TVBDP 7
by Sylvie Hart 🪐Chapter 7
“L-Lady, then I’ll get everything ready right away.”After thinking it over, I blankly watched Carol, who was trembling all over as she brought out five dresses and hurriedly held each one up against me.
Carol was extremely serious about choosing a dress. Her discerning eye and particular tastes were quite impressive.
Perhaps her standards had been raised thanks to Yvonne, who had indulged in extravagant spending and bought the finest clothes and jewelry in the Empire.
Since Carol’s judgment was more trustworthy than mine—I knew practically nothing about fine clothing—I simply remained quiet.
However, even after bringing out the last dress, Carol still didn’t seem satisfied and furrowed her brow. So I cautiously made a suggestion.
“…Isn’t this one the prettiest? I really don’t mind wearing just anything.”
As far as I was concerned, they were all luxury dresses, and every single one was beautiful and elaborate.
I was beginning to get bored, and a wave of drowsiness washed over me. I yawned widely and spoke in a languid voice.
Carol looked at me pitifully, her eyes welling up with tears.
“‘Anything’…? My lady, p-please don’t say that.”
“What?”
“My, my lady. I’ll carefully choose a beautiful dress that suits you, taking today’s weather and atmosphere into consideration. Please, just wait a little longer.”
Even though she was trembling, Carol quietly said everything she wanted to say.
“Hmm.”
Looking at Carol’s trembling hands and her cheeks and ears turning red, I felt a little sorry for her.
She’s going to cry at this rate.
I shrugged, signaling that she could do whatever she wanted.
The moment she received my permission, her eyes sparkled, and Carol brought out ten more dresses from the dressing room.
I started feeling a little dizzy.
When is this going to end?
In the end, out of the fifteen additional dresses Carol had brought, we settled on a dress that combined green fabric with white lace.
Carol said it was wonderfully fresh and would suit breakfast in the garden, and the maids helped me into it.
As I watched them dress me, I fell into thought.
I’m getting used to this, too.
Even this luxurious lifestyle, where I had servants help me put on my clothes, was something I was gradually adapting to.
It really made me realize that humans were creatures capable of adapting to anything.
If I was adapting so well to everything else, then why couldn’t I adapt to magic?
Why could I still not use it?
Should I bring in a magic teacher and start learning again? Or maybe if I get some magic books and read them, I’ll remember?
But who would believe that Yvonne, the genius mage of the Argenthoz family—a family of mages—couldn’t use magic?
I felt strangely timid, thinking I might arouse unnecessary suspicion.
After pondering this and that, I finished getting ready and headed to the garden where the Duke was waiting.
Oh.
The Duke of Argenthoz, sitting at an outdoor table in the early-summer garden overflowing with flowers, looked magnificent as always.
He was more handsome than any actor I had ever seen.
Perhaps he took exceptionally good care of himself, or perhaps his genes were simply too superior. Either way, the handsome Duke looked no older than his early forties.
“Ahem. Come here.”
When I appeared, he cleared his throat and greeted me.
I bowed deeply.
“Good morning, Your Grace.”
After greeting him, I cautiously sat down in the chair across from him, staring at his gleaming silver hair.
The Duke subtly wrinkled the bridge of his nose.
“Your Grace? Are you still angry with me? Are you still that hurt?”
“Pardon?”
“Ahem. The day before yesterday, didn’t you call me Father?”
“Ah.”
Realizing that he wanted me to call him Father, I grew flustered and rubbed my fingertips together beneath the table.
Even in Yvonne’s memories, Yvonne had always called him “Duke” and never “Father.”
Their relationship as father and daughter had been so distant that there was practically a chill between them.
Oh, right. The day before yesterday, when I ran to the study to escape Varden, I called the Duke ‘Father.’
It was obvious that this man wanted Yvonne to call him Father.
But I felt awkward.
I had never properly called anyone “Father” in my life.
At the orphanage where I grew up, there had only been the director and teachers.
There had never been anyone I could call a father or mother.
It was a difficult form of address for me in my own way, so I naturally changed the subject.
“Um. Was there something wrong with the documents I left yesterday? I worked hard on them before I left. I’m sorry if the results weren’t satisfactory.”
“How could they be? They were excellent. Honestly, I was very impressed.”
At the Duke’s words, my anxiety disappeared, and I felt relieved.
Of course. That method is obviously more efficient. They don’t even know how to use tables? This world has magic, yet it’s underdeveloped in such strange areas.
The thought that this might make it at least a little easier for me to survive here brought a smile to my face.
Just then, a servant poured fragrant tea into our cups and arranged the light, delicate dishes prepared for breakfast on the outdoor table.
Breakfast at the marvelous Argenthoz Resort again today!
I was in a good mood at the thought of having a wonderful breakfast outdoors beneath the sunlight. I smiled and picked up my fork.
Then I heard the Duke’s somewhat bewildered voice.
“You… smiled? Are you that happy? Over just that little bit of praise from me?”
I looked at the Duke.
His hand resting on the table was trembling.
Why were his eyes even turning red?
I glanced around and saw that the Duke’s aide, who was standing two steps behind him, was also covering his mouth.
The other servants looked half shocked and half concerned.
What’s wrong with everyone?
I had simply smiled because I was impressed by the food.
But with everyone looking at me like that, I couldn’t exactly tell them that.
I quietly put down my fork and watched them cautiously.
Apparently, there was an answer the Duke was expecting.
I nodded and replied awkwardly.
“Yes… Th-that’s right. I didn’t expect you to praise me personally like this.”
“Hmm. It’s not as though I didn’t praise you because you weren’t doing well. You were doing well. But as you know, you caused quite a lot of trouble.”
“Yes, that’s true. I’m reflecting on my actions.”
I listened seriously to the Duke as he began speaking faster and quickly responded.
Since I had this opportunity to speak with him face-to-face, I needed to make it very clear that I was still remorseful.
Clenching my fists tightly, I looked at him with determination.
“It was all my fault! I’m ashamed of all the terrible things I did. I’m reflecting on them and regretting them deeply.”
“You were… sad? Yvonne, what could you possibly be lacking that you would sit around feeling sad all by yourself?!”
The Duke suddenly became angry, leaving me shocked and confused.
Why is he getting angry?
Did I do something wrong? I need to make a good impression on the Duke.
My eyes darted around as I decided to use the form of address that had felt too awkward earlier.
“Father.”
“Y-Yes. Yvonne.”
Surely it was just my imagination that his eyes seemed to be turning red.
“Father. I’m sorry. I know I did wrong. So I’ll stay confined to the estate for a year.”
“A year? Good heavens, how badly must you have been affected?!”
“Your Grace!”
All of a sudden, the Duke’s face turned bright red. He grabbed the back of his neck and nearly fell backward, forcing his aide to rush over in alarm and support him.
Flustered, I immediately jumped to my feet and hurried over to the Duke.
“Father, please drink some water!”
I quickly poured water into a glass and handed it to him, but the atmosphere around the Duke and everyone else felt strange.
“My lady…”
“Good heavens. She must be so sad that she’s doing things she’s never done before…”
“…Yvonne. I’m fine. Sit down. Everyone else, leave.”
Once he had calmed down, the Duke covered his mouth with one hand as though he were desperately holding something back.
Is he feeling sick?
I tilted my head in confusion and sat back down.
Then he spoke again.
“Yes, I did tell you to reflect on your actions. But seeing you being so quiet like this makes me uncomfortable. I deliberately left an entire house vacant, so you can destroy as much as you like and relieve your stress.”
What? Did he just tell me to destroy a house?
I could only stare blankly at the Duke, who wore an oddly proud expression.
Soon afterward, his aide hurried over to me and showed me a map, explaining calmly.
“If you head straight north from the townhouse, there is a vacant house. His Grace personally placed a shield over the entire property.”
“…Ah. Um, so…”
“My lady, feel free to use as much magic as you want. Or explosives are fine, too. His Grace has placed plenty of powerful shields around it, so there’s no need to worry. Why don’t you head over there right away~!”
I wanted to poke the aide in the eye as he smiled brightly and cheerfully pushed me forward.
Even worse, the Duke was looking at me with such a pleased expression that I felt incredibly burdened.
You want me to blow up a perfectly good house?
This Duke isn’t sane either.
No, that wasn’t even the main problem.
I can’t use magic right now!
Just when I was sweating nervously in this difficult situation, the aide added carefully,
“My lady. What His Grace means is that he is also lifting your confinement.”
“…Ahem. That’s right, Yvonne.”
“What?! I-I actually really like being confined to the estate!”
At the words “lifting your confinement,” I jumped up from my seat and shouted.
The Duke stared at me without even blinking, then asked incredulously,
“What? What confinement?”
“Ah, no, I mean not confinement. I mean… staying at home. I really like it.”
“…You like staying at home? Good heavens, Yvonne. Why would you say something like that? That’s not like you. What on earth happened to you? What does any of this mean?!”
The Duke suddenly became furious and pressed his fist against his forehead.
His violet eyes, filled with deep anguish, suddenly blazed.
No, literally.
Red flames shot upward around him, rising toward the sky.
“Your Grace!”
At his aide’s shout, the Duke regained his senses and barely managed to control the magical flames.
“…I got too worked up.”
Watching the scene, I stared blankly at the Duke and muttered,
“That’s amazing…”
“What?”
I was deeply moved because it was the first time I had ever seen magic.
Excited without realizing it, I added,
“Father’s magic is so amazing. You truly are a great mage worthy of admiration.”
“No. Good grief, she really… Ahem. Why is she acting like this? All of a sudden.”
Did I flatter him too much?
I had genuinely been surprised, but now that I thought about it, I felt a little embarrassed.
Still, the Duke seemed to be in a good mood.
Perhaps he was happy to hear his daughter tell him he was amazing.
The corners of the Duke’s mouth twitched, and even I felt a strange tickling sensation around my heart as I watched him.
What is this? It’s not like we’re in some romance novel.
“Yvonne. If you want to date that badly, I’ll find someone much more impressive for you than that Crown Prince brat.”
Did I just say that thought out loud?
No, that wasn’t it.
I tilted my head, wondering why the Duke had suddenly started encouraging me to date someone, and began thinking it over.
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