~Chapter 46~
Chapter 4. The Reason I Was Able to Be Brave
A large dining table was filled with delicious food.
The dishes prepared carefully by the head chef were steaming hot.
A rich and sweet aroma brushed past my nose, making my mouth water.
But I couldn’t focus on the food at all.
Because I was staring sharply at Elias and Cecilia like a hawk.
“C-could you pass the salt?”
Elias awkwardly spoke to Cecilia.
Cecilia, who suddenly looked tense, carefully handed him the salt shaker.
“Here it is.”
“T-thank you.”
Well… at least this could be considered somewhat peaceful.
Before, the two of them could hardly even speak to each other.
Back then, I couldn’t even tell whether the food was going into my mouth or my nose…
But now both of them still looked extremely awkward.
“Unni, try this.”
Watching the situation carefully, I quietly joined the conversation.
Naturally, I recommended the braised beef dish Cecilia usually liked.
“It’s really delicious.”
“Oh, does that meat dish suit Milena’s taste too?”
The Duchess, who had been eating across from us, suddenly brightened and spoke to us.
“That’s a dish Elias likes.”
Ah, the young duke likes it too?
Honestly, I didn’t know since I wasn’t very interested in him…
“I’m glad both my daughters like it. I should tell the kitchen to serve it more often.”
My daughters.
At those words, Cecilia’s cheeks turned slightly red.
The Duchess smiled brightly while looking at her.
“Cecilia, eat a little more.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Cecilia obediently took another piece of meat from the plate.
At the same time, as if something had just come to mind, the Duchess spoke again.
“Ah, that’s right. Milena’s brooch is almost finished.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. I told them to bring it as soon as it’s completed.”
The Duchess continued in an excited voice.
“Just imagining my daughters wearing matching brooches already makes me excited.”
“I’m really looking forward to it too.”
Smiling brightly, I glanced sideways at Cecilia.
Are you watching, Cecilia?
See how much I like you…!
“Is that so? If our Milena is looking forward to it that much, I should ask the jeweler if they can finish it a little faster.”
“No, you don’t have to rush.”
“Rush? I’m giving it as a gift to my daughter. That alone makes me happy.”
The Duchess looked truly happy when she said that.
It felt like she sincerely cherished and loved me as her real daughter…
‘Whenever she does that… it feels a little strange.’
My hand tightened slightly around the spoon.
I only have my own mom.
…So why does my heart feel so shaken like this?
“Ah, and about Milena’s tutor. I was thinking—what if Countess Celes’s wife teaches you?”
Right then, the Duchess asked me kindly.
“She’s a teacher who has raised many ladies very well. I also learned from her before, and she’s currently teaching Cecilia.”
Well, if that’s the case,
I had no reason to oppose it.
‘But this is a little strange.’
In the original story, Cecilia’s tutor wasn’t that person.
Then does that mean reality could flow a little differently from the original story?
Well, even my mother ‘Rosie’ was never mentioned in the original work.
‘From now on, I should respond more flexibly to people and situations.’
Having made up my mind, I smiled and nodded.
“Yes, I’m fine with—”
“I’m sorry, but that might be difficult.”
Huh?
My eyes widened.
Cecilia lowered her gaze with a stiff expression.
But the voice that followed was calm and steady.
“I… would like to learn from that teacher alone.”
At that moment, the room fell silent, as if cold water had been poured over it.
“……”
“……”
“……”
It sounded like Cecilia wanted to monopolize the teacher.
“Cecilia, are you worried the teacher might neglect you? You don’t need to worry about that.”
The Duchess gently tried to reassure her while hiding her embarrassment.
“Your lesson progress and Milena’s will be different anyway. She’ll probably teach you separately, so it won’t affect your lessons much.”
“I understand what you mean. But…”
Still, Cecilia didn’t change her mind.
After trailing off for a moment, she sighed softly and finished her sentence.
“Still… I think it would be better if Milena learned from another teacher.”
At that firm answer, a faint wrinkle appeared on the Duchess’s forehead.
“Cecilia, don’t be so stubborn—”
“I-I’m fine.”
Seeing this, I hurriedly jumped into the conversation.
“It’s okay. Even if I don’t learn from that teacher, there must be other good teachers, right?”
“Well, we could probably find one…”
The Duchess still looked unconvinced.
I glanced sideways at Cecilia.
Her lips were tightly closed.
Her eyes lowered coldly.
‘It’s hopeless.’
That expression meant she would never change her mind.
At the same time, I became confused.
‘Why is she rejecting it so firmly?’
What the Duchess said wasn’t wrong.
Even if we studied under the same teacher, it wouldn’t wear the teacher out.
In fact, it’s common for one tutor to teach several ladies from different families.
‘…I thought we had gotten a little closer.’
Maybe I was the only one who thought that.
With a gloomy face, I poked the piece of meat on my plate.
For some reason, I suddenly lost my appetite.
* * *
In the end, the meal ended in an awkward atmosphere.
The family members gradually stood up from the table.
Cecilia bowed her head lightly with an unreadable expression.
“I will excuse myself first.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
The Duke nodded with a complicated expression.
At the same time, I began to feel anxious.
‘…I can’t just let Cecilia leave like this.’
Maybe she rejected it simply because she wanted the good teacher for herself.
But there might be another reason.
Thinking that, I quickly stopped her.
“U-Unni.”
Cecilia paused and glanced back at me.
I gave her a soft smile.
“I ate too much, so I was thinking of taking a walk to help digest.”
“……”
“Would you like to take a walk with me?”
Honestly, I was nervous she might refuse immediately.
But Cecilia quietly nodded.
“Okay.”
Whew, that’s a relief.
Letting out a breath of relief, I quickly moved closer to her.
“Then let’s go out right away!”
