𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟎
After being brought back to the castle, Mabel attempted to escape multiple times.
However, it seemed that messengers had been sent to all the palace servants and soldiers. If she tried to go outside even for a moment, she would be stopped. If she expressed a desire to go shopping, a maid would quickly procure everything for her. She was forbidden from participating in diplomatic events and was completely confined.
There was always a maid waiting in her room, and soldiers patrolling outside.
‘What should I do? I want to go back quickly.’
Caught off guard, Mabel had come without saying anything to Eugene. Right after she had said she needed time to think about his confession.
‘I hope he doesn’t think I ran away because I didn’t like his confession. I need to do something quickly.’
Mabel wandered around her room for a while, then had an idea and sat down at her desk, spreading out a piece of stationery. The feathers on the back of the writing instrument swayed gently.
“Excuse me, Mabel-sama.”
As soon as she heard a soft knock, Wimmie opened the door and entered. Her expression was gloomy, still looking downcast. She seemed on the verge of bursting into tears.
“Um, I’m really sorry. I couldn’t keep deceiving everyone.”
“Wimmie, you’re safe. I’m glad!”
Mabel quickly stood up from her chair and rushed to Wimmie’s side.
Since being brought back to the castle, she hadn’t seen Wimmie at all. She had been told that they couldn’t meet for a while. Probably because Travis had been strict with her. She had received harsh guidance from someone like Travis.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay. I’m the one who should apologize for asking you to do such an unpleasant task.”
Mabel hadn’t expected things to escalate to this extent, and she was reminded once again of her own recklessness. Wimmie, with tears streaming down her face, responded to Mabel’s words.
“I, I’m just glad you’re safe, Mabel-sama…”
Wimmie choked back her sobs and continued speaking in a hesitant voice.
I thought you would come back right away, but a lot of time had passed. I started to worry that you might have been captured by mages and couldn’t escape. I reluctantly confided in Zoe, and Travis overheard our conversation. I poured out everything at once.
“I, I was so worried…”
As Mabel gently stroked Wimmie’s back, she let out a sigh.
It was understandable for her to feel anxious. Even Mabel herself had only thought of Eugene as a suspicious mage until she actually got to know him.
Waiting for Wimmie to calm down, Mabel timidly spoke up.
“Wimmie, I’m sorry to ask you this right away, but I have a favor to ask.”
“Yes! If there’s anything I can do, I’ll do it!”
With her eyes red and swollen, Wimmie looked up at Mabel with a serious gaze. Seeing Wimmie like that, Mabel gathered up the papers that were spread out on the desk.
“I want you to deliver a letter.”
“To whom?”
“To Eugene-sama. There’s a person named Cero in the Luxen Trading Company. You can leave it with him.”
Upon hearing those words, Wimmie’s complexion suddenly paled.
“W-Why?”
“There’s something I absolutely need to tell him.”
Seeing Mabel’s desperate expression, Wimmie didn’t say anything more and nodded silently.
Two weeks had passed since Mable’s freedom had been restricted.
Even Mabel had given up on escaping and spent her days quietly. Today, she was in the gazebo in the rose garden, which was a rare occurrence. She had come at the invitation of her third sister, Kathleen, to have tea and be her confidante in matters of love.
“So, George-sama is…”
As Kathleen happily talked about her favorite knight commander, Mabel was thinking about something else in the corner of her mind.
‘No response to the letter. He must be angry…’
It had been quite some time since she asked Wimmie to deliver the letter, but there was no reply from Eugene.
‘He must be really mad at me.’
The letter began with an apology for suddenly disappearing, then explained that Wimmie was a fake name and that it was actually Mabel herself. She felt sorry for deceiving him. She had considered writing a response to his confession, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She felt that it was something she should say directly.
Unconsciously, Mabel let out a sigh. Kathleen noticed and stopped talking, looking at Mabel.
“Mabel? Are you okay?”
“Uh, um, yes! Sorry, I was just lost in thought…”
She laughed, trying to brush it off. But Kathleen stared at Mabel for a while. beautiful green eyes that looked like precious emeralds and lips like a blooming rose. For some reason, Mabel’s heart fluttered under the gaze of her third sister, known as the beauty of the kingdom.
Ignoring Mabel’s distraction, Kathleen smiled and said, her lips curving up.
“Mabel, are you…in love?”
“Huh?”
Mabel’s eyes widened at the sudden question.
“Sorry if I’m mistaken, but it seems like you’re thinking about someone.”
Love. for a moment, Mabel didn’t understand what she meant.
Certainly, she had been thinking about Eugene, but it wasn’t love or anything like that. She was simply worried that he might dislike her.
‘Eh? Is that…love?)
Her thoughts raced in her mind, but no matter how much she thought, she couldn’t find an answer. Meanwhile, Kathleen seemed amused by Mabel’s reaction, blushing with a smile on her face.
“I’m glad. I thought you weren’t interested in such things, Mabel.”
“I-is that so?”
“Yes. Thinking about someone, wanting to be liked by them. You’re kind, but you always put others before you.”
Being pointed out like that, Mabel reevaluated her own feelings.
She had thought that her concern for Eugene stemmed from the guilt of lying. However, was that really the only reason?
‘Why couldn’t I just tell him right away?’
There were plenty of opportunities to reveal her true identity and leave. But Mabel didn’t do it.
It was because she enjoyed her life in that mansion. She wanted to know more about Eugene, who was gradually opening up to her.
So, she was afraid of telling the truth and being disliked by Eugene.
“Onee-sama, it’s not that I want him to like me. It’s just that I don’t want to be disliked. Is that…love?”
At Mabel’s hesitant question, Kathleen’s eyes widened slightly. But she quickly smiled with joy and reached out her hand to Mabel, who was looking down.
“Yes, I think that’s also a form of love. It’s a wonderful thing.”
As her hair was gently stroked, Mabel’s eyes opened wide as if she had finally awakened from a long sleep.
Her sister usually gave the impression of being carefree about things like hair or cosmetics, but she was very reassuring in matters like this. Mabel looked at Kathleen and asked again.
“Onee-sama, are you in love too?”
“Yes. I’m always in love.”
Her laughter was so lovely that even Mabel, of the same gender, blushed. Kathleen smiled with those glossy lips and shyly picked up her teacup.
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