Today I had my first meal in the dining room. Until now, I had eaten completely separately from Ian, so there was no need to come down here.
A long table that could fit three people lying lengthwise was set with all kinds of delicacies, but it was all just a feast for the eyes.
"..."
"..."
Silence. Silence. Silence.
So quiet. Even a dinner with a professor would be more lively than this.
It was a dining table with just three people: me, Ian, and Grand Duchess Kahiten. No conversation took place except for very basic pleasantries.
'Ian is originally that kind of character, so that's understandable. But I thought the Grand Duchess was a nag, so why is she so quiet?'
As a former chatterbox, I wanted to add a word, but thinking of the Grand Duchess when she first arrived, I held back firmly.
I nibbled only on the soup served as an appetizer and the pudding served as dessert while thinking to myself.
'Thank goodness I overate yesterday.'
As we finished eating and were about to get up, Ian asked me.
"Are you sick?"
"No."
"You barely touched your utensils."
Were you monitoring even that!
"I just don't have much appetite."
"Really?"
I wish you wouldn't look at me with eyes that say "You?"
"If your stomach feels bloated, don't drink tea and go in."
"Oh, is that okay?"
"Yes."
"Ian!"
The Grand Duchess stood up abruptly as if she couldn't tolerate that, but Ian ignored her.
"Go in and rest."
"Th-thank you."
The back of my head is tingling, but I hope it's just my imagination.
When I entered my room, Miss Casey whispered.
"His Grace is taking very good care of you, Miss."
"Is he?"
"Yes. This is the first time I've seen Madam speak so little. His Grace must have said something to her separately."
"Hmm."
I later asked Jes about the situation separately.
He said Ian had told her "If you're going to say harsh things to my fiancée, just keep your mouth shut."
Jes said the artificial silence during the meal was probably Grand Duchess Kahiten's silent protest.
So in short, it was a non-verbal expression meaning "I have nothing to say to you guys other than that," right?
But Ian wasn't someone who would be shaken by such a protest. Seeing that he also kept his mouth shut when the other person didn't speak, the war of nerves between them seems quite serious.
'Then telling me not to drink tea was also...'
I heard that nobles usually share tea in the reception room after meals. That's when real conversations begin.
Perhaps the Grand Duchess was targeting that moment.
'Ian was helping me in his own way too.'
Though his way of helping actually made me uncomfortable, this was the first time I received consideration before being asked for it. It would be good to express thanks for the sake of planning for the future.
I headed to Ian's office at the time when tea time would end.
Just as I was about to knock at the door.
"...you say?"
I heard voices.
'Is he doing business with Jes?'
I thought he lived in his office like an NPC, but he really works without any time to rest. Hang in there, K-final boss.
'Let's not disturb his work unnecessarily and talk later.'
I was about to turn around.
If I hadn't heard that beloved name, I would have returned without any intention of eavesdropping.
'Chait Pollin.'
They were talking about Chait.
'What's going on?'
I instinctively perked up my ears. I had been curious about Chait's news anyway.
"..."
"..."
But the conversation was cut off like a ghost.
'What. Did I come at the end?'
I sighed deeply and raised my hand to knock again.
Tap tap.
Someone poked my shoulder from behind. When I turned around, Grand Duchess Kahiten was shaking her thumb backward in a pose that seemed like she was about to shout "Want to grab a drink after work today?"
Grand Duchess Kahiten finally succeeded in sitting across from me with teacups.
'How persistent.'
Though I was thinking "good grief" inside, I was sitting very politely with my hands folded on the outside.
"May I ask what you wanted to say?"
At my question, she took a sip of tea before answering.
"I'm curious why you came back."
"Ah, well..."
Your son told me to come back... If I say that, won't she throw a teacup at me with that personality?
But if I confess "I came to change the future!" I'll be treated like a crazy person.
This is my secret alone. I know no one would believe me, so let's just keep quiet.
"Can't you speak?"
"Well..."
As I hesitated, the Grand Duchess sighed deeply and put down her teacup.
"I know everything. Your foolish behavior must have become more regrettable as days passed, right?"
Ah, this was also a question with a predetermined answer. People in this family really like to ask questions with answers already decided.
"Right. Our Ian is a handsome man who anyone would fall for at first sight, reliable like a pine tree, and outstanding in ability too. Where else in your lifetime would you get a chance to meet such a fine man?"
So you were the one who turned that fine man into such a narcissist.
"Such a child was wasted for ten years."
"..."
"Because of you."
The moment my head tilted was an unconscious action.
Was it really because of me?
Ian had already taken all the benefits he could get from marriage with me.
Since I had been missing for a long time, the engagement could be broken off anytime, and if he had wanted, he could have found someone new and held a grand wedding march.
I can understand the Bringston family hurling six-letter curse words at me, but honestly, isn't it a bit of blame-shifting for these people to be angry at me?
Not marrying until now wasn't because of me but purely Ian Kahiten's will, so why is everyone so desperate to devour me?
"I'm sorry, but..."
"If you're sorry, don't speak."
Ah, yes...
I scratched my head and closed my mouth again.
'Then why did you ask...'
Everyone has a lot of anger. They want to vent it somewhere and I'm the easiest target, right?
Yeah... that's how humans are.
I adjusted my posture comfortably and put on a broad smile.
Come on, pour it out. I'll act like a person with burst eardrums from now on.
"You know, I didn't like you from the beginning."
It started. Good, I'll endure it.
"Especially your face."
"My face?"
I couldn't endure it.
"This face is hard not to like though..."
Leticia, though sickly, has quite a likeable appearance, doesn't she...
The Grand Duchess muttered while caressing the rim of her teacup.
"Too similar..."
"Similar?"
To whom?
Her downcast eyes shot up sharply.
"To that woman."
That woman?
"That crazy woman."
I quietly bowed my head and held my breath.
'What are you talking about?'
If I don't know, let's just keep quiet.
She'll talk by herself anyway.
I pretended to be appropriately sorry, and as expected, the conversation continued.
"You know too, right? I'm not Ian's birth mother."
I only knew that Ian Kahiten's birth mother had died of illness when Ian was young. That was all the information in Leticia's memories and in the original work.
"That child always says this. Don't nag when you're not even his real mother."
The Grand Duchess put on a crooked smile.
"But what did that woman ever do for Ian? I raised him, he's my child."
That woman probably refers to Ian's birth mother.
'She says I resemble Ian's mother? Our hair colors are different to begin with.'
In the drawing Ian drew as a child, she had silver hair close to white.
"Do you know how faithful I've been to that child? Should I tell him to get married for my own good? I'm saying all this thinking of him!"
Uh, what's this? This sense of déjà vu. And this crazy sense of camaraderie.
I unconsciously grasped her hands.
"Exactly!"
"...Huh?"
"Where in the world would there be someone who works hard to take in and feed a child with no blood relation, manages to make them decent, and then wants them to meet someone else and leave completely? It would be better if they stayed by your side until you die of old age - you wouldn't be lonely and it would actually be nice!"
"Right! If there's no heir, the future is uncertain, so I'm only saying this thinking of that child..."
"Always listening with one ear and letting it out the other!"
"Exactly!"
A hot comradeship was formed in an instant.
"He thinks he'll be young forever, you know? How sad it is to be alone when you're old."
"Ah right, right."
"But that child...! To me, told me to be quiet, sob, to be quiet...!"
The Grand Duchess's face turned red and blue, apparently quite hurt by being scolded by Ian before today's meal.
"Oh my, that's too much!"
"Wait, you..."
"Yes?"
The Grand Duchess bit her lips hard and raised her voice.
"It's all because of you!"
"Ah."
"Because of you Ian... you bad girl!"
"No..."
Why am I still wrong even when I agree with you...
"If only you weren't here, sob."
"Madam, you have snot coming out."
I quickly handed her the cloth that was on the table.
'She has more tears than she looks. People in this family seem strong at first, but they always break at some point.'
Perhaps because we had just formed an intense bond, I felt a bit closer to her.
"Kheung! Heung!"
She said while blowing her nose refreshingly with the cloth I gave her.
"But you're more considerate than I thought? You even carry handkerchiefs around."
"Ah, that was just here."
"..."
"..."
It was a dishrag the maid forgot and left behind.
"Sorry..."
"Kyaaaaaaak!"
The Grand Duchess's face contorted horribly.
"Dirty! Filthy! I, I need to wash my face! Wash my face!"
She flailed around ringing the bell and calling for a maid. A maid urgently brought wash water.
After hurriedly burying her face in the basin and finishing washing, she glared at me spitefully and disappeared.
Hmm, it seems like the cold war will be somewhat prolonged.