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chapter 7
At the words of Duke Baraota, Yuriela gently shook her head.
“It’s nice to spend peaceful time with Ray, but there are just too many things I have to do.”
Since the Crown Prince retained all his memories, Yuriela felt there was no room for leisure.
“Just coming to see the sea with Ray like this is enough.”
“It’s okay. We can come again. Besides, Ray has his schedule tomorrow anyway.”
Duke Baraota draped his cloak over Yuriela’s shoulders.
“It gets quite chilly at night, so at least wear this.”
“Ah, thank you.”
For a moment, the sea breeze ruffled Yuriela’s long silver hair. Duke Baraota tidied her disheveled hair. Perhaps because she had just washed, the scent of her perfume brushed against his nose. Without thinking, he placed his hand on her cheek.
“Ray?”
At Yuriela’s voice, Duke Baraota quickly withdrew his hand.
“I’ll head back to the room. Make sure not to take too long.”
“Understood.”
He returned to his room promptly.
Left alone on the balcony, Yuriela recalled the touch of Duke Baraota’s hand on her cheek.
“What could that have meant?”
She was filled with hope, wondering if perhaps he was slowly opening his heart to her.
“If that’s the case, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
When morning came, Duke Baraota acted indifferent, as if yesterday had meant nothing.
“Let’s have breakfast and then return.”
Yuriela could not hide her melancholy.
“I thought we had gotten a little closer.”
“Understood.”
“Oh, and we’ll need to visit the palace soon.”
“The palace?”
Since there was a chance she would meet the Crown Prince there, Yuriela’s voice trembled slightly.
“Yes. The Emperor insisted on seeing you and has invited you to dinner.”
Before her return, the Emperor had never invited her to a private dinner, only public parties, so a wave of unease washed over Yuriela.
“Don’t worry. Just eat quietly and come back.”
Even Duke Baraota’s words could not calm her anxiety.
“Milady, I heard from the butler that you selected me. Thank you.”
“No, I should be thanking you for becoming my personal maid.”
Yuriela smiled warmly at Madelle.
“Milady, you look very relaxed today. I’m glad. It seems you enjoyed the trip.”
“Huh?”
“On the wedding day, you seemed so nervous that I worried it wasn’t just nerves.”
Throughout the wedding, Madelle had worried about Yuriela’s anxious glances around.
“So I was concerned if you were unwell. Plus, you kept saying strange things…”
“I must have been overly sensitive because of a strange dream. But Madelle, I have a favor to ask.”
“Yes, anything you need, please tell me.”
“Can you promise not to tell Ray anything?”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, no matter what I ask you to do, will you promise not to mention it to Duke Baraota?”
Madelle swallowed hard at the earnestness in Yuriela’s eyes. For a moment, she wondered if she was being tested, but having vowed to serve only the Duchess, she nodded firmly.
“I will. I serve you, not the Duke.”
Seeing Madelle nod with determination, Yuriela smiled brightly.
“I knew you’d say that. Thank you.”
Yuriela pulled a letter from a drawer.
“First, send this letter to the Vitale family right away. Ray must never know.”
Madelle carefully took the letter.
“Understood.”
“Please take care of it.”
Madelle left the room to carry out Yuriela’s instructions.
Alone, Yuriela urgently retrieved the things she had organized that morning.
“I can’t just sit back and be caught off guard again. First, I need to find him—the one who claimed to be the Emperor’s son.”
Though she could tell no one, Yuriela was certain that the man who claimed to be the Emperor’s son was the one responsible for her and the Crown Prince’s regression.
“The moment he threw the bracelet to the floor… it shattered…”
Recalling that day made her head pound.
“Again… thinking about him gives me a headache.”
After breakfast with Duke Baraota, she continued to consider her next steps. She also reflected on the circumstances that brought her back in time, thinking that might be the key to everything.
But the more she tried to recall things about that man, the more her head felt like it would split, forcing her to stop.
“Was that bracelet a magical artifact?”
Magic was considered a rare and frowned-upon thing at the time, but there had been a secret market for magical items among commoners.
It began when peasants, unable to afford doctors, discovered healing artifacts. Of course, it was soon suppressed by the royal court.
“Then he must be a magician…”
Magicians never revealed their faces. Magic was rejected, and its users were often labeled witches or monsters.
“All I remember is that he had green hair and eyes, like a forest… this could get complicated.”
For now, Yuriela decided to set that issue aside and focus on what she could do immediately.
“I must step into society. Not just for essential appearances, but to establish a proper presence.”
Before her return, Yuriela rarely attended society events. She would only leave the manor for necessary appearances and had no close ties with other noblewomen.
She spent time only with her sisters and was called the “Blue Hydrangea” in society. The blue hydrangea symbolized coldness and arrogance, mocking her lack of social interaction.
Now, she resolved to participate in society for a single reason.
“Society’s connections always tie into business.”
Some might see society as a battlefield of women’s vanity, but its original purpose was different: to find collaborators in a relaxed environment and exchange needed information—essentially, business networking.
“Though it became more about flaunting superiority, the original function wasn’t entirely lost. And I’ll gain information there too.”
Knock, knock.
“Milady, it’s Madelle.”
Yuriela quickly put the paper back into the drawer.
“Come in.”
Madelle entered.
“I asked another servant to send the letter to my family. No one will know.”
“Thank you, Madelle. There will be more tasks like this in the future.”
“Yes.”
“But what I do will never endanger the Baraota family or betray Ray, so don’t worry. I can’t explain everything, but I can promise that.”
Madelle smiled faintly.
“Milady, I trust you. I haven’t known you long, but I know you wouldn’t ask me to do dangerous things. That’s why I agreed immediately. Please continue to assign me tasks. That’s what I’m paid for.”
“Thank you. Madelle, we need to go out tomorrow. Can you prepare for it?”
“Prepare?”
Yuriela nodded.
“I’ll tell Ray we’re visiting family, but we’ll slip past the guards and go elsewhere.”
“Should I prepare another set of commoner clothes?”
“Yes, that would help. Thank you.”
“Understood.”
“Duke, the Crown Prince has sent this as a wedding gift.”
Victor carefully presented a box to Duke Baraota.
“What is this?”
“You should see it for yourself.”
The Duke cautiously opened the box. Seeing the contents, he slammed his fist on the desk.
“A ring that should be used for a proposal as a wedding gift? And only one, not a pair? And the gem is the same color as Yuriela’s eyes?”
“Could it be that the Crown Prince and Milady knew each other?”
Victor asked cautiously.
“The Crown Prince is trying to unsettle the Baraota family. His investigation of Riel was completed before the wedding.”
“But his behavior…”
“Silence. Do you want to suggest that the Duchess and the Crown Prince are in love?”
Victor could say nothing to the fierce glare of Duke Baraota.
“Apologies.”
The Duke threw the box out the window.
“Duke!”
Victor, witnessing this, cried out in shock.
“Even so, it’s a gift from the Crown Prince. It might be better to keep it in storage. I’ll retrieve it immediately.”
“Do as you wish.”
The Duke looked displeased as Victor went to retrieve the ring.
“Annoying.”
Since the wedding day, the Crown Prince’s provocations had irritated him.
“Damn fool… getting provoked by such a thing.”
Knock, knock.
“You’ve already found it, I suppose?”
“Ah, Ray. It’s me. I have something to discuss.”
“…Come in.”
