’t it…?”
I nodded, recalling that Luen was the one who had brought the tea that day. I hadn’t been able to shake off the feeling of listlessness since my father’s visit.
Was it because I had confirmed that my father was just a third-rate extra in this novel?
Or was it because I had come to accept that I was destined to die in misery?
Neither option was particularly appealing.
I let out a silent sigh, but the frustration in my chest didn’t dissipate.
“Should I bring in Dr. Norman?”
It seemed to be a common trait among the people of the Theodore household to immediately summon Dr. Norman for a check-up whenever they thought I was even slightly unwell.
However, what I was going through right now wasn’t something Dr. Norman could solve, so there was no reason to call him.
“No, it’s just that I’m feeling a bit down, not physically ill. Even if Dr. Norman came, there wouldn’t be much he could do.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, don’t worry. If I feel unwell or in pain, I’ll definitely let someone know and have Dr. Norman take a look.”
“Please be sure to tell someone if you’re feeling unwell.”
“I will, I promise.”
I let out a faint smile and took a sip of the tea. I could feel the sweet taste spreading throughout my mouth.
Taking a break like this wasn’t so bad.
I had been stressed over preparing for the lawsuit for the past few days, and the headaches had been constant.
Not to mention, my father had come over just a few days ago and caused a commotion.
And it had made me rethink my existence once again.
Because of all that, it felt like I hadn’t had a moment to rest without worries.
Even when I wasn’t doing anything, I felt as if I was being chased by something.
Now that the first trial date had been set, things would be hectic once again when the time came.
It was best to rest while I still could.
“Is Richard still busy?”
“Yes, I believe so. This time, he’s gone farther than usual.”
I asked casually, but Luen answered as if she knew why Richard had been away.
I looked at Luen with newfound curiosity and took another sip of tea.
“Luen, do you know where Richard has gone?”
“Of course, I do. Naturally.”
“Where did he go?”
“To the Zigmil Auction House. It’s an auction house near the border.”
“…An auction house?”
Luen’s unexpected reply made me widen my eyes and look up at her.
“Why is he at an auction house?”
“Why else? He went to get the Rosier flower for your treatment. The Zigmil Auction House is near the border, so they have a lot of unique items from neighboring countries. They say there are a lot of plants among them.”
I stared at Luen, who was smiling brightly, feeling a bit dazed and unable to collect my thoughts.
Richard had gone to a distant auction house to find the Rosier?
“How do you know this?”
When I asked others in the household, they avoided answering, but Luen showed no signs of hesitation, as if it was strange that I didn’t know.
“I’m in charge of all the tea for both you and the master. Since he drinks tea while working, I heard it then.”
“Did he tell you not to say anything to me?”
“Huh?”
Luen looked at me with wide eyes, like a startled rabbit. Then, her expression suddenly filled with anxiety.
“Gasp! Wa-was I not supposed to say anything?”
Luen’s face turned pale with fear. She looked around nervously, as if worried someone else might overhear. I began to wonder if I had caused unnecessary trouble and shook my head.
“No, it’s not something that needs to be kept secret. It’s fine.”
“R-really? That’s right, isn’t it?”
“Yes. If anything happens, I’ll just say I pressured you into telling me.”
“…Thank you so much, my lady.”
Luen, who had been on the verge of tears, finally relaxed. I lightly patted her on the shoulder and gently asked her,
“But how did you know that he went to find the Rosier?”
“Oh, that? Lately, he’s been going to every auction house that features plants. But he’s never had a hobby of growing plants before, you know? So, what else would he be trying to buy at those auctions? The answer is pretty obvious if you think about it. There’s only one plant we need here at the estate.”
“…I see.”
I hadn’t realized it myself, but it seemed Richard was going to great lengths to find the Rosier flower.
I suddenly felt a bit guilty.
Knowing that he was going through all this trouble because of me.
Despite all his efforts, it still seemed nearly impossible to find…
It felt like I had burdened Richard unnecessarily.
But it wasn’t as if I was in any position to help him.
Maybe I should tell him not to worry about finding the Rosier flower?
As much as I wanted to live, holding on to a false hope seemed foolish.
The more he tried to find it, the more he would hit the harsh reality that it was nearly impossible, and that was too overwhelming.
It might be better to just spend the rest of my life accepting things as they are and preparing for the end.
“My lady, the master has returned.”
While I was lost in thought, Martin announced Richard’s return. I set down my teacup and stood up.
Seeing as he was going through so much trouble for my sake, the least I could do was go out to greet him.
I crossed the garden and headed straight to the front door where Richard would be coming in. The servants were already gathered there to welcome him.
Soon, the door opened, and Richard stepped inside.
As always, he wore a stern expression, one that seemed a bit rough, as he walked in.
“You’re back?”
“There’s no need for you to come out.”
I could now see the concern hidden behind his gruff appearance and slightly blunt words.
I shook my head and smiled.
“I just wanted to greet you. Did you go far? It seems like you’ve been away for a few days.”
“I had business near the border, so I went there.”
“Did you? It must have been tiring.”
His destination matched what Luen had said. It seemed he had indeed gone to the auction house far away because of me.
But today too, he likely hadn’t found anything. The flower was so rare that it was almost expected.
“Well then, you should go inside and rest.”
“Before that, Diarna.”
Suddenly, Richard called out to me. He then gestured to the knight following him.
Curious, I turned to see the knight approaching Richard with something in his hands. Richard took it and handed it to me.
“I found this. Have Dr. Norman check if it’ll do.”
“What is it?”
What Richard handed me was a pot with a plant I had never seen before.
“It’s Rosier.”
“What? What did you say?”
His words sounded so unreal that I asked again. Richard pointed to the plant and repeated,
“That’s Rosier, they say.”
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