“Come on in.”

“…Yes…”

Aeli slightly nodded her head and lowered her gaze.

Although it actually took only a few minutes to arrive at the reception room after receiving the message from Noel, Aeli had been exhausted from all sorts of hardships during those few minutes.

First of all, since there were eyes watching, Aeli had to change into a neat indoor attire befitting the status of a Count and Countess.

Afterwards, Aeli’s hair had to be touched up, followed by light makeup, and then…

Anyways, that’s how it was.

‘Still, I wasn’t alone in this as the maids helped me since I was a guest,’

Perhaps it was because Aeli looked suspicious or they didn’t like her.

Compared to when Aeli was the youngest daughter of the Masons, the preparation stages were much more simplified to the point of feeling lacking.

But after going to Ratliffe, Lutis told Aeli to do as she pleased, so Aeli only matched the bare minimum for appearance.

During the pregnancy, Aeli’s body began to weaken, so Aeli unconditionally spent time in comfortable attire.

‘And crucially, I lived as a ghost invisible to others’ eyes.’

Ghosts don’t dress up. Of course, they don’t wash or eat either.

Even if Aeli roughly spent time, let alone getting dirty, nothing changed and the body remained intact, as Aeli was only visible to the child and Lutis at best.

Aeli was never the type to care much in the first place, but having spent time without any regard for others’ gazes, Aeli couldn’t adapt well to this situation.

If Aeli was physically tired, it was for this reason− and mentally, well.

“Would you like to come and sit here? I prepared Darjeeling tea, is that alright?”

“…Of course, madam. Thank you for your consideration.”

As already mentioned, Aeli wasn’t mentally prepared.

Aeli had no idea what to say or how to say it.

It didn’t seem right to suddenly present the face first, so Aeli was wearing the brooch. Although Aeli was conflicted about whether to take it off or not.

‘Unless there’s a need to go to the Imperial Palace, there’s no need to wear the brooch… but the possibility of that is practically non-existent.’

In the first place, if there was a reason to go to the Imperial Palace, wasn’t it because Aeli needed Mason’s identity to explain the similar face in order to go together?

Aeli, who sat as far away from Lutis as possible, quietly gazed into the teacup placed in front of her.

The yellowish tea with a slightly reddish tint, unique to Darjeeling.

The harmoniously blended fruit and floral scents lingering in the nose were impressive. There was a good reason why it left an impression despite being an ordinary tea.

‘No one at the Masons liked this tea except me, so why…’

Why is it still stocked even now?

[Huh, you’re not coming with me this time?]

Aeli recalled a time from her memories.

Since it was during the academy days, Lutis also returned to the Masons during breaks, but there were rare occasions when he couldn’t for a few days.

[I have something to take care of for a bit. I think I’ll be back in a week, so behave yourself in the meantime.] [Then who will I play with during that time?] [If you really have nothing to do, maybe a tea party… No. You’d probably feel suffocated in such a place, so just stick close to the Count and Countess. They’re the type of people who would put aside their work and go out with you if you say you’re bored.] [Still−]

‘Don’t you dare rip scrolls or fall into the fountain in the estate square out of boredom like before, or the guards will contact me.] [Hey. When was that−] [Just last semester, you know.] [….]

That was exactly during those times.

[Well, that’s true.]

Unable to find any words to refute, Aeli scratched her cheek with her index finger and saw Lutis off.

Once they graduated from the academy, they had to return to Ratliffe, so Lutis was gradually taking on estate work even before then.

Although Aeli learned the basics while staying at the Masons, management was ultimately field practice, so there was no choice but to spend time practicing like this.

However, even if Aeli understood it in her head, there was no way to resolve the boredom of having no one to play with.

[…I’m bored.]

Whining to the parents to play lasted only a day or two.

As Aeli kept doing it, not only did it become awkward, but if Aeli went to Noel, it was obvious that Aeli would be caught and end up studying magic together, so Aeli never went near there.

As mentioned before, both Lutis and Aeli had no friends, so there was no one to ask to play together.

[Mari!] [Yes, did you call for me?] [I have invitation letters addressed to me, right?] [Of course. Just this week, over ten letters have already arrived. As usual, should I use them as kindling−] [Bring those to me.] […Pardon?]

But isn’t it an unspoken rule to make them if there aren’t any?

Aeli promptly called Mari and spread out all the invitation letters addressed to her, thinking along those lines.

These are all from noble factions, so the political intentions are too obvious, so they’re out. Those are social gatherings of people with not-so-great qualities, so they’re out. And those are tea parties where noble ladies attending the academy gather for small talk, so they’re ou…

Approved.

Thus, Aeli had attended tea parties to try and make female friends to play with while Lutis was away.

However, there was one thing Aeli overlooked.

[Then is Lady Mason indeed in a relationship with Lord Ratliffe?] [Of course, right? I was so, so happy just seeing you two together at the academy, and now you’ve even come to the tea party, I’m really delighted.] [If it’s not rude, may I ask how you became close with the lord?] [That’s right. Most of our peers at the academy know about your relationship with the lord, so they don’t approach him, but there are some who don’t.] [….] [Ah, I mean− in the case of ladies, it’s natural for the lord to reject them. But I heard that not only ladies but even gentlemen rarely get a chance to exchange a word with him…] [….]

It was clearly because the interests of noble ladies of the same age were too distinct.

Aeli slightly waved her hand at the short-haired lady who resembled a squirrel, hastily shaking both hands, saying it was fine if Aeli didn’t answer if the question was rude.

At that time, Aeli swore there was no relationship between them, but receiving such questions continuously was inevitably burdensome.

Even though Aeli had no friends, Aeli’s friendliness was overflowing to the point of not losing to anyone.

Nevertheless, Aeli ultimately failed in the original purpose of making friends.

Seeing the opposite position for once, Aeli naturally underwent mirror therapy, despite Aeli being the one who usually wore a brazen face around others.

Aeli lifted the teacup, took a sip, and silently put it back down.

‘Still, it wasn’t like I gained nothing at all.’

It was this Darjeeling that Aeli drank while awkwardly smiling throughout the tea party.

Aeli had never tried it at the mansion, so when Aeli asked, Aeli learned for the first time that it was Darjeeling.

The tea suited Aeli’s taste, so Aeli went back to the mansion that day and said they should stock it too.

[Do you like the taste of that, Aeli?] [Hmm, it’s edible. The aroma is nice, isn’t it?] [I find it too heavy, so I don’t really like it.] [Then your taste buds must be weird, elder brother. Well, it’s not just your taste buds that are weird, ouch!] [You have no filter!] [Ah, Mom! Dad! He hit me!]

Everyone has the same taste buds, so why is it strange that only one person is different?

While thinking it was quite peculiar, Aeli occasionally drank the tea whenever Aeli felt like it, as there was always a little bit of Darjeeling stocked since then.

“….”

So after Aeli died− no, after leaving the Masons and going to Ratliffe, it became clear that there was no one left at the mansion to drink this tea.

Even when Aeli was alive, it could be stocked in case Aeli visited occasionally, but it was strange for it to still be here more than 4 years after Aeli’s death.

It couldn’t be that this was 4-year-old tea, as the tea leaves would have been replaced during that period.

There was no other explanation than that it was continuously being stocked. Even if it ended up being thrown away each time because there was no one to drink it.

‘If not that,’

Aeli slightly raised her head and examined the former Count and Countess sitting in front.

Their faces, also silently drinking tea, were unprecedentedly serene.

Aeli could no longer find the faces that used to slightly frown or look unpleasant whenever they drank the remembered tea.

“−So, may I ask what matter made you arrange this meeting with the Duke?”

“….”

“The Count gave me a hint in advance that you have something to discuss, but I haven’t heard what it is. So I’d like you to explain it if possible, Lady.”

“….”

“…Lady?”

Until they could swallow the unpalatable tea with an unwavering face.

Perhaps it was because Aeli had just witnessed her father suffering from somnambulism at dawn, but words didn’t easily come out.

“−I will instead−”

“…I want to protect the young lord.”

It was when Lutis, who had been watching Aeli struggling to open her mouth for a long time, tried to speak on her behalf.

Aeli, who hurriedly opened her mouth, cutting off Lutis’ words, soon raised her head with a firm gaze.

‘I have to be the one to say this.’

Nothing will come from just running away.

Even if Aeli couldn’t reveal her identity, Aeli didn’t want to borrow someone else’s mouth to say this.

Aeli spoke.

“I heard that while the Duke was away at war, the Masons filed a lawsuit to take the young lord. And that it was repeatedly dismissed.”

“….”

Perhaps because Aeli brought up a sensitive topic, the expressions of the former Count and Countess weren’t very good.

They didn’t openly express anger or anything, but their gazes were so subtle that even their child, Aeli, couldn’t be sure what they were thinking.

Aeli continued.

“−But at Ratliffe, they didn’t even know that lawsuits had been filed back and forth.”

“….”

“I, so….”

I want to protect my child.

I didn’t want him to spend a painful time without knowing why.

Being alone and lonely. Being deprived of the share that I should have received and growing up. Not having friends, let alone parents by his side, and having no choice but to read others’ expressions while thirsting for affection.

I don’t want that.

“…I want to be by the young lord’s side and protect him. But with my appearance like this,”

So in the end, there was only one thing Aeli could do.

Click.

“…!”

“−Please help me…”

Aeli said, placing the brooch Noel had given her on the table.