Chapter 23: It’s Okay, That’s Love (2)

Yudith, with a sulky face, eventually allowed Chloe to attend to her and headed to where Damian was.

Though she intellectually understood Chloe’s reasoning, she couldn’t shake off her unpleasant mood.

Last night, she had been so receptive, even acting coquettishly, but now, this felt like emotional torment.

‘…She was beautiful.’

Yudith replayed the image of Chloe bathed in the soft moonlight from the window last night.

Her flushed face, her panting breath, her eyes with their enchanting aquamarine glow, as if she were trying to seduce her.

She wanted to believe that the time they spent exploring each other, intoxicated by the feeling that they were the only two people in the world, had been genuine.

After that, the thread of patience had worn thin, as if it would snap any moment.

She barely managed to maintain her reason, which felt like a thread that would break with the slightest tremor, and granted Chloe’s request.

‘Still, it’s not like she was completely unresponsive…’

Judging by Chloe’s reaction today, the possibility seemed more than sufficient.

She was certain that it wouldn’t take long for Chloe’s heart, which had begun to bloom like a small sprout, to grow.

All she had to do was help that sprout grow.

‘Come to think of it… I didn’t forgive her for missing the Coming-of-Age Ceremony…’

The more weaknesses she could exploit, the better.

That way, Chloe wouldn’t be able to refuse her.

---

Yudith arrived at Damian’s office and stood quietly, waiting for him to finish his paperwork.

“…Do you know how much you’re making me lose my hair?”

“…The inauguration ceremony is over, so it doesn’t matter, does it?”

“Haa…”

Damian, letting out a sigh that seemed to dig into the ground, as if he were emptying all the breath in his lungs onto the floor, squeezed his forehead as if he had a headache.

“Count Renard is begging me to ask you! He says there’s something he desperately wants you to do. What position am I in if you disappear before even meeting the Count?”

“…”

“So, this is a punishment. Go and inspect the Black Forest in Count Renard’s territory.”

“But I’m a Grand Duchess now…?”

“He said there’s something he needs to ask you to do, trusting in your Magic skills… It’s impossible without you, so don’t complain and go.”

“I really don’t want to…”

“Haa… It probably won’t be dangerous, so take Chloe with you or something…”

“Okay!”

Damian resented that Yudith only listened when he did this. Even though she looked like that, Yudith, who had now truly become his daughter, either knew it or was pretending not to, and showed not even a speck of respect to her adoptive father.

“There was definitely a Crycen Botanical Garden in the Black Forest… And also… Trent Hotcakes…”

“That’s great…”

He told her to go on an inspection, but she was planning a date course. The reason she suddenly turned serious and ran out yesterday must have been because she couldn’t see Chloe at the ball.

“The inspection is in a week… So prepare well with Chloe. This afternoon, you have a meeting with the Second Princess, so go and come back.”

“Why is the Second Princess here?”

“…The Imperial Family has already noticed your existence. Don’t say anything foolish, just answer ‘yes, yes, I understand.’ You’ll have to go to the Imperial Family after the inspection anyway.”

“Aren’t I too busy…?”

“Did you think this position wouldn’t be busy?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

Damian sighed deeply once more and waved his hand as if telling her to leave quickly. He wished she would show him even a speck of the attention she gave to trying to look good in front of Chloe, but…

It seemed like there was no chance that his hateful daughter would ever do that for him.

---

Yudith arrived in front of the room where the Second Princess was, guided by another maid.

She had heard that the Second Princess, who had felt unwell at the ball, had left before she had.

‘I should have met her sooner… but yesterday was unavoidable.’

To apologize for not coming sooner, she steeled herself, opened the door, and looked at the Second Princess’s face.

That resolve vanished in an instant, replaced by annoyance that spread through her heart like ink.

It was definitely that woman who had said those ridiculous things to Chloe yesterday.

That thief who was trying to steal Chloe, who was scattering wine scents in the same room.

“….”

“It’s nice to meet you, Grand Duchess Judith Edmund. Please excuse me for not being able to get up because of my injured ankle.”

“…It is an honor to meet the Star of the Empire, Second Princess Cassia del Erendiana.”

‘Her eyes don’t say that at all…’

Cassia swallowed nervously at Yudith’s fierce gaze.

Her eyes hadn’t been like that when she entered the room, but as soon as she looked at her face, they turned sharp and hostile.

Cassia couldn’t help but feel nervous at Yudith’s expression, which she couldn’t control properly, and the way she glared at her.

The image of her getting so angry that her maid was used yesterday flickered before her eyes.

The Grand Duchess’s eyes, which glared as if she would kill someone.

She wondered how she would react if they met again, and it was the same as then.

‘It’s hot…’

Erina, the pink-haired maid who had been newly assigned here and didn’t seem to know the atmosphere, carefully placed tea in front of Cassia and Yudith.

She had specially asked Grand Duke Damian for a maid, as she found the maids of the Imperial Family too much to handle, and he had chosen this seemingly mischievous pink-haired maid.

“Thank you, please step out for a moment.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Only after Erina quietly walked out and closed the door did Cassia speak first.

“First of all… congratulations on becoming the Grand Duchess of the Edmund family.”

“…Thank you.”

Yudith, who was finally managing her expression again, gave a bitter smile.

“Is there anything difficult as a Grand Duchess? It must have been hard to adapt to the new environment. If there’s anything difficult, please tell me anytime, I’ll help you.”

“What an honor it is that the Star of the Empire is looking after me. Currently, the Grand Duke is also taking good care of me, so I have been able to live without much inconvenience. What a great honor it would be if Your Highness were to take care of me.”

Only time passed as the empty conversation continued.

She was at a loss as to how to proceed with the conversation, as Yudith seemed to dislike her more than she had expected.

“…Now that you’ve become a Grand Duchess, you should see His Majesty at least once.”

“Yes. I was planning to visit His Majesty after this urgent inspection is over.”

‘She’s not saying she’ll go right away, no matter what…’

Cassia sighed softly. After all, she had gotten everything she wanted by coming here.

The engagement with the Grand Duke would be broken, and with the New Grand Duchess already on the Edmund family’s family tree, what could she say?

It’s not like she could marry the Grand Duchess.

She had only arranged the meeting to see her face once, but with such a wall built up, there was no conversation to be had.

With each conversation, the conversation did not continue, and only silence fell.

Unable to bear it any longer, Cassia put down her teacup, sighed deeply, and asked Yudith.

“Well… you must be tired, so how about you go in and rest?”

“…I will.”

‘Doesn’t she even try to refuse out of courtesy?’

Cassia was dumbfounded to see Yudith give a curt answer, bow her head, and quickly get up from her chair.

This was the first time she had been treated like this as a Princess.

She wanted to see the dark insides of the hateful New Grand Duchess.

So, she tried to provoke her once.

“Come to think of it, that maid from yesterday.”

Yudith, who was about to grab the doorknob and leave, had no choice but to stop at Cassia’s words.

“She’s a very good worker and has a good sense of things.”

“Yes. She’s a child I cherish.”

Ignoring Yudith’s warning not to touch her, Cassia smiled slyly and peeled off Yudith’s mask of pretense.

“Won’t you lend her to me?”

The Magical power contained in Yudith’s red eyes, which were glaring as if she would kill her, surged violently.

Cassia swallowed hard at Yudith’s gaze, which looked as if she would kill her at any moment.

It was not the kind of look one would give to a Princess.

It was the first time she had seen such a dark and black gaze, and she even felt like her blood was running cold.

“Do you think that’s going to happen?”

The word respect disappeared from Yudith’s mouth.

The mask of pretense that she had worn to respect her as a Princess shattered in an instant.

Cassia felt a chill run down her spine, feeling like she was looking at a beast that would pounce on her if she turned her eyes away.

‘This is a disaster…’

She knew that the Grand Duchess cherished that maid because she had seen it herself and Erina had told her.

She just wanted to see the inner thoughts of the Grand Duchess, who was putting up an iron wall, so she tried to provoke her once.

She hadn’t expected her to react so violently.

Cassia, realizing that she had crossed the line, spoke first to avoid this situation.

“…Don’t look at me so scary, it’s a joke.”

“…Please forgive my rudeness.”

-Bang!

Cassia let out a sigh of relief as she watched Yudith storm out of the room.

She had no respect for the Imperial Family.

Now that they were family, even if they weren’t blood-related, she wanted to get along well, but it seemed like that wasn’t possible.

‘Is she really only a year older than me? Why is she so scary…’

She was only a year older than her, but her presence was so different.

Even her father, who used to scold her, wasn’t that scary.

Only then did Erina, who had opened the door and entered, look at Yudith, who was heading out the door, with a pale face.

“Your Highness… did something happen…?”

“Nothing happened, so don’t worry.”

“I’ve never seen Milady get so angry…”

“Haa…”

Cassia, who had a headache, put her hand on her forehead and frowned.

The first greeting ended in the worst possible way.

‘It’s partly my fault for provoking her, but isn’t it also the Grand Duchess’s fault for not even listening to my story properly?’

She felt unfairly sad and tears welled up in her eyes.

She didn’t have to put up such an iron wall, and she felt like she was the only bad person.

She had no idea how to greet her if they met again.

---

“You’re going to the Black Forest?”

“Yeah, I have to go for a while at Count Renard’s request.”

“Is the Black Forest where those elves live?”

“…Are you interested in elves after all? Is that why you didn’t accept him?”

“N, no, that’s not it…!”

Chloe, who didn’t know why the conversation was going there, waved her hands with a slightly flushed face.

Seeing that, Yudith chuckled and slowly continued her explanation.

“We’re going in a week, so get ready.”

“Is Milady going alone?”

“….Do you want me to go alone?”

“N, no. I was just asking! Why do you keep…!”

Chloe was flustered by Yudith’s teasing answer.

She was already trying not to be conscious of it, but once a thought was imprinted, it was not easy to shake off.

Now, each of her words seemed to have a special meaning.

“We’re going together. And don’t you have something you need to be forgiven for?”

“Yes…?”

“You really don’t know?”

“Ah, wait a minute. Wasn’t that all over last night…?”

That question of whether she really didn’t know made her heart flutter so much.

Since that incident happened last night after that conversation, it had become a word with a special meaning.

“What I forgave you for was trying to leave without me knowing.”

“Yes..? Then…?”

“Not coming to the Coming-of-Age Ceremony is separate.”

“Milady…”

Chloe, who was dumbfounded, stared blankly at Yudith.

If this happened, Chloe would not be able to refuse Yudith’s words.

It was true that she had not kept her promise and had not gone to the Coming-of-Age Ceremony.

Yudith smiled slyly.

Seeing that, Chloe felt her face heat up as she thought about last night.

“…Things like last night are not allowed.”

“Why do you think it’s that? Could it be…”

“~~~~!!!!”

Chloe’s face turned bright red and she was busy covering her face.

Now, at a loss, she choked back tears, covered her face, and avoided Yudith’s eyes.

Yudith, thoroughly enjoying the sight, smiled as she looked at Chloe.

‘It would be nice if she just accepted it comfortably.’

But this was fresh and good in its own way.

Although there was a part of her that wanted Chloe to accept her quickly, Yudith smiled, enjoying this fresh reaction.

“I have a place in mind in the Black Forest.”

“…?”

“We’re going on a date, so you need to prepare properly?”

“A date…?”

Chloe’s face turned bright red. Was the effect of being imprinted so strong?

Now, every word Yudith said felt like a confession to her.

Her heart, which had started racing, was now on the verge of aching.

“Yes, a date.”

Yudith smiled affectionately.

Whether it was out of pure joy or embarrassment, Yudith’s alabaster skin bloomed red.

The faintly blooming red flower smiled beautifully.

Chloe, seeing that sight, could only, only stare.

Feeling as if the roots of a sprout that had begun to bloom were digging even deeper.

Her heart felt as if it was starting to ache.