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Chapter 45
I sat with my chin propped against the window, gazing outside. The garden I had designed myself, visible in the distance, and the cloudless sky formed a scene so beautiful it looked like a painting.
After making me shout something embarrassing, Father left the mansion right away. I didn’t know when he would return, but I thought of the words he had left behind—that he would come back safely once again.
I tried to sit in the reception room and focus on my work again, but I failed. I set down the quill and sprang up from my seat. At that, I felt the personal maids sitting beside me widen their eyes and focus on me.
“I want to take a walk in the garden. Could you prepare me to go out?”
“Yes.”
With Nana’s help, I changed into a simple outdoor dress and tied my hair in a ponytail. Vera, worried that I might get sunburned, brought me a wide-brimmed hat.
I stopped the maids from following and went outside alone.
A cool breeze carrying the scent of flowers brushed past me. It felt as though my tangled thoughts—about Father and about Cardin—were slowly being sorted out.
I hadn’t paid much attention to the garden lately because I’d been so absorbed in the dress business, but the servants had continued maintaining it diligently. Thanks to them, I could enjoy the neat lawn and the fragrance of the colorful flowers.
I smiled pleasantly.
I admired a richly blooming red flower whose name I didn’t know, and I listened to the sound of birds perched high in the trees.
After watching the grass sway as though dancing in the breeze, I walked slowly along the line of flowers blooming in a long row.
It was a relief to hear that Arsen was safe. Father, who seemed to be investigating something dangerous, was one of the few truly capable people in this world, so he would be fine.
Then… what about Cardin and me?
In the end, my thoughts always returned to Cardin.
When I pictured the face of the man who shook my heart, heat rose to my cheeks. I lifted my hand and gently touched my face. Even the wind felt warm, and a sigh escaped me naturally.
As I walked absentmindedly with a tight feeling in my chest, I heard an unfamiliar voice in the distance.
When I raised my gaze toward the sound, the first thing I saw was short, dark brown hair.
‘Who is that? Was there a servant like that?’
He wasn’t wearing the clothes worn by the marquis’s household staff. Feeling curious about the unfamiliar back, I was just about to approach—
“…would have…”
The man’s voice reached me in fragments from far away.
‘Is he muttering to himself?’
I pricked up my ears and listened more carefully.
“If only I had a mobile phone……”
‘What? A mobile phone?’
Startled, I almost cried out and quickly covered my mouth with my hand.
Had I misheard? No. It had been faint, but I was certain he had said “mobile phone.”
“Gwen, are you here? I’m a bit late. It seems Marquis Jurn has already left. We came for nothing. Hoo… let’s go back now.”
“Yes, Father.”
I had been about to run up to the man and ask him if he knew what a mobile phone was, but suddenly a middle-aged man appeared from the opposite direction. He called the man Gwen, and the two of them conversed as they left the garden.
I stood there blankly, watching their figures fade away. Then suddenly, Gwen paused and turned his head.
Our eyes met—his red eyes locking onto mine. He smiled softly and moved only his lips.
‘I’ll wait.’
“What?”
Perhaps he saw my response in my mouth shape, because he gave a small chuckle and turned away.
“He definitely said ‘mobile phone.’ And he said he’d wait for me?”
With anxious steps, I headed for the reception room. He had been a guest visiting Father, but since Father was absent, my brother must have received him instead.
I needed to know who Gwen was. How did he know that word? And what did he mean by what he said to me with only his lips?
In my haste, I stumbled several times as I walked. I nearly fell, but steadied myself and kept going. I didn’t even know how I managed to reach the reception room door.
Without thinking about etiquette, I flung the door open. Inside, I saw my brother sitting with a cold cup of tea before him, lost in thought.
“Harna?”
Startled to notice me, my brother stood up. I hurriedly asked him,
“Did a guest come?”
“Marquis Zarca came to see Father. Is something wrong?”
As I repeated the name “Zarca” in my mind, a warm hand gently cupped my cheek.
“Your face is pale.”
“Ah… I happened to see someone who looked like a guest while I was walking in the garden.”
“You must have been surprised to see unfamiliar people. I’m sorry I didn’t warn you in advance.”
When my brother apologized kindly, my anxious, impatient heart gradually calmed.
“I’m sorry I opened the door without knocking.”
“It’s fine. Father left so suddenly, so I understand why you’d be on edge. But Harna, I’ll say it again—nothing will happen, so you don’t need to worry.”
As my brother lightly embraced me and patted my back, the tension drained away. I leaned weakly against his chest.
I was worried about Father, yes—but even more than that, my head was spinning because of Gwen, the strange man who had spoken a word that shouldn’t exist in this world.
“Gwen Zarca… Gwen. Ah!”
Back in my room, I murmured his name to myself when suddenly I clapped my hands and jumped to my feet. How had I not realized sooner?
Gwen Zarca.
He was the tragic second male lead who loved Mei with a noble, unwavering devotion, but could never surpass Cardin.
Recalling what I had forgotten, I rushed to the desk in my office.
I had been so busy drawing dress designs and had left social gatherings to Mei, so I hadn’t gone out much lately. Still, I always checked every invitation sent to me.
I remembered the invitation I’d received from Marchioness Zarca and rummaged through my desk drawer.
“It should be around here… Ah! Found it.”
I discovered the tea party invitation envelope bearing the Zarca family seal and let out a sigh of relief. Carefully opening it, I saw that the tea party was scheduled for the day after tomorrow.
Determined to find out how the original novel’s second male lead knew the word “mobile phone,” I clenched the invitation tightly.
If he said he would wait, then I would go to him.
“You’re truly beautiful, Miss Harna!”
Smiling at the maids who sincerely admired me, I examined myself in the mirror. I knew that this perfect coordination, makeup, and hairstyle were only possible because of the girls standing before me.
“Thank you always. Vera, Nana, Darin.”
When I called each of their names, they looked deeply touched. I took out the small boxes I had prepared in advance and handed them over.
“This is a token of thanks for everything you do for me. Don’t feel burdened—just accept it.”
Rewarding the staff who worked hard for me was something I had always done. That hadn’t changed even after I became Harna.
They stood holding the boxes solemnly without even opening them, which was both funny and cute, so I let out a small laugh.
“It’s a bribe asking you to work even harder for me, so hurry and open them.”
At my words, their hesitant hands opened the boxes.
“My goodness…”
“Miss!”
“Something so precious……”
As expected, gifts of money or jewels were always the best.
Before, I hadn’t given personal items but prepared money separately. This time, I considered giving money again, but thought it might seem insincere, so I raised their wages and prepared jewelry as well.
Seeing the maids’ eyes sparkle as they looked at the identical jewels warmed my heart.
“I’m glad you like them.”
“Thank you!”
“Then shall we go?”
Watching the three respond in unison, I smiled and stepped out of the room.
Today was the tea party hosted by Marchioness Zarca. If I hadn’t met Gwen the other day, I wouldn’t have attended.
But seeing how happy my brother and the maids were that I was attending a tea party for the first time in a while, I thought I should start participating more often and boarded the carriage.
Usually, I fell asleep in carriages as if hypnotized, but today my mind was completely clear. Because I might finally meet Gwen.
In fact, I intended to confront him directly today at the Zarca estate.
Even if Gwen Zarca wasn’t there, I had no intention of giving up. If I couldn’t meet him today, then next time. If not then, I’d pester my brother until I got another chance.
If Gwen knew what a mobile phone was, could it be that he, like me, had been possessed?
Even if he had been, that wouldn’t allow me to return to being Yoon Seung-ah. But I still hoped I wasn’t the only one living in this unfamiliar world.
If someone else had also come from the world I lived in and was now living a new life here, I simply wanted to talk. About the world I had vowed to live in for the rest of my life. About the life that was suddenly taken away, and the new life that followed.
That was all.
“Miss, we’ve arrived.”
I came back to my senses at Nana’s voice.
“Let’s go.”
Stepping down from the carriage, I tried to calm myself and reviewed my plan to meet Gwen once more.
“Welcome, Miss Jurn.”
“Thank you for inviting me.”
I greeted Marchioness Zarca politely with a graceful smile. She smiled warmly and guided me to my seat.
Like Se-Ara’s previous tea party, refreshments and tea were prepared. Noticing that there were more married ladies than young noblewomen my age, I composed my expression and sat down.
“Oh, Miss Jurn. It’s an honor to finally see you up close after hearing so many rumors.”
I tilted my head slightly toward the unfamiliar lady who spoke to me as though we were close.
“What kind of rumors made you so curious about me?”
The lady wasn’t flustered by my question and continued speaking while pouring me tea.
“Very interesting rumors. That Miss Jurn has changed as though she’s become a completely different person.”
I nodded slightly at her words, spoken as though sharing a secret.
“I see.”
“And that’s not all. There are also rumors that you completely captured Duke Rethorno’s heart.”
“I-Is that so?”
“They say he reserved a restaurant just for you and even gave you three bouquets of flowers. My, how considerate he is.”
I wasn’t surprised by rumors that I had changed. But hearing that even the things Cardin had done for me were already known throughout high society made my smiling face stiffen in shock
