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“To be able to be like this here with my sister… it’s like a dream.”
Ophelia let out a happy sigh. Looking at her like that, I couldn’t help but smile heartily as well.
“You look happy.”
“Of course! I found sister. If it weren’t for that, I would’ve lived like a statue with no emotions anymore.”
“That’s a relief.”
It was sincere. After all, it would be a global loss if a beautiful child like Ophelia had to live her life with a stony face, never smiling. So in that sense, I guess you could say I’ve contributed to the world my own way…
“Sister, from now on, let’s live together in our house!”
‘…What is she talking about?’
I narrowed my eyes and gazed at Ophelia.
“You and Sir David… no, I mean Viscount Marquell’s newlyweds’ house?”
“Yes.”
She nodded quickly.
“I’m not saying that the County of Garneid isn’t safe… but my house would be much safer, and I wanted to live with sister.”
I shook my head at her words.
“Ophelia, no matter how shameless I may be, I can’t live in a newlyweds’ house.”
“But.”
Ophelia pursed her lips.
“All of them are things sister picked out…”
“I’m sorry.”
I sincerely apologized.
Come to think of it, unlike the desire to treat Ophelia well, it seemed that I had never properly expressed my feelings. In the meantime, since I was kidnapped, it was understandable that Ophelia was overprotective of me.
“It’s not just because I don’t like you or anything… You know that, right?”
“Of course.”
Ophelia nodded before continuing her words.
“I’ve known for a long time that sister likes me the most.”
“…You knew that before?”
I swallowed dry saliva.
Why…
Ophelia’s words didn’t just sound like an illusion.
“Yes.”
At my question, she nodded her head again.
“I know that sister loved me from the beginning, I mean, from a year ago.”
…What?
My mouth was dry and I slowly turned to Ophelia.
No way, Ophelia was…
“My dear sister.”
As she squeezed my hand tightly, the sensation of a smooth, white hand covering one that had been roughened by the period of being dragged around by Gabriel was unfamiliar.
“What does it matter? Sister and I are together now.”
“Th, that’s right.”
I smiled vaguely.
In fact, she was right. What would it matter how much Ophelia knew? Besides, right now, my sister likes me more than anyone else.
All of a sudden, Ophelia lowered her head.
“Turtle, are you uncomfortable? Hang in there, I’ll set you free in the big pond when we get home.”
Dumbfounded, I shook my head in disbelief.
“…Did you bring the turtle all the way here?”
“Of course.”
Ophelia nodded as if it was natural.
“It’s because turtle is lonely without me.”
…I didn’t know if the turtle was an animal that could feel such emotions?
Still, I didn’t bother to refute her words. Just having her turtle alive like this gave me a sense of security that this place was completely different from the world I had once read about.
“I’ll have to take a look at the pond when we get back, too.”
“Great!”
Ophelia’s amethyst eyes sparkled cheerfully.
˚ ･: * ✧ * :･ ˚
“Do you like it, Evelyn?”
I stared blankly at the massive mansion. Obviously, it was the Duchy though it wasn’t the same as when I left…
‘…It has changed so much?’
Even if it wasn’t the death of Duke Brudenell, the Duchy of Brudenell was an ominous place. In other words, it was gorgeous but dingy and historic looking. There were some buildings that were just like that—medieval castle-like mansions that looked like something out of a horror movie.
However, the current Duchy was…
‘It’s too flashy.’
I swallowed dry saliva.
The decorations of the mansion that boasted majestic beauty disappeared, and the place was occupied by splendid yet delicate sculptures. It was plated with gold and silver to the point where I was wondering if even the wealth of the Duchy could afford it.
“Cassius…”
I quietly called out to Cassius.
“Please, don’t tell me this is all because of me.”
“I didn’t do it because of Evelyn.”
He answered with an impudent look on his face.
“I just wanted to decorate it myself to Evelynn’s taste, so I guess you could say it was for me.”
“….”
…Yes, this was Cassius Brudenell.
I sighed and stepped into the mansion.
“Welcome back, Your Excellency the Duke.”
“Yes.”
Cassius nodded his head in that arrogant attitude of courtesy.
“I’m sure you’ve made good arrangements to ensure that the Young Lady Garneid won’t feel lacking for anything?”
“Yes.”
The butler bowed his head.
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“As Your Excellency requested, we’ve made perfect preparations so that the Young Lady doesn’t lack anything or experience any inconvenience.”
‘Oh, it’s embarrassing to do such a thing…’
Cassius then took my hand.
“Evelyn.”
A gravelly voice rang in my ears.
“Would you be all right?”
“What is it?”
“Since you and I are sharing a room together.”
“…Yes?”
I doubted my ears for a moment.
‘What is this guy saying now?’
Cassius, on the other hand, was very confident.
“For the record, it was Evelyn who suggested we make it a fact… I hope you haven’t forgotten it already, have you?”
There was no need to ask what he was talking about since there was only one thing I said to make it a predetermined fact.
“That’s—!”
“Evelyn, you and I shared the same room at the inn, so what’s the difference between then and now?”
“….”
I was speechless.
‘Why did I say that?’
Actually, I already knew why. It was because after being imprisoned by Gabriel in the form of Cesare, and then reuniting with Cassius, I poured out all the words I hadn’t said that were filled with emotion.
“…I was just kidding.”
“It didn’t sound like a joke to me…do you have any idea how hard it’s been for me to be this patient?”
My face flushed red at his words.
“Cassius Brudenell!”
“Yes.”
Cassius responded meekly.
“I’m right here.”
“…I’ll use a separate room.”
“Do as you please.”
At my words, he nodded before summoning the butler back to prepare a separate room for me. The butler looked at me in disbelief for a moment but quickly bowed his head and walked away.
“Hmm.”
Cassius tilted his head.
“I better oust him.”
“Why?”
He was being rude to you. A person who treats the future duchess with that kind of attitude has no business working in this mansion.”
“You’re right, you should do that.”
“….?”
Seeing me agreeing with him easily, Cassius stared at me in surprise as if he hadn’t expected my answer at all.
“Evelyn, are you sure you’re really okay?”
“Yes.”
I laughed out loud.
“Why, have you always thought that I was so kind and soft?”
Whatever fantasies Cassius Brudenell had about me, I wasn’t nice at all. Of course, even though I wasn’t mean like the real Evelyn Garneid, I wasn’t nice either.
“No.”
He replied with a slightly dazed face.
“I thought you… would never agree with a decision made by someone like me.”
You’re wrong.”
I replied sternly.
Yes, there was a time when I thought of Cassius as someone who shouldn’t make any decisions without me. But that was then, and this was now. The present Cassius Brudenell was someone who could tell the difference between right and wrong even without me telling him.
Because he was such a person, I could love him.
I glanced up at him with a gentle gaze.
“I’ve decided to spend the rest of my life with you, and that means… Cassius, I respect your thoughts as well.”
“…Is that so?”
“Of course, but tell me as much as possible before killing anyone, okay?”
As he immediately replied yes, I smiled and took Cassius’ hand. The warmth seemed to tell me who the man I was going to live with in the future.
˚ ･: * ✧ * :･ ˚
The new room was much larger than the one I had previously used at the ducal residence.
I quickly realized that this room belonged to a family member because normally, a guest room would not be as large as the master’s room, no matter how distinguished the guests would be.
‘Really… I’m being treated as a prospective duchess.’
It was when I was sitting on a soft sofa and dozing off for a while that the glass door leading to the small balcony swung open with a thud.
‘….!’
I hurriedly got up and looked outside.
Some time must have passed while I dozed off since it was already dark. And, of course, the person who called me from outside rattled the door…
It was Cassius.
Embarrassed, I immediately opened the door for him and he slowly came inside the next moment and wrapped his big arms around me.
“Evelyn.”
As a short breath was caught in my throat, I tried desperately to calm my pounding heart but in vain. I opened my mouth with a trembling voice.
“You could’ve come through the other door… what’s going on?”
His answer came from near the nape of my neck.
“I… I wanted to see you so much that I couldn’t stand it.”