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Published at 4th of December 2022 08:17:59 PM


Chapter 47

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Chapter 47

“…To be precise, I only decorated the whipped cream.”

Zachary turned to Iellie.

As she watched his eyes, she hurriedly explained.

“At first, I tried to bake, but the dough kept swelling up uncontrollably. Therefore—”

“Anything you do is good. Thank you so much.”

Zachary replied with a bright smile to her as she made excuses with muffled words.

She continued softly, “Well then, make a wish and blow out the candles. The candle is going to fall.”

“Oh, right… wish.”

Muttering so, he closed his eyes, put his hands together, and prayed. In fact, Zachary’s wish was always one.

‘Please let me be with Iellie forever.’

It seemed like when he thought of her, he often got desperate enough to resort to shallow means like this.

Whoo, Zachary blew the candle out.

After applauding, she then handed him a small gift box.

“What’s this?”

“Take it out.”

Iellie uttered with a twinkle in her eyes. Zachary stared at the gift box with a puzzled expression.

“This…?”

Zachary lifted the bracelet inside the gift box. It was a bracelet made of fine silk thread and jewels.

“That’s a wish bracelet. It’s the same as this one.”

She raised her hand and showed it to Zachary. On her slender wrist, the bracelet with the same shape as the one in the gift box was shining. Only the color of the thread and the type of gem are different.

“I made it myself… To be honest, it doesn’t look pretty.”

Iellie rolled her eyes shyly. Even though she was mostly good at everything, she was a little clumsy when it came to making these bracelets.

“Well, it has its own meaning.”

“Meaning?”

“Huh. They say that if you share this bracelet with each other and then cut it off after a year, you can live happily ever after.”

After hearing her explanation, he suddenly looked down at the gift box in her hand. Perhaps, she matched his eye color, pieces of sapphire the size of a little fingernail gracefully gleamed through the white silk thread.

“…Eternal happiness.”

Zachary murmured lowly. The words touched his skin again and again. She poked her head out.

“Well, we are already married.”

Iellie, who was staring at Zachary, shrugged her shoulders and smiled shyly.

He raised his arm and asked.

“Bracelet, will you tie it for me?”

“Ah, well.”

Then, she lowered her head and patted Zachary’s wrist.

He gazed at Iellie tying the laces on the bracelet as if possessed. Having tied the knot on the bracelet, she made eye contact with him and opened her mouth.

“And, Zachary, one last present left.”

“Last present…?”

This was not enough, and there’s more?

As Zachary made a bewildered face, Iellie groaned.

“Yes. Though this gift can only be given if you close your eyes.”

“Okay.”

Zachary meekly closed his eyes. Looking at him like this, he felt like a puppy that listened to her.

“….”

Iellie hesitated for a moment. In fact, what she was trying to do with Zachary today was a kind of physical contact.

‘Ca, can I do it?’

She thought for a long time and made up her mind that she was going to do it. However, Iellie was so shy that she couldn’t stand it.

Not surprisingly, it was because she had always thought of Zachary as a brother rather than a man.

‘Then, why does my heart keep beating? I think I’m a little weird.’

She was afraid that he would hear her heartbeat. Iellie leaned her back and looked down at his face.

‘…Like a sculpture.’

Long eyelashes glistening like a silvery snowfield cast graceful shadows over her white face, and a long neck and a small face… From the first time she saw him, she thought he was beautiful with harmonious features.

‘And…’

She felt her eyes move towards Zachary’s lips over and over again.

‘Oh, I must be crazy.’

Thinking so, she bit her lips.

It was one of the old customs of coming-of-age ceremonies to kiss the mature lover or fiancée. So, she tried to make it as light as possible… Though her heart trembled to death.

Eventually, crying, she compromised by kissing him on the cheek.

In an instant, Zachary’s eyes twinkled.

“L, len…?!”

“What about it? We are a couple.”

Iellie replied as she was trying to be calm, though she couldn’t help but actually feel her cheeks burning.

With his eyes wide open, Zachary raised his hand and caressed his cheek. It seemed to still have a soft touch.

“That, that… I—ah, mean.”

Zachary stuttered without realizing it.

It was the first time Iellie had this kind of physical contact. He always approached first, and she was in the accepting position.

“…Hey, Zachary?”

‘Oh, my gosh, I’m so ashamed…’

He hugged Iellie, who was not sure what to do.

“…I don’t know what to say.”

“Come on, wait a minute. Let go…”

“Thank you so much, I’m happy, I’m happy…”

As Zachary’s voice faded slowly, Iellie, who was reflexively trying to get out of his arms, stopped suddenly.

‘…I don’t have to get out of his arms, right?’

Instead, she hugged Zachary’s neck in a friendly manner.

“Our crybaby, don’t cry.”

“…I didn’t cry.”

“Lies. Do you know you’re making sniffling noises right now?”

She then burst out laughing and caressed Zachary’s eyes with her fingers. He hugged Iellie again and buried his head in her shoulder. The small laugh sounded like a song.

“Please… I wish this time to go on forever.”

He murmured as he buried his head in her shoulder.

Meanwhile, Iellie patted him on the back and answered.

“Well, Zachary. Are you thinking of leaving me?”

“No. No way…!”

“Then, what’s the matter? I will always be by your side.”

It was a friendly voice. Feeling a surge of emotion, he hugged her as hard as he could.

So, peace came to the Duke’s castle.

Iellie, who finally received the painting tools she ordered, was painting while resting for the first time after a long time. A calm voice could be heard as she was drawing disheveled fabrics, apples, and baskets.

“Iellie.”

“Ah, Duke.”

Suddenly, the Duke was standing behind her back.

The Duke, who was watching her painting, said calmly, “Your drawing skills aren’t that bad.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“And… Hosting this coming-of-age ceremony was amazing.”

As he left a brief greeting, he gave her a faint smile. Instead of passing by as he usually does, she widened her eyes at his friendly greeting.

The Duke added.

“Good work. It was a very fitting banquet for Hessenweitz.”

The Duke, who left such a greeting, quickly left the place…

He seemed to be ashamed of what he uttered. His cheeks were slightly heated. Seeing this, Iellie hurriedly grabbed him.

“Excuse me, Duke.”

“What?”

When the Duke glanced back at her, she gazed at his complexion.

“Are you okay?”

“Of course.”

Feeling her stare for a moment, he eventually answered in a calm tone. Hearing so, she smiled brightly.

“Oh, that’s a relief.”

“…Yes. Thank you for your concern.”

The Duke, who muttered inaudibly, hurriedly left the room. It was a warm afternoon in the sun.

6. Time For a Cup of Tea

Iellie called a tailor after a long time. She wanted to talk about how to use the silver fox fur that Zachary had given her.

As soon as the tailor saw the silver fox fur, his eyes widened and soared.

“In addition to the fact that the leather is not damaged at all, it has this radiance and luster. It’s the finest.”

“Is it that good?”

Of course, it was a very pretty leather, she knew that much. Though still not familiar with the fur, Iellie tilted her head.

“Of course. If you want to buy this leather in the capital, you will have to pay 1000 Rudem at least.”

Iellie swallowed a short breath unknowingly. The Rudem was a unit of gold coins in the Empire, and about 10 Rudem was the cost of living for a commoner’s family for a month. For reference, there was a record of only having 5 Rudem when the Viscounty was in the midst of poverty.

‘Then, does one piece of leather cost about 17 years’ worth of living when our family is poor?’

She thought so, and she agonized over whether she could actually use this fur. The tailor explained.

“At least, nobles other than the Imperial Family will not even have a chance to come across this kind of leather.”

“Is that so?”

Iellie’s eyes vibrate at high speed.

Seeing this, Mary smiled and opened her mouth.

“More than that, I think this silver fox fur will the Miss you very well.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

“No, I mean it.”

Mary replied with her eyes wide open. Iellie was grateful to the people of the Duke’s castle, including Mary.

At first, they used to call her ‘Lady’ because they weren’t sure of her identity.

‘Now everyone calls me ‘Miss’ with affection…’

Iellie laughed softly at the thought. While on the outside, she was thoroughly called ‘Lady Hessenweitz,’ and on the inside, she was called ‘Miss’ with a sense of intimacy.

Mary continued as she was feeling good about being part of the people of the Duke’s castle.

“How about making a scarf?”

“Scarf?”

“Yes. None of the leather is damaged. It’s so smooth…… ”

Saying so, she glanced at the fox fur as she looked at it and lifted her head with twinkles. Eventually, she concluded her words in a firm tone.

“I think it would be better to use this fur as a whole and make it into a scarf.”

“Hmm…”

“I think the same. It’s a waste to cut it and use it for decorations.”

The tailor nodded in agreement because anything would be good to her, anyway. Iellie answered calmly.

“Then, let’s do that.”

“I will tell you more about the detailed design after I get a sample from the drafting.”

“Good.”

The maids moved busily. With a careful hand, they began to clean up the piled-up jewels.

‘Come to think of it.’

She glanced at the maids who were moving for a moment. During Zachary’s coming-of-age ceremony, the people of the Duke’s Castle suffered as much as Iellie. Still, she was grateful that they didn’t show any dislike.

‘I want to repay them for all the hardships you have suffered this time.’

She stared at the maids. The maids who finished tidying up went out in an orderly fashion.

“…Hmm.”

“Miss!”

“Oh, huh?”

At the same time, Iellie, startled by the sound of someone calling her, turned her head. Mary asked curiously.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Um, that’s…… ”

She smiled awkwardly at the sudden question. She would like to thank the people of the Duke’s Castle for this event and give them a small reward, though she can’t figure out what to do.

Still, considering the many experiences.

‘Is it better to give incentives?’

In her previous life, she lived a life full of capitalism. She has vivid memories of when she worked overtime for a week.

‘Well, it’s best to give money. How annoying it is to eat with your boss.’

It was a dinner party with her troubled teammates and a life where she had to empty a cup of tea to please her boss. She knew how tiring that life was. It will be like that here too. She had to be cautious.

“Well, everyone in the Duke’s Castle worked hard this time.”

“What? Worked hard?”

“Because Countess Laurent was also annoying, and I was too busy to greet and entertain her distinguished guests.”

At that, Mary unconsciously nodded her head.

Still, she fell into a strange feeling. Most nobles treated their employees like goods. ‘Hard work.’ This kind of care itself is unheard of.

‘Countess Laurent used to slap cheeks casually.’

Iellie never once used violence against the employees.

Rather, the atmosphere of the duke’s castle, which seemed to be walking on thin ice, became much softer through her.

Working now was much more comfortable than before.

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