Chapter 78
Who’s the One Caught in the Trap? (6)
Camilla spread out her dress gracefully as she bowed, her face adorned with a benevolent smile. It was obvious she had kept silent until now just to seize this moment, yet outwardly, there was nothing one could fault.
‘Huh? Why isn’t she saying anything yet?’
Because Camilla was still keeping her head lowered, Elluciana quickly nudged Aster’s side with her elbow.
Only then did Aster glance at Camilla, looking as if she found the whole thing bothersome.
“Do you have business with me?”
“I wish to apologize to Your Grace.”
“Apologize? For what exactly?”
“I believe Lady Anna’s feelings for me got the better of her, leading her to make a mistake.”
With that, Camilla straightened her posture and shot a glance at Anna, whose face had turned deathly pale.
“I will handle this disgraceful matter myself, so I beg Your Grace to set aside your anger.”
“How amusing.”
Aster let out a small laugh, twisting her lips faintly.
“You kill someone, then ask forgiveness, and that’s supposed to make it all right? I must have too narrow a heart, because I can’t accept things that way.”
“……It seems my judgment was shallow. If that is Your Grace’s will, then so be it. After all, it is true that Lady Anna insulted the Duchy of Sestein.”
At Camilla’s words, Anna’s face went from blue to nearly black.
She had thought Camilla was stepping in to protect her—yet here she was, shoving her straight into the tiger’s maw.
“L-Lady Camilla. H-how could you…?”
Ignoring Anna’s desperate call, Camilla continued.
“But wouldn’t it be best to end matters here? I do not wish for Your Grace’s noble honor to be tainted by such an incident.”
As Camilla bowed respectfully, the nobles’ eyes all shifted toward Elluciana.
Though she spoke to the Grand Duke, the true intent was clear: to push responsibility for everything onto Elluciana.
A silent threat—if this wasn’t quietly covered up, they would make her pay for it thoroughly later. The words also carried a reminder of her illegitimate birth.
Of course, Aster couldn’t care less about such things.
Her shame was no secret to anyone, and as always, it was enough for her to shield Elluciana.
But Elluciana’s thoughts seemed a little different. She appeared to wish for matters to be tied off here.
Clicking her tongue quietly, Aster reluctantly replied.
“I expect there will be no further disturbances.”
“Your Grace’s generosity humbles me.”
Camilla raised her head, her smile radiant.
Elluciana, after leaving the Eragost estate, turned back once more to look at the magnificent mansion.
What lingered in her mind were the words Camilla had left before parting.
“Let’s have tea together next time, Lucy.”
The smile had been so warm and familiar that an onlooker might have thought the two were close friends. Yet Elluciana shivered at Camilla’s meticulous cunning disguised as kindness.
“I feel like I’ve just crawled out of a snake’s den.”
She brushed the goosebumps off her arm and shuddered.
“Lucy, are you cold?”
Aster slipped off her coat and draped it over Elluciana’s shoulders, asking with gentle concern.
Her silvery hair shimmered blue as it cascaded over her tilted face.
“…Thank you, Your Grace. And for what you did today as well. It helped me a great deal.”
“You must have been startled. It’s your first time being surrounded by people filled with such malice, isn’t it?”
“Not the first… actually.”
Aster, who had been scratching her head in embarrassment, suddenly froze mid-step.
“…Not the first?”
“Yes. But why did you assume it was my first time? Have we perhaps… met before? You speak as if you know me well, and it surprised me a little.”
“…!”
Their eyes met naturally in the flow of conversation—and for a long moment, neither looked away.
Aster, shocked that reality differed from what she thought she knew.
Elluciana, puzzled at the Grand Duke’s overreaction to her words.
Then, as if in agreement, their gazes turned aside.
‘What’s this? Did we really meet when we were young?’
‘Not her first time? Then when did she suffer like that beyond my eyes?’
The unease was impossible to describe, their minds tangled with doubt. And then, both arrived at the same conclusion.
‘If it was before I transmigrated…’
‘If it was before I met her…’
They both nodded slightly at the same time.
“That makes sense.”
“I understand now.”
Both flinched at speaking in unison. As silence once more settled over them, Elluciana broke it with forced cheer.
“Um, the preservation potion—you gave it to me on purpose that day, didn’t you?”
Aster coughed lightly into her hand before replying.
“That was a prototype. I needed someone to test it. And you happened to purchase a large batch of flowers, didn’t you?”
Elluciana nodded, but something nagged at her.
“But a prototype—that’s confidential family business, isn’t it?”
Aster’s ears turned faintly red as she gazed at her.
“…You’re part of our family too.”
“Oh.”
The unexpected reply left Elluciana speechless. She was just a mere maid, yet Aster treated her as precious.
She suddenly recalled what the butler had told her on her first day.
“We’re one family, are we not?”
Perhaps this man truly considered all who lived in House Sestein as family.
“The flowers displayed in Ruber Hall looked perfectly fine. No more testing is needed.”
“Ah, ha-ha. That’s a relief.”
“It was very helpful. But… why are you laughing?”
“Good question. Why am I laughing?”
“…?”
“Ha-ha. I just can’t help it. Ha-ha-ha.”
Elluciana fanned her flushed cheeks, trying to cool the burning heat.
Family had always been something she longed for—precious and dear. And perhaps that was why she could understand the Grand Duke’s heart, too.
He must have been very lonely.
Maybe that was why his flimsy excuse made her heart flutter even more.
Watching her quietly, Aster’s lips also curved into a soft smile that mirrored hers.
“Are we heading to your shop now?”
Two large baskets sat by her feet, filled with leftover decorations and extra flowers.
“Yes. I need to organize things, and these have to go in the safe.”
Elluciana shook a small red pouch that jingled, her expression satisfied.
“Then shall we walk there together?”
The shop wasn’t far, true. But knowing Aster had walked all the way here, she couldn’t help worrying about his stamina.
“It’s the commoners’ district. Will you be all right?”
“A light stroll won’t harm me.”
He sounded so confident that Elluciana could only smile awkwardly.
“Then please tell me if it gets too tiring.”
“Of course.”
Elluciana picked up one basket, and Aster naturally took the other.
“This way, Your Grace.”
Elluciana led the way, pointing forward. Just then—
“Lucy!”
From nowhere, Noel appeared, his golden hair dripping wet as he ran straight toward her.
‘Seriously, where was he all this time, only to show up now?’
Not long after Elluciana and the Grand Duke had left the ballroom, Camilla, seeing no way to continue the gathering, ended it gracefully.
“I must deeply apologize to all of you who honored the House of Eragost with your presence today. As a token, I wish to gift you the flowers displayed here.”
“Oh my!”
“Such precious things?”
Normally, preserved flowers would last at most three months. The ones currently sold by House Sestein, with preservation magic, could endure six months.
But these flowers—according to the Grand Duke himself—would stay vivid for over a year.
And they were all out-of-season blooms as well. Their value was beyond measure.
In an instant, the heavy atmosphere, as murky as a swamp, brightened.
“Please tell the maids which ones you like, and they’ll wrap them for you.”
“My, Lady Camilla, how thoughtful of you.”
“Do invite us to your next soirée.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
The young ladies began moving in groups, searching for the loveliest flowers or those that best suited their tastes.
Just as their attention dispersed, suddenly—the ballroom doors burst open with a resounding bang.
A man, breathless as though he’d run at full speed, stormed in and scanned the hall desperately.
“Wait, isn’t that Sir Klaus?”
“My word, I thought he wasn’t attending today.”
“But alas, the party’s already over.”
“Seems he’s searching for someone. Ah—could it be Lady Camilla he’s come for?”
“Then the rumors of their estrangement must have been false.”
All eyes turned toward him. But Noel was too frantic, looking only for one person.
And then—he spotted Camilla, just about to leave the ballroom.
Without another thought, he ran straight toward her.
