Three days later, on a sunny morning. The nobles with simple breakfast menus departed the mansion in arriving carriages.

Though she wanted to attend until the last tea time, Natasha spent another day in her sickbed due to Sieghart’s firm refusal. That heartless man wouldn’t know how frustrating it was to see the clear sky through the glass.

Nor how boring it was to face serenity amidst commotion. Natasha realized for the first time that she didn’t prefer silence. As if not remembering her past life of always being alone, just a few days by herself brought forth all sorts of complaints.

It was when she was staring at the door out of boredom. The firmly closed door suddenly opened, and an unexpected figure appeared.

“My lady, are you resting well?”

Meliana, who opened the door and entered, smiled brightly. She barged in with a large basket that couldn’t even fit in both hands.

“Meliana? Why are you here instead of returning to the mansion…”

“I’ll go back after finishing all my work!”

“Weren’t you attending the banquet as Lady Leyan, Lady Leyan?”

“Hmm, then let’s say I stayed a bit longer as a new friend of the Asthart Duchess!”

The two, who had grown quite close, now exchanged jokes well.

Meliana said this was no time for that and gently placed the basket on the bed where Natasha lay.

“The guests who attended the banquet wrote thank you cards during the tea party time.”

“Thank you cards?”

A hand reached into the basket and picked up a card.

「To the Duchess of Asthart,

It was truly an honor to attend the first banquet of the prestigious Asthart ducal family. It was such an enjoyable and splendid party that it could be called the best banquet of the year.

When your leg heals, I’d like to visit the duke’s residence to repay you. Will you be sure to invite me?

Sincerely, Dorothea Park」

When she slightly opened the card, there was a greeting from the young lady expressing how enjoyable the banquet was.

If it was Dorothea Park, was she that young lady who came with Charlotte Tristana as a temporary chaperon because her scheduled guardian was injured?

She was said to be a young girl who hadn’t even had her coming-of-age ceremony, and her cute handwriting revealed her tender age.

“Read the others too. Many people must have written them.”

Meliana smiled, seeing the duchess’s smile, and encouraged her to read the other cards as well. Natasha slightly pushed the checked card to the side of her hip and began to check the other cards one by one.

People expressed concern for Natasha’s injury and wished for her swift recovery. They asked her to reply when her leg healed, adding that they wanted to enjoy tea time visiting the duke’s territory. Moreover, they described in detail how touching the suburban party she hosted was.

Her mouth corners kept rising as she read each visiting card. Her plump cheeks couldn’t contain her happiness. Meliana, who was peeking and secretly looking at the thank you cards beside her, smiled a silly smile just like her.

It was really troublesome that the happiness she was receiving here was growing, even though it was a position with a set term. The changed future was deeply taking root in her heart with excitement.

Natasha returned to the duke’s residence on the day the banquet ended. Although there was much work left such as mansion cleaning and settling banquet expenses, the two headed to the duke’s residence first, unable to resist Sieghart’s persuasion.

Natasha flatly refused when Sieghart insisted on handling the work himself and demanded she rest. In the end, the two proceeded with paperwork in the bedroom.

“Has your ankle gotten better?”

“Mm, a little. They say I’ll be able to walk without much trouble in about ten days.”

“That’s fortunate. How much work is left?”

“The accounting related to the servants is almost finished.”

“Then today’s work is nearly done.”

Sieghart, who said he would bring dinner, entered the room a moment later pulling a tray.

“There’s no need for Your Grace to inconveniently eat here too.”

Natasha sat at the table with his help. Sieghart lightly brushed off her added words asking if it wasn’t troublesome, and placed tableware in front of her.

Unable to walk, Natasha’s main diet these days was simple oatmeal porridge as digestion was quite difficult. It was somewhat palatable with plenty of lobster meat and chopped vegetables mixed in.

“Come to think of it, we still haven’t found the culprit. I’m sorry I can only give such incompetent words.”

“No, it’s a case without any clues from the start. We probably won’t know unless they confess.”

“Thank you for understanding. And this may be sudden, but…”

Sieghart, who always spoke confidently, hesitated in his words for some reason. It wasn’t even possible to gauge what kind of bombshell statement he might make.

Suppressing her earlier curiosity, Natasha also didn’t speak first and waited leisurely.

The man who had been considering the ripple effect of his words finally broke through the awkward silence.

“So, about that maid you said has been with you since the palace.”

“You mean Cayena?”

“Yes, Cayena Ten. It would be better if you could be careful with that child if possible.”

Natasha pretended to be surprised at his words. She hadn’t expected Sieghart to bring up Cayena, and for it to be a negative comment at that?

Could he have discovered something related to this incident?

As Natasha silently stared at the man without responding, Sieghart, who interpreted her reaction differently, hastily continued speaking.

“I’m not sure how you’ll take my words. No, you’ll surely think it’s strange. But if possible…”

“Why are you rambling so much?”

Sieghart’s rare stammering was suspicious. It didn’t seem like the same person who used to speak out everything he wanted to say openly.

Then he awkwardly fiddled with the surface of the teacup. He conveyed his sincerity while subtly avoiding Natasha’s gaze.

“You probably won’t believe me telling you not to trust your maid.”

“…”

“I don’t have any evidence I can give you right now, so my words don’t have much effect. It’s obvious I’ll look like an evil minister trying to drive a wedge between you two, so how can I act confidently?”

Natasha blinked at those words.

To think that he, who had always been full of confidence, who had acted arrogantly as if he would make Natasha his own given time, was having such thoughts. It seemed he was newly aware of the fact that Natasha didn’t like him.

“Well, it’s natural not to believe…”

She replied, raising her eyebrows slightly. The trailing end of her voice excluded further words. Sieghart’s shoulders trembled faintly, as if the ambiguous opening had created tension.

“I understand for now.”

As the affirmation fell, his shoulders, which had been raised high as if tense, sank down. It was a sign of relief.

‘Honestly, I considered saying I suspected Cayena… but now is not the time.’

If coincidence occurs three times, it becomes inevitability. In this period when the culprit is not easily identified, such inevitability was enough to frame Cayena as the culprit.

However, Natasha decided not to do so.

‘Because there’s something I need to confirm.’

If Cayena really had hostility towards Natasha.

If ruining her life was the original plan.

The past she had known until now might not be the truth. So she had to verify the facts no matter what.

It was after Sieghart left. She took out the key and opened the drawer of the side table. She took out the diary that was sitting alone and placed it on her lap before starting to write.

With nothing to do, she was bored, and with no one to talk to, she was lonely. Trying to escape her desolate life, Natasha wrote in her diary every day. Whether it had become a habit or not, she had been writing her diary without fail this time as well.

#182. The mansion getting hotter as summer approaches

「Since returning to the duke’s residence, I’ve been devoted to recovering my leg.

I gave Meliana and Vanessa, who returned to their hometown after a long time following the suburban party, a week’s vacation. Thanks to that, I’ve been spending a lot of time alone with Cayena. When we’re short-handed, Lady Tristana also helps me.

Come to think of it, the time those two spend together must have increased a lot too, I should thoroughly control Lady Tristana’s mouth.」

#0193. Days beginning to be tinged with summer light

「My leg has already healed. Running is too much, but fast walking is possible now. Of course, the people of the ducal family advise me to walk as slowly as possible.

The ladies who wrote thank you cards at the end of the banquet, saying they regretted not being able to be together, have sent letters to the duke’s residence. The rumors must have already spread, as they were requesting to visit the duke’s residence.」

#0197. A day when the cool breeze was welcome

「Sieghart suggested going to see fireworks. So suddenly like this, and at such a busy time?

Of course, I was going to firmly refuse as there was no reason to go out alone with him, putting everything aside, but I couldn’t refuse because the proposed schedule was very appealing.」

#0230. A day of experiencing the intense heat of the south firsthand

「The fireworks were very beautiful. How long has it been since I’ve been able to look at the sky so carefree? As I just stared at the sky, putting aside all my worries, it felt like the distracting thoughts in my head were disappearing.

I didn’t know Sieghart would be helpful to me for the first time.」

#0320. The beautiful ducal territory covered in first snow

「My birthday is approaching. As I was tired from frequent banquets, I wanted to spend my birthday modestly, so I told them in advance that I wanted to skip the banquet this time.

It was a joy to receive gifts sent to the front of the mansion and surprise gifts from the servants. The fur clothes prepared by Vanessa and Meliana were also very pretty. Sieghart gifted holy water – I don’t know where he got it from – which is said to be good for longevity, and an annex… I don’t know what to use it for.

I had a happy birthday after a long time.」

#0340. A day when life finally began to breathe as the snow stopped

#0359. A day when the dry wind poured like a knife into the coat

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#0365. Finally, a year