It was just after dinner.

Mina, who had returned after clearing the empty plates, continued her previous conversation.

“It’s true, Lady Rebecca! When I used to speak earnestly before, they didn’t believe me, but since that day, it seems they’re starting to believe little by little!”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! Moreover, I hear that in the Dark Mansion, there’s even a group praising you, saying that you’ve become more generous!”

Mina clasped her hands together joyfully.

Her hands were still wrapped in bandages.

“Mina, are you applying the medicine properly?”

“Oh, this?”

Mina shrugged nonchalantly and unwrapped the bandage.

Contrary to my expectations, Mina’s hand was clean without a trace of a scar.

“I just kept it on. I didn’t want to do chores…”

“…”

“I think the head maid was starting to notice, so I was planning to take it off soon. Hehe.”

Mina wrinkled her nose and laughed, seemingly embarrassed that her true intentions were discovered.

Our Mina is really… so innocent.

Just as I was holding my forehead and shaking my head,

“Lady Rebecca, Lady Bianca has arrived.”

The voice of the doorkeeper servant was heard from outside.

“Lady Bianca? Let her in right away.”

How long had it been since the message was delivered?

Bianca, with a flushed expression, rushed into the Grand Duchess’s quarters.

“Bianca, what’s the matter so suddenly?”

Bianca’s round cheeks were tinged with a rosy hue, and her round blue eyes were sparkling brightly.

Wiping the sweat from her ear with her sleeve, Bianca, who had run hard, threw herself into my arms.

“Lady Rebecca!”

I quickly sat Bianca on my lap.

Then I wiped the beads of sweat on the child’s forehead with a handkerchief.

“Oh my, look at this sweat. What on earth made you rush here so urgently?”

Bianca looked up at me with a bright smile, seemingly already accustomed to being in my arms.

Taking a cute breath, Bianca swallowed dryly and continued.

“I just missed you so much, Lady Rebecca!”

The child’s pure eyes shone blue as they looked up at me.

‘How much must she have longed for a family’s embrace… to like me so quickly even after receiving such harsh treatment from Rebecca.’

As I gazed at Bianca with a somewhat sorrowful heart, the child’s adorable lips opened again.

“Lady Rebecca, were you having an interesting conversation with Mina?”

I smiled slightly and answered.

“No, I was just checking if Mina’s hand had healed.”

Mina, who had been sparkling her eyes between us the whole time, raised her voice proudly towards Bianca.

“I was also telling her that the servants have started to see Lady Rebecca differently after the incident with Lady Camilla!”

Then Bianca clapped her small hands cutely and continued.

“That’s wonderful! More and more servants will believe that Lady Rebecca has changed. I can guarantee it!”

“How so?”

“I know now. Until now, you were like that because your heart was in pain, but originally, Lady Rebecca…”

“…?”

“Is an incredibly cool and kind person!”

Bianca’s cheeks puffed up as she looked up at me with a beaming smile.

It was the very smile that had always been directed at the female lead Robelia in the original story.

I thought I would never be able to see this adorable face…

‘Ugh. My heart aches because she’s too cute…’

Bianca stared at me for a while, then blinked her blue eyes slowly and pursed her lips.

For some reason, she seemed to hesitate a bit.

“Um, Lady Rebecca… So, that’s why I wanted to ask…”

“Hm? What is it, Bianca?”

Bianca, who had been moving her lips repeatedly, shouted loudly with her eyes tightly shut.

“Lady Rebecca! Won’t you come back to the Light Mansion now?!”

I blinked in surprise at Bianca’s passionate cry.

‘Return to the Light Mansion…?’

Words I never thought I’d hear from Bianca.

Perhaps that’s why. Somehow, I felt a lump in my throat.

“If you came here because you were afraid I’d be scared, there’s no need for that anymore. Because I… I…”

Bianca’s round eyes, looking up at me, soon curved gently.

It was an adorable smile that could have been worn by a baby angel.

“Now, I love spending time with you more than anything in the world!”

Thump!

Another tremendous shock hit my heart.

I bit my lip and clutched my chest.

‘So cute! It’s driving me crazy! But I can’t give in to this… It would ruin the divorce contract with Cedric!’

I shook my head, biting my lower lip hard to regain my senses.

Bianca, who had been looking up at me, soon lowered the corners of her mouth with a dejected expression.

“Lady Rebecca… Do you dislike being with me?”

“N-No, of course not!”

“Then…?”

“Of course, I’m happiest when I’m with you too, Bianca!”

My true feelings popped out before I knew it.

How could I dislike being able to see that adorable face every day!

However, the problem was that Cedric and I had already divorced.

‘How can I tell Bianca that I can’t go to the Light Mansion without hurting her?’

As I was biting my lower lip and pondering deeply,

“If Lady Rebecca is happy being with me too, then you can come back to the Light Mansion. So we can be together every day. Please?”

Bianca looked up at me like Puss in Boots, blinking her eyes.

My heart melted at that face, but I barely managed to gather my thoughts and opened my mouth.

“Bianca. Of course I want to, but that…”

“Are you worried because of the Grand Duke?”

…Oh? Right, it might be better to use Cedric as an excuse!

It’s not exactly a lie if we’re being strict, right?

Ignoring the faint guilt that was creeping in, I nodded.

“Bianca, I’m sorry, but I made a promise to the Grand Duke.”

“…”

“If I break that promise and say I’m going back to the Light Mansion, His Highness won’t like it.”

Phew, I managed to refuse safely.

But for some reason, Bianca’s face lit up rather than fell at my words.

“Then, if the Grand Duke is okay with it, you’ll allow it too, right?”

Just as I was awkwardly raising the corners of my mouth at Bianca’s unexpected reaction,

The doorkeeper servant raised his voice again from outside.

“Lady Rebecca, the Grand Duke has arrived.”

Cedric came to see me too? What’s going on today?

As I was just rolling my eyes in confusion.

‘Ah, did he come to stop Bianca?’

I never thought there’d be a day when Cedric would feel like a savior.

After allowing him to enter, Cedric soon stepped into the Grand Duchess’s quarters.

“Oh? Grand Duke!”

“…Cedric, it’s been a while.”

After greeting him, I secretly signaled to Cedric with my eyes.

‘It seems you came to stop Bianca, please soothe her and take her back.’

However, Cedric just stared at me blankly.

‘Is he not catching my signal?’

I signaled again, but Cedric ignored my gaze and walked to the sofa.

“It’s been a while, Rebecca.”

Cedric, who had greeted me, sat on the sofa across from me.

Even until a teacup was placed in front of him, Cedric just sat quietly.

‘Didn’t he come to stop Bianca? Did he forget why he came?’

Tired of waiting for him to speak, I finally opened my mouth first.

“Cedric, did you perhaps come to take Bianca back?”

“That’s right. She ran out in the middle of dinner saying she had something to ask you.”

“I see. Then you should quickly take Bianca back to finish dinner…”

“Bianca.”

Cedric’s gaze, cutting off my words, fell on Bianca.

“So, what was it you wanted to ask the Grand Duchess?”

My expectation that Cedric would take Bianca away immediately was once again beautifully missed.

Bianca, who had been looking back and forth between Cedric and me, opened her mouth with a bright smile.

“I just asked her!”

At Bianca’s cheerful answer, Cedric let out a needless cough.

“I see… And did you hear the answer?”

“She was about to answer when the Grand Duke arrived! But from what she said until then…”

“From what she said?”

Cedric’s eyebrows drew high mountains as he picked up his teacup.

“She said you might not like it if she breaks her promise. But you’re okay with it, aren’t you, Grand Duke?”

“…”

“You said earlier that it would be fine if Lady Rebecca agreed, didn’t you?”

…Cedric said such a thing?

I looked at Cedric with puzzled eyes, but he merely stared into the distance without affirming or denying.

As I tilted my head looking at Cedric, I finally realized his intention.

I couldn’t help but snort.

‘Ah… You’re going to leave the villain role to me?’

I secretly glared at Cedric.

However, before long, I had to resignedly accept the villain role given to me.

‘Honestly… I’m more suited for the villain role than Cedric.’

Even though I tried to think that way, it was too difficult to refuse while looking at Bianca’s eyes sparkling with hope.

“Lady Rebecca, now you can return to the Light Mansion, right? Right?”

As I hesitated, unable to speak, Cedric just stared at me blankly.

As if he was very curious about what I would say.

‘Tch, you know exactly what I’m going to say…’

I glanced at Cedric and then slowly parted my lips, looking back at Bianca.

“…I’m sorry, Bianca. I think it’s better for me to stay in the Dark Mansion for now.”

At that, Bianca’s eyes, which had been sparkling with hope, instantly became gloomy and slowly fell.

“I see… It’s not possible after all…”

Wow, I really hate this. To think that I’m the one who made Bianca dejected…

To assign such a role to me!

I narrowed my eyes and turned my head sharply towards Cedric.

But for some reason, shadows had fallen on Cedric’s face as he lowered his eyes.

‘Why is he like that? Perhaps… Is Cedric sorry for Bianca too?’

Thinking that, my resentment towards Cedric softened a little.

I let out a long sigh and gently stroked Bianca’s hair.

“But Bianca, you’re always welcome to come here. Whenever you miss me, feel free to visit.”

“Yes…”

“And if you want, you can stay overnight in the Grand Duchess’s quarters.”

“R-Really?!”

“Of course. Since we’re on the topic, shall we set a date for our pajama party?”

“I’d love that, Lady Rebecca!”

Bianca, who had regained her smile, burrowed into my arms.

I hugged the small and cute child tightly in my arms.

And just as I was watching a faint smile spread across Cedric’s lips,

The door opened and a servant entered.

“An invitation has arrived for Lady Rebecca.”

Mina took the letter first and looked at the sender.

Her complexion gradually darkened.

“What is it, Mina?”

“Well… Lady Rebecca, a confirmed invitation for a banquet has arrived from the Dmitri Count’s family.”

“The Dmitri Count’s family…”

My brow furrowed gradually.

I had a bad feeling.

“Don’t tell me Camilla sent me an invitation?”