Chapter 40: Chapter 40 - I Will Do It

Chapter 40 – I Will Do It

Claude obviously could not have known that, but he must have noticed something strange.

“Rumors aren’t always true. I guess I was wrong,” he said.

“You’re half right, half wrong. I am no longer friends with Lady Dorothea,” I explained. I paused for a moment to think, before adding, “Maybe I’m a bridesmaid.”

“Bridesmaid?”

“It’s personal,” I said shortly. When I glanced at Claude, he offered me a reassuring smile.

“You don’t have to tell me anything if it makes you uncomfortable,” he said.

“Is that alright?”

“We’re friends now.” A gentle smile played on his lips. “I will listen carefully if you tell me.”

“…Then you won’t tell anyone else, right?” I asked.

“I suppose you don’t know how tightly sealed my mouth is.” He gave me a look as if to tell me not to worry. “It’s fine, since I don’t have any friends.”

“…”

“Ah, you’re the exception of course,” he corrected.

“O-oh, I understand,” I stammered. I was taken aback by his unexpected excuse, but I put on a thoughtful look. Claude waited patiently for me to speak. It was some time before I finally found the words to say. “Actually…”

I ended up telling him everything that happened yesterday—starting from the fight with Dorothea, to her mother’s offer to me, to the considerable amount of debt we owed to her family.

Claude listened to my story with quiet attention, just as he promised. At first, I was nervous about sharing this story with someone else for the first time, but the more I spoke, the more at ease I felt.

“—Actually, I tried not to get involved with Lady Dorothea as much as possible, but my mind went blank when I heard about the debt. So I thought about it. My pride or my parents’ pride. I didn’t think for very long.”

“But that doesn’t mean that you gave up your pride. Don’t worry too much.”

“I was just…just a little distressed, I think, because I felt like a two-faced hypocrite. After all, I gave in to the money,” I mumbled.

“I would have made the same choice even if I were in your shoes,” he said consolingly. “The same goes for anyone else. You’re not foolish for being distressed. I hope you won’t lose your head over this.”

“I won’t.” I smiled lightly and nodded.

It was amazing. I was only telling him what happened yesterday, but it was as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I thought Claude was just a witty conversation partner, but he was also an excellent counselor.

“You make me feel much better. Thank you,” I said gratefully.

“I’m glad it helped you a bit.”

“What about you? Do you have any concerns?”

“Me?” he said, his eyebrows lifting in confusion.

“Yes. Now that you have heard my story, I think it’s only right for me to listen to your concerns,” I said with an encouraging nod of my head.

Claude stared at me. There were a few moments of silence before he spoke. “…There is one thing,” he said carefully.

“What is it?”

“Actually, it’s not really a concern. More like, I’m wondering if this is really possible.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s someone. Let’s call him A.” His voice lowered to a quiet tone. “A is meeting someone named B out of necessity. At first, he thought he should use B, but gradually, his original purpose faded, and he just enjoys being with B. He smiles whenever he thinks about B, and he’s the happiest when he meets B.”

“…”

“And at some point, rather than profiting from B, he just wants to give what he has to B. Everything he was trying to achieve through B doesn’t matter anymore, and now B is the whole purpose and the reason for his relationship.”

After Claude’s story was over, he looked at me in the eyes.

“Is that really possible?” he asked.

“Hmm…” I hummed thoughtfully. I never had this kind of experience before, so it was a difficult problem. However, I could empathize with “A” to a certain extent. I mulled over his story.

“That’s possible, isn’t it?” I said eventually.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, of course,” I affirmed. “One’s thoughts can change after a meeting. As long as A is human, I think that’s possible.”

“So A was never unusual.”

“If B is nice enough to change A’s mind, then I think it’s possible,” I concluded. However, I added to my words. “I don’t know if my answer is enough. I never experienced that kind of thing.”

“It’s also the first time for me,” Claude said.

“Pardon?”

“Ah, I mean it’s also the first time for A. I misspoke,” he clarified.

I looked at him skeptically. “Was the story you told just now about you?”

“No, no way,” Claude denied. “I don’t approach people for such impure purposes.” An odd smile widened on his lips. “It was about someone I knew. I asked you because I didn’t understand him at all.”

“I see,” I said with a light nod, then picked up the teacup I set down on the table earlier. The tea had been too hot to drink earlier, but now it had reached a comfortable temperature. I sipped the tea and was about to move onto another conversation topic when—

Knock knock.

A knock came from outside.

“It’s Florinda, My Lady,” a voice said.

A frown creased my brow. That was rude of her when I already had a visitor here.

I turned towards the door, feeling somewhat upset. “What is it?”

“There is a reply from the Imperial Palace. Shall I leave it in your bedroom?”

Oh my God, there was already a reply? I was shocked, as the response came faster than I expected. After I ordered Florinda to leave the letter in my bedroom, I turned my attention to Claude again.

“You received a reply from the Imperial Palace?” he said in a low voice.

“Ah.”

Claude didn’t know. I wondered if I should talk to him about this. Last time I saw the two young men together, they didn’t seem to get along that well…

After some consideration, I decided to explain the situation as concisely as possible.

“I wished to visit His Highness to thank him, since he came to visit me personally and gave me tea leaves back then.”

“…”

“Duke?” I said, feeling uneasy about the silence.

“…Ah.” Claude looked glassy-eyed for a moment, then he smiled brightly and spoke as if nothing had happened. “I’m sorry, Lady Maristella. I didn’t sleep well last night, and I’m a little tired.”

“Ah, I see.”

“But…do you need to go to the Palace for that?”

“Hmm…” I already expected his negative response, and I spoke as delicately as I could. “I think it’s a matter of courtesy. And, actually, I have a favor to ask him—”

“I will do it,” he cut in.

I blinked in confusion. “…Pardon?”

“Whatever it is, I will do it, Lady Maristella,” he asserted.

“No. It’s not a favor that you can do—”

“’Impossible’ does not exist in my dictionary. Whatever it is, just tell me.”

In the end, I decided to be direct. “Do you really not want me to go to the Imperial Palace?”

Claude faltered at my question, but after a moment he gave a firm nod. “I really don’t like the idea.”

“Why?”

“As you know, I dislike the Crown Prince. He’s very cold. I don’t know why he would approach you, but it’s not good to get close to him. I’m afraid he will only hurt you.”

That was some heavy criticism. How many people in the world could condemn someone as high-ranking as the Crown Prince?

When I thought about it like that, the two had to be quite close.

“If it weren’t for his rank as the Crown Prince, he’d have to be imprisoned,” Claude continued.

…Or was I just mistaken?

“Don’t go,” he said warningly. “I don’t know what it is, but whatever you need, I will do it.”

I shook my head. “But even if you’re right, I don’t think that’s proper. Besides, I need to send a reply…” Worry creased my forehead, but soon I had an idea. “Here’s what I will do. If the reply is a refusal, then I won’t message the Crown Prince again. However, if it isn’t, then I cannot say no.”

“…”

“You understand my situation, don’t you, Your Grace?” I asked.

“…Yes, Lady Maristella,” he said, but the bitter expression remained on his face. “I was only thinking of myself. I ignored your point of view and ended up only forcing my opinion. I apologize for my lack of respect, Lady Maristella.”

“Not at all, Your Grace. I don’t think you did it with bad intentions.”

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand Claude at all. I’d feel bad too if my friend met someone I didn’t like.