Chapter 8

“Lady Sereia, someone would like to meet you.”

Anne’s face was grim.

“Couldn’t it be later after the meal?”

The smell of savory meat wafted through the air, making Sereia’s stomach growl.

“I was thinking that too… But this is the mistress of the frontier count. You should show your dignity as a countess with all your might,” Anne said, making a fist and with a brave look in her eyes.

Anne was probably expecting a fight or a play between the two women.

Frankly speaking, Sereia found it too much of a trouble. She wanted to bite into the meat rather than show her dignity. However, she had to put her appetite first.

This woman might have come to challenge Sereia, the display wife. Perhaps to bargain or fight, or perhaps it was the frontier count who sent her to remind Sereia of their relationship.

If so, it would be better to show that Sereia was ready to accept the position as an “ornamental wife” in order to have a peaceful life.

“I understand. Let her in. And Anne, keep your silence even if you get upset.”

Anne did not want to be kicked out of the house for offending the count’s lover. She just showed her frustration for a moment, but then, with a mysterious expression, she replied yes.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Mia.”

The frontier count’s lover was a delicate-looking woman with lustrous platinum blonde hair. She was about the same age as the Count. Her facial features were reasonably attractive, but she was a little “plain” to be standing next to the glamorous Frontier Count.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Sereia.”

“I am sorry to bother you at this time of the day. I hope I didn’t cause you any inconvenience.”

“No, not at all.”

“Dirk has been doing a lot of work at the mansion lately, but he just left to check on the estate. I wanted to talk to you as soon as possible, so I barged in. I apologize.”

Seemed like the frontier count did not send her.

Sereia didn’t know if she had come to bargain, but at least she didn’t come to challenge her to a fight.

Mia’s attitude showed no hostility at all.

“Above all, I apologize…for being a mistress when Dirk has a legal fiancée. I am truly sorry.”

Mia bowed deeply, and Sereia was puzzled.

“it’s…all right. Please don’t apologize.”

“But please rest assured. I am going to leave Dirk in the near future, Lady Sereia.”

Mia raised her face and looked at Sereia with determined eyes.

There, Sereia noticed that the woman in front of her has sky-blue eyes.

Platinum blonde, sky-blue eyes―Oh God!

Although their facial features were completely different, Mia had the same hair and eye color as Princess Cornelia.

Perhaps it was a coincidence, but Sereia felt unsettled.

“What do you…mean by ‘leaving’?”

She asked in a calm voice, trying to suppress her agitation.

“I have always been a traveling entertainer, performing art. Dancing and singing for a living. Two years ago, when I visited frontier territory, Lord Dirk saw me and we became lovers. But…although we’re lovers, I have no intention of becoming a mistress of one who has a wife.”

“But…Count Hertl said that I am just a display wife and you are his real wife. He also said that you are the one who will give birth to his legitimate child.”

Mia shook her head.

“I have no intention of interfering with a married couple in any way.”

It was Count Dirk himself who said that she was just a mere display wife.

“Lady Sereia…that man may be foolish in some ways, but he is not a bad person. Please, Lady Sereia, could you approach him?”

“What…?”

Sereia looked at Mia with a serious look.

“What the hell is wrong with you? She has to approach that man?!”

It was Anne’s voice as if she couldn’t stand the fact that she had promised to keep quiet. Sereia stared at the girl, then hurriedly held her mouth shut.

“Well, since Lord Dirk is a man whose pride is as big as a mountain, I don’t think he’s going to be the one closing to you.”

Mia didn’t seem offended by Anne’s rough tone that didn’t even use honorifics.

Anne was holding her mouth and appealing to Sereia with her eyes.

Sereia understand what Anne was trying to say. Even Sereia herself was not convinced.

“Lady Mia.”

“Please just call me Mia.”

“No, I can’t call you that…”

“I am not a nobleman, just a commoner.”

“I don’t care if you are a commoner or not.”

“…Lady Sereia!”

Anne interrupted again, perhaps couldn’t stand the muddled conversation.

Sereia huffed, cleared her throat, and continued on with her talk.

“I am sure Count Hertl will reject me even if you’re the one who asks me. He hates me, and like he said it is you who he loves.”

“No,” Mia said, “I am Lord Dirk’s lover, but it is someone else that he loves.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. And that is also the reason why he showed a feeling of dislike towards Lady Sereia… Master Dirk was in love with Princess Cornelia.”

About three years ago.

Dirk met Princess Cornelia when he went to the royal capital.

He fell in love at first sight with her fairy-like beauty, but she was only 14 years old at that time. She was too young to ask for marriage.

So then Dirk decided to wait until Cornelia was old enough and asked the king for permission to marry his daughter in a few years. He also managed to exchange letters with Princess Cornelia and deepened their friendship.

Behind the scenes―Dirk had also begun to admire Mia. Someone who had the same hair and eye color as Princess Cornelia. He made her his lover under the promise that they would only be married for a limited period of time.