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‘If you open your mouth, this will turn me inside out.’
Percyville walked in, buttoning the shirt one by one. As he approached, the air felt cool.
Percyville bent down and drew his neck long in front of Catherine’s face. It was a spiteful expression.
‘Do you want me to do something else for the first time?’
It was a soft voice that tickled her stomach, but it wasn’t Catherine who would blush and be embarrassed about it.
‘Our violent Percyville. Don’t you think I’ll be the first to do anything?’
Percyville smiled. Thinking about how to chew this satisfactorily, he soon whispered, pulling Catherine’s long hair.
‘Who are you? You can’t be just a maid working in a noble family.’
‘Do you now disregard a maid?’
‘If you’re young with that face, you’ll be left with an old and ugly nobleman.’
‘What should I do? No one took me away yet.’
Catherine said, putting their faces close enough to feel each other’s breath.
‘So Percyville, are you going to take me?’
‘Do you follow me if I take you?’
‘No. There’s no way.’
As she got up to get the hat, she suddenly had a thought. Her mother has already left her. This was a story several years ago.
But just in case. Just in case. As Percyville said, did her mother leave her and Orléans behind?
If that’s true, what should I do?
At that time, it seems that she came to the conclusion that if it was true that her mother abandoned her for the first time, there would be no regrets in Orléans. Of course, she never thought that the picture she could only iMaggiene would actually happen.
Maggie woke up three hours after closing her eyes. She shoved her feet into her shoes with her tired face.
“It’s already time. I need to go back to the hotel and fill my stomach.—Ah! Thank you, but please don’t offer me dinner. I don’t think it’s going to be very satisfying.”
“There’s no food to feed you, so don’t worry.”
“I’m so glad to hear that.”
Maggie turned her back on just before leaving the mansion completely.
“Sister, don’t tell me you won’t attend Anne’s wedding?”
“Not at all.”
“You’re not going to stay calm, are you?”
“Never.”
“Then?”
Big eyes full of anticipation turned to her. Looking at her face, her lips, which had been hardened all day, naturally loosened with her smile beside her. Until a few months ago, Maggie would always look at Catherine with that gaze.
“Secret. If you’re curious, why don’t you sit next to me that day?”
In fact, nothing has been decided. She only heard about the wedding this afternoon, so it’s impossible to decide what kind of mess to hit in a day.
Maggie said with a sullen face.
“—There’s a great ship party in Christopher’s coming up in a week. No one can attend, but I’ve been lucky enough to have a chance.’
So what do you want me to do?
Is she trying to brag? Unlike Anne, Maggie was her little sister who followed her quite well. Catherine congratulates her with all her sincerity in her own way.
“Congratulations.”
“No, well— I didn’t say it to be congratulated.”
Maggie opened her mouth stutteringly.
“I mean I’m planning to visit here one more time in a week, or two more times.—Just keep that in mind.”
Maggie turned around for the last time after shouting as if it were declaring war.
“Why does everyone keep coming?”
Like Percyville, she doesn’t know why people come here when they live in a more luxurious castle than her.
After a while, Maggie disappeared with a skillful and arrogant step, as if her foot never got hurt.
Next day.
“Hello, Sister. It’s cloudy today. I was a fool because I brought an umbrella in case it rained..”
Maggie, who was expected to return after at least three days had passed, came to the mansion early in the morning. Maggie in so-called over-fashioned attire, with her shoulders bulging out and boasting an ant waist, will look like a tourist by anyone.
This is because a large city, called Christopher’s heart, appears only after an additional 20 minutes by carriage from here. But she still walks around in perfect clothes everywhere.
Again, Catherine realized once again that she had reunited with her sister after a long time.
“Unfortunately, Maggie. I haven’t decided how to ruin Anne’s wedding yet.”
“But I’m just here as a guest?”
Catherine was worried. As to whether she will let her into her mansion or not. There was no problem with the character Maggie itself. It’s just that she’s reluctant to let her into her house.
‘There is already a visitor.’
Maggie passed Catherine as if she had returned home and was heading towards the drawing-room as Catherine was thinking. No, she was on her way out. Until she noticed Cesare, who was leaning on the stairwell.
“—Your Highness Grand Duke?”
Their eyes met in the air. Cesare, who stares at the intruder, and Maggie, who looks around to see if she has entered the wrong house.
‘Why did you come out to the hall, I told you to wait patiently in the kitchen?’
Soon after, her sister’s face, distorted to the fullest, headed for Catherine. Catherine came up with the answer she had prepared for Maggie, who was extremely confused.
“No, they’re just similar, but that person is my—”
This is the most difficult time. Catherine, who was lazy to find an appropriate alternative, roughly put any word or mouth.
“He’s a tenant of my mansion.”
When she opens the door with the key, he appears, so it’s roughly the same. Thankfully, Cesare didn’t seem to mind.
“No way!”
Maggie shouted with a face not to lie. She backed away slowly and stood next to Catherine.
Yes, this reaction was normal. Rose was fooled so easily. Catherine said to Cesare.
“This is my younger sister. Her name is Maggie.”
“Aah.”
The slow lowering of his head was relaxation itself. She didn’t know who was the real landlord.
Cesare visited her house just before Maggie rang the mansion bell. He was there to deliver the support mentioned earlier. However, Maggie came at such an important moment!
Cesare, who did not know her true intentions, made a brazen voice with a brazen face.
“You must be confused. The Grand Duke Christopher and I are quite alike.”
“—You’re really not Grand Duke Cesare? Really?”
“Of course, there’s no reason to lie to the Lady I’ve never met before.”
Cesare, who smiled softly, strode forward and stood in front of Maggie. The radiant smile emanating from the ultimate beauty naturally disarmed the mind of the beholder.
Maggie personality is hate to lose. Soon, she loosened her stiff shoulders and reached out his hand first.
“Sorry, I was too rude when I first met you. I’m Catherine’s younger sister, Maggie Orl—”
“Just call her Maggie.”
Catherine hastily interrupted Maggie’s words. If her sister’s surname was different, he would certainly be suspicious, and above all else, she didn’t want to tell Cesare the name OrlĂ©ans.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Maggie. You can call me Cesare.”
Cesare waved his hand lightly and let go while Maggie opened her mouth blankly. And, as if she forgot, she added her back words a bit late.
“Ah. Although you have the same name, you’re a completely different person from Grand Duke Christopher.”
“—Oh, they have the same face and name, but they’re definitely different people? That’s a great coincidence.”
“It seems that the Lady doesn’t know anything. The world is originally made up of countless coincidences. Although those coincidences come together and become inevitable.”
“Oh my, so what is the inevitable thing that your friend’s face and name are the same as His Highness’s Grand Duke Cesare?”
“As time goes by, you’ll find out.”
A brief but heavy silence passed. Maggie’s neck creaked as if it had rusted and gone back. Unnaturally startled, she grabbed Catherine’s hand and pulled her away.
“Oh no! Look at my mind! I was going to drink tea with a friend I knew, but I forgot. I’m so sorry. I came right now, but I think I should go right now. Oh my God, I didn’t know I would make this mistake.”
All of a sudden?
“If it’s okay, can my sister go with me? They’re my new friends here. It will definitely be fun.”
“Thank you for the offer, but I was talking to Cesare.”
“Then should I wait outside?”
It doesn’t look like Maggie. She had an anxious, pale complexion, as if being chased by something, and Catherine thought the reason was Cesare.
“No. If you don’t mind, come back tomorrow, Maggie.”
Maggie didn’t answer, but took out a pen and notepad from the bag and hurriedly wrote something down.
“Here, my address. The hotel I was staying in is nicer than here, so my sister should come. For sure.”
She got a notepad from her in a hurry.
“It was really nice to meet you. I hope you have a good time.”
Maggie says goodbye without turning her head toward Cesare. And she disappeared from sight more quickly than when she appeared. Catherine shrugged.
“My sister is pretty smart, right?”
“What are you talking about? If you’re simply bragging about your younger sister, I’ll answer yes.”
“It wasn’t bragging.”
“Back to the point— I need your Imperial Bank account, Miss Phanya.”
Catherine sighed briefly. She knew enough what it meant. Unlike when 1,000 Rid were thrown in cash, it would have meant that it would trade through an account.
But for Catherine, it was an unwelcome offer. This is because an account was already opened in the Imperial Bank as Catherine Orléans.
“Is it okay if I just take it in cash? It’s only three months’ worth.”
“I don’t think I can recommend trading in cash even if it’s only three months’ worth, especially in mansions with frequent incidents.”
He was right. This was a mansion where she never know when a strange man would invade, break down the mansion, and threaten her. In the current situation where the money to be received from him would be all property, holding it in cash was too risky.
“—It’s been so long that I might have an account left. I’ll check it out and let you know. Please wait for me”.
Contrary to usual, Cesare did not appear to have any intention of returning to his mansion. It’s not about standing idly. Rather, he was staring into the air with his forehead slightly narrowed as if he was concentrating on something invisible.
Something was weird.
“Do you have anything else to say?”
Cesare rolled his eyes silently and met her eyes. It was a face with a rare smile in recent days.