Chapter 26

Lloyd Brick's reply came quickly. It was written in beautifully neat handwriting, yet with a masculine touch, detailing a few of his available dates and expressing his joy at the prospect of meeting after so long.

I hastily picked up a pen, chose the nearest date, and replied. As a result, we agreed to meet three days later in one of the rooms at the royal castle, where he worked. Considering safety, the royal castle seemed like a secure place.

On the day of the meeting, I left home as usual with Tim and the other guards. It had been since the ball that I last visited the royal castle.

I would only bring Tim inside the castle. After arriving, he guided me directly to the parlor, a place he often visited for work in the past.

"It's been a while, Lady Sadi. You seem to have changed quite a bit. The calmness suits you well."

When we finally met, Lord Lloyd narrowed his eyes softly, like the clear sky, and smiled gently. His expression and demeanor were very peaceful, exuding a sense of kindness.

He seemed to be the complete opposite of what I had heard about myself. That's why it was hard to believe that I had ever liked him.

He personally brewed tea for me and offered some cute pastries. When I took a sip from the teacup, the aroma was delightful, and it tasted surprisingly delicious.

"Thank you for taking the time to meet me despite the sudden request."

"No problem at all. Is there something on your mind?"

I gently placed the cup down and looked at him.

"Actually, since the accident, my memory has been a bit hazy."

"An accident... Are you alright?"

"Yes, thanks to you. That's why I've been talking to people who knew the old me, and I came to visit you, Lord Lloyd."

Honestly, if I told them that my body had been taken over, no one outside my family and close friends would believe me. I had learned this the hard way, so I decided to make up a story.

Even though I thought it might be a bit far-fetched, he seemed to understand, saying, "So that's why your manner of speaking and demeanor have changed so much." I felt relieved.

"Do you remember anything about me?"

"Nothing at all... I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's tough for you. Let me introduce myself again, then."

He bowed slightly and smiled warmly.

"My name is Lloyd Brick. I'm from the neighboring kingdom of Oricia and came to this country when I was fifteen."

"From a neighboring kingdom..."

"Yes. Originally, I was a commoner. I grew up doing farm work in the countryside, getting dirty all the time."

"Really?"

"Yes, and now I'm the adopted son of the Brick baron family."

Born into a poor family, he had gathered tattered books and studied hard from a young age. He came to this country, where ability mattered more than social status, and worked tirelessly to reach his current position as a civil servant. Despite all this, he remained humble and unpretentious. Perhaps that was what had attracted me to him.

"Lady Sadi always praised me."

"Really?"

"You always said that I was amazing for achieving my current status through my own efforts, regardless of my environment."

"...I did, huh?"

I found it hard to believe that I had said such things. After hearing various stories from him, I felt like I was hearing about a completely different person.

In the end, I didn't get any useful information, but I felt like I had gained a bit of insight into who I was. It wasn't a wasted trip.

"If you need anything, please don't hesitate to reach out."

I thanked Lord Lloyd politely and left the parlor.

◇◇◇

While walking through the castle's corridors, wondering what to do next, I saw a tall man approaching from ahead.

"Oh, it's Lord Rufus."

"Huh?"

I had thought he looked a lot like Rufus, but I didn't expect it to be him. Tim, who has excellent eyesight, confirmed it, so it must be true.

As he got closer, his face became clearer.

He seemed to notice me as well and looked surprised. His face showed signs of fatigue, likely due to the recent death of the Pope. The thought of this made my heart ache.

I thought it would be better not to greet him, but since no one else was around, he spoke to me first.

"It's not like that."

"Huh?"

"What I said the other day, it's not that I don't want to talk to you. I just didn't express myself well."

Caught off guard by his sudden, anxious words, I was confused.

But I quickly realized he was referring to the time at Eliza's birthday party when I had said I wanted to maintain a casual relationship, and he had replied, "No."

"That's a relief. Thank you, Rufus."

"...Yeah."

The fact that he brought it up so directly meant he had been thinking about it a lot. He really is a kind person.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Lord Lloyd."

Upon hearing this, Rufus looked shocked. But then, for some reason, he slapped his own cheek hard. I wondered if he was okay.

He then stared at me intently, frowning.

"Is something wrong?"

"Huh?"

"You look troubled."

Despite my efforts to always wear a smile, it seemed he could see through it.

I couldn't bring myself to tell him about the possibility of a friend dying. I didn't want to burden him, who was already in a difficult situation, so I lied, saying, "I stayed up late last night and am a bit sleep-deprived."

He looked at me seriously, his expression unchanged.

"...If you ever need help, I want you to come to me."

"Rufus...?"

"I'll definitely be there for you."

His words made me want to cry.

...Why is Rufus so kind? I've hurt him for so long.

While I was thinking this, Rufus said, "See you later," and walked away. As his figure grew smaller, I hurriedly called out, "Thank you!"

He disappeared from view, leaving me with a warm, happy feeling and a hint of sadness.

"...Am I not a burden to him?"

"He said it, so it's fine."

"Really?"

"Yes. Men will go to great lengths to protect something they care about."

When I asked Tim if he had something he wanted to protect, he replied, "Hmm... Oh, of course, it's you, Lady!" It sounded a bit suspicious.

"...Something to protect."

Even though I know I shouldn't cause him more trouble, I feel like I will eventually rely on him. That's how I feel.

Thank you for always reading.

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（Note: The last sentence is a mix of Chinese and Japanese. Here is the corrected translation: "It's a sweet, loving story. Thank you very much for your support!"）