There was silence throughout the meal.
Dorothea, who appeared with a sickly complexion as if she had been sick for several days overnight, continued eating at an astonishing speed.
Occasionally, her trembling hands would let go of the spoon or drop the fork, but each time, the waiters waiting behind her would quickly change her utensils.
As soon as the food on the plate disappeared, it was replaced with a new dish.
It was so strangely difficult to take one's eyes off Dorothea that everyone even forgot to eat.
“Thea, eat slowly.”
Aiden urged with a hoarse voice.
“Poor child. Out of all these people here, there’s not a single one that can help, so she’s so dry.”
“Thank you, uncle. But they did their best, too.”
Those who had been furious at his words, which slyly confirmed that no one could help, shut their mouths when they saw Dorothea coughing as if she was about to suffocate.
“Your hands are shaking so much that you can’t even hold that spoon properly... I feel like I want to break the wrists of all those who hold spoons lightly and comfortably.”
Then, Richard, who had been holding the spoon in his hand without thinking, put it down with a flustered look on his face.
Aiden's beard trembled with anger.
“Your hands have really slowed down when you cut meat. If it were normal, you would have already finished cutting this much and received another piece. Would you like me to cut it for you?”
“No, if my uncle cuts it, the meat will be ruined.”
“Ugh...”
In the meantime, Dane, who couldn't stand seeing Aiden sullenly refuse his helping hand, took the plate and cut the meat for her.
Everyone who attended the dinner silently finished their meal, feeling sorry for the Empire's most prominent prosecutor, who was worried about his niece.
By the end of the meal, they too had pale, pale faces, similar to Dorothea's.
“Thea, your hair is messy.”
Dorothea stopped walking at Valerie's words.
Even stopping her slow pace seemed difficult, and she had to use force to stand, her toes tilting to the side.
Valerie bowed her head slightly to Philip, who was skillfully supporting her, and reached out and stroked Dorothea's hair.
Valerie told Dorothea, who was silently blinking and letting her hair hang, the news she had heard in a feminine manner as if greeting her in the morning.
“It is said that shortly after Lord Dover left the castle, all those who had been locked in the dungeon died.”
"Huh."
“You don’t seem that surprised, so I guess you didn’t expect to get anything out of them in the first place.”
“Because I knew my opponent wasn’t such an easy person.”
"Then,"
Valerie took her hand off her neatly combed hair and stood in front of Dorothea.
“It seems that arresting those guys and releasing Lord Dover in the first place was just a smokescreen to hide your plan.”
“Why do you think so?”
“The Count, who was so easygoing, left the castle in a hurry at dawn, and you became half of yourself overnight.”
Valerie, who had been affectionately patting Dorothea on the cheek, shook her head as she looked at her, who did not even give her a proper answer or a convincing explanation.
“Dear Thea, sometimes you are too insensitive.”
Dorothea blinked at the sigh in his affectionate voice.
"I?"
“Who would enjoy seeing their loved ones get hurt? If I had known this was what you were planning, neither I, nor Marilyn, nor anyone else in this castle who cares about you would have cooperated.”
“...”
Valerie opened her mouth as she stared blankly at Dorothea, who was looking away as if she knew nothing and was acting strangely.
“I wonder. Why is it that you, who grew up receiving so much love from so many people, are so clumsy at both receiving love and giving love?”
You have friends who cherish you, a father and elders of the family who cherish you, and cousins who filled your childhood, all of whom are here by your side.
Her gaze swept over Dorothea, who looked particularly doll-like today, she added softly.
“As if you had lived longer as a non-human than as a human.”
“...”
It was not Dorothea who flinched, but Philip who was supporting her body.
His expression faltered for a split second, but Valerie smiled as if she had sensed Philip's agitation without even looking at him.
“It’s just my poor impression, so you don’t need to worry about it.”
Valerie, who had brushed her remark aside, lightly flicked the tip of Dorothea's nose with her hand.
“But you’d better be prepared.”
"Yes?"
“Sometimes, affectionate anger is deeper, greater, and more persistent than the anger that arises from feelings of hatred, loathing, inferiority, and disgust.”
For the first time, a proper 'question' appeared on Dorothea's face, who had been pretending not to know anything, but Valerie passed her by pretending not to know and gave her a gentle warning.
“Even for you, Thea, it won’t be easy to handle the situation from now on.”
Dorothea slowly walked away, watching Valerie's back as she glided away with the sound of her dress hem swishing.
Then, she reached the door and was about to issue an order to leave to Philip, who had been her support until then.
Her cousin, who had been quietly and reliably by her side the whole time, spoke up as if he was the first to do so.
“Sir Freed was taken in by Uncle Aiden. He said that he must do everything possible to protect you, who is so weak, and that uncle will train him properly until his strength runs out.”
"I see."
“So, for the time being, I plan to stay by your side to stop your tricks.”
Dorothea's eyes, which had been quietly listening to Philip's gentle and affectionate words, became filled with wonder.
The amethyst eyes looking at her deepened.
Philip continued speaking softly, looking at her precious being with affectionate and warm eyes.
“I know better than anyone that you pretend not to be, but in reality, you care a lot about the attention of others and that you control the use of that ‘strange power’. If you try to do something useless again, I’ll call a bunch of people over and make a spectacle of you by telling them to watch what you’re doing.”
“For the time being... I don’t plan on doing anything.”
The situation was already so dire, so it would not be foolish to push things any further.
No matter how annoying the opponent may be, it is natural for Dorothea to put her life first.
Philip nodded and answered lightly, looking at Dorothea who was blinking.
“Yeah, I guess so, but it’s half venting.”
Dorothea hesitated slightly as she looked at him, his face so unfamiliar that she suspected that someone had approached her wearing Philip's skin.
The beautiful and affectionate cousin whispered softly in Dorothea's ear.
“Young Lady Valerie Germain is right, Thea.”
The employees who saw Philip's brightly smiling face turned red as they passed by and disappeared down the hallway.
"I have a beautiful face that would make anyone unable to spit," said Philip Highclere.
“I’m a little mad at you, Thea.”
Dorothea could only blink without saying a word to her cousin.
The maid came to the room with busy steps.
“Miss, the telegram has arrived.”
“Leave it there.”
There was no more room on the table, which was already piled high with telegrams.
The maid, who had carefully placed a new telegram on top of a pile of others, quickly disappeared through the door.
Dorothea, who had been rolling around in bed, woke up with a sigh.
Dorothea, who had already received more than thirty telegrams in just half a day, muttered with her chin resting on her hand.
“How did things turn out like this?”
Philip, who had been mumbling so profoundly, naturally let Dorothea's words flow out and placed a cup of warm ginger tea in front of her.
“It’ll warm you up. Drink it quickly.”
It was Philip who told her in detail what dangers she had encountered since coming down here, what perilous undertakings she had taken, and how she had damaged her health.
'If I return to my family, I'll most likely be treated like a Princess.'
There was a time when Ilshe enjoyed it, but now that she's almost an adult, it's something she can't readily accept.
Dorothea was just beginning to break free from the overprotectiveness of adults who would hug and embrace her to the point of being annoying.
There was no doubt that this incident would force those around her to build a stronger fence.
“...”
It was quite annoying and bothersome when a smart person got angry.
Philip knew better than anyone what she cared about and what was bothering her the most, and so he was the one who could make things more difficult for her than anyone else.
As Dorothea sipped the ginger tea that was in her mouth, a unique spicy taste filled her throat.
Dorothea muttered as if she didn't understand.
“How did he end up growing up like that?”
Was Colin poorly educated?
Was it a problem to ask the God of death to raise a human?
Someone spoke to Dorothea, who was lost in deep thought.
“Are you asking because you really don’t know how he grew up like that?”
Colin raised one corner of his mouth as he stood next to Wood, who was looking down at him with amazement.
“It is clearly your influence.”
“Honestly, considering what you’ve done, this is also weak.”
Far from taking her side, her followers supported Philip's spite with all their might.
Whenever they saw Dorothea being helplessly beaten, they would get confused as to who was the master and who was the servant, seeing those who looked so satisfied.
“This is your chance to correct your habit of being a disobedient wild boar and going at it alone.”
“Excuse me.”
A wild boar towards a noble lady.
Wood raised one eyebrow, showing his discomfort, but Dorothea turned to Wood and raised the corners of her mouth as if she found it funny.
“You’d better be thankful that the Marquis isn’t coming on horseback. When he returns, he’ll probably be under a ban for several months.”
“No matter how much I think about it, you are a bit of an impudent person. I used all the power I had to change your fate.”
How much careful work was put into twisting the orbit of the one who was trying to take the path of the killing star while being swung by the death sword and bringing him back to me.
However, the person involved was busy mocking the owner, making the effort worthless.
“Speak straight. Are you sure that the fate you changed for me is better than my original fate?”
“Is it your dream to become a murderer who will make a name for yourself in the empire? Can you make it happen now?”
While the childish argument continued, someone knocked on the door.
As they both shut their mouths at the polite knock, Philip approached and opened the door.
The face of the man entering, holding a child in his arms, seemed familiar.
“Valerie told me that the Young Lady was sick.”
The child in his arms seemed to be unable to properly support his head, but his half-open eyes were more focused than before.
Dorothea smiled at the child and said polite words to the man.
“It’s okay. I guess I was just tired from the long trip since I wasn’t in good health to begin with.”
The man's face hardened as he saw her looking even more obviously ill than he had expected.
If Young Lady, who didn't look that sickly before, had her face so damaged overnight, there must be a clear reason.
It was only natural that he would recall the 'strange power' that had restored his son.
'It is certain that she sacrificed her own life to treat the child.'
The man's eyes were filled with emotion toward the noble lady who sacrificed herself for the child of a commoner.
Wood, who was guarding Dorothea's bedside, sensed his uneasiness at the other person's unusual emotional changes, but he kept his eyes tightly shut and his mouth tightly shut.
He only teased Dorothea when no one was watching, and had no intention of making her a laughing stock or putting her down in front of others.
The man fell to his knees with a thud.
“The kindness that YoungbLady has shown me for my child... I will definitely repay it even if it means giving my life. I will live my entire life, my entire life, in gratitude to Young Lady.”
The child in his arms was startled by his father's actions and then looked at Dorothea.
Dorothea, who was completely absorbed in the child's clear and beautiful eyes, waved her hand with a similarly affectionate and kind smile that her maternal grandmother used to make.
“I just did what I wanted to do. If the child grows up well, that’s enough for me.”
“...”
Colin's eyes narrowed at Dorothea's skill in making the other person's misunderstanding seem like a fait accompli without even blinking.
It was the nature of the messenger of death to reject and hate lies.
His eyes doggedly followed the man pledging his loyalty to Dorothea with tears in his eyes, but his lips, which should have been correcting the misunderstanding and telling the truth, remained tightly shut and watched the situation unfold.
“...”
It was at this moment that Marilyn Lehr came to Dorothea's room, as the former reaper, against her instincts, was expressing her displeasure at remaining silent in the face of the truth.
Marilyn's face turned pale as she saw Colin's face like that of a demon.
She hesitated in fear, but then as if she had made up her mind, she closed her eyes tightly and walked into the room.
Marilyn's face darkened even more as Dorothea, who was leaning against the bedpost, unable to control her body, smiled faintly.
She bit her lips and handed her an apple with a face that looked like she was going to cry.
“I asked Young Lady to treat that child... It was a bigger deal than I thought. I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay. You might not know.”
This time, Dorothea, who had no intention of correcting their misunderstanding, simply smiled and showed a generous attitude, adding more burden to her heart.
'It's true that it was hard work.'
Even though she helped because it was something she needed to do, is it really necessary to correct the other person's misunderstanding first?
Even without that, she was destined to spend her days in bed, unable to do anything, under Philip's ironclad surveillance.
“I told you so. Lady Marilyn is my good friend.”
Marilyn, who was moved by Dorothea's affectionate words, looked at Colin with a determined face.
Colin stopped in his tracks, taken aback by Marilyn's attitude as she stared straight at him, even while sulking.
“I am truly sorry for asking such a great favor of your beloved niece. It is only natural that Sir Colin would be displeased with the deterioration of his precious niece's health.”
“...”
“This is something ... so, even if it means doing something called the Peach Garden Oath...”
Wood, who had been listening to Marilyn, stepped in for the stiff Colin.
“Come to your senses, Young Lady. Why would you do something so crazy?”
“I didn’t say that because I thought I could compare to the precious Lady of the Marquis of Highclere. Even if I were to make such a vow, I would never dare to think of rising to the same level as the Lady.”
Wood desperately tried to stop Marilyn from charging headlong into the abyss of darkness like a raging bull.
“Lady Marilyn, your life is precious too. You too are irreplaceable to your family...”
“My father said that he would gladly sacrifice part of himself if only it would allow him to become close to Lady Dorothea.”
Wood's persuasion was not very effective for Marilyn, whose father was the embodiment of desire and power.
At Marilyn's words, which were difficult to muster up due to her guilt, Dorothea reached out and placed her hand on hers as if she understood everything.
Marilyn smiled faintly, comforted by the lukewarm warmth.
Wood sighed as he looked at her face.
'I was wrong. This one is finished too.'
Dorothea, who appeared with a sickly complexion as if she had been sick for several days overnight, continued eating at an astonishing speed.
Occasionally, her trembling hands would let go of the spoon or drop the fork, but each time, the waiters waiting behind her would quickly change her utensils.
As soon as the food on the plate disappeared, it was replaced with a new dish.
It was so strangely difficult to take one's eyes off Dorothea that everyone even forgot to eat.
“Thea, eat slowly.”
Aiden urged with a hoarse voice.
“Poor child. Out of all these people here, there’s not a single one that can help, so she’s so dry.”
“Thank you, uncle. But they did their best, too.”
Those who had been furious at his words, which slyly confirmed that no one could help, shut their mouths when they saw Dorothea coughing as if she was about to suffocate.
“Your hands are shaking so much that you can’t even hold that spoon properly... I feel like I want to break the wrists of all those who hold spoons lightly and comfortably.”
Then, Richard, who had been holding the spoon in his hand without thinking, put it down with a flustered look on his face.
Aiden's beard trembled with anger.
“Your hands have really slowed down when you cut meat. If it were normal, you would have already finished cutting this much and received another piece. Would you like me to cut it for you?”
“No, if my uncle cuts it, the meat will be ruined.”
“Ugh...”
In the meantime, Dane, who couldn't stand seeing Aiden sullenly refuse his helping hand, took the plate and cut the meat for her.
Everyone who attended the dinner silently finished their meal, feeling sorry for the Empire's most prominent prosecutor, who was worried about his niece.
By the end of the meal, they too had pale, pale faces, similar to Dorothea's.
***
“Thea, your hair is messy.”
Dorothea stopped walking at Valerie's words.
Even stopping her slow pace seemed difficult, and she had to use force to stand, her toes tilting to the side.
Valerie bowed her head slightly to Philip, who was skillfully supporting her, and reached out and stroked Dorothea's hair.
Valerie told Dorothea, who was silently blinking and letting her hair hang, the news she had heard in a feminine manner as if greeting her in the morning.
“It is said that shortly after Lord Dover left the castle, all those who had been locked in the dungeon died.”
"Huh."
“You don’t seem that surprised, so I guess you didn’t expect to get anything out of them in the first place.”
“Because I knew my opponent wasn’t such an easy person.”
"Then,"
Valerie took her hand off her neatly combed hair and stood in front of Dorothea.
“It seems that arresting those guys and releasing Lord Dover in the first place was just a smokescreen to hide your plan.”
“Why do you think so?”
“The Count, who was so easygoing, left the castle in a hurry at dawn, and you became half of yourself overnight.”
Valerie, who had been affectionately patting Dorothea on the cheek, shook her head as she looked at her, who did not even give her a proper answer or a convincing explanation.
“Dear Thea, sometimes you are too insensitive.”
Dorothea blinked at the sigh in his affectionate voice.
"I?"
“Who would enjoy seeing their loved ones get hurt? If I had known this was what you were planning, neither I, nor Marilyn, nor anyone else in this castle who cares about you would have cooperated.”
“...”
Valerie opened her mouth as she stared blankly at Dorothea, who was looking away as if she knew nothing and was acting strangely.
“I wonder. Why is it that you, who grew up receiving so much love from so many people, are so clumsy at both receiving love and giving love?”
You have friends who cherish you, a father and elders of the family who cherish you, and cousins who filled your childhood, all of whom are here by your side.
Her gaze swept over Dorothea, who looked particularly doll-like today, she added softly.
“As if you had lived longer as a non-human than as a human.”
“...”
It was not Dorothea who flinched, but Philip who was supporting her body.
His expression faltered for a split second, but Valerie smiled as if she had sensed Philip's agitation without even looking at him.
“It’s just my poor impression, so you don’t need to worry about it.”
Valerie, who had brushed her remark aside, lightly flicked the tip of Dorothea's nose with her hand.
“But you’d better be prepared.”
"Yes?"
“Sometimes, affectionate anger is deeper, greater, and more persistent than the anger that arises from feelings of hatred, loathing, inferiority, and disgust.”
For the first time, a proper 'question' appeared on Dorothea's face, who had been pretending not to know anything, but Valerie passed her by pretending not to know and gave her a gentle warning.
“Even for you, Thea, it won’t be easy to handle the situation from now on.”
Dorothea slowly walked away, watching Valerie's back as she glided away with the sound of her dress hem swishing.
Then, she reached the door and was about to issue an order to leave to Philip, who had been her support until then.
Her cousin, who had been quietly and reliably by her side the whole time, spoke up as if he was the first to do so.
“Sir Freed was taken in by Uncle Aiden. He said that he must do everything possible to protect you, who is so weak, and that uncle will train him properly until his strength runs out.”
"I see."
“So, for the time being, I plan to stay by your side to stop your tricks.”
Dorothea's eyes, which had been quietly listening to Philip's gentle and affectionate words, became filled with wonder.
The amethyst eyes looking at her deepened.
Philip continued speaking softly, looking at her precious being with affectionate and warm eyes.
“I know better than anyone that you pretend not to be, but in reality, you care a lot about the attention of others and that you control the use of that ‘strange power’. If you try to do something useless again, I’ll call a bunch of people over and make a spectacle of you by telling them to watch what you’re doing.”
“For the time being... I don’t plan on doing anything.”
The situation was already so dire, so it would not be foolish to push things any further.
No matter how annoying the opponent may be, it is natural for Dorothea to put her life first.
Philip nodded and answered lightly, looking at Dorothea who was blinking.
“Yeah, I guess so, but it’s half venting.”
Dorothea hesitated slightly as she looked at him, his face so unfamiliar that she suspected that someone had approached her wearing Philip's skin.
The beautiful and affectionate cousin whispered softly in Dorothea's ear.
“Young Lady Valerie Germain is right, Thea.”
The employees who saw Philip's brightly smiling face turned red as they passed by and disappeared down the hallway.
"I have a beautiful face that would make anyone unable to spit," said Philip Highclere.
“I’m a little mad at you, Thea.”
Dorothea could only blink without saying a word to her cousin.
***
The maid came to the room with busy steps.
“Miss, the telegram has arrived.”
“Leave it there.”
There was no more room on the table, which was already piled high with telegrams.
The maid, who had carefully placed a new telegram on top of a pile of others, quickly disappeared through the door.
Dorothea, who had been rolling around in bed, woke up with a sigh.
Dorothea, who had already received more than thirty telegrams in just half a day, muttered with her chin resting on her hand.
“How did things turn out like this?”
Philip, who had been mumbling so profoundly, naturally let Dorothea's words flow out and placed a cup of warm ginger tea in front of her.
“It’ll warm you up. Drink it quickly.”
It was Philip who told her in detail what dangers she had encountered since coming down here, what perilous undertakings she had taken, and how she had damaged her health.
'If I return to my family, I'll most likely be treated like a Princess.'
There was a time when Ilshe enjoyed it, but now that she's almost an adult, it's something she can't readily accept.
Dorothea was just beginning to break free from the overprotectiveness of adults who would hug and embrace her to the point of being annoying.
There was no doubt that this incident would force those around her to build a stronger fence.
“...”
It was quite annoying and bothersome when a smart person got angry.
Philip knew better than anyone what she cared about and what was bothering her the most, and so he was the one who could make things more difficult for her than anyone else.
As Dorothea sipped the ginger tea that was in her mouth, a unique spicy taste filled her throat.
Dorothea muttered as if she didn't understand.
“How did he end up growing up like that?”
Was Colin poorly educated?
Was it a problem to ask the God of death to raise a human?
Someone spoke to Dorothea, who was lost in deep thought.
“Are you asking because you really don’t know how he grew up like that?”
Colin raised one corner of his mouth as he stood next to Wood, who was looking down at him with amazement.
“It is clearly your influence.”
“Honestly, considering what you’ve done, this is also weak.”
Far from taking her side, her followers supported Philip's spite with all their might.
Whenever they saw Dorothea being helplessly beaten, they would get confused as to who was the master and who was the servant, seeing those who looked so satisfied.
“This is your chance to correct your habit of being a disobedient wild boar and going at it alone.”
“Excuse me.”
A wild boar towards a noble lady.
Wood raised one eyebrow, showing his discomfort, but Dorothea turned to Wood and raised the corners of her mouth as if she found it funny.
“You’d better be thankful that the Marquis isn’t coming on horseback. When he returns, he’ll probably be under a ban for several months.”
“No matter how much I think about it, you are a bit of an impudent person. I used all the power I had to change your fate.”
How much careful work was put into twisting the orbit of the one who was trying to take the path of the killing star while being swung by the death sword and bringing him back to me.
However, the person involved was busy mocking the owner, making the effort worthless.
“Speak straight. Are you sure that the fate you changed for me is better than my original fate?”
“Is it your dream to become a murderer who will make a name for yourself in the empire? Can you make it happen now?”
While the childish argument continued, someone knocked on the door.
As they both shut their mouths at the polite knock, Philip approached and opened the door.
The face of the man entering, holding a child in his arms, seemed familiar.
“Valerie told me that the Young Lady was sick.”
The child in his arms seemed to be unable to properly support his head, but his half-open eyes were more focused than before.
Dorothea smiled at the child and said polite words to the man.
“It’s okay. I guess I was just tired from the long trip since I wasn’t in good health to begin with.”
The man's face hardened as he saw her looking even more obviously ill than he had expected.
If Young Lady, who didn't look that sickly before, had her face so damaged overnight, there must be a clear reason.
It was only natural that he would recall the 'strange power' that had restored his son.
'It is certain that she sacrificed her own life to treat the child.'
The man's eyes were filled with emotion toward the noble lady who sacrificed herself for the child of a commoner.
Wood, who was guarding Dorothea's bedside, sensed his uneasiness at the other person's unusual emotional changes, but he kept his eyes tightly shut and his mouth tightly shut.
He only teased Dorothea when no one was watching, and had no intention of making her a laughing stock or putting her down in front of others.
The man fell to his knees with a thud.
“The kindness that YoungbLady has shown me for my child... I will definitely repay it even if it means giving my life. I will live my entire life, my entire life, in gratitude to Young Lady.”
The child in his arms was startled by his father's actions and then looked at Dorothea.
Dorothea, who was completely absorbed in the child's clear and beautiful eyes, waved her hand with a similarly affectionate and kind smile that her maternal grandmother used to make.
“I just did what I wanted to do. If the child grows up well, that’s enough for me.”
“...”
Colin's eyes narrowed at Dorothea's skill in making the other person's misunderstanding seem like a fait accompli without even blinking.
It was the nature of the messenger of death to reject and hate lies.
His eyes doggedly followed the man pledging his loyalty to Dorothea with tears in his eyes, but his lips, which should have been correcting the misunderstanding and telling the truth, remained tightly shut and watched the situation unfold.
“...”
It was at this moment that Marilyn Lehr came to Dorothea's room, as the former reaper, against her instincts, was expressing her displeasure at remaining silent in the face of the truth.
Marilyn's face turned pale as she saw Colin's face like that of a demon.
She hesitated in fear, but then as if she had made up her mind, she closed her eyes tightly and walked into the room.
Marilyn's face darkened even more as Dorothea, who was leaning against the bedpost, unable to control her body, smiled faintly.
She bit her lips and handed her an apple with a face that looked like she was going to cry.
“I asked Young Lady to treat that child... It was a bigger deal than I thought. I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay. You might not know.”
This time, Dorothea, who had no intention of correcting their misunderstanding, simply smiled and showed a generous attitude, adding more burden to her heart.
'It's true that it was hard work.'
Even though she helped because it was something she needed to do, is it really necessary to correct the other person's misunderstanding first?
Even without that, she was destined to spend her days in bed, unable to do anything, under Philip's ironclad surveillance.
“I told you so. Lady Marilyn is my good friend.”
Marilyn, who was moved by Dorothea's affectionate words, looked at Colin with a determined face.
Colin stopped in his tracks, taken aback by Marilyn's attitude as she stared straight at him, even while sulking.
“I am truly sorry for asking such a great favor of your beloved niece. It is only natural that Sir Colin would be displeased with the deterioration of his precious niece's health.”
“...”
“This is something ... so, even if it means doing something called the Peach Garden Oath...”
Wood, who had been listening to Marilyn, stepped in for the stiff Colin.
“Come to your senses, Young Lady. Why would you do something so crazy?”
“I didn’t say that because I thought I could compare to the precious Lady of the Marquis of Highclere. Even if I were to make such a vow, I would never dare to think of rising to the same level as the Lady.”
Wood desperately tried to stop Marilyn from charging headlong into the abyss of darkness like a raging bull.
“Lady Marilyn, your life is precious too. You too are irreplaceable to your family...”
“My father said that he would gladly sacrifice part of himself if only it would allow him to become close to Lady Dorothea.”
Wood's persuasion was not very effective for Marilyn, whose father was the embodiment of desire and power.
At Marilyn's words, which were difficult to muster up due to her guilt, Dorothea reached out and placed her hand on hers as if she understood everything.
Marilyn smiled faintly, comforted by the lukewarm warmth.
Wood sighed as he looked at her face.
'I was wrong. This one is finished too.'
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