CHAPTER~17
Love letter?
I couldn’t believe it even after seeing it with my own eyes, so I looked again.
I checked the back carefully, wondering if someone had played a trick or if it might be some kind of code, but there was nothing suspicious at all.
To think I would ever receive a love letter in my life.
The sender was Arno, the young heir of the Decent Baron family.
I couldn’t even remember what he looked like, so I only tilted my head.
“If it is Lord Arno, ah! I have seen him once before. He was very friendly and quite handsome.”
Hubert answered as if he had read my mind.
Not only that, the love letter I received was sitting right in Hubert’s hand.
“What? Hubert, when did you take my letter again? Give it back.”
I quickly snatched the love letter from him and glared.
Hubert only smiled widely as if this was all amusing.
“Hoho. This old man must manage things like this. This is the first love letter the young lady—no, our Count—has ever received.”
“You only pretend to be an old man at times like this, Housekeeper.”
“So, what will you do? Do you plan to meet him?”
……
I was only a little surprised that it was a love letter.
Maybe because it was my first time receiving something like this, it didn’t feel real.
Of course, in my case, it was only natural.
I married the Duke of Decart at a young age and never had a proper chance to experience anything like romance.
And since we separated before even a year had passed, I became the center of an infamous divorce scandal.
The first divorce case in the Decart Duchy—no wonder the Empire was in an uproar.
With rumors that the Decart family still hadn’t let go of that matter, who would be bold enough to openly show interest in me?
This love letter had a very unusual meaning because of that.
[Golden hair carrying sunlight and a smile even brighter than that.
Though I know I am too lacking to approach you, Count, I wish at least to convey my sincere feelings.]
I repeatedly read the part that especially caught my eye before finally tearing my gaze away.
“Well, I’ll just accept his feelings and end it there. Unfortunately, I simply don’t have time to meet anyone.”
The words lingered in my mind, but the time for feeling fluttery over a love letter was long gone.
“Besides, I’m not just a daughter of the Leella family. I’m the head of the house. What would I do even if I met him? This is hardly the time for leisurely romance—”
While I was trying to sound indifferent, a sudden gust of wind blew the letter out of my hands.
The letter was carried away by the wind and fell—
Right in front of someone unexpected.
“A-Aunt Evelyn… what is all this?”
Mela stood there with a shocked expression.
* * *
My heart nearly fell out of my chest because Mela appeared so suddenly without a sound.
I hadn’t sensed her at all.
I steadied my pounding heart and asked:
“Goodness, Mela. When did you get here?”
Mela didn’t answer.
Instead, she stomped toward me.
“Aunt! Tell me right now! Is it true you got a love letter? Grandfather Hubert, is it true?”
When I didn’t answer fast enough, Mela even went to Hubert.
Her face was pale as if she couldn’t accept reality.
“Haha! Were you surprised, Lady Mela? Yes. Our House Head received a love letter from a young noble. Truly. I cannot decide if he is brave… or simply reckless.”
“That’s an insult, right? It’s an insult, isn’t it?”
Just as she was glaring suspiciously at Hubert—
“This shouldn’t be happening…”
Mela muttered to herself blankly.
“Mela?”
I wondered if I had heard wrong and looked at her again.
Mela sniffled, then rushed forward and hugged me tightly.
“Aunt, why… why? Are you really going to meet that man? You have Duke Decart!”
There it was again.
She even grabbed my clothes, asking desperately:
“Aunt, you match Duke Decart the best!”
I had no idea what to say.
I could only let out an awkward smile.
Ferzen, what on earth did you tell this child…!
For now, calming Mela was the priority.
I knelt down to her eye level and gently patted her head.
“I don’t know about matching, but there’s nothing you need to worry about.”
“Then you’re really not going to go on a date with the love letter man, right?”
“Um… probably?”
Mela puffed her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
She looked so cute I couldn’t help but pinch her cheek.
It was so soft it brought me peace of mind.
“Okay! Then fine! Mela won’t bother Aunt anymore!”
To my surprise, Mela nodded obediently and stepped back.
“You’re not bothering me. Should we visit the flower garden together today?”
I felt bad letting her go like this, so I asked.
But strangely, Mela slipped away with an awkward smile.
“U-Um, actually… Mela suddenly has something urgent! I’m supposed to meet Bailey at the flower garden!”
“H-huh? Mela!”
She ran off without looking back.
So Bailey was more important than me?
I felt oddly hurt.
“Something is definitely strange.”
And with an ominous feeling, I couldn’t shake the sense that something was going to happen.
* * *
A few days passed.
Then one bright morning—
“Lily, Bailey. What is all this?”
My ominous feeling came true.
“It’s the big day! Your date day! Oh no, I’m so nervous. Our Count is finally going on a date—sniff!”
Since when had rumors started spreading that I was going to the capital for a date?
“It’s not a date—”
“Oh my! These amber earrings suit you beautifully!”
“No! Emerald suits our Count the best!”
They didn’t hear me at all.
The sisters began arguing passionately about accessories.
I felt my soul leaving my body.
I didn’t know how many dresses they made me try on.
My body had no strength left.
Only after several hours did the styling finally end.
I looked at my face in the mirror, delicately dressed up for the first time in ages.
“It’s not a date. I’m just meeting him briefly.”
“Still! It’s the first time in five years you’re meeting a man! We’re so happy for you!”
“You’ve only worked at your desk every day. You never even dreamed of romance.”
I could only laugh dryly.
How did things end up like this…
Until yesterday, I had no intention of meeting Arno.
I refused politely at first, but after that, he kept sending letters.
His persistence left me no choice but to end it in person.
But somehow this turned into rumors of me going on a date, making everything more complicated.
The servants were too happy for me to correct them.
“…By the way, where’s Mela? I haven’t seen her lately.”
Now that I thought about it, the room felt strangely empty.
The sisters exchanged suspicious glances.
“W-well! Lady Mela has been very into reading these days!”
“Haha! Yes! She’s so smart she might read all the books in the Empire!”
“…Really?”
They were obviously hiding something.
But I didn’t have the time to question it.
* * *
“It is truly an honor to meet you like this, Count Leella.”
Arno and I met at the newest, most popular tea salon in the capital—Lumière Salon.
It had wide windows overlooking the plaza fountain and a spacious interior.
The pastries and cakes were freshly baked every morning by a young patissier from another empire.
“Seeing you in person, you are even more beautiful, Count.”
“Ah… thank you.”
“And… thank you for the brooch.”
Arno was an ordinary-looking man.
He twisted his body shyly, and I also began feeling awkward.
The tea and chiffon cake arrived shortly after.
So awkward I could die.
I took a bite of the soft cake to ease my discomfort.
Mela would have loved this.
I felt strangely guilty eating something this good alone.
I should ask if they do take-out later—
“I know it is presumptuous of me to ask, but… do you perhaps have a preference in men, Count?”
I thought for a moment.
I was about to say I had none when—
The door burst open with a jingling sound.
“Duke! Let’s sit here!”
And the ones who appeared were—
Mela.
And the Duke of Decart.
“Very well.”
