Chapter 24
“Congratulations on turning twelve, Lady Ries.”
He narrowed his eyes while giving his congratulations, which touched my heart deeply.
Ha. My favorite character congratulating me in person. Truly an honor.
“Thank you… really… very much….”
After stammering my thanks, I firmly held onto my confused mind.
I couldn’t waste this precious opportunity by acting clumsy.
“Brother Darius, how have you been? Are you sick anywhere? Are you eating well and sleeping well?”
After sitting face to face on the sofa, I bombarded him with questions.
Darius’s eyes widened, then he laughed happily.
“Of course. I am very healthy.”
He must have suffered a lot trying to please Duke Selphius Dierne, his father, and attending the victory ceremony.
Seeing him smile calmly and white without showing any exhaustion made me feel both sorry and proud.
Suddenly, I noticed that only one cup of coffee was placed in front of him and jumped up.
“Please eat something! Should I bring cake? Or do you want a meal?”
“It’s fine. I had lunch at the main house.”
“Wow, you really look like you are ready to give everything from the family.”
My stupid older brother poured cold water on my blissful conversation with Darius.
Ha. If there was one stain in this happy situation, it was you.
I glared at Simon with a rotten expression, but I barely held back my insults because Darius was in front of me.
Darius looked at the two of us amusingly, then placed a small box on the table and pushed it toward me.
“Lady Ries. It’s nothing special, but I prepared a gift.”
“Eh?! You really didn’t have to go this far….”
“What do you mean? I couldn’t come empty-handed.”
You coming here is already the greatest gift…!
With a grateful heart, I picked up the gift box he offered.
Darius gestured for me to open it.
After untying the sky-blue lace ribbon wrapping the white palm-sized box, a silver thin bracelet appeared.
“Wow…”
The smooth curved bracelet reflected a brilliant light.
Is there another fan like me in this world?
When I held the bracelet up to my wrist, Darius immediately fastened it on my wrist.
“Hm. It’s a little loose.”
Darius muttered in a deep voice.
“No?! Considering that I will still grow a lot, it’s better to have some extra room!”
I defended the size before he could feel more embarrassed.
“…That’s true. You are still in your growth period.”
Darius twitched the bridge of his nose, remembering the nonsense I once said.
I smiled back and admired the bracelet shining on my wrist.
This criminally attractive man even had aesthetic sense.
I should pass it down to future generations as a family heirloom.
Ah, no. It might be better to be buried together when the coffin lid is closed.
“It’s very beautiful. I really like it. Thank you very much.”
I barely squeezed out my overwhelming gratitude.
Only then did Darius sigh in relief.
“I’m glad you like it. I’ve never chosen gifts for girls your age before, so I worried a lot.”
He worried about something useless.
If it was a gift from you, I would frame even used tissue paper you blew your nose on and keep it forever.
Ah, not in a perverted meaning.
In short, this gift is perfect.
“I will wear it forever. I won’t even take it off when bathing.”
Darius laughed loudly.
In the meantime, my brother’s sarcastic cough mixed in, which was very annoying.
Maybe sensing my thought that he should read the atmosphere, Simon stood up and unfolded his crossed legs.
“It’s about time to go.”
Hearing that, Darius checked the clock and stood up with a regretful expression.
Damn! Why are you chasing Darius away?
“No! He’s only been here for 20 minutes. Why are you driving him away?!”
When I hurriedly blocked him, Simon clicked his tongue.
“He has to go back to the dormitory. Unlike me, who applied for vacation until the day after tomorrow, he only has today. He insisted on coming personally to give you the gift, which already caused quite a delay.”
After Simon’s words, I could no longer hold Darius back.
It was already past three in the afternoon.
Even if he left now and ran without resting, it would be night by the time he reached the school.
My Darius has morning classes tomorrow. I shouldn’t let him be in bad condition.
It was heartbreaking that we only had 20 minutes after waiting two months, but I silently stepped aside.
“…I see. Brother Darius, thank you for coming despite your busy schedule.”
“I’m sorry, Lady Ries. Please forgive my rudeness of only showing my face and leaving.”
“Not at all! I am grateful just that you came!”
I swallowed the words that “this became the best day of my life” because it might be too heavy, and followed him out of the mansion.
Father and brother also came out to see him off, and the Dierne duke family servants prepared to depart.
After everything was ready, Darius turned back toward us.
After exchanging greetings with my family, he stood in front of me last.
“The party is still going on, so go back and enjoy it, Lady Ries. Happy birthday.”
“Thank you. Please travel safely. Take care of your health!”
If we parted this time, maybe the next meeting would be during summer vacation.
While I was faintly keeping Darius in my eyes, he suddenly exclaimed “Ah!” and jumped down from the carriage again.
“I almost forgot. There is one more gift.”
“Eh?”
What? You prepared two gifts!
With wide eyes, I looked down at the shopping bag he handed me.
A sweet smell came from inside the heavy bag.
Darius smiled and bent slightly, whispering near my ear.
“Actually, this is a gift Kyle prepared for Lady Ries.”
Hearing that long-lost name felt like being struck in the head with a hammer.
“I told him not to say it was from him, but from me. And he told me to keep it secret. Kyle also came to the Brant mansion earlier. He suddenly dumped the gift on me and went home. Shy, isn’t he?”
“Kyle… came?”
I asked back in a daze.
Darius smiled and nodded.
Soon Simon urged Darius, and he quickly got into the carriage.
“Anyway, thank you for accepting my request. Lady Ries, stay healthy and well!”
I hurriedly waved my hand to him as he said goodbye through the carriage window.
Soon, the Dierne duke family’s carriage raised dust and ran away.
The carriage gradually became smaller and finally disappeared from sight.
…It was the request that I should become close to Kyle while he was at the dormitory, but I couldn’t keep it.
Actually, when I heard that Darius had come earlier, a fleeting hope flashed in my mind that Kyle might have come with him.
Even while talking happily with Darius, somewhere in my heart, the disappointment that Kyle hadn’t come scratched me like sand grains.
Kyle. Why did you come all the way here but only leave the gift and turn back?
“Just what were you thinking…?”
Maybe because he was a stubborn guy, he tried to keep his promise to attend the birthday party.
But when he was about to face my face, it became awkward and he ran away?
Expectation and disappointment stormed inside my heart.
I looked down at the shopping bag Darius gave me and took out the box inside.
“Ah?”
‘<Rotiang>’
The shop name on the business card inside the box was definitely the bakery I had once begged Kyle to go to.
It was the shop I tried to persuade Kyle to visit together right before we drifted apart.
‘Was he listening? Did he remember and buy it here on purpose?’
When I opened the box lid, various madeleines, scones, and canelés were neatly arranged inside.
I liked most desserts, but especially these were my preferred flavors.
“What is that snack package? Did Young Master Darius give it?”
My father approached me as I stood frozen holding the box.
“It looks delicious. Anyway, Ries, you should return to the backyard now. Everyone is waiting for you. The main character shouldn’t leave the place too long.”
“….”
“Let’s go quickly. Ah, after the party ends, I will show you the colt we adopted.”
“….”
“I chose the smartest and prettiest one! You can look forward to it!”
“Father.”
I grabbed my father who was patting my shoulder.
“Yes?”
“I will go to the Dierne duke mansion.”
