Chapter 3 - Book I: Chapter 3

Book I: Chapter 3

Edwin, who listened quietly to the Count, nodded his head once. Then the count took the lead with an excited face. Those who were mumbling around them retreated back with regretful expressions.

“This way.”

Harrieta stood absent-mindedly and saw Edwin following the Count. Strangely enough, the Count was leading him to where she was standing. With each step they took, the gap between him and her gradually narrowed.

The words kept echoing in her head. Her heart became impatient. She wanted to see Edwin again at all costs. She wanted to see her image in his eyes and engrave her existence in his head. As long as she could make him acknowledge her existence, nothing else mattered to her.

“Wait a minute…”

“Harrieta!”

As soon as she was about to chase Edwin, Lilian came running towards her and grabbed her shoulder.

“!”

The moment she felt Lilian’s hand gripping her shoulders, she realised what she was going to do. It felt as if the magic spell, which had ensnared her, had finally broken. One by one, her black and white world filled with colours and sounds gradually began to rise in the quiet hall. Her eyes widened.

“This.. Aunt?”

Lilian looked worried at the confused state of Harrieta.

“Harrieta! What happened? Why were you sitting on the floor? Do you have anemia or something?”

“No, it’s not like that, but…….”

“Rose told me that I wouldn’t have to worry about your health, but what the hell is going on? I think we should get a checkup from a doctor once we get home.”

“…….”

“By the way, do you know how surprised I was when you suddenly ran away like that? Both the Baroness and Sir Welch were embarrassed by your sudden behavior. You have to apologize politely when we meet them later…. Harrieta, Harrieta! Are you even listening to me?”

At the sight of her niece, who was all over the place, Lilian frowned and rebuked her. But Harrieta did not listen to even a word. With desperate eyes, she looked straight ahead, only at one place.

“Aunt. Who is that person?”

“That person?”

Lilian glanced at the place where Harrieta’s gaze was fixed.

“You mean Count Champs?”

“No. The young man next to the Count….The one who helped me up.”

Harrieta blushed and added a little. Then Lilian made a face that she understood the situation.

“You are referring to Sir Edwin. The tall and blonde man?”

Harrieta nodded fervently at the familiar name.

Edwin

. Even his name was attractive. Her eyes sparkled the most vividly since she came to Lavant. Lilian, who noticed this appearance, became quiet. As if thinking about something, Lilian asked vaguely.

“Do you know the Duke of Redford?”

“Redford?”

“Yes. The Duke Redford. The Redford family has a long history as they have existed since the founding of Brimdell. They are one of the most influential and wealthiest families among all the existing aristocratic families. Aside from the royal family, they are said to have the most noble lineage in Brimdell. And many Redford men have actually married women from the royal family.”

In the back alleys, people even joked that the successors of the Redford family had a more pure royal lineage than the current royal family. But no one had ever dared to examine whether this rumour was true or not.

“Sir Edwin is the successor of the current Duke Redford. In short, he would be the next duke.”

“The next Duke…”

Harrieta dumbly repeated Lilian’s words. It turned out that he was a Duke. For the daughter of a small Viscount from the countryside, who was at the bottom of the noble class, he was a man whose status was very far and high from hers. Only now she could understand why Count Champs was so happy to see Edwin.