5.5 The Struggle of a Reincarnated Marquis’ Daughter
Alfred was placed down onto his bed, face up. I could hear him groaning.
The servants were busy tending to him. Seeing this, I exclaimed, “Ah!”, and grabbed an older maid. Then, I quickly taught her how to make oral rehydration solution.
Then, I quietly went out into the corridor alone. Although, for some reason, the Grand Duke was there.
“Oh, Juliane. Your dignified gaze is as sharp as ever. My heart pounds just by looking at it! It’s so fierce, it’d pierce anyone at first sight. Even the best painter on the continent wouldn’t be able to fully express Juliane’s charm.”
I feel like I’ve heard this cheesy line somewhere before…
Dead tired, I couldn’t find the right words to refute him. I tried to ignore him, pretending not to hear, but the Grand Duke cleared his throat.
“How cold.”
…I swore I heard something popping.
I felt a sickening sensation, as if my brain was spinning, so I tightly closed my eyes on reflex.
Crackle. Crackle. Crackle.
Once I became aware of it, the sound grew louder and louder. Sparks flew inside my head like sparklers. I also felt like my face was a bit stiff.
What is going on?
“Hmm? Are you going to the front door by yourself? If so, let’s have a nice chat.”
“…Grand Duke, aren’t you busy? I’m somewhat honored that you even complimented me… but rather than wandering around the palace, won’t it be more efficient to go to a night party somewhere? You’ll surely find an ambitious woman or two there…”
“Can you stop talking like that’s all I ever do? Well, I do enjoy being with the beautiful Ruderva. Regardless, I came here to do my job seriously, and I’m trying my best to help with potential ‘unforeseen circumstances.’”
The crackling sound continued and I tilted my head in confusion. Looking around, my surroundings were quiet.
I was in a hall leading to the front door, one which I was familiar with. Given the situation, I felt reluctant to bother the servants. The Prime Minister would likely be dealing with any unforeseen circumstances in place of Alfred.
Anyway, I started wobbling away. Once I reached the entrance, a suitable carriage should be prepared for me.
Sparks crackled with every step I took. The Grand Duke followed me with a smirk plastered on his cheeks. I’d be embarrassed if he saw through my heavy, gloomy heart. I wanted to be alone.
“From my perspective, it seems odd that someone like Alfred only needs one? When you’re as popular as me, you have so many to choose from. It’s so difficult.”
“That just goes to show that Alfred’s partner is wonderful… As an elder, I think I should praise him for his passion… Besides, isn’t there a difference between having many partners and being popular…?”
“Haha, I suppose so. By the way, aren’t all the princesses here strong-willed? When Alfred was little, all his treasures were taken from him. So the more he likes something, the more he acts like he hates it. It’s really annoying.”
What are you talking about?
I thought about giving him a questioning look, but then decided against it.
I wasn’t interested in the Grand Duke’s story at all. Also, I wasn’t lying when I said a bright light was flashing in my head. I felt like such a mess.
“…But, Juliane.”
The Grand Duke stared at me intently, speaking in a warm and cheerful voice.
“He looks like he dislikes this whole arrangement, but when I request he, ‘gift it to me.’ Alfred refused with all his might. Hilarious, isn’t it?”
Ah, I’m getting unsteady…
An orange light flashed in my head. I didn’t want to drop my gaze or hang my head, so I did my best to walk away, looking straight ahead.
Thanks to the Grand Duke’s help, a carriage was prepared for me right away. I leaned back against the chair, relieved that I hadn’t made a fool of myself at the royal palace.
“Welcome home, Lady Juliane.”
Liz’s smiling face greeted me at the entrance. Kyle, Sasha, Jack, and the head chef popped out from the waiting room nearby. Another girl’s night out in a strange place…
I tried to lift my chin and said “I’m home!” in a deep, abdominal voice, with a strong, energetic tone.
However, those feelings were quickly cursed. Perhaps because of everyone’s smiles and the smell of home, I felt a little more at ease.
In my head, I felt like a huge, red, swollen ball of fire had dropped. Pain ran through me as if my head was splitting. It quickly spread throughout my body, and I could almost hear my bones creaking.
“Milady?!”
Sweat started to gather on my forehead, and my knees gave way. When I came to, I was squatting in the entranceway.
“Stepsister?!”
“Hey, Milady, what’s wrong?!”
“O-Older Sisteeeer—!!”
“L-Lady Juliane…!”
I took a slow breath, then exhaled deeply.
“I-it’s okay, don’t worry. I’m just a little tired…”
Even as I smiled awkwardly, ‘It’s finally here,’ I thought. ‘Is this the end?’
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