Speaking softly, Evangeline put her hand on her chest and bent her head. The voices of those who were puzzled by her unexpected apology grew louder. They wondered if the person who was going to be the Duchess could do that, and they couldn't stop it.
"You don't have to. This is an apology that I should give on behalf of my father."
"Hmm."
"I am also sorry that I could not solve it first. I came here because I wasn't good enough."
"Oh, no. That's it... uh."
"And thank you again."
This time, she bent more deeply than before. With her graceful and restrained movements, the room was once again enveloped in silence.
"...I am truly grateful that you have believed in my father for so many years and have been with me until now. My father has left, but I will not forget his grace. I wish you a peaceful night."
"..."
Now it was really all over. Both the apology and the receiver knew. Seeing them scattering too much compared to those noisy days, Philip couldn't help but wipe his eyes.
"How could the Lady be like that?"
"I'm my father's only daughter and heir, so of course I have to do it."
"But what did they do to the Lady?"
"I have to say it right away. I wasn't innocent either."
As someone who had lived in the luxurious world created by her father, she couldn't blame anyone. It didn't matter if she knew it or not. Except that she had thrown off all her burdens now.
"By the way. I didn't know that My Lady had the Maikar Coast."
"Actually, I didn't know it was the Maikar Coast. I just kept it."
"What?"
Looking at Philip's surprise, Evangeline couldn't help but laugh. Two years ago, when her father entrusted her with the box for the first time, her expression may have been like that.
"Evangeline. It's up to you."
"Again? I don't need anything more."
"Who knows what will happen to people? No one knows this, so if there comes a moment when you can't handle it, you should spend it only for you."
Her father was always used to giving her something, but at that moment, he was quite sad. He told her to keep it alone in a secret place and open it when she was stuck in a dead-end situation where she couldn't help it anymore.
With a smile, he said that it would be better if she didn't have to open it for the rest of her life.
"No, if that's the case, why did you put it out like this? It is the land of the Lady who has nothing to do with the top."
"No, I don't. It was my father's responsibility."
"..."
"I never thought it was mine from the beginning. As an only daughter, I couldn't do it on my own and give it to my father, but I wanted to keep what I received and give it back."
"My lady."
"I don't know as much about business as my father, but I thought there must be a good reason for giving me something like that. If there was a moment when my father was in danger, I would use it to make a comeback."
Even if she is shameless about why she didn't pay the debt first, she can't help it. Her faith in her father was absolute.
He believed that whether he fell or fell, as long as he had his life, his father would somehow recover. The one who never gave up and managed to achieve what he wanted was the father she watched from her side for more than 20 years.
"But... You know. Now my father is gone."
She accepted everything else calmly, but it was hard for her to get used to her father's absence. Nevertheless, she had to be strong. She had to endure even if she had the strength she didn't have. Now that everything that was believed to be the last bastion is gone, there is nothing to rely on.
"Hmm. But I wish you had left a little bit of that."
"Philip."
Her scolding eyes forced him to control his expression. The Young Lady is so resolute, but she cannot shed tears. And he still had a mission to complete.
"Please. It would be nice to have a newspaper tomorrow morning."
"...My Lady, please just do it again."
"It's tomorrow."
Evangeline, who was resolutely clear, finally smiled. He was the one who stood by her until the end. She smiled and tried to soothe him, but Philip's face suddenly hardened.
"Why all of a sudden? What else..."
"Evangeline."
She followed Philip's gaze and looked back, and before she knew it, she saw Deccarno standing at the end of the hallway. It was surprising that a man who had never had disheveled hair came running without a coat, but she smiled inwardly.
Some people were ruined overnight, but that man can't stay the same the whole time.
If this is also greedy, yes. This will be the last time.
"Are you here?"
"...It seems that something was interesting that I didn't know about."
His thick throat was slowly coming closer to her. Philip, who was confused, tried to stop him, but Evangeline refused. She nodded and let him go, and she heard Deccarno snort.
"You are a Duchess who is very considerate of her subordinates."
"You know I'm not a Duchess anymore, do you?"
"Ha, is that why you did this?"
There was nothing to do but listen to the situation. Already from the moment the carriage arrived here, he instinctively knew that things were very troublesome. Debtors with bright faces, lawyers with tears, and the face of this extremely elegant woman.
"What the hell do you get out of this?"
"Myself."
Evangeline smiled brighter than any other he could remember. Now there really is nothing left, so he doesn't know how it looks so light.
"My father only wanted me to use it, so I followed his will."
"Evangeline!"
"Now I have no father or family name, and I am the only one left."
She was able to endure insults and point-fingering. The whispers of people who didn't know her didn't hurt her much either.
But if the only man she thought knew didn't respect her, if she would remain a simple woman despite all her efforts, then she didn't have to stay there anymore.
"It's too late. I have to go now."
"You want to go like this?"
"I no longer owe you a debt."
"..."
The lighter her expression became, the darker Deccarno's eyes became. His breathing became ragged, but he was covered by Evangeline's clear laughter.
"Well, now that I know what the point of talking about this is, I really liked the time I spent at the Duke's Palace."
"...Evangeline."
"I was proud to find a place somewhere where I was always wandering, and I can't tell you how good it was to finally have a place to call home."
It was the same when she thought about it again.
Without regret and anxiety that she would have to leave someday, the fact that she had a home to stay in for a long time filled her heart. The fence was stronger than any other place in Loark, and that was the Theses, so there was no reason not to like it.
Even if this happened in the end, she can't deny her feelings.
"As Your Excellency said, I may have dreamed of a beautiful house like a picture book because I don't know the world's affairs."
"Then did I disturb you because I was in the house? Ah, you must have had a hard time putting up with me."
"I don't think so. You were a part of it."
"..."
Evangeline brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled faintly, as if she were pondering. Deccarno's breathing, which had been heating up without any Intoxication, stopped in an instant.
"...What?"
"I liked you."
"..."
Like everything else in the place, she liked him. She can't guarantee that it is love because she has no other experience, but Deccarno was a man who composed and sustained the world she had wanted for a long time. He was strong, noble, and elegant.
How could I not like a man like that?
"You don't think I coveted the position of Duchess, do you?"
"Not really."
"You don't believe it. But now it's no use."
Deccarno's eyes became unusually blurry, and Evangeline smiled and lowered her eyes. Seeing that she could talk about this casually, she really gave up everything. This is fortunate for her.
"It would have been nice if we could have broken up differently, but I think this is also fate. Now we can only see each other in the newspaper."
"...Evangeline. Wait a minute."
"May you be at peace."
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