When I appeared in the Duke's office with his aide, a flicker of suspicion crossed Duke Seymour's eyes.
"What brings you to my office so suddenly?"
Watching him speak in his usual cold tone, I clenched and unclenched my chilly fists. Facing those icy eyes always made me feel small and intimidated.
'Don't be scared. He's just the sponsor. And what do we do with a sponsor? Gotta stay on their good side.'
Repeating this self-hypnosis a few times, I greeted him politely.
"Even though it's late, the mana stone in your office was still glowing, so I brought some tea and refreshments. I heard you've been overworking lately."
"And since when did you start worrying about me?"
The Duke scoffed and lightly tapped his pipe, elegantly shaking off the ashes.
'He still looks cool even now.'
It looked like a scene straight out of a movie—I almost spaced out.
"Why are you just standing there with that dazed look? Sit down."
Just when it seemed like he was about to throw me out with that sarcastic tone, Duke Seymour stood from his work chair and took a seat at the tea table. Judging from the fact that he didn't outright kick me out despite the sudden visit, it seemed the letter from the Duchess I gave him earlier had done its part.
I quickly took a seat across from him.
As soon as I sat down, the aide placed a pot of rich black tea and some refreshments on the table, then quietly stepped back.
I could feel the aide's uneasy gaze piercing the back of my head.
'I told you I wouldn't cause trouble. Why is it so hard for you to believe me?'
Back in front of the garden, I had asked this aide to call me when the Duke was at his most worn-out. After two days of silence, he finally came looking for me this afternoon.
'Thursday. The most exhausting day of the week.'
"My Lady, the Duke usually wakes up between eleven and one in the morning for a tea break. That's when he's most exhausted. Please don't upset him. I'm begging you."
"Got it."
"I'm only telling you this because I trust you, My Lady."
"I've already said I got it—this is the seventh time."
Even though I had repeatedly promised not to cause trouble, the aide still looked nervous, as if he thought I'd mess something up.
Meanwhile, the Duke silently sipped his tea. It was clear he was waiting for me to get to the point.
'He definitely doesn't think I came here just to drink tea.'
As expected of a Duke—can't get anything past him. I clicked my tongue inwardly and pushed the dessert plate toward him.
"You must be hungry. Please have some. This tart is from the most popular dessert shop in the Yones District lately."
The lemon tart I brought today had sentimental value for the Duke. Though he disliked sweet things, it seemed that when dating his wife in the bustling city, the only thing he ate was lemon tart—because of its strong sourness over sweetness.
'That diary's really paying off.'
"Sweet food in the middle of the night? That's disgusting. I don't like it," the Duke muttered in a grumpy tone like a child.
"This tart should suit your taste."
"How could you be this old and still not know your father's palate?"
Grumbling with a displeased look, the Duke still cut a piece of the tart and took a bite. After tasting it, he fell silent with an unreadable expression, then took a sip of tea and finally spoke.
"You wouldn't show up at this hour without a reason. Are you expecting some kind of reward for that letter you found in the garden?"
He curled one side of his lips into a crooked smirk—a perfect reflection of his nasty personality.
"Of course, the letter you found is priceless. But if you came here for the pink diamond, you might as well leave now. I don't go back on my word. When I say no, it stays no."
"I didn't come here to ask for anything in return."
The Duke's brow twitched slightly.
"Then what is it?"
"I came to give you something."
"To give me something?"
The Duke looked skeptical—understandable, since Deborah had always been the one asking for things, never offering.
I gently set down my teacup and took a letter out from my pocket. As soon as he saw the light lavender-colored stationery, a flicker of life returned to his tired eyes.
"This… is this a letter?"
"Yes, it is."
"Why do you have that…?"
He paused, thinking, then asked again.
"So the letter you found—there's more than one, isn't there?"
His face lit up with anticipation.
"Yes."
There were quite a few letters in the box. The Duchess, who had always struggled with expressing affection and was soft-spoken, had written down the words she couldn't say aloud.
Her diary revealed that she lacked the courage, and the Duke had always been too busy—so she had no choice but to keep writing these unsent letters, like aimless complaints. But she also wrote a heartfelt wish: that one day, they might take those faded memories out together and repaint them with new colors.
It seemed the Duchess had buried the letters like a time capsule, intending to retrieve them someday—at that memorable place—when she was older and more mature.
"…The letters. How many do you have?"
The Duke asked, his voice trembling slightly from excitement.
"…You'll find out the number as time goes by."
At my cautious answer, he raised his eyebrow sharply.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said."
"So you're not going to hand it over? Not until I give you the diamond?"
What I meant was that I'd give him the letters one by one over time, but it must have sounded like a threat to the Duke's ears.
"That's not what I meant. I'm not being petty."
He held my gaze for a moment, then reached for his tea.
"...That's not like you."
Not like me.
The remark hit a little too close to home, and I reflexively dropped several sugar cubes into my tea, trying to change the subject.
"This tea's a bit bitter and strongly fragrant… I think something like madeleines would pair better than lemon tart."
"Tell Irma to prepare a lighter tea or cocoa next time. This one's too strong. Drink too much and you won't be able to sleep."
'Wait… is he worried about me?'
For a second, I felt a flicker of hope—maybe, just maybe, things were improving between me and the Duke… I mean, my sponsor.
"I'll drink only half. Thank you for your concern."
He immediately shut that hope down with a dry scoff.
"Concern? I just don't want you whining later about your skin breaking out from lack of sleep."
Truly, a difficult man.
Well, in the original novel, Duke Seymour didn't even bat an eye when his only daughter was put on trial for blasphemy.
'That's how deep the rift between them was.'
Their relationship wasn't something that could be mended with a single letter.
'Sigh…'
I sipped the bold black tea, the bitterness and sweetness alternating across my tongue. When only half the cup remained, I finally spoke.
"Father. It's late, so I'll excuse myself now."
"All right."
"I'll escort you back to your residence, My Lady,"
said the aide, who had looked anxious the whole time, likely worried I'd upset the Duke. Now, his face looked visibly relieved.
That's when Duke Seymour suddenly stood up and followed behind me out of the office.
"After sitting and working for so long, my body feels stiff. I think I'll take a short walk."
'Did anyone ask…?'
Of course, I didn't dare say that out loud.
"The weather seems milder today, don't you think?"
The Duke suddenly addressed the aide.
"Yes, it's good weather for a walk,"
the aide replied, a white puff of breath escaping his lips like dragon's breath.
'It's freezing—what are they even talking about?'
I pulled my thick shawl tighter and quickened my pace. A heavy silence settled around us. The Duke walked me all the way to the annex where I stayed, then turned back toward his office with the aide.
"Get some rest. And… come visit once in a while."
He left me with those words.
***
Since that day, I kept asking the Duke's aide to contact me whenever Duke Seymour looked especially exhausted from overwork.
After that, I visited him two more times and handed over more letters.
'I've already offered him two letters this week alone.'
From the beginning, I never intended to gain anything material with the letters. Since there were a lot of them, I thought it was better to use them as a reason to meet the Duke more often—to at least try to mend our broken father-daughter relationship.
But now I feel like I may have given away too many letters without actually getting any closer to him.
'Well… at least the dessert's good.'
As I ate a piece of chocolate cake that melted softly in my mouth, the Duke read the letter I brought and smiled faintly.
He was so absorbed in fanboying over his late wife that it was like I didn't even exist in front of him.
'I feel like a glorified mailman…'
I aimlessly let the oversized chocolate decoration from the cake melt on my tongue, when suddenly, the Duke set the letter down. He sipped his tea and stared at me for a while. His gaze felt different from before, and I found myself growing uneasy.
Why is he looking at me like that?
"Deborah. So… you really came to give me these letters every time I looked tired?"
"Yes."
"Why? Is it because you want the one and only pink diamond in the capital?"
He asked, almost like he was testing me.
'Gotta answer this carefully.'
If I sound too flattering, he'll definitely start doubting my intentions again. After thinking it over, I finally spoke slowly.
"Because I'm the daughter of Georges Seymour and Marienne Seymour. I thought I should become the bridge between the two of them."
I borrowed a line from one of the letters as inspiration.
"...!"
The Duke looked genuinely surprised by what I said.
He remained silent for a while after that. Nervous, I swallowed dryly and fidgeted with my fingers.
It was Duke Seymour who eventually broke the silence.
"Are you free this weekend?"
Of course I was. I was currently under house confinement by his orders—there was no way I had any other plans.
But honestly, being stuck at home didn't feel bad at all. For a homebody like me, this place was paradise. I got to eat delicious food, nap whenever I wanted, lounge on a fluffy bed, stroll through a palace-sized garden, and enjoy spa treatments.
'Every day's thrilling and fun. Being a rich bum is the best.'
"I'm available," I answered quickly.
"Then let's go out for a meal together."
"…Go out, you mean?"
"Yes."
"But what about the confinement…"
"The weather's warmer now. I'm sure you want to get some fresh air. Besides, you've been serving your punishment properly without causing trouble."
"...Thank you."
"That's odd. You don't seem as pleased as I expected."
His sharp comment made me flinch. My hands were sweating. I anxiously rubbed the handle of my teacup and stammered a response.
"I'm very, v-very happy. I was just… surprised by your generosity. Honestly, I also enjoy spending time like this, having tea with you at home."
In my panic, I ended up sounding way too sycophantic. The Duke, clearly unimpressed, let out several dry coughs and furrowed his brows.
"What is it you're trying to get from me? If you want something, just say it. You're starting to make me uneasy."
"That wasn't my intention."
"Then, you really want to go out with me…"
He was about to say something else when a knock at the door interrupted him. Clicking his tongue, he glanced at his pocket watch. Looked like he had a scheduled meeting with the vassals. Since he needed time to prepare, I excused myself and left his office.
'Today's atmosphere was better than before. Being allowed out must be a positive sign, right?'
Still, I felt drained. Being around someone as cold and intense as the Duke really wore me out.
'Ugh, I'm exhausted. I need to rest extra hard today.'
I sent a servant to fetch me some books, asking him to pick up the latest trending romance novels while he was at it. As I walked slowly down the hallway outside the office, I heard murmurs approaching from the opposite direction.
Belek Seymour and his followers were walking toward me in a group.
"Even the way you walk lacks grace. Pathetic."
Belek looked me up and down and sneered in a low voice.
"Stop wandering around and stay put. Do you call this confinement?"
He whispered into my ear and brushed past me with a slight push to my shoulder. His followers barely offered me any respectful greeting and casually walked off into the distance.
'What the hell is his problem now?'
For someone who's usually a sucker for good looks, the fact that I felt disgust before I felt attracted… says a lot about him.
Feeling completely baffled, I turned around and headed back to my residence. Inside the study, a pile of books and romance novels that I'd requested had already been delivered.
'Found it!'
After spending half the day flipping through books in the study, I finally smiled in triumph.