CHAPTER 18……………………
Kana tilted her head, as if puzzled by the way I was staring at her so intently.
I had naturally expected some kind of sneer. Patrick had said Kana didn’t dislike me, but that was hard to believe.
Thinking of the aggressive way she had acted when I first arrived at the ducal estate, there was no way she didn’t dislike me.
“I thought you’d be angry.”
“An angry head maid toward a young lady of the house? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
“……”
“You’re not mad?”
My tone almost sounded like I was urging her to get angry.
That hadn’t been my intention.
At my question, Kana drew in a short breath and threw open the tightly shut window as she answered.
“It’s only natural that you would respond that way, my lady.”
“……”
“You did well.”
It was an unexpected compliment.
If not a sneer, I had at least expected a warning disguised as advice—something like, ‘There’s no need to provoke Young Master Barak’s temper.’
But to hear that I had done well?
That truly caught me off guard.
Still dazed by her words, I blinked as the wind poured in through the open window and looked at her. Standing before me with her back to the door, Kana met my gaze with an unreadable expression.
“It’s true that the second young master behaved harshly.”
“……”
“If it’s acceptable for him, I see no reason why it shouldn’t be for you, my lady.”
It wasn’t as though I suddenly believed Kana might like me because of that one sentence. But it did make Patrick’s words slightly more believable.
Maybe she didn’t dislike me, at least not that much.
No matter how capable and strictly professional she was as head maid, she didn’t need to say that in front of me.
At the very least, it was clear she was taking my side.
Mine—the side of someone who wasn’t even the duke’s true daughter.
How strange. Kana reacting like this almost made me wonder if something had happened between her and the ducal family during the three years I was gone.
“So, what would you like to do about your meal?”
“…It’s fine. I’m not hungry.”
I lay down on the bed without looking at her again.
Apparently she had no intention of forcing food on me despite my refusal, because all I heard was a short, “Understood.”
“Then please rest well.”
With that, she left and quietly closed the door behind her.
—
“You did well.”
A head maid praising a young lady of a ducal house could be considered terribly insolent.
Was the reason it didn’t feel unpleasant because I wasn’t truly a noble?
Well, if there’s a deep bond between the household staff and the noble children, perhaps that sort of praise isn’t so out of place.
“Strange.”
If she really didn’t dislike me, I couldn’t understand why she had shown hostility on my very first day at the estate.
Kana was strange.
“And so am I.”
It was strange that her simple words—You did well—had lifted my mood.
Considering everything the ducal family had done to me in the past, it felt as if she was saying that at least I was allowed to act that way toward their precious heirs.
And that felt oddly satisfying.
“Get in.”
Lian spoke quietly, gesturing toward the carriage prepared in the courtyard.
Why is there only one?
I knew Lian served as a captain of the imperial knights, but why did I have to ride in the same carriage as him when I was heading to the imperial palace?
“There were two prepared, but Barak took one and left first.”
It seemed my thoughts had shown clearly on my face, because Lian answered without hesitation.
Not that I had any intention of hiding my expression.
That bastard.
From Barak’s perspective, he probably didn’t want to share a carriage with either me or Lian—who supported my staying here.
As if he’s the only one who feels that way.
“The ducal house surely doesn’t lack carriages. Why must we ride together?”
“People will talk.”
“……”
“You’ve just returned home after a long absence due to an accident, and this is your first visit to the imperial palace. If you arrive in separate carriages from your elder brother, wouldn’t that seem strange?”
I let out a small breath.
He wasn’t wrong. In the imperial capital, where nobles thrive on gossip, arriving separately would fuel all kinds of rumors.
“Didn’t you promise to live as April?”
Right. I did.
Gripping the hem of my skirt lightly, I climbed into the carriage.
Only after I had settled into my seat did Lian climb in and sit opposite me.
If I close my eyes and pretend to sleep, maybe he won’t try to start a pointless conversation.
“About that wolf beastman who lived with you. Alicia… was it?”
The moment Alicia’s name left his mouth, my eyes snapped open.
“What about Alicia?”
It was only natural to worry that the ducal family might target her.
If they could interfere with my father, harming Alicia—who wasn’t even related by blood—would be easy.
“It’s nothing in particular… I was just wondering why you didn’t bring her.”
“……”
“If you want, it wouldn’t be a problem to bring Alicia to the ducal estate.”
“That’s not necessary.”
I didn’t want Alicia to suffer here.
I didn’t want her offering to help with my revenge, either. She had mourned my father’s death more deeply than anyone. I didn’t want her to grieve again.
“Why?”
“Who would want to watch their family suffer?”
At my words, his upright posture faltered slightly.
“That person… is your family?”
“Yes.”
He looked unconvinced.
We shared not a drop of blood, but Alicia was my family all the same.
She had been with my parents even before I was born. She was my friend, and my sibling.
He wouldn’t know how devoted she had been to my ailing father and to me when I was young.
After being cast out, I spent a year doing nothing but crying.
When I could barely function as a human being, it was Alicia who pulled me back to my feet.
“Irina.”
As I was thinking about Alicia, Lian called my real name—not April.
Slowly, I lifted my head.
“…I regret it.”
Regret what? I was just about to ask when the carriage jolted to a stop.
“We have arrived.”
We had barely exchanged a few words, yet we were already at the imperial palace.
After the coachman’s voice sounded from outside, Lian composed his expression and stepped down first.
He extended his hand to escort me.
In the past, when he had escorted me, I had smiled at him.
Now, neither of us smiled.
I regret it… The answer was obvious.
“April.”
At the sound of my name, I carefully took his hand and stepped down from the carriage.
It was late summer. Beneath the clear sky, the blazing sunlight struck my skin almost painfully.
“Sir Lian.”
The one who called out to him was Lerviang, his long hair tied high and tight.
After greeting Lian briefly, he turned to me.
“And Lady April.”
“It’s been a while, Sir Lerviang.”
“I heard you returned from the villa. Are you feeling better?”
“Yes, after resting well I’ve improved a lot. I wasn’t seriously injured, after all.”
I had said that last part on purpose.
At the same time, I grew curious. They had assigned me to act as April’s stand-in—what would they do if April returned before fully recovering?
They couldn’t keep asking for a substitute forever.
“You look tired.”
“Do I?”
Lerviang hadn’t changed much from the last time I saw him three years ago.
Especially that distinct weary expression he wore when exhausted—it was still the same.
There had already been plenty of work before, but with the royal wedding approaching, perhaps his workload had increased even more.
“His Highness is waiting.”
“Yes, please lead the way.”
“I’ll speak with Sir Lian another time.”
“Understood.”
Three years is a long time. Yet seeing the ducal family members and Lerviang unchanged made it feel not so long after all.
Pretending not to notice Lian’s gaze on my back, I followed behind Lerviang.
Was Perfone handling all the imperial affairs alone? The emperor was still alive, but it had long been known that he was too infatuated with his consort to properly attend to state matters.
At least it was fortunate that Rozian couldn’t bear a child.
If she had been an ordinary consort, Lerviang’s workload would surely have doubled.
“I heard you were seriously injured…”
After clearing his throat a few times, Lerviang continued.
“I’m relieved to see you’ve fully recovered.”
“I was lucky.”
Pretending to be April wasn’t all that difficult.
