Chapter : 13
The dazzling afternoon sunlight struck the terrace floor and shattered into tiny fragments.
A cool breeze brushed past, scattering my hair slightly, and the scent of grass carried on the wind made a soft hum escape my lips.
Chirp, chir-chirp.
Even the cries of unknown birds—today was truly a perfect day.
Yes.
I could say with certainty that since coming here, there had never been a day more perfect than today.
“Emma.”
“Yes?”
“Could you bring me another drink?”
At my gesture toward the empty glass, Emma hurriedly picked it up.
She moved so quickly.
Why had I never noticed before that Emma could be so brisk and efficient?
“I’ll be right back, miss.”
She didn’t forget to say goodbye even as she left the room.
Two days.
Today marked the second day since I had gathered them in my room.
Two days wasn’t a long time, but it was enough to let me breathe again.
The servants who had gathered in my room that day now bowed their heads when they saw me.
Normally, unless our eyes met directly, they would have pretended not to see me and ignored me.
Now, there were even a few people in this mansion I could exchange words with.
“Lady.”
“Do the cookies suit your taste?”
“Yes.”
Especially Carlos—he had become quite a good conversational partner.
When Carlos nodded slightly, his orange hair swayed with the motion.
“That’s a relief.”
The bruise-removing medicine the physician had brought seemed to work well; the marks had already faded considerably.
“But, Lady… why are you giving me things like this?”
The child looked at me with eyes full of caution.
And yet, he was clutching the cookie tightly with both hands.
His chubby white hands and the crumbs stuck to his red lips were so adorable that I nearly laughed.
“The physician told you to be careful about what you eat, didn’t he?”
Carlos rolled his big eyes around, trying to grasp my intention.
“Don’t you like it?”
“No, it’s not that. But…”
“But you and—ah, may I call you Carlos?”
The child nodded slightly.
“Carlos. I want to be friends with you.”
“You… want to be friends with me?”
“Yes. Actually, I don’t have many friends. So I want to be friends with you.”
“Friends? You want to be friends with me?”
Carlos asked again, his eyes wide in disbelief.
“Yes. Would you do that?”
“But how could I dare…?”
Carlos furrowed his brow slightly, as if my request was difficult.
“I can’t.”
“Really? That’s too bad.”
After frowning in thought for a while, the words that came from Carlos were a refusal.
“Then who should I eat these cookies with from now on?”
I let out a small sigh and leaned back in my chair.
“I want to share ice cream together next week. When autumn comes, I want to go see the fall leaves. In winter, I want to play in the snow together and come back to drink hot chocolate.”
“……”
“Is it really not possible?”
The child’s tightly pressed lips twitched little by little, and each time, his plump cheeks trembled as well.
‘So cute.’
I wanted to shout at the cuteness I had never seen before, but seeing how serious Carlos looked, I pressed my lips shut.
His long eyelashes moved slowly up and down.
“Do you dislike me? If that’s the case, then I suppose—”
“No! I don’t dislike you!”
Thankfully, Carlos shook his head as he answered.
Not that I would’ve given up even if he had said he disliked me.
“It’s absolutely not that I dislike you. It’s just… I don’t know how I could…”
“So you don’t dislike me?”
“Yes.”
“Then we’re friends now, right?”
“…Yes.”
“Good. I’m glad.”
Smiling brightly, I pushed the plate of cookies a little closer to Carlos.
“Eat lots, my friend.”
If I became close with him—the one who would become the greatest knight in the empire.
If I became close with the one who would eventually take my life.
Would I be able to survive?
As that thought crossed my mind—
“Thank you.”
The child smiled brightly, his eyes curving beautifully.
Seeing that pure smile made me feel guilty, as though I were befriending him with impure intentions.
Feeling momentarily uncomfortable, I quickly turned my head away.
Knock, knock.
“Miss, I’ve brought the drinks.”
Emma entered, opening the door.
“Thank you.”
I thanked Emma, grateful that she had returned at just the right time.
“Then I’ll excuse myself.”
“Emma.”
“Yes?”
“Have you seen a small photograph? About this big.”
I shaped my fingers to indicate a photo small enough to fit inside a locket as I asked her.
Perhaps she might have seen it.
No matter how thoroughly I searched the room, I couldn’t find any photograph that might have been inside the locket.
No—there hadn’t been any photos at all in Patricia’s room to begin with.
“I haven’t seen it.”
“Really?”
Emma had been my last hope.
Seeing her shake her head, I had no choice but to nod as if I understood.
“All right.”
It was truly unfortunate, but it seemed I wouldn’t be able to find the young lord’s mother’s photograph.
“If you do happen to find it, please bring it to me.”
“Yes, I understand.”
After answering, Emma hurried out of the room.
“Haa…”
What on earth had the real Patricia done with the Duchess Gerhardt’s photograph?
Finding that tiny picture was realistically impossible.
If that was the case, how long would I have to keep visiting Lawrence?
Until he told me I could stop?
Most likely, until he gave up on that photograph.
It seemed impossible to change my relationship with Lawrence.
Even if I did find the photo, it would still be a matter of whether he’d forgive me or not.
“Um, Lady… is something troubling you? You don’t look well.”
“Huh? No.”
I quickly shook my head at Carlos, who was looking at me with concern.
“Eat some more snacks.”
Though I felt suffocated worrying about how to find the photograph, I forced a small smile as if it were nothing.
“Lady, please wait here for a moment.”
Guided by a Gerhardt servant, I entered the reception room once again. It had been about a week since my last visit.
“I’ll bring you some tea.”
“Yes.”
Click.
When the door closed, I collapsed into the chair.
As expected, I still hadn’t found the photograph.
If it had been a jewel, it would’ve been easier to find.
But a photograph—so easy to tear, damage, or throw away—how was I supposed to find it?
“Haa…”
The situation was overwhelming and frustrating, but I couldn’t blame Lawrence for it.
He was only asking Patricia for something rightfully his.
“If this were something effort alone could solve, it wouldn’t feel this hopeless.”
Thinking that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn’t be able to find it, I kept brushing my hair back in frustration.
Still, in this suffocating situation, there was one small ray of light: I no longer had to worry about the duke’s watchful eyes whenever I went out.
Emma took care of everything.
Yes—at least that part had become easier.
Knock, knock.
As I was lost in those useless thoughts, the door opened and Lawrence Gerhardt entered.
“Young Duke, have you been well?”
I hurriedly stood and greeted him.
For some reason, his expression looked even worse today.
Lawrence, his face filled with anger, didn’t even acknowledge my greeting and sat down across from me.
Left standing awkwardly, I pretended to straighten my dress before sitting back down.
“……”
He just stared at me silently, and I quickly lowered my gaze.
As if I was too sorry to even meet his eyes.
To avoid provoking his anger, I kept my eyes down, quietly sitting there as if reflecting on my wrongdoing.
“Huh?”
Even that seemed to irritate him.
“I couldn’t find the photograph. I’m sorry.”
“……”
At Lawrence’s silence, I bowed my head even deeper.
“You must’ve been busy.”
Just as my chin was about to touch my collarbone, he spoke.
“Pardon?”
“You came after a whole week. You must’ve been very busy.”
When I looked up, Lawrence seemed thoroughly displeased.
The way only one corner of his mouth was lifted made it clear how much he disliked my behavior.
‘No—what exactly is the problem?’
I hurriedly replayed his words in my head.
‘You must’ve been busy. You came after a whole week.’
Did he dislike that I was busy?
That I might not have searched properly for his photograph because I was busy?
“No.”
I quickly shook my head.
I truly hadn’t been busy—and it wasn’t as though I’d searched carelessly. That part felt unfair.
I had searched diligently and still failed; it wasn’t half-hearted at all.
“I wasn’t busy. Not at all.”
“Huh?”
But somehow, Lawrence looked even angrier.
There wasn’t even a trace of mockery left on his lips now.
‘No, seriously—why is he angry?’
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand his anger at all.
“Um, Young Duke.”
Hoping that his anger—his heart—might ease even a little, I handed him a box.
“This is cake.”
I offered him a cake box from a famous bakery.
Hoping, desperately, that his anger might soften just a bit.
After all, there’s an old saying:
There are no bad people among those who share food.
I just hoped he’d look upon me a little more kindly.
“……”
But contrary to my hopes, Lawrence soon frowned deeply.
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