Episode 97
“Thank you for saying that. You don’t know how happy I was when Sylvia and Cesar came to find me. I probably wouldn’t die thanks to my divine power, but… I really… really hate being hurt…”
I nestled into his embrace. His warmth enveloped me.
I hadn’t wanted to rely on anyone. Unlike when I had presumptuously comforted him, I just wanted to live quietly, without interacting with the characters in the novel.
Unlike me, who didn’t belong in this story, they would find their places and eventually leave my side.
“Lily.”
“I have a name, Valerie, but Cesar seems to like that name.”
“It feels like a nickname.”
“I like being called a nickname.”
As I smiled at him, tears blurred my vision. The hand that had been stroking my hair gently wiped away my tears.
It was such a gentle touch. And his next words were irresistibly sweet.
“Stay at the Dukedom.”
“…At the Dukedom?”
“Yes. I can’t watch over you if you’re at the Veronica County.”
“But I…”
“I’ll explain things to Sylvia, and I’ve already taken care of the Imperial building you destroyed, so stop making excuses.”
“…”
“Come back to my side, Lily.”
Who could refuse such words?
I took his hand, entranced, and was completely taken in.
Back in the present, I sat in the garden, fuming at my deceitful owner.
‘I thought I would be staying here as a guest! What is this?!’
I had stayed in my room, believing his words about not being seen by the servants. I would go out for short walks at night, but I mostly avoided being seen.
And as I was spending my days lazily, almost forgetting about Prea,
‘Is this the young lady you want me to tutor?’
‘Yes. I’ll leave her in your care.’
Cesar brought a woman who, at first glance, seemed strict and demanding. And I was reborn.
I quickly relearned etiquette and corrected my posture and pronunciation. Apparently, Imperial etiquette and noble etiquette were different.
Learning was faster since I had diligently listened and learned during my time at the Imperial Palace. But there was also more to learn.
As I started dance practice and muttered everything I learned before falling asleep, like a high school student preparing for the college entrance exam, I suddenly thought, something’s not right.
‘Why am I relearning all this when I’m not even a noble?’
One day, women who seemed to be designers from a famous dress shop suddenly barged into my room, took my measurements, and left.
Then, dresses started piling up in my room, and after a few visits from jewelers, I had a mountain of accessories.
‘What are all these clothes and accessories? Why are they giving these to me?’
I wondered if the Crown Prince had ordered this, but there was no contact from him, so my questions only grew.
And most recently, after I was finally allowed to roam the mansion, I was sitting in the garden, spacing out, when I heard whispers,
‘Is that young lady the Duke’s…?’
‘Shh. Do you want to get in trouble?’
What? What is it?
I perked up my ears, trying to eavesdrop. But they would clam up whenever I approached.
It hurt that the servants, whom I had already met, were acting so coldly. So I decided to approach them first.
‘Hello. The weather is nice today.’
As I smiled and greeted them, their faces flushed.
I didn’t know why they were blushing. When I was a bird, I often saw the maids squeal and clasp their hands together when I passed by, but it felt strange now that I was human.
‘I was feeling lonely just sitting in the garden. What are your names?’
I asked, even though I already knew. Fortunately, those who had been kind to me as a bird were also kind to me as a human.
As we started talking more comfortably, I subtly asked,
‘I think I’ve been hearing rumors about me. Did I do something wrong?’
They all lowered their heads, their faces stiff. The strange atmosphere made me tilt my head, and then I realized,
‘Oh, it’s not that I’m uncomfortable. I’m just curious. I would feel bad if there were rumors about me because of my mistakes…’
My voice sounded genuinely sad. The maids in front of me looked flustered.
‘Good. I can finally hear what I want.’
My acting skills had improved since being kidnapped. I felt a little sad, wondering if that was a good thing or not.
‘Bad rumors? No way! That’s not true! Right?’
‘Y-yes! Everyone is just… curious because you were brought here by the Duke!’
‘Curious about what?’
The maids fell silent again, looking at each other. Then, one of them cautiously spoke,
‘…Everyone is curious how you two met and how you captivated the Duke.’
Even now, the memory of that moment was incredibly embarrassing.
I had naturally assumed Cesar would introduce me as a distant relative or a distinguished guest from another country.
Of course, I had also worked as a maid at Sylvia’s mansion, so I thought I might be hired as a maid at the Clovis Dukedom. I figured I would be a maid favored by the Duke.
But the story had taken a different turn.
I didn’t understand why Cesar hadn’t stopped the servants from gossiping, allowing the rumors to reach even my ears.
And come to think of it, the sudden lessons, the custom-made dresses, the matching jewelry, it was all very strange.
‘No matter how I think about it, he’s treating me like his lover.’
But that didn’t make sense. Did he confess his feelings? I had no memory of that, not even in my sleep.
But looking back, he seemed to have done everything else except confess.
‘My mom used to say that guys who do everything but confess are just playing with your heart, good-for-nothing trash.’
I wanted to believe Cesar wasn’t that kind of trash, but I didn’t fully trust him. He was the villain of the novel; who knew what he might do?
I realized I was doing something my mother from my past life would scold me for. But what could I do? My heart was already set.
Well, I wasn’t going to become the Duchess anyway, and Cesar would probably find me a suitable place to stay eventually.
The thought of him marrying another woman was a little… no, very painful, but by then, I would have moved on and would be able to leave without regrets.
Cherishing the memory of our beautiful relationship.
With that lighthearted thought, I continued talking to the maids.
‘…We’re not… in a relationship, are we? Why would you think that?’
‘Well, the way the Duke treats you… it would be strange if you weren’t… right?’
‘Yes. And the Duke said you’ll be staying at the Dukedom permanently, so he told us to make sure you’re comfortable.’
‘Permanently…?’
‘Yes! Like you’re going to live here forever!’
A chilling premonition ran down my spine. Cesar’s words were unsettling.
I suddenly had a doubt. Would Cesar really find me another place to stay? I imagined the time when I would want to end our relationship and leave the Dukedom.
My face was already known to the servants of the Dukedom. And my original hair color was unusual, so I wouldn’t be easily forgotten. Rumors of me being his lover were already spreading, and Cesar was acting accordingly.
Could I really end things amicably and meet someone new? He wouldn’t cast a spell to change my hair color when we broke up, and the label of “the Duke’s former lover” would follow me everywhere.
The answer was obvious. Impossible.
‘I’ve been scammed! He just told me to come back; he didn’t say anything about practically selling my life to him! And he didn’t even confess!’
I, a foolish bird, swayed by his sweet words, had no way out.
“Why are you sighing?”
And the culprit appeared before me.
“Because I feel like I’ve been scammed.”
I snorted and turned my head away.
He should have at least given me a warning. What was he thinking, tying me down like this?!
“Scammed, you say?”
Seeing him smile nonchalantly, playing with my hair, my anger subsided slightly.
I patted my cheeks and came to my senses. If I was captivated by that face, my life would be over.
‘Pull yourself together, Lily!’
“My face is already known to everyone, and do you know what the servants at the Dukedom are calling me?”
“What are they calling you?”
“They’re calling me Cesar’s lover!”
“You don’t like that?”
Of course, I liked it! I had been hoping for a relationship!
“That’s not the point! Cesar is a Duke! There will inevitably be rumors if he has a lover. And because of my hair color, even if I break up with him and leave the Dukedom later…”
I stopped mid-sentence. Cesar’s silence was terrifying.
“You can continue.”
“No. I misspoke.”
“Why? You didn’t imagine breaking up with me?”
“Of course not. We’re not even lovers.”
Yes, yes. You didn’t even confess.
I replied confidently and then subtly prepared to leave. It was definitely because his gaze was terrifying. I would be in big trouble if I was caught.
But his arm wrapped around my waist. In a blink, I was sitting on his lap.
“What am I supposed to say to a brazen woman who’s already thinking of breaking up with me before I even confessed?”
Judging by the context, that “brazen woman” was me.
I felt a little wronged. So I retorted,
“And what am I supposed to say to someone who’s already thinking of tying me down before even confessing?”