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Chapter 17
A love letter.
Even after seeing it with my own eyes, I couldn’t believe it, so I read it again.
Wondering if someone had played a trick on me or if it was some sort of coded message, I carefully examined even the back of the letter.
There wasn’t a single suspicious thing about it.
I never imagined I’d receive a love letter in my lifetime.
The sender was Young Master Arno of the Baron Dissent family.
I tilted my head, unable to remember what he looked like.
“If you’re referring to Sir Arno, ah, I’ve met him once before.
He’s very approachable and quite handsome.”
As though he had read my mind, Hubert answered for me.
To make matters worse, the love letter I had received was now sitting comfortably in his hand.
“What the—?
Hubert, when did you take my letter again?
Give it back already.”
I quickly snatched the love letter away and glared at him.
Hubert simply grinned from ear to ear, clearly amused.
“Hoho.
This old man has to manage these things, you know.
After all, it’s the very first love letter our Countess—no, our young lady—has ever received.”
“Honestly, you only start calling yourself an old man at times like this.”
“So, what will you do?
Do you intend to meet him?”
“…”
I had been surprised that it was a love letter, but beyond that, I didn’t have many thoughts.
More than anything, it was probably because I’d never received one before.
It simply didn’t feel real.
In a way, that was only natural.
I had married Duke Decart at such a young age that I’d never really had the chance to experience romance.
We separated before even a year had passed, leaving me as the central figure in a divorce scandal.
To make matters worse, it had been the very first divorce in the history of the House of Decart, enough to send the entire Empire into an uproar.
Rumors spread that House Decart still had its eyes on me.
With that hanging over my head, what brave soul would dare show interest in me?
That alone made this love letter rather extraordinary.
“Your beautiful golden-blonde hair that holds the sunlight, and an even brighter smile.
I know someone as insignificant as myself could never dare approach Your Ladyship, but I still wished to convey my sincere feelings.”
I reread that particular passage several times before finally looking away.
“What else would I do?
I’ll thank him for his feelings and politely decline.
Unfortunately, I don’t have time to meet anyone.”
The words lingered in my mind, but I was long past the age where receiving a love letter would make my heart flutter.
“Besides, I’m not merely a daughter of House Leella anymore.
I’m the head of the family.
What good would dating do me?
This isn’t the time to be playing at romance—”
Just as I calmly finished speaking, a sudden gust of wind swept through the room.
The letter flew right out of my hand.
It drifted through the air before landing at someone’s feet.
“A-Auntie Evlyen…
What… what is all this?”
Standing there was Mela.
Her face was frozen in shock.
Mela had appeared so silently that my heart nearly leaped out of my chest.
I hadn’t sensed her arrival at all.
It wasn’t as if she’d intentionally hidden herself.
After calming my racing heart, I asked,
“You startled me.
Mela, how long have you been standing there?”
Instead of answering, she marched straight toward me.
“Auntie!
Hurry!
Is it true you got a love letter?
Head Butler Grandpa, is it true?”
When I didn’t answer immediately, she hurried over to Hubert instead.
Her face had turned pale with disbelief.
“Haha!
Young Lady Mela, are you surprised?
Indeed, our family head received a love letter from the son of a noble house.
Now then…
Should I call him brave or simply reckless?”
“That was an insult, wasn’t it?
It was definitely an insult.”
I shot Hubert another glare.
Just then—
“This can’t happen…”
Mela murmured blankly to herself.
“Mela?”
I wondered if I’d misheard.
Mela sniffled before suddenly running over and hugging me tightly.
“Mela, what’s wrong?”
“Auntie…
Are you really going to meet that man?
You already have Duke Decart!”
That again.
She even clung desperately to my pant leg.
“You and Duke Decart look the best together!”
I had no idea what to say.
I could only laugh awkwardly.
Frezen, just what on earth have you been telling this child…?
First, I needed to calm her down.
I crouched to her eye level and gently stroked her hair.
“I don’t know about looking good together, but at least it’s nothing you need to worry about.”
“Then…
You’re really not going on a date with that love-letter man?”
“Hmm…
Probably not?”
Apparently my answer wasn’t satisfying enough.
Mela puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.
She looked so adorable that I instinctively pinched one.
They were so soft that it felt strangely therapeutic.
At this rate, I might become addicted.
“Okay!
Then I understand!
I won’t bother you anymore, Auntie!”
Surprisingly, she nodded obediently and stepped back without asking anything else.
“You never bother me.
Would you like to visit the flower garden with me?
It’s been a while.”
Feeling guilty about sending her away like this, I invited her.
But Mela only smiled awkwardly before slipping out of my embrace.
“Um…
Something suddenly came up.
I promised to meet Bailey in the flower garden!”
“W-Wait, Mela!”
Without looking back, she scampered away.
Was keeping her promise with Bailey really more important than spending time with me?
I couldn’t help pouting slightly.
“Something feels off…”
At the same time, an uneasy feeling lingered, as though something troublesome was about to happen.
Several days passed.
On another bright, sunny morning…
“Lily, Bailey…
What is all this?”
My ominous premonition came true.
“Because you’re going on a date today!
Ahh, what should we do?
I’m so excited!
Our Countess is finally going on a date!”
Exactly when had the rumor spread throughout the entire mansion that I was going to the capital for a date?
“I told you, it’s not a date—”
“Oh my!
These amber earrings look absolutely perfect on you!”
“No!
Emerald suits our Countess much better, Bailey!”
“…You really aren’t listening to a word I say, are you?”
Instead of listening, the Lili sisters continued debating among themselves over which accessories suited me better.
As the unexpected beautification session dragged on, I felt my soul slowly leaving my body.
By the end, I didn’t even have the strength to lift a finger.
I’d lost count of how many dresses they’d made me change into.
Only after several exhausting hours did they finally finish.
I looked at my fully made-up reflection in the mirror.
“It’s not a date.
We’re just meeting briefly.”
“Even so!
Our Countess is finally meeting a man after five whole years!”
“You’ve spent every day buried in paperwork.
You never even had the chance to dream about romance.”
The maids reacted as though it were their own joyous occasion.
All I could do was laugh helplessly.
How had things ended up like this?
Until yesterday, I hadn’t planned to meet Arno at all.
At first, I’d politely rejected him.
But he continued sending letter after letter.
Unable to ignore his persistent courtship any longer, I’d decided to meet him once just to end things properly.
Somehow, that had transformed into a rumor that I was going on a date.
Still, seeing how genuinely happy the maids and servants looked, I couldn’t bring myself to bluntly deny it.
“By the way…
Where’s Mela?
I haven’t seen her at all lately.
Is she studying?”
I’d been wondering why something felt missing.
It was because Mela wasn’t around.
When I asked, the Lili sisters exchanged nervous glances.
“W-Well!
Young Lady Mela has become completely absorbed in reading lately!”
“Hahaha!
Exactly!
She’s so clever for her age that she looks ready to read every single book in the Empire!”
“…Really?”
Despite their cheerful words, it felt as though they were hiding something.
But I didn’t have time to dwell on it.
Surely nothing serious could have happened.
“It is truly an honor to meet you, Countess Leella.”
I met Arno at Lumière Salon, the tea house that had recently become the most popular gathering place in the Imperial Capital.
It featured spacious interiors and large windows overlooking the fountain in the central plaza.
A young pastry chef from another empire baked fresh bread and cakes every dawn, and their delicious desserts had quickly made the salon the latest favorite spot among the nobility.
“Seeing you in person…
You are even more beautiful than I imagined, My Lady.”
“Ah.
Thank you.”
“A-And thank you for the brooch as well.”
Just as Hubert had described, Arno looked perfectly ordinary.
He was so shy that he visibly fidgeted with embarrassment, making me feel awkward too.
After an uncomfortable silence, richly brewed black tea and Lumière Salon’s signature chiffon cake were placed before us.
This is painfully awkward.
To ease the tension, I took a bite of the cake.
It was wonderfully soft and fluffy.
Mela would absolutely love this.
The thought that I alone was enjoying such a lovely place and delicious food made me feel strangely guilty.
I should ask later if they offered takeout.
Just then—
“Haha…
I know this may be terribly presumptuous of me to ask…
But, Countess…
Is there a particular type of person you prefer?”
Arno asked cautiously.
I fell into thought.
Just as I was about to answer that I didn’t really have one, the salon door suddenly swung open with the cheerful chime of a bell.
“Duke!
Let’s sit over here!”
The one who entered was none other than Mela…
“Very well.”
…along with Duke Decart.
