DHDF 17

chapter 17

“He looks fierce, but he’s really gentle and sweet.”

I could tell just by seeing him roll over and pant the moment I approached.

He certainly looked soft… but…

“I’m okay. I have a fur allergy.”

After a brief hesitation, I made a vague excuse and declined.

During my time at the orphanage, encounters with animals were rare. I wasn’t sure if my curse would affect them or not.

A few kids secretly raised chicks, but I had never even been allowed to get close.

‘Some would die within a few days anyway.’

Ritema, unaware of this situation, looked a bit taken aback.

“Really? Is it that bad?”

“It’s not that bad. It’s fine as long as I don’t touch them.”

Ritema’s expression, sullen from disappointment, seemed to think it was pointless bringing me along.

“Just being able to watch them like this is already wonderful.”

I wasn’t trying to reassure her; I genuinely meant it.

The incredibly fluffy fur, the constantly wagging tail—it was all fascinating to me.

“Then… um, should I show you a trick?”

“Trick? You can do that?”

“Yeah. I trained him a lot. Rick, let’s show them what we’ve been practicing.”

Ritema stopped stroking him enthusiastically, made eye contact with Rick, and gave a command.

“Sit.”

I didn’t expect it, but Rick slowly got up and actually sat down! His rear touched the ground.

“Can Rick understand what we’re saying?”

“Dogs are smart, but not that much.”

“Then what does he understand?”

“Hands!”

When Ritema held out her hand, Rick placed his paw on it.

After that, Rick diligently followed other commands too: lie down, spin, salute…

Even when I tried giving commands, he obeyed.

“Good job, Rick! You’re the best dog!”

Even I couldn’t help but get a little excited.

I only calmed down after seeing Ritema hug Rick tightly, rubbing the back of his neck mercilessly.

A question I had wanted to ask for some time lingered on my lips.

‘I hope this doesn’t make things awkward…’

Leaning against the fence, staring at the tips of my shoes, I carefully spoke.

“Ritema… am I not uncomfortable for you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’ve gained the right to be your consort.”

I could feel Ritema looking at me.

Blushing, I rambled on.

“We’ve never met before, and it’s something you didn’t agree to. Besides… I don’t even have a family name.”

Saying I had no family name meant I had no parents to inherit from.

As I spoke the last words, I felt a deep sense of shame for the first time in my life.

I knew my own origin.

‘My mother died giving birth to me, and I was abandoned under my father’s disdain.’

I didn’t pity myself.

The orphanage was full of kids with all sorts of circumstances, and this damn condition wasn’t something I could control.

I shut myself in the room, ignoring my own miserable situation.

Stepping out into the wider world, I kept realizing how insignificant I was.

“I’m glad I met you, Berzene.”

Ritema’s cheerful voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I finally raised my head.

“Of course, I was naturally surprised when my father said that…”

“…”

“That’s no reason to ‘be upset’ with you.”

It was a very precise expression, making my roundabout phrasing feel unnecessary. I felt a bit queasy inside.

Ritema laughed brightly.

“No matter how young I am, I know I’ll marry someone eventually. So whether the person is an orphan doesn’t really matter.”

Many parents were inconsequential anyway, and I heard that many people working in the Edendale household were also orphans.

Even Ritema’s personal servant, Evan, lost his parents at an early age.

“If you become my consort, we could become an even more perfect family.”

It was a fairly positive interpretation, contrary to what I expected.

I thought she’d dismiss it casually as something unavoidable or uncertain whether it would even happen.

“So don’t worry about that. Let’s just enjoy our time together like now. It would upset me if you kept avoiding me.”

Ah. She meant that I deliberately stayed in my room for meals instead of coming down to the dining room.

Feeling a little embarrassed, Ritema laughed playfully and held out her pinky, gloved.

“So, promise me. You won’t distance yourself from me again.”

I opened my lips, then shut them tightly. I almost set a condition.

‘You shouldn’t let that feeling change now…’

Could anything be dumber? I’m in a position where I’ll eventually have to leave, yet I was about to talk about “forever.”

“Okay.”

I swallowed a nervous laugh and hooked my pinky with hers.

“You can’t take it back now. Should we drop the formalities too? We’re equals anyway.”

Ignoring the large frame pressing against me, Ritema hugged Rick tightly and spoke.

“Well…”

This time, I couldn’t immediately agree to her suggestion.

After all, it was only temporary.

“Then at least when we’re alone…”

“Okay, then.”

“Call me by name. And no honorifics.”

“…Ritema.”

Only then did I notice the satisfied look on her face.

Whether marriage or not, she needed a friend first—someone she could be completely comfortable with.

If her wish was clear, it wasn’t a bad thing for me either.

‘I don’t really have friends either.’

After playing with Ritema and Rick to my heart’s content, I returned to the pavilion.

“So. Looks like you had fun.”

The Duke placed my hair behind my ear as he spoke.

I hadn’t even noticed my hair was messy, so I felt a little embarrassed.

“Um, but… they?”

The pavilion was spacious and bright, yet only the Duke was there.

I didn’t know how to refer to them, so I spoke vaguely, but the Duke understood immediately.

“Berry’s parents?”

An awkward phrase.

“Oh, yes. My… parents.”

“They left. It was a sudden schedule. We’ll have a dinner together next time, so don’t feel too disappointed.”

“It’s not disappointment. I just didn’t see them.”

“I see.”

He agreed but looked slightly doubtful. I returned to my usual seat instead of explaining.

It seemed the Duke had something he wanted to say.

That was correct.

“I read the letter you wrote so diligently.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t understand.”

“What part?”

“What do you mean by ‘don’t worry about it’?”

I was worried I had written something that didn’t fit the context, but I never expected him to pick up on my true intention.

Of course, I didn’t literally say “don’t worry about it.”

‘I thanked them for their concern but told them they’ve already done enough, so no need to go this far.’

The meaning was the same, but the nuance differed.

“It’s just as I said.”

“Really? Don’t worry about it? Why?”

I thought the letter conveyed it well enough, but apparently not.

I racked my brain, then gave up and spoke honestly.

“You seem to be taking care of me more than necessary.”

“Hmm.”

“So it feels a bit burdensome.”

The Duke showed no change in expression. Fortunately, he didn’t seem displeased.

“…I have to repay everything, right?”

“Ha.”

I let out a laugh that made my courage feel useless. If I had said I wasn’t prepared for that, I might have run away in the middle of the night, but the Duke poked my cheek with his finger.

“You were thinking something quite mischievous.”

“Excuse me?”

“You must have thought the Duke family was penniless, huh?”

Why did he phrase it like that?

I was confused, and the Duke sighed and patted my head.

“I have no idea why you thought that, but I’m not asking for repayment.”

“I see…”

Isn’t every act of kindness supposed to have some return?

I couldn’t fully accept it, but I didn’t press further.

“Accept support when it’s offered, Berzene.”

“Yes.”

“Good. Next item. The engagement ceremony is scheduled for five weeks from now, though the exact schedule is undecided.”

Engagement? That felt more serious than I expected, and I started feeling pressured.

“Do we really have to do it?”

“It’s a brief ceremony. Don’t think too hard about it.”

That wouldn’t really be my standard.

It wouldn’t just disappear because I disliked it, so I accepted it in the end.

“I hope I won’t make mistakes.”

“If you’re worried, we’ll assign a proper etiquette teacher.”

In hindsight, I should have refused that offer at the time.