But lately, she’d been indoors so much that today, she felt like going out. And she was concerned about the listlesslooking Charlotte.

Nelia looked at the Duke, seeking permission.

One of the Duke’s eyebrows lifted slightly, reflecting his thoughts. But Nelia already knew what his answer would be.

“Alright. Go ahead, Nelia.”

As expected, permission was granted with a sigh.

“Thank you, Your Grace!”

Nelia smiled brightly at the Duke.

“It’s unfair to look so happy. It makes me not want to let you go……”

Just as the Duke seemed to be about to say something he shouldn’t in front of Charlotte, Nelia quickly covered his mouth.

Slowly removing her hand, the Duke spoke in a slightly irritated voice.

“But you can’t go alone. You have to go with Ton.”

Though conditions were attached, she had to be satisfied. The Duke was overly cautious.

Upon the Duke’s command, Ton quickly prepared the carriage. He even offered to personally drive Nelia and Charlotte.

“We’ll be back, Your Grace!”

“Be careful.”

After exchanging brief greetings with the Duke, Nelia closed the carriage door.

The carriage departed for the city.

Sunlight filled Nelia’s hazel eyes, making them sparkle.

Though the outing was impromptu, Nelia was quite excited.

Going out with Charlotte felt entirely different from going out with the Duke.

She had never roamed the city with a friend in her previous life. She had always been too busy working parttime.

The new experience made Nelia’s heart race.

(Time Divider)

Inside the rattling carriage, only Nelia and Charlotte were present, as Ton had taken on the role of coachman.

Charlotte looked around the interior of the carriage, eyes wide.

Nelia knew why Charlotte behaved this way.

She had been equally amazed the first time she rode in the luxurious carriage of the Duke’s household.

Even she, a noble lady, had been astounded, let alone Charlotte.

After some wandering, Charlotte slowly opened her mouth.

“So Nelia…… you’re marrying into wealth.”

At Charlotte’s candid observation, Nelia coughed awkwardly. Charlotte stroked the soft velvet seat.

“But it’s a waste, Nelia……”

Her voice was sincere. Nelia looked pensively at Charlotte.

‘Why does Charlotte like me so much……?’

At first, it was just a sense of closeness to someone who helped her in a strange capital, but now it felt like more.

Nor did her words seem insincere.

If she was being disingenuous, her target should have been Duke Hart, not her.

He had much more money and much more to offer.
But Charlotte didn’t seem particularly interested in the Duke. No, judging by her attitude, she seemed to dislike him.

“Do you dislike the Duke, Charlotte?”

It was a somewhat blunt question, but he knew it would take Charlotte a long time to understand if he beat around the bush.

“No……. I don’t dislike him……. ”

Charlotte lowered her head.

“It’s just……. like I said before, he gives off a dangerous aura, and I’m worried he might trouble Nelia.”

Charlotte had a keen sense.

No one had ever said such a thing about the Duke’s gentle and courteous appearance.

Was it the heroine’s intuition?

“So I was worried when I heard about the marriage……. ”

So that’s why she seemed upset earlier.

At first, Charlotte’s inexplicable closeness had been burdensome, but now he was just thankful.

How could she worry about someone she had barely met?

Nelia admired Charlotte’s character and spoke in a calm voice.

“Thank you for worrying, Charlotte. But the Duke is a good man.”

Charlotte stared at Nelia with a blank expression and finally nodded.

“Yes……. The Duke is handsome and wealthy. If Nelia is happy, then it doesn’t matter……. ”

Indeed, her blunt assessment had returned. It was worldly in an odd way.

Charlotte blinked vacantly.

“I’m just curious……. why would the Duke dislike me……?”

Nelia laughed awkwardly.

“Haha, the Duke disliking Charlotte? You must be mistaken.”

Although he said no, the Duke clearly did not like Charlotte.

He briefly spoke to the Duke and felt that he didn’t like anyone being close to him besides himself.

‘How could he be smitten with Charlotte?’

Nelia reflected on her past self again.

“Sometimes, his gaze feels cold when he looks at me……. ”

Charlotte clearly had animallike instincts.

Not just saying that he disliked her, but earlier, she had even questioned if there was something special between the Duke and herself.

But if she admitted here that the Duke disliked Charlotte, she would get hurt. Nelia came up with a suitable excuse.

“He’s probably tired these days.”

“Despite that, his eyes are dripping honey when he looks at Nelia……. ”

“Charlotte, I want to hear about that friend you mentioned!”

Realizing that Charlotte would not be convinced, Nelia eventually changed the topic.

Fortunately, Charlotte seemed to like this topic and her eyes brightened immediately.

“If you’re talking about the friend I mentioned before……. ”

“Poppo……? I think you said.”

Nelia remembered the unique name that Charlotte mentioned the first day they met, saying she resembled her friend.

“Poppo was very similar to Nelia.”

“In what way?”

Since brown hair and brown eyes were common, was it these features they shared?

Nelia looked at Charlotte expectantly. Charlotte stared at Nelia for a while and carefully opened her mouth.

“……Everything.”

Everything……? It wasn’t even a doppelganger…….

Nelia could only be surprised by the somewhat shocking answer.

“When I first saw Nelia, I thought Poppo had been reincarnated……. ”

“Wait a minute. Reincarnated? What do you mean……. ”

Charlotte nodded her head slightly.

“Yes……. She concluded her life this year.”