Chapter 38
***
Claude responded to lody’s question.
“It’s still quite a while away. The postal worker is just ensuring everything is in order for the carriages in advance.”
The delivery man quickly nodded and added,
“Yes, the Duke’s household always receives a surge of gifts on special occasions, so we always prepare additional carriages in advance.”
“Additional… carriages?”
“Yes, otherwise we might not be able to deliver everything on the actual birthday, which would cause trouble for the post office.”
Being the eldest son of the Duke’s house ant receiving birthday gifts from various places. Since everyone paid extra to ensure delivery on the actual birthday, the post office’s responsibility was significantly increased. Hence, the need for such advanced preparation each year.
“That must be tough.”
lody genuinely felt concerned for the postal worker, especially thinking about how the number of gifts for Loretta’s birthday would only increase in the future.
“Don’t worry. We’re well-prepared for Lady Loretta’s and Miss lody’s special days too.”
“? Why?”
“Miss lody is a special guest of the Duke. You might receive just as many gifts as the young master.”
He spread his arms wide, exaggerating a bit, probably to raise lody’s expectations. Unfortunately, she couldn’t quite share in that sentint.
Gifts for her? A commoner child, and a criminal’s at that, temporarily staying here?
“It doesn’t make sense for
to receive gifts.”
“You might be surprised. A guest who stayed at a Count’s house for a long ti received many gifts too. People in the capital don’t hesitate to send gifts, even for small connections.”
Was it ant to curry favor with the Duke by sending gifts to lody?
While she wasn’t thrilled about the idea, it wasn’t sothing lody could do anything about right now.
“So, when is Miss lody’s birthday?”
The postal worker’s question left lody pondering for a mont before she replied,
“It’s in spring.”
“Spring? When in spring?”
“Just spring…”
She forced a smile, and the postal worker let out an awkward ‘ahh’, clearly a bit flustered himself.
“Got it! That’s actually convenient. I can deliver Miss lody’s birthday gifts on any day in spring. Right? As long as it’s spring!”
“Yeah, that’s right! Any… day is fine. If there’s anyone who would send
a gift… that is.”
“There definitely will be, so don’t be surprised!”
He said with a playful smile and quickly set the postal carriage in motion, almost as if he was fleeing.
lody watched the carriage disappear, feeling a strange sensation.
“Just spring.”
The postal worker’s innocent remark lingered in her ears.
Why? What’s wrong with just any day in spring?
If soone sent a gift, it should be a matter of genuine gratitude, nothing more.
“…”
lody shook off her strange feelings and turned around to head back to her room. As she did, she unexpectedly locked eyes with Claude, who was standing a few steps away. Feeling as if he had seen through her complicated thoughts, she quickly averted her gaze. Just as she was about to pass him with a slight nod,
“Why don’t you ask your mother?” Claude initiated the conversation.
“…Pardon?”
Startled, lody stopped in her tracks, and Claude approached with a smile.
“You seed curious about your birthday.”
Perhaps because she didn’t respond, just looking surprised, Claude quickly added an apology.
“If it was an unpleasant comnt, I apologize. Sorry.”
Of course, his words were just a formality; his expression didn’t seem sorry about his suggestion at all.
“I thought soone should make such a suggestion. You’re a good child, lody.”
He unexpectedly praised lody’s character.
“Oh, it’s not a complint.”
Not a complint? Then what did ‘good child’ an?
“It just ans you might be influenced by the desires of those around you.”
“Influenced?”
“Like, my father hopes that you don’t et your mother. And you know it.”
This reminded lody of the Duke relaying ‘the last request of a death row inmate.’ He had patiently waited for her opinion and simply nodded when she declined.
“It’s a misunderstanding that I refused because of the Duke. He asked for my opinion.”
“Of course. Concern filling his eyes.”
Claude easily imagined his father’s expression.
His father, usually stoic, made his emotions particularly clear when they did surface.
So, lody surely knew what he had felt while conveying ‘the last request.’
“That’s why I’ll say sothing different. To ensure you think about it fairly.”
Claude stepped closer.
“et her.”
“…”
“lody, it seems like you’ve left sothing behind there.”
Several responses swirled in her mind.
‘I don’t mind not knowing about things like birthdays.’
‘I’ve already told the Duke I won’t et her.’
But ultimately, lody couldn’t bring herself to say any of them.
Claiming her birthday was inconsequential seed hollow after already showing her hurt.
She knew the Duke was generous and wouldn’t scold her for changing her mind.
“Take your ti to think about it.”
He smiled tiredly and left the entrance first, asking a servant he passed not to wake him until the next morning.
lody was left alone, pondering his words, but she soon shook her head.
lody had decided not to et her mother. There was no need to change that decision.
***
The next morning, the pine cones that Ronny and Loretta had brought over had slightly opened. lody fetched a small bowl of water and dropped the opened pine cones into it. As they absorbed the water, the pine cones began to close up again. The idea that these small, common things could moisten the dry air was sohow fascinating.
‘I thought pine cones just rolled around on the ground…’
lody admired Loretta for finding a ‘use’ for such an ordinary object. As she pondered this, she heard the sound of a carriage from the garden. It was quite early, so the sound was particularly clear. Who could it be at this hour?
lody had an uneasy feeling, probably due to yesterday’s events. It was around this ti that Isaiah unexpectedly arrived.
‘Surely, he hasn’t barged into the Duke’s house today.’
If that was the case, lody thought she should advise Isaiah that it was rude to visit the Duke’s house without an invitation.
‘No, it can’t be Isaiah.’
He had ntioned that he was off yesterday, so he would be working today.
‘Probably.’
The sound of the carriage stopping was heard. lody got dressed, hoping the visitor at this hour wasn’t Isaiah. But her hopes were quickly dashed as a knock ca at her door, followed by these words:
“A visitor has arrived.”
A visitor? The only person in the capital who would visit lody was Isaiah. lody opened the door with a nearly tearful expression, to find Butler Higgins standing there.
“Miss lody.”
Before Higgins could state his purpose, lody quickly bowed and apologized.
“I’m sorry! I’ll talk to Isaiah. Please forgive him just for today!”
There was no imdiate response to her hurried words. Instead, the gloved hand of Butler Higgins gently patted lody’s head, as if offering comfort.
“There’s no need for you to apologize.”
At his kind gesture and words, lody cautiously looked up to gauge his reaction.
“A visitor coming early to the mansion has nothing to do with Miss lody.”
“But… Isaiah is my friend.”
At lody’s response, Butler Higgins chuckled softly.
“Master Isaiah is not the one who has co.”
“What? But isn’t there a visitor? I heard a carriage.”
“There is a visitor. For you, Miss lody.”
“It’s not Isaiah?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
It was strange, thought lody, tilting her head slightly. She had believed Isaiah was the only person who would visit her at this hour.
“Then, who has co?”
At her cautious question, Butler Higgins suggested, “It would be best for you to go to the entrance and see for yourself.” He then draped a shawl over lody’s shoulders.
***
As lody reached the entrance, she saw a large bouquet of cosmos flowers. The person holding the bouquet was none other than the postal worker who had visited the day before. Normally visiting in the afternoon, why had he co to the mansion this early in the morning?
“Hello.”
When lody bowed in greeting, the postal worker also greeted her.
“Hello, Miss lody.”
His face looked sowhat gloomy as he spoke, as if he was worried about sothing.
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