TVWD 10

Chapter : 10

Because the items sold at the café were quite expensive, it hadn’t been a place with many customers to begin with. And with a fire having broken out nearby, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say there were almost no people at all.

Cathy and I sat by the inner window, while Knight Mary stood steadfastly behind me.

“Knight—having you stand like that makes me uncomfortable. Please, sit down.”

When I urged her again, Knight Mary—whose short hair suited her well—sat beside Cathy. Soon, a server approached and spread the menu out in front of us.

“Order anything you want, Cathy. You too, Knight.”

“My lady, that wouldn’t be—”

“I’d like a berry parfait and vanilla ice cream.”

At Cathy’s bold ordering, Knight Mary looked flustered.

“Knight, this isn’t an opportunity that comes every day. Go ahead and choose.”

When I smiled and urged her again, she finally ordered ice cream.

I chose an ice cream said to be made from green tea recently imported from the East.

“Oh my, it’s so pretty. Thank you for the treat.”

“Thank you, my lady.”

“Enjoy.”

Cathy kept exclaiming in admiration, and even Knight Mary—who always acted with discipline—looked excited.

I should buy them some again next time.

“Miss Cathy seems quite used to situations like this.”

“If you follow my lady around, opportunities like this come up from time to time.”

“Really? That’s quite enviable. I can see why everyone covets the position of the lady’s personal maid.”

I half-listened to their conversation as I organized my thoughts.

Fire that burns only the target without spreading—there’s no doubt that was magic. Then why burn down the information guild?

The most likely reason is that they uncovered information that shouldn’t have been discovered.

Could it have been information related to the Master of the Mage Tower? Perhaps the man who smelled of ash personally burned down the guild.

If that’s the case… then why did the Mage Tower Master try to kill me?

“My lady, would you like anything more?”

“No, I’m fine. Do you two want more?”

With both of them waving their hands to say they were fine, we returned to the carriage together.

“I thought I only had to avoid one person…”

“Yes, my lady?”

“I’m a bit tired. I’ll take a nap, so wake me when we arrive.”

One way to prolong my life is to get entangled with the male lead.

In my many lives, the person I became entangled with the most was Duke Lisianthus—and I must never be entangled with him again.

Then what about the Mage Tower Master?

Is he someone worth using—and someone who can be used?

The day the year tilted toward its end—the midpoint of the month—arrived, the day a party was to be held at the House of Lisianthus.

I went to the place where the information guild once stood, but as expected, there was nothing and no one left in the building reduced to ashes.

This makes it much harder to learn anything about Blue Bird.

Though I had anticipated it, disappointment still washed over me.

When I returned home with a headache to boot, Cathy and the other maids who had been waiting dragged me straight into the bath.

“Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful!”

“We’ll make my lady the most beautiful person in the world!”

The maids, burning with a strange sense of mission, poured all their energy into polishing and dressing me up.

“You prepared a flashy dress, right?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Dressed in a striking bright yellow gown, wearing a necklace woven bead by bead with topaz and a thick silver bracelet, I looked more arrogant than usual.

I don’t know what the duke is thinking, but he’ll surely grow tired of such a gaudy, peacock-like appearance. He has to.

“What if he doesn’t?”

I blurted it out without realizing it, then startled myself and shook my head.

Please, Duke.

I’ll be satisfied with just one dance, so don’t try to get any closer to me than that.

As if mocking my wish, Cathy brought astonishing news.

“A carriage from the House of Lisianthus has arrived, my lady.”

“What?”

The folding fan in my hand let out a creaking sound.

“They said it was sent for you, his partner!”

Partner.

It felt as though all the blood drained from my body.

“The duke came to the tea party last time, and now he’s invited you as his partner?”

“It’s obvious the duke is interested in you, my lady. Well, who wouldn’t be interested in our lady!”

I denied it, but the maids chattered away excitedly.

Still, to go this far just to invite me—what on earth is the duke plotting?

When someone whose thoughts are usually transparent suddenly behaves strangely, it sends a chill down my spine.

Is it really right to go?

“Oh my, Roa. Since when did you become the duke’s partner without me knowing?”

But with my mother joining in and encouraging me, I had no choice but to board the duke’s carriage.

“Mother, you’re coming soon too, right?”

“What are you talking about?”

Fully prepared, Mother took a few steps back.

“Please convey my regards to the duke as our family’s representative.”

“You’re not coming? You said just yesterday that we’d go together.”

“Heehee, I can’t interfere with my daughter’s romance. Hurry along.”

Before I could even deny it, Mother smiled and went back into the mansion, and the carriage soon departed.

The ducal residence, originally known for emphasizing simplicity and grandeur, had been decorated rather brightly. The lilies placed throughout were especially beautiful.

“Lilies…”

My favorite flower.

It’s the season when lilies bloom in abundance, so it probably doesn’t mean anything—but for no reason at all, my chest ached.

I turned my gaze away from the lilies and looked around.

Perhaps because parties at the House of Lisianthus are extremely rare, it seemed that nearly every high-ranking noble was in attendance.

The moment I stepped into the hall, everyone approached as if they’d been waiting, pretending familiarity and striking up conversations.

“Good evening, my lady.”

“Lady Leviahn, it’s a pleasure to see you here.”

The overpowering perfume and excessively high-pitched voices worsened my headache, but I smiled brightly.

That damned duke went on about partners—so what is he doing, sending only a carriage and not even coming to greet me?

“It’s nice to see you. I’m glad to meet you. I’m a bit busy right now, so I’ll excuse myself.”

I arrived early—so why are there so many people?

Feeling nauseous from the headache, I slipped away to the empty garden to catch my breath.

Leaning lightly against a tree, the coolness transferred from it soothed my overheated body.

The sky was clear, the breeze gentle.

I wish I could savor this peace for a long time.

Rustle.

Turning toward the sound that interrupted my rest, I saw Merina.

“Lady, please talk with me.”

“Lady Ickel, I have nothing to say to you.”

“I do. At the last tea party, you embarrassed me.”

I knew this would happen.

“And the duke is a special person to me, so please keep your distance.”

“Lady Ickel, didn’t the duke say you had no relationship at all?”

“That’s—”

“Shall I ask the duke again today? In front of even more people than at the tea party—what kind of relationship you have?”

“W-What did you say?”

Merina couldn’t hide her shock, and my headache only worsened.

If I stay here with her, malicious rumors might spread again. I need to return to the hall.

Having barely slept for days, my vision blurred, but I bit down on the inside of my mouth and moved step by step. The sensation of biting flesh was familiar and unpleasant, but I kept biting.

“Lady, I’m not finished speaking!”

Oblivious and insistent on saying everything she wanted, Merina followed me relentlessly.

“Were you here?”

At that moment, someone appeared—and I staggered toward them as though they were my savior.

“It’s time to begin the party, so please head to the hall—Lady?”

Ah, Duke Lisianthus.

You’re always like this.

Whenever I’m at my limit, you appear like a savior.

“Lady? You look pale. What’s wrong? Lady Ickel, did you harass Lady Leviahn again?”

“What? Me? Duke, you misunderstand. I—”

I bit my tongue to clear my mind, but by now I couldn’t even feel the pain.

My body overpowered my mind, desperately insisting on how exhausted and pained it was.