TYWML 18

18. Winkler Residence in the Capital (1)
May 18, 2024

“As of now, Amy will be serving you, my lady. Amy, greet the young lady.”

As soon as Cassel left, the head butler introduced a maid to Riena.

The maid named Amy had carrot-orange hair tied in two pigtails. Her eyes were green, reminiscent of carrot leaves.

Perhaps it was the freckles sprinkled across her nose, or her bright, cheerful expression, but Amy gave off an extremely lively vibe.

“Hello, my lady! I’m Amy Carrot!”

“Carrot?”

Riena couldn’t help but repeat the name, and Amy giggled.

“You thought, ‘A girl who looks like a carrot is even named after one,’ didn’t you?”

“No, it’s not like that…”

In truth, it was, but Riena couldn’t admit it. However, Amy nodded as if she understood everything.

“It’s okay! Everyone thinks that when they hear my name for the first time. And I actually really like my name, so I don’t mind. People never forget me!”

“Amy.”

The head butler gently scolded the overly excited Amy, and she quickly muttered, “Oops,” lowering her voice.

“I’m sorry, my lady. I guess I got a bit too excited thinking I finally get to serve someone. I usually talk a lot, but now I can’t stop talking.”

“Amy, stop with the unnecessary chatter and show the young lady to her room.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Again.”

“I mean, head butler, sir.”

Amy giggled again and picked up the bag lying on the floor.

“This is light. Is this all your luggage?”

“…Yes.”

Riena felt a little embarrassed by her modest bag. Not just the bag—her dusty and unkempt appearance also made her self-conscious.

Cassel had offered to stop in town and buy her new clothes on their way to the capital, but Riena had declined. She had wanted to get to the capital as quickly as possible without delay.

Had she known she’d be meeting the people of the mansion looking like this, she would’ve paid more attention to her appearance.

‘Whatever the reason, I’m going to be the Duke’s wife now.’

Even if it was a fake marriage, she planned to do her best as a member of House Winkler in the eyes of the public.

That was how she could repay Cassel, who had told her to use him without hesitation.

But Amy didn’t seem fazed by Riena’s appearance at all and just shrugged.

“In that case, we’ll need to call a tailor. You might not know, but House Winkler hasn’t had a lady of the house in a long time. So, we don’t have any clothes suitable for a young lady. There may be a few of the late duchess’s clothes left, but I’ll have to take a look later.”

“Mm, thank you.”

It seemed like the only thing on Amy’s mind now was getting Riena something to wear. Feeling relieved, Riena carefully followed her.

“Please excuse the mess in the mansion. Usually, the Duke stays in the territory during this season, so we don’t keep the capital residence guest-ready. But then suddenly, he ordered us to prepare rooms because he was bringing a guest!”

“Is that so?”

“We thought he meant a guest room, of course. But then he said to prepare the duchess’s chambers, and everyone was shocked.”

“The duchess’s chambers…”

It made sense, since she was engaged to Cassel and would soon marry him, but Riena was still a bit taken aback. She had vaguely assumed she would be staying in a guest room.

“The Duke never showed any signs. We all thought he only cared about work and war, with no interest in women. Some even said he would never get married. Ah, but please don’t tell the Duke I said that.”

“I won’t.”

“So when he suddenly ordered the duchess’s chambers to be prepared, everyone was so surprised. We’ve all been waiting to meet you. And now such a beautiful and kind person has arrived!”

“You’ve known me for less than ten minutes—how do you know I’m kind?”

Amy turned around and grinned.

“Intuition! I’m pretty good at reading people. I’m sharp, you know.”

When Riena gave a bashful smile, Amy added,

“And since you’re someone the Duke chose, I doubt you could be a bad person. The Duke’s a truly good man, so he must have recognized a kind soul when he saw one.”

“Then I’ll have to try not to disappoint.”

“No pressure! Just relax and be yourself. Anyway, we’re here. This will be your room from now on. Please come in.”

Amy had led her to the innermost room on the third floor. The door looked more antique and elegant than any she’d passed on the way. Curious, Riena glanced to the side and saw another door with the exact same design directly opposite.

Amy explained,

“That’s the Duke’s room, right next to yours.”

“Really? I didn’t expect them to be adjoining.”

“Well, they’re supposed to be. It’s the couple’s suite—makes sense, right? Easier to see each other often.”

Amy grinned mischievously and whispered,

“Just so you know, the two rooms are connected from the inside.”

“…!”

Connected rooms? It made perfect sense for a married couple’s quarters, but for Riena, who was in a contractual marriage with no intention of sharing a bed with Cassel, it was only awkward and alarming.

Seeing Riena’s cheeks flush slightly, Amy tried to reassure her.

“There’s no need to worry. The connecting door can be locked from either side, so no one can open it without permission. And even if it’s unlocked, the Duke would never enter your room without your consent.”

“…Yes, I’m sure.”

“Now then, shall we go in?”

Riena followed Amy, who swung open the door with energy. Inside was a sitting room, like a private lounge. There were doors on both the left and right sides.

Riena slowly walked in, taking in the overall space.

The interior was just as elegant and classic as the door.

Since the room faced south, autumn sunlight poured in through the large glass windows. But overall, the room had a darker color palette. It was a stark contrast to the bright, cozy style of Riena’s old room.

Still, she didn’t mind. No matter how long or short her stay would be, it was only temporary, and there was no reason to complain. She was already grateful just to have been allowed to stay here.

But Amy seemed to think differently. Setting Riena’s bag down in one corner, she hesitantly spoke while glancing at her.

“This room was decorated according to the late duchess’s tastes. She wasn’t in good health and didn’t like bright things. That’s why the curtains are thick and dark, to block out the sunlight.”

“I see.”

“The Duke gave us very little notice, and since we didn’t know your preferences, we couldn’t change the decor ourselves. But if you tell us what you like, we’ll help gradually redecorate the room for you!”

Would it be okay to do that, even though I’ll be leaving someday?
If she changed the room to something bright and cheerful, and the next duchess disliked it, it would all have to be redone.

She didn’t want to trouble Amy and the other staff for nothing.

“No, it’s fine. I really like the room.”

That wasn’t a complete lie. While it wasn’t her style, the room was tastefully arranged.

Aside from the dark color scheme, the furniture and decorations were well-balanced. It was clear that the late duchess had paid close attention to detail.

“She must have had great taste.”

“Yes, especially when it came to the arts. She supported many artists and painted and played instruments herself. I remember her teaching me painting and music when I was little—it left such an impression.”

“She sounds like a very warm person.”

“She was—very much so. Not just me, but all the staff who served her were heartbroken when she passed. Even now, we all miss her dearly.”

It’s rare for someone to be loved that much by so many. Especially by the staff they employed—it was unusual to receive such loyalty.

In hierarchical households, things were often too stiff for genuine bonds to form.

But for Amy to speak of her with such fondness… the late duchess must have truly been a remarkable woman.

‘Was she similar to Father?’

Riena unknowingly murmured as she thought of Count Dyke, who was still dearly loved by his people.

“It’s sad. I wish I could’ve met her.”

“I know, right? It’s a shame. If the duchess had met you, I’m sure she would’ve adored you.”

Riena nodded in agreement—
—but then paused, realizing something surprising in Amy’s words.