CH 29

After a while, Clarisse, who was following Maximilian into the mansion first, suddenly looked back.

As if she were worried, Brielle quickly smiled and waved one hand.

Then Clarisse lifted her tiptoe, told Maximilian what to do, and then returned to Brielle.

Perhaps she asked for an understanding for a moment.

“Madam.”

The child who approached was just staring at Brielle.

Looking at those clear eyes, it felt like she had caught all of Brielle’s feelings. 

Maybe the child was quick to notice a certain expression that Brielle couldn’t control at the moment.

Children who grow up among adults are sensitive to such things.

Brielle felt sorry for bothering even a child.

“Isn’t it a pity that the trip is over?”

Brielle gave a friendly question with a bright smile.

Maybe that’s not what the kid meant, but—.

It must be true that it was a pity the trip was over, so the innocent Clarisse nodded quickly. 

“I don’t know if I can call it a trip.”

“Of course, you can call it that.”

Rosalie, who just came to meet her, approached Clarisse. 

“For now, you’d better go back and rest with Rosalie.”

“But Madam…” 

To Clarisse’s cautious words, Brielle replied with a joyful smile this time as well.

“I’m going to show my friend the mansion properly. I’ll talk to you later. Okay?”

“Ah, yes!”

Clarisse greeted Brielle and Asela politely and returned to the mansion with Rosalie.

Even when the Duke and Clarisse came in first, Asela didn’t take her arms off of her and affectionately held her close. 

“Hey, is it okay if I ask you a favor?”

In addition, she smiled slightly and even acted cutely.

｢You do what I tell you to do. Got it?｣

It was so awkward that a lady who used to be obnoxiously commanding her had become so friendly. 

‘Maybe it’s because the Duke’s servants are around.’

Brielle replied with a smile.

“Yes… you can do it.” 

“Ah, please speak comfortably. Anyway, I want to see the Duchess’s room.”

She didn’t seem to think at all that Brielle would refuse, seeing the cute blinking look on her face.

Or perhaps Asela had never even experienced a situation of rejection. 

Her father, Count Darrington, was a man who would do anything for her daughter. 

“I will guide you.”

“Thank you.”

Thank you? 

It was her first time hearing Asela say something like this, so Brielle felt a little strange.

‘Maybe… has the lady grown up a little over the past three years?’

No, it couldn’t have been.

Brielle didn’t relax.

Because her true value will be revealed only after entering a room where no one’s eyes or ears can reach her.

Together they climbed the central staircase and passed through a rather dim hallway with the shutters closed.

“Why don’t you leave the window wide open?”

The gloomy atmosphere was rather frightening, Asela asked with a tearful look.

“It is to protect the people of the mansion from the cold. However, during times when the sun rises strongly, we open all the windows to ventilate. They must keep warm at that time… Lady, why are you suddenly looking at me with such surprised eyes?”

“You really look like the Duchess, That’s great, kid.” 

Asela tapped Brielle’s arm and smiled broadly.

There was not a trace of hostility.

“A, anyway, the room is this way, La….” 

Lady.

Brielle barely swallowed the title that was trying to spill out without her knowledge and looked around. 

Fortunately, no one was in the distance to hear their story.

“Phew.”

Brielle was relieved, and she and Ashela went to her room quickly and shut the door.

After that, she lowered her head for a moment with her back against the closed door. 

Because Asela’s true personality will be revealed from now on. She had to make up her mind beforehand.

She’s definitely going to make a sound to scratch Brielle’s insides again—.

“I’m…sorry.” 

…? 

“I came here… and realized what I had done. Oh my, Brielle.” 

Briel raised her head in bewilderment at the surprising words she heard. 

The proud Lady of the Count, Asela Darrington, bowed her head in front of Brielle.

“I’m sorry that I came to you all of a sudden without contacting you. Were you surprised? But… I wanted to apologize to you. As soon as possible.”

“Lady…?”

When Brielle managed to call her, she shook her head.

“I don’t even deserve to hear that from you. What do you mean, a Lady?”

“….” 

“Nobles are supposed to protect the people of their territory, but on the contrary, I made you protect me…” 

She whispered, “I’m really sorry,” and before she knew it, she began to cry little by little. 

“Sniff, if I could turn back time… Sniff. For doing such a bad thing to you… hiks.” 

Her slender shoulders began to tremble, and Brielle stepped in front of her.

“Lady…” 

“Brielle!” 

Asela held Brielle’s hands tightly and lifted her head.

Her eyes filled with tears, which started to run down her cheeks. 

“Come to think of it, you were the only one I could call a friend.”

“…”

“Only the name is Count, and in fact the Darlington family is nothing great, right? And yet…I’m just saying things that ignore other people…” 

Brielle didn’t really respond.

As Asela said, the Darrington family barely maintains the name of the Count thanks to the success of their ancestors in history.

In fact, it was a family that was worse off than the wealthy merchants.

Even the personality of a child from such a family was twisted, so no one from the aristocratic family dared to continue the exchange.

However, there is no way that Asela’s personality would fit in with merchants’ or commoners’ children, so Brielle was her only playmate throughout her childhood.

Of course, even so, she was nothing more than bullying Brielle.

“Even if I always acted violently, you were the only one who stayed with me.”

“That is because I am a servant. It was natural.”

“Eung, no.” 

She shook her head and squeezed Brielle’s hand even tighter.

“I know how many times your mother has told you to go to another mansion. She doesn’t want you to suffer… And yet you said you’d stay with me.”

“That’s…” 

It wasn’t for Asela. 

It was hard for her to get a job in another house because if Brielle and her mother left the mansion against the Count’s wishes, she wouldn’t receive a proper letter of introduction. 

However, without time to correct the fact, Asela’s story continued.

“You were the only one to me. I don’t even realize that…” 

With her eyes shaking, she looked around.

“…To drive you to a place like this.”

“This is… not such a bad place here, Lady.” 

“It can’t be. It’s so cold and dark… Besides, you look even thinner.”

To be honest, Brielle has been putting on a little more weight than she has lately.

It was thanks to the new maid attached by the Duke.

She continued to bring delicious snacks to the point where she wondered if she had been dispatched to fatten up Brielle.

However, it was strange to say, ‘I’ve gained weight lately’ in this atmosphere, so Brielle just smiled.

“It’s my fault. I did something you couldn’t do.”

“….” 

“It’s fine if you don’t accept my apology. Still… I just wanted to tell you.”

“…Lady.” 

Brielle thought for a moment.

To be honest, she did feel some anger toward Asela when she came to Sheridan.

Because she had to live apart from her mother because of her.

‘But… it was thanks to the stubbornness of the Lady that I was able to treat my mother in earnest.’  

It wasn’t just that.

Brielle looked sideways at the Duke’s bedroom and the place that connected it.

‘And… being able to meet with the Duke…’

In fact, he wasn’t someone Brielle should have looked up to.

Brielle finally smiled sincerely.

“No, Lady. I really have had a lot of special experiences here. It wasn’t as hard as you worried.”

“Really?”

“Of course, but I’m glad you apologized.”

“You… resent me a lot, didn’t you? No, you don’t have to answer. Because that is natural.”

“I don’t do it anymore. Rather, what happened to the Lady?”

Why did Asela, who always looked down on other people, change like this? 

“It was just… I was so lonely. In foreign countries… without you…” 

“….” 

“It’s so strange, I thought that I wanted to see you more than my father. So I tried to write a letter…” 

Tears started flowing from her eyes again. Brielle took her handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to her. 

“…I can’t bear to think that I’ve done too much to you… Hiccup. I can’t send it…” 

“You must have had a hard time.”

“Yes, but coming here, I think you must have had a harder time. You know, Brielle.”

Asela quickly wiped her face with the handkerchief Brielle had given her and then took her hand again. 

“Let’s make everything right.”

For a moment, Brielle doubted her ears.

Asela, whom she knew, wasn’t the kind of person to make this courageous decision. 

“Does that mean…to reveal the truth?”