Page 113

When I received Mother’s letter in the capital, I had a vague sense of what would happen. I thought I would be badgered about the marriage issue. If she had called her son, who had been single for over twenty years, to her sitting room, it meant she was prepared to push the matter. Anyone would think so.

But in the days that followed our arrival at the territory, she didn’t bring up the subject of marriage at all. We had three meals together and even enjoyed afternoon tea in the garden, but not once did she mention it.

“That’s why I couldn’t rest properly during the preparations for the club fair.”

“It breaks my heart to see a student like you work so hard.”

“Thankfully, we had Sir Carl. Each person is crucial, and he also happened to be from the Ministry of Finance.”

Instead, she never directly addressed the issue. After all, Marghetta, who was beside me, was a living and breathing pressure card.

Ever since Marghetta greeted Mother in the garden, Mother warmly welcomed her. Every time we had a tea party in the garden, Marghetta was invariably invited. There were even times when they met alone without me.

It was hard to pretend not to notice such behavior. If I didn’t notice, I wouldn’t have survived as a civil servant.

“It seems that Carl gets along well with the young lady.”

Mother’s gaze briefly turned towards me after taking a sip of tea before returning to Marghetta. I’m pretty sure that the head maid behind her was smiling while covering her mouth.

Wasn’t this just the same as pressuring me for a marriage, just without saying the words outright? Should I be relieved that she wasn’t pushing someone unfamiliar onto me and asking, ‘How about her?’

“Fufu, I think the same way.”

Marghetta’s smile never left her face, as if she found this situation amusing.

‘So this is how things turned out.’

I knew very well that Marghetta favored me. It wasn’t lesser than last year; if anything, it had grown.

However, I didn’t expect her to be so proactive in approaching Mother. When she first greeted Mother, I thought she’d just make a mere introduction. However, this was clearly beyond mere pleasantries.

As I fiddled with my teacup, the three of them slyly focused their attention on me.

‘Ah.’

I couldn’t respond because I got lost in thought for a moment. Not answering the statement ‘you seem to get along well’ was almost equivalent to saying that I didn’t agree with it.

Marghetta seemed to interpret it that way too, as her expression, which was cheerful just a moment ago, gradually darkened.

“I feel the same way. Where else would I find someone like Mar?”

Her mood brightened again after my words.

“I see.”

Mother nodded lightly, seeming satisfied with the answer.

“The Count and the Countess also had a three-year age difference.”

“Head maid, why are you bringing up our story when we’re discussing the children?”

“I apologize, madam.”

The head maid, who had been watching with a content expression, discreetly spoke. Even though Mother reprimanded her, her face showed no sign of real anger, and the head maid’s expression remained calm.

She must have been waiting for the right timing to bring up that topic.

‘I have no one on my side.’

Mother, who kept throwing a prying gaze at me as she spoke, the head maid, who occasionally threw in support, and Marghetta, who simply looked happy.

Except for the maids standing in the background, all of them were pressuring me. It wasn’t that I disliked it, but it didn’t feel comfortable. For Marghetta, this situation must feel like torturous hope.

When I inadvertently looked at Marghetta, I saw her blushing face. The fact that Mother and the Patriarch had a 3-year age difference must’ve triggered various thoughts within her. She didn’t seem comfortable, either.

‘I feel sorry every time I see her.’

Pretending not to recognize her evident favorability towards me was hard. And even when I feigned ignorance, her favor didn’t diminish but grew stronger. If I remained unresponsive, then I’d be heartless.

She was more than generous, and I felt grateful for that. Maybe that was why I couldn’t meet her gaze directly; her favor was far too heavy for me to accept lightly.

When I look at Marghetta while carrying those past burdens, I couldn’t tell if I saw her for who she was, or if I was seeing Hecate through her. I wasn’t sure myself.

‘How long will this continue?’

I couldn’t forget Hecate, but I couldn’t be tied to her forever. Hecate wouldn’t want me to do that, either. She’d more likely nag and ask me why I was living this way. She was that kind of brat.

So, I always thought I’d eventually get married. I would move on and see other people, but that was easier said than done.

But if I were to date someone…

“Young Lady, try this as well. It’s the chef’s specialty.”

“Thank you, madam.”

It would probably be Marghetta.

Dating several people like what the Gold Duke did might be understandable, but honestly, if I was still human, then I couldn’t ignore Marghetta.

***

Life in the territory was quiet and uneventful. Part of that was due to the fact that Tailglehen wasn’t exactly famous for being a tourist destination.

“It’s raining a lot.”

“It’s summer, so it can’t be helped.”

The weather today wasn’t favorable for going out. In a way, wasn’t that a relief? There was nothing to see outside anyway, so there was a reason to stay inside.

The club members also seemed reluctant to exert themselves in this gloomy weather and focused on indoor activities. Even now, Ainter and Lather were playing chess. Please continue to always be like this. Then, I’d have no complaints.

“The knight must always be at the frontlines!”

“Even the bishop should stand before everyone!”

“Do you guys even know how to play chess?”

There were also some bizarre enthusiasts on the side who were giving strange instructions, but let’s just ignore that. Starting their moves with the knights and bishops— if they did that, then what were the pawns for?

Looking at the chessboard where the five idiots gathered, I turned my gaze toward the balcony. At some point, Louise had gone there. Even if the roof was providing some shelter from the rain, it must be quite chilly outside.

Judging by how these Louise detectors haven’t noticed, she must have just stepped out. I should tell her to come inside before she catches a cold.

“Louise.”

Maybe my voice was buried in the sound of rain, because she didn’t react even after I called her name.

“Louise?”

“O-oppa?”

It was only when I got closer and touched her shoulder that she turned around with a jolt. Recognizing that it was me, she took a deep breath, seeming genuinely surprised. Maybe I shouldn’t have bothered her.

Feeling a bit awkward, I quietly watched her. After a few deep breaths, Louise finally spoke with a faint smile.

“I’m sorry, I was lost in thought and didn’t notice you.”

“Don’t worry about it. I just got here.”

I waved my hand and looked in the direction Louise was looking at.

‘It’s nothing special.’

It was just the garden. A rain-soaked garden. I wondered if she had come out because she saw something, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

“Why are you out here when it’s raining?”

“It’s okay because the coolness feels nice.”

Contrary to her chuckling response, the corners of Louise’s eyes drooped weakly. Ignoring it wouldn’t be right, but prying without context wouldn’t be, either.

“Yes, it does feel cool.”

If so, then all I needed to do was to wait until she talked. If she really had something she couldn’t share with anyone, she wouldn’t have stayed on the balcony.

I’m sure the others would have noticed and taken care of Louise even if I hadn’t, but having seen her, I couldn’t just ignore it.

As we stood side by side while observing the garden, I felt her sneaky glances. When I glanced sideways, Louise hesitated as if she wanted to say something.

Let’s wait. If I rush her, she might run away and dismiss it as nothing.

“Oppa and Erich seem close.”

After a moment of hesitation, Louise spoke first.

“You both enjoy tea and meals together.”

“Do we? I think it’s just normal.”

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it? Not arguing is the most important thing.”

Having said that, Louise smiled faintly before looking back at the garden.

“I couldn’t do that with my unnie.”

I stiffened at the casually dropped bombshell. I didn’t expect this topic to come up so suddenly.

I instinctively wanted to offer comforting words, but I decided to keep my mouth shut. After all, I officially didn’t know anything about Louise’s past. She might look at me with a disdainful and fearful look while asking, ‘How do you know that, oppa?’ if I said something.

“I had an older sister who was four years older than me.”

“That’s just like the age difference between me and Erich.”

“Ah, I guess that’s true.”

Although Louise tried to smile brightly, she looked even sadder. Weren’t people who were trying to endure on their own more pitiable than those who openly showed their pain?

“But unnie and I… couldn’t have the same relationship as you and Erich.”

Resting her hand on the rain-soaked railing, Louise bowed her head for a long moment.

“I wanted to become close to unnie.”

Then, she lifted her head and looked at me. Before I knew it, her face was streaked with rain.

“But unnie went far away because she didn’t like me. So, I guess we’ll never have that kind of relationship.”

When I didn’t say anything, Louise awkwardly smiled. She must have felt embarrassed and sorry. After all, it was quite heavy to suddenly confide those kind of grievances to someone.

However, I think it was for the better. Releasing a trauma she had carried alone since her childhood to someone was important. After all, it was too much for a seventeen-year-old to bear alone.

Surprisingly, I was the one she confided in, rather than the other guys. Were they like this in the original story as well?

“I’m sorry for suddenly saying something like this.”

Louise added that seeing me and Erich reminded her, so I placed my hand on her head.

And then, I ruffled her slightly disheveled hair.

“O-oppa?”

“You don’t have to apologize for that.”

There was no need for the victim to apologize for seeking counseling.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Come to think of it, it was raining on the day that Louise’s sister died.

What a coincidence. It was the same for me.

Rain seemed to symbolize tragedy in this world, didn’t it?