Chapter 09 : You Have to Return What You Receive
“I already said I’m fine, yet she insists on bringing me more.”
Watching this, Duke Sorpel clicked his tongue as if he were annoyed.
Yet everyone present could clearly see the corners of his lips curling upward.
“I’m truly envious, Your Grace.”
“So this is why people say you need to have a daughter. Hahaha. I only have sons, so I’ll never get to enjoy something like this.”
“My daughter wouldn’t even dream of making me a snack. She’s never brewed me so much as a cup of tea.”
“The same goes for my family.”
“Not every daughter is like Lady Camilla.”
Listening to the comments coming from every direction, Duke Sorpel slowly scooped up a spoonful of the sherbet and brought it to his mouth.
As expected, it tasted wonderful.
“It’s really surprising. After causing trouble everywhere she went, has she finally come to her senses?”
The room fell silent.
The speaker, unable to take his eyes off the wine sherbet, sounded genuinely astonished.
It was Baron Ersha, the youngest among the vassals.
“…”
Duke Sorpel turned his gaze toward him.
“Since she even made something like this for Your Grace, she must feel terribly sorry about the commotion she caused at the party last time.”
The Duke’s face grew colder with every word.
The people around them desperately tried to signal Baron Ersha to stop talking, but he failed to notice.
“Baron.”
“Yes?”
“Didn’t you say you couldn’t drink wine?”
“I did?”
“Then I suppose desserts made with wine won’t suit your taste either.”
“No, I actually love wi—”
“You absolutely hate wine.”
Cutting him off before he could finish protesting, Duke Sorpel turned to the butler.
“I can’t ignore my daughter’s sincerity. I’ll eat that one as well. Bring it here.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“W-Wait…”
Baron Ersha could only stare helplessly as the sherbet placed before him disappeared.
At that moment, his eyes met the Duke’s.
“U-Um… enjoy your dessert…”
What did I do wrong?
Only after seeing the Duke’s icy glare did he realize he’d made a terrible mistake.
He quietly asked the other nobles what had happened, hoping someone would explain.
But everyone simply looked away and shook their heads.
* * *
“What should we make tomorrow?”
[I have a special sauce I invented. I’m thinking of making canapés with just a little of it on top.]
After shaking off Chef Gelard, who was clinging to her arm and begging her to teach him the recipe, Camilla left the kitchen.
Huh?
While chatting with Chef Ghost Perol about tomorrow’s menu, she suddenly stopped.
Someone familiar was standing at the end of the hallway.
“What are you doing there?”
It was Ravi.
She had intended to walk past him, but their eyes met.
What’s he doing standing here alone at this hour?
“…”
He stared blankly at her before striding over.
Was he… waiting for me?
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“What do you mean?”
Wasn’t that her line?
Blocking someone’s path and suddenly asking questions—what exactly was he doing?
“What are you doing every night? Why are you suddenly doing something you’ve never done before?”
Seeing Ravi glance toward the kitchen, Camilla finally understood what he meant.
“You mean cooking? So what about it?”
His brows furrowed slightly.
“What are you plotting?”
“Plotting?”
“I asked what you’re up to.”
Camilla clicked her tongue.
“Mind your own business.”
What pointless meddling.
She tried to walk past him.
But his next words stopped her.
“Do you think doing this will make the Duke finally accept you as family?”
His voice was unusually harsh.
It wasn’t his usual mocking tone.
It was filled with emotion.
Did he get drunk? He doesn’t smell like alcohol…
“You really think something this pathetic will earn you his approval?”
Camilla tilted her head, looking at Ravi, who seemed both angry and contemptuous.
What’s gotten into him?
Whether she cooked for the Duke or picked flowers for him—
What did any of that have to do with Ravi?
Weren’t we always the type to mind our own business?
His interference was completely unnecessary.
“They’ll never acknowledge us.”
“…”
Us…
Camilla remained silent.
He’s talking about himself.
Maybe seeing her trying to get on Duke Sorpel’s good side reminded him of his own situation.
Ravi himself had been desperately trying to earn the Duke’s recognition.
“Stop wasting your time. It won’t change anything.”
“I know.”
“…You know?”
“Yeah. I know.”
Her reply was so calm and brief that it almost embarrassed Ravi for speaking so passionately.
“I have absolutely no intention of becoming part of their family.”
“What?”
Family?
That wasn’t what mattered.
There was only one reason she was doing all this.
“I don’t want to die.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I want to live.”
“What does that even mean?”
“That’s all.”
“Hey!”
Leaving those words behind, Camilla walked past him.
She could feel Ravi’s confused gaze following her, but she ignored it.
Yeah… that’s all.
Family?
Who cares.
Chapter: You Have to Return What You Receive
“What beautiful weather today.”
[…]
[…]
“A cup of coffee would be perfect.”
[…]
[…]
“Maybe I should go for a walk.”
[…]
[…]
“…”
“Alright, alright.”
“What is it? Why have you two been staring at me this whole time? If you have something to say, just say it.”
Unable to endure the constant stares any longer, Camilla finally looked at the two ghosts—Perol and Derin—who had been silently watching her while she relaxed in a chair by the window.
[What did you mean yesterday?]
“Yesterday?”
Camilla pretended not to understand.
[Yesterday, you told your brother you wanted to live.]
[Lady Camilla… what did you mean by that?]
Derin, whose usual smile had disappeared after apparently hearing the entire story from Perol, spoke carefully.
[Are you ill, perhaps?]
[“I want to live”… What did you mean by that?]
They were referring to her conversation with Ravi the previous night.
How am I supposed to explain this?
“Well… everyone wants to live, don’t they? That’s all I meant.”
After thinking for a moment, Camilla answered lightly, as though it were nothing important.
She couldn’t exactly tell them the truth.
If I said, “I know the future, so I’m desperately trying to survive…”
They’d probably think I’m insane and abandon me.
Still receiving doubtful looks from the two ghosts, Camilla turned her attention back outside the window.
As she gazed at the garden blooming with flowers, something suddenly came to mind.
“I have a question too.”
[…] Ask us anything.
“Do either of you know about the Flower Garden Incident?”
Since they wandered all over the ducal estate, perhaps they knew something.
[The flower garden? Which flower… Ah…!]
* * *
“This place is huge.”
Looking over the seemingly endless rose garden, Camilla was once again struck by just how enormous the Sorpel Duchy’s estate was.
Why is this garden ridiculously big?
“Is this the place?”
[Yes. Right here.]
Hearing Butler Ghost Derin’s answer, Camilla quietly looked down at the ground beneath her feet.
Before she had completely possessed Camilla Sorpel’s body, there had been one small—
No, one infuriating incident.
Several months ago, Duke Sorpel received a report.
Camilla had supposedly dug up the rose garden and ruined it.
Letting out a weary sigh, the Duke had thought,
“She lost her temper again and destroyed everything around her.”
Still, perhaps because part of him wanted to hear her side, he summoned her and asked why she had done it.
But as always, Camilla kept her mouth tightly shut.
She couldn’t even bring herself to look him in the eye.
You frustrating girl!
This incident happened in every repeated timeline.
And every time, the outcome was the same.
Watching it unfold over and over made my blood boil.
The truth was simple.
Several maids and servants who hated Camilla had stolen a piece of jewelry she treasured.
It wasn’t just any jewel.
It was a keepsake left behind by her late mother.
The maids stole the ruby ring and hid it away.
Then, as though playing a game, they mocked her one after another.
“We hid it somewhere in the rose garden. Go find it.”
“Oh my? Are you going to hit us again?”
“Have you already forgotten what the Duke said? He warned that if you caused trouble or attacked us one more time, he’d lock you in your room.”
“Who do you think the Duke will believe? You or us?”
“We’ve gotten really good at fake crying now, haven’t we?”
“We’ll just say we’ve never seen such a ring, Miss.”
“No, even better. We’ll say you lost it yourself while wearing it outside and you’re taking your anger out on us.”
In the end, Camilla searched the vast rose garden alone in hopes of finding her mother’s ring.
Her hands were repeatedly pierced by rose thorns until they were covered in cuts.
She searched and searched.
But found nothing.
After tearing up the flower garden, she was summoned by Duke Sorpel, who had heard about the destruction, and was severely scolded.
That was how the incident always ended.
Fortunately, Derin—the butler ghost who had witnessed everything—had seen exactly where the maids had hidden the ring.
Thud.
Using the small shovel she had brought with her, Camilla began digging.
Not long afterward, she uncovered the ring from the exact spot Derin had pointed out.
“…”
Holding the dirt-covered ring tightly in her hand, Camilla looked down at her own fingers.
The small scars were still there.
They were the wounds she’d received the last time she searched this garden, scratched and pierced by rose thorns.
“It’s your turn now.”
You were the ones who started this.
As she carefully put away the ring, a dangerous gleam flashed across Camilla’s eyes.
