DDSWTB 67

Chapter 67 I wonder if she’ll like my present.

“Milady, here you are.”

Mariana handed the cookies she had been holding to Tiana.

“She’ll definitely be pleased. You worked so hard making them, after all.”

Mariana was kind—she always said exactly what I wanted to hear.

Hearing those words, Tiana took the cookies from her.

“Tiana, don’t you also have something you wanted to show me? Why don’t you show it to me now?”

Seeing her like that, Mother smiled gently at me.

“Um, I’m not as good as my sister, but… I made some cookies.”

Tiana presented the cookies she had made to the Duchess.

“Ah, but they might not suit your taste, Mother. So, um…”

“That’s absolutely not true! I had some the other day when she gave me some, and they were delicious!”

“Sister…”

Ellie quickly cut off Tiana’s worried words, energetically correcting her.

“I’m happy with anything that comes from you, Tiana.”

“Mother…”

Both my sister and Mother denied my self-deprecating words.

Then, Mother opened the bag of cookies I had given her and began eating them right there.

“Please wait! The poison-tasting hasn’t been done yet—!”

Eh?

A maid—different from Camilla, who had been watching beside us—suddenly stepped in.

“You don’t know what could be in them! Especially since this young lady is…”

My rumors… have even reached here? Those stories spreading about me must be completely false.

Even if my image has improved somewhat, it seems it still hasn’t been cleared up in the remote regions.

But… Mother is the Duchess, after all—of high status, and she must be careful about her health, especially since her immunity must be weaker now.

Still, being suspected of poisoning someone… that’s a bit painful to hear.

“How rude. Apologize at once.”

Mother glared sharply at the maid and scolded her.

“No, it’s fine. She only said that because she was worried about you, Mother. She was just doing her job, so there’s no need for her to apologize.”

“Tiana, you mustn’t be so naïve.”

(When I heard about Isabella’s behavior, I was surprised because I trusted her—but now I see. Tiana really was being unfairly treated in this household. I wonder if she just accepts it as something unavoidable… I’ll have to send a letter to Gion later.)

“Ah, yes!”

I hadn’t expected to be the one getting scolded.
But Mother was right. Someone of high noble rank shouldn’t forgive offenses too easily.

“Your words just now will be taken as an insult toward my daughter.”

Mother turned to the maid again.

“Lady Tiana, I am deeply sorry!”

In truth, what the maid had said wasn’t entirely wrong. It was reasonable to consider the possibility of poison—she had simply said it poorly.

“Be more careful next time.”

Hearing Mother’s earlier words, Tiana—uncharacteristically firm—spoke sharply.

She accepted the maid’s apology.