TNBTW | Episode 11

“The Robedan Royal Theater is under His Majesty’s gracious patronage. Since His Majesty is like an uncle to me, how could such a place disregard our House of Valesia?”

The Young Lady of Valesia, taking a step forward as if to intercept her mother, spoke in a cordial yet clear voice.

“But Vivianne, surely—if that weren’t the case, why would they keep us standing here like this?”

Though the young lady’s composed tone seemed to calm her mother slightly, the older woman’s frustration was still evident as her voice quivered with indignation. Lady Vivianne, casting a subtle glance at the staff, asked,

“Is that really the reason?”

“N-No, of course not! How could that be? It’s just that the private seats were filled earlier than usual today. I thought it would be inappropriate to offer inadequate seating to the esteemed guests of the Grand Duchy of Valesia. My sincerest apologies.”

The theater staff, appearing as if they had been saved by divine intervention, hurriedly bowed and explained.

“Mother, did you hear that? We came out for some quiet time, didn’t we? It wouldn’t be fitting for you to mingle with the rest of the crowd and watch the performance, would it?”

“Well, I suppose you’re right. Yes, Vivianne, you’re absolutely right.”

The Duchess of Valesia, who had been frowning throughout, finally relaxed her expression, seemingly satisfied.

“We will ensure you have the best seats on your next visit.”

“As you should,”

As the staff had added a few nice words of lip service, the Duchess lifted her chin, now wrapping her arms around her daughter.

The Duchess, who had been raising a scene moments ago, now wore an elegant smile, that you would wonder if it was the same person who had been causing trouble just a few minutes ago, while her daughter remained consistently calm, as if she had faced such situations countless times before.

‘…!’

 At that moment, the young lady’s gaze lifted slightly—and locked directly onto Edith.

Her violet eyes, framed beneath crimson hair so similar to the Emperor’s, were icy cold, belying her young age.

In an instant, the young lady glanced over Edith and Duke Devion briefly before turning away.

“Why did you act that way?”

“Pardon?”

Edith, who had been staring blankly, snapped out of her daze at the Duke’s low voice. Only then did she realize others’ eyes were now on her.

“You were about to intervene, weren’t you? Or am I mistaken?”

As she hurriedly sat back down, the Duke pressed further. Edith, unsure of how to respond, remained silent.

In truth, there wasn’t much she could have done in that situation. She had simply felt an inexplicable urge not to leave the young Duke’s daughter as she was.

“The young lady seemed distressed.”

“So, you wanted to help her? You?”

The Duke’s tone carried an unspoken “What could you possibly do?” And indeed, it was a valid point. Embarrassed, Edith scratched her cheek.

“Well…if I could, yes.”

“You wanted to help the Young Lady of Valesia…”

“She may be a Duke’s daughter, but she’s still just a child.”

Her words were more to herself than to anyone else, but Edith felt the need to respond since the Duke seemed utterly baffled.

“Because she’s a child? That’s reason enough?”

“Of course!”

Edith nodded emphatically. In this world, the concept of protecting children wasn’t well-defined. To be more precise, there was no widespread notion that children required safeguarding—they were simply seen as adults who hadn’t fully matured yet.

The Duke’s question stemmed from that cultural understanding. Initially, Edith had been shocked by it, but after serving as a governess across various noble households, she had grown accustomed to the idea.

“You’d help the Young Lady of Valesia even though it would bring you no benefit?”

“I…never really thought about benefits.”

But the Duke’s next question left Edith taken aback. Why weigh personal gain when helping a child in distress? She had never considered whether her actions might yield some advantage.

At that moment, the music swelled, signaling the start of the opera. Their conversation naturally fell silent, the gap filled by the beauty of the melody.

The Duke did not speak another word until the performance ended.

That evening, once Edith returned home, she changed out of the gown that had made her feel like a princess and into simpler attire.

‘This is much more comfortable.’

The dazzling young lady who had sparkled as though touched by magic disappeared, replaced by the Edith who could freely navigate her life on her own. She found immense satisfaction in that.

Having been overly cautious about damaging the exquisite dress, even her steps had been careful. Now, she felt a sense of relief.

“Edith! You’re here? Come on in!”

“Thanks for inviting me, Daisy.”

Leaving her home, Edith headed straight to Daisy’s residence. She had requested a meeting, and Daisy had kindly extended an invitation.

“What’s all this? You didn’t have to bring anything! I just asked you to come!”

“It felt wrong to come empty-handed. Don’t get too excited—it’s nothing much.”

Stepping into the warm, inviting home, Edith handed over the gifts she had prepared. Daisy gave her a playful glare, feigning annoyance at the gesture, but her eyes widened in surprise as she peeked at the contents.

“What’s this? Oh my goodness, Edith! You brought so many towels! And handkerchiefs too!”

Her gift consisted of soft towels and handkerchiefs made from fine fabric. Though they were costly, Edith had happily spent the money.

“Your baby’s still young, right? I heard you’d need plenty.”

“Oh, absolutely. This is the best gift I’ve received since having Lud. I’ll show him later when he wakes up—he’s sure to love it.”

Daisy’s face brightened considerably, and she beamed with joy. Relieved by her friend’s reaction, Edith returned her smile.

‘I was worried there might not be enough since disposable items don’t exist here, but I guessed right.’

Feeling fortunate, Edith took a moment to observe the house.

The ivory-toned home was small but radiated warmth, with its charming decor exuding a cozy atmosphere.

She remembered Daisy’s mix of complaints and pride: “The rent in the capital nearly broke us.”

“Your home is lovely, Daisy!”

“Tell that to Jayce! He got upset, when I scolded him saying he kept buying unnecessary decorations. Look at that over there—money wasted on something we didn’t need.”

Daisy pointed to a tapestry on the wall, adorned with embroidered cherubs. While clearly expensive, it added a cozy touch to the overall ambiance.

“I think it’s beautiful.”

“Well, Jayce does have a decent eye for things.”

“Of course—how else could he have married you?”

“Oh, stop it!”

When Edith casually added a compliment, Daisy broke into a radiant smile, as if she had never been upset in the first place. Finding her friend’s subtle pride in her husband endearing, Edith couldn’t help but laugh along.

“Wow, you’re calling him Jayce now? You used to call him ‘Mr. Jayce.’”

“That’s because he was the tutor for the young master of the Marquisate. Now that we’re married, it’d be strange to keep calling him that. People would give us odd looks.”

True. Edith nodded, the explanation entirely logical.

‘Come to think of it, I still call the Duke ‘Your Grace.’’

The thought struck her suddenly. Having attended the opera with him so publicly, tomorrow’s papers would undoubtedly be full of reports on their appearance. The attention their relationship would receive was inevitable.

‘Calling him that in public might seem odd, though.’

The Emperor had expressly instructed them to avoid appearing as if theirs was a mere political marriage. Yet the term “Your Grace” felt too formal, too distant.

‘Hmm, I should discuss this with him.’

Seated at the table, Daisy briefly excused herself to prepare some tea.

After sipping several rounds of the warm beverage, Edith found herself before a hearty meal: a savory meat pie, a crisp green salad, and a creamy soup.

Delicious food and lively conversation made for a perfect pairing. As their meal neared its end, Edith finally broached the topic that had brought her here.

“Daisy, the truth is, I asked to see you because I needed to talk about something.”

“Ah, that’s right. So, what is it? If it’s about work, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a bit longer. The Countess is incredibly meticulous about selecting staff for her son.”

Daisy looked apologetic, but Edith quickly shook her head.

“No, it’s not that. Actually, I was wondering if you could call it off for me. I don’t think I can take the position anymore—I’ve had a change in circumstances.”

“What? Why? This is such a great opportunity! The Count of Vicenne is known for paying well!”

Daisy, looking more regretful about it than Edith herself, let out a sigh of dismay. Edith remained silent for a moment, hesitating, before finally speaking with great difficulty.

“The truth is…I’m getting married.”