~Chapter 31~
“Ares said that?”
Camilla was confused. Nina kept talking.
‘Honestly, I was curious too, about how that girl (you) was living.’
Ares said he’d show Nina how to get to the ducal house and even sent a servant with her. It was the same servant who had comforted Nina before.
‘Dicky!’
Nina was happy to see him. Dicky bowed and told her, “Just take the commercial carriage with me in the morning, and we’ll arrive at the ducal house.”
So with Dicky’s help, Nina finally got there.
Camilla felt her head spinning.
“Where did that servant go?”
“He said he’d hide after we arrived at the house, so no one would see him.”
Then, since Nina was standing outside the house all messy and alone, Eugenia found her and brought her inside.
‘…So why did Ares really send Nina?’
Camilla looked at Nina’s bright face, but somehow she saw a shadow.
‘Is she here to spy on me?’
Nina probably didn’t even realize it herself.
Camilla realized she was now an “important asset” to the Baron’s family. Whether Ares knew it or not, maybe he wanted to find out what Camilla was doing at the ducal house.
“Nina.”
Camilla put both hands on her sister’s shoulders.
“Did you think I wasn’t coming back?”
“…Yeah,” Nina replied quietly.
Before coming, Nina really wasn’t sure. But now that she saw Camilla—
‘My sister looks so much healthier.’
Her face was softer, her voice warmer. She hadn’t seen Camilla look like this at Baron Mowin’s house—not even after years together.
‘And it’s only been a few days.’
Nina had loved having a kind older sister in a house full of adults. The days together had made her happy.
‘But what about sister?’
Actually, Camilla hadn’t been that happy.
Nina realized it now.
“Sister… can’t you stay?”
Nina gripped Camilla’s hands tightly. She knew she wasn’t the best little sister, but she didn’t want Camilla to leave. She wanted her to stay by her side.
Camilla gave a sleepy smile and poked Nina’s cheek.
“Why would I leave?”
“…!”
“I’m just here to recover. After the Duke’s birthday party, I’ll go back home.”
The main research was over. The clinical trials didn’t have to be done while she stayed there.
‘Anyone can help Dane at night if I leave.’
But just thinking about it made her chest hurt a little. She was surprised by the sudden feeling.
Camilla pushed the pain away and pretended everything was fine.
“I can’t just live here forever as a guest.”
Only after Eugenia arrived did Camilla realize:
‘Of course there would be rumors.’
A girl by the Duke’s side—how could there not be gossip? It was almost late to just be hearing about it now.
‘I don’t want to hear people calling Dane stupid.’
She couldn’t owe Dane forever.
‘I just need to finish the treatment, owe him just enough to escape, and that’s it.’
After all, they hadn’t even known each other that long.
Nina grinned and hugged Camilla.
“That’s a relief!”
“Nina, I’m going back. So don’t run away from home again. Take the carriage and go home tomorrow morning.”
“Okay, I will!”
“Good girl.”
The next morning, Nina left in the carriage sent by Baron Mowin.
“Your Grace, please take care of my sister while she’s here,” Nina announced cutely as Camilla and Dane saw her off.
“If not, I’ll run away again and kidnap her!”
With that, Nina hopped into the carriage and left. Dane watched the carriage go, then smiled.
“She’s as cheeky as someone I know.”
“What do you mean by that, Dane?”
Camilla frowned, but Dane didn’t answer.
“Who is she like?!”
She squinted at Dane, who only smirked like a snake.
One guest was gone—but another was still at the ducal house.
“You’re not leaving with your sister? Don’t you miss your parents or worry about her?”
Across the table, Eugenia fired questions at Camilla.
“I heard you even talked back to your mother.”
Camilla calmly cut her steak.
“I’m just here to recover. I’m still not fully well.”
“What illness? You look fine to me!”
After the Grand Duchess allowed her to stay, Eugenia joined every meal and tea time, always watching Camilla like a hawk.
‘So this is her “spying”? It’s almost cute compared to the Baron’s house.’
Dane cut in sharply.
“Eugenia. You can’t criticize my guest.”
“Some guests don’t deserve respect. If the Duke knew—”
“My father knows.”
“Eugenia. Remember, everything here is with our approval—including Camilla staying as a guest.”
At the Grand Duchess’s cold words, Eugenia’s shoulders jumped.
“S-sorry, Your Grace.”
She bit her lip and hung her head.
But that wasn’t the end. Eugenia kept picking fights with Camilla in the halls.
“Ugh, my head hurts just seeing you! When are you leaving?!”
Eugenia pressed her forehead with her gloved hand.
“Lemon balm tea helps with headaches. It calms the nerves,” Camilla replied gently.
“Are you making fun of me?!”
Camilla just shrugged. She meant well, but if Eugenia took it wrong, there was nothing she could do.
Dane stifled a laugh as Eugenia stomped off.
Watching her, Camilla remembered the original story—what Eugenia always did when she got mad. When Nina first saw it, Eugenia decided to make Nina her little sister for life.
‘Maybe that’ll happen tonight.’
She needed to be ready.
‘Ugh, I’m so mad!’
Under the moon, in a corner of the garden, Eugenia was swinging a sword, her orange hair loose with sweat.
She was boiling inside.
‘I can only swing my sword in secret, for the honor of the Escalus family!’
But Dane seemed to ignore her and kept Camilla by his side.
‘A lady swinging a sword? So disgraceful, Eugenia.’
Her parents always scolded her.
So Eugenia just trained harder in secret.
“It’s enough to be the star of society. It’s not ladylike, it’s ugly… Hmph! But Dane doesn’t care what others think at all!”
Her hands were already blistered and cut, but she kept swinging, panting hard.
Rustle.
“Who’s there?!”
Startled, Eugenia spun around.
Camilla stood there, holding a basket of herbs.
“Did you… see me?”
Eugenia’s face turned bright red as she raised her sword at Camilla.
“Did you see everything?!”
“Well, I have eyes, don’t I?”
“Were you following me? How sneaky!”
“No, I was just walking back from the greenhouse this way.”
“B-be quiet!”
Camilla showed her the basket, but Eugenia just blushed and waved her sword. Camilla stared at her and the sword.
“What? Do I look ugly to you too?!”
Camilla just answered calmly.
“You look cool.”
“…What?”
“I don’t know much about swords, but I think it’s cool.”
Eugenia’s lips twitched at the words.
