When I appeared in the duke's office with an aide, a question arose in Duke Seymour's eyes.
"What brings you to the office all of a sudden?"
Seeing the Duke's cold tone of voice, I clenched and opened my cold fist once.
Whenever I met those cold eyes, I felt like I was shrinking.
'I'm not scared. That is a financier. What is a financier? You have to be good.'
I hypnotized myself several times and politely said hello.
"Even though it is late at night, the mana stone was turned on in the office, so I brought some tea and refreshments. I heard you're overdoing yourself because there's a lot of work these days."
"Since when did you worry about me."
The Duke, who snorted, tapped on the pipe gracefully to shake off the ashes.
'You look cool doing this.'
It was like a scene from a movie, so I almost lost my mind for a moment.
"Why are you standing there with such a blank look? Sit down."
Being sarcastic as if ordering a guest, Duke Seymour got up from his office chair and settled at the tea table.
It seems the Duchess' letter that I handed him the other day has played a role to some extent, given the fact that he did not kick me out when I made a sudden appearance.
I quickly settled across from him.
As soon as she sat face to face with the duke, the aide, who had brought the tea set, put the black tea he brewed and the refreshments on the table.
She felt the anxious gaze of the aide in the back of her head.
'I am not going to cause any trouble. People really don't trust me.'
I asked the aide, who I met last time in front of the flower garden, to call me when the Duke was most exhausted.
After two days of no response, he suddenly came to see me one afternoon.
'Thursday. It's the most exhausting day of the week.'
"Princess. From eleven o'clock to one o'clock in the morning, the Lord has his teatime. It is the time when he is the most tired. You should never go against him. I beg of you."
"I got it."
"I trust you, Princess, so I'm telling you."
"I already said 'I got it' seven times."
Even though I repeatedly vowed not to make any trouble, the aide was anxious that I would do something stupid.
Meanwhile, the Duke started sipping tea without a word.
It seemed like he was waiting for me to bring up my business.
'Of course, he wouldn't think I came here with the intention of just drinking tea.'
As expected, a duke's ruthless class.
I clicked my tongue inwardly and held a dessert plate in front of him.
"You must be hungry, so have some refreshments. It's a tart from the most popular dessert shop in the Yones district these days."
The lemon tart that was brought today was a food filled with the Duke's memories.
He didn't like sweets, so when he went on dates with his wife in the downtown area, he seemed to only eat lemon tart, which was more sour than sweet.
'The diary is very useful.'
"Sweets in the middle of the night. I don't like it because I'll feel bloated."
The Duke muttered in a childlike voice.
"This tart will suit your taste."
"How can you not know your father's preferences when you're at that age?"
Grumbling with disapproval, the Duke eventually split the tart into small pieces and took a bite.
After tasting it, the Duke, who had been silent while expressing a mysterious face, rinsed the aftertaste with a cup of tea.
"There must be a reason for you to come here in the middle of the night. Do you want to receive a reward for the letter you found in the flower garden?"
He drew up the corners of his mouth, sarcastically. It was an expression that clearly showed his bad personality.
"Of course, the letter you found is a priceless item. But if you are because of the pink diamond, you'd better go back. I will not change my words. If I said 'no', it is no."
"I didn't come here to ask for something in return."
The Duke slightly raised his eyebrows.
"Then?"
"I came because I have something to give you."
"To give?"
The Duke made a suspicious face, perhaps because Deborah had always 'asked' for, but she never 'gave'.
I carefully put the teacup down and pulled a letter out of my pocket.
As soon as he saw the light purple stationery paper, the exhausted Duke's eyes were in full swing.
"Is this, don't tell me, a letter?"
"Exactly."
"Why is this…"
The Duke asked, thinking about something.
"Is the letter you found, not only one, but several?"
He rejoiced, with a lively face.
"Exactly."
There were quite a few letters in the box.
The Duchess, who was quiet and poor at expressing affection, put the feelings she could not express into words.
In her diary, she wrote that she had no courage, and the Duke was so busy that the complaint-like letters kept piling up.
However, there were also words saying that one day she would like to take out the faded memories she had with the Duke and color them again.
Perhaps, the Duchess was thinking of burying the letter like a time capsule and take it out again in a place of remembrance, when she was older and more mature.
"… The letters. How many do you have?"
The Duke was excited and asked with a trembling voice.
"… You'll find out how many there are naturally, as time goes by."
He abruptly raised his eyebrows at my cautious answer.
"What do you mean?"
"Literally what I said."
"You mean you won't give me the letters? Until I give you that diamond?"
It meant that she would hand over the letters slowly over time, but it sounded like a threat to the Duke's ears.
"It doesn't mean something childish like that."
He made eye contact and reached for the tea.
"… That doesn't sound like you."
Doesn't sound like me.
I felt a prick at the harsh words, but I poured several sugar cubes into the tea and changed the subject.
"This tea is bitter and has a strong scent, so I think that some kind of madeleine would suit it better than a lemon tart."
"Next time, I'll tell you to prepare some light tea or cocoa. This is a strong brew, so you won't be able to sleep well if you drink a lot."
'No way. Are you worried about me?'
At that moment, I felt a small hope that my relationship with the financier… No, with the Duke might improve a little.
"I'll drink only half. Thank you for your concern."
The Duke snorted at my words, immediately blocking the door.
"Concern? I'm afraid you'll say something later because I couldn't sleep properly, and my skin is bad."
As expected, he is not an easy man.
But then again, the Duke of Seymour in the novel firmly turned a blind eye even when his daughter was brought up to trial for blasphemy.
That is how deep emotions run.
It was not that easy for a father and daughter relationship to recover from a single letter.
'Sigh.'
I took a sip of the intense black tea taste, which alternated between sweet and sour, and spoke when there was about half the tea left.
"Father. It is late, so I'll get going."
"Alright."
"I will take you to your quarters, Princess."
The aide, who had been anxious the whole time fearing I would do something to upset the Duke, said with a more relaxed face.
It was then.
Duke Seymour suddenly got up and followed me out of the office.
"I've been sitting and working for too long, my body is stiff, so I need to take a walk."
'I didn't ask?'
Of course, I was scared so I did not say it out loud.
"It seems like the weather has gotten a little warmer. Don't you think?"
The Duke suddenly spoke to the aide.
"Yes, it's nice to take a walk in this weather."
A white breath emanates from the aide's mouth.
'It's so cold I'm dying, what are you on about.'
Wearing a thick shawl, I hurried my steps.
A heavy silence fell all around.
The Duke walked to the front of the outhouse I lived in and went back to the office with his aide.
"Get some rest. I will see you every now and then."
Leaving such words.
***
Since that day, I have made constant requests to the secretary.
To contact me when Duke Seymour is exhausted from his work.
After that, I visited the Duke twice more and handed him a letter.
'I gave him two letters in the course of a week.'
At first, there was no desire to obtain material things through letters.
Since there are so many letters, I thought the priority was to restore the broken relationship between father and daughter, by using this as an excuse to increase the chances of meeting the Duke.
However, it does not seem like I have gotten very close to him, yet I've thrown away many letters.
'In the meantime, the dessert is delicious.'
Eating a chocolate cake that melts in your mouth, the Duke giggled weakly, as he read the letter I had brought him.
Obsessed with his wife, he did not seem to care that I was sitting right in front of him.
'I feel like I've become a mailman…'
The chocolate on the cake melted inside his mouth idly, and the Duke suddenly put down the letter.
Then, he drank tea for a moment and looked at me.
The emotions in those eyes were different from before, so I became restless.
Why are you looking at me with those eyes?
"Deborah. No way you came to me and gave me a letter whenever I was tired, right?"
"Exactly."
"Then why? Because you want to get the only diamond in the country?"
He asked as if he was testing me.
'You have to answer well.'
If I kiss up to him too much here, the Duke will doubt my intentions again.
I had a hard time speaking, as I was thinking hard.
"Because I am the daughter of George Seymour and Marien Seymour. I thought I should be the link between the two."
I spoke, using the first greeting from this letter.
"…!"
The Duke was startled by my words.
After that, he didn't speak for a while. I was nervous, fiddling with my hands while I swallowed dryly.
It was the Duke of Seymour who broke the long silence first.
"Do you have time this weekend?"
Of course, I have time.
What is there to do, when I am in a position where I can't even go outside because those are the Duke's orders?
But just staying home doesn't mean it's frustrating.
As a homebody, this place was paradise on earth to me.
A life where you eat delicious food, sleep when you are sleepy, roll around in a soft bed, take walks in a palace-like garden, and receive esthetic care.
'Every day is thrilling and fun. Being rich doing nothing is the best.'
"I have time."
I replied immediately.
"Then, let's go out and have a meal."
"… Go out?"
"That's right."
"Then, the confinement…"
"You want to go out now that the weather is a little warmer. You've been in confinement without causing any trouble."
"… Yes. Thank you."
"Weird. You aren't as happy as I thought you would be."
I felt a prickly sensation at the Duke's sharp remark. My hands were all sweaty. I rubbed the handle of the teacup anxiously and made a lame excuse.
"I'm v-very happy. Actually, I'm a little surprised by the generosity. Even if I don't go out, I'm pleased to have tea time at home with my Father."
In a state of panic, flattery that was too obvious came out.
The Duke also coughed several times and frowned, as though it was lip service.
"What on earth do you want? If there is anything you want, just tell me honestly. I'm getting anxious."
"That wasn't my intention."
"Then, come on…"
The Duke, who was trying to say something, clicked his tongue and looked at his pocket watch as soon as he heard a knock.
It seems that a meeting with the vassals was scheduled for the afternoon.
The Duke had to figure out the agenda for the meeting, so I left the office first.
'Today's mood has progressed differently from the last time. The fact I was relieved from my confinement should be seen as a positive sign.'
I am just a little tired.
It was not an easy thing, to face a cold-hearted Duke.
'I'm out of energy. I did my best today, so I should rest.'
I told my servant to buy the most popular novels that came out these days.
Thinking I should read a romance novel, I trudged down the office hallway, when I heard loud voices coming from the opposite side.
Belreck Seymour and his vassals were walking in groups, in my direction.
"What a stupid way to walk. Pathetic."
Belreck, looking up and down at me, retorted in a low voice.
"Don't cause a stir here and there and stay quiet as a lamb. Is this the way to behave?"
Belreck, whispering in her ear, pushed past her shoulder.
Belreck's vassals disappeared after absentmindedly greeting me, a princess, without proper etiquette.
'That bastard, why is he picking another fight?'
I, who am a sucker for pretty faces, felt more displeasure than handsomeness.
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In a sense, he was a great guy.
In a ridiculous mood, I looked at Belreck's back and went into my living quarters.
In the study, there were piles of books and romance novels that I had my servant run an errand for.
'Found it!'
Sitting in the study, reading books for half a day, I smiled with self-satisfaction.