Chapter 52
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During harvest season, both nobles and commoners grew more generous. The imperial family hosted a banquet to mark the harvest, and the commoners celebrated with festivals.
After becoming the duchess, Elaria received an invitation for the first time. No matter how many letters and invitations sent to her had been declined, it seemed those from the imperial family could not be refused.
“Usually the wife is the one who sorts the invitations.”
She muttered while staring down at the envelope with its golden border. Amanda, who stood beside her, spoke quietly.
“Now that I think about it, the former Duchess used to sort them herself.”
Amanda also knew that Lucian personally screened the invitations. She had no intention of commenting on her master’s work, but the Madam’s words were not wrong, so she spoke up.
“Did she?”
“Yes, that’s how I remember it.”
“…Lucian must worry a lot.”
Elaria thought she understood what he was thinking. He was probably concerned about her, who had been pushed around by other children since their days as playmates.
Amanda nodded in agreement after hearing her murmur.
“That must be it. You are not just anyone, you are the Madam of the Asiel Ducal House. Who knows what ill intentions someone might have when they approach you.”
Amanda now knew well how kind the Madam she served was. She always thanked even her, a mere servant, even though she was only doing her duty.
“Come to think of it, I heard the former Madam also suffered quite a bit because of the people around her.”
“…Why?”
Unlike Elaria, the former Duchess came from a high-ranking family. It was even a family with an excellent reputation, so Elaria could not understand why she would have gone through such things.
“I heard that since they could not speak directly to the former Master, the ladies would come to her asking for business investments or donations. From all kinds of noble families.”
“Oh…”
That would have been unpleasant. Elaria felt relieved that Lucian was concerned about her. At the same time, she almost felt a little gloomy at the thought that he might still not trust her, but as always, she quickly recognized her own limits.
“…For now, it would be better to leave it to him.”
“This may be presumptuous, but I think so too.”
“You think so as well?”
“You are already busy enough as it is, Madam. It’s fine to take your time and familiarize yourself with your other duties slowly.”
At Amanda’s words, Elaria smiled quietly. She felt comforted.
“I was planning to go out and visit the boutiques for once…”
Since it was a banquet hosted by the imperial family, she wanted to prepare properly. It would be her first banquet since the wedding.
However, she did not know what might happen if she went out alone. Just as she was thinking she might have no choice but to send word to a boutique and have a seamstress come to the estate instead, there was a knock.
“Yes, I’m coming.”
Amanda quickly opened the door. The person who strode in was Lucian. The two men differed slightly in the shape of their eyes and the color of their hair, so she could now recognize them at a glance.
Since Noctis usually came during the day, Elaria rose from the sofa with a puzzled expression.
“Lucian, is something the matter?”
“Yes, the Scarlet Boutique will be coming shortly.”
“…Pardon?”
“They will be fitting a dress that was ordered in advance, so you can receive them in comfortable clothes.”
“You ordered a dress for me?”
She was a little flustered, but not very surprised. He had often ordered things for her without saying a word.
“The imperial palace holds a banquet every harvest season. I simply prepared in advance.”
“Thank you, Lucian.”
“…Just with words?”
“Huh?”
At his sudden remark, Elaria stared at his face as he sat beside her. She had grown confident that she could distinguish Lucian and Noctis just by their appearance, so she wondered if she had been mistaken.
Realizing why she was looking at him, Lucian replied quietly with a sigh.
“…It’s me, Ria.”
“I thought I might have mixed you up.”
He turned his head toward her ear and whispered.
“Why, am I not allowed to joke?”
The low voice brushing past her made goosebumps rise all over her body. Elaria shrank her shoulders and flinched.
“It’s not that… it just feels a little unfamiliar.”
“You were laughing happily when you were with Noctis.”
“That’s because… Noctis jokes a lot normally.”
She offered an excuse and looked up at him closely. Hearing such a candid remark from Lucian, who was usually quiet, felt strange.
She was gradually getting used to the two men.
It was no longer difficult to deal with both of them. Since she had unconsciously distinguished between them since childhood, her behavior had not changed much.
But sometimes, as if testing her, they would act differently. Like just now, when Lucian joked like Noctis, or when Noctis, wearing his mask, behaved very formally and seemed like Lucian.
When the standards she had set began to waver, Elaria sometimes felt afraid that she might no longer be able to recognize them.
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