Chapter 37
The Christopher Duchy wouldn’t end in Dante’s generation, so someday, he would have to have a child.
I could easily imagine his baby lying in the nursery, playing with the stuffed dolls that filled the room. For some reason, the image made my chest feel heavy, as if a stone had been placed on it.
“That feels… oddly sad.”
Then I came to my senses and shook my head hard. Sad? What was there to be sad about if his child played with dolls I made?
“What am I even thinking?”
Just thinking like that was an insult to Dante. He’d helped me so much already.
The nursery was right next to my room. With the help of the butler, Madam Marsha, and me, we moved the dolls over in no time. Since the room had been empty for a long time, it was a bit dusty—unlike my own spotless room.
Madam Marsha cheerfully rolled up her sleeves.
“Let’s clean this place today too. We can’t let the dolls get dusty.”
“Um? But…”
There wouldn’t be a baby anytime soon, right? We could just put the dolls in a drawer for now so they wouldn’t gather dust.
Still, since Madam Marsha seemed so enthusiastic, I decided to leave her to it and quietly slipped out of the nursery.
No sooner had I closed the door to my room than Pepe grumbled.
『How long do you plan to stay in this house?』
“Huh?”
I blinked at the sudden question, and Pepe added in a gentler tone,
『I just think you might be staying a bit too long.』
“…Do you think so, too?”
I’d been telling myself I was staying here because I didn’t know the capital well and hadn’t saved up much yet, but… I guess if I stayed much longer, it might look strange.
“I’ve received my first salary anyway. Maybe I should start looking for a place. It’ll be hard to save if I’m paying rent, but I can’t stay here forever.”
If I stayed here, I’d keep feeling that same sharp pang I felt earlier when I placed those dolls in the nursery. For now, this mansion was my shelter—but it wasn’t where I belonged forever.
As if reading my uneasy thoughts, Pepe spoke in a strict tone.
『I told you before—I don’t approve of that man.』
“Huh? Oh, you misunderstand. I’m not planning to live here forever.”
『No, I mean… not just about staying here… Ah, forget it.』
Pepe sighed heavily, as if I simply didn’t understand him. I gave a bitter smile. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand—I was pretending not to.
Love.
That word had become synonymous with betrayal for me.
“Could I ever love someone again?”
It had been a huge shock to realize that even a fiancé—or a friend—could deceive me so easily. If I hadn’t been married yet, I could run away like this… but what if I’d already been married, with a child, and then found out my husband was cheating?
“Just imagining it is awful.”
The memory of that day’s shock still made me shrink inside. Words like ‘He’s not that kind of person’ meant nothing to me anymore. Wasn’t Emil “not that kind of person,” too?
“Trusting and loving someone… that’s truly a remarkable thing.”
Just imagining it made me feel drained. As I tidied up my yarn and needles, I turned to Pepe, who was flapping his wings as if practicing flying.
“Pepe?”
『What?』
“Did my mother and father… really love each other?”
At my question, Pepe puffed up his round little body proudly.
『Of course. Your father may have been human, but he was a man of true sincerity. He even risked his life for Lillian.』
“How romantic.”
I wanted to hear more about my parents, but Pepe never shared much beyond that. Instead, this time, he offered a different suggestion.
『Let’s go out today.』
“Huh?”
I blinked in confusion, and Pepe wriggled his tiny limbs, striking a determined pose.
『You’re gloomy because you stay cooped up in this dim place all day! You’re in the capital—go see it properly!』
It wasn’t exactly gloomy here. And since when did Pepe care about things like that?
“…You just want to go out, don’t you?”
Caught dead-on, Pepe clammed up and pretended to be a normal doll again. Watching him, I couldn’t help but laugh and scoop him up.
“Well, I should get used to the city anyway if I’m going to live on my own later. I can also look for houses while I’m at it.”
It’s not like I’d find a good one in a day or two—but if I went out diligently, like Pepe said, maybe I’d have a better chance. I nodded.
“All right. Let’s go out together.”
* * *
When I stepped out of the mansion with Pepe in my arms—a rare sight, since I usually spent all day knitting—the butler tilted his head curiously.
“Where are you going, miss?”
“I got my first paycheck yesterday, remember? I thought I’d explore the capital with it.”
“By yourself?”
“Yes.”
Of course, by myself. Who else could go with me?
I tilted my head at him as if to say, What’s the problem? The butler looked flustered.
“Wait, if you’re going out right now…”
“I’m not carrying much money, and I’ll be careful not to get lost. Don’t worry—I’m good with directions.”
“S-still, it’s your first time in the capital. How about taking Madam Marsha with you?”
“It’s fine, really. If I feel unsafe, I’ll run straight back here.”
“Ah… still…”
The butler looked increasingly uneasy and began trailing behind me nervously. I was about to reassure him again when a low, steady voice came from behind me.
“I’ll go with you.”
The moment I heard Dante’s now-familiar voice, my heart skipped a beat. I turned around, eyes wide.
“Your Grace, you were home?”
“I just returned.”
He was still wearing his riding boots and gloves, proof he’d just arrived. The butler looked visibly relieved.
“Shall I prepare the carriage, sir? Or would you prefer a hired one?”
“The family carriage would stand out too much. Call a hired one.”
“Yes, sir.”
Wait—if we’re using a hired carriage, then I could go alone, couldn’t I? I looked at Dante and insisted, “I can go by myself, really.”
“It’s dangerous.”
“But still—”
No matter what I said, he wouldn’t budge. Watching him remove his gloves, I sighed softly.
“…All right. Then, please take care of me.”
And that’s how I ended up going on my first outing in the capital—with Dante.
* * *
When I’d first left my room holding Pepe, I’d thought I’d just walk, but once I got into the hired carriage, I realized how naive that idea was.
“All these mansions just keep going…”
It wasn’t just the Christopher estate—several other grand houses lined the streets. It would’ve taken forever to reach the city center on foot.
“I was so nervous when I first arrived that I didn’t even realize how far it was.”
Dante remained silent throughout the ride, so I fidgeted with the red hood I’d found in the wardrobe, looking out the window. The oversized ribbon made it look like something a younger girl would wear, but I didn’t have any other coat, so I didn’t have a choice.
“Come to think of it… his silence doesn’t make me uncomfortable anymore.”
Realizing I’d grown used to it, I glanced at Dante—only to meet his gaze directly.
“Was he staring at me this whole time?”
When our eyes met, he gave a small nod.
“It’s time to get off.”
As he called to the driver to stop the carriage, I sighed.
“Of course not. I’m just imagining things because of Pepe’s nonsense earlier.”
The carriage halted, and we stepped out onto a bustling street. I’d wanted to check out the residential areas where I might live someday, but this seemed more like a market district—crowded and lively, with people carrying baskets everywhere.
“Wow, there are so many people.”
As I spoke in awe, Pepe, half-hidden by my cloak, nudged my arm.
『I can’t see properly. Move me where I can!』
“Shh! Someone will hear you!”
Why was he so loud about it?
Since he was covered by my robe anyway, I tied him to the ribbon on my hood. Now I looked ridiculous—an adult woman walking around with a doll dangling from her chest—but it was better than listening to him complain.
Then, suddenly, a large hand tugged the hood over my head, covering it completely. I blinked up at Dante in surprise, and he said quietly,
“You stand out.”
“Oh… right.”
My silver hair did glint a bit in the sunlight. Feeling a bit self-conscious, I fiddled with the hem of my cloak, and Pepe swung slightly from the ribbon. Dante’s gaze followed him.
“You always carry that doll?”
“Not always… It’s just the first time he’s coming out with me today.”
“I see. Still, it’s just a doll. Not sure why you’d need to show it off.”
“Haha…”
He wasn’t wrong. I gave an awkward laugh—while Pepe ground his teeth and hissed,
『That bastard.』
