Though she had lived in this house for several months, they had never once met in each other's bedrooms. Always the reception room, dining room, study, laboratory. She had never visited a bedroom, nor had she ever tried to. It felt strange.
"I'm coming in for a moment."
"Uh, uh... come in?"
But Esperanza wasn't a 19th-century lady, and she was properly dressed, so there was no reason she couldn't.
Rather, it was Cider who was flustered. After hesitating, when Esperanza was thinking 'What, isn't he coming in?', he slowly turned the doorknob.
Cider, who entered her drowsy eyes that weren't fully awake, was completely dressed up. To think that Cider Claiborne, who used to wake up only after noon, was in full outdoor attire.
"Are you going somewhere?"
"There's a problem with the battleship of Nine Holder's southern naval unit. They've been working on it since last night, but it can't be resolved, so I think I need to go. I don't think I can return today... will you be okay alone?"
An emergency that had never occurred once in several months, happening today of all days? It didn't seem like a coincidence. The Duke had never intended to call Esperanza together with Cider from the beginning.
"It can't be helped. Go on, be careful."
"My safety isn't the problem. A person like the Duke can never kill me. The problem is you."
"Still. Want to take my gun?"
A smile finally appeared on Cider's face.
"It's fine. You take care of yourself."
Along with those words, Cider handed over several more pieces of equipment. A receiver constantly connected to Cider and jewelry containing small sleep needles.
"Sleep needles? I don't think I'll need something like this. People are supposed to faint when you hit the back of their neck."
She could even control from fainting to death. Such items that seemed like they would be used in medieval succession struggles were unnecessary.
"That's for you."
"...Me?"
"Yes. If the situation turns too unfavorably and seems troublesome, stab yourself with that and fall asleep."
"You're talking nonsense right now."
It wasn't something that should come from a sane mind. Even if she suddenly fainted, it would only make things more troublesome, not less. However, Cider spoke while pretending to be quite normal.
"You can't threaten someone who's unconscious."
"Even so, I don't want to go that far."
Still, Esperanza kept it. She didn't know what might happen, and since someone had taken all the items, her inventory was spacious.
After all that organizing, reason seemed to finally return to Cider's eyes. Cider, who belatedly discovered her tousled hair or clothing that almost exposed one shoulder, sighed conspicuously.
"You're the one who barged in while I was sleeping."
"Did I say anything?"
You said something with your eyes. Esperanza, who had been planning to go back to bed after Cider left, pouted.
"Count! You must hurry! Time is of the essence!"
An unfamiliar voice shouted loudly from below. It was probably someone who came to report the situation to Cider. They called so desperately that even someone who knew nothing about the situation became anxious.
"Go on. They say it's urgent."
Cider was about to turn and leave when he hastily added:
"Whatever the Duke says, think of your safety first. Even if he uses me as bait, you don't need to respond. I can take care of my own safety."
Before she could answer, he said "Well, I'm going" and closed the door without lingering. Esperanza slumped onto the bed.
'Is Duke Galliston really that dangerous a person?'
Regarding Duke Galliston thirteen years later, she would probably answer yes. But was Duke Galliston thirteen years ago also that dangerous?
Of course, if he was someone with the skill to put all those people into a dungeon to achieve his purpose, no matter how much he donated to charity organizations, he was a dangerous person.
But could he threaten Esperanza?
'That's not it.'
Cider said he could protect his own safety, but the same was true for Esperanza. Whatever purpose Galliston intended to use Esperanza for, Esperanza could decide whether to let herself be used as she pleased or not, and she was confident she could escape in the middle.
No matter how royal he was, he would faint if hit on the back of the neck and die if his throat was cut. There were no rumors that Duke Galliston was a martial arts genius even thirteen years later, so he would be at a mediocre level now too. Subduing one such ordinary person was nothing.
❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
The Duke's mansion was like a fortress. In fact, it would be correct to call it a castle.
Pinement House.
This place, which had been used as a residence for adult royalty for 300 years, was being used by Duke Galliston, the Queen's closest young relative, since the current Queen had no independent children, and would be given to seventeen-year-old Prince Louis seven years later.
The current Queen's grandfather, Ferdinand V, had three sons: in order, the late King Gilbert III, Duke Galliston Frederick, and Duke Sherbury Ernest. When Gilbert III died early, his only daughter Harriet II ascended to the throne. That was already seven years ago. Under Harriet II were ten-year-old Prince Louis and seven-year-old Princess Melissa.
Edmund Saturn was the successor to the former Duke Galliston Frederick. He was also Ferdinand V's first grandson. And Duchess Sherbury was the wife of Duke Sherbury, who had once received the love of all citizens as the youngest prince, and a princess of the Duchy of Offenbach. After Duke Sherbury died twenty years ago, the title reverted to the royal family, but the Duchess could maintain that title until her death.
Of course, Esperanza didn't know all this information.
'I memorized it hastily.'
What Esperanza had known from the beginning was just that Duke Galliston was the Queen's cousin. She hadn't been very interested in the royal family to begin with, and had only picked up bits about Prince Louis and Princess Melissa, who were popular among users.
"I've been waiting, Miss Esperanza Hunter. I am Henry Beyman, His Highness's attendant. Where is Lord Avondale?"
"He couldn't come due to urgent business."
"Urgent business, you say?"
Displeasure briefly showed through—what urgent business was so important as to refuse the Duke's invitation?
"Do you need to know?"
"...No. Please go in."
Various shaped frames hung on the red walls inside the mansion. Portraits, landscapes, still lifes. Some were photographs.
"Oh my, you're here already!"
A noblewoman in her early forties, dressed so lavishly she seemed like she should be at a ball rather than a tea party, approached with quick steps from the opposite end of the corridor. In other words, her attire was inappropriate. From Henry Beyman's reaction, she could guess who it was.
"Your Highness Duchess Sherbury."
The Duchess grabbed Esperanza's hands. When she curtsied and straightened, the Duchess laughed gaily. The friendly reaction was bewildering. Why this reaction?
It didn't match either the personality of Duchess Sherbury that Esperanza had heard about or Duke Galliston's attitude.
"Edmund is a bit late due to official business. In the meantime, wouldn't you like to look around Pinement House? It would be a shame to come all this way and leave without seeing anything."
The Duchess, who linked arms as familiarly as a longtime relative, winked at Esperanza.
"His Highness the Duke has official business?"
When she glared at Henry Beyman, he slightly averted his eyes. His own master was also late, so who was he to say what to whom.
"Mmm-hmm. Some medal ceremony for the naval unit or something. I don't really know. Edmund likes that kind of official business, so he'll handle it himself."
Duke Galliston Edmund was said to be patriotic, a military academy graduate with experience serving as an air force pilot. Since he himself was enthusiastic about military-related official duties, the soldiers would probably like him.
But that was someone else's business.
'If that's the case, he should have called me later in the first place.'
For Esperanza, who definitely hadn't come because she wanted to, it wasn't very welcome news. Moreover, since he had gone to the naval unit, it became clearer whose fault it was that Cider had to leave early in the morning.
"Where should we start? Since the day is hot, let's skip the garden and go to a room overlooking the garden first."
The Duchess, who seemed uninterested in Esperanza's opinion from the start, grabbed her arm and led her to a nearby reception room. The room decorated with light sky-blue sofas and carpet and curtains in the same tone was splendid.
"When I first came to Osdern, I met His Late Majesty at Pinement House. It was this very room. It had been raining since morning, so the carriage wheels were covered in mud, and the makeup I'd done early was ruined. But entering such a pretty reception room, wouldn't I be too embarrassed?"
The Duchess, who had been looking at the shelf above the fireplace, picked up an ornament placed on it to show her.
"Lady Claire comforted me when I was sniffling. Really, nothing has changed since then."
"It seems you haven't visited since then."
"Not at all. I came and went like it was my own home. Lady Claire, who was then called Duchess, used to invite me often when she became Queen. But this is the first time since Edmund started staying here."
The Duchess looked at the fireplace and window curtains with a wistful expression.
"The curtains have been changed to new ones. But he didn't change the color. That's just like Edmund. Ah, Miss Hunter, when did you first meet Edmund?"
"At Miss Talbot's charity party."
"Ah, ah. Charity party. I find charity parties boring."
It seemed so. The Duchess clearly looked like someone who would enjoy nighttime balls seeking pleasure and excitement.
"Let's go to that room on the right. Beyman, you stay here."
"But, Your Highness."
"Are my orders less than Edmund's orders?"
Henry Beyman reluctantly kept his position. The Duchess winked and dragged Esperanza along.
"There's a reason I got rid of that bothersome Beyman. This is originally a place you shouldn't touch."
The reason could be understood without asking. In a long glass case made to fit perfectly from one corner of the wall to the opposite corner, dazzlingly splendid and heavy jeweled accessories were displayed. Among them, the diamond in the center was particularly brilliant.
"Ha, the Diamond of Themis. How I coveted this, and here it's rotting in a place like this."
The Duchess sighed as she opened the glass case, took out a necklace, and glanced at the door. The way she looked around was clearly felt.
The Duchess took off her own necklace and carelessly placed it on top of the glass case, then took out that necklace to try it on her neck. She repeated looking in the mirror on the wall and exclaiming, then trying on other necklaces.
"Won't you try one too?"
"I don't really..."
It seemed to have been a question out of politeness, as the Duchess, who smiled brightly at Esperanza standing far away, became absorbed in looking at necklaces again. She must have suggested the palace tour for this purpose from the beginning. Now she seemed like the Duchess from the stories Esperanza had heard.
"Your Highness Duchess, the Duke has arrived."
"Oh my!"
The Duchess threw down the necklace she was holding and screamed.
"Is there no one outside? Clean this up!"
Maids rushed in as if Henry Beyman had called them in advance. Esperanza, who was leaving the room, suddenly turned her head. A noblewoman who seemed to be the Duchess's lady-in-waiting was arranging the Duchess's appearance.
"What about the necklace, Your Highness?"
"It's somewhere around there."
The noblewoman also approached Esperanza to ask if she had tried on any necklaces and tidied her appearance. Esperanza, who had been following the Duchess who had gone ahead, suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?"
An impatient voice urged Esperanza.
"No. It's nothing."
Following the Duchess's urging, Esperanza walked down the corridor toward the entrance and turned her head. At the door stood the Duke, who had just returned from his outing, standing in the sunlight. His eyes looking down at Esperanza glittered strangely.
"Miss Hunter. We meet again."