From time to time, Marchioness Alisa would feed me a cream cookie, sparing me the effort of joining their conversation. Meanwhile, Cecillia occasionally glanced at me with a gentle smile, as if ensuring I didn't feel left out.
'Mother must be trying to let me relax without forcing me to participate, while Cecillia—this heroine—is being considerate by not talking to me, even though she insisted on meeting despite my constant refusals,' I thought, sighing internally. I felt slightly awkward being fed like a child in front of Cecillia, yet relieved I didn't have to exert myself.
I didn't expect the meeting I had been trying so hard to avoid for the past two weeks, as I still wasn't mentally prepared to meet the main character—the heroine who had turned Eleanor's fate into a miserable life.
However, when we finally met, there wasn't a single major problem!
'Am I overreacting...?'
Since no one was talking to me and I could relax for a while, my thoughts began to wander. My thoughts drifted to what I had been doing over the past two weeks.
'I haven't been able to gather the information I need since I'm stuck in the Gwendolyn estate. The farthest I'm allowed to go is the garden... So, should I rely solely on the details from the novel? But not everything was written in detail...'
Fortunately, Ralph occasionally visited Alger after dinner to report on his tasks. Taking gift of this, I would innocently ask him random questions to avoid suspicion while slipping in inquiries about specific matters. Through this, I managed to learn a few things.
One of them was about the Grand Temple situated in the mountainous, northern borders of the Magnolia Empire. Ralph mentioned that the temple's activities had been unusually subdued since an earthquake struck the area five years ago.
'Five years ago... That was when my younger brother disappeared from our apartment. Did he appear in that temple, just like how I found myself here, possessing Eleanor's body?' I wondered, my mind racing with possibilities.
When I asked Ralph more about the temple, he explained that it was a secluded structure where the priests lived in isolation, adhering strictly to their faith in God.
Reflecting on his words, I furrowed my brows in thought.
'If my brother is there, the temple would've been in chaos by now, given his restless personality. But if they've remained quiet for five years, the likelihood of him being there is slim...'
As I nibbled on the cookie, my mind raced with possibilities. Perhaps I could persuade Ralph to come in the morning and take me for a walk in the garden, claiming I wanted some fresh air. This would give me the chance to overhear the gardener's conversations or catch snippets of gossip from visiting outsiders.
With Alger next to me, though, it would be difficult; the servants were strict and wouldn't chat during working hours for fear of punishment. I knew I had to look for opportunities when Alger was busy and Ralph was willing to help.
'Maybe I should also try to speak with some of the other nobles who came here looking for my father,' I mused, weaving a plan in my mind.
I caught Cecillia's gaze again; her expression was bright and carefree, a stark contrast to my growing sense of urgency.
'If only she knew what was at stake,' I thought, my resolve hardening.
Though I was merely an observer for now, I was determined to take control of my own life within this novel's world. I refused to let the fate of this body, which I now inhabited, be dictated by the bleak and unfair future my little brother had written.
My musings were interrupted when the drawing-room door swung open, and the butler announced the arrival of three men whose commanding presence was impossible to ignore.
First to enter was my father, Marquis Elandro, dressed in a casual yet elegant noble suit that perfectly complemented the Marchioness's gown. His sharp red eyes scanned the room before he approached, taking a seat beside me on my left, while Marchioness Alisa settled to my right, effectively sandwiching me between them.
Following closely behind was Alger, my second eldest brother. Though his presence was less striking than that of our father, it was clear that he still stood out among men his age. Dressed neatly in a more relaxed style, Alger nodded politely at Cecillia before settling into a nearby single-seater sofa.
The last to enter was Duke Kenneth Emmeline as if he were the main character of a grand tale. His footsteps resonated heavily, each step seeming to sync with the rapid rhythm of my heartbeat, which, for some inexplicable reason, was racing faster than usual.
'What is happening...?' I wondered, clutching my chest while my eyes remained fixed on the doorway.
His neatly styled wolf-cut hair, a striking platinum hue, framed his face perfectly, with bangs that nearly brushed against his piercing deep purple eyes. His sharp jawline and full lips, set in a firm line, only heightened the aura of intimidation emanating from his commanding presence.
Duke Kenneth stepped in with a composed expression, his face slightly tilted upward, showcasing his strikingly handsome features that belied the fact that he was a father. Dressed impeccably in an elegant noble vest suit, he moved with an air of authority, exuding a presence that demanded respect, as if nothing could dare approach him.
Rather than searching for his daughter Cecillia, who was still engaged in conversation with Gwendolyn's family, his calm yet deep purple eyes locked onto mine first.
At that moment, my heartbeat, which had been pounding furiously, suddenly came to a halt as our gazes met.
!!
The man, renowned as a gentleman and idolized by noble ladies despite having fathered a daughter at a young age, was known for his strict demeanor and refusal to entertain any inappropriate advances. He always maintained a respectful distance.
Yet that same man, who should have been polite and reserved, unmistakably curved his lips into a faint smile, holding my gaze for a fraction of a second.
Deg!
I felt like a teenage girl, utterly flustered under the intense gaze of a handsome, mature man like Duke Emmeline. That fleeting smile sent my heart racing, which had momentarily stopped in shock when our eyes met.
Without thinking, I quickly averted my gaze to the table, choosing to focus on the cookies instead, hoping to calm myself. I tried to adopt Eleanor's usual composed demeanor, but my hand instinctively moved to my chest, as if to steady my wildly pounding heart.
"Pft."