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Episode 43

"Th-there's no way that's true, my Lady! You must be misunderstanding something. I've always done my best for you!"

Clatter.

Nova rose from her seat and shouted, breathing heavily.

'Why? Why has she changed so much?'

The Julietta she knew wasn't like this.

She was foolish, naive, and sensitive.

Her field of vision was narrow and limited!

'I made her that way! I did!'

But the Julietta before her was far removed from that child.

'Why? How?'

At the edge of Nova's trembling vision, she saw Janet sitting quietly, watching the situation.

"It's that one, isn't it, my Lady?"

"What?"

"That's the one who's ruined you like this!"

Realizing that Nova's 'that one' meant Janet, Julietta frowned.

"Don't call my handmaiden 'that thing.'"

"Hah, hah! I knew it. I knew that one had bewitched you."

Sob, sob. Pretending to cry, Nova glared at Janet.

'I never liked her from the start.'

When she thought about it, it was all that one's fault.

The reason Shien was caught—that one.

The owner of the evidence that cornered her—that one.

She'd heard it was also that one who'd found and reported the drugs in Julietta's villa.

"Snap out of it, my Lady. Our bond spans over ten years! Yet you'd abandon me for someone you've known for only a few months—do you think that's right?!"

Clutching her chest, Nova shouted.

Her boiling anger began to seep through her voice.

"Don't be foolish, my Lady. Come to your senses. I don't know what that serpent has told you, but in the end, you'll realize everything I said was right."

"Nova. I told you not to insult my handmaiden."

"I'll become your handmaiden again instead! I'll slowly guide you back, my Lady, who's grown so weak……!"

"You're impossible to reason with."

Hoo.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Julietta rose from her seat.

"M-my Lady?"

"I've said all I need to say. I'll be going now."

"Wait, my Lady! You're leaving like this? Without hearing me out?"

Hear her out?

Julietta gazed at her with cold eyes. Then she crooked one corner of her mouth.

This too was a smile she'd learned from Nova.

The lesson that you should look down on others before they look down on you.

"You said it yourself. That everything that comes out of people's mouths is worthless, so I shouldn't listen."

Instead of adding more explanation, Julietta curled her lips deeper and turned away.

Janet quietly rose and followed her.

---

Back at the villa, Janet brought Julietta a warm cup of tea.

Holding the warm teacup in both hands, tears began to stream down Julietta's face.

Without a word, Janet offered her a handkerchief.

"You've worked hard, my Lady. You were truly admirable."

"Sn, sniff."

At the gentle encouragement, the tears fell more freely.

"It was true. Nova had never truly been on my side."

Julietta buried her eyes in the handkerchief.

"And I never even knew. I thought only Nova cared for me……"

"Nova must have skillfully manipulated the situation to shake you since childhood. Anyone would have been swayed in such circumstances."

What they called gaslighting.

'Even an adult would have found that environment hard to endure.'

How much more so for Julietta, who was only a child? She would have naturally believed the words of Nova, who was practically her primary guardian.

"Being deceived by Nova wasn't your fault. So please don't speak as if it were."

"But……"

Sniff. Swallowing, Julietta's shoulders heaved as she spoke.

"Do…… do you think Kendrick would think so too?"

"Lord Kendrick?"

"……Yes. My twin brother."

The moment she said "twin brother," tears burst from Julietta's eyes again.

"Our falling out was all my fault. I was…… I was so horrible to him."

She hadn't meant to say it that way.

Once spoken, every word was as sharp as a blade.

She couldn't even begin to imagine how deeply those words had wounded young Kendrick's heart.

"Do you want to reconcile with Lord Kendrick?"

At Janet's question, Julietta bit her lip.

"……Yes. I want to reconcile."

Over more than ten years, the distance between them had become a sea, not a river. For so long she'd wanted to cross it, but in her hesitation, it had grown immeasurably distant and deep.

But still—

"I want to get along with Kendrick again. He's……"

Yes, Kendrick was.

"My only family."

At the heartfelt confession, Janet smiled warmly.

Janet reached out and gently took Julietta's cold hand.

"My Lady, do you remember when you apologized to me before?"

"……I remember. How could I forget?"

After Janet had been scalded.

Julietta had apologized for everything. Janet had gladly accepted and said—

"You've apologized, and you said you don't want to drive me away. So our relationship can just start over from here."

This was no different.

"Apologize, and speak your true feelings. And start over from there."

"……Do you really think so?"

"Yes. You've already practiced with me, haven't you?"

Nodding firmly, Janet smiled.

"Admitting your mistakes and offering an apology takes great courage. You've already done it all, so I know you can do it again."

"……It's strange."

At Julietta's murmur, Janet tilted her head.

"What is?"

"You. Whenever I talk to you, I feel like things really will turn out that way."

As if complicated things can be solved simply.

As if frightening things aren't such a big deal.

The tears had stopped without her noticing.

Feeling her blocked breath finally release, Julietta let out a deep sigh.

"I'll do as you say. I'll ask for forgiveness, and I'll ask to reconcile. I'll start over from there."

"Yes, my Lady. You can do it."

Janet nodded firmly.

It wasn't just empty comfort—she truly believed it.

She had a feeling that Julietta would surely do well.

"But…… how am I supposed to meet Kendrick and talk to him?"

"Couldn't you just go to him? He's right nearby."

"I don't know."

Feigning disinterest, Julietta pressed the damp handkerchief to her eyes.

"After Kendrick started his seclusion, people often visited his villa to see him. But he never met with anyone."

Ah, so that had happened.

Still—

The words "wouldn't he meet with you?" rose to her throat, but she held back.

If she said that and her Ladyship was turned away too, it would be terrible.

She didn't want her Ladyship's courage to be blocked at the door.

'Should I ask Theo for help?'

Just as she was wondering whether to commission a way to meet Kendrick—

Music from Geron's birthday ball rehearsals drifted over from afar.

The ball was the day after tomorrow, so they must be rehearsing.

'Wait. What if……?'

As Janet listened absently to the music, her eyes sparkled.

"My Lady. Perhaps Lord Kendrick might attend Lord Geron's birthday ball."

"What? Kendrick at the little one's party?"

"Yes. He did take the invitation, after all."

And the ball's theme had been changed to a masquerade.

Even if he couldn't appear openly as a Ludwig direct line, there was a chance he'd mix into the crowd with his face hidden.

"Even with his face hidden, would he really come to such a crowded place?"

"If he doesn't come, there's nothing we can do. We'll figure something out then."

"……I suppose that's true."

Julietta nodded lightly.

"If I find Lord Kendrick, I'll make sure to catch him."

"But Janet."

"Yes, my Lady."

"How are you going to recognize Kendrick?"

"……Hm?"

Oh. She hadn't thought that far.

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