🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 43
The duke didn’t come even when it was time for his appointment with Fey.
I was worried, wondering what could be keeping him so busy—but I couldn’t stop glancing at Fey.
Maybe she noticed my attention, because she flinched and then quickly erased the gloom from her face.
But she didn’t seem to realize her ears and tail were drooping miserably.
“Your uncle will be here soon.”
“Mm!”
Fey nodded energetically.
Her ears flopped weakly. The rain kept falling, and her cute ears looked like soggy cabbage leaves.
“I wish the rain would stop.”
Fey’s cheeks puffed up like a balloon.
“…I don’t like the rain.”
She’d looked frightened by the thunder and lightning earlier, so it made sense that she hated rainy weather.
“Should we make the rain stop?”
“Mm? How?”
“Let’s make a weather doll!”
Fey tilted her head.
“What’s that?”
“It’s a doll that’s supposed to make the rain stop. If you hang it by the window, the sun comes out. And it’s really easy to make.”
The weather doll was part of a folk belief from a neighboring country of where I used to live.
“We’ll probably need to make about fifty of them. Think you can do it?”
Saying we needed fifty was a complete lie.
But I wanted to get Fey’s mind off her worries somehow.
I couldn’t just let her stay gloomy.
“I’ll make them!”
“I’ll show you how!”
Fey’s tail shot straight up.
And so I taught my little bundle of enthusiasm how to make weather dolls.
After we hung two of them by the window, I said to her,
“I’ll step out for a bit. Keep making the rest, okay?”
“Mm! Come back soon!”
Fey didn’t even look up, her hands busily twisting white cloth.
I stepped into the hallway.
‘I’ve bought some time, so I should go see the duke.’
I needed to at least check what had kept him so busy—
and ask if he could spare even a little time for Fey.
As I walked through the corridor, the rain tapping against the windows, I found Dion standing outside the duke’s office.
“I came to see Lucas. Is he still busy?”
“Ah… well…”
Dion hesitated awkwardly.
“…There’s a guest with him right now, so it might be difficult to see him.”
Even if the Day of Thanks was more of a small family celebration, who would visit unannounced at a time like this?
I glanced toward the door, frowning slightly at the thought of the inconsiderate guest.
Then, seeing poor Dion growing increasingly flustered, I softened my expression.
“When will the guest be leaving?”
“It was an unexpected visit, so… I’m afraid I can’t say for sure.”
“Not even for a short while?”
“…I’m sorry, my lady.”
Dion was firm.
…Ugh. Guess there was no helping it.
“Then please tell him Fey’s been waiting for him.”
“Yes, my lady.”
I turned away, my steps much heavier than when I’d come.
To buy Fey some more time with her dolls, I walked as slowly as I could.
Meanwhile, the rain that had been pouring relentlessly began to thin.
I looked out the window and wished—
for Fey to smile again, for the sun to come out, for the rain to stop.
Whether it was my wish being granted, or the magic of the weather dolls in this fantasy world—
by the time I reached Fey’s room, the rain had completely stopped.
‘At least that’s something.’
I brushed away the guilt of not being able to bring the duke back and smiled softly.
“Fey, I’m back!”
I opened the door with a gentle smile—
and a cool breeze swept through, tossing my hair into my face.
I grabbed it out of the way and blinked.
The weather dolls hanging by the window swayed in the wind.
Between the dark clouds, patches of bright blue sky peeked through.
And there was Fey, leaning out the window frame.
The sunlight gently embraced her small body—
a warmth she surely deserved after all her worry.
“Auntie! Auntie, look!”
Fey pointed up at the sky.
“The rain really stopped!”
Her golden eyes shimmered like sunlight rippling on water, her expression glowing with joy.
“See? That’s a relief.”
It really was.
Seeing the clouds lift from her little face eased my heart at last.
“The lady came to visit you, Your Grace, but she has already left.”
Lucas brushed back his damp hair, his pale face drawn tight with exhaustion.
“How long has it been, Dion?”
“About three hours, sir.”
“…I see.”
Yesterday, Fey had come to him, cheeks rosy, asking him to keep some time free for her on the Day of Thanks.
He had promised he would.
Lucas sighed and pushed himself to his feet, irritation flickering in his half-lidded eyes.
“Are you sure you can get up already, sir?”
“There’s no reason I can’t.”
“But you should rest, at least a little…”
Ignoring Dion’s concern, Lucas started toward Fey’s room—
then stopped, realizing his sweat-soaked clothes were clinging to him.
‘If I show up like this, I’ll scare them both.’
He couldn’t worry them.
He stopped his impatient stride.
“I’ll wash first. Get things ready.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
After a quick shower and a change of clothes, he looked much better—
still tired, but no longer about to collapse.
He made straight for Fey’s room.
“You’re here!”
“Uncle, come quick!”
“Sorry I’m late. An important guest came unexpectedly.”
“Mm. S’okay. I’m not mad.”
Fey rubbed her cheek affectionately against his leg. Lucas ruffled her hair.
The child giggled.
“Both of you, come this way!”
She tugged them—me and the duke—into the small study adjoining her room.
“Small” was relative; the study was larger than the maids’ quarters, having been expanded generations ago.
Inside stood a makeshift stage—and several maids, including Sally, were gathered there.
“Ahem!”
Fey stood before the little stage, coughing shyly.
“For today, I prepared a play with everyone!”
I clapped a hand over my mouth.
I had guessed, from how glum she’d been earlier, that her gift for the Day of Thanks wasn’t just a trinket—
but a play?!
‘Why is there no camera here?!’
A video! We had to film this!
‘Other romance-fantasy worlds have video orbs—why don’t we?!’
I screamed inwardly and vowed: next time I saw Talvred, I’d seriously ask if he could invent a video orb.
“Ahem! Let’s start!”
The maids moved in perfect coordination.
‘What part does Fey play?’
The lead, right? Surely she’s the main character.
My heart fluttered in anticipation—
until I realized her actual role.
“Once upon a time—”
Fey was… the narrator.
Not the protagonist, but the narrator!
My eyes went wide, and I clenched my fists.
‘So cool! We really needed that camera!’
Even if Fey played a pebble, I’d still think she was amazing.
The play she’d prepared to celebrate the Day of Thanks went like this:
A woman falls in love with a man. She takes the initiative and confesses.
The man, who had no interest in romance, treats her coldly at first—but slowly begins to fall for her.
A romance? I had expected something like a cute fairy-tale.
Why this story?
I didn’t get it, but since everything Fey did was a “YES” for me,
I watched the play with the spirit of waving glow sticks in my heart.
The story built up to its climax.
“Oh, Rael. Whenever I see you, my heart aches. My pulse races, and I can’t breathe.”
The actor playing the male lead, Krims, cried out.
“I feel like I’m not myself anymore.”
Lucas, who had been quietly watching, twitched an eyebrow.
“When I try not to look at you, I end up thinking of you even more. What did you do to me?”
Every line hit Lucas squarely in the chest.
‘That… sounds familiar.’
It was exactly how he felt whenever he looked at me—or even when he tried not to.
Narrowing his eyes, Lucas waited for Rael’s next words, as if the play might somehow explain his own confusion.
“…Krims. You feel the same as I do.”
The heroine Rael stepped closer.
“You love me.”
Krims looked bewildered.
“This is love?”
Lucas’s face hardened, almost dangerously.
‘What did she just say?’
That couldn’t be right.
“Yes. It’s love. Your racing heart, your constant thoughts, wanting to see and touch me—all of it means you love me.”
Rael cupped Krims’s face.
“Please, accept me.”
“…”
“Don’t deny what you feel.”
The two actors kissed.
‘Oh my goodness.’
My eyes flew wide.
‘At least Fey’s facing the other way.’
By the way, according to Sally, those two leads were actually a couple in the mansion.
‘No wonder they were cast in those roles.’
The play came to its end, and Fey declared brightly, “And they lived happily ever after!”
Clap, clap, clap!
I applauded like a seal.
Fey and the servants all beamed with satisfaction at having shown us their play.
Everyone was happy—
everyone except for one person who couldn’t quite find peace.
