Chapter 3
“Lady Charte,
I’m glad to hear you had an enjoyable time at the villa.
I hope this letter reaches you before the summer ball, and I’ve prepared a small gift for you.
I send it as an apology for being unable to attend with you.
Circumstances may not allow me to reply for a while, so please don’t worry if you don’t hear back from me.”
As soon as Betty confirmed the unexpected reply, she was first surprised that the Grand Duke was actually reading the letters she wrote.
Second, she was startled by how impersonal the contents were—almost like ticking items off a to-do list, lacking greetings or any warmth.
Has he never written a personal letter before?
Well, considering the only one above him was the Emperor and his only companions were his subordinates, there was probably neither reason nor need for him to exchange pleasantries in letters.
And judging from the not-at-all “small” dress and accessories he sent, it felt like this was sufficient.
In fact, Duke Charte seemed quite pleased with such a showy gift gesture.
Just look at how he revoked the punishment order he’d issued after his daughter had poured tea over another noble lady’s head.
“No matter what, a month-long confinement was too much. I couldn’t even go dress shopping and had to call the tailor over instead.”
The young lady’s grumbling was more out of frustration at not being able to indulge her vanity.
She had wanted to parade through the city with her close noble friends, flaunting the Charte family’s prestige and wealth.
Being stuck inside had ruined all that.
“Well, anyway, good job. You really do work well. I like it. Keep it up.”
At least she was getting praised. That was something.
Just as Betty picked up the quill, seriously contemplating how to compose this letter—
The young lady, who had been staring out the window for some time, suddenly declared,
“I’m going out for a walk in the garden. You just stay here and write.”
“Lady Charte. Then I’ll accompany—”
Betty hurriedly stood and reached for a shawl. But Lady Charte snatched it from her and sternly warned,
“Stay here. I don’t like repeating myself.”
“Yes, understood.”
Between thinking she shouldn’t leave the lady alone and thinking, What could possibly happen within the mansion?, the latter won.
Of course, another reason was that she didn’t want to irritate the young lady, who was humming as she draped the shawl over her shoulders.
“Oh, right. Here. Take this.”
Despite the nonchalant way she handed it over, it was a very precious item.
It was a ruby ring—clearly part of the gift the Grand Duke (or rather, his steward) had selected and sent.
“I don’t think I can accept something this valuable, my lady.”
“Of course you can. You seem good at pretending to be noble, but I’m sick of rubies. I’ve gotten so many of them because they ‘match my hair color.’ No sense of style.”
While checking her reflection in the mirror, the lady suddenly stared at Betty through it.
“You know why I’m giving it to you, right?”
Of course—she was being told to keep her mouth shut.
The weight of the ring in her hand made that all the more clear.
“Yes. I understand.”
I wonder if Grand Duke Daeivan knows his sincerity was brushed off so lightly.
Reading her letter, showing interest in her day, and sending gifts—all pointed to genuine consideration.
It wasn’t Betty’s concern, yet she felt a little awkward about it.
I’ll make sure to write lots of thank yous in the letter.
After all, she was the one writing it.
So it made sense for Betty to express the gratitude properly.
“Write today’s letter yourself and put it in the envelope. No—just seal it and leave it on the tray so it can be sent right away.”
With those absurd instructions, the lady left the room—clearly already preoccupied with something else.
There was no time to feel the shock of being ordered to do something a mere maid should never do.
Vivian Charte disappeared like a breeze, as if she were running late for an appointment.
Only Betty remained, holding the ruby-studded silver ring.
“Am I… really allowed to keep this…?”
The ruby atop the simple silver band shimmered beautifully in the light.
Betty couldn’t bring herself to try it on. She just slipped it into her pocket for now.
Selling it would surely help her aunt’s household—and herself—but she didn’t feel like doing that just yet.
Just thinking about the Grand Duke carefully reading what she wrote made her feel like she was living a meaningful life under someone’s attention.
Even though she knew it was a fantasy.
Dear Grand Duke Daeivan,
Thank you so much for the special gifts you sent for me.
Each and every item was beautiful, and they were even more meaningful because they came from Your Grace.
There were so many dresses and accessories that it took me more than half a day to sort through them all—happily, of course.
And the ruby ring! It sparkled so brightly. It matched my hair color so well that I fell in love with it at first sight.
On the other hand, while I’m enjoying a peaceful daily life, I imagine Your Grace must be incredibly busy. I hope I haven’t caused any inconvenience.
You don’t need to reply to my letters anymore. Just knowing from your previous reply that you do read them made me jump with joy.
I hope I’m not bothering you with how frequently I write.
I’ve always had a habit of writing long diary entries, so I never thought my letters were lengthy—but now I wonder if they are.
If you find them tiresome, it’s okay to just set them aside.
Life in the capital is generally boring and uneventful, so writing these letters to Your Grace is the most fun and exciting part of my day.
In my last letter, I mentioned how I was sad about summer ending, but honestly, I’m relieved to escape the heat.
I’ll miss the sweet fruits of summer, but the apple pie our chef makes is absolutely delicious.
It may not be possible this year, but I hope next year we can enjoy that apple pie together.
As always, I hope Your Grace remains well and safe.
Vivian Charte
Betty had poured her heart into the letter while alone in the lady’s room.
But once she was finished, she seriously wondered if she should send it as-is.
She’d gotten too excited over the idea that someone was actually reading her words carefully.
This letter contained more of her honest thoughts than usual.
To anyone reading, it probably didn’t seem like a letter a maid had written on behalf of a noble lady.
Still…
Maybe just this once would be okay.
Surely Grand Duke Ian Daeivan had already brushed it off and forgotten her existence.
But because he didn’t make a fuss when she spilled wine on him, she hadn’t lost her job.
If he had made a scene or demanded accountability, Betty might have been fired not only from the duke’s estate, but possibly found it hard to get work anywhere in the capital.
“Yes. This is a thank-you letter for that.”
She knew she was being ridiculous.
Still, part of her wanted to show that his kindness hadn’t been dismissed—not with silence, but through this long, rambling letter.
In the end, Betty decided she would send it—just this once.
She carefully slipped the letter into an envelope and hesitated, about to seal it with wax—
When she saw a figure moving in the garden under the bright moonlight.
“…Who is that?”
Because she had spent so much time debating whether to send the letter, it was already quite late.
Even the estate’s servants would be asleep—it was the quietest hour of the night.
“Oh my goodness.”
She squinted to see who it was—and was stunned to realize there were two figures.
And when she saw their faces, she gasped and backed away from the window.
“No way… Why is the young lady…?”
