Chapter 32
(Why—)
Julius frowned, saying, “I cannot be forgiven…” His expression was strange. Perhaps because he wasn’t fully recovered yet, his face lacked strength. It looked as if he were desperately trying to hide, holding back tears while looking down.
But the one who wanted to cry was Natalie… Though her emotions swirled, she knew in her mind that the things she couldn’t forgive and the help he had given her were separate matters.
She understood—she had been saved because of his actions. Yet, more than that, an uncontrollable, aimless emotion churned inside her. And since Julius had accepted his guilt—he didn’t apologize—it was hard for her to express gratitude sincerely.
After Julius’s words, silence fell between them. That silence was broken by a cheerful knock, followed by the sound of the door opening.
“Milady~! Tea is ready…! And for the Duke, something easy to digest… um—”
It was Mina who entered. As usual, she must have been busy preparing everything. Yet, her presence felt like a relief to Natalie. Mina seemed slightly puzzled by the tense atmosphere in the room.
“Thank you for preparing everything, Mina.”
“Y-Yes!”
“I’m actually a bit full… could you serve His Grace instead?”
“Eh, ehh!”
Mina, confused by Natalie’s words, couldn’t react. Natalie forced a smile.
“…Then, Your Grace, I shall take my leave.”
“Ah, ahh.”
There was no way she could enjoy tea with Julius. Feeling apologetic toward Mina, Natalie forced a smile, planning to apologize later.
“O-Oh, milady~~!”
Ignoring Mina’s protest, she turned and left the room. Just before leaving, she caught sight of Julius—he looked like a scolded puppy. Natalie dismissed the thought, but a prickling discomfort lingered in her heart as she returned to her room.
◆◇◆
Since then, meeting His Grace after that awkward parting had become uncomfortable. Natalie found herself subconsciously avoiding him.
Back in her room, her thoughts were a jumble. Frustration consumed her. Thinking rationally, she realized she had spoken too harshly to someone just awakened from a serious injury.
The members of the Pettigrew household seemed puzzled, unaware of Natalie’s inner turmoil. Before she knew it, she had been avoiding Julius for several days. Should she just forget about him…? Was that really acceptable…? The question pressed heavily on her mind.
Today, too, she rested her cheek on her hand, sighing helplessly. The Pettigrews—mostly her parents—probably wanted Julius to rest slowly until he fully recovered.
And surely, Julius would regain his strength day by day—and perhaps, because of Mark’s message, he would return to the country.
(…It’s fine, we won’t hurt each other this way—)
Thinking this, Natalie recalled Julius’s darkened expression when she had scolded him, and her chest ached once again. It was guilt for the one who had always helped her.
As she struggled with her conflicting emotions—
“Natalie? May I come in?”
“M-Mother…! Y-Yes.”
A knock at the door accompanied her mother’s voice. After Natalie replied, her mother entered, looking surprised.
“Natalie… you don’t seem well?”
“…Ugh, I’m sorry for worrying you.”
Trying to cheer her up, her mother slowly approached and patted Natalie’s head.
“Such a beautiful day today… yet it feels like rain only falls over you… haha, just kidding.”
“M-Mother…”
“I just feel it’s a shame to waste such a perfect outing day doing nothing…”
“…Huh?”
Her mother moved her hands from Natalie’s head to hold both of Natalie’s hands, smiling as if flowers had bloomed, and then called out:
“Mina! Help her get ready~!”
“Yes, Madam! We’re preparing for the outing, right?”
“Yes, make sure she can move comfortably.”
“Understood! I’ll help Milady get ready neatly and comfortably!”
“M-Mina!? M-Mother…! What is this…?”
Mina looked as if she had been waiting for this moment, clinging to her mother’s side. Natalie’s questions were met with smiles, and with the help of the other servants, they were quickly ready to go.
“Eh? Eh?”
“Come on, Milady…! This way~!”
“W-Wait~!”
Pushed forward by Mina, they reached the entrance, and Natalie’s eyes widened. There stood Julius—the one she had been avoiding—besides her mother.
“Oh! You look wonderful today, Natalie.”
“Mother, um… what is this…?”
“Fufu. I just proposed it to His Grace… and he agreed~!”
“Th-This lady… the guide is…?”
Julius, speaking to her mother, seemed surprised to see Natalie. He had recovered enough to walk, and today he wore not his usual armor but a refined blouse, as if ready to go out.
“Since the Duke has mostly recovered, I suggested a little sightseeing in Pettigrew territory—partly for a change of pace and rehabilitation.”
“I-Is that so…”
“Yes! And then I had an idea…”
Natalie felt a chill of dread run down her spine.
“You’ve grown up seeing Pettigrew territory, right?”
“Y-Yes.”
“Exactly! So I thought you’d be perfect to guide His Grace…”
“M-Madam… I… I’m not really—”
“And the Duke is strong, so no need for guards… well, the town is peaceful, so maybe unnecessary anyway.”
It wasn’t her father’s antics, but her mother’s. Natalie’s mind struggled to keep up. Behind her mother, Mina looked satisfied, her eyes the same as before a ball.
“Oh… His Grace, was our Natalie… unsatisfactory?”
“N-No! Not at all…”
“Well! That’s good.”
Her mother’s expression carried a hint of scheming. After receiving Julius’s consent, she approached Natalie and whispered softly into her ear:
“Natalie, something happened between you and His Grace, didn’t it? Bottling up your frustration is poisonous…”
“Eh…”
Natalie realized with a start that her mother had noticed how much she had been avoiding Julius. And surely Mina had given her mother a report with a wink.
(Really… Mina is such a capable maid…)
Natalie marveled quietly at Mina. Finally, her mother said:
“I may have been serious, but you should enjoy a walk around the territory… clear your mind.”
“Mother…”
“If you really don’t want to, you can come back anytime… so don’t worry too much, alright?”
Encouraged by her mother, Natalie and Julius were escorted toward the door. The servants opened it for them, and under the warm sunlight, the two began to walk.
“Have a good time~!”
“Have a good day, Milady.”
“…Hm? Natalie and His Grace, why are you going outside…?”
After the farewell, her father appeared, unaware of the situation.
“Oh, dear… shall we have tea on the terrace?”
“Uh, of course… no, wait… where are you two… eh?”
Thanks to her mother and the servants, her father was kept at a distance, and his usual cries rang out:
“What is going on… NATALIE~~! Nooo~~!”
The Pettigrew household doors slammed shut.
The overwhelming rush of events made Natalie forget her feelings toward Julius for a moment. Before trembling, she and Julius just stood there, staring blankly at the closed doors—together.
