Chapter 54

# 54

|

After seeing Schleman off, Margaret said,

"Shall we go to the bedroom?"

As soon as Navia arrived at her room, she tried on the new nightgown Minerva had made.

It was a loose-fitting, one-piece nightgown with a long collar that extended down to her ribs, adorned with delicate silver lace.

The sleeves were also embroidered with silver thread.

"Did you make this in just one day?"

"I, I took apart some pre-made clothes and reassembled them."

Minerva, still with a red nose, chuckled and continued,

"I have, have half-siblings with a big age gap. I made a lot of clothes and shoes for them…."

The clothes and shoes she made for her younger siblings were all returned.

"Oh, it’s an honor for me that you, you like them…!"

"It’s an honor for me, too."

Navia stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself in the pretty nightgown.

'This is a garment that’s clearly made with a lot of love.'

The items from the Ansier Boutique were prepared with Vivian in mind and didn’t suit Navia at all.

This nightgown, however, wasn’t bad because Minerva had thoughtfully altered it to fit Navia well.

But she felt awkward wearing it.

The problem wasn’t the clothes, but herself.

Navia smiled.

"I’ll really wear it well. Thank you."

"Oh, oh, it’s nothing."

Margaret, who had been quietly watching Navia, suddenly brought over a chair.

"Would you like to sit here?"

Navia was puzzled but sat down as Margaret suggested.

Margaret began to brush Navia’s hair.

"Getting dressed isn’t just about putting on clothes. Just as a shirt needs cufflinks and a tie needs a tie pin, a pretty dress needs a pretty hairstyle."

Navia blinked and listened quietly to Margaret’s words.

While doing so, she naturally pictured Vivian in her mind.

Vivian always styled her hair meticulously, wore jewelry, and carried a handbag that matched her dress.

'She had hundreds of pairs of shoes.'

By the time Vivian had her coming-of-age ceremony, she had five personal dressing rooms.

Yet, her usual phrase was, "I have nothing to wear!"

Navia, who only had about five outfits that she rotated, found this hard to understand.

"Well, how about it?"

Navia, who had been looking at her feet, raised her gaze.

"Oh…."

Margaret had gathered Navia’s side hair and tied it with a black ribbon.

With the same style on both sides, she looked much more adorable than before.

It was a look that complemented the delicate nightgown well.

Minerva clapped her hands in admiration.

"It suits you so well…!"

Navia awkwardly touched her hair. This was the first time she had tried such a childlike hairstyle.

She usually wore her hair in a single braid or, when it grew longer, styled it up herself.

Otherwise, she just let it down.

Indeed, with this styling, the girl in the mirror seemed to sparkle more than before.

It was a strange feeling.

All that had changed was her hairstyle.

'It’s probably mostly in my head.'

But it was the best she had ever looked.

The black ribbon also suited her, somehow.

After all, black was practically the symbol of the Esselred family. In that setting, Navia stood out too much with her snow-white hair.

The black silk ribbon hanging from her silver hair revealed a striking presence.

"…You look beautiful."

Navia’s cheeks were tinged with a very light peach color.

"Thank you, Lady Margaret."

Margaret chuckled.

"I’m glad you like it."

Navia didn’t particularly enjoy looking in the mirror.

It was because of the silly reason that her silver hair and red eyes made her different from Agnes.

But now, looking in the mirror wasn’t unpleasant.

She found the black ribbons swaying on either side of her head fascinating and couldn’t get enough of the new look.

Navia found it hard to understand why a family with such good people had fallen so far.

Though they had fallen, there was no difficulty in eating, sleeping, or living.

The living expenses sent by Theorban were meager, but it only meant they couldn’t buy jewels, horses, or new carriages.

Of course, that was the problem.

'They lack the power to maintain the family.'

Without money or power, the nobility were no different from the gentry.

If this situation continued, the Esselred family might not even be able to maintain the title of Duke.

'Good people don’t necessarily live well.'

From what Navia had seen, the wicked often enjoyed more.

'But the Esselreds don’t seem incompetent.'

The person at the center of this change was none other than the current head of the family.

'The Duke is an outstanding figure, impossible to overlook even if one tries. His personality is a bit… but that can be interpreted as the arrogance of the ruling class.'

Even if he had no interest in becoming great, he was the type to maintain the status quo.

Theorban, despite manipulating contracts to send only the minimum living expenses, feared him.

What could make such a person act this way? Navia became curious about Lark.

After all, she had never met anyone like him.

In her eight lifetimes, she had seen many people. Was Lark surprised to meet her for the first time? She felt the same way.

'But it’s fortunate that he’s indifferent to everything, isn’t it?'

It seemed he would dismiss anything that didn’t bother him, telling her to do as she pleased.

If so, he would likely not mind assigning her a position.

Navia asked Margaret,

"Lady Margaret, can you deliver a letter to the Duke for me?"

"Oh, of course."

Navia skillfully inserted the pen nib and dipped it deeply in the inkwell. As she did so, she recalled the letter, or rather, the note she had received yesterday.

At first, she was surprised by the casual note, written in large letters on a piece of paper. Then she was baffled, and finally, she understood.

'The Duke really dislikes formalities.'

So, Navia decided to write a more concise letter this time.

To Duke Esselred, I am writing to you because I have something to say.

My position has not been determined, and Lord Schleman Jeneger and Lady Margaret Romanov are very concerned. Could the Duke please decide for me?

I will await your decision.

-Sincerely, Navia.

'Even though I tried to make it concise, it still seems long, doesn’t it?'

Navia frowned slightly and tilted her head before putting down the pen.

"Please take care of it."

* * *

Margaret was about to take only the letter when she remembered what Navia had said in the kitchen.

Lark hardly eats. He was a person who didn’t need to eat. Moreover, his perfect physique was achieved without any exercise.

How could a person be like that? Margaret had simply accepted it as something unique to Lark.

'For an ordinary person, not eating would be strange.'

Margaret went to the kitchen and prepared the same meal they had eaten, then headed to the third floor.

"Master, it’s Margaret."

She approached Lark, who was lying on the sofa like a recluse, and placed the meal on the table.

Next to it, she placed the letter from Navia.

Lark, still covering his eyes with his arm, asked in a low voice,

"What is it now?"

"It’s the food I ate with Navia today."

Lark let out a sigh of exasperation and lowered his arm.

"So what do you want me to do about it?"

Lark, who usually just waved his hand or said, "Do as you please," or "Whatever," reacted aggressively, making Margaret smile oddly.

"Navia asked why you don’t eat."

"I don’t need to eat."

Since I’m going to die soon anyway.

When he replied irritably, Margaret shrugged.

"I’ll pick up the reply in the hallway."

"Reply?"

He frowned, wondering what she meant, then suddenly looked to the side.

There, on the black table, was another white letter.

Lark considered kicking away both the food and the letter but sighed deeply and got up at the sight of Margaret’s gentle, yet annoying smile.

"You’re all acting foolish just because a child came in."

"Hehe."

He unfolded the letter and read it.

Navia’s letter was written with great care. Each character was elegant, and her polite and proper tone made the reader feel very respected.

Moreover, she had written it concisely, without unnecessary weather talk or elaborate praise and adjectives before his name, showing consideration for him.

Margaret, who had been secretly reading it, repeatedly marveled and looked at the letter with admiration.

But Lark didn’t think so at all.

I’m so annoyed. Really, truly, extremely annoyed.

Lark’s expression perfectly conveyed his feelings.

He summoned writing materials to the table, as he had done yesterday, and picked up the pen without a moment’s hesitation.

Then, he scribbled down a message filled with malice.

Barber.

Margaret, who had glanced at the content, shook her head.

"Here, now take this food and go."

Margaret picked up the letter and the food, muttering in disbelief and exasperation,

"How can our master be less mature than Navia…?"

"Are you not leaving?"

Margaret, undeterred by Lark’s threatening tone, left the bedroom.

With two people already annoying him, Lark irritably brushed his bangs aside.

"What a bunch of fools acting silly just because a child came in."