CH 50

“What about Lillian?”

“She went first in the carriage of Marchioness Luxen.”

After coming out of the Garden of Light, Charelize asked the coachman who was waiting outside.

“His Grace seems to have had a long conversation with His Majesty, so let’s go back first.”

“Yes, little Duchess.”

On the way,  Charelize, who left more comfortably physically and mentally than before, immediately soaked her body in the warm bath after arriving at the mansion. Like that, the day, which was twice more tiring than usual, ended.

* * *

“This is what the Maquis Pasimello gave to Lillian….”

As usual, Charelize, doing her work, took out the bottle from her drawer and shook it around.

“What is it, Your Highness?”

At Hailey’s question, Charelize smiled brightly and said, “Something that might be a good hand in a bad situation.”

“Pardon?”

“And…”

Hailey not understanding what Charelize said, tilted her head.

“Should I say it was a gift from my new friend?”

Whether this was poison or not was yet unknown. Therefore, Charelize wanted to find out a little more about Marquis Pasimello.

“Hailey, do you know anything about Marquis Pasimello?”

“He inherited the title not long ago, so little information is known.”

“Is that so?”

“Shall I find out about him?”

“Yes. As detailed as possible.”

After that, she ended up making a decision.

Not long after that, an unexpected guest came. Upon hearing the news that Lillian had become a princess, Baron Buzz and his wife came to the Duchy. Duke Marsetta had gone out early in the morning, leaving the mansion empty.

“Young Master.”

“What’s going on?”

“Baron Buzz and his wife are here.” The butler spoke to Charelize.

“They haven’t made an appointment in advance. I probably didn’t receive any correspondence?”

“They said they would just look at Princess Lillian’s face for a while before leaving?”

“What?”

“What… should I do?”

Last time, Charelize found out that Lillian built Baroness Buzz’s villa with her allowance without asking Charelize’s permission. She sent someone to find out about them and found out that they had taken the property of the people in their territory. She also received a report that they weren’t kind-hearted enough to adopt a daughter.

Charelize felt displeased with the uninvited guests who came without an appointment.  

“It’s time for lunch soon, so please guide them to the dining room.”

There was a need to find out what kind of relationship they had with Siael and what kind of relationship they had with Lillian.

“Shall I tell Princess Lillian?”

“Yes, tell her to come down.”

* * *

“Greetings, little Duchess.”

“May Goddess Resina’s blessing reach you.”

“May you be protected too.”

Baron and Baroness Buzz, who was already sitting on one side of the dining room, noticed Charelize and bowed their head. As soon as they heard Charelize’s response, they heard urgent footsteps. Lillian, who finished her preparations faster than Charelize thought, was catching her breath.

Lillian, who had finished preparation earlier than expected, was breathing hard.

“Lilli!” Baroness Buzz hugged Lillian, calling her nicknames in front of Charelize.

“Ahem, Wife! Little Duchess is watching!” Seeing that, Baron Buzz coughed and stopped his wife.

“Ah… I-I apologize, Your Highness. I feel so glad to see her after a long time…”

“I understand. Lillian, you should go and have a seat.”

Charelize continued with a slight smile. “His Grace is away, so please forgive me for treating you instead of him.”

“No, we wanted to see Lillian’s face just for a moment… It was our fault for not sending a letter beforehand. Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness.”

“May I ask how you met Lillian? As far as I know, it hasn’t been long since she was adopted.”

“Y-Your Highness… that…”

When asked by Charelize, who seemed to know the timing when they adopted Lillian, Lillian stuttered.

“His Grace often—”

“Wife! You look tired, perhaps because you have been riding in the carriage for a long time.”

At that time, Baron Buzz interrupted what his wife was about to say.

“Oh my God, is the road too hard?”

“No, Your Highness. Still, it’s worth being patient.”

Her complexion turned blue in an instant. Even though it was just a useless excuse, she looked really sick.

“I prepared it hurriedly because I didn’t receive any contact… It may not be sufficient, but it will come soon.”

Just in time, the food came out.

“I’ve known her mother since she was little, and I was worried about her losing her parents and living alone and feeling down, so we came and went often and got to know each other.”

Perhaps because he was afraid that his wife would stumble on her words again, Baron Buzz took great care in wrapping his words.

“Really? Come to think of it, Baroness Buzz.”

“…Yes?”

Baroness Buzz, realizing her mistake and keeping her mouth shut, seemed startled by Charelize’s call.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“N-No. P-Please speaks, Your Highness.”

“I heard that Lillian built a villa for Baroness with the allowance money she received from the Duke… How is it?”

“Ah, yes. It’s very cool to see the sea in front.”

Not recognizing that Charelize was being sarcastic, Baroness Buzz smiled at her.

“Since it’s close to the Duke’s residence, would Your Highness like to visit it if you get a chance?”

“I don’t know if I have time for that. By the way, Lillian.”

“…yes.”

“Why haven’t you been eating since before? You don’t like the food?”

“T-Thank you for your concern.”

“I am more than happy to see sisters who have been separated for a long time getting along so well now.”

“Sisters?”

Baron Buzz smiled brightly at sight. At the mention of ‘Sisters,’ Charelize face hardened involuntarily.

“By any chance, did I make a mistake…?”

“No. It’s just a little funny.”

“Your Highness…?”

Baron Buzz looked at Charelize’s expression, sweating profusely.

“That’s right. I was overjoyed to meet someone I didn’t even know was alive.”

“I-I see.”

“I’m really glad I met her, even now.”

Charelize looked at Lillian and raised one corner of her mouth.

“Come to think of it… I have a question for you.”

“If you have a question…?”

“How did the Duke know about Lillian’s existence that he went down to Baron Buzz’s estate?”

“Because he comes there oft—”

Charelize’s question was answered by Baroness Buzz, who had been rummaging through her salad in silence.

“He came? To see Lillian?”

“Yes… anyway, the rightful Duchess will be—”

“Wife! What the hell are you talking about now!”

Baron Buzz, who saw Charelize’s true intention, was stunned and finally screamed at his wife.

“Did he know before he brought her in? I also thought… how touching my meeting with Lillian would have been to the point that the Duke didn’t even attend my mother’s funeral.”

“Y-Your Highness… it’s not like that…”

“I can’t believe he already knew. Can I say… that he waited for my mother’s death?”

Charelize was going crazy. Just like in her previous life, Duke Marsetta didn’t even attend her mother’s funeral. As if it wasn’t enough, he brought in Lillian the next day.

Baron and Baroness Buzz were both contemplative and restless at the same time.

“Y-Your Highness…” Lillian was about to speak in the chilly, freezing atmosphere.

“Young Master.”

“Butler?”

“I’m sorry while you’re eating.”

“What’s going on?”

“I can’t… talk about it here.”

The butler, who was waiting, approached and whispered in Charelize’s ear. When Charelize asked what was going on, the butler looked at the Baron Buzz couple and Lilian, and he looked troubled.

“Something urgent has come up, so I will leave first.”

“Y-Your Highness?”

“You guys would be more comfortable talking to Lillian without me.”

“T-That’s not—”

“Then, have a good time.”

Cutting Baron Buzz’s words, Charelize stood up.

“Lillian.” Charelize suddenly turned around and called Lillian.

“…Yes?”

“I have something else to say to you, so go to your room after you are done eating.”

“…Yes.”

“I’m sorry, young Master.”

“What?”

“I dared to intervene.”

“No. I was about to become furious too, and I don’t know what I would have done if it hadn’t been Butler.”

The reason why the butler stopped Charelize was that he was surprised at how sensitively she reacted. It was because her expression for a moment seemed like it would only end when she killed someone.

“How did they go to the Duchy Marsetta and come to visit on the same day without saying anything?”

“The next time they visit, I’ll tell them to return immediately.”

“If they have brains, they will realize what they’ve done today and never come back… Things will be more fun if it’s the other way around.”

“By any chance… are you enjoying it?”

“It was easy dealing with Lillian’s adoptive parents that matched her.”

“…”

“Do you have anything to say?”

“It wasn’t that there was no reason at all.”

“What is it?”

“I will tell you about Master Raya, whom young Master asked last time.”

“If it’s Raya…?”

“Also, would you like to hear the story of the relationship between the former duke, former duchess, and the current duke?”

At the butler’s words, Charelize recalled what she knew. The previous duke had numerous concubines, not counting the three officially known concubines. Princess Crose committed suicide by hanging herself shortly after her husband’s funeral. Also, Duke Marsetta, whom she thought was their only child, had a twin brother. A child named Raya couldn’t be living a normal life.

“Yes,” said Charelize, nodding her head slowly.

There was no truth that could hide forever.