Chapter 7: CHP 7

After that night, I visited Duke Seymour two more times and handed him a letter each time.

'I gave him two letters in one week.'

Sight

As I told Duke Seymour,at the beginning, I didn't want anything materialistic from him,I just want,to improve our relationship as father and daughter,especially since there are enough letters I thought we had time to make progress.

But I still haven't made the slightest progress.

Just like today,I sat and look at Duke Seymour,quietly,as he giggles like a little girl while he reads the Duchess's letter and eats a slice of chocolate cake.

He really is obsessed with his wife, he doesn’t even seem to care that I am sitting right in front of him.

'I feel like I’ve become a mailman.'

The chocolate cake melted in my mouth.

'This cake is so delicious.'

Duke Seymour suddenly put the letter down,then, he drank tea and for a moment looked at me.

His look was different from the usual cold and disdainful one which he always gave at me.

'Why are you looking at me like that?'😱

"Deborah, I'm sure you have a reason why you brought me a letter every time I'm tired.

Why? For that pink diamond?

I would like to know the truth."

'I have to give him a good answer.If I sweeten my words too much, he will never believe me.

Think, think think.....aaaaa!!!'

"Because I am the daughter of George Seymour and Marien Seymour.

I just thought that I should be a link between you two."

'I hope it's not too much.I used the greeting from the first letter I gave him,that's all that came to my mind in this moment.'

Duke Seymour was startled by my words and didn’t speak for a while.

I was so nervous, that I was fiddling with my hands while I swallowed hard.

Duke Seymour broke the long silence first.

"Do you have time this weekend?"

'Of course, I have time!

What is there to do, when I can’t go outside because of your orders?

But I like staying home it’s not frustrating for me.'

As a homebody, this place was heaven on earth for me.

A life where you eat delicious food, sleep when you want,roll-around in a soft bed,take long walks in a beautiful garden and were you receive service like at a hotel.

What more could you want?

Every day is relaxing and fun.

'Indeed,being rich and doing nothing is the best.'

"I have time."

I replied immediately.

"Then, let’s go out and have a meal together."

"Go out?"

"Yes."

"Then......the confinement?"

"You’ve been in confinement without causing any trouble,I think it’s god to go out for a bit."

"Aaaa.....Thank you?"

"I thought you would be happier."

'Happier!'

My hands started to sweat and I panicked when I heard him say that, naturally Deborah would have reacted differently.

'I have to be more careful from now on.'

"I am happy.

It’s just that I’m surprised by your generosity.

It’s alright,even,if I don’t go out, I’m pleased to have tea time at home with you Father."

Duke Seymour choked on his tea when he heard what I said and started coughing.

He didn't expect,even once in a million years,that his daughter would say something like that.

But what to do, I panicked so much that all I managed to get out of my mouth were words of flattery.

The duke looked at me in shock and said.

"For God's sake!

What do you want? say it now and never scare me like that again."

"Father, that's not it!"

"Then why would you...."

Knock!Knock!

Duke Seymour clicked his tongue and looked at his pocket watch when he heard the knock.

He had a meeting with his vassals scheduled in the afternoon,so I left the office first.

'Today's meeting was quite different from the others, especially since I am no longer in confinement.'

'But I’m out of energy.Every meeting with the Duke drains me of strength'

So I wanted to relax by reading some romance novels in my room.

I instructed one of my servant to buy the most popular romance books.

As I walked down the hallway, I heard loud voices coming from the opposite side.

Belreck Seymour and his vassals were walking in my direction.

Belreck, looked down at me and retorted in a low voice.

"Pathetic. Don’t cause any trouble here and stay quiet as a lamb."

Belreck, whispered in my ear as he passed by my shoulder.

Even his vassals greeted me only in passing,me a Princess!!!

'Bastard, why is he picking another fight?!’

I, who am a sucker for pretty faces, felt more displeasure than I never ever felt, since coming to this world.

I looked furious at Belreck’s back and went to my living quarters.

In my study,on my desk were piles of romance books that my servant brought.

'Finally I can relax in peace.'

Sitting and reading books for half a day, I smiled with self-satisfaction,this is what I like a carefree life.

................

On the day of going out with Duke Seymour.

'Because of this gorgeous features, the dress with an ample flare suit's me so well.'

"Princess!You are so beautiful!"

"It feels like I’m seeing a flower in full bloom.

It’s absolutely fascinating."

"How is your skin so perfect?!"

"And your lips so red,like cherries!"

'I know better than anyone else that this face is beautiful and thrilling.'

However the servants didn't stop flattering me and chose their words carefully so as not to offend me in any way.

I tried really hard to control the expressions on my face to look annoyed and impatient as I snorted lightly.

In order to protect my dignity as the Empire’s most wiked woman,I was always practicing my cold expressions.

'I don't like it when the characters change suddenly.'

"Princess,the Duke will arrive soon."

I looked one more time in the mirror.

As an accessory I held a dark purple fan that matched my lavender dress.

Deborah was tall as it is, but with high heels my field of view increased.

Before long, the Duke’s aide appeared and after a while,the Duke,wearing a navy-blue suit, entered the lobby.

Exuding a profound charm that only middle-aged people have.

'Now this is the country.'🤔

.................

Standing next to the Duke, I felt like a k-pop star,the servants looked at us every time they past by,if I hadn't practiced my facial expressions, I would have stood there with my mouth hanging open in amazement.

Duke Seymour was truly admired by the people of Azutean Empire.

“It’s an expensive dress.”

Duke Seymour said coldly while looking at me.

It’s hard to get used to this cold way of speaking.

All the men of this family are handsome like no other, but their way of speaking makes people not like them at all.

'It seems that nobody is perfect.'

Swallowing the words I couldn’t say, I barely replied.

"My parents gave me a noble identity, so I think this dress suits me."

"Then cherish your body.

If you hurt yourself again,it won’t end up just with confinement."

Duke Seymour pointed out my self-harm incident in which I slapped my cheeks.

After I got into the carriage with the Seymour family's specific emblem on it,Duke Seymour stopped talking.

As time went by,the view from the window keept changing and the mansion disappeared from sight, but the main gate nowhere to be seen.

'How long does it take?'

It was the different from what I had seen in the fragments of Deborah’s memories and actually experiencing it.

..............

'Why aren’t there any customers?'

I looked around the restaurant in wonder.

The interior of the two-story wooden restaurant was empty, except for our seats.

"Why are you looking like that?"

"I was jus curios if this place was out of business."

"It must be because you inherited my sense of humor,it wasn’t a good joke.

But still, your intention to soften the mood is admirable.

You seem to have grown up a lot lately."

"What do you ....?"

Right then the waiter brought us the appetizers and bread.

'It's so tasty.🤤

Look at the savory butter and fluffy bread,it’s definitely a good restaurant. It makes absolutely no sense that there’s not even a single customer.'

Then I realized.

'He rented the whole restaurant!!

What it means to be rich!'

I continued my meal quietly, feeling like I was having indigestion.

The meal enjoyed by the upper class, was similar to a French course meal.

Whith a lot of tableware due to the variety of dishes,it was quite tricky to handle them all without making mistakes.I could not help but feel nervous whenever a different dish was served.

Fortunately, it was not that difficult to use the tableware,thanks to the habits imprinted on this body.

"Deborah, did you bring a letter today too?"

Duke Seymour asked me suddenly.

"I’m not rushing you.....

It’s just that I was quite excited, because you gaved me the letters one by one,it made the experience much more pleasant for me.

Was that your intention?"

It was because of my painful experience in my previous life.

Human beings are ungrateful and cunning.

That is the reason I thought that I should divide the letters instead of giving them all at once.

'The bitter feelings of betrayal will last for a long time.'

The people who look at you with their noses up, must learn what it means to be grateful and be constantly reminded of that.

I learned that too late, only after I died and woke up in another person's body.

"I’m glad you enjoyed it."

Duke Seymour laughed loudly at my indirect answer.

"Father,today, I would like to deliver the letter a bit different than usual."

"In a different way?"

"Yes,do you have some time when after our meal?"

Duke Seymour nodded while sipping white wine.

"Of course.

These days, my appointment with you is one of my top priority.

Everything else is just work that I'm fed up with.

Probably because they are boys, my sons are all very unfriendly and hard to work with."

He stopped for a short time when he realized that he was complaining.

"I can’t believe I’m telling you this nonsense."

"It’s alright,you can speak comfortably."

Duke Seymour looked at me with an unreadable look when he heard my answer.

Sight.

"That pink diamond.

I heard it will auction soon,probably at the end of this month.

Should I buy it for you?"

'He is testing me.'

Duke Seymour persistently asked me what I wanted until the meal was over.

He even discreetly suggested it to me,that,he wanted to reward me for the letters and that I should comfortably ask for anything.

'I never even thought of getting anything by using this letters.'

It is weird to keep refusing the reward like that.

But I still shook my head,in response.

'Duke Seymour is testing me,if I ask for something he might say:

"So you still haven't changed until the end."

All the effort I have put in so far could go to waste.

It’s better to be cautious.'

It was snowing when we stepped out of the restaurant,the meal lasted for two hours.

Judging by the gradually increasing snow, it was unlikely to stop anytime soon.

Because the road was slippery, I slipped slightly as I was walking towards the carriage on the opposite side of the restaurant.

"Ooo!...That was close."

Duke Seymour clicked his tongue and stretched out his hand towards the road

With this small gesture,all the snow on the street melted in an instant.

Having lived all my life in a scientific civilization,I couldn't help but feel amazed at the magic scene that unfolded before my own eyes.

To see the difference between magic created in movies and real life magic with your own eyes was incomparable.

"Why are you looking at me like that?'

"Because you’re so amazing."

Duke Seymour scratched his chin, murmuring.

"You’re talking nonsense today.

Get in."

Duke Seymour’s hands, were warmer than before, perhaps because he had just used fire magic.

The Seymour’s carriage, resembled a limousine.

We reached the mansion through the thick snow and in complete darkness, while the inside was quiet and warm thanks to magic.

"I brought a new assortment of tea yesterday."

Said Duke Seymour, thinking about my request during the meal.

After we arrived,he headed to his office,an I went to change in more comfortable clothes.

The servants were busy preparing me.

After gently combing my long hair they sprayed perfume.

I was wearing  an elegant evening dress,which Helen designed by grinding her soul.

'I can’t believe I’m doing this.'

I could not take my eyes off the mirror.

When I arrived at Duke Seymour’s office he was instructing his aide.

"Bring us refreshments and two cups of tea.

Use the new tea leaves."

"Yes, my Lord."

In just a few minutes the aide came back with a tray of fragrant tea and refreshments.

The aide doesn’t look at me with a grim expression anymore.

As soon as the refreshments were placed on the table,I took out the Duchess’ letter from my purse.

"You said you wanted to give me the letter in a different way "

Duke Seymour said with a blank look on his face.Whether he was curious and anticipating I couldn’t tell.

"Yes."

"Today I will recite mother’s letter."

"Recite?Really?!"

He suddenly raised his lips and laughed.

'Oh my God!'

It was the first time I heard him laugh so loudly,coldly and bluntly at the same time I almost dropped the letter.

"It is definitely different.

I didn’t know you had such a funny side."

"Please close your eyes and focus."

"Alright."

Duke Seymour folded his arms and closed his eyes.

There was really nothing more serious than an adult who was pushed to participate in a child’s play.

So I began to recite a poem titled

"My Heart is a White Flower"

It was a poem about nature,written by a famous poet expressing the ambivalent feelings of love by using the morphological similarity between white flowers and snowflakes.

"If the cold without you makes my heart ache,I sing in the fragrance................."

After I finished reciting Duke Seymour only nodded with his eyes still closed as if he was recalling something.

"It is definitely a poem that Marien would’ve liked.

It also goes well with the today’s weather."

He got up and stared silently at the pouring snow through the window with deepened eyes.

The moment he learned of love, the indifferent man,who only knew loneliness,felt joy as if the world was filled with white flowers.

When his woman disappeared, the white flower became cold as if it had been a snowflake..........

The poem was about that.

Duke Seymour, slowly thought at the contents of the poem,while he picked up his wife’s letter after Deborah left.

"What?!"

As soon as he opened the letter, he doubted his eyes.

Duke Seymour didn’t expected that the contents of the letter would be completely different from what Deborah had recited.

He naturally thought that Deborah had recited the poem that was written în the letter

However, that wasn’t the case.

'Then why did you recite that poem suddenly?'

Looking through the letter,he soon burst into laughter.

'So,this was her intention.'

"Honey, I am reading a poem by Lanz Schubert.

He is my favorite poet these days.

I often close my eyes and imagine the subtle scent of white flowers."

'Deborah found a poem my wife had read at the time and recited it for me

so that Marien could share the feelings and thoughts she had while writing this letter.

If I didn’t know the poem and saw this letter, I wouldn’t have been able to understand what Marien feelings were.

Being thoughtful like this.'

Soon, he felt sorry.

He only ever snapped at Deborah, who visited him with letters.

Always asking if she had an ulterior motive behind the letters,and blatantly signaling that she should hand them over.

'On the other hand, Deborah didn’t sleep and waited until late at night to give me a letter whenever I was tired, when she probably wanted to rest.'

The words his daughter said thet she wanted to be a link between him and his wife were not empty.

'Just like today...'

'It must not have been easy to find the poem Marien read,when the only clues she had were in the letter.'

In addition having to read every poem to understand the contents, Lanz Schubert was also famous for being prolific.

'I am,indeed a narrow minded father.'

Duke Seymour realized his daughter’s subtle consideration while looking down at the letter,feeling inexplicable.

................