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Chapter : 24
“Miss! Hurry, put this on your cheek.”
“Greta.”
When Freya came up to her room, Greta approached after setting down a bowl filled with ice water. Seeing the bowl packed with herbs that gave off a refreshing scent, Freya asked,
“Did Hessman bring this?”
“Yes. He put in plenty of herbs that are excellent for reducing swelling.”
“What kind of herb is it this time? The last one didn’t really work.”
“They say it’s a herb that Physician Bezel managed to obtain with great difficulty. It’s supposed to be more than twice as effective as ordinary ones, so I’m sure it’ll work.”
Led by Greta, Freya sat on the sofa and pressed the towel she was handed against her cheek.
“It’s cool….”
The cold seeped into her heated cheek. The strong herbal fragrance brushed her nose, and the throbbing headache she’d had seemed to ease a little.
“Still, the swelling is really bad. I don’t think it’ll go down easily.”
“That’s a problem. I have to go to work tomorrow.”
If the swelling didn’t subside, rumors that she had been struck would spread through the imperial palace by morning.
“Greta. I’m counting on you.”
“Ha… You’ll have to keep icing it all night. Give me that and hold this against your cheek.”
“Thank you.”
Greta took the cold towel and this time handed her an ice pack. It, too, was filled with a refreshing herbal scent.
She really did prepare everything so carefully. A faint smile spread across Freya’s lips.
“Honestly, the Marquis… To strike you so hard that your cheek swells like this.”
Greta examined Freya’s right cheek and sighed heavily.
“It’s happened before. Not often, but it’s been a while.”
“There’s nowhere you deserve to be hit! You already take hits you shouldn’t have to just from looking after the young master.”
“Allen is still young. And no matter what, corporal punishment isn’t necessary.”
“It’s not necessary for you either, Miss!”
Greta raised her voice, fuming. Knowing she was worried about her, Freya only smiled silently.
Knock, knock.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
“Freya, may I come in?”
“…Please come in.”
It was Selene’s voice. Freya handed the ice pack to Greta and stood up from the sofa. Seeing Greta’s displeased expression, Freya shook her head.
Reluctantly nodding and letting out a sigh, Greta hid her displeasure as if nothing were wrong.
Soon the door opened and Selene came in.
“Are you getting ready to sleep?”
“Yes.”
“……”
Selene’s gaze went to the bowl of ice water with herbs on the table and the ice pack in Greta’s hands.
Even after seeing how red and swollen Freya’s cheek was, she said nothing.
Not even a single word asking if I’m okay, as always.
It had always been that way. Whenever Freya was struck by Marquis Valche, Selene never took any action and merely stood by.
Used to it, Freya went straight to the point.
“What brings you here?”
“Is it true you were dismissed from your post as Astellia’s attendant, just as your father said?”
“Ha….”
She hadn’t even hoped for words of concern. She’d harbored the faintest, pointless hope that Selene might have come to check on her condition behind her father’s back, but it was in vain.
“No matter what I say, you won’t believe me anyway, Mother.”
“Freya, what are you saying? I only came to confirm—”
“You already decided to believe Father before you came, so don’t talk around it.”
“……”
Hit right on the mark, Selene fell silent. Freya spoke to her in a low voice.
“What is it you really want?”
“…Stop being stubborn and go to the matchmaking meeting. After all, you’ve failed to keep your promise with your father.”
“So in the end, you really intend to marry me off.”
“Of course. You’re the strange one for wanting to remain single in the first place. As the daughter of a marquis’s family, how can you think only of yourself without considering the family’s position?”
Selene held out a letter envelope as she continued,
“It wasn’t easy to arrange this. Your father has approved it too, so you must go.”
“……”
Freya bit her lip as she looked at the blue envelope Selene was offering. To think that a single envelope like that could block her future.
Suppressing the urge to tear it apart, she glared at it and said,
“I won’t go on a matchmaking date, and I won’t get married.”
“Freya!”
“No matter what kind of proposal you bring me, Mother, it’ll be impossible for you to marry me off.”
“What in the world are you talking about?”
Selene frowned as if she couldn’t understand. She didn’t like how Freya kept being stubborn.
Normally she was obedient and listened well—so why did she react so sensitively only when it came to marriage?
…It’s already been delayed enough. If I put it off any longer, it’ll be a disgrace.
Among the noble ladies around her, Freya was the only daughter her age who still wasn’t married. Because of that, whenever the topic came up at gatherings, Selene couldn’t hold her head high.
Remembering all the humiliation she’d endured, Selene’s face grew red. As Freya quietly watched her—
Knock, knock.
“Mi-miss, Madam. It’s the head butler.”
Along with the knock came Hessman’s urgent voice. Freya glanced at Selene and said,
“Come in.”
With her permission, Hessman opened the door and entered. He looked unusually flustered, making both Freya and Selene look at him in confusion.
“Hessman. What is it?”
“Well, it’s just that…”
“What’s the matter? Did the Marquis send for you?”
“No, it’s not that.”
Hesitating, Hessman held out to Freya an envelope he had in his gloved hand. Seeing the luxurious red envelope, she tilted her head in confusion—then widened her eyes when she saw the seal stamped on it.
“This is….”
“What is it? What could have come?”
“Ma’am, this is for Miss Freya…”
“For Freya?”
“It’s… a marriage proposal from the Duke of Betelheim’s family.”
“…What did you say?”
Startled, Selene checked the envelope Hessman was holding. A red envelope stamped with a seal. Ordinarily, when sending a letter, the seal was placed in the center.
But on this envelope, the seal of the Duke of Betelheim’s house was stamped on the left. That indicated an engagement request or formal proposal.
“……”
Realizing what the envelope was, Freya reached out and took the engagement letter from Hessman. With a letter opener Greta quickly brought, she slit it open and unfolded the paper inside.
As Freya read slowly, Selene’s gaze wavered beside her.
To Lady Freya Valche of the Marquis House. From the House of Duke Betelheim…
The contents were simpler than expected. The Duke of Betelheim’s family was formally requesting a marriage and engagement with Freya and would visit within a few days.
That was all—a perfectly ordinary engagement letter.
They said it would be soon, but I didn’t expect it to arrive today.
It felt a bit too fast, but for Freya it was welcome news. Now she had a reason to refuse the matchmaking meeting.
“Is… is that really an engagement letter from the Duke of Betelheim’s family?”
“…Would you like to see?”
When Freya handed it over, Selene quickly took it and read it thoroughly from beginning to end. After checking it several times, she spoke with trembling hands.
“Th-this is really….”
“It’s an engagement letter addressed to me.”
At Freya’s confirmation, Selene soon turned pale and shouted,
“…H-Hessman! Hurry and inform the Marquis!”
“Ma’am, the master is in the bath right now, so…”
“Ah….”
What should she do? Should she go to the bathroom where her husband was, even now?
Seeing Selene unable to calm down, Freya said,
“What should we do, Mother? It looks like I won’t be able to go on that matchmaking meeting.”
With an engagement letter arriving from the Duke of Betelheim’s family, it was impossible for her to attend another match. One couldn’t ignore the wishes of a ducal house, of all places.
Even if it’s just a formal engagement on the surface, it’s reassuring.
Normally it would have been shocking news, but right now, at this moment, Freya found Raiden’s engagement letter more than welcome.
