“There is a lot to do… It is my dream to serve as a great hostess who contributes to the duke’s family and to step down after just one year. If it’s set as a time limit anyway, what’s there to be bored about?”

Since yesterday, nothing has been this  unexpected. Redross was stunned as he looked at Brelin, who spoke as if nothing special.

‘A great hostess?’

If he collects a few more pieces of evidence in the letter that is now in his hand, it is not unreasonable for him to ask for the divorce. 

That’s kind of the case. But before saying this so coldly, 

‘do you really have no intention of cheating?’

He folded the letter, put it in an envelope, and put it in his pocket. It was a letter that no other third party should see.

“Why are you talking like that? Why are you showing me a letter all of a sudden?””

“Yes?”

‘Look at that heinous face that seems to know nothing.’(Redross)

Redross said in a slightly calmer voice as if asking questions.

“Why did you suddenly change your mind? From the letter, I think I’ve been thinking about this for quite some time.”

I laughed slightly because I couldn’t say ‘because of the author’s responsibility to create such character’. If I had to give a reasonable excuse, I could do it, but it’s a little embarrassing.

There’s nothing I can do about it, since that’s the only excuse I can use now.

She took in a light breath and opened her mouth quickly.

“Actually, I was a very pure and pitiful girl, loving only the Duke. As you know. I was only looking at the Duke Redross.”

‘Ha? What are you talking about now?’

 Redross frowned.

“When it was rumoured that I was really marrying the Duke, these shameless people threatened me and kept whispering these strange stories. Aren’t I a person of the duke now? So now that I have a strong shield, I don’t have to keep up with the those bastards’ orders.”

Combining the attitude of yesterday and today and the presentation of this letter, it does not seem that the current words are at all wrong… 

What do you mean, “a pitiful girl that only loves the duke”? That’s really nonsensical.

Where in those green eyes is the pure sentiment of a girl who fell in love like that?

I continued with a gamble when he didn’t get angry any more and just looked at my face.

“And yesterday I carefully checked the financial condition of this family… There wasn’t really anything that anyone can profit from. What am I going to do with such an empty duchy ? Isn’t it? It’s like losing your identity, losing your money, and sitting down on the street.”

Looking at those financial statements and thinking about it, ‘Her point was true.’ He knew it too, so he dared to marry a woman of a wealthy family.

While Redross was contemplating, I got up from my seat.

“My job ends here. Don’t blame Mrs. Ballon too much. As you know, I did it for the Duke.”

“It’s up to me to figure it out. Because you’re my person… .”

I walked right in front of Redross and looked up at him smiling. Then I raised my white finger and tapped his chest with the letter in it.

******

Redross went to the office, and returned to Madame Ballon, who had a waxy white face and sat on the sofa.

When their eyes met, she jumped up from her seat.

“I’ve really sinned to death.”

“Why did you do that?”

“… That is.”

“It’s okay. Say it.”

Even after hearing that it was okay, Mrs Ballon hesitated for a while. Redross calmed her down and sat her down in front of him, and he sat down.

“Come on.”

Mrs. Ballon slowly opened her mouth as if her back were being pushed by the urge.

“I thought it was sent by her affair partner… .”

“Why did you think that way?”

“It had lady Berlin’s surname written on the envelope before she got married…”

Indeed. Maybe it was because he was a man, and he wasn’t particularly good at social circles, so he didn’t know it well, but Mrs. Ballon guessed it to some extent after seeing that.

“So what?”

“Isn’t there rumours going around? And it doesn’t matter if master didn’t favour her, but your exultancy seemed to like lady Brelin little by little yesterday and today. I didn’t want to see my master get hurt.”

He was thankful for her loyalty.

However, it is also true that it is a big mistake to tamper with a letter from a superior.

As he brushed his chin, contemplating what to do, Brelin’s small smile flashed into his mind.

“Mrs Ballon.”

She clasped her hands together and trembled, thinking about what’s coming.

“… If you tell me to leave, I will leave. I am only sorry for hurting the Duke.”

“No. It’s not like that. My wife said, ‘Please forgive her this time. If I hadn’t received that letter, neither would Mrs ballon would have read it’.”

She, who had acted as if she could only see the floor no matter what he said, raised her head in surprise at the unexpected words.

“… lady Brelin?”

“Yeah”

“Why… such  words.”

“And, as you said, the letter from the affair partner was also correct.”

Mrs. Ballon thought she had heard something wrong because Redross spoke in such a blunt tone.

“What?”

“She told me the name, and said  find him and kill him or not, and that it wouldn’t happen again.”

“… No, so… Did she say that? Lady Brelin?”

‘Why didn’t you hide the letter?’

Even if Madame Ballon confessed in what she saw in the letter, it was only conjecture. If I had somehow managed to avoid this situation, I could have done it.

It is inconceivable that she was the first to say, ‘It won’t happen’. Besides, you told me to look after you.

Brelin is famous for having to repay anyone who has been rude to herself several times.

‘no way… Did she really suddenly repent?’

That said, she knew Brelin well. There was bound to be a network of rumors shared by servants. People don’t change that easily. Madame Ballon, confused, touched her forehead.

“… I don’t know if it’s the lady Brelin I know.”

Redross narrowed his red eyes and smiled bitterly.

“I think so too.”

*****

As the Duke of Redross finished his day’s work, one of his direct assistants, Teberan, entered the office, as usual, weary.

Teberan, who was short, with brown hair tied in a tail and wearing glasses, was an absent-minded secretary who always seemed to be silent. However, what was going on today was that his steps were rushed and a sign of restlessness stood out.

The Duke was concerned about Teberan, who looked at him as if he had a story to tell, and closed the documents in his hand.

“What’s going on?”

Teberan stood at a distance, then hurriedly approached and opened his mouth.

“The Duke was right.”

“What?”

“Didn’t you talk about the tree and ice flower in the morning?”

“I did.”

“When I heard that, I was a little sceptical, so I looked into it in  various ways, but these days the disease is rare… People just said it didn’t make sense. Even when I thought it was ridiculous, but I think there must

be a reason the Duke said it.”

There wasn’t any particular reason, it was that I was a little concerned. I just wanted to prove that Brelin said bullshit.

Teberan took something like a small piece of wood from his pocket as if he just remembered it.