Chapter 43

✿

After the Duke came, Rudrick wasn’t the same as before anymore.

Of course, this was also expected.

No matter how much our relationship improved while staying together, it was strange that it changed in a moment when he trembled in fear under the Duke for years.

Still, I thought it would be okay if it was just the two of us.

Even if it’s unavoidable being intimidated in front of the Duke, we still have time to stick together.

At least he won’t hide what he truly felt in front of me.

But it seems that it was only my arrogance.

Before I knew it, Rudrick had returned to his previous self before we met. No, it was worse than it was back then.

He started avoiding talking to me at some point.

‘Why?’

At first, I thought it was just a feeling, or mood swings.

It’s just that he’s afraid that his father would come down and become depressed for a while, so playing with him as usual would make him feel better again.

But the longer Rudrick spent time alone, the more I smiled at him, the more he couldn’t hear me no matter how much I called him, and the more he smiled at me belatedly, the more anxious I became.

When I couldn’t pretend that I didn’t know what was going on, I couldn’t hold it in and asked…

“It’s really okay.”

Maybe Rudrick doesn’t know.

He doesn’t even say that when he’s really okay. And when it’s not okay…

‘Why are you making that face?’

I became embarrassed.

If that’s the case, what we have promised so far, and how long we’ve been working hard to be honest about everything?

But I’m sure Rudrick must have his own reasons.

As much as frustrating it was, I thought I could wait until he told me first because he’d probably be suffering several times inside.

‘Until when?’

But time wasn’t infinite.

As Rudrick said at the mountain top, we never know when we’ll part, so this moment won’t last forever. I grabbed the object I had placed in my palm.

It was a birthday present that I just picked after thinking for a long time about what to give since I heard the news of Rudrick’s birthday. So, while giving this…

‘Let’s ask then.’

Glancing out of the window looking at the morning sun where light was leaking through.

The morning of the dinner party was bright.

✿

Facing the morning of the day of the dinner party with firm determination.

Standing in front of the window, I reverently closed my eyes in the sunlight with my whole body.

In order not to make a mistake last night, when I meet Rudrick, I have listed 100 things to say in advance.

And in the best condition, I went to bed early and woke up without dreaming.

Therefore, I woke up earlier than usual to prepare my mind and body.

‘Yes, today. It’s today.’

Today’s the last day with Rudrick…!

With clenched fists, my determination burned quietly and violently…

“Lady!”

It soon turned off.

The maids who brought all kinds of things in both hands soon rushed into my room.

With eyes wide open, as if they didn’t know I’d be up this early. However, they began to hover around, with eyes shining frantically.

“Lady! You’re up already! Hurry up, we’ll be busy for an hour!!”

“Bring her clothes! Lady, come here!”

“Lady, let’s take a bath with a massage, and then…!”

Before I knew it, I was being dragged around like a paper doll by the maids. I didn’t know my maids could be so good.

That’s right, because I, who’s taller than most normal children, let them move me around at random.

Until yesterday, where did the girls who looked at me saying I looked depressed have gone?

Of course, when I was choosing a dress to wear for the dinner party, I could see a hint when I put it on, but I didn’t know that it would change in such an instant.

It didn’t even take an hour for my soul to be robbed like that.

‘Anyone! please save me…’

I was fully spread out in my chair. The maid who’s doing my hair was already trying the 52nd of the 101 hairstyles that went with the dress I was wearing, and I felt like crying.

‘It’s no use dressing me up like this.’

Originally, I would have been an active participant in their passionate embellishment.

It’s a little burdensome, but I was originally going to do my first dance with Rudrick at the dinner party.

It was also the first official dance with Rudrick.

I thought it would be better if I danced in a pretty figure if possible, so when I heard the news from my parents, I was also distracted by imagining the dress I would wear that day.

But that’s all a thing of the past.

Less than a week after learning to dance by hiring Mrs. Margaret, a special instructor, a catastrophic accident broke out, and Rudrick got seriously injured enough to lose consciousness for a day.

I also injured my foot, but it was minor enough to recover quickly.

However, Rudrick showed mild dizziness when he got out of bed for a while, so it was too much to proceed with the class anymore.

In the end, the class was stopped, and Mrs. Margaret, who was comparatively merciless, occasionally stopped by to see me.

It was something my parents didn’t want me to do, and I barely got it.

We don’t know what’s going to happen. Even if it’s not the first dance for the dinner party, the two of us may dance separately later.

But now Rudrick’s been avoiding me, I only realized that all the efforts were useless.

To be honest, even now, I’m not confident in dancing, but I couldn’t guarantee how many times I’ll step on Rudrick’s foot if we really perform the dance.

‘I still wanted to dance with you though…’

To my disappointment, the maids were already entering the final stage of dressing up.

Half of my hair, which had always been tied up as one because it was bothersome, was loosened, and half was braided finely and fixed with pearl decorations.

The dress that fits my body was similar to the pink dress that Rudrick wore before, but it was a calm design with less frills than that.

It was only after finishing the decorations all over the body that the maids took a step back from me.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and admired it a little.

‘Maybe it’ll be okay…?’

Where did the usual chubby pony go, and in the mirror, a pretty girl was sitting in a chair reflected in it.

I thought how pretty it would be if I dressed up myself, but the dexterity of the Duke’s maids was beyond my imagination.

I thought I would feel better even if I couldn’t dance at the dinner.

Feeling better before I knew it, I quickly began to turn the happiness circuit again.

‘Yeah, what’s wrong with not being able to dance and being bad at it?’

It’s a pity that I couldn’t dance with Rudrick, but that’s my situation, and in fact, Rudrick may have a hard time dancing.

It’s been over a week since I haven’t seen him, and I don’t know if he’l completely recovered or if he still feels dizzy.

However, seeing that his parents have not said anything about dancing so far, Rudrick may not be in such a good condition.

Maybe it’s not the dance that I should worry about whether or not we’re going to the dinner party?

Still, I wanted to show you how pretty I was…

‘It’s okay. It’s really okay!’

If I couldn’t show you now, I could show you later. Today wasn’t everything…!

So I pretended not to know the regret that kept rising.

Even when my parents admired and praised me, when I rode the carriage to the Duke of Bouser earlier than the dinner party, and when there was no Rudrick among the people who came to meet us.

I tried not to show signs of disappointment.

There must be unavoidable circumstances, there must be situations that couldn’t be helped, constantly repeating themselves.

Then, when my parents went to help the Duchess, who was busy preparing to greet guests, I was left alone in the room.

“…”

In the end, I couldn’t smile anymore.

Why didn’t he come to meet me? Are you busy getting ready?

To that end, the Duchess seemed to be all ready. Then… Are you really not going to attend the dinner?

Was it that bad? Has the wound not healed?

All sorts of thoughts popped up and disappeared from my mind, and my positive thinking suddenly stopped, and I even came up with these thoughts.

‘You didn’t want to see me… So you didn’t come out, did you?’

It’s not like him. It’s not like we had a big fight like before, and we just got a little closer than we used to.

The more I thought about it, the more I fell into negative thoughts, the faster I shook my head.

If he doesn’t really come to the dinner party, that’s something I have to worry about, but if he appeared surprisingly well… That’s a relief. It’s proof that you got better safely.

Even though I thought so, I felt down and leaned helplessly on the sofa.

Should I rather not participate… It was time to think about that.

Thud~

Thinking that my parents had come, I looked at the door with no expectations.

“Rudrick?”

At that my eyes widened…

Because there was Rudrick, who was gasping for breath.