He quickly tapped his son on the arm. Wanting him to answer.

“. . . Huh? Well. I am okay. Princess, please raise your head.”

“Thank you, Everett.”

The Count quickly interrupted their conversation.

“The Princess is a generous person. It really seems like you’ve learned a lot of good things from the Duke.”

Rieta raised her head and smiled awkwardly.

There was no way the Count had praised Rieta sincerely, but anyway, the mention that she resembled the Duke was pretty good to hear.

Afterwards, Count Hewitt praised Rieta several more times in a servile manner, then stood up while apologizing for taking up the Duke’s time.

With a promise that something like this will never happen again.

“And if you continue to support my son, I will never forget that grace.”

Not only Rieta, but even the Duke hesitated.

That would mean that he hoped that Everett would be safely announced as Princess Gabriella’s fiance.

The Duke did not like such talk of backdoor dealings very much.

But since it was true that Princess Gabriella liked Everett quite a bit, he only nodded his head once.

However, he tacked on a condition.

“As long as Princess Gabriella likes him.”

“Truly . . . Thank you.”

The Count bowed his head several times before stepping back from the Duke’s presence.

While he was escorted by the butler to the front door, Rieta gently grabbed Everett by the shirt as he followed the Count.

She was somewhat worried.

Because Everett said he seldom got along with his father.

“Everett, are you okay?”

“Um, I will. Because my grandmother is with me.”

He undid the collar of his shirt, which he had kept tightly closed.

Between them, she saw a necklace made of tiny beads.

Everett probably had endured so far by making a determination in his heart.

“It was with you today too.”

“We are always together. Oh, that’s right. If you have a message for Noel, please let me go. I’m about to go back to the dorm right now.”

Rieta clapped her hands and smiled as if it was just fine.

Everett thought her expression was very cute.

Maybe that was the expression she makes only when she thinks of Noel.

He hadn’t seen much of that while she was practicing for the play.

What can she ask him to do with that cute face?

Everett waited for her reply with a little anticipation.

“Please give Noel a hard slap on the back.”

“What?”

“Very hard. Okay? And run away.”

Rieta’s answer made him burst into laughter.

Even the employees looked their way.

“Alright. Haha! I will definitely do it. Please leave it to me.”

He barely held back his laughter. Rieta finally nodded her head in satisfaction.

“Oh, and.”

Rieta added one more request.

“Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

“That . . .”

Rieta was a bit worried, but she didn’t want to drag it out for a long time, so she answered quickly.

“Well . . . Please tell him to do well.”

“What?”

“The play. It’s tomorrow. Of course, I’m not looking forward to it. I can’t go see it anyway . . .”

It seemed that the Duke and Darrel were planning to go to the academy to watch the play as Noel’s family, but it was a place Rieta couldn’t enter in the first place.

“With the Princess’ words, Noel will of course do well.”

In a tone that seemed to be a teasing one, Rieta pouted for no reason.

“It can’t be. To be honest, I can’t even imagine it. For Noel to say such ticklish lines.”

“Uh, is that so? He’s pretty cool.”

“You’re lying.”

“Really. The students come every day to watch the practice. In the general practice yesterday, everyone breathed sighs of admiration.”

“That can’t be true!”

Sighs of admiration for Noel?! Rieta screamed inside.

Noel had to connect with the female lead, but it was too difficult with other temptations to come.

He must have thought RIeta’s embarrassment funny, so Everett laughed again.

“Even if you don’t insist that much, no one will be able to take Noel away from the Princess.”

No, she wasn’t really trying to own Noel.

Rieta wanted to refute it so much, but she couldn’t hold on to Everett any longer, so she decided to stop.

“. . . Goodbye.”

Everett bowed respectfully and headed for the porch where the carriage awaited.

The butler returned the hat to him, and only when she could no longer see him did Rieta re-enter her mansion.

Ah, that’s right.

Then she remembered that she had not thanked the Count for the presents.

Although it’s a little awkward to receive them, there should be no problem since the Duke said she could accept it.

If she only expresses her gratitude well.

Rieta headed towards the front door with rather quick steps.

The butler, who was still standing there, realized her intentions and opened the door.

Rieta nodded her head slightly, expressing her gratitude to the butler.

She looked outside the door again, and the sunlight that had just come down blinded her vision.

The sunlight is strong again today, she said while slightly opening her eyes.

Paah.

With the sound of something breaking, something small hit Rieta’s cheek and fell to the floor.

It didn’t hurt because it was a very small grain.