Chapter 19
“Young Master carried you back to your room.”
“…What?”
The first thing Tericia heard upon waking was like a bolt from the blue.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Last night, you fell asleep in the office, so the Young Master carried you back.”
Mandy repeated her words clearly and deliberately.
‘This is insane. Absolutely insane.’
Not only had she fallen asleep mid-conversation, but she had been carried all the way to her bedroom?
“Young Master said you looked really tired and laid you down on the bed very gently.”
“…He laid me down on the bed too?”
“Yes.”
“Who did?”
“The Young Master.”
The more Mandy smiled, the paler Tericia’s face became.
“Oh, right,”
Mandy clapped her hands as if remembering something.
“The Young Master asked me to tell you he’d like to have breakfast together. He’s waiting in the dining room.”
……!
Though the weather outside was clear, it felt like thunder and lightning were crashing in her mind.
Tericia’s face already looked weary, despite having just woken up.
Breakfast was painfully awkward. Rashid seemed perfectly calm, but Tericia felt like she was dying from embarrassment.
After the meal, when dessert was served, he brought it up.
“You seemed really tired yesterday.”
“…Just forget about it. I didn’t mean to fall asleep like that.”
He gave her a small smile but said nothing in return.
Her cheeks burned. Instead of looking at him, Tericia focused on cutting her cake into tiny pieces.
“If you’re tired, it’s okay to take a break. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“I can’t take it lightly. It’s a banquet for you, after all.”
Clink.
Rashid’s fork slipped from his hand and clattered against the plate.
“Oh.”
He looked surprised by his own reaction, glancing between his empty hand and the fallen fork. He flexed his fingers a few times, then covered his mouth and turned his gaze away.
“I see. It was for me.”
Rashid murmured quietly, as if something had just dawned on him.
‘So he was looking forward to it.’
Tericia gave a faint smile. As Rashid briefly met her eyes and saw the smile on her face, he quickly turned away again.
His face felt like it was burning. Rashid let out a sigh, almost like a breath of defeat.
‘Maybe asking to have breakfast together was a mistake.’
He’d suggested it out of mild mischief, guessing she’d feel awkward about what happened last night. But instead, he was the one caught off guard by her innocent reaction.
“Sister.”
He cleared his throat softly, adjusting his tone to shift the conversation.
“Today, I’ll be accompanying Father on the estate inspection.”
“Really? That’s good to hear.”
“…Are you really okay with it?”
“Hm? Why wouldn’t I be?”
“……”
She didn’t seem to be saying that out of mere politeness. Her expression was calm and at ease—so much so that Rashid felt almost embarrassed for having worried that she’d resent him for taking her place.
He didn’t know whether to be relieved or a little disappointed.
“You’re the heir to House Hespelt. It’s only natural.”
She said it with such pride that he couldn’t help but smile.
“I can’t compete with you, Sister.”
“Hm?”
He felt foolish for worrying alone.
“It’s nothing. Is there anything you’d like me to bring back? I’ll find it for you on the way home.”
“It’s not good to start spending money carelessly this early. Just go and come back safely.”
At her words, Rashid froze for a moment—then burst out laughing.
“Honestly, Sister…”
She always seems to act just as he expects—until she completely defies those expectations.
She treats him like a younger brother, yet her actions tell a different story. She says things that contradict what he thought was obvious.
And in that gap, he felt like a fool—left wandering alone.
“…You really don’t want anything, do you, Sister?”
That’s why I can’t let go of you.
If I have you, I feel like I could have the entire world.
But without you—
‘I think I’d go mad.’
Rashid hid the bitterness in his chest and smiled at Tericia.
＊＊＊
The duke’s invitations, written in an elegant and traditional calligraphy, were delivered to each noble house a week before the banquet.
Though the invitations went out close to the event date, the banquet was already widely known, so the RSVPs came in quickly.
Those who hadn’t received an invitation scrambled for ways to attend. Rumors even spread that some were trying to buy invitations in secret—proof of how much attention the event had drawn.
And finally, the day of the banquet arrived.
“There won’t be any issues with the seating arrangement, right?”
“No, just as you instructed—distant families are seated over here and here… and close relatives are placed toward the front.”
Harris assisted Tericia, reviewing the final arrangements one by one.
“The food will be served in order, correct?”
“Yes, the head chef has confirmed everything.”
“And the guests staying overnight are assigned to the annex as planned?”
“Yes, My Lady. All the rooms in the annex have been opened and are ready.”
Tericia nodded. Thanks to her capable staff, things were progressing smoothly.
By the end of today, Rashid would stand as the officially appointed heir of House Hespelt—a position no one could challenge.
“My Lady, you should start getting ready now.”
Harris reminded her gently.
“…Can’t I just skip the banquet?”
“That’s not allowed.”
Her dry remark was met with Harris’s firm response.
“You, missing the banquet? If the Young Master found out, he’d raise the roof.”
“…Alright, I get it.”
Fine, I’ll give him all the congratulations I couldn’t offer in my past life.
With a sigh of resignation, Tericia turned to her maids.
“Sarah, help Harris with the rest. If anything’s needed, let me know. Mandy, you’re coming with me.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
“Yes!”
Mandy and Sarah, who had both been sulking all morning about not getting to do any beauty prep, lit up and answered brightly.
Everyone quickly moved to their assigned tasks. Mandy hurried after Tericia with quick steps.
“You really could keep it simple, though.”
“What are you talking about, My Lady! I didn’t even get to do my skincare or hair in the morning—simple? I’m going to give it my all, even with the energy I don’t have!”
“…Don’t overdo it.”
Knowing her words would be ignored, Tericia let out a small sigh.
As they reached the second floor, Mandy caught sight of a maid’s skirt disappearing around the corner of a hallway.
‘Huh? That’s…’
“What’s wrong, Mandy?” Tericia asked.
When Mandy hesitated and stopped walking, Tericia—who had been walking ahead—turned back to look at her.
“My Lady, just now, inside that room…”
But when Mandy looked back again, there was nothing there.
“What did you see?”
“…Never mind. I must’ve been mistaken.”
After a brief pause, Mandy quickly caught up to Tericia. Every minute mattered when preparing the Lady’s appearance.
＊＊＊
Lady Boren had been busy since morning with various preparations for the banquet.
Just before the banquet was about to begin, Lea—who had been absent all day—returned holding a jewelry box. As she approached, the other maids assisting Lady Boren with her dressing quietly stepped back.
“So, did you succeed?”
Lady Boren asked. Lea took out a necklace set with a large ruby and held it up to her mistress’s neck.
“Yes, Madam. I applied it inside the cup. If she drinks from it, it’ll spread through her whole body within ten minutes.”
Lea spoke in a hushed voice. No one around them noticed the nature of their exchange.
“Well done. If she collapses and starts coughing up blood at the banquet, it’ll certainly be a spectacle.”
Lea clasped the necklace behind her neck. Lady Boren admired her reflection, tilting her head slightly as she checked the mirror—clearly pleased with how it looked.
“I’m looking forward to this banquet.”
A satisfied smile played on her lips.
＊＊＊
“My Lady, you look absolutely beautiful.”
Mandy stepped back and admired Tericia with heartfelt admiration. The lace dress clung gracefully to her upper body and flowed down in soft layers below.
The shimmer of gem powder dusted across the fabric sparkled under the light. The sheer layers of lace added a subtle glow that suited her perfectly.
Her hair was swept up and pinned with gold ornaments, and a few delicate strands were left down to emphasize her fair neck.
“A necklace would really complete the look.”
She had looked through the jewelry box but hadn’t found anything that felt quite right, so she didn’t offer anything.
“If I’d known, I would’ve asked the Young Master.”
“What are you talking about?”
Startled, Tericia turned sharply toward her.
“Why would you ask Rashid?”
Scolded, Mandy looked visibly flustered.
“He told me, if there was ever anything you needed, I should tell him right away.”
“…When did he say that?”
“The day he carried you to your room after you fell asleep, My Lady.”
Her face flushed. Just what had Rashid and this girl talked about—and how much had they shared?
“Mandy, don’t talk to Rashid anymore.”
“What?”
“Please don’t scold Mandy so harshly, Sister.”
“……!”
Rashid stood at the doorway, holding a black velvet box. She hadn’t even noticed when he came in.
Wearing the black ceremonial uniform of House Hespelt, embroidered with golden thread and draped with a cape bearing the gold-black lion crest over one shoulder, he looked absolutely impeccable.
‘He really isn’t someone I can call a boy anymore.’
Without realizing it, Tericia let out a quiet sigh, almost like a breath.
“Mandy has been a tremendous help to me.”
Rashid smiled gently as he handed the box to Mandy.
“Wow!”
As she opened the box, a breath of admiration slipped from her lips.
“I figured you wouldn’t be interested in things like this, Sister.”
Rashid took the necklace from the box Mandy was holding. It was made of platinum and adorned with amethysts.
But these weren’t ordinary amethysts—they were a deep reddish-purple, the exact color of Tericia’s eyes.
“I chose it to match your eye color. Do you like it?”
“When did you prepare something like this?”
“I told you I’d bring back a gift, didn’t I?”
“I told you not to. You even said you understood at the time.”
“To be precise, I said, ‘Sister, you really don’t ask for anything.’ I never promised I wouldn’t buy it.”
Her lips parted, as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out.
“Please allow it just for today. It’s an important day for me. I simply wanted to give you a gift.”
“……”
Tericia let out a soft, resigned sigh.
“All right. Thank you. I’ll treasure it.”
“I’d be even happier if you wore it often.”
He smiled gently and stepped closer.
“Let me put it on for you.”
Rashid fastened the necklace around Tericia’s pale neck. Despite his large hands, his touch was careful and precise.
His fingers lightly brushed her collarbone, sending a shiver down her spine.
‘What…?’
Her gaze flicked toward Rashid. But he, with a perfectly calm expression, reached back into the box for the earrings.
“I’ll take care of those,”
Tericia said quickly, before he could pick them up. Her heart was suddenly racing.
“As you wish.”
He nodded, and Mandy brought the box forward. Inside were earrings made of the same reddish-purple amethyst—clearly a set with the necklace.
As Tericia put them on, Mandy looked at her with wide, admiring eyes. Even Tericia, seeing herself in the mirror, couldn’t deny it—she looked stunning.
The dress alone had looked beautiful, but with the necklace and earrings, it felt like they were made to complete the look from the beginning.
“Shall we go?”
Rashid extended his hand to escort her. As if it had always belonged there, his hand waited in front of her.
“Yes.”
Smiling, Tericia placed her hand in his.
