Chapter 12
✦ ✦ ✦
Countess Giberti walked into the powder room with quick, heavy steps.
“Nora, why are you taking so long?”
…She couldn’t openly complain to me, so she was clearly taking her frustration out on Nora instead.
“The Duke will be here soon, and you’re still not finished?”
She let out several loud sighs, making sure everyone could hear them.
Then she suddenly shoved Nora aside.
“This won’t do. Move.”
“Ah!”
I let out a short scream.
After all, Nora was still holding my hair.
When she was pushed away, my body shook on the chair as well.
Whoa… I almost fell!
I swallowed nervously.
The chair was quite tall.
If I had fallen from here, I probably would have sprained my leg…
“Miss!”
Nora called out in alarm.
At the same time—
Thud!
Countess Giberti grabbed my shoulder tightly.
Her long, polished nails dug into my bathrobe and pressed against my soft skin.
Ow… that hurts.
I forced myself not to cry out.
But whether I was hurting or not…
The Countess simply grabbed my hair even harder.
“Nora, give me the brush.”
“Y-Yes? But…”
“Hurry. We don’t have time.”
She impatiently waved her fingers.
Nora had no choice but to hand over the brush.
The Countess immediately started brushing my hair roughly.
Ouch!
The ends that Nora had carefully untangled became tangled again.
The knots caught in the brush.
Clumps of my hair were pulled out.
What the…
She’s going to rip my scalp off!
It hurt so much that tears almost came to my eyes.
I couldn’t bring myself to say it hurt.
I simply endured it in silence.
Unable to watch any longer, Nora tried to stop her.
“Miss’s hair is badly damaged.”
“If you brush it like that, her hair could be pulled out or become even more tangled…”
“Didn’t you hear me?”
“The Duke will be here any minute.”
Wow…
She’s not even trying to hide how annoyed she is.
Even while trying to endure the pain, I couldn’t help being speechless.
But Countess Giberti was a truly difficult opponent.
“Even if it hurts a little, you should endure it. We can’t keep the Duke waiting, can we?”
She actually said that without the slightest shame.
She knows I can’t refuse because of Zigfried, doesn’t she?
And then—
“A good child should listen to adults, shouldn’t she?”
She smiled sweetly as she quietly pressured me.
Seriously?
Anger rose from deep inside me.
But the Countess didn’t soften her brushing at all.
Honestly…
Pretending to be a good child is so hard.
✦ ✦ ✦
After that…
Once Tatiana had somehow finished getting ready, she was led down a wide hallway by Countess Giberti.
The Countess walked so quickly that Tatiana had to almost run just to keep up.
Tatiana panted for breath.
Even so…
She couldn’t bring herself to ask the Countess to slow down.
Walking behind them, Nora watched Tatiana with worried eyes.
If only the Countess would walk a little slower…
Nora swallowed the sigh that threatened to escape.
But she didn’t dare complain to Countess Giberti.
Especially since the Countess already seemed to be in a terrible mood.
Meanwhile…
Countess Giberti was thinking back to what had happened earlier.
Just what is so special about that little girl that His Grace keeps telling me to take good care of her?
She glanced at Tatiana with annoyance.
Everything had started thirty minutes earlier…
When Zigfried suddenly called for her.
Scratch…
Scratch…
The only sound in the quiet office was the scratching of a pen across paper.
Countess Giberti entered with a slightly nervous expression.
“I heard you were looking for me, Your Grace.”
The pen stopped.
Zigfried slowly looked up.
“You’ve come, Aunt.”
Meeting those golden eyes that shone like those of a wild beast…
Countess Giberti felt her mouth go dry.
Zigfried was much younger than her own son.
Yet…
For some reason…
She always became tense whenever she stood before him.
Why did he have to come back alive?
If Zigfried hadn’t returned…
The Duchy of Orleans would have become her son’s.
She forced down the bitterness rising inside her.
Then she smiled politely.
“You’ve only just returned to the Duke’s house. Shouldn’t you rest first—”
“I’m fine.”
“More importantly, I have a few things to discuss regarding Tatiana.”
“Miss… Tatiana?”
Miss.
The word felt awkward in her mouth.
It only made her irritation worse.
At that moment, Zigfried leaned back in his chair.
“The child’s health isn’t very good.”
“Please assign her a personal doctor and make sure she receives proper care.”
“…”
Just who is that child?
Countess Giberti truly couldn’t understand.
He had already told her earlier…
“Make sure the child is as comfortable as possible.”
And yet…
What bothered her most was—
…He had never shown this much kindness to his own nephews and nieces.
Until now…
Zigfried had hardly interacted with his relatives at all.
Not even with the former Duke, his own father.
Of course, most of that came from their long-standing conflict.
But even setting that aside…
Zigfried simply wasn’t the caring type.
Which made it all the stranger…
That he cared so much about one little girl.
“Ah, that’s right.”
As if remembering something, Zigfried added,
“I’ll be having dinner with Tatiana tonight.”
“Please prepare that as well.”
“…Yes. Understood.”
Remembering that conversation…
Countess Giberti bit her lip.
She glanced sideways at Tatiana, who was hurrying along beside her.
I don’t know yet… but what if…
What if Zigfried adopts that little girl?
If that happened…
The chances of her son—or even her grandchildren—inheriting the Duchy of Orleans would become even smaller.
What if my grandchildren end up losing everything to that brat?
The thought filled her with irritation.
She frowned and snapped at Tatiana.
“Why are you walking so slowly?”
Tatiana flinched.
“If His Grace reaches the dining room before us, what then?”
“Hurry up and keep up.”
Startled, Tatiana quickly moved her short little legs faster.
The Countess watched her with annoyance.
Then clicked her tongue and looked away.
Fine.
I’ll tolerate that annoying child for now.
If she wanted her family to inherit the Duchy one day…
She had to stay on Zigfried’s good side.
Only after reminding herself of that several times…
Did Countess Giberti finally calm her anger.
✦ ✦ ✦
A pair of huge doors came into view.
Oh…
I admired them silently.
No wonder this is the Empire’s only Duke’s family.
Even the dining room doors are sparkling!
Just then—
Hm?
Countess Giberti suddenly stopped walking.
Then she smiled warmly and held out her hand.
“Here.”
“Please take my hand.”
“I’ll escort you into the dining room.”
“…”
I looked coldly at the hand she offered me.
Seriously?
Just a moment ago you acted like walking beside me was a burden.
Why are you pretending to be nice now?
But I had to keep acting like a sweet, obedient child.
“Okay!”
I happily took her hand as if I knew nothing.
The Countess’s shoulders twitched with displeasure.
Still, she didn’t pull her hand away.
Holding hands, we entered the dining room together.
Zigfried was sitting in his chair, leaning back while reading some documents.
He looked up.
“Tatiana.”
“Zigfried!”
I hurried over to him.
“Are you busy?”
“I can’t exactly say I’m not.”
Zigfried gave a small shrug.
“But today is your first day at the Duke’s house.”
“At the very least, we should have a meal together.”
“…”
His calm answer made my shoulders droop.
“…Did you come all the way here just because of me?”
I don’t want to become a troublesome child.
It felt like…
I was interrupting Zigfried without meaning to.
Zigfried narrowed his eyes slightly.
“I made you worry.”
Then…
A large hand gently rested on top of my head.
