episode_0110

After returning to the west with Eleanor,

Foreigner Roelcerar, who was the lady’s mother from whom Miss Etié Baeck received a short vacation to visit her hometown, took this opportunity.

In reality, only Eleanor’s sister, Alenia, who had traveled back in time with her in this world, knew the fact that she had turned back time.

So, ordinary people who didn’t know this fact, like Miss Etié Baeck, saw the lady’s maid, Foreigner Roelcerar, as just a young lady who had recently made her debut, just like her daughter.

In their eyes, Foreigner Roelcerar was still a young lady who could be homesick for her parents.

Naturally, Etié had to give Foreigner Roelcerar a vacation to go back home and see her parents.

Foreigner Roelcerar, who received a sudden vacation notice, hesitated a bit when she saw Eleanor nodding her head, urging her to go back home and see her parents with her arms tightly wrapped around her.

In fact, Foreigner also missed her parents.

In her past life, after hearing Alenia’s words that there was a spell to turn back time after Eleanor’s murder case, she had decided to leave home.

Of course, it was a departure in good terms, commonly known as running away. Therefore, deep in Foreigner’s heart, guilt towards her parents and longing for them were intertwined heavily.

So, when Foreigner, who had gone back to her homeland to meet her family after a long time, returned to the Beauregard mansion,

“Miss, I’m Foreigner.”

Foreigner cautiously knocked on the closed door of Eleanor’s bedroom.

And soon, a faint voice came from inside.

“Yes, come in.”

Upon opening the door and entering the bedroom, Foreigner faced Eleanor, who was not in a very good condition compared to before they parted.

Of course, outwardly, her appearance and voice were perfect as always, but somehow, Eleanor’s state was not very good.

#.

When Foreigner pulled the tightly closed heavy bedroom door and stepped into the room,

Eleanor, who was sitting comfortably on a soft chair in her bedroom, decorated with bright pastel tones and exuding a girlish sentiment, was leaning back on the chair with her hands neatly folded on her lap, staring blankly out the window.

Surely, that appearance was something she always saw. Perhaps it was because she hadn’t seen it in a while. Seeing Eleanor, the protagonist of a painting in her room, in her soft posture, made Foreigner’s heart tremble inexplicably.

Thanks to that, even the voice that came out through her lips was somewhat excited to Foreigner.

“Elli!”

However, the response she received was rather unsatisfactory for Foreigner.

Feeling the presence behind her and hearing the familiar voice, Eleanor, who was sitting quietly in the room, turned her head to look behind her.

“Foreigner….”

Contrary to the excited voice of Foreigner, Eleanor’s name that quietly spread throughout the room somehow lacked energy.

Eleanor’s smile directed at her was the same. She raised the corners of her mouth, but her eyes didn’t smile. Somehow, Eleanor, who had welcomed her maid and precious friend who had been by her side for a long time, seemed a bit down.

“Did you have a good time in your hometown?”

Of course, Eleanor didn’t show any outward expression.

She awkwardly smiled at Foreigner, who had returned after a long time, and her voice was calm and composed, with nothing suspicious about it.

But even that was enough to raise suspicions. Foreigner had been by her side for a long time, the one who had brought her here.

Foreigner closed the bedroom door and quickly approached her. Eleanor’s always bright eyes, resembling the sky in different seasons, seemed a bit cloudy today, perhaps due to the atmosphere.

Taking in the familiar scent of her, Foreigner knelt in front of Eleanor, who was sitting on the chair, and held her delicate hands on her lap, saying,

“Elli.”

“Yes.”

“What happened to you?”

There was no response.

Eleanor’s calm and composed eyes began to shake slightly.

As Eleanor, who had been gently touching her fingers under her clasped hand, cautiously met her gaze, she said,

“Foreigner….”

“Yes, Elli.”

A space just for the two of them.

Within it, Eleanor raised her heavy lips with a slightly different foreign scent than usual.

“I’m here… Can I really become Dmitri’s woman?”

“W-what are you talking about?”

At Eleanor’s unexpected words, Eugenie widened her eyes and asked in surprise.

“Eugenie… Honestly, I’m a little scared.”

Eleanor continued, caressing the blue diamond ring on her left hand’s fourth finger, which she cherished like her own life.

“I’m here… I guess I’ve been taking it lightly until now. When I was told I would become Dmitri’s lover, it didn’t bother me at all… But now that I’m told I’ll be his wife… His child…”

Her voice trailed off. Meeting Eleanor’s violet eyes, Eugenie immediately lowered her head.

And in Eugenie’s mind, the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together.

Eleanor’s voice confidently declaring her family in the courtyard of the mansion.

The lady etiquette lessons Eleanor had before visiting her hometown.

And the touch of the grand duke’s ring on her finger.

My dear and lovely lady must now know what that ring on her finger signifies.

She must be weighed down by the weight of that ring.

Eugenie carefully straightened her bent knees and stood up.

Eleanor, who seemed disappointed as she raised her arm slightly, soon tilted her head towards Eugenie’s face that was resting on her shoulder.

“I’m here, Ellie. It’s not just you feeling this way. If other women were in your shoes, they would probably feel the same.”

Brushing Eleanor’s hand that was holding her gently, Eugenie spoke.

“Now that we’ve confirmed each other’s feelings, there’s no need to worry like this already.”

“W-well, but… We agreed to spend the summer together…”

However, Eugenie’s words were not a clear answer but rather a bit of a dodge.

Although Eleanor trusted and followed Eugenie like an older sister, she was also Eleanor’s peer. She had just made her debut and had never felt affection for a man in her previous life.

“Elli, have you ever talked to the grand duke about your feelings?”

Eleanor gently shook her head. Their faces were close enough that Eleanor’s soft platinum blonde hair brushed against Eugenie’s forehead.

Feeling ticklish, Eugenie decided to meet the cause of this incident.

#.

Despite the return of her candid friend, Eleanor’s condition did not improve.

Even after talking alone in Eleanor’s bedroom for a while, Eleanor’s face did not brighten when she came out for dinner.

She only shivered slightly at Dmitri’s smile when they met. Eleanor quietly picked up her fork and knife throughout the meal, causing the other members of the Beauregard family to also lower their voices, feeling a bit subdued under Eleanor’s gaze.

After the somewhat frustrating dinner was over.

Eugenie called Dmitri, who was about to return to his room on the third floor of the mansion, to the backyard.

Of course, it was not fitting for the daughter of a mere viscount, especially in the role of a lady’s maid, to summon the grand duke. But Dmitri obediently followed Eugenie outside.

“Your Grace.”

In the dimly lit backyard, Eugenie politely bowed her head to the lady’s lover in front of her and began the conversation.

“You are aware that during my absence, Eleanor has been thinking about various things, aren’t you?”

Dmitri nodded silently.

Recently, Dmitri was well aware that Eleanor was acting strangely.

The sweet time on the train felt like a dream, and after returning to the mansion, Eleanor seemed to distance herself from him for some reason.

To be honest, during dinner, Dmitri, who wanted to have a cozy time with Eleanor, wanted to take her away right there.

However, the reason why Dmitri had not approached Eleonore first was because he had to focus on political matters regarding the future relationship between the Western and Northern regions.

Whenever he tried to approach Eleonore, the men of the Bearen family would become extremely vigilant.

Moreover, Eleonore was a woman different from himself.

Having lived in the North with his younger sister, Dmitri had occasionally learned from experience that women’s conditions were not always good.

Contrary to his calm voice, Dmitri bowed deeply and continued speaking with great respect.

“Do you not approach the lady knowing that fact?”

“Well… Ele is also a woman….”

Feeling a bit embarrassed about the matter concerning a woman’s body, Dmitri couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence.

And as the surprised Dmitri stood with his head bowed, Eugene, who had given up on maintaining his composure in the face of the Duke’s unexpected answer, raised his head sharply and stared into his dark eyes.

“Are you behaving like this just because of a mere trinket?”

Feeling overwhelmed by his demeanor, Dmitri took a step back.

“It seems that the weight of the Duke’s ring, which the lady is currently wearing, is causing her to think deeply about becoming the Duke’s wife.”