CH 52

The room is still unfamiliar. 

I muttered as I looked around the empty spacious room. Last night, I thought I was sleeping with Sylvester, but I wasn’t. He didn’t sleep with me because he was working until late in the morning. No, even if we slept together, I wouldn’t remember. 

Anyway, I slept very comfortably. 

At the same time, I was hoping that Sylvester would greet me when I woke up, but as expected, Sylvester was not in the room. It seemed that he went to the office to work.

“He’s really busy.”

I muttered, but suddenly I felt bad. Still, I wish Sylvester would greet me—.

“I’m going crazy, really.”

Why do I feel this way? I really don’t know why I’m doing this.

‘It can’t be—’

I don’t think Sylvester is anything special, right? 

Whoosh. I felt the blood draining out. If that’s the case, it really shouldn’t have happened. Because I had to divorce Sylvester. That way, my neck will remain and I won’t get involved in complicated things any more. 

But what makes Sylvester special? 

“There’s no answer.” 

It was really an unanswered situation. 

“No, no.”

I need to be careful. Before my heart grows bigger here. I glanced next to the empty bed. 

Bedding with no warmth left. 

I kept feeling bad, but I pretended not to know. 

******

Jasmine has been visiting the Duke of Ryzen since early in the morning. 

Her visit was not surprising, as I had heard that she was visiting the day before. However, what was surprising was what Jasmine said. 

“You want to go to Count Cardel’s house?” Ophelia asked back as if she couldn’t believe it. 

“Yes!” Jasmine replied cheerfully. “There’s going to be a tea party this afternoon. I got an invitation, too. I thought it’d be nice to go with the Duchess.” She said, holding out an invitation in her arms from Countess Cardel.

Ophelia tilted her head to one side and stared at Jasmine. 

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” Ophelia was not very pleased. “I once brought the painting of Count Cardel.”

“You stole it.”

“—And I brought an invitation to the ball of the Grand Duchess who went in front of Countess Cardel.” 

“You stole it.” 

“Do you have to point it out one by one?”

As Ophelia pouted her lips, Jasmine burst into laughter. Duchess Ophelia, as she can see, was a cute person.

Of course, when she looked at her or frowned, she was really scared to the point of numbness in her throat—but she’s okay with it now that she has gotten used to it to some extent. 

If she says this to other people, everyone will be surprised, right?

But it’s true!

Jasmine giggled. 

“Countess Cardel is a very simple woman.” 

Her eyes sparkle. 

“If you bring a good gift, she’ll definitely see Madam differently.” 

“What if it’s a gift?” 

“It’s like this.” 

Jasmine took something out of the bag and showed it to Ophelia. It was nothing but a brooch. Ophelia remembered this brooch clearly. 

“Isn’t this the brooch you bought the last time you went to Jonah’s Shop with me?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Jasmine nodded. 

“Madame Jonah said so, right? It was the only brooch left.”

“I remember. She said it was a limited edition or something. That’s why I gave it to you as a gift, you didn’t like it?” 

“There’s no way!”

Jasmine waved her hand as if she was really upset. 

“Honestly, I wanted to have it. But I thought of it as I was looking at it. I thought I could use this for something more useful!”

Ophelia nodded. She meant to continue to talk. 

How can the Madam overflow with dignity in every act she does? Jasmine seemed to have a crush on Ophelia again. No, no. This is not the time. Jasmine shook her head and continued to talk again.

“The Countess Cardel is a fan of limited editions. So when she hear the word ‘limited’, she turn herbeyes and buy something. But there is something that the Countess couldn’t buy this time.”

Tok Tok. Jasmine pointed to a brooch. 

“That’s what this brooch is.” 

Ophelia finally smiled and said. Jasmine smiled broadly and nodded. 

“Yes. I was lucky.” 

Jasmine gained confidence in Ophelia’s smile. 

“Given this as a gift, the Countess will surely be softened.”

“But.”

Ophelia said, clicking her tongue as if she was slightly worried. 

“If this was going to be the case, wouldn’t it have been a better relationship right away?”

“Madam.”

Jasmine opened her eyes wide and looked at Ophelia. 

“Look back at what Madam has done in the past.”

“—Look back?”

“You burned Countess Cardel’s hair, slapped her in the cheek, and even kicked her! Don’t you remember? Oh my God!” 

Yeah. I don’t remember. 

Because I didn’t do it!

Ophelia pouted. Then Jasmine burst into laughter again. It seemed that Ophelia’s expression was pleasing to her. 

“But you didn’t apologize at all. But this time, it’s different. If you give a gift and sincerely say it as an apology and for a friendship—”

Jasmine said, pushing the brooch all the way toward Ophelia. 

“The Countess will definitely accept it because of her character.”

She spoke with confidence. 

So, Ophelia’s ears fluttered a little too. No, she fluttered a lot. Is this what a king with a flattering servant feels like? Just saying nice things keeps her feeling better. 

But there was still something on her mind. 

“Isn’t there a lot I’ve done to her? I don’t think this will work.”

“Don’t worry, Madam.”

Jasmine said with a triumphant look. 

“There’s something I’ve looked into.” 

She couldn’t keep refusing even though she was talking this much. So Ophelia thought of accepting Jasmine’s proposal. Even if Count Cardel refuses, it’s great just that Ophelia reached out to her first. 

So Ophelia ordered Irene to take the brooch. 

“Then we should hurry up and get ready.” 

Ophelia raised her body. 

Jasmine nodded, looking at Ophelia. At the same time, she was not raising herself up, and she was thinking of waiting for Ophelia to finish preparations.

However, Ophelia had no intention of leaving such Jasmine alone. 

“You too, get up.”

Ophelia said to Jasmine. 

“If you like clothes, what do you do? Everything you’re hanging is cheap. Come and see some of my jewelry.” 

“Y, yes?”

“Shouldn’t I be able to show that you have become my person?”

Looking at Ophelia smiling with her mouth twisted, Jasmine unknowingly put her hands together. 

And she promised again. 

To be loyal to Ophelia.

Loyalty. Loyalty. 

******

Countess Cardel had a lot of worries. It’s not because of today’s tea time. 

Tea time went smoothly. Three to five Young Ladies gathering and having a conversation. But there were crowds who were after them. 

It’s mercenaries! 

“Ha—”

Countess Cardel sighed for a long time. Her husband, the Count, began exploring the Western Continent. That’s why mercenaries began to gather, and mercenaries who heard rumors came to the mansion at once.

Originally, they were supposed to gather at the introduction center, but these ignorant mercenaries rushed into the mansion as soon as they saw the announcement. 

If she had her husband now, it would be organized even a little, but unfortunately, he went out and was not in the mansion. The butler is leading the mercenaries, but even that couldn’t have worked out well. 

Mercenaries belonged to lawless areas that narrowly avoided the law. So neither courtesy nor etiquette between nobles worked for them. It’s just ruled by force. 

In the midst of this, what will the words of the butler work for them? So the mercenaries were more boldly shouting and wandering through the mansion. 

And on top of that, 

“How long do I have to wait?”

“No, give us something to eat too!” 

“That’s right! They’re eating delicious food over there! Let’s come and see what kind of tea they’re talking about too!”

In this way, complaints were pouring out nearby. These words cannot help but be heard by the Young Lady during tea time. The Young Lady flinched and were busy looking into each other’s eyes. 

How shameful and embarrassing this is! 

If she could, she wanted to tell the mercenaries to run and shut up right away, but Countess Cardel was not such a bold woman. So, she had no choice but to pretend she didn’t hear and chat with the Young Lady. 

Just like now. 

“The weather is so nice today, right?”

“Oh, yes! That’s right! The weather is so nice!” 

The Young Ladies quickly responded to the Count’s words. Other Young Lady said yes and added in a hurry.

“It’d be nice to go on a picnic on a day like this. What do you think? What about going out?”

Countess Kadel was thinking of going out altogether. Rather than having a tea time in a place where mercenaries are watching. 

“Oh my! Picnic! I like it!”

“I like it, too!” 

“I think it’d be perfect to go to a nearby lake.”

Fortunately, the Young Ladies seemed to like it. But 

“Where are you going?” 

One of the mercenaries, who appears to be the head, frowned harshly and said. 

“Where are you going, leaving us alone?” 

“W, what?”

Countess Cardel asked in great embarrassment. The mercenary crossed his arms as if sulking. 

“You’ll have to go get the Count now, or you’ll be stuck here, you’ll have to choose between the two.” 

Countess Cardel asked back, trying to calm her pounding heart. 

“Even if I’m not here, I won’t be a bother to you.” 

“No, it’s not.”

The mercenary looked at the cute Young Ladies around Countess Cardel and said. 

“Don’t our eye-catching things disappear?” 

(Laughs) 

The mercenary laughed disgustingly, and others around him laughed together. The faces of the Young Ladies hardened. The same was true of Countess Cardel. 

It’s really rude and inappropriate words! 

However, even if she calls the guard, she can’t send them away properly. It was not a crime to report an unauthorized intrusion because the butler had already brought them inside.

She thought she needed the Count or someone like him to do these things—!

“So don’t even think about going out somewhere. We’ll be watching with lights in our eyes.”

She wants to tell him to shut up! 

But she doesn’t have the courage to do that. If there’s a person who can help her—.

“What’s going on?”

A familiar voice was heard. Countess Cardel, the Young Ladies, and the mercenaries all turned their heads toward the side where her voices were heard. 

What—!

“I heard your voices from afar. Very dirty and filthy words.”

Ophelia Ryzen. 

It was the Duchess. 

But to Countess Cardel, she looked different.

“Why don’t you shut up?” 

As a savior to save them.