TLVGAJ 76

~Chapter 76~

“Then, Your Highness, what was the reason you invited me to tea?”

At my question, Albert paused and looked at me, then lowered his gaze slightly.

“Actually… I had something I wanted to say, so I asked for this tea time.”

Something he wanted to say?

I tilted my head in curiosity. Albert, still with his head slightly bowed, continued.

“First of all, I want to thank you for saving me during the hunting tournament with the divine creature. And…”

Albert looked troubled, his face showing hesitation.

Soon, as if making up his mind, he raised his head toward me.

“Irene, I won’t force you about treatment anymore.”

“…Ah.”

My eyebrows twitched. It was something I never expected, so I was caught off guard.

“I think I’ve only been thinking of myself this whole time. The most important thing is your feelings… but I overlooked that.”

“……”

“From now on, I won’t make you uncomfortable by bringing up treatment again. And also… I apologize for pressuring you before.”

Albert was calmly speaking the words he had prepared.

My heart pounded quickly. I looked at him, still feeling surprised.

Then, before I knew it, I smiled softly.

Maybe he had been bothered by the things I said in the past, or by the moments when we fought. Otherwise, why would he say something like this?

“Well… you don’t need to apologize that much.”

“……”

“But thank you for thinking of me. Honestly, I also felt uneasy about the fight we had before. Hearing you say this makes me feel relieved.”

It was quite unexpected, but maybe because of that, I felt even more grateful.

The bad feelings from before seemed to melt away like snow.

Albert thinking about my side of things…

So he wasn’t someone completely impossible to talk to after all.

It made me really happy.

I even felt like maybe I could treat Albert more comfortably now.

“Alright. Thank you for accepting my words with kindness…”

Albert spoke with a faint expression, then silently sipped his tea.

“Then, I’ll be going.”

He put down the cup and got ready to leave.

Hmm.

He moved as if he had an appointment to keep. It felt a little odd, but it was only a fleeting thought.

Smiling, I called out to him as he left.

“Please go safely, Your Highness. And visit often for tea!”

I only thought about how grateful I was that Albert had given up on forcing me into treatment.

Step, step.

As Albert left the tea room, his knight Enoch spoke to him.

“Will you take the carriage, Your Highness?”

“…No, I have somewhere to stop first.”

Albert’s destination wasn’t the carriage. It was the main office of the Hartmann Ducal House.

Knock, knock.

“Duke, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived.”

At the knight’s words and knock, the door to the office swung wide open.

Inside, Duke Hartmann appeared, as if he had been waiting.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Duke Hartmann, have you been well?”

Albert extended his hand.

After a simple handshake, Albert entered the office, where a lady standing by the sofa caught his eye.

“Welcome, Your Highness. Please have a seat here.”

Guided by the Duchess of Hartmann, Albert sat in the seat of honor.

As soon as they sat together, Albert spoke.

“I’ll get straight to the point. I’ve already told Irene I won’t force treatment anymore. Have you received my letter?”

“Yes. I was very curious. You mentioned that you needed our help.”

“Correct. I need your help. In fact, it may be the most important help of all.”

At Albert’s words, the Duke and Duchess of Hartmann exchanged glances.

Even after Irene was declared terminal, they had always wanted to save her somehow.

They had been helpless because Irene refused all treatment…

But if it meant saving their only daughter, they were willing to do anything.

“Your Highness, what exactly do you need us to do?”

“Please tell us. We’ll make it happen.”

“Yes. What I want to ask of you is…”

Albert exhaled and looked at the two of them before speaking.

He hadn’t given up on Irene’s treatment. He had no intention of giving up.

But… as someone had advised him, he was planning to change his approach.

An approach that would not make Irene feel pressured. Something gentler, warmer.

“Yawn…”

At the end of the day, I changed into my nightgown, yawning as I collapsed onto the bed.

I was tired, but I felt good.

Maybe it was because of what Albert had said earlier. I felt lighter.

Knock, knock.

As I stretched, the door opened and Sophie came in.

“My lady. It’s me. You asked me to bring you some tea.”

“Oh, thank you, Sophie.”

Sophie handed me a tray with a teapot and teacup, then offered something else.

“And I brought today’s letters too. Would you like to read them now, or tomorrow?”

“No, give them to me now. I’ll check while I drink my tea.”

I got out of bed and sat at the table.

At first, I had refused all letters addressed to Irene.

But now, things were different.

Even while living in this borrowed body, I was building connections.

I sat comfortably and began checking the letters one by one.

Most were invitations to tea times or parties.

Some were requests to borrow Sophie for help.

There was even an invitation from Lady Elina, the daughter of Count Elina, who had been sending more letters since we reconciled.

Looks like I’ll have plenty of replies to send again. Hehe.

I thought about that as I sipped my tea, when—

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

I thought it was Sophie returning after stepping out for a moment.

But when I looked up, I froze with my mouth open.

“Irene, are you awake?”

“…Mother?”

Standing at the door was none other than the Duchess of Hartmann.

Every time she checked my health, she always cried by my side.

I hadn’t been close with my parents. Their pressure to continue treatment felt burdensome.

And my mother had never come directly to my room before. Why now?

She walked toward me with a gentle smile.

“This weekend, there’s going to be an exhibition of the art collected by the late Marquis of Linchester. The weather is nice these days. Why don’t you go with your father and me?”

“Ah…”

I let out a confused sound.

This wasn’t the kind of suggestion I expected, and it was the first time she had approached me so warmly.

She patted my head and smiled kindly.

“My daughter. When you were little, we used to go to art galleries together… but at some point, we stopped spending time together.”

“……”

“So? If you don’t want to go, that’s fine too.”

“…No.”

After a moment of thought, I looked up at her and smiled.

It still felt a little burdensome, but I remembered the way she cried before the priest from the Harmen Kingdom not long ago.

“Alright. Let’s go together. I’d like to visit the gallery again too.”

After all, I didn’t have anything else to do. It didn’t seem like a bad idea.