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Chapter 85
The afternoon had slipped away, and the grand duke’s household bustled with preparations for dinner.
Amid the coming and going of maids, whispers of praise for Elise were heard here and there.
“Would you believe it? This morning, I nearly tripped while carrying a bucket of filthy water after washing rags—but the young lady herself caught me!”
One maid, tying back her hair tightly, whispered in a low voice.
The look in her eyes still carried traces of the shock she had felt.
The maid beside her widened her eyes.
“Really? She caught that dirty bucket?”
“I’m telling you. She held my hand and even patted it, saying it could’ve been dangerous.”
A faint smile tugged at the lips of the maid speaking.
Then another maid, also whispering, nodded.
“Yesterday, while I was tidying up the wilted flowers in the glass garden, the young lady quietly came over. She asked me not to throw them away but to give them to her.”
“Huh? Wilted flowers? Why?”
“She said they were still too pretty to be discarded. She wanted to press each petal into a bookmark and give them as a gift to His Grace.”
“Oh, my goodness.”
Another maid gasped softly before continuing.
“She must truly be a kindhearted person.”
“Indeed. She’s always smiling and grateful even for the smallest things.”
One of the maids, nodding in agreement, cautiously added:
“That’s why she seems all the more pitiable. She’s only eight, yet she’s so considerate—far beyond her years.”
“Perhaps it’s because of her unfortunate childhood?”
“Exactly. If it weren’t for that incident eight years ago, she would’ve been raised here in the grand duke’s household, living comfortably under his care…”
The voices trailed off, and the maids exchanged looks filled with sympathy and tenderness.
Then suddenly, a sharp voice cut in.
“‘Young lady’? And who exactly are you calling that?”
The maids chatting near the window turned their heads toward the voice.
It was Camilla, the head maid, ascending the central staircase with piercing eyes fixed on the younger maids.
Her neatly coiffed hair and cutting gaze radiated authority.
“Do you all intend to call her ‘young lady’ just because she came here holding so-called evidence?”
Camilla’s voice wasn’t loud, but it froze the maids in place.
“N-no, of course not…”
Startled, the maids quickly bowed their heads.
Camilla slowly walked down the hall toward them.
“The truth has not yet been decided.”
Her tone was firm.
“At such a time, when caution is needed more than ever, who dares wag their tongue so recklessly?”
The maids flinched at her sharp reprimand.
“We’re sorry, Head Maid…”
They dropped their gazes, fidgeting with their aprons.
One of them, unable to resist, whispered cautiously,
“It’s just… she looks so very much like His Grace…”
Camilla stopped right in front of that maid. Her eyes betrayed no emotion, making her presence even more oppressive.
“Is this the first time you’ve seen such deception?”
“Well… no, but…”
The maid shrank back, mumbling, her words trailing off.
Camilla lifted her chin and swept her gaze across them.
“To call her ‘young lady’ and give your loyalty can wait until the evidence has been proven true. It will not be too late then.”
Her cold warning was followed by stern advice.
“Until His Grace makes a formal declaration, keep your wits about you and focus only on your duties.”
“Yes, Head Maid.”
Almost in unison, the maids dispersed swiftly back to their work.
Camilla watched them for a moment, then turned her eyes toward the garden outside the window.
There she saw Elise, walking with Baron Jaeger toward the glass garden.
Camilla’s gaze narrowed faintly.
Creaaak.
The door of the glass garden opened, and Elise entered with Baron Jaeger.
The baron looked around as if searching for someone.
Then he spotted Elbadin standing in the center of the garden.
His eyes narrowed slightly when he noticed the young girl chattering beside him.
“How do you like the scent of this tea?”
“It’s good.”
“…That’s all?”
“Why? What else?”
“Like ‘nutty’ or ‘sweet’—something more specific.”
“Then… let’s say it’s nutty.”
“Oh, come on!”
The girl raised her voice, and Elbadin gave a faint laugh.
At that smile, Baron Jaeger’s brow furrowed subtly.
Lucillea, was it?
Even when they’d met at the barony, he had thought she was a peculiar child.
The parrot perched on her shoulder, her carefree conversation with the grand duke…
Yes, more odd than special. That had been his impression.
But here, inside the grand duke’s household, it became clear at once that the grand duke considered the girl special.
Even with Elise—who might very well be his own flesh and blood—present, he kept Lucillea constantly by his side.
I thought he was being cautious, waiting until the truth was confirmed…
Yet the expression Elbadin wore while with Lucillea was unfamiliar… and somehow, unsettling.
Watching this, Elise unconsciously gripped the baron’s hand tightly.
The baron looked down at her.
He gave her a gentle smile and bent to whisper softly in her ear.
“His Grace is right there, young lady.”
“Yes…”
“Don’t worry too much. His Grace is a kind man—kind enough to gather an elite unit and even grant opportunities to children of lowly birth.”
Elise nodded quietly.
Patting her shoulder reassuringly, Baron Jaeger continued.
“Until the truth is revealed, His Grace will be unable to openly care for you. But you must not let that wound your heart. Whatever anyone says, you are the only legitimate heir of House Descartes.”
“…Yes.”
Elise pressed her lips together and nodded.
As if steadying her wavering heart, she took a deep breath while staring at Elbadin, who was conversing with Lucillea.
The baron smiled as he clasped Elise’s hand.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
Leading her forward, Baron Jaeger approached Elbadin.
Stopping at a respectful distance, he said,
“I greet Your Grace.”
“…”
Both Elbadin and Lucillea turned their gaze toward the baron.
He placed one hand on his chest and bowed his head.
But Elbadin simply stared at him with his usual impassive expression.
The atmosphere grew awkward, so Lucillea quickly set down her teacup, climbed off her chair, and offered a polite greeting.
“Hello, Baron.”
“Yes, it has been a while.”
The baron nodded lightly at her courtesy.
Then, from behind him, Elise stepped forward carefully, lifting her dress slightly as she curtsied to Elbadin.
“I greet Your Grace.”
“…Yes.”
Elbadin replied slowly.
The baron raised an eyebrow.
“‘Your Grace,’ young lady? Shouldn’t you call him ‘Father’?”
“That is…”
Elise glanced up at Elbadin, gauging his reaction.
Elbadin spoke.
“The evidence the baron brought has not yet been proven true. It will not be too late to change titles when it is.”
At that, the baron’s expression soured.
“Are you saying the evidence I presented could be false?”
“Isn’t that what’s being examined? Certainty is best, whatever it is.”
“….”
The baron was silent for a moment, then smiled faintly.
“Yes, Your Grace. You are right. Certainty is indeed best. Forgive me for showing my impatience.”
He then led Elise closer toward Elbadin and said,
“I never knew such a beautiful glass garden existed here. I came out for a walk with Elise, and fate brought us to Your Grace.”
“…Is that so.”
Elbadin answered indifferently, his eyes falling instead on their footsteps.
The baron, now nearer, looked over the teacups and the parrot perched on the table with a smile.
“The fragrance of this tea is exquisite.”
“Tea always smells the same.”
“No, not quite. I collect tea leaves myself, so I know a little. Leaves with this kind of fragrance are very rare. But I suppose rare things naturally gather around Your Grace.”
At that, Elbadin casually pushed a piece of fruit toward the parrot and answered flatly,
“They only gather when I permit them.”
“….”
The brief reply seemed to chill the air of the glass garden.
Yet Baron Jaeger’s smile did not falter.
“Your Grace, would you grant Elise and me the honor of sharing this fine tea?”
But Elbadin looked to Lucillea and answered firmly,
“As you can see, I already have company.”
At that, both the baron’s and Elise’s eyes turned toward Lucillea.
Gulp. Lucillea swallowed dryly.
