Chapter 10
“Departure—!”
With the coachman’s cheerful shout, the carriage began to move.
Sitting inside, Jay glanced blankly out the window as he left the Grand Duke’s estate.
Just like when he had first arrived, Pdea was standing there to see him off.
She had said she was preparing to “get deeply involved,” yet she still had time to see him off?
After passing through the front gates, Jay awkwardly patted himself down.
It was hard to believe he was leaving without any injuries.
In fact, he even felt like he had gained a little weight in that short time.
“So you really just wanted to show me around the mansion and feed me?”
He briefly wondered if there might be a trap set somewhere along the way home, but it turned out to be just needless suspicion.
Jay returned safely to the Count’s estate.
Still, no matter how long he bathed, the uncomfortable feeling in his chest wouldn’t go away.
“Sigh—.”
Jay changed clothes slowly, thinking that while he felt tired, training would be the perfect way to shake off this frustration.
* * *
While Jay was spending the past few days training hard to clear his mind…
The Grand Duke’s estate had been stuck in a gloomy atmosphere.
“…Jay had plenty of reason to misunderstand.”
Pdea pressed her aching forehead.
Looking back over the original story in detail, she realized she could understand why Jay had such a misunderstanding.
She regretted not having possessed the body earlier in the story.
If it had been the beginning, before the villainess had done anything bad, Jay wouldn’t have doubted her sincerity even if she had approached him the same way.
But now, the story had already moved into its later stages.
The heroine Elena and the male lead Claire would soon end up together, which meant the second male lead Jay would soon be left alone.
“That’s why I wanted to marry him right away… I never imagined I’d be held back by something I didn’t even do.”
Pdea felt deep frustration.
If she couldn’t resolve this, Jay would keep doubting her even after marriage.
Even if she told him “I love you,” he would probably just suspect she had some scheme.
She wanted to avoid that future at all costs.
So she moved her pen over the paper where she had organized notes from the original story.
Several circles were drawn around the name “Elena.”
“First, I need to fix my relationship with Elena. Everything started when Pdea met her.”
From what she had learned, the villainess and Elena’s first meeting in the original story wasn’t actually bad.
They met through Claire’s introduction, showed interest in each other, and met from time to time.
They weren’t close, but the villainess didn’t bully Elena out of jealousy either.
Their relationship seemed to sour around the time Claire realized his feelings for Elena—feelings that went beyond friendship.
Coincidentally, it was also around when Claire stopped visiting the Grand Duke’s estate as often.
If he stopped coming because he wanted to spend more time with Elena, then the villainess would have had reason to resent Elena.
After all, Claire was her childhood friend, and they had always been together—until Elena appeared and disrupted everything.
To her, it could have felt like Elena had stolen Claire away.
“I can’t say I don’t understand.”
Imagining the original Pdea’s lonely, jealous feelings, she sighed.
She still didn’t approve of the villainess’s actions, but at least she could see why she had felt that way.
“She must have been lonely.”
Pdea gazed out the window absentmindedly.
The warm sunlight and the green garden looked peaceful on the surface…
But she now realized the Grand Duke’s estate had never been truly peaceful.
If even she, an outsider, could feel that way, then the original villainess must have found this place unbearably lonely.
Even with sunlight streaming in and every luxury at her fingertips.
How ridiculous, to think a Grand Duke’s estate could look lonely.
Resting her chin on her desk, Pdea’s eyes turned vacant.
She quickly shook her head—she didn’t want to empathize too much with the original villainess.
She quickly picked up her fine feathered pen.
One letter was a reply accepting a tea party invitation, but with a small condition—asking if she could bring another guest.
The other letter was an invitation to Elena, asking her to join her at the tea party.
Pdea planned to accomplish both things on the same day—settle old karma and clear Jay’s misunderstanding.
* * *
As soon as the two letters were finished, they were sent to their recipients.
Not long after, both replies arrived—both with a positive answer.
“Honestly, I thought Elena might refuse.”
Pdea fiddled with Elena’s letter.
She hadn’t worried about the tea party host, but Elena’s acceptance was a surprise.
After all, this tea party wasn’t just any gathering—every young lady attending was hostile toward Elena.
Naturally, this was all because of the original Pdea.
In the original story, Pdea hadn’t cared much about the gathering itself.
She had simply kept it going to damage Elena’s reputation.
Elena must have known that.
So why agree to come? Probably because of the difference in their ranks.
Pdea was the Grand Duchess, while Elena was a Count’s daughter.
Well… I might have cheated a little too.
Pdea coughed awkwardly, remembering what she had written.
[They said each participant should bring one young lady they’re close to. I’d like to bring you, Lady Elena. I hope my seat won’t be left empty.]
Of course, that rule about bringing a friend was a complete lie—she had made it up just to invite Elena.
That must have put Elena in a difficult position.
If she refused, people would say she had left the Grand Duchess alone.
If she accepted, she’d have to endure sneers right in front of her.
In the end, the kind-hearted Elena chose to face those sneers rather than leave Pdea alone.
“…I guess I ended up being a little like the original villainess. But it should be fine.”
She did feel a little guilty, imagining Elena spending the days until the tea party feeling tense.
But once it was over, she could make things much easier for her.
However, her plan unintentionally caused another person—besides Elena—to feel nervous.
* * *
While Pdea was reading the replies…
In the Rettere estate’s drawing room—
Jay had just finished a quick shower, his hair still damp.
It wasn’t dripping, but it still held a light moisture.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“It’s fine. I came without notice anyway.”
Elena waved both hands.
She hadn’t minded if he took his time, but seeing his still-damp hair made her feel a little guilty—it was clear he had rushed over.
Jay, however, didn’t mind at all.
Even if he wasn’t in perfect condition, her fussing over whether he might catch a cold felt nice.
The corners of his lips lifted in a pleased smile.
“If it’s you, Elena, you can come without notice anytime.”
At his gentle tone, Elena shyly scratched her cheek.
Being welcomed like this made her feel more at ease about her unannounced visit.
“Thanks for always saying that.”
She meant it sincerely.
She had felt bad because when she came without warning, he had been in the middle of training.
Jay just shook his head slightly, as if it was nothing.
He hoped she would feel just as comfortable with him—dropping by from time to time like today.
To hide the smile that kept escaping, Jay picked up his teacup.
He had been thirsty from training, and the now-lukewarm tea went down smoothly.
Just then, Elena—who had been hesitating—mustered the courage to ask:
“Have you met the Grand Duchess lately?”
“Cough!”
Jay started coughing hard the moment he heard her question.
He hadn’t expected such a thing to come out of nowhere.
He hadn’t told Elena he was going to see the Grand Duchess, worried she might misunderstand.
So it startled him to think she might know.
Had some false rumor started in society while he’d been hiding away training?
A rumor that he and the Grand Duchess were going to marry?
…Wasn’t it just the two of us that day?
Thank you very much