Chapter 1. The fiancé is back
What is this sound?
I looked around in bewilderment.
Soon, I noticed a loud flash of light outside the curtained window. There was also the sound of heavy rain.
“Don’t tell me…”
Has the rainy season already come? No way. There’s still a week left until the rainy season starts.
I hurriedly opened the window and looked out.
The endless raindrops hit the windowsill and splashed into my face.
Because of the dark clouds, I couldn’t tell if it was morning or night.
It wasn’t ordinary rain. And it didn’t look like it would stop easily.
Rumbling, bang!
“Hig!”
I sat down with my ears covered at the sound of thunder hitting my ears.
My body trembled and my eyes were blurred. The hand that covered my ears kept slipping down.
“My Lady!”
Misa slammed the door open, ran, and hugged me tightly as I was shaking like a fool.
“It’s okay, My Lady.”
“Ugh, ughh.”
“It’s just thunder. There’s nothing to be scared of.”
I knew that too. But, what could I do about that that scared me?
Misa comforted me, but like a fool, I couldn’t calm myself down and cried endlessly.
*****
The rainy season started early. It’s a week earlier than expected.
It didn’t matter much because we had already prepared for the rainy season, but the problem was me.
It was impossible to ride the carriages because of the pouring rain.
“It really can’t?”
“I truly apologize.”
The driver bowed more and apologized.
“You don’t have to apologize like that. It’s not your fault.”
It’s all because of the rain.
The thunder and lightning had stopped, but the rain was still pouring down.
Even though I didn’t know much about horses and carriages, riding a carriage in this weather was suicide.
Nine years ago, the former Duke and his wife died in vain and it was because the carriage slipped in the rain.
Thinking about it gave me a headache.
Sarah asked anxiously as I frowned and ran my hand over my head.
“Are you okay, My Lady?”
“I’m okay.”
I looked at the coachman with a smile.
“Then when can the carriage be ridden?”
“I can’t give you a definite answer, but I think it will be possible in about 4 days.”
There were only 12 days left until the test. Excluding the time to go to the capital, there were only 8 days left.
It’s a waste of 4 days, but there’s no other way. Because I couldn’t go to the capital through this kind of rain.
“Okay. I’ll wait for you, and I’ll always be ready to leave. Let me know if it’s possible to ride the carriage anytime.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Then what should I do with my free time now?
Had I known this would happen, I would have brought more books.
I sighed at the unexpected situation.
I was anxiously looking out the window, hoping the rain would stop soon, when I heard footsteps.
I thought it was just a passerby, but the footsteps stopped behind me.
Who is it?
When I turned my head, I saw Countess Thebesa, who had been dressed lavishly since early hours.
“It’s raining a lot. Come to think of it, it’s rainy season here.”
“…it seems like you can’t go back to the mansion today.”
Just like I planned to leave for the capital, Countess Thebesa had also planned to return to the Count of Thebesa’s mansion today.
The wedding preparation wasn’t complete yet, but she said she would go back for a while because she had business to do.
“It can’t be helped. The servant told me that the rain would subside in 4 days, so I have no choice but to stay here in the meantime.”
That meant I had to keep looking at this unlucky woman’s face.
Cecily, Countess Thebesa.
It was literally a mountain over a mountain.
It felt like a disaster had come all at once.
“I had a conversation with the Duke yesterday. And I heard a weird story.”
Countess Thebesa said, rustling her feathered bucha.
“Are you thinking of taking the official test?”
Did Philen say that, too?
“Yes, that’s right.”
Countess Thebesa’s reply was expected.
I’m sure she’ll click her tongue saying ‘what official test’.
“What official test does a woman take?”
As expected.
It wasn’t because Countess Thebesa hated me in particular. It was a normal reaction.
Even Sarah, who followed me, was very surprised when I told her that I was taking the official test.
Every time they did that, my answer was the same.
“There’s no law that says that a woman cannot take the official test.”
“That’s true, but there’s not a single woman who has managed to be an official so far.”
The response to this was the same.
“Just because there hasn’t been one doesn’t mean it won’t be in the future.”
“Really, who do you resemble to be so stubborn?”
Countess Thebesa frowned and folded her fan aloud.
“A woman’s happiness comes from her family’s happiness. So, don’t do useless things, please the duke, take care of yourself, and stay quietly attached to the duke’s family.”
“Ha.”
As I let out a small laugh, Countess Thebesa’s eyes narrowed.
“It seems like you found my words hilarious, huh?”
“How can I not laugh when you say that?”
“What?”
“So, are you happy?”
I looked at Countess Thebesa with a sneer on my lips.
“Count Thebesa has many mistresses, and the son of Thebesa looks happy with gambling. Do you feel happy seeing them like that?”
I deliberately touched Countess Thebesa’s weakness.
Countess Thebessa was speechless and her face flushed red.
Her hand holding the fan trembled. The same goes for her extended eyelashes.
“You b*tch are crazy, huh! Because you’re going to be a duchess soon, you can’t seem to see anything, huh?!”
“I don’t think I’m the one who can’t see anything, but it’s you.”
“What?!”
“You don’t think here is the Count of Thebesa, do you?”
Here was the Duke of Williot. It’s not a place where Countess Thebesa could do as she will.
When I made it clear, the Countess looked around in embarrassment.
Although it was early, there were quite a few servants in the corridor.
Countess Thebesa’s face turned white as one of them ran somewhere.
“…we’ll see, Leila!”
Countess Thebesa gave me a venomous glance, then quickly disappeared.
When I was young, those words and actions were frightening, but not anymore.
There was nothing but laughter that came out. Not because it was pleasant or enjoyable, but because it was ridiculous.
“Are you okay, My Lady?”
A maid approached and asked.
“I’m okay.”
I answered briefly and looked out the window.
It was still raining. I couldn’t see anything outside the window.
It was natural to rain since it was the rainy season, but this time it seemed to be severe.
The maximum amount of precipitation might be achieved during this rainy season.
“I’m worried.”
Will I be able to take the official test?
It was a hard-earned opportunity and I didn’t want to miss it.
I sincerely hoped again and again that the rain would stop in 4 days.
*****
It’s been 3 days since the rainy season started.
9 days left until the official test.
It’s time for the rain to gradually weaken, but instead of weakening, it became stronger and stronger.
The coachman, who said I could leave tomorrow, said I had to wait 2 more days.
Two days. If I spent two more days here, I only had 7 days left.
Although there were still three days left, there’s no guarantee that the once-postponed schedule would not be postponed again.
And there’s no way to know what might happen on the way to the capital.
This made me worried that I might not be able to take the official test.
My mouth was dry.
I looked out the window anxiously.
Rattle, bang!
The door opened violently without knocking.
It was a servant who opened the door.
Perhaps he ran in a hurry, the servant was exhaling a rough breath.
“My, My Lady! We’re in trouble!”
Remnants of the past glimpsed over the shouting sound.
The old memories of more than nine years. The prelude to the tragedy of the former Duke and his wife.
“My Lady!”
When I sat down on the floor, the servant rushed to support me.
“Are you okay, My Lady?”
I wanted to answer calmly that I was okay, but I couldn’t because the words couldn’t come out.
My head was throbbing.
On the floor, the image of the dead Duke and his wife was drawn like a haze.
“Maid! Maid!”
When the servant called urgently, Misa rushed into the room.
“My Lady!”
Misa also rushed to support me.
“Oh my God, look at the cold sweat.”
Misa didn’t mind getting her sleeves dirty and wiped the cold sweat from my forehead.
I put myself in Misa’s arms, closed my eyes tightly, and gasped for breath.
Fortunately, the image of the terrible past quickly disappeared.
I wasn’t perfectly stable, but I regained my composure enough to speak, and looked back at the servant.
“What’s… going on?”
“Ah, we, we’re in trouble, My Lady!”
The servant stomped his feet and shouted.
“It is said that the riverbank downstream has burst!”
“…what?”
What is he saying? The riverbank burst?
“Didn’t the riverbank repairs have been completed perfectly already? Why did the riverbank burst?”
“I, I also that far…”
Yeah, you didn’t know. It wasn’t a matter for a servant to know.
“I need to see the Duke right away.”
When I heard that Philen was in the office, I headed to the office and found Baron Wizard running urgently from the other side.
“Baron Wizard!”
“My Lady!”
Baron Wizard approached me almost like running.
“Did you hear the news?”
“I have already heard that the riverbank downstream has burst. What is the damage?”
“It is said that the rice paddies and fields were all flooded, and the people who lived nearby were swept away by the ruptured river.”
The rice paddies and fields were all flooded, and people were also harmed.
I had to come up with measures immediately.
To do that, I went into the office where Philen was with Baron Wizard.