I Transmigrated into the Nameverse, and My Name Came with a Time Limit - Chapter 7

“Me too? Why?”

“I don’t know. But Miss Rose clearly ordered me to tell you exactly that.”

When Greta disappeared after answering, Mina, bewildered, had no choice but to glance at Hannah.

Soon, the commotion of getting her dressed up began. She washed in a hurry, then neatly braided up only half of her thick, flowing blonde waves. After picking a suitable dress, she finished her makeup lightly and subtly as usual.

Once she was ready, Mina followed the maid and headed to the orangery in the garden. Even in winter, the warm greenhouse, filled with all kinds of flowers, was already hosting a full springtime feast.

Sunlight poured in like a waterfall through the large glass windows, and the place was packed with such intense floral fragrance it nearly numbed her nose. Beside a flowerbed where magnolias, daffodils, and tulips showed off their splendid forms, Leopold and Rose sat facing each other across a round table.

Mina approached the two of them with hesitant steps. Leopold, who had been sitting with his usual indifferent expression, started staring at her the moment he noticed her, so openly it was almost burdensome.

“Welcome, Sister.”

Rose greeted her warmly with a bright smile. The reason she was acting 180 degrees different from her usual sulky attitude was probably Leopold.

“Good morning, Your Highness. Hello, Rose.”

Mina smiled and greeted them, hiding her complicated feelings. He couldn’t have come because he missed the former fiancée he’d seen just yesterday, so why was he here?

Then Rose, smiling widely, satisfied Mina’s doubts that she’d been harboring.

“I’m sorry. It’s still early, so you must be tired too, Sister. But since His Highness took the time to visit the ducal residence in person for once, I thought it would be nice if we sisters enjoyed a tea party together while we had the chance. We’re going to be one family soon anyway. Right?”

As Rose explained her grand intention in a fake-cutesy voice, she suddenly hooked her arm through Leopold’s. The way she leaned her upper body in, twisting and gently swaying, was like a puppy doing aegyo for its owner.

At her half-sister’s blatantly showy behavior, Mina realized the real reason she’d been called here.

‘She just wanted to flaunt in front of me that he’s hers.’

There were plenty of people like that in her previous life, too. Mina clicked her tongue inwardly. Rose’s suspicion and jealousy were nearly at the level of paranoia.

“That’s such a lovely idea, Rose.”

Putting on an intentionally bright face, Mina replied kindly and sat across from Leopold. A tea set was placed in front of her at once. With a clear, tinkling sound, tea filled the cup to just the right level. Sipping the fragrant tea, Mina stared blankly at Rose’s face as she chattered on excitedly.

Still buzzing, Rose was so busy praising herself about how fantastic yesterday’s ball had been, how much attention she and Leopold had drawn, that she could hardly think of anything else.

Leopold did nod along diligently, but his reactions were somewhat lukewarm. Unlike Rose, who was bursting with excitement, he clearly lacked the same passion, and Mina quickly caught the subtle gap.

As Leopold’s right eyebrow shot up, his index finger began lightly tapping the table, tap, tap. It was a sign his patience was nearing its limit.

Even though she hadn’t learned it herself, Mina knew this clearly too, and it must have been Wilhelmina’s memory. Thankfully, just as boredom had been tightening around her and Leopold the whole time, a lifeline suddenly dropped down.

“Miss Rose, the Madam is urgently looking for you right now.”

Greta came up and spoke carefully.

“What? No, why?”

“I don’t know. She only told me to bring you at once…”

Rose grumbled as if put out, but she still turned a gentle smile toward her fiancé, as soft as she could manage.

“Oh my, what in the world is this. I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’ll be right back.”

“Go on without worry, Rose.”

The moment Rose left the orangery with a thoroughly pleased expression, Leopold immediately turned toward Mina.

“Now, be honest with me. What was your real intention behind making that scene yesterday?”

Mina’s insides lurched. All last night, she’d carefully avoided the Crown Prince. She’d acted first to survive, but now that it had gone wrong so cleanly, she honestly didn’t know how to wrap it up, and it was awkward.

Besides, given Leopold’s personality, where once he fixated on something he became obsessively stubborn, it was obvious he’d try to get to the bottom of it.

“It’s exactly as I already told you, Your Highness. There’s nothing more to add, and nothing to take away.”

“Do you think I’m stupid enough not to notice a Name manifesting on my own body? Cut it out with that ridiculous excuse. You staged all of this because you wanted to try something with me again.”