Chapter : 41
Third-Rate Acting
“Goodness, sister—what on earth is going on?”
Helen fluttered about as she stared at the letter bearing the ducal seal.
“Isn’t that seal only used when high-ranking nobles exchange official correspondence?”
Not knowing what was going on inside Psyche’s head, Helen kept babbling excitedly.
As she said, what he had sent was an official letter. It wasn’t simply a notice that he would be paying a visit.
Letters like this were used only when the emperor visited a lord’s castle on inspection, or when nobles officially visited one another’s estates.
Which meant it couldn’t be refused.
If it wasn’t a private visit but one made under a public pretext, there was no other option.
Reading the letter, Psyche thought Clint was clever—but there was nothing she could do.
Alistair Castle would, without fail, have to prepare to receive the duke.
“Come to think of it, is the duke married?”
Helen asked, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Psyche.
Psyche didn’t even have the energy to answer. Seeing this, Claude eventually stepped in.
“He is not married. And since the lady of the estate has work to do, Helen, you should return to your room now.”
“No! I’m here to help! The duke is coming tomorrow—how is my sister supposed to prepare everything by herself? Right, sister?”
Even as Helen chattered on noisily, Psyche remained dazed.
“Wow, unmarried even at that age?”
Helen continued talking to herself even without a response.
Seeing that she wouldn’t let it go, Claude reluctantly added an explanation.
The duke was currently divorced.
Since Claude believed Psyche had gone through the proper divorce procedures, the duke had ended up being regarded as a divorced man.
Psyche had never spoken about the duke at all, so the misunderstanding was only natural.
Whenever Claude asked about him, Psyche reacted with such obvious dislike that he couldn’t bring himself to ask further.
Hearing that, Helen became even more interested.
“Is divorce common in the capital? You too, sister.”
She said it because she also believed Psyche was divorced.
Having no idea that Psyche had once been the wife of that great duke, Helen asked again, sounding amazed.
“Then the position of duchess must be vacant, right?”
“…….”
From the start, she couldn’t even imagine any connection between Psyche and the duke.
To Helen, the duke was a noble so high and distant that it made sense.
Psyche didn’t feel the need to add anything. As she stayed silent, Helen continued muttering to herself.
“Wow, if he’s that high-ranking, I wouldn’t mind being a second wife.”
As she spoke dreamily, puffed up with fantasy, Psyche finally opened her mouth, unable to watch any longer.
Claude clicked his tongue quietly so no one would hear.
“Don’t think strange thoughts, Helen.”
“Oh—no.”
When Psyche scolded her, Helen finally stuck out her lips in a pout.
Psyche added more firmly. She didn’t want to let pointless expectations grow.
“He’s just a guest. Don’t even think about getting ideas.”
“Sister, honestly. What do you take me for?”
Seeing Psyche’s stern expression, Helen puffed her cheeks and frowned.
Despite her words, it was obvious she had a great deal of interest in the duke.
Even after Psyche said that, Helen kept chattering endlessly about Clint.
Psyche pretended not to care, but she couldn’t help feeling on edge.
Between Helen’s nonstop talk and the impending visit from Clint, Psyche couldn’t gather her thoughts at all.
Still, she soon decided to counter cunning with cunning.
Since he had requested an official visit, she would accept it purely as a duke’s visit, without any personal feelings involved.
Welcome him as a guest, see him off as a guest. That would be the end of it.
That was what she decided.
“An eye for an eye.”
She suddenly slammed her desk and stood up.
“Whoa—!”
Helen, who had been talking nonstop, jumped and stared at Psyche.
Color returning to her face, Psyche spoke quickly.
“All right. Let’s work—work. We need to prepare for our guest. What should we do first, Claude?”
“Ah. I’ve already ordered that the guest room be prepared.”
“Good… Then use the best room we have. Just clean it thoroughly. No need to overdo it.”
After all, he was someone who had lived in a place better than the imperial palace.
No matter how much they prepared, it might not even compare to a barn at the ducal estate.
Thinking that, Psyche decided to keep things simple. Doing too much would look stranger.
“And the food… We should still pay attention to that.”
“I’ll take charge of the food!” Helen replied, her eyes shining.
“Will you?”
“Yeah!”
“Then I’ll leave the food to you.”
“Great!”
Truthfully, Psyche didn’t want to worry about anything at all.
She didn’t want to be involved in anything related to Clint.
She couldn’t understand why he was still looking for her.
If it was to hold her responsible for losing the child…
She didn’t want to think about it anymore.
To drive away stray thoughts, she deliberately focused harder on her work. Time passed quickly.
The castle had been neglected for so long that there was plenty to do.
Since Psyche arrived, she had tried to maintain it as best she could, but resources were scarce. There were still many walls and interiors in need of repair, and until now she hadn’t had the leisure to worry about such things.
Psyche simply did what she could, quietly and steadily, in her own way.
Before long, the sun set, and evening came—the appointed time for the duke’s visit.
As it was a rare guest, the few servants in the castle were filled with curiosity and anticipation.
Moreover, they seemed especially curious about a duke from the capital, a high-ranking noble.
Soon, accompanied by Alessandro and several knights, the duke arrived at Alistair Castle.
When Psyche greeted him with the etiquette appropriate for welcoming a high noble, the duke responded in kind.
Unlike how he had seemed ready to take Psyche away at any moment, he behaved quite politely and calmly.
To Helen, who knew nothing, the two looked exactly like strangers meeting for the first time.
“Compared to what you are used to in the capital, this may be quite modest, but I would appreciate it if you could accept the sincerity of our preparations.”
As she led the duke and Alessandro into the hall where dinner was laid out, Psyche spoke as if addressing someone she didn’t know.
Clint smiled gently in response.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
There was someone else whose stomach was churning from this act.
Alessandro.
Watching the two of them felt like watching children play house.
To think he couldn’t call his lady his lady!
He suppressed the urge to go mad, forcing a smile as he sat at the table.
“…….”
An inexplicable tension filled the hall.
But the oblivious Helen had been spellbound by the duke’s face, her eyes constantly drifting toward him.
The only one who understood the full situation was Alessandro, which made him feel even more stifled.
He barely restrained himself from fleeing the suffocating dinner table.
He wanted nothing more than to cry out, My lady, please return to His Grace’s side, but feared he might die if he said it aloud.
“I imagine the journey was long and tiring. It may not be as comfortable as where you usually stay, but we have prepared a bedroom. I hope you’ll be able to rest well.”
Psyche spoke before the meal began.
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Clint replied calmly.
Soon, however, a taut tension began to form between them.
Clint was the one who started it.
“It must be difficult managing the territory on your own.”
“Ah… I’ve had many people helping me, so it’s been all right.”
“Oh? Isn’t there someone else who should be helping you?”
What Clint meant was a husband. Psyche immediately understood his roundabout remark—that he was there and could help, so why was she doing this alone?
She smiled and shot back.
“Oh, I don’t have anyone I could rely on. Life is something you face alone anyway, isn’t it?”
“…….”
Her firm tone visibly flustered Clint, but he quickly regained his composure.
“Did you raise the child alone as well? Where is your husband?”
The question was so personal that everyone present was taken aback.
Since none of them knew the two were married, it was a natural reaction.
The only one caught in the crossfire was Alessandro.
“Matters concerning the child… don’t seem to be something Your Grace needs to concern himself with.”
When Psyche drew a clear line, Clint looked slightly displeased—but he wasn’t the type to show his emotions in a place like this.
Still, Alessandro thought that had been dangerous. He wanted to intervene, but Clint’s sharp presence made it impossible to muster the courage.
“E-excuse me…”
Alessandro finally forced himself to speak, summoning every ounce of strength—just as he opened his mouth.
End Of Chapter : 41
