~Chapter 131~
“…Ah.”
My ears burned red.
At the same time, Lady Eva let out a mocking laugh and opened her mouth.
“Since this morning, you’ve been making such a fuss.”
The Duke narrowed his eyes at her. But Eva, acting as if nothing was wrong, lifted both hands as if showing off.
“Isn’t it true? You woke up at dawn and changed clothes five times.”
“Eva, you really…!”
“Well, brother, you know very well—people call that making a fuss.”
Eva tapped the seat beside her.
“Lari, come sit here.”
“No, Lari.”
The Duke looked serious as he turned to me.
“Are you planning to leave me sitting alone?”
Eva shot back with sharp words.
“Really, how much of Lari do I have to give up to you?”
“You should stop. Don’t you know Lari and I are lovers?”
“And I’m her best friend!”
Ha… I didn’t know what to do anymore. I just stared at the bickering siblings with tired eyes.
A little while later.
As soon as we arrived at the palace, Eva didn’t even wait for the Duke’s escort. She jumped out of the carriage herself.
“This is betrayal.”
Her face puffed up with a sulky pout.
“How could you sit next to him and not me?”
“I-I’m sorry.” I hurried to apologize.
“It’s just… what the Duke said also made sense…”
“Even so!”
She turned her head away sharply, crossing her arms tight against her chest. She was clearly sulking.
The truth was, I had chosen to sit beside the Duke earlier.
Why?
“I’ll still see Eva all day at the banquet preparations, but once we reach the palace, we’ll part ways. Meanwhile, I won’t see you again until later tonight.”
That was the Duke’s strong protest.
He was right. I would be with Eva all day, but the Duke had to attend the delegation meeting.
I thought it was a reasonable choice… but Eva clearly disagreed.
“Eva, then let’s go out together next time. Just the two of us, to Rogers Park.”
“Rogers Park? But… it’s winter.”
For the first time since sulking, she actually answered me.
“It’ll be cold, and no flowers will be blooming.”
“But the walking paths are supposed to be beautifully kept. And I heard there are swans living on the lake.”
“Swans?”
Her ears perked up. I nodded eagerly.
“Yes! We can feed them and then have tea at the lakeside coffee house. How about it?”
“…Well, if Lari insists that much.”
Finally, Eva’s expression softened.
“But next time, it has to be just us. Brother is not coming. Got it?”
She warned me sternly. Clearly, she was still upset that I had chosen to sit next to him earlier.
“Wait, you’re saying you’ll go to Rogers Park alone with Eva?”
The Duke suddenly cut in, his face flustered.
“Then when will you go with me?”
“No way.”
Eva clung tightly to my arm.
“This time, I won’t give in.”
“Eva, can’t you be a little more generous?” the Duke scolded, frowning.
“I have to sit through a boring meeting while you stay with Lari until the banquet.”
The strange part was—
‘Why does he look hurt by his own words?’
He looked more wounded than anyone else.
“Enough. You’ll be late to your meeting.” Eva clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed.
“….”
The Duke’s expression was full of dissatisfaction, but she was right. He really was running out of time.
“I’ll see you later, Lari.”
“Take care.”
I smiled and waved him off.
The Duke kept glancing back as he left.
I couldn’t help but feel my heart tug at his sulky face. Honestly…
‘If only I could spend a little more time with him.’
Since the Rosburn meeting had been arranged, I had barely seen him for more than an hour at a time.
Now we had to part again.
Yes, we’d meet at the banquet later, but…
‘Still… I can’t help feeling sad.’
“Really, are you that sad to part from my brother?”
Eva gave me a sharp side glance.
I flinched.
“What?”
“I’m only forgiving you because it’s my brother. If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t.”
Eva huffed and turned away.
“If you and Brother ever get married, Lari… then you’ll be my family too.”
“…What?”
I couldn’t believe my ears.
Marriage?
We had only been dating for two months!
Eva muttered darkly.
“If it were any other man, I would’ve already ripped his hair out.”
“….”
I stayed silent.
A short while later.
The banquet hall appeared before us — elegant and perfectly arranged.
The decorations, silver candlesticks, polished tableware, and vases of fresh flowers…
Eva and I had touched every part of it with our own hands.
‘Ah, I feel proud…’
Even though I had seen this hall many times while preparing it, my chest still swelled with emotion.
At that moment, the Empress, who was inspecting the hall, greeted us warmly.
“Welcome, Lady Eva. And Lady Ansie too.”
“We greet Your Majesty the Empress.”
We both bowed deeply.
“You two have worked so hard. Please, just endure one more day for me, alright?”
“Not at all, Your Majesty,” Eva answered politely.
“In fact, it is our honor that you entrusted us with this.”
It was true.
We were here today as the Empress’s assistants in hosting the imperial banquet.
Helping with such an event was both an honor and nerve-wracking.
The Empress’s eyes softened as she looked at Eva.
“I don’t know when you grew into such a fine lady.”
Her voice carried a faint sorrow.
“If your late mother, Rosanne, could see you now… she would be so proud.”
Rosanne — the name of the late Duchess of Claudius.
“It’s alright.”
Eva smiled brightly at the Empress.
Her usual proud demeanor was gone, replaced with a soft, delicate smile.
“Your Majesty, Lari, and Brother… all of you think of me.”
She slipped her hand gently into mine.
“I have so many precious people around me. My mother won’t have to worry anymore.”
“…Eva.”
“With people I can trust and lean on, I’ll be fine.”
For a moment, the Empress was taken aback, but then she smiled warmly in return.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Meanwhile.
In another hall, nobles had already taken their seats, waiting.
Dietrich entered the council chamber with the Emperor and Rosburn’s delegation.
Among the mostly older men, he alone was strikingly young.
Yet no one dared to look down on him.
Not even Marquis Evans, sitting among the nobles.
“We shall begin the meeting.”
The Emperor’s voice rang solemnly across the hall.
Boom!
The massive doors of the council chamber closed shut.
