TREV 33

Chapter : 33

Hiiing.

With the neighing of the horse, the carriage gradually slowed down. It seemed that we had finally arrived at the Duke of Herarila’s mansion.

As soon as the carriage came to a complete stop, the duke flustered and opened the door.
From his rapidly shifting eyes and the way he hurriedly tried to move aside, I could sense the complexity of his emotions.

“…….”
I carefully observed the back of his head, wondering if he was thinking about something else, until our eyes met.
For a moment, the duke flinched and then cautiously extended his hand, seemingly to help me get out of the carriage.

“I’ll get out on my own.”
I shook my head as I looked at his hand.
This wasn’t what I wanted from him.
The interest that had long since become too late, and the false love born of fear—those were not what I desired.

“Th-Then. If that’s what you want?”
The duke awkwardly withdrew his hand and stepped aside.

“Oh, right. Patricia. You must be tired.”
“Huh?”
“How uncomfortable it must have been for you, being somewhere that isn’t your home. Would you like to rest in your room?”

The duke seemed eager to send me to my room, as if this conversation was too awkward.
Perhaps he thought I needed time alone to think, or maybe he wanted to call his brothers to discuss how to handle the current situation.

“Father.”
Maybe he was still suspicious of me.

“Hm? Patricia, do you have something to say?”
“I don’t think our conversation is over yet. Right?”

At that question, the duke gave a small nod.

“Don’t keep me waiting too long. I need to go see the Marquis Gerhardt without delay.”

The duke made a low sound of acknowledgment.

“Then I’ll rest for now, so please call me when it’s time.”

I turned my back to the duke and walked away.
Step by step.

Every step drew the curious gazes of the servants.
From the look in their eyes, it seemed they were wondering how I could boldly return like this.

I heard quiet whispers reach my ears.
How much they must have disliked me to speak so openly in hushed tones.
I supposed they thought Patricia had completely fallen out of the duke’s favor by now.
There was no trace of fear toward Patricia in their openly whispering voices anymore.

“…….”
I wanted to snap at them, but I pretended not to hear and kept walking.

Thud thud thud.
From the end of the hallway, Carlos ran toward me.
Perhaps he had heard that I had returned and rushed over, holding a mop in one hand.

Carlos quickly scanned me as he slowed his pace.

“…Milady.”
Hearing him call me with so much concern made my chest tighten.

The duke, who had threatened Lawrence Gerhardt just to gain advantage, caring nothing if it meant pretending to love for his own benefit.
A father who would forgo even genuine affection if it served his own interest.
From all the duke’s actions, there was not even a trace of concern or affection for Patricia.

“…Milady.”
In Carlos’s gaze, as he looked up at me without daring to come closer, I saw what I had been searching for.

What I had been searching for.
Thinking that, my heart became unsettled.
I had never wished for the duke’s love. So why did seeing Carlos’s concern for me bring such relief?

“Carlos, have you been well?”
“Ah, Milady.”

I deliberately smiled and hugged Carlos, and he twisted in surprise.

“I’m dirty from cleaning.”
Only then did Carlos seem to realize he was holding a mop in one hand, and he took a half step back.

“It’s fine.”
“It’s really dirty.”
But something like that didn’t matter at all.
It was fine if it was Carlos.

“I said it’s fine.”

Even when he was being dragged by my father, he had tried to stand up for me.
Small, with nothing to his name—if he were cast out of this mansion, he would have nowhere to go.
Yet he had risked that for me.

Rationally, it would have been better for him not to be involved with me.
But Carlos had run to see me, the one no one else welcomed.
He was my only ally in this mansion.
So it was fine if it was Carlos.

“Let’s go to my room. I have something to tell you.”
I reached out my hand to Carlos.
He hesitated briefly, then wiped his hand on his sleeve and gently took mine.

“Milady, where did you sleep last night? You left without taking anything.”
As soon as we closed the door, Carlos’s question came.

“Were you scolded by the duke? Are you okay now? You won’t go out again, right? When I heard from the butler…”

The usually quiet boy was talking too much, stumbling over his words.

“Carlos, ask slowly. One thing at a time.”
I raised my hand to interrupt him, and he nodded slowly, understanding.

“So, what I really want to ask is…”
“Yes? What is it?”
“Are you okay, Milady?”

His gaze was unusually direct.
In the stillness of his eyes, as calm as a lake without a ripple, I saw myself reflected.

“Yes, I’m fine.”
I smiled brightly and nodded quickly.
I didn’t want to make Carlos worry any longer.

“You won’t be chased away anymore. Ah, and my father apologized. Everything seems to be resolved.”

“That’s a relief. Really.”
“Yes, it is.”

“…I’m sorry I couldn’t help.”
Carlos’s brows furrowed in apology.
I smiled warmly at him.

“No. Nothing happened. I was just out for a little fun. You have nothing to apologize for.”

Only then did Carlos relax and mirror my smile.
My heart felt heavy at how warm Carlos was.

Carlos.
I couldn’t say that all my feelings for him had been entirely calculated.
But my approach to him had been largely practical—
To survive. To gain something for myself.

“….”
Did I even deserve Carlos’s kindness?

“…Um, Carlos.”
I wanted to be helpful to him as he was to me.

“Well, I have something I want to ask.”
“What is it?”

Of course, wherever he went, Carlos would become the empire’s greatest swordsman.

“Soon, I’ll be leaving this mansion.”

Would it be possible for Carlos to come with me?
Until he officially became a Gerhardt knight, I wanted to take care of him.
It would be better for him to be with me than living as a servant here.

“If I leave this house, will you… come with me?”

If circumstances allowed, I wanted to provide him with a professional teacher for both literature and swordsmanship.
Of course, only if Carlos wanted it.

“Will you come with me? With me.”
“Yes! If Milady wishes it!”

Fearing that he might refuse seemed unnecessary—Carlos nodded without hesitation.

Just as I opened my mouth to say thank you, someone suddenly flung open the door.

“Hah! So you’re with this guy again?”
As usual, Morgan barged in without a shred of consideration, frowning at Carlos in the room.

“You’re completely insane. Do you like men that much? How long has it been since you spent the night with Lawrence Gerhardt, and now you’re cozying up to a servant?”

Morgan leaned crookedly against the wall.
It was unclear what exactly bothered him so much as he began to complain again.

“Seeing that the duke didn’t scold you, did he say Lawrence Gerhardt is taking responsibility? Hah! That might be the best thing in your life, but what crime did Lawrence Gerhardt commit? Acting like a common harlot?”

Morgan’s endless harsh criticism made me frown.
It seemed he had no idea what had actually happened.
He probably assumed the only reason I could return to the mansion was because Lawrence had obeyed the duke’s wishes.

“You, that girl, are a disgrace to the family in every way, from one to ten.”

But… I planned none of this. Isn’t this exactly the situation they wanted and pushed?
In the end, it seemed that Patricia always ended up being the one scolded.

“…Hey.”
Honestly, I had words to say.
But this wasn’t a situation that could be resolved with dialogue—it would just be a waste of emotion.

“Your father’s looking for you. You have time to be doing this?”

“Huh? Hey? You’re really crazy.”
Morgan huffed but seemed conflicted because he knew the duke was calling.

“You deal with it when you get back.”
“Fine, if I can.”

Huffing, Morgan slammed the door with all his might.
Bang.

I finally glanced at Carlos.
I always felt sorry that he got caught up in these awkward situations.

“…Carlos, you were surprised, right?”
“Ah, no. I’m fine. Are you okay?”

“Yes.”
I just wanted to see if Morgan could still treat me like this after hearing from the duke.

“Do you think the young master got angry because of me?”
“No. Definitely not because of you.”

I shook my head at Carlos, who worried that Morgan’s anger was somehow my fault.

“But last night, because of me…”
I quickly interrupted Carlos, who was blaming himself needlessly.

“Carlos, don’t mind what Morgan said. This is a secret, okay?”
I lowered my voice as if telling a very important fact, and Carlos leaned in closer.

“Morgan… is half out of his mind.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. When the effect of his meds wears off, he acts like that.”

Carlos furrowed his brows in surprise, then muttered to himself, “Ah, so that’s why.”

“So you don’t have to worry about it.”
“…Yes. I understand.”

“Alright, I’ll go see my father for a bit. You can stay here if you want.”
I got up, ready to go see the duke.

“No. I’ll go too.”
Carlos stood, saying he had to get back to cleaning the windows, and followed me.

Knowing the family’s secret, Carlos walked with a sense of resolve.