“Gree…greetings. I am Lize Marsen of the Marsen family.”

I ended up greeting the Duchess Penton unintentionally. She was a beautiful woman with silver hair and yellow eyes. At a glance, it was evident that Yurik had inherited his mother’s appearance.

From outward appearance alone, her aura was different from Isabel’s. Though they seemed to be of similar age, Isabel had a slightly ill-tempered and fierce look while the Duchess Penton, in contrast, had a calm beauty.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. Actually, I have often heard about you from Yune.”

“……”

“Shall we shake hands?”

Only when she extended her hand to me did I come to my senses with a jolt. Her voice was unwavering and gentle, without a single impurity.

Her gaze held a slight curiosity towards me, but that was all.

I knew Yune had spoken positively about me. Just looking at Yune’s expression as she clung to my arm and giggled, I couldn’t imagine her speaking ill of me.

Putting Yune aside, I wondered if Yurik had talked about me. That made me a bit curious.

“But why are you here alone without Madam Marsen and the maids?”

The Duchess Penton asked after a brief exchange of greetings.

As it was difficult to explain, I glanced at the shopkeeper, and she shrugged her shoulders. With the mistress of the Penton family addressing me familiarly while suspecting me to be a Marsen child, the situation had turned awkward for her.

Oho.

Despite her ill nature, I felt a bit of exhilaration.

Seeing the shopkeeper’s face, usually talkative but now silent, added to my thrill. Instead of answering the Duchess Penton’s question, I looked at the shopkeeper, causing her to break into a sweat.

“Ah… well, Madam. There was a misunderstanding, so the young lady was staying here alone for a brief moment.”

“A misunderstanding? What was the issue?”

The shopkeeper’s tone was different from when she spoke to me. Gone was the stubborn woman, replaced by one bowing deeply to meet the Duchess Penton’s eye level.

“The young lady from the Marsen family came with a name card containing a reservation number to pick up an item… but the number’s ink was smudged, so we couldn’t give her the item. That’s why the accompanying maid went back to the mansion to fetch another name card.”

The shopkeeper beat me to it before I could say anything unnecessary. Though nothing she said was false, it was cowardly how she made the situation favorable for herself to escape later.

“This jewelry shop seems very meticulous. The number was just slightly smudged, but they asked to bring the name card again.”

I spoke honestly, pretending to be an innocent child. At times like this, being young was quite convenient.

“Really? So meticulous!”

The naive Yune exclaimed without knowing the truth. Yes, Yune. Admire it more!

“Is that so? How strange…”

The Duchess Penton seemed to sense something odd and looked at the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper moved her lips as if deeply pondering to smooth over the situation. The movement of her lips was stiff and unnatural.

“By the way, Madam, what brings you here? A new item has arrived, shall I show it to you?”

“Ah, I came today to look at jewelry for my daughter. Something simple will do.”

“I said I don’t want jewelry! Can’t we go to the antique shop over there instead?”

“No. If we do that, your grandfather will scold you again, what will you do then? Since we have to buy it anyway, choose something now.”

Yune was more interested in old or unique items rather than jewelry or flashy things. The antique shop ahead had broken pots, shattered glass pieces, old dolls, and such.

However, it seemed Yune couldn’t defy her mother either. At a single word from her mother, she pressed her lips tightly and moved towards the area where various bracelets were displayed.

“…Hmm, Lize. If you have time, could you help pick out a bracelet that would suit our Yune?”

The Duchess Penton spoke, noticing my gaze. I had nothing to do anyway, and it would take a long time for Bitty to arrive.

“Is that really alright? The shopkeeper told me to sit still on the sofa.”

“That was in case the young lady felt uncomfortable standing. Please feel free to look around if you wish.”

“How kind of you, Shopkeeper.”

As the shopkeeper spoke anxiously, I gave her a slight smile.

“Yes, Lize. I would be delighted if you chose for her. Yune would like it too.”

“Yeah! Sis, let’s look together!”

Yune seemed to have cheered up quickly as she pulled my arm.

As I went to the glass case with her, I saw shimmering gold bracelets and accessories emitting a pure white light. Regardless of her own taste, Yune asked if the jewelry that caught her eye suited her well.

To be honest, they didn’t suit her. The jewelry in this glass case was more suited for the Duchess Penton.

I glanced to the side, searching for a bracelet Yune might like.

A keychain at the end caught my eye. It seemed to be a decorative charm for children’s belongings, with a cute rabbit picture drawn on it.

Among them, the rabbit’s ears and eyes were intricately embedded with black gems and diamonds, sparkling brilliantly.

However, more than the gems, what caught my eye was the rabbit’s innocent and childlike expression. It somewhat resembled Yurik Penton.

“Oh my, did you find something that suits Yune?”

“Ah, that’s…”

The Duchess Penton followed my gaze, discovered the rabbit charm, and smiled.

“It’s cute. But Yune doesn’t like that style.”

“I know.”

“Ah, then is it to your liking?”

“No! It just seemed like it would suit Yurik well.”

At my honest words, the Duchess Penton’s eyes widened in surprise. Did I say something unnecessary? If Yurik had been hiding his preferences from his mother, then I had indeed said something unnecessary. How embarrassing.

“Ah, no. Actually, it does suit my taste! I don’t know why Yurik’s name came up.”

Not noticing my anxious mood, the Duchess Penton was momentarily at a loss for words. Instead, she stared intently at the charm I had been looking at.

“Shopkeeper.”

“Yes, Madam.”

The Duchess Penton suddenly called for the shopkeeper.

“Could you package that rabbit charm for me right now?”

“Ah, yes. We can provide that item immediately. Would you like one?”

“Yes. I’d like to give it as a gift to the youngest lady of the Marsen family.”

The Duchess Penton emphasized the words “youngest lady” to the shopkeeper. As a bonus, the shopkeeper’s face, which had thought the situation would pass quietly, turned pale.

It was exhilarating, but more than that, I was flustered by the Duchess’s words about giving me a gift.

“Madam, I’m really fine! Truly!”

There was no selfish motive in my gaze upon that item. I didn’t even want to have it. I was simply looking at it, purely thinking Yurik would like it.

The Duchess took out a check through the maid beside her, wanting to gift me the charm. I didn’t want to receive such an expensive item from someone I met for the first time today.

Unaware of my feelings, the charm that had already come out of the glass case went into a box.

“I’m really okay. Above all, I can’t just accept such an expensive item!”

As I spoke with a choked voice, the Duchess Penton approached me and slightly bent her waist.

“May I ask one favor? Lize.”

“…Yes?”

A favor all of a sudden? She wasn’t trying to make an awful request using the gift as collateral, right? The moment I worried, the packaged item was handed to me. I couldn’t believe it was really in my hands.

In my previous life, carelessly accepting such things often led to unpleasant incidents. Isn’t there a saying that there’s no such thing as a free lunch? Even if there were freebies, it was suspicious to receive such an expensive item for free.

“It’s soon Yurik’s twelfth birthday.”

“…?”

“For that reason, Grandfather, who was in the west, came to the mansion. However, he is such a strict person that he suppresses Yurik. He meddles in everything about Yurik.”

I knew that from what Yurik had told me.

“But why is that…”

“That’s why I can’t give Yurik the birthday present he wants this time. If I do, Grandfather will get rid of it all. So I was hoping at least you could give Yurik the gift he desires.”

Realizing her intention, I felt as if I had been hit on the back of my head. It was as if I had become a bad child for suspecting the Duchess Penton just now.

“Lize?”

However, what strongly touched my heart was the Duchess Penton’s thoughtfulness for Yurik.

The Penton family ran a large trading company, and Yurik was the eldest son there. I had thought the Duchess Penton and the Duke would be strict with Yurik, who was to become the heir.

“…Will Yurik like it?”

I gazed blankly at the packaged box in my hand.

“Of course. Even I don’t know Yurik’s tastes well. That keychain is undoubtedly something Yurik likes.”

“…That seems true.”

“But that’s not all. Lize, he’ll like it even more because it’s from you.”

“Really?”

“Will you grant my request?”

I carefully nodded. It wasn’t such a difficult request if I could meet Yurik.

At my answer, the Duchess Penton thanked me and kissed my cheek. The fleeting sensation of her lips on my cheek felt vivid. Without realizing it, I placed my hand on the cheek where that sensation lingered.

At that moment, the sound of the door opening was heard loudly. I thought it might be Bitty as it was about time for her to arrive. As expected, it was Bitty, but behind her stood an unexpected figure.

“Mother?”

My heart sank. Quickly hiding the packaged box inside my skirt, I doubted my eyes again.

There stood Isabel.