C6
When I appeared in the Duke's office with a servant, a question arose in Duke Seymour's eyes.
"What brings you to the office so suddenly?"
Upon seeing the Duke's cold tone of voice, I clenched and opened my fist once.
Every time I encountered those cold eyes, I felt as if I were shrinking.
"Even though it's late at night, the mana stone was lit in the office, so I brought some tea and snacks. I heard you've been overworking because there's a lot of work these days."
"Since when do you care about me?"
The Duke, who snorted, gracefully tapped his pipe to shake off the ashes.
"You look great doing this."
It was like a scene from a movie, so I almost lost my mind for a moment.
"Why are you standing there with a blank look? Sit down."
Duke Seymour, sarcastic as if he were asking a guest, got up from his office chair and sat at the tea table.
It seemed that the Duchess's letter, which I handed over the other day, played a role to some extent since he didn't dismiss me when I made a sudden appearance.
I quickly seated myself across from him.
As soon as I sat face to face with the Duke, the assistant, who had brought the tea set, placed the black tea I had prepared and the snacks on the table.
I felt the assistant's anxious gaze at the back of her head.
I won't cause any trouble. People really don't trust me.
I asked the assistant, whom I met the last time in front of the flower garden, to call me when the Duke was more exhausted.
After two days with no response, she suddenly came to see me one afternoon.
"Thursday. It's the most tiring day of the week."
"Princess. From eleven to one in the morning, the Lord has his tea time. It's when he's most tired. You should never go against him. I beg you."
"I got it."
"I trust you, Princess, that's why I told you."
"I already said 'I got it' seven times."
Although I repeatedly swore not to cause any trouble, the assistant seemed anxious that I would do something foolish.
Meanwhile, the Duke began to drink tea without saying a word. It seemed he was waiting for me to bring up the topic of my business.
Of course, he wouldn't think I came here with the intention of having tea.
As expected of a ruthless Duke.
I clicked my tongue inwardly and held out a plate of cake to him.
"You must be hungry, so have a snack. It's a lemon tart from the most popular dessert shop in the Yones district these days."
The lemon tart he brought today was a meal filled with the Duke's memories. He didn't like sweets, so when he had dates with his wife in the city center, it seemed like he only ate lemon tart, which was more sour than sweet.
"The diary is very useful."
"Sweets in the middle of the night. I don't like them because I'll feel bloated."
The Duke mumbled with a childish voice.
"This tart will suit your taste."
"How is it possible that you don't know your father's preferences at your age?"
Grumbling disapprovingly, the Duke finally broke the tart into small pieces and took a bite. After tasting it, the Duke, who had remained silent while wearing a mysterious expression, rinsed the aftertaste with a cup of tea.
"There must be a reason you came here in the middle of the night. Do you want a reward for the letter you found in the flower garden?"
He arched the corners of his lips sarcastically. It was an expression that clearly showed his bad personality.
"Of course, the letter you found is an invaluable item. But if it's for the pink diamond, you'd better return it. I won't change my words. If I said 'no,' it's no."
"I didn't come here to ask for something in return."
The Duke slightly raised his eyebrows.
"Then?"
"I came because I have something to give you."
"Give me?"
The Duke made a suspicious face, perhaps because Deborah had always "asked" but never "given."
I carefully put down the tea cup and took out a letter from my pocket.
As soon as he saw the light purple stationery, the Duke's tired eyes were in full motion.
"Is this, don't tell me, a letter?"
"Exactly."
"Why is this...?"
The Duke asked, thinking of something.
"The letter you found, wasn't it not just one, but several?"
He rejoiced, with an animated face.
"Exactly."
There were quite a few letters in the box.
The Duchess, quiet and poor at expressing affection, put into words the feelings she couldn't express.
In her diary, she wrote that she lacked courage and that the Duke was so busy that the letters, which seemed like complaints, kept piling up.
However, there were also words that said that someday she would like to take out the faded memories she had with the Duke and color them anew.
Perhaps the Duchess was thinking of burying the letters like a time capsule and taking them out again as a keepsake when she was older and more mature.
"—The letters. How many do you have?"
The Duke was excited and asked with a trembling voice.
"—You'll find out how many there are naturally as time goes on."
He suddenly raised his eyebrows at my cautious response.
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said."
"You mean you won't give me the letters? Until I give you that diamond?"
It meant that I would slowly hand over the letters over time, but it sounded like a threat to the Duke's ears.
"It doesn't mean something as childish as that."
We made eye contact, and he took a sip of tea.
"... That doesn't sound like you."
"It doesn't sound like me."
I felt a sting from his harsh words, but I poured several sugar cubes into the tea and changed the subject.
"This tea is bitter and has a strong aroma, so I think some kind of muffin would go better with it than a lemon tart."
"Next time, I'll tell you to prepare some light tea or cocoa. This is a strong infusion, so you won't sleep well if you drink too much."
"No way. Are you worried about me?"
At that moment, I felt a small hope that my relationship with the financier... no, with the Duke, might improve a little.
"I'll drink only half. Thanks for your concern."
The Duke snorted at my words and immediately blocked the door.
"Concern? I'm afraid you'll say something later because you couldn't sleep well, and your skin will be bad."
As expected, he's not an easy man.
But then again, the Duke of Seymour in the novel turned a blind eye even when his daughter was brought to trial for blasphemy.
Such are deep emotions. It wasn't so easy for a father-daughter relationship to recover with just one letter.
"Ah."
I took a sip of the intense flavor of the black tea, which alternated between bittersweet and bitter, and spoke when there was about half of the tea left.
"Father. It's late, so I'll be going."
"Yes."
"I'll escort you to your chambers, Princess."
The assistant, who had been anxious all the time for fear that I would do something to annoy the Duke, said with a more relaxed expression.
It was when. Duke Seymour suddenly got up and followed me out of the office.
"I've been sitting and working for too long, my body is stiff, so I need to take a walk."
"Didn't I ask?"
Of course, I was afraid, so I didn't say it out loud.
"It seems like the weather has gotten a bit warmer. Don't you think so?"
The Duke suddenly spoke to the assistant.
"Yes, it's nice to take a walk in this weather."
A white breath emanated from the assistant's mouth.
"It's so cold that I'm freezing, what are you talking about?"
Wrapped in a thick shawl, I hurried my steps.
A heavy silence fell around them.
The Duke walked to the front of the annex where I lived and returned to the office with his assistant.
"Rest for a bit. I'll see you from time to time."
Leaving those words.
-------------
From that day on, I made constant requests to the assistant. To contact me when Duke Seymour was exhausted from his work.
After that, I visited the Duke two more times and handed him a letter.
I gave him two letters within a week.
At first, there was no desire to obtain material things through letters.
Since there were so many letters, I thought the priority was to restore the broken father-daughter relationship, using this as an excuse to increase the chances of meeting with the Duke.
However, it doesn't seem like I've gotten much closer to him, but I've thrown away many letters.
Meanwhile, the desserts are delicious.
As he ate a chocolate cake that melted in his mouth, the Duke chuckled softly while reading the letter I had brought him.
Obsessed with his wife, he didn't seem to mind that I was sitting in front of him.
"I feel like I've turned into a mail carrier..."
The chocolate from the cake melted inside my mouth without doing anything, and the Duke suddenly put down the letter. Then, he drank tea for a moment and looked at me.
The emotions in those eyes were different from before, so I felt uneasy.
Why are you looking at me like that?
"Deborah. You didn't come to me and give me a letter when I was tired, right?"
"Exactly."
"Then why? Why do you want to obtain the country's only diamond?"
He asked as if he were testing me.
You have to answer correctly.
If I beat around the bush too much here, the Duke will start doubting my intentions again. It took me a long time to speak as I thought.
"Because I am the daughter of George Seymour and Marien Seymour. I thought I should be the link between the two."
I spoke using the opening lines of that letter.
"...!"
The Duke was taken aback by my words. After that, he didn't speak for a while.
I was nervous, fidgeting with my hands as I swallowed hard.
It was Duke Seymour who first broke the long silence.
"Do you have time this weekend?"
Of course, I have time.
What can I do when I'm in a position where I can't even go out because those are the Duke's orders?
But staying home doesn't mean it's frustrating.
As a homebody, this place was a paradise on earth for me.
A life where you eat delicious food, sleep when you're sleepy, roll around in a soft bed, take walks in a palace garden, and receive spa treatments.
"Every day is exciting and fun. Being rich without doing anything is the best."
"I have time."
I replied immediately.
"Then, let's go out to eat."
"... Outside?"
"Yes."
"Then, the lockdown..."
"You must go out now that the weather is a bit warmer. You've been cooped up without causing any trouble."
"... Yes. Thank you."
"It's strange. You don't seem as happy as I thought you would be."
I felt a sharp sensation at the Duke's keen remark. My hands were sweaty. I anxiously rubbed the handle of the teacup and made an unconvincing excuse.
"I'm very happy. In fact, I'm a bit surprised by your generosity. Even if I don't go out, I'm happy to have tea time at home with my father."
In a panicked state, a compliment that was too obvious slipped out.
The Duke also coughed several times and frowned, as if it was just empty words.
"What the hell do you want? If there's something you want, tell me honestly. I'm getting anxious."
"That wasn't my intention."
"Then let's..."
The Duke, who was trying to say something, clicked his tongue and looked at his pocket watch as soon as he heard a knock.
It seems that a meeting with his vassals was scheduled for the afternoon.
The Duke had to devise the agenda for the meeting, so I left the office first.
"Today's mood has progressed differently from last time. Being released from my confinement should be considered a positive sign."
I'm a bit tired.
It wasn't easy to confront a heartless Duke.
"I'm out of energy. I did my best today, so I should rest."
I told my servant to buy the most popular novels that were coming out these days.
Thinking that I should read a romance novel, I walked painfully down the office hallway when I heard loud voices coming from the opposite side.
Belreck Seymour and his vassals were walking in a group in my direction.
"What a stupid way to walk. Pathetic."
Belreck, looking me up and down, responded in a low voice.
"Don't stir up trouble here and there and stay quiet like a lamb. Is this the way to behave?"
Belreck whispered in my ear, passing over my shoulder.
Belreck's vassals disappeared after giving me a distracted greeting, a princess, without proper etiquette.
"That bastard, why is he picking another fight?"
I, who was a fan of pretty faces, felt more disgust for that beauty.
In a way, he was a great guy.
In a ridiculous mood, I stared at Belreck's back and entered my room.
In the study, there were piles of books and romance novels that I had my servant get for me.
"I found it!"
Sitting in the study, reading books for half a day, I smiled with self-satisfaction.