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I felt like I could understand more how much effort Orion had put in for his whole life.
“You don’t need to feel so burdened, My Lady. Just as Orion enjoys it, you can enjoy receiving things from him too.”
I slowly stood up while listening to him.
Then, with a more calmed feeling, I took a glance at Sir Rune.
When I was about to reenter the room where my best friend and brother were, I heard their voices.
“Then, let’s do it like this. Today, I will pay for the dresses. Mr. Brother, please choose accessories for her.”
“Accessories?”
“Flex your money by buying the highest grade jewels owned by my guild—”
“Deal!”
Looking at these two who hit each others’ palm to the point of producing a clapping sound, I directed back my gaze to Sir Rune.
Then, I shook my head.
Let alone be a good sister, I even feel like I lost my good friend.
I couldn’t handle it anymore.
Really.
No matter how I looked at it, it felt like my best friend and my new brother were the ones who could be perfect siblings.
Even without me, they already looked comfortable and happy enough with each other.
“Marianne!”
“Marianne, Marianne!”
“Stop calling me.”
I got a headache because of these two people who kept trying to get me involved with them.
Sir Rune, who turned away from my situation where I was one sided bullied, laughed.
That person is the worst.
He really was the worst.
* * *
I stayed up all night the day before I entered the palace.
Time flew away quickly without a care for my uneasy heart.
Preparations that began at dawn were not completed until noon.
Orion asked who would be my escort with sparkly eyes so I answered Sir Rune, but he said Sir Rune was busy.
“He never imagined that you would ask such a request so he went to clean the stable.”
I had no intention to find out why someone in the vice captain position went to clean the stable.
It didn’t matter even if it was not him.
It was fine as long as there was someone to escort me.
“Then, Sir Lloyd Jeffrey.”
“Ye—pardon?!”
Shouted one of the knights who was standing near the stunned Orion.
The baby faced knight with brown hair and puppy-like round eyes stared at me with his mouth opened wide as if he was very shocked.
Despite his confused expression, I didn’t say anything.
“Lloyd is, that kid is—”
“He didn’t go to the stable, and because he’s in front of me, I’d be thankful if that person escorts me.”
I walked past Orion lightly and got closer before the prepared carriage.
For some reason the eyes of the coachman and the head maid, who were watching the situation, were moist again.
I guessed the moisture of the air in Miller Duchy must be very different from other places.
I decided to think of it like that.
“My Lady, do you know that knight personally?”
“No, I don’t know him personally.”
I shook my head to Dana’s question.
I didn’t know him, but I sympathized with him.
Looking at how Orion was still spewing nonsense at times, I was sure he still could not give up on romance novels.
Well, I could just let it slide since I already got used to it, but I felt bad for Sir Lloyd, who had to practice it as his homework.
“I have a personal feeling for him.”
He must have it hard to get worked everywhere as the youngest of the knight order.
I wanted to let him rest comfortably at least for today.
“Please depart now.”
The carriage which was boarded by Sir Lloyd, who frozenly sat next to the coachman, and me slowly left the Duchy.
I sat quietly and stared down at my new dress.
The texture of thick velvet felt soft on my fingertips.
This was my first time wearing clothing made of such high quality fabric.
Still, the good news was the two took account of my taste and chose a neat and simple design.
Are we playing cat and mouse?
As I slowly lowered my gaze, I saw unfamiliar and uncomfortable but quite pretty shoes.
When I was choosing shoes in the shoe store, I heard someone say these words for the first time in my life.
“As expected of Madam Titi’s daughter. Your feet are so elegant. It will look good when you wear the shoes.”
It was foreign for me to hear someone say I was ‘my mom’s daughter’.
Perhaps that was the reason why I hesitated— I didn’t know how to respond to that comment.
Orion was the one who was happy on my behalf.
He looked quite excited as he looked around the store, saying that he should buy me a lot of shoes since my feet are perfect for shoes. Then, he began to check on ready-made products.
Then, along with Rany, not only they began to monopolize the products in that store, they also called a designer and offered an exclusive . . .
“Wait, let’s not think about this.”
The carriage stopped while I was shaking my head, trying my best to get rid of the unnecessary thoughts.
The moment I stepped down while holding Sir Jeffrey’s hand, I saw the horses were blowing somewhat dissatisfied breaths from their mouths.
I walked closer to the pitiful horses and stroked their neatly trimmed mane.
“You guys shall return to nature someday.”
“My Lady, those horses were raised since birth so they never lived in the wild.”
I stopped a bit as I heard the mumbling voice of the coachman, but I pretended to not hear it and soothed the horses.
Wasn’t there a saying like just because we were born in the city, it doesn’t mean we aren’t yearning for the countryside area?
I am sure this natural calf muscle should be running through the meadow, no matter what people say.