I’m shy and reserved, more than I look.
This kind of situation was extrely uncomfortable for soone like .
And why were these people acting like I should be embarrassed?
Just as I was tilting my head in confusion to assess the situation.
“Isn’t the Duke too much? Even if he doesn’t like his fiancée, shouldn’t he still value human life?”
Ah, could it be because of what happened at the lake…?
It was the worst-case scenario.
Like the tragic heroine whose fiancé saved the woman he loved instead of her!
I wasn’t sad at all, but my vision went dark.
Weren’t people seeing that way?
Thinking back, I should’ve done as Allen said and thrown the annulnt letter in Ricardo’s face.
Anyway, since the relatives strongly disliked , there was no way they ca out of concern.
As proof, Great Aunt Elizabeth dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and continued speaking.
“After that incident, it was such a commotion… I never dread I’d be called the ‘Despised Lady’ of the Roygin family while still alive.”
I wanted to ask why she was acting like we were so close when we’d only t three tis, but there was a more important question.
“What brings you here?”
We’re not on those terms.
At my words, Elizabeth smiled kindly.
“Still, since Cedric is inheriting the title, I thought I should co.”
But I never sent an invitation?
“Sister, are you not happy to see and Grandma?”
Bonica stared straight at , eyes brimming with tears.
She was a troubleso guest, but I couldn’t just kick her out as I pleased.
Then, soone approached. Maybe the butler had already told him—Grandfather was standing there.
As soon as Elizabeth t his eyes, his pupils began to tremble. But soon, his gaze turned sharp.
I had never once thought of Grandfather as scary…
‘He’s terrifying!’
Unlike , who was frozen and reading the room, Bonica ran up to him without a care.
“Have you been well?”
Bonica, always full of charm, clung to Grandfather’s arm with a silly grin.
…Ugh, I did envy that personality a little.
I wanted to be cutesy with Grandfather too, but I wasn’t born with that kind of temperant.
This was already a huge improvent.
Besides, if I tried to act cute, Grandfather would probably be so shocked he’d fall over.
Grandfather remained silent for a while, then opened his mouth with his eyes closed.
“Prepare a room.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Elizabeth grabbed Bonica’s hand and led her away. Then Bonica let out a small giggle and waved at us as if nothing had happened.
“See you tomorrow!”
After that uproar settled down.
I caught my breath and looked at Grandfather, who was still standing there.
He seed so lost in thought that he didn’t even notice I was looking at him.
* * *
“Brother, do you have a mont?”
When I called out to Cedric as he was about to go out, he gave a slight nod.
“Talk while we walk.”
I trailed behind him and brought up the topic.
“You’re going to Drimokan Forest after the enthronent ceremony, right?”
“…Did I ever tell you that?”
“No. I secretly overheard you talking with Grandfather.”
Cedric let out a baffled laugh at my words.
Since he said he was going to Drimokan Forest with the priests, it was clear they’d be talking about the forest.
Well, they’d probably just give him a warning not to fall for the heresy of believing in the god of Drimokan Forest.
“I want to observe too.”
“Why?”
I calmly explained the reason I’d prepared beforehand.
“I’ve been thinking… about Grandfather’s illness. I think it might be related to that forest.”
I thought he’d cut off, telling not to spout nonsense, but Cedric unexpectedly listened.
“If we investigate the Divine Era, we might find an answer. Magic power is…”
“That’s not possible.”
Then Cedric, who had been quietly listening, cut in.
“Bianca, if things go wrong, you’ll be branded a traitor.”
Maybe I should’ve just said I was going to look around without thinking.
Or should I bring up Peril’s story now?
That the Tower Master might have the answer…?
‘No. If word got out that I carelessly revealed he’d awakened, I’d be eliminated by Peril without a trace.’
The thought of what might co next sent chills down my spine.
In the end, I opened my mouth with a “whatever happens, happens” mindset.
“Sure, I cause trouble all the ti, but I wouldn’t go that far in the forest, right?”
“……”
“I’ll just stay by your side and take a look at the World Tree. We can discuss the rest back at ho.”
Cedric let out a deep sigh.
“…Fine. It’s not like you’d listen even if I tried to stop you. It’d be worse if you tried to sneak in later.”
“Haha, when have I ever not listened to you?”
As soon as I finished speaking, Cedric cursed with his eyes.
…Or maybe not.
When I just smiled awkwardly, he changed the subject.
“By the way, has the Duke replied yet?”
“Hmm, no.”
Cedric seed a bit irritated at my answer. Worried about his blood pressure, I responded as lightly as possible.
“Maybe it’ll co soon?”
“How much longer are you going to waste ti?”
“They’ve been wanting to break off the engagent for a while too, so I’m sure…”
Clang!
At that mont, the sound of sothing breaking echoed from the hallway.
“Gasp!”
It was Bonica, her eyes wide as saucers.
“Are you hurt?”
I ran over to check on her. Cedric, who had followed , lightly scolded Bonica.
“You could’ve had a maid do it.”
Just in case, I was about to call for the physician when sothing caught my eye.
“……”
Inside her slightly opened jacket pocket, I glimpsed an expensive jeweled accessory. But the open pocket was quickly closed again.
…No matter how I looked at it, that looked like my necklace.
“I’m fine, Sister!”
Bonica answered cheerfully, as if nothing had happened.
Co to think of it, the last ti I saw her, things from the house had started disappearing one by one.
“You must be busy, Brother. You should get going.”
At my words, Cedric gave the porcelain figurine on the floor a brief glance before walking away.
“It’s dangerous. Let a servant handle things like this.”
“I wasn’t trying to move it!”
Bonica laughed brightly.
“I was going to ask Grandpa to give it to as a gift.”
Well, I didn’t really care either way…
The mansion was full of ornants, after all.
So, did she bring the necklace in her pocket to ask for my permission too?
While I was lost in pointless thoughts, Bonica’s eyes sparkled as she asked ,
“By the way, Sister, are you really breaking off the engagent?”
So she heard.
It wasn’t sothing I planned to keep secret forever anyway, so I nodded. Then Bonica’s face instantly lit up.
“……”
I’m the one getting dumped, so why are you so happy?
Her expression sohow annoyed , and I found myself responding coldly without realizing it.
“Bonica, maybe you should manage your expressions a bit.”
“Sorry, sorry. But Sister, it’s okay! These days, breaking off engagents isn’t a big deal. Everyone goes through it, apparently.”
Just looking at her smiling face, she seed to be genuinely concerned for .
But since Bonica was a master at irritating people with her words, I had to hear her out to the end.
“By the way, who’s the woman the Duke fell for? To think he fell in love while having soone as beautiful as you.”
Judging by how excited she was talking about Idette, it didn’t seem like she liked Ricardo.
So her goal was to get under my skin.
“Could you clean up the hallway, please?”
“Yes, my lady!”
Still, I didn’t get it. She couldn’t have co all this way just to get on my nerves.
Even while I was deep in thought, Bonica didn’t stop talking.
“This ti, make sure to find a man who really likes you. I’m sure the Duke had a hard ti too, don’t you think? Being engaged to soone he didn’t even like.”
She gave a little shudder, as if imagining sothing dreadful.
“Oh, but don’t get engaged to just any man. I’m worried because you can’t live without one, Sister.”
Thinking I must’ve misheard, I turned to look at her, but Bonica was just smiling radiantly like always.
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