TMDFC 19

Chapter 19

“You’re late.”

The moment the dining room door opened, the two women were greeted by Aster, who had clearly been waiting for them.

Unlike his usual relaxed shirt attire, he wore a vest and jacket today. His long golden hair was neatly tied back. He looked incredibly handsome, but Lauren couldn’t bring herself to say a single word. Pulling up the corners of her trembling lips, she forced a smile toward him.

Aster looked at her with calm green eyes before shifting his gaze to the “guest” standing behind her.

“Hello, Duke. I’m happy to be sharing a meal with you.”

Delania smiled brightly and greeted him in a cheerful voice, acting as though she hadn’t heard his remark about being late at all.

But Aster merely stared at her expressionlessly. He neither stood up nor returned her greeting.

After watching Delania for quite some time, Aster finally raised a hand to signal Calvin.

At once, servants began bringing in dishes.

Lauren subtly lifted her eyes and examined the servants’ faces. They looked bright, faint smiles lingering on their lips.

She had wondered whether it was really necessary to mobilize their already small number of servants to this extent, but Calvin had laughed and said they were eager to help. Apparently, they’d even drawn lots to decide who would work today.

It seemed everyone was fine with it.

For some reason, that eased her mind.

A dinner held for a guest.

To suit the dignity of a ducal household, they should have prepared numerous formal courses—but Lauren hadn’t wanted to put that much effort into Delania.

When Aster had smirked and said they could ignore some etiquette, she’d honestly felt a little happy.

Still… if she had known she’d hear the phrase “the dignity of the ducal house” repeated several times today, perhaps it would have been better to prepare a proper full-course meal after all.

Looking at the dishes—formal enough not to be criticized—Lauren thought quietly to herself.

Without realizing it, she kept glancing toward Aster.

Sharing meals with him was incredibly rare.

Just stealing occasional looks wasn’t enough to tell what he was thinking.

Lauren forced her hand to keep moving whenever it threatened to stop.

She should have been hungry—having only warm milk instead of breakfast and a little bread and soup for lunch—but she couldn’t even taste the food she’d worked hard to prepare.

At this rate, I’m definitely going to get sick.

The dinner ended after only the fourth course.

Delania, who had chatted endlessly at first, had gone quiet.

Had she grown tired of talking to herself?

Or had she begun thinking she was being ignored?

Either way, Lauren didn’t care.

She just wanted her gone.

“I haven’t seen Lauren in a long time and wanted to talk with her. Would you prepare a place for us?”

But Delania apparently had no intention of leaving obediently.

Tilting her head sweetly, she smiled.

Unable to say anything, Lauren lowered her head and shut her eyes tightly.

She’d hoped Aster would refuse on her behalf—

but he remained silent.

You said you’d face her yourself.

That was probably why Aster wasn’t stepping in.

Lauren bit her lip hard and straightened.

Her eyes met Calvin’s.

She gave him a small nod.

“Then I’ll have dessert prepared in the sitting room.”

The loyal butler said that and left his seat.

Once Calvin and the servants withdrew, only Aster, Lauren, and Delania remained.

Silence settled over them.

Maybe that was only natural.

Compared to conversation, silence was easier.

Lauren quietly took a deep breath.

“Come to think of it…”

Delania was not someone who allowed Lauren peace.

Startled by her voice, Lauren clenched the hands resting in her lap.

“The last time we met, Lauren said she’d introduce me to a suitable groom.”

Lauren jerked her head up.

Brown eyes curved in amusement met her pale violet gaze.

Touching her cheek with a finger, Delania laughed softly.

Ah.

Delania had once told her to take responsibility for running away.

Was this what Delania had wanted all along?

Lauren wanted to shout that she was talking nonsense—

but their eyes met.

Her lips trembled.

The words she wanted to say never became sound.

Feeling a gaze on her, Lauren turned.

Muted green eyes were watching her quietly.

But she couldn’t even shake her head toward him.

As expected…

she was far from worthy of being a duchess.

Unable even to refute something like this.

“I told her not to push herself, you know. But Lauren is such a kind girl to think of her sister this much, isn’t she? Since the Duke is here, I’ll say it clearly—I’m only a baron’s daughter. Someone too high in status would be burdensome.”

The artificial sweetness in Delania’s voice stabbed into Lauren’s chest.

Whenever Delania spoke in that tone, everyone took her side.

The servants from their childhood home.

Even Delania’s parents.

Would Aster do the same?

Unable to face him, Lauren lowered her eyes to the empty plate.

Maybe this was learned behavior.

Lauren…

was a liar created by Delania’s words.

She couldn’t breathe properly.

Her hands clenched tightly.

“I’ll escort you to the room where dessert has been prepared.”

Only after quite some time—after Lauren’s nails had dug deeply into her palms—did Calvin’s voice arrive with a brief knock.

Whatever Calvin truly thought, at this moment she had no choice but to rely on him.

Lauren slowly inhaled and stood.

The scraping chair sounded harsh against her ears.

At least…

she didn’t want to fall apart in front of Aster.

Right now, she wanted to behave in a way worthy of the dignity of the ducal house.

Because she believed he would want that.

Like a duchess.

Proudly.

She straightened her back and lifted her chin.

Leading their guest Delania, Lauren followed behind Calvin out of the dining room.

Before the closing door, her eyes met Aster’s subdued green gaze watching her.

She had thought she’d come to understand him a little—

but she still had no idea what he was thinking.

Before the door fully closed,

Lauren turned away first.

* * *

Lauren dismissed all the servants.

After filling both teacups, Calvin cast her one final glance before leaving, but Lauren only stared at her tea.

Seeing her gripping the edge of her skirt tightly, Calvin bowed and exited.

The sound of the door closing settled heavily in the room.

“Hm.”

Delania hummed while looking Lauren up and down.

That sound—

unchanged from long ago—

made goosebumps rise along Lauren’s bare arms beneath her summer dress sleeves.

She had to admit it.

Even now,

Lauren was afraid of Delania.

Fear ingrained since childhood had not faded with age.

“Judging from the newspaper articles, I thought you two couldn’t live without each other. But apparently that isn’t true.”

Lauren flinched.

Her grip on her skirt tightened.

Sharp as ever, Delania had noticed after only one meal together.

That love was merely an excuse.

That in truth, there were no feelings between Lauren and Aster at all.

She shouldn’t have let it show.

But it was already too late.

Delania had figured everything out.

“At this rate, my plan to marry some impressive nobleman is going to become difficult.”

The sound of Delania biting her nails reached Lauren’s ears.

Click. Click.

The uneven sound squeezed her chest.

What would come next?

The last time Lauren had been with Delania as a child…

she had ended up falling into a pond.

That sound had accompanied it then, too.

It felt like being buried in mud.

Lauren couldn’t even remember why.

Something must simply have displeased Delania.

After that click, click sound,

nothing good ever happened.

Scratch marks appeared on her cheeks.

Her beloved teddy bear was taken away.

Her dresses being torn became ordinary.

Even gifts from her mother disappeared.

What would it be this time?

Running away. Responsibility.

Delania’s words buzzed around her ears.

“Hey, are you listening?!”

At Delania’s sharp voice, Lauren finally lifted her head.

She couldn’t look directly into those shining brown eyes.

This can’t continue.

Those were only childhood memories.

It’s time to break free.

Delania was a baron’s daughter.

But Lauren was a duchess.

She had to protect the dignity of the ducal house.

Everyone had worked hard for that.

Lauren shut her eyes tightly, then opened them.

The wavering pale violet eyes became calm as if by magic.

At the same time,

Delania frowned.

“You…”

“Delania Siaz. You do know what you’re saying is absurd, don’t you?”

“What?”

“I’m sorry you ended up discussing marriage with an older man, but that’s your problem to handle. Not mine.”

“You think I would’ve had marriage talks with someone like that if you hadn’t run away?!”

Lauren smiled gently.

It was nothing serious.

There was nothing to fear.

Yet contrary to those thoughts, her tightly clenched hands trembled violently.

She forced herself to breathe.

She couldn’t keep living like this forever.

Lauren straightened her back.

“Why is that my fault? It was a proposal your father brought. You should take responsibility—not me.”

“What nonsense are you saying right now? Hey!”

Delania’s raised voice rang sharply through the room.

Lauren’s head throbbed, but she spoke again.

Some things had to be said.

So that girl would never again come to the House of Lilliwood treating it lightly.

“Lady Siaz. This is the House of Lilliwood. I am the Duchess standing before you, so at the very least, showing some respect would—”

Before she could finish,

burning pain exploded across Lauren’s cheek.

Her head had snapped sideways.

Slowly, she turned back.

Delania stood now, breathing hard.

Her palm was red and swollen.

Ah.

She hit me.

Forgetting even the sting in her cheek, Lauren thought distantly.

A ringing filled her ears.

The blow had been strong enough that her vision shook.

“Who do you think you are to speak to me like that? Lauren Siaz—do you really think you’ve become an actual duchess? How dare you—”

“If Lauren isn’t a real duchess, then what is she?”

A man’s low voice carved through Lauren’s dazed mind.

It was familiar—

yet lowered this much, it sounded almost like someone else.

Lauren blinked slowly.

Where had the formal clothes gone?

The man stood in his usual shirt.

His loosened golden hair shone beneath the room’s light like a lion’s mane.