Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Actually, it was to deal with the spies hiding inside the territory, but there was no need to tell Tessa about that. She was to be kept safe in the castle, escorted by his men.

“Ah… Yes.”

“Have lunch with the other wives. I’ll allow it. Don’t just skip your meals.”

Hert said this while checking Tessa’s outfit as a whole.

He beckoned Mani to bring the earrings. The blue sapphire earrings matched the dress Tessa was wearing. Hert once again put the earrings on Tessa’s ears by hand. Seeing this, Mani started to fuss.

“Oh my gosh, it fits you so well. Madam, you seem to be getting more beautiful day by day. Aren’t you as beautiful as the princesses from other countries?”

“Mani, that’s too much…”

“Why. I think you look good, too.”

Her hair or face normally would have had to be touched up more by another maid, but in Hert’s eyes, Tessa was already beautiful enough. Her originally pale skin glowed brightly even without powder, and thanks to the fact that she ate and rested well, she gained weight and her clothes fit her much better than before.

Everything was perfect except for those anxiously shaky pupils and hands that fidgeted without rest for even a moment.

Hert held Tessa’s hands tightly without saying a word. The small hands, which had been moving non-stop, slowly regained stability in his grasp. He tucked Tessa’s fine hair behind her ear and opened his mouth.

“I forgot to say this, but if you can, don’t go outside the castle for a while.”

Outside the castle? Tessa questioned Hert’s sudden words, but she didn’t ask again this time, and bit her mouth. She had no intention of going out of the castle anyway. In the beginning, she was confined to the castle for seven years and did not know her way out.

“Wherever you go, take an escort with you. Okay?”

“Yes…”

Tessa politely nodded at him.

* * *

Tessa had a meal with the other wives at lunchtime, just as Hert told her to. It was fortunate that the marchioness and Janet readily accepted the sudden invitation. Otherwise, she would have had lunch alone in the spacious dining room.

Contrary to concerns, there was a friendly atmosphere throughout the three wives’ dinner. It was because Janet was constantly throwing topics and leading the conversation. Tessa, who was inwardly nervous about having dinner with the Marchioness, was smiling intermittently without realizing it.

After the meal, the three women sat around the table on the terrace. Janet suddenly burst into laughter and it caught attention. What was so funny? Tessa’s brief remarks resonated deeply. She thought it was a sight she would never have dreamed of while Marquis Jutert was alive.

It’s a gathering of the first wife and the auxiliary wives.

The atmosphere was getting better as time went on.

“Isn’t the new Lord’s devotion towards Tessa too much?”

Janet asked playfully, stroking her bloated belly.

Although the meals at the annex where she currently resides tend to come out well, the new Lord’s interest in Tessa was so special that today’s meal consists of rare dishes. As a result, Janet ate more than usual. She wasn’t really pregnant, but when she saw the food that filled the whole table, she had a craving for it.

“If I had known it would come out this well, I would have asked you to invite me a lot earlier.”

“…I’m sorry. I will from now on—”

“I’m joking, joking! And I’m not so ignorant as to just interrupt anytime.”

Tessa smiled shyly at Janet, who grinned. It seemed that Janet somehow had misunderstood her and Hert firmly. In fact, she wouldn’t be able to say that she had even seen Hert during meal times…

It was true that Hert was kind. Hert was so good that a sense of greed kept creeping out of the corner of her heart. However, at mealtime, that kindness was a little different.

Throughout the meal, he watched what Tessa was eating, how much she ate, and so on. His gaze was so hot that Tessa felt suffocated at every meal.

Besides, if she wanted to eat less than usual, he was frighteningly busy putting food on her plate. Then he watched again until she ate it all.

‘Hert seems to be just interested in fattening me up…’

Tessa lowered her gaze for a moment, then saw Janet’s bloated belly and asked what she had been curious about throughout the meal.

“Then, Janet… I don’t think you have morning sickness. I heard that everyone suffers from morning sickness when they are pregnant.”

“What? Ah… Morning sickness? Huh… I’m blessed. Yes, I am blessed. I am so blessed.”

“Ah… I thought that all pregnant women would have severe morning sickness.”

Everyone talks about morning sickness the most when they’re pregnant… Janet smiled a little awkwardly at Tessa’s murmur and waved her hand.

“Haha, not necessarily. Everyone’s body is different. Isn’t that right, Marchioness?”

Janet looked at Elena, who had been quietly drinking her tea from before. Elena glanced at Janet, and then nodded her head gently.

“Missus Vellodem is right. Each person’s health is different. Mine was bad.”

Elena said in a blunt and nonchalant tone. Then, naturally, she changed the topic.

“Have you thought about that?”

“…What?”

“Writing.”

Hearing the marchioness’ words, Tessa gave a short sigh. A suggestion to learn to write. She thought the marchioness would only take it out once that time so she was so stunned when the marchioness asked again. Janet looked at the two of them alternately as she tilted her head.

“Writing? Are you two holding a writing class?”

“If you learn to write, there are a lot of places where you can write. There will definitely be something to write about later. Think about it, Tessa.”

Elena spoke to Tessa again, ignoring Janet’s question. Then Janet called out in a little louder voice.

“Huh? What. Tessa, you don’t know how to write?”

“…….”

Before long, Tessa’s face turned red. She was embarrassed to think that she was the only one in this place who did not know how to write. In response to Tessa’s reaction, Janet covered her mouth with her hand. Elena clicked her tongue with a sound that could only be heard by her towards Janet, and placed bread topped with cream on Tessa’s plate.

“Tessa, there is no shame in not knowing how to write. Because everyone is born without knowing how to write from the beginning.”

“That’s right, Tessa! I’m also a late learner. There’s no need to be shy! And, as the Marchioness said, how useful it is to learn to write once. Will you be using it as the Mistress in the future?”

Janet stood by the side and listened intently to the Marchioness. But Tessa was still unsure. Can she learn to write on her own? There are many places to write, but no matter how much she thinks about it, she has no use for it. She’s not even a real aristocrat, and she doesn’t even have anything to do here. She was far less likely to be a Mistress, as Janet implied.

As Tessa shut her mouth and hesitated, Janet wedged in.

“I want to receive a letter from you, Tessa, can’t that be reason enough?”

“…A letter?”

“Yes, if I have a letter from you, I can always remember Tessa even when I leave this place. Later, we can exchange greetings with each other. So I hope you learn how to write.”

“…Janet, are you planning to leave the castle?”

When Janet said she was leaving, Tessa looked at her in surprise. Janet smiled and looked into Marchioness for a moment before she answered in a calm voice.

“I feel like I should get out of here.”

“W-Why…? Why do you think you should leave?”

Two years ago, Janet has been Tessa’s most helpful person since she joined the Juterts. She was also the first to ever ask Tessa about the abuse, and she was slapped in the face by the Young Marquis instead of her. So when Tessa heard Janet was leaving, her heart broke.

“The new Lord said it’s okay to stay here, but that doesn’t mean I want to stay here forever. When I think about it, the last month is approaching too, so I have to go out and prepare.”

“Ah…”

Tessa lowered the corners of her lips hearing Janet’s words. As Janet said, she was able to stay here thanks to Hert’s consideration. Otherwise, the wives of the former lord had to leave the castle immediately.

“I’m also very sorry, but because I can’t stay here forever… I’m sorry, Tessa. Last time I said you didn’t have to think about it, and now I changed my mind.”

“No…”

“So, can’t you learn to write so you can send letters to me?”

“But I…”

Tessa hesitated again, but this time Elena stepped forward and added.

“I’ll teach you, Tessa. It’s really not that difficult once you learn it. And few people in this castle knew as well as I do.”

Having even the marchioness persuade her, Tessa began to worry even more. Janet was one of the few precious people who cared for her, and Tessa wanted to do her best. After all, writing a letter was not a big deal.

“If you keep learning for an hour every day, you will be able to write a simple letter. You’re smart, Tessa.”

“Yes. Learn little by little, Tessa. If it’s hard, you can stop. Just once? Okay? Janet’s wish!”

Suddenly Janet dragged her chair to Tessa’s side, grabbed her two hands and waved them pleadingly. Tessa didn’t say anything for a while, but eventually had no choice but to nod.

“Oh my God, Tessa is the best!”

—