Chapter 65
Except for when she was sleeping, changing clothes, bathing, or using the restroom—times when he, as a man, couldn’t accompany her—Ruyd never strayed more than a meter from Alice.
‘The Duke ordered me not to leave your side for the time being, My Lady.’
It was Kylus’s order.
Alice understood why Kylus had ordered such close protection.
There had been the assassin attack, and Lady Quillian and Edellm had died.
Kylus must have sent the guard to fulfill his promise to protect her.
Yes, she understood and was even grateful for sending a knight who seemed like a lucky charm. But the discomfort was unavoidable.
It was especially inconvenient when she needed to make secret plans.
Although Ruyd wasn’t stealing glances at her plans, it still felt awkward to write in a script that wasn’t of this world in front of him.
So, to try and get Ruyd to leave her side for a moment, she put on the act of a kind noblewoman and suggested he rest as he must be tired, but it had no effect.
‘I’m resting enough, so please don’t worry.’
He repeated the same words mechanically as he stayed by her side.
In an unwavering, upright posture.
Thus, Alice spent yesterday with him, who was like an uninvited disturbance.
Still, amidst all that, she managed to plan how to arrange a meeting between the two protagonists.
After all, Ruyd hadn’t bustled about disturbing her.
And today, the next day, Alice was waiting in her room for Lady Meltain.
To have tea with her.
It seems like it’s time for her to arrive.
Alice looked at the door as she heard the clock chime signaling noon.
Just then, as if on cue, there was a knock.
“My Lady, Lady Meltain has arrived.”
“Show her in at once.”
Alice greeted Lady Meltain with a bright smile.
“…Duchess.”
Lady Meltain hesitated, perhaps because Alice’s smile was too radiant. Alice spoke before she could offer formal greetings.
“Lady Meltain, please sit down. There’s no need for formalities.”
“Yes.”
Lady Meltain sat opposite her with a slightly disgruntled expression.
“I heard you like fruit tea, so I prepared some. I’m not sure if it will suit your taste. Oh, and I also prepared cheese tarts, as I heard you like them.”
These were desserts Alice had ordered the chef to prepare based on information Aileen had obtained from Lady Meltain’s maid.
Lady Meltain’s eyes widened slightly as she saw the tea and desserts laid out on the table.
Then she looked up at Alice.
“…These are all things I like. Thank you.”
It seemed Aileen had obtained accurate information.
“It’s nothing. Please, help yourself, Lady Meltain.”
Lady Meltain lightly scooped up some tart with her fork and put it in her mouth.
Then she picked up the teacup from which a fragrant fruit aroma was wafting.
A smile spread across Lady Meltain’s lips, suggesting that the specially prepared refreshments suited her taste.
Alice picked up her own teacup, watching this scene with satisfaction.
This is a good start.
Today, Alice needed to win Lady Meltain’s favor in spades.
Only then could she naturally suggest going out together.
Just as Alice was savoring the sweet tea, the sound of Lady Meltain setting down her teacup rang out.
Simultaneously, Lady Meltain’s gentle voice sounded.
“I was a bit surprised when you said you wanted to have tea with me, Duchess.”
As Alice, who had been sipping her tea, looked up, Lady Meltain’s red lips moved again.
“To be honest, I felt like you were uncomfortable with me. How should I put it… it always seemed like you wanted to avoid me…”
Alice nearly choked on her tea at these words that hit the mark.
Lady Meltain stared at her intently.
It was a gaze filled with questioning why she was suddenly being so nice.
I thought it was a good start, but was it too much?
Alice managed to swallow her tea and set down her cup.
Then she spoke honestly to Lady Meltain.
“I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I can’t deny what you’re saying. When I first met you, it was difficult to get close because of moth… I mean, the person who was expelled from the duchy. And it’s true that I kept my distance even more because I wanted to leave the duchy.”
She could have flattered her with lies, saying she had liked her from the beginning, as she had done with Lady Quillian.
But she didn’t want to lie to Lady Meltain.
Unlike Lady Quillian, Lady Meltain was an ally who would be with her.
Lady Meltain responded calmly, as if she had expected this.
“I thought as much.”
“Yes. But from now on, I want to get closer to you, Lady Meltain. Because the reason for staying away has disappeared… is it too shameless to say that?”
Alice’s voice gradually diminished as she spoke, feeling somewhat conscienceless.
After all, she had drawn a line when Lady Meltain had shown her kindness before.
Ignoring an outstretched hand and then asking for it to be accepted when she had nowhere else to go…
Well, it did seem a bit conscienceless.
As Alice made an awkward expression, Lady Meltain gave a slight smile.
“Shameless? Thanks to you, my brother was saved. You’re the duchy’s benefactor, Duchess. And I still have a burning desire to become close with you, so I’m actually grateful for your suggestion.”
“Thank you for saying that, Lady Meltain.”
As expected of the female protagonist, her heart was like silk.
Alice’s lips curved up gently, feeling much more at ease with Lady Meltain’s words.
“Please call me Sienna from now on. And speak comfortably too.”
“Then… I’ll do that, Sienna.”
“Yes.”
When Alice called her name, Sienna smiled brightly.
Alice’s heart fluttered at the beautiful smile that was like a fully bloomed flower, even though she was a woman herself.
No wonder the Third Prince fell for her at first sight.
As Alice was staring at Sienna as if enchanted, Sienna’s red lips parted.
“By the way, are you feeling better?”
“Better?”
“It hasn’t been long since you were attacked by assassins, has it?”
“Ah, how did you…”
Kylus had Davit quietly handle it.
Everyone except Kylus and Davit believed they were thieves who attacked the duchy, not assassins.
To begin with, it happened in the early dawn, so there weren’t many witnesses.
So Kylus had said he would handle it as if petty thieves had broken in.
“I’m a light sleeper, so I came out when I heard the knights moving. That’s when I saw it. The corpses that didn’t look right. They didn’t look like simple petty thieves.”
Ah, those corpses.
Alice felt nauseous as she recalled the dismembered chunks.
Alice gulped down her tea to suppress her churning stomach and answered.
“I’m fine. The Duke rescued me quickly that day… so I wasn’t badly hurt.”
“I’m so glad my brother wasn’t late. How dare they send assassins after the Duchess, whoever it was, if they’re found out, they certainly won’t die peacefully.”
Won’t die peacefully…
Alice momentarily thought she might have misheard, given how Sienna said it so nonchalantly in such a clear voice, but then…
“Such people should have their limbs cut off and be thrown to the beasts as food.”
Sienna’s low voice continued.
Ah, I didn’t mishear after all.
For some reason, Kylus’s image as he was slaughtering the assassins overlapped with Sienna’s figure for a moment.
As expected of blood-related cousins… they resembled each other in their frightening aspects.
“But now that Lord Ruyd is by your side, I feel reassured.”
“Haha, that’s right. I feel safer too.”
Alice laughed awkwardly, pretending not to have seen the dangerous light that had flashed in Sienna’s green eyes.
Sienna smiled back and took another bite of the cheese tart.
“Mm, this is really delicious. You should try some too, Duchess.”
Sienna glanced at Alice’s untouched tart as she spoke.
In truth, Alice didn’t particularly like cheese tarts.
But seeing Sienna’s eyes sparkling as if expecting something, she couldn’t bring herself to say she disliked it.
Alice, who had taken a bite out of courtesy, gazed steadily at Sienna.
The initial awkwardness when they first sat down had completely disappeared, and Sienna’s atmosphere had softened, seeming much more comfortable with Alice.
I think now’s the right time to ask.
Alice carefully set down her fork and parted her pink lips.
“Sienna, are you very busy these days? I haven’t seen you much…”
“Ah. I’ve been helping with some knightly duties on my brother’s orders. But now there’s not much for me to do… so I’ve been reading books in my room and practicing magic.”
“Magic?”
“Oh, I’m not sure if my brother mentioned it, but I actually know how to use magic.”
“I didn’t know. Magic, that’s amazing!”
Although Alice knew Sienna was a magician from the original story, she clapped her hands and feigned surprise as if hearing it for the first time.
And she was a little genuinely surprised too.
The fact that Sienna was a magician should still be a secret, so the fact that she honestly told Alice meant that she trusted her that much.
Sienna’s cheeks flushed slightly, seemingly embarrassed by her intense reaction.
“No… I’m not that great of a magician. I still need a lot of training.”
“Just having magical ability is amazing in itself.”
“Thank you.”
Alice couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Sienna, who had always been confident, being shy.
And finally, she broached the main topic.
“If you’re not busy these days, would you like to go out with me tomorrow?”
“Go out?”
Sienna’s eyes widened.
And Ruyd, who had been standing like part of the background all this time, also flinched.
Alice spoke nonchalantly.
“Yes. Actually, I haven’t had a proper outing since coming to the capital. With everything that’s happened these past few days… my mind’s been troubled.”
“Ah…”
“I heard by chance from a priest at the temple that there’s a street of bookshops on Rocfen Street. I’d like to go there. Would you like to come with me?”
