#39. Proof (3)
Sasha knew all the etiquette of nobility and everything related to being the lady of the house.
However, she deliberately chose not to reveal her abilities and humbly accepted the training as though she were learning everything for the first time.
The three aides treated Sasha in completely different ways.
Ivan was very polite.
He treated Sasha as if she were his superior, so cautious in every word and action that Sasha almost felt uncomfortable.
However, there were times when even Ivan couldn’t hide his emotions.
“What? You finished this so quickly? And you summarized all of this on one sheet of paper!”
Whenever Sasha skillfully completed tasks he had assigned her as a test, he couldn’t help but be amazed.
“T-There’s a method like this? This is revolutionary!”
Sometimes, when Sasha shared tips she had gained from her previous life, he was even moved to tears.
‘It’s really nothing special… but he’s making me feel a little pressured.’
On the other hand, Yelena treated Sasha as though she were her niece.
She always called Sasha “our lady” and maintained a warm, straightforward attitude.
Sasha grew fond of Yelena and, perhaps because of that, spent more time with her than with the other two.
“Our lady, you’re truly brilliant! Now, what did I say you should do in this situation?”
Whenever Sasha absorbed her teachings quickly, Yelena would laugh heartily and shower her with praise.
Sometimes, her excitement was a little excessive.
“What, you memorized all of that? My goodness!”
She said that when Sasha managed to memorize the entire list of noble families Yelena had given her just the day before.
“My lady, you don’t belong here! You should go to the capital and become something great—yes, a chancellor! Of course, the Grand Duchy is big and wonderful, but it’s still smaller than the entire Empire!”
When Sasha chuckled at her parent-like fussing, Yelena laughed along and added,
“The Count and Countess of Arban must be so proud, having a daughter like you.”
She clenched her fist.
“I’m jealous. If I had a daughter like you, I would carry her everywhere! I’m serious!”
“If you’re that jealous, you can just think of me as your daughter,” Sasha said with a smile.
“Really?”
“Of course.”
“Then come here, I’ll carry you right now!”
“Kyaa! Alyona!”
… Sometimes Sasha wondered if this closeness might be a bit too much.
But she knew that Yelena, while affectionate and familiar, never crossed the line, so she wasn’t too worried.
Yelena admired Sasha and cherished her like a niece, but nothing more. She never belittled Sasha or treated her lightly.
This was the trait Ivan and Yelena shared.
Although their personalities were completely different, both recognized Sasha as the lady of the Grand Duke’s household.
And it showed in the way they never forgot she was their superior.
However, the third person, Maria Goriki, was different.
“Oh my, you didn’t know this?”
She made no attempt to hide that she disliked Sasha and nitpicked at her over everything.
“I assumed you’d know this much already. These are things the future lady of House Volkov would have naturally learned from childhood.”
When Sasha first arrived, the servants here had looked down on her.
After all, she was from a poor, minor count family and had essentially been sold as a bride.
Naturally, she wouldn’t have seemed worthy in the eyes of the lofty House Volkov staff.
Sasha assumed Maria Goriki felt the same as they did.
The Goriki Marquisate held a strong position among House Volkov’s vassals.
With that came strong loyalty, so it was possible Maria saw Sasha—who didn’t seem to match House Volkov’s dignity—as an eyesore.
But as Sasha tried to let it slide, Maria’s behavior grew worse.
“I never imagined you wouldn’t know something even my daughter knows. At her age, which is well past the time she could debut in society, this is considered common knowledge.”
She even belittled Sasha by bringing up her thirteen-year-old daughter.
“Didn’t you learn this at home? Ah… you’re from the Arban family. Then I suppose this might be new to you. Take a good look. You probably never had the chance to see things like this before marriage, did you?”
The arrogant implication that Sasha’s family was too poor to even see such things hardened her expression.
She could let most comments slide, but she couldn’t tolerate insults toward her beloved family.
“Lady Goriki.”
“…Yes?”
“Watch your words. Just because something comes out of your mouth doesn’t make it appropriate.”
Only after being rebuked by Sasha did Maria shut her mouth.
But perhaps because she was embarrassed by the scolding, Maria became even colder and more curt toward her afterward.
At that point, Sasha began to wonder.
Why does she hold such deep hostility toward me?
Could my low birth alone be enough reason to dislike me this much?
She soon found out the reason.
“Apparently, Lady Goriki’s daughter was once in marriage talks with young master Pavel.”
Olga shared information she had gathered here and there.
“There are very few noble girls around the young master’s age, and Lady Goriki’s daughter—being of similar age and of high rank—was mentioned as a candidate for Grand Duchess.”
In other words, Maria Goriki’s daughter had been Pavel’s potential fiancée.
So she’s jealous because I married Pavel instead of her daughter?
She must have felt that the position her daughter was expected to take as the next Grand Duchess had been stolen by Sasha, who appeared out of nowhere.
So that’s why she hates me so much…
Just as Sasha was beginning to understand, Olga hurried to add,
“But my lady, please don’t worry. The marriage talks were very brief, and because the Goriki family firmly refused, it never became an official engagement.”
Olga said this out of concern, worried that Sasha might be upset over her husband’s past.
But Olga’s well-meaning words backfired.
“What?”
Sasha became even more upset because of Olga’s added explanation.
“They refused firmly? Why?”
What’s wrong with my Pavel?!
Sasha asked sternly, making Olga blink in confusion.
She had raised Sasha since she was a baby, but she had never seen her this angry before.
Why is my lady so upset?
She was so flustered that she even slipped and called Sasha “young miss” instead of “my lady,” something she had never done since Sasha’s marriage.
“Well, you know, young miss… The young master had such a terrible reputation back then. And, um, he was also very frail… He wasn’t exactly considered a good match.”
Sasha’s expression grew even stiffer.
In truth, she had already guessed before Olga even told her.
She knew the Goriki family had rejected the match because they saw no future in Pavel.
He was rumored to die before reaching adulthood, with an ill-tempered personality to boot.
There was nothing to gain from marrying such a boy, so of course they had refused.
Hadn’t Olga cried at Sasha’s own wedding for the same reason?
Sasha understood it rationally. But she still felt a surge of anger.
They ignored my Pavel when he was struggling, and now they’re clinging back?
She was indignant.
She was furious that they had insulted Pavel by rejecting him as a prospective husband, hurting a child who was already struggling.
And now, seeing Pavel healthy and handsome, they regretted it and acted resentful.
People who abandon you when things are bad but come running back when things are good…
Sasha bit her lip.
If Pavel ever ends up in trouble again, they’ll abandon him all over again!
She felt grateful Pavel hadn’t married into such a shameless family, but the anger wouldn’t go away.
At that moment—
“What’s going on?”
“Woof!”
The subject of the conversation appeared.
Pavel came in with Aika, the gray-furred puppy, its coat covered in grass as though it had been playing hard outside.
“Did something happen?”
Pavel sat down next to Sasha and asked. Sasha stared at him blankly.
He’s so handsome…
Whose son is he? He’s so ridiculously handsome.
And it wasn’t just his face.
Sasha’s gaze drifted down to his upper body, clad in only a thin white shirt.
Though it was hard to see beneath the fabric, thanks to her efforts feeding and training him, he now had a solid build strong enough to protect those he loved.
Not overly muscular, but firm and sturdy… very nice.
And that wasn’t all.
As heir to the Grand Duchy, Pavel had a bright future ahead of him. He would have wealth and immense power.
But it wasn’t just his lineage.
He was intelligent and talented with a sword. Even if he weren’t the Grand Duke, he would have the skills to support a family.
After quickly finishing her assessment, Sasha crossed her arms.
No matter how you look at it, my Pavel is just too perfect.
Anyone would want him as a husband!
Now Sasha understood why Maria Goriki resented her so much.
If I had missed out on someone like him, I’d be kicking myself too.
But then, a sudden thought crossed her mind.
Pavel will grow up, and then… he’ll fall in love with someone someday, won’t he?
Right now, he was still young and not interested in the opposite sex.
But once he grew up, there would be a woman he loved.
However…
What if I get in the way?
Sasha and Pavel hadn’t married for love. Their marriage was an arrangement born of mutual necessity, not affection.
Of course, the beginning was political, but now they cherished each other dearly, like brother and sister.
And they would probably continue to maintain that close sibling-like relationship as they grew older.
But that was all.
There will never be passionate love between us…
Wouldn’t their relationship remain one filled with warm familial affection? Like close siblings…
But legally, they were husband and wife.
Even if Pavel found someone he loved in the future, that woman would be considered his mistress because of Sasha.
I don’t want to make Pavel unhappy.
What should she do?
As Sasha was deep in thought with a serious face, Pavel, puzzled, turned to Olga.
“What’s going on with her?”
“Well… um…”
Olga hesitated with a troubled expression. Sensing there was something behind this, Pavel pressed her.
“Tell me. Now.”
After much hesitation, Olga reluctantly explained the conversation she had just had with Sasha.
When she first mentioned Lady Goriki, Pavel didn’t react at all.
But when Olga added,
“It seems my lady is concerned because she heard you almost married Lady Goriki’s daughter.”
Pavel turned completely pale.
