TCBCVF 11

~Chapter 11~

Dietrich couldn’t hold back his laughter as he saw his sister, Evangeline, puff up like a cat with bristling fur.

“Alright, let’s go with that.”

“I’m serious! I really am your temporary friend! Do you think I, a Claudius noblewoman, make friends that easily?!”

“Alright, I got it.”

While reassuring his angry sister, Dietrich’s face never lost its smile.

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Eva this happy.’

Evangeline was a person who had a clear sense of what she liked and disliked.
If she truly disliked someone, she wouldn’t even engage in conversation with them…

‘She spent the entire day with Lady Ansi.’

Despite her complaining, it was clear that Evangeline had developed some affection for Lady Ansi.

“By the way, brother, about my allowance for maintaining my dignity…”

Just as Evangeline’s sharp voice reached Dietrich, he snapped out of his thoughts.

“Don’t tell me you’re really going to touch my allowance for maintaining my dignity?”

Evangeline shot a side glance at her brother, grinning mischievously.

“Well, I made plans to go out with Lady Ansi tomorrow.”

“So?”

“I’m the only noblewoman in the Empire, I can’t ask Lady Ansi to pay for everything, can I? Huh?”

“Ah, so you want me to cancel the reduction of your allowance?”

Dietrich shrugged playfully, teasing her.

“That depends on what you do.”

Evangeline pouted, looking defeated.

“Oh, you’re really doing this to me?!”

I walked into the Ansi family’s townhouse, holding a bouquet of roses tightly in my arms.

“You’re here, Miss?”

Amy, who had been waiting, looked up with wide eyes.

“Wow, where did you get these roses? They’re beautiful!”

“I received them as a gift. Can you put them in a vase?”

“Of course.”

Amy carefully accepted the bouquet, but then her face twisted slightly.

“Oh, by the way, Miss, you received a letter from Lord Gusto a little while ago…”

What?!
I grimaced.
The moment I had been enjoying quickly plummeted.

“Just burn it.”

I shook my head.
What good would reading the letter do?

It would only strain my eyesight.

Amy nodded and was about to leave.

“So, you want me to burn all the letters?”

“Wait.”

I turned back to her, confused.

“Letters? Didn’t only one come?”

“What? No, there’s more.”

Amy gave me a look of exhaustion.

“There are a total of fifteen letters.”

“Fifteen?!”

I was horrified.
I had only been away for about four or five hours, from the time I visited the Duke’s townhouse after lunch until I returned home in the evening.

That meant…

‘Did he really send three letters per hour?!’
Why was he doing this?

I was starting to feel like I was being stalked.

Just then, Amy sighed deeply.

“Also, the servant from Lord Gusto’s family insisted that you must reply to all the letters.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Should I burn them all, like you said?”

I furrowed my brows, hesitating.

“…No.”

I decided to check them first.
With so many letters, there might be something important in them.

I made sure to carefully prepare for the annulment documents, so there shouldn’t be any issues.

“I’ll check them myself.”

“Understood. I’ve left them on your vanity in your room.”

“Thanks.”

I nodded and went to my room.

On the silver tray on the vanity, the letters were piled high.

‘What could be so urgent?’

I swallowed dryly as I picked up one letter and unfolded it.

A few moments later…

“Ugh!”

I recoiled in disgust, quickly crumpling the letter and throwing it in the trash.

The contents of the letter were…

The Letter:

What on earth are you thinking, Larit?
Get yourself together.
Who else would marry a woman like you?
Just apologize to me and Seraphina, and then I’ll forgive you.
Our parents said that if you apologize, the engagement will be annulled.

This was what the letter said!

I couldn’t even bother reading the other letters.
They were probably all the same.

And besides, who was this person?

“Really disappointing, I’m going to have to reconsider the engagement.”

“I can’t stay engaged to a woman as undignified as you anymore!”

“I’ll tell my father too! Got it?”

Who was saying these things? Why was he still clinging to me after everything?

“Ugh, I shouldn’t have worried.”

Sighing deeply, I trudged into the bathroom.
I needed to wash up, as I was meeting the lady in the morning.

I had no idea just how persistently Gregory would continue to behave because of these letters.

The next morning, at 9 AM sharp, Lady Evangeline arrived at the Ansi townhouse.

“Good morning, Lady.”

I greeted her politely.

Today, I wasn’t as nervous as I had been yesterday, since we had met once already.

“Ugh, another dull dress…”

The moment she saw my outfit, the lady frowned openly and motioned for the carriage.

“Anyway, glad to see you. Let’s go.”

I narrowed my eyes, observing her carefully.

‘The lady looks a little tired today.’

Though her makeup was flawless, I could see faint shadows under her eyes.

I absentmindedly asked her,

“Didn’t you sleep well last night?”

“M-Me?”

The lady jumped up, looking startled like a surprised cat.

“That’s impossible! It must be your imagination, Lady Ansi!”

“Ah, of course.”

I must have been too sensitive.

But as I nodded in understanding, she continued, clenching her fists and raising her voice.

“I couldn’t have stayed up all night just waiting for my outing with you!”

I struggled to hold back a laugh as I watched her, pressing my lips together.

Trying to keep things casual, I smiled.

“Shall we start then?”

Sometimes, helping a friend avoid embarrassment is part of the job.

The lady, still sulking, followed me with quick steps.

“I really did sleep well last night!”

“Yes, yes.”

“I didn’t stay up late!”

The carriage slid smoothly onto Elnoir Street, where the Empire’s finest shops were located.

“I’m buying a dress! Lady Ansi’s dress! And shoes, hats, and bags too!”

Lady Evangeline’s eyes shone with determination as she spoke.

I quickly calculated my remaining allowance.

Well, this much was expected.
She’d been dissatisfied with my outfit from the start, so I knew we were going shopping.

But…

As I stepped out of the carriage, my face turned pale as I noticed something strange.

“Lady Evangeline.”

“What?”

“Why does it seem like the store has no customers…?”

The lady shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

“I rented it out for the day. Is that a problem?”

“…”

I was stunned into silence.