-22-
What is this? Don’t tell me… had she met Tiana before? Her strange attitude made me cautiously ask her.
“Have we… met before?”
“…Yes, that’s correct.”
“Ah…”
Even though I tried to hide it, I couldn’t completely erase the unpleasant expression on my face. I sighed inwardly as I noticed her politely clasped hands trembling. Another victim of the previous possessor.
Just how far and how badly had she caused trouble? I glanced around at the other attendants in the bath. Their tense faces told me everything. Seriously… am I that despised?
Suppressing another sigh, I finished the bath quietly for now. When I entered the adjoining room, the waiting maids swiftly helped me change into new clothes.
The light blue dress fit me perfectly. Feeling pleased, I smiled and spun lightly, then bowed slightly to the head maid and attendants.
“…!”
“…Hup…!”
I heard their startled gasps and spoke in a gentle voice.
“I am Tiana Quinn Celeste. Please forget about the strange behavior I showed before.”
If I were to become the lady of the house, managing the staff would be part of my responsibilities. Among them, gaining the favor of the butler and head maid was especially important.
During the time there was no mistress, these two were the ones managing the Grand Duke’s estate right after Lucious. With their support, I could gain more authority and responsibilities as the mistress.
However, as long as the image of the possessed Tiana lingered, it would be difficult to earn their trust. That’s why I had deliberately scheduled meetings with the Marquis at the Grand Duke’s residence and visited often—to show that I had changed.
Rumors had been spreading favorably, and they had seen me with Lucious, so I thought it would be fine… but apparently, it wasn’t enough.
Well, people don’t change their perceptions that easily. The actions of the previous possessor might have left trauma in these people just like they did with Lucious, Edwin, the Duke’s family, and Princess Alexandra.
So, for now, I have to show them. That the fake Tiana they remember no longer exists. That from today on, I will be the real Tiana—their mistress.
“……”
“……”
The attendants looked genuinely shocked and uncertain as they watched me closely. The head maid, who had been stiff with tension, now stared at me in a daze.
I took a quiet breath, straightened up slightly, and looked at them seriously as I spoke.
“It might be difficult to forget the previous me… but I hope you’ll look at who I am now.”
“……”
“Saying I’ve lost my memory is just an excuse. After all, the one you met was still me. But I believe the person I am now is very different.”
“……”
“As the honorable mistress of the Grand Duchy, and as His Grace’s wife, I want to lead this household well. And for that, I need your help. I’ll approach you slowly… so please don’t feel uncomfortable and be at ease around me.”
I made eye contact with each of them, sincerely conveying my feelings. Even if this wouldn’t make them believe me right away, it was better to say it openly now for the future.
I’ll lay the groundwork and slowly start changing things. If I show that I’m trying, they won’t completely reject me.
My first goal is to erase the image of the old Tiana and replace it with my own. If I can make them believe that the real Tiana has returned, then maybe they’ll start to accept me.
Of course, earning their trust afterward would require even more effort—but for now, I need to take care of the most urgent matter.
“…Head maid.”
All the attendants’ eyes turned toward the head maid, who had been silently watching me. Her conflicted feelings were written all over her worried face. I could see her hesitating—wondering if she could really trust me—so I waited patiently for her decision.
I met her gaze without avoiding it. After a long moment, her expression softened, and she slowly opened her mouth as if she had made up her mind.
“…My name is Jane Filler. It’s an honor to serve you as the mistress of the Grand Duchy. I look forward to working with you… milady.”
“…I look forward to it as well, Jane.”
As the head maid bowed respectfully, the other attendants followed suit. Meeting her gentle gaze and smile filled me with relief—I had taken the first step toward my goal.
“Phew…”
Left alone in the newly assigned parlor, I sank into the plush sofa. The tension from the earlier conversation had stiffened my body again. The warm bath had been pointless.
Still, the reaction from Jane and the others wasn’t bad. I was glad to see even a little bit of progress.
I looked up at the ceiling for a while, then glanced around the spacious room. Dark navy wallpaper, elegant yet simple decor.
It was a more serene space compared to the bath earlier. My eyes began to feel heavy in the comforting atmosphere when I heard a knock.
Knock knock.
Jane said she would bring tea—was she back already? I quickly straightened my posture.
“Come in.”
But it wasn’t Jane who entered, pushing the tray with the tea set. It was the butler, Warren. He met my eyes, smiling gently as he carefully placed the teacup on the table.
I wasn’t expecting him to come, so I blinked in surprise. Then he opened his mouth.
“His Grace will be a little while longer.”
“That’s fine. I’ll wait.”
“I heard you enjoy black tea, so I prepared a rich blend from Este. Would that be all right?”
“Yes. It’s one of my favorite brands. Thank you.”
“Please take your time and enjoy.”
“…Yes.”
I stared at his gently smiling face, feeling a bit strange. His polite manner and soft gaze surprised me.
Wasn’t he also a victim of the possessor? He must have seen the previous Tiana, yet his reaction was different from Jane and the others.
A small sense of unease bubbled up. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as I cautiously picked up the teacup and took a sip.
“…!”
…It’s delicious? The tea was amazing. Unlike any tea I’d had before. The water temperature was perfect, and the flavor was deep and rich. The aroma of the leaves lingered delightfully in my mouth.
Staring in surprise at the red tea in my cup, he quietly asked,
“Is it to your taste?”
“Yes. It’s really good.”
“I’m glad. I remembered the flavor you used to enjoy and tried to prepare it just the same… it seems I got it right.”
“…!”
He knew what Tiana used to like? …So he had met the original Tiana before the possession! This confirmed that the original Tiana had interacted with the Grand Duke’s household.
But he must have met the possessor too. Even if he thought I had returned, wasn’t he being too kind?
I placed the teacup down and silently looked at him. He met my gaze with a serious expression and continued.
“I heard about you from Marquis Calvino. I wasn’t sure either, so I’ve been watching you carefully. It hasn’t been long, and I can’t be completely certain yet… but I see many of the traits I remember. I believe I can be reassured.”
“Ah…”
“And this may be rude, but… I overheard what you said to the head maid and the staff earlier. I apologize for listening in.”
“It’s okay. Really.”
“…I could feel your sincerity in your words. It must not have been easy, but thank you for being the first to step forward with honesty.”
“……”
“In response to your sincerity, I will do my best as well. As the mistress of this household, as His Grace’s companion… please take good care of him. I am Warren Haspur, milady.”
…The people of the Grand Duke’s household are so righteous. I was touched by how they accepted me without rejecting me. It really was the right choice to approach them with sincerity.
Swallowing the emotion in my heart, I stood up and bowed my head slightly in return.
“I look forward to working with you, Warren.”
Somehow, I had a good feeling that things would go well from here. I exchanged a small smile with him before sitting back down and sipping more of the tea. Ah, it’s delicious.
As I relaxed with my tea, Warren glanced at the clock, then approached and handed me a white towel.
“A towel? What for…?”
“You’ll need it.”
“Pardon?”
A towel? I tilted my head at the cryptic comment, and he smiled softly. Just as I was feeling the fluffy texture in my hands, the parlor door opened.
“…Ah…”
Someone entered without making a sound. It was Lucious. He stepped in wearing clean clothes, his hair still dripping wet.
Water from his hair soaked into his shirt again.
Wait—was that towel for this?!
Startled, I looked at Warren. He nodded knowingly.
“Please enjoy your time together.”
With that, he pushed the tray cart and quickly exited the parlor.
Wait, hold on. Butler? You can’t just leave like that!
Lucious had already silently taken the seat across from me. Water dripped from his still-wet hair, soaking his collar and shoulders.
Why didn’t he dry his hair? That defeats the purpose of bathing. Now his clothes are wet again… I almost laughed in disbelief.
Does he not realize it, or is he doing it on purpose? Seeing my favorite character like this is testing my reason.
And of all things, he’s wearing a white shirt… I tried to ignore the faintly visible skin and raised my eyes to look at his soaked hair.
His usually neat hair had become longer when wet, and droplets of water slowly slid down the strands, tracing the line of his neck.
…I want to be that droplet. I want to touch it…
Without realizing it, I followed the droplet with my eyes, only to be startled when I saw his wet shirt again. I quickly looked away.
Our eyes met.
Embarrassed, I gave an awkward smile and said,
“Your hair’s still wet. Why didn’t you dry it?”
“I thought you might be waiting.”
“Still, you should’ve dried your hair. I didn’t wait long. You’ll catch a cold if you don’t dry it properly…”
“Then… would you dry it for me?”
“…What?”
I looked at him in surprise. He approached me with a serious gaze.
