Chapter: 109
A little while later.
Dietrich, having completely surrendered, asked with the face of a defeated man,
“So, what do you want?”
At that question, Evangeline’s eyes sparkled.
‘What on earth is that girl plotting?’
Dietrich began to feel strangely uneasy.
“Do you know there’s an event at this charity party where people are going to submit items for an auction?”
“Really?”
Honestly, he had no idea.
The ducal family always made an enormous donation anyway.
In such circumstances, there was no particular reason to bother submitting an auction item.
“Lari said it was inspired by a game called the ‘Rose Game.’”
“What kind of game is that?”
“You can find that out yourself later, Brother.”
Evangeline shrugged and gave him a sweet smile with her eyes.
“If I could give you one piece of advice, you’re going to regret it terribly if you don’t look into it.”
“……”
What on earth was she talking about?
Dietrich frowned.
“I gave you my advice, all right?”
Evangeline shrugged again before continuing.
“Anyway, as far as I know, our family owns a study that Donovan painted when he was ten years old. We do, right?”
Donovan.
He was a painter affiliated with the temple who had made a name for himself about a hundred years ago.
He was famous for painting various kinds of sacred paintings, and he was particularly renowned for portraying the goddess’s compassionate, motherly side.
Donovan had shared a deep bond with his mother, and apparently, her image had been used as the basis for the goddess depicted in his sacred paintings.
The study Evangeline was referring to was a painting of that mother who had served as the goddess’s inspiration.
“I think we probably have it.”
“I want to submit that one.”
“Do whatever you want.”
Well, that much wasn’t difficult.
However, Dietrich’s expression stiffened slightly at what she said next.
“Instead, put it under Lari’s name.”
“What?”
What was that troublemaker thinking?
Dietrich couldn’t hide his suspicious gaze.
“Either way, I mean, you’re going to make a huge donation in the family’s name anyway, right, Brother?”
Evangeline proudly raised her chin.
“So wouldn’t it be better to submit the item under Lari’s name instead of mine?”
“……Lady Ancy’s name?”
“Yep. To begin with, I don’t want Lari to have to worry about donations or anything like that.”
Evangeline’s voice became cold.
“And I especially don’t want Lari to be looked down on, even for a moment.”
Dietrich agreed with that.
“Hmm.”
After thinking for a moment, Dietrich asked,
“If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to submit something else rather than that painting? We have plenty of more famous pieces in our collection.”
The study Donovan had painted at the age of ten.
Of course, it was an extremely rare work, and people with an eye for art would recognize it.
But, put another way, unless the artist’s name was revealed, most people wouldn’t even recognize the value of the piece.
Moreover, if it were submitted under someone else’s name rather than that of the Claudius ducal family, its original owners……
‘Wouldn’t no one recognize that study at all?’
Of course, since it was an auction intended to raise donations, the artist’s name would probably be revealed once the auction began.
Still, somehow, it seemed as though Evangeline had some kind of ulterior motive……
What was it?
“No. That won’t do.”
Meanwhile, Evangeline firmly shook her head.
“It has to be that piece.”
“……Eva, what exactly are you plotting?”
At that question, Evangeline gave him a mischievous smile.
“It’s a secret.”
Then she teasingly waved Larit’s reply in front of him and urged Dietrich.
“So, are you going to let me do it or not?”
“……”
Following the gently swaying card envelope, his blue eyes wavered intensely.
Dietrich squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again.
And then.
“It won’t bring shame upon the Claudius ducal family’s name, will it?”
“Of course not.”
“And it won’t cause Lady Ancy any trouble?”
“What? What kind of person would be mean to a friend like that?”
Evangeline became indignant.
“All right, then.”
And so, Dietrich ultimately lost to his younger sister.
In truth, it was practically no different from simply letting her win.
Evangeline could be quite headstrong at times, but she wasn’t so difficult by nature that she would cause trouble at an event this important.
……No, to be precise, she was capable of causing trouble, but she wouldn’t this time.
Because.
‘Lady Ancy will be by her side.’
His younger sister did, at least, listen well to Larit, and Larit was an extremely sensible person.
Above all.
‘……If it’s something that preserves Lady Ancy’s dignity.’
Unlike Evangeline, whose donations would be made under the Claudius name, Larit would have to make a donation herself.
If Claudius submitted an item under Larit’s name this time, Larit would be freed from that burden.
“Here, take it.”
Just then, Evangeline held out the card envelope as though she were bestowing some great favor upon him.
Dietrich snatched it from her and glared at his younger sister.
“Seriously, it’s a card addressed to me. Why are you acting like you’re doing me a favor?”
“Oh my, can you really say that?”
Evangeline annoyingly teased him.
“I’m Lari’s very best friend, you know? If I happen to get just a liiittle upset and accidentally say something wrong to Lari~?”
“All right, all right. I understand.”
Dietrich ultimately raised the white flag once again.
Afterward.
Having shut himself away in his bedroom, Dietrich immediately opened the card envelope.
[To the esteemed Duke Claudius.
Hello, Duke.
This is Larit.
It has already been so long.
Thank you for asking how I have been and for thinking of me.
I am happy to accept the offer you made for me to be your partner.
Thank you.
— Larit Ancy]
……It was nothing more than a simple, straightforward card.
The contents weren’t even long, so he could have finished reading it in an instant.
And yet Dietrich found himself unable to take his eyes off the card.
Then.
By chance, Dietrich noticed his own reflection in the glass of the bookshelf.
‘It’s a good thing Eva didn’t see this expression on my face.’
His expression had become so soft that anyone who saw him would hardly believe he was Dietrich. In some ways, he even looked foolish.
Dietrich clicked his tongue and forced down the corners of his lips, which had risen high.
But a moment later.
As Dietrich looked over the card again, his lips curved into a gentle smile.
He read the contents over and over again, until he had almost memorized them.
Only then did Dietrich finally manage to put the card down.
‘That aside, what exactly is this Rose Game?’
The brightest star of November.
An event being introduced for the first time at the charity party, both as entertainment and as a way to raise donations.
Apparently, the event had originated from a social gathering game called the Rose Game……
“You can find that out yourself later, Brother.”
“If I could give you one piece of advice, you’re going to regret it terribly if you don’t look into it.”
Evangeline’s words kept bothering him.
Dietrich resolved that as soon as he woke up tomorrow morning, he would have one of his aides find out what exactly the ‘Rose Game’ was.
I lay on my side in bed, reading the card by the light of the bedside lamp.
‘Is this a dream?’
I read it over and over again, but the contents remained the same.
“If it would not be an imposition, I would like to ask Lady Ancy to accompany me as my partner……”
As I read the sentence on the card aloud, I couldn’t contain my happiness and kicked my feet excitedly.
‘What should I do? It feels like a dream.’
The third Friday of November.
It was the day the charity party would be held.
……I was looking forward to that day more than anything.
