Chapter 59 …
In the end, I gave up on taking a bath and had to play with Epher.
Epher, who had arrived at the stables first, searched for me as if looking for a missing favorite doll.
Ugh…
I slipped into the tunnel I had dug behind the stables and popped out as if I had been hiding there from the beginning.
“Siena!”
The moment he saw me, he called my name in a voice an octave higher and ran toward me with a bright smile.
“Our Siena, I missed you.”
He hugged and kissed me, refusing to let go. After trapping me in his arms for quite a while, when I tried to pull away, he took out a toy from his pocket.
“Shall we play with this?”
It was a doll I had never seen before.
Pior shook his head and asked Epher,
“Where on earth do you keep getting these toys?”
“I made it.”
“….”
“The Grand Duchess said things like this might help. And just like she said, Siena does seem to like what I make more.”
After hesitating for a while, I played with the toy Epher made. I had to act according to what I’d said, after all.
I hadn’t felt that tired just moments ago, but fatigue suddenly washed over me.
“Our Siena, look how pretty you are.”
“She looks like she rolled around in mud. She’s really dirty…”
Pior retorted as he looked at the dirt on my fur from crawling through the tunnel.
This guy reads my mind the best, yet he low-key roasts me nonstop.
Ignoring Pior’s comment, Epher poured affection onto me without restraint.
“She’s still so pretty even if she’s a little dirty. I love her the most in the world.”
Pior, seemingly used to this by now, looked at Epher with the same slightly disdainful expression.
“Your Highness. Aren’t you tired?”
“Being with Siena is my rest.”
I want to rest too, you punk. I want to soak in warm bathwater and wash away all this built-up fatigue!
Epher looked at me with lowered brows, as if feeling sorry.
“If Siena becomes a little more tame, I could raise her in my room.”
That will never happen.
“Why don’t you just move your room to this stable instead?”
“…Should I?”
Honestly, this guy is completely crazy about Siena.
“Siena, shall I bathe you?”
I unconsciously swallowed.
He’s not talking to Rozelia! Get a grip!
Ever since he brushed my lips, my thoughts have been impure—why does that innocent face suddenly look suggestive?
As I froze, unsure what to do, Epher stroked my head, calling me cute.
“Aww, you don’t like baths?”
He took out a handkerchief and gently brushed the dirt off my fur.
“It’s okay. Even grubby, you’re cute.”
Once most of the dirt was gone, he lifted me high into the air and rubbed his nose against my cheek.
“Your Highness. She’s dirty.”
“You’re dirtier. You smell like sweat.”
“I barely moved today…”
“I. Move. A lot.”
While bickering with Pior—who was sniffing himself with a raised arm—Epher looked at me with the happiest smile.
“It doesn’t really smell. Isn’t it just the fox’s scent?”
Even as Pior kept nagging loudly behind him, Epher ignored him completely and focused only on me.
I thought he liked me as Rozelia…
But seeing this, I suddenly felt like Rozelia could never beat Siena.
When Pior was ignored one too many times, he strode forward and placed a hand on Epher’s shoulder.
“Your Highness. Are you teasing me because I said something you didn’t like earlier?”
“It wasn’t something I didn’t like. It was something wrong.”
“What was wrong?”
“The Grand Duchess is good at refusing.”
Why is my story suddenly coming up?
These brats… they weren’t badmouthing me behind my back, were they?
Thankfully, they weren’t.
“According to what you found out earlier, you said she’s ‘a quiet person who can’t refuse well.’”
So it was background research.
“That’s just what the rumors said. I’ve never met her personally—how would I judge?”
Half-baked investigation, too. Pior glared at Epher for a long moment like he might curse him.
But Epher didn’t seem to be listening at all.
“If the Grand Duchess trains Siena, maybe I could keep her in my room.”
Looks like he didn’t hear what I said yesterday either.
That will absolutely never happen—so I lightly kicked Epher’s face with my paw.
“Does Siena want to meet the Grand Duchess too?”
As expected, Epher interpreted it however he wanted.
“Your Highness… sometimes when you talk to the fox, it’s honestly scary.”
Tell me about it.
In the end, after playing with Epher until the moon rose, I returned to my room completely exhausted.
Tomorrow, I’ll properly lure him as Rozelia.
Not as Siena.
Hoping that someday he would shower Rozelia with the same boundless affection he gives Siena, I closed my eyes in a good mood.
* * *
The next morning.
I solemnly checked Epher’s schedule first. As always, the punctual man rarely left the Grand Duke’s castle. Of course, I could go to him—but it felt awkward without a solid reason.
First, I needed to change the meals we shared “a few times a week” into “every day.” Then I planned to linger in his sight as if by coincidence and suggest a walk together.
When I went out to the garden, I saw Epher in the distance giving instructions to the gardener.
So predictable.
Still, I didn’t dislike this side of him.
His love for animals, his appreciation for scenery…
Having spent long years in the mountains that changed clothes with each season, I liked people who knew what was beautiful.
Ah. Our eyes met.
Before, even if I lingered nearby, he seemed not to notice me at all. Now, he spotted me first and looked hesitant about whether to speak.
I slowly approached him and greeted him with a smile.
“The weather is nice today.”
“Yes… it is.”
Compared to my bright expression, Epher looked somewhat stiff.
“The weather is very nice. Did you come out for a walk?”
He sounded about as natural as Count Pellua when he couldn’t act.
Behind Epher, Pior looked up at the cloudy sky, then muttered toward the back of Epher’s head,
“Look at him squeezing out things to say… how is this weather—”
Though he spoke quietly, I heard his complaint clearly.
“It’s summer. Weather like this is nice and cool.”
Not realizing I could hear him, Pior’s face turned red as he waved his hands in panic.
“N-no, that wasn’t directed at you, Your Grace!”
Seeing him flustered, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
As Siena, Pior was always grumbling and boldly criticizing Epher—but now he looked pale like he’d committed a grave sin toward me. It was amusing.
“It’s fine. I don’t get angry over things like that.”
“I absolutely did not mean that toward Your Grace! Absolutely!”
“Haha. Sir Pior, you’re quite amusing.”
However, Epher looked slightly displeased. Was it because his guard had been rude to me?
Since he was usually the one who defended me most when I wasn’t around, I reassured Pior with praise.
“I’ve heard often how capable you are. It’s not easy to excel in both martial and scholarly arts—Sir Pior is truly impressive.”
Caught off guard by the sudden praise, Pior flushed and fidgeted awkwardly.
“Well… I do have it all.”
“I’m quite envious that Your Highness has such a good guard.”
As I kept smiling warmly like a mother, Epher stepped between Pior and me and changed the subject.
“Ah, Grand Duchess. Are you preparing to attend the puppet play demonstration?”
“Yes. I’ve even called a seamstress to make a new dress.”
“I’ve prepared a gift for you.”
“A gift?”
“Ilaine will organize it and visit you soon. I hope you’ll like it.”
I gently placed my hand on Epher’s arm and said warmly,
“Thank you.”
But Epher stared at the arm I touched without even blinking, as if time had stopped.
For a long… very long time.
Wait. What is this situation?
At least respond.
Seeing him completely frozen with his head lowered, I became flustered too.
“…Your Highness?”
Only then, as if waking from a trance, Epher lifted his arm and shook off my hand.
It was extremely awkward.
“Th-then please rest. I’ll be going now.”
Watching his hurried retreat, I scratched my chin awkwardly.
Doesn’t he like me? Why is he putting up such a wall?
He even prepared a gift. So why does he act like he dislikes even light skinship?
…Is he inexperienced?
* * *
The nine-tailed fox wasn’t the only one analyzing his romantic tendencies.
“Your Highness… have you never dated a woman?”
Pior, too, was deep in thought as he watched his lord’s behavior.
“I thought you’d at least had some experience behind my back.”
“….”
“If you act like a broken machine like that, how are you going to win the Grand Duchess’s heart?”
At Pior’s sarcasm, Epher replied curtly,
“I said I wouldn’t make it obvious.”
“That makes it more obvious. You completely froze just because your hands touched.”
Shaking his head, Pior added in a slightly annoying tone,
“Want me to give you a lesson?”
Epher suddenly stopped walking and whipped around.
“Ah! I told you not to stop so suddenly!”
Startled after bumping into him again, Pior clicked his tongue—then immediately read Epher’s expression and averted his gaze.
“Didn’t you say you were against this?”
“Aren’t you the one who said you wouldn’t be greedy?”
Epher clenched his teeth and glared.
“Don’t get close to the Grand Duchess. No—don’t even talk to her from now on.”
“That’s one thing and this is another. Why shouldn’t I be friendly? I told you—I’m opposing this because I’m worried about her.”
Pior shrugged as if wronged.
“If you try to interfere, I won’t let it slide.”
Pior sighed. Even after saying it repeatedly, it seemed his sincerity wasn’t getting through to Epher.
“Why would I interfere?”
Epher let out a disbelieving scoff.
He was only holding back because the person most likely to oppose him was right in front of him. If he tried to get any closer to the Grand Duchess, Pior would obviously nag him about being greedy.
But Pior, unaware of Epher’s feelings, muttered irritably,
“…At this rate, you’re going to ruin it yourself.”
“What?”
“You should give gifts personally. Why send it through the head butler?”
Epher hadn’t wanted to mention it in advance. Rather than a gift, it was something he prepared to surprise the Grand Duchess because he thought she would like it.
“If you tell milady everything and she still says it’s okay, I’ll help you a bit.”
“No need. I won’t listen to you.”
Epher turned away haughtily.
“…So what did you give her?”
“I’m not telling you that either.”
And shortly after—
Rozelia saw what Epher had prepared… and couldn’t close her gaping mouth.
