Chapter 44

"Hahaha! I wish I could have seen your face when the Duke found you. It must have been a masterpiece!"

"…………"

Lanhart, holding his stomach and laughing, even had tears in his eyes. I glared at him, thinking he was laughing too much.

– The day after returning to the capital with Lord Zain, I visited the Gardner Marquess’s residence to report and express my gratitude.

As expected of a powerful marquess family, the mansion was as spacious and luxurious as the Centsberry Marquess’s residence.

Although I came unexpectedly, they seemed accustomed to sudden female visitors, and I was easily led to not only the reception room but also to Lanhart’s private room.

"Oh, Lady Grace! You’ve come to see Brother Lanhart. He will be very pleased!"

Incidentally, I had just met Lanhart’s sister, Lady Priscilla, in the hallway, and she invited me for tea.

She has a consistently gentle and serene demeanor, and I want to become friends with her, who can smile at even a villain like me.

The Gardner siblings, though their personalities are completely opposite, seem to get along well. Lanhart had told me, "Be nice to my sister. She seems to look up to you."

He apparently finds Grace’s strong-willed nature very appealing, which makes me a bit worried.

"Don’t be too angry. Everyone laughs, you know."

"…I was also quite surprised, to be honest."

Lanhart’s room, though not as luxurious as Grace’s, still had a flashy and opulent feel.

It was completely different from Lord Zain’s calm and composed room.

"But I’m sorry for coming back so soon after you introduced me to such a nice place."

"No, it’s fine. I’m glad you liked it."

The cottage rent was prepaid for three months, and the gate we used for travel was expensive. Thinking about the costs of the failed escape plan made my stomach hurt.

I resolved to not fail again.

Lanhart finally seemed to calm down. He took a sip from his teacup and exhaled.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

"I plan to go to another place and disappear again soon."

Upon hearing this, Lanhart blinked his amethyst-like eyes.

"Didn’t you realize why you failed?"

"What? It was just bad luck, right?"

"Hahaha, yeah, probably."

He smiled with a hint of something more and crossed his long legs.

"Then, for this time, you should go to a remote mountain where no monsters live, so you won’t be found."

"Indeed, a remote mountain seems like a place where no one would find me."

"Yep, I look forward to hearing your report again."

"…………?"

I don’t really want to go on a trip, and as someone who used to live in poverty, any place with basic necessities is fine for me.

Going to a remote mountain, a place no noble would ever go, seems like a good idea. Evan might complain, but I decided to have him endure three months of mountain life.

"Should I look for a place for you?"

"No, I’ll manage on my own."

Lanhart probably doesn’t know much about remote mountains, so it would be better to consult Yana and Evan.

"Okay. If you need anything, feel free to ask."

"Yes, thank you."

Deciding to quickly plan for my mountain retreat, I was about to leave when Lanhart said, "Oh, right."

"By the way, I saw that girl at a ball the other day."

"That girl?"

"You know, the viscount’s daughter you were so concerned about at the theater during our date."

"…Oh."

Only then did I realize he was talking about Charlotte.

"Apparently, she has been actively participating in society recently, despite not showing her face before. She seems to be popular with both men and women, regardless of her low status."

The story of the novel has already begun, so it’s not surprising that the heroine, Charlotte, is starting to stand out.

Unlike Grace, Charlotte, with her striking beauty and good character, seems to be well-loved.

Surprisingly, Lanhart doesn’t seem interested, but Lord Zain would surely be charmed if he met her.

"Why are you so interested in her? I don’t think she’s someone you need to pay attention to."

Lost in thought, I was suddenly brought back to reality by Lanhart’s tilted head and his gaze.

"Because I’m working hard for Charlotte and Lord Zain to be together."

"Really? That’s news to me."

Indeed, I had only told Lanhart that I wanted to separate from Lord Zain. He showed a thoughtful expression, then returned his gaze to me.

"Frankly, I don’t think those two match. Their backgrounds are too different."

"Charlotte is such a wonderful woman that her background doesn’t matter. Besides, love can overcome anything."

"What’s that?"

Lanhart’s reaction was dismissive, but I believe that love can overcome even the status difference and the many troubles that will arise.

"…I’ve never been in love, so I don’t understand, but maybe you do, Lanhart?"

"Maybe."

He smiled with a self-deprecating air and continued.

"I’ve never loved anyone, even though I’ve been in love."

"Really?"

"It’s all just for fun. The same goes for my partners."

He said this casually, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he ever feels lonely or empty from having so many such relationships.

Noticing my concern, Lanhart’s expression turned troubled.

"I’m fine with this. I’m enjoying it."

"…I see."

"Well, maybe someday I’ll fall in love for real. I envy the Duke, who can be so passionate."

He flashed his usual dazzling smile and said, "Maybe I’ll fall in love with you," in a joking manner, leaning back into the sofa.