Chapter 28

Chapter 28

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I’d recently noticed that the ladies at the Academy were whispering about me wherever I went. I didn’t really mind, since my reputation couldn’t possibly get much worse than it already was. But then I would remember that everyone thought the recent incident had been over my supposed feelings for Pilav, which deeply frustrated me.

Even if I wanted to clear up the misunderstanding, I knew none of the ladies would be willing to give me the time of day. Not even I thought it a credible story that the Deborah had actually been trying to help Mia up and that she’d fallen over on her own. I’d expected everything to be fine as long as I avoided run-ins with the female protagonist. I hadn’t known those rascals would pull a hit-and-run on me.

But the whole thing just feels off... There was something about the situation that rubbed me the wrong way. I scratched my arm. Had Mia really known nothing about me? We’d seen one another during the political studies class on my first day at the Academy and I wasn’t an easy person to forget what with my rare lavender hair color and cold, harsh features. Surely Pilav had already warned her that the lady with purple hair was a hellcat in disguise.

Even if he hadn’t, it seemed strange that no one else had bothered to warn her about me. One couldn’t take more than a few steps in the Academy without hearing whispers of something awful I’d done. I found it suspicious that Mia had bothered to ask me for help when Pilav was nearby.

“Hmm...”

But if Mia knew who I was, why would she risk getting involved with me? In the novel, Deborah had eagerly and actively taken part in making Mia’s life a living hell, but now it seemed as though the heroine was just volunteering herself for hardship.

I wasn’t doing anything to improve the quality of her life, but I was leaving her be... Why do I get the feeling she’s trying to bait me? But why would she do such a thing? Did she need a villainess to pick on her, like in the novel? But if that was the case, that raised another question. Why would she need a villainess?

Ha! Maybe I’m just jumping to conclusions... Maybe it’s all in my head. Why had the author put the work on hiatus, anyway? If I was going to live stuck in a novel, I’d have preferred that it was finished first.

After mulling over several hypotheses in my head, I cast aside my doubts and headed outside to get some air. Sometimes what you needed was an escape from the hustle and bustle when life was giving you headaches.

I made my way to the garden Duke Seymour had recently renovated. I actually really liked the space. Even in my previous life, I’d had a thing for flowers. Memories of my past life hardly meant much to me anymore, nor were they precious, but I could still clearly remember how I’d sometimes sit quietly in a field, my eyes closed. I’d listen to the breeze and slowly breathe in the lovely scent.

Just seeing flowers makes me feel better. I wonder why that is? Standing among the flowers in full bloom made me feel like someone was whispering sweetly in my ear. I strolled around the garden, full of all kinds of blossoms in bloom. It allowed me to forget the complicated thoughts in my head for a little while.

“The weather is quite nice.”

A scented breeze drifted past. Even though a bee was buzzing around me threateningly, I liked the garden as it was now far more than before, with its roses that had seemed fake.

“Is something the matter?” a dignified voice called from behind as I looked at the daisies swaying weakly in the wind.

I slowly turned around. “Father.”

I was quite used to calling Duke Seymour “Father” now. He was the only person in this dreary world who ever desired my company. Ever since returning from his trip, Duke Seymour had begun to seek me out more often.

Ten days ago, the duke had sent his aide to summon me to his office. Then he took me to the garden, which had recently been completed.

“Look. Much prettier than diamonds, don’t you think?” he’d asked proudly.

“Indeed.”

I’d been uncertain about what to think. I need to please him. He’s the sole source of my income. I wasn’t lying, either. The marigolds that bloomed around the entrance, spreading further into the garden, looked as though they’d been dipped in gold.

“I hired the best foragers to bring me as many exotic plants and seeds as they could find. There are more species of flora in this garden than any one person could hope to keep track of—its splendor and beauty are unmatched. I took a look around earlier and it was as if a rainbow had grown from the earth.”

As the duke continued to brag, I barely managed to suppress my laughter. There was no doubt—he’d taken offense when I’d told him that the flowers in the colorless, odorless garden were no different from diamonds.

He can be quite petty when he wants to be, huh? I’d always felt uncomfortable around Duke Seymour, but that day he’d seemed more human than I’d ever seen him. I felt somewhat at ease around him, like we could actually have a natural conversation.

“I’ve only seen the entrance so far, but I can imagine the scope. I’ll bet it’s even grander than the imperial garden.”

“Hem! Don’t say such things outside these walls. Someone might misunderstand you. Of course, I’m glad to hear you say so.” He had struggled not to smile even as he warned me to be more cautious. He’d put a lot of effort into the garden and seemed very pleased to hear it compared to the imperial garden.

“May I take a look inside?” I’d asked.

“Why would I have brought you here if I didn’t intend on allowing you inside? You’re free to look around at your leisure.”

I was quite excited since I loved looking at flowers. I nodded slightly to thank him, a smile creeping across my face. It wasn’t forced or intended just to please him—I was actually in a great mood for a change and had smiled without even meaning to.

Duke Seymour blushed a little, coughing as I walked into the garden with a giddy feeling bubbling in my stomach. I’d expected him to leave without a second thought since he’d already done his bragging and I’d agreed that the garden was now prettier than any diamond, but he followed me slowly, his hands tucked behind his back.

Wait, does he want to hear more praise? My, my—he can be quite childish when he wants to be. I’d stopped every five paces, murmuring standard compliments under my breath—calling the garden fantastic and beautiful, comparing it to a scene from a fairytale, and so on. It was half flattery and half genuine compliments.

I want to stay as long as I possibly can in this five-star hotel of a mansion.

“It’s been quite a while already. Aren’t you hungry?”

Perhaps satisfied with the amount that I’d sweet-talked about the garden, the duke had hinted that he wanted to eat together. So I’ve made enough progress that he’s inviting me to eat without the offer of another of the duchess’s letters! I’d immediately agreed, of course.

“Deborah, you seem to be eating better these days,” the duke had commented.

“I’m sorry?”

“The head steward tells me that you don’t leave any food behind on your plate anymore.”

I nearly spat out the meat I was chewing, a piece of delightfully roasted veal. Come to think of it, Deborah was very strict about her diet even though she didn’t gain weight easily. I hadn’t known that my eating habits would reach the duke’s ear, too. My fork had moved noticeably more slowly as I processed this shocking revelation and the duke made a soft, disapproving noise.

“What I mean to say is that I like this change. Seeing you eat so well improves my appetite.” He summoned an attendant and had him bring two more plates of veal.

If Deborah’s memories were correct, Duke Seymour was a workaholic who didn’t eat regularly. At family meals, he would sit in cold silence and barely touch his food. That day the duke had eaten ravenously, for some reason, and even devoured the cake served for dessert with an expression reminiscent of a satisfied lion who’d just feasted on the day’s hunt.

Did watching me eat really give him an appetite? I was pretty sure that had been the case. Ever since that day, he often invited me to dine with him and watched with a smile on his face as I ate, like he was watching a mukbang. I gladly complied with his wishes, of course. Just two days ago, we strolled around the garden and then had dinner together.

No wonder it felt so natural to call him Father now.