# 76
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As expected, as if my prediction was wrong, Lucio blinked his eyes slowly and then nodded.
I was happy to see this and quickly entered the carriage.
I was so excited that I wanted to wave his hand.
I was a little annoyed because I always looked like an idiot every time I met Lucio, but I felt like I finally got my image back a little.
“He cares about Diana and is jealous of his friends, so he doesn't want to have a fool around.”
“Did you see him now?”
At that time, Duke Ellard, who had come last and was closing the carriage door, asked the Duchess as soon as he sat down.
“You look so stupid.”
Then he burst into an uncharacteristically loud laugh.
I thought there was something going on in the way she narrowed the corners of her mouth, pretending she wasn't a duchess, but I couldn't understand it.
When I tilted my head and looked, the Duke looked at me too.
His face, still holding a smile, changed to a more relieved expression when he saw me.
Then what was so funny made me burst out laughing.
A while ago, I was feeling annoyed by the crowd of people, but I don't know why I suddenly felt better.
Since I was not yet at the level of being able to guess the Duke's opinion, I thought that I would have to work harder in the future.
I patted Diana, who was blinking hard, gathered the bag and the magic circle I was carrying in my arms, then quietly rested my chin on the windowsill and looked up at the dark night sky.
Although I was also tired, when I looked at the crescent moon hanging at an angle, instead of sleeping, my mind became filled with many thoughts.
I'm thinking of taking the magic circle to Tilin tomorrow and starting work in earnest...
Then, suddenly, an image of an Askart with red eyes came to my mind.
For some reason, I didn't think I could forget that photo so easily.
* * *
〈Sir, I am working hard on the studies you asked me to do. I also go to the library every day. I will take good care of Little Miss, so please trust me! 〉
Lucio burst into laughter when he remembered that Leia had gotten into the carriage with a fresh face, enunciating the words as if she were checking her late homework.
As a result, that was the only valid conversation I had with that child all day.
“This is pathetic.”
Lucio turned around and said that he didn't know why he was disappointed, but for some reason he felt disappointed.
I felt tired of everything, including prom.
However, he had to come, so Lucio, who was returning to the dormitory to cool down and rest for a while, stopped by.
This is because as soon as I entered the floor where his room was located, I felt someone's presence.
When all the students rush to the dance hall, who will stay in the dormitory….
“Ascart.”
When Lucio called out softly, the person who was sitting on the sofa in the hall with his face buried in his knees slowly raised his head.
“Lucio.”
Askart asked with a surprised face.
“Why are you here at this hour...I thought we were going straight to the prom, are you back after seeing your family?”
Even though he was trying to speak in a bright voice, Lucio keenly noticed that Ascarte's eyes were red.
“I've seen Aline many times since I was young, but this is the first time I've seen your younger sister, and she looks just like you. I was very surprised, because she looks so similar. Oh, this isn't about you. You look like the Duke.”
“It's been a long time since I've seen the Duchess, and she looks the same as before. Now that I think about it, it's been a long time since I've seen the Duke. I should say hello sometime...”
“Ascart.”
“Huh?”
“Stop shivering, go back to your room and sleep.”
Ascarte, who had been spitting out words non-stop like someone excited by Lucio's words, closed his mouth.
He scratched his cheek sheepishly as he looked at the bored expression on his old friend Lucio's face.
Lucio had his usual cold demeanor and showed no sign of calming down.
But upon seeing this, Ascarte felt lighter
Askart asked, feeling his heart warm at the silent gaze of his seemingly indifferent friend.
“Lucio, can I come to your house?”
At those words, Lucio, who was rubbing his temples and showing an annoyed expression, stopped.
He lowered his hand and answered for the first time, raising the corner of his mouth faintly.
“No”
* * *
Thump, thump.
Bianca quickly arrived at the department that managed the Archduke's mail, knocked on the door, and entered directly.
"All ready, Commander?! What happened here?"
“I heard there is a message from the empire.”
To be precise, in the Duchy of Elad.
Bianca asked, not caring whether the department staff were embarrassed or not.
But her words made the staff even more embarrassed.
Bianca was second only to the Archduke and Archduchess in the castle, and she had countless subordinates, including assistants.
Even if she had stayed still, the letter would have been delivered to her office before noon today, but there were enough people who would deliver it immediately with just one word.
‘However, the fact that she took the first step like this... …!’
“This means that an important message has arrived from the Empire!”
Her appearance made the employees' frozen minds spin.
Just then, a quick-handed employee found a letter in a pile of correspondence being urgently sorted.
“Here, here, captain.”
Bianca looked embarrassed when she saw the person handing over the letter with a cheerful face.
I roughly understood what they were thinking, but I couldn't correct them.
I can't tell for the sake of my face that my body was actually moving as soon as I heard that a message had arrived from Duke Elad while I was doing a light warm-up in the training hall.
Of course, it could have been a message from the Duke, just like the sudden request for help last time, but there was such a thing as a premonition.
I have a feeling that the message that has arrived now is the message I have been waiting for.
"Yes . … !"
As expected, the envelope bearing the Duke of Elad's crest had 'Leia' written on it in small, clear letters.
“You know how to write letters.”
For some reason, I felt reassured.
While I sent the letter and waited, I asked the Duchess to help Leah write the reply, but I was worried that I might be putting an unnecessary burden on the child, who was a servant.
However, I was surprised to receive an unexpected handwritten response.
She was probably a smart kid, so she might have learned the letters in the meantime.
Bianca wanted to open the letter and read it right away, but there were too many eyes watching, so she left a short message asking her to work hard and turned around.
As soon as I got out, I opened the envelope.
I knew that walking outside and reading letters wasn't a good look, but I couldn't help it.
“Fuhahahaha.”
Bianca burst into joyful laughter as soon as she read the first line.
Dear Countess Bianca, the most wonderful person in the world.
How could he be so cute and adorable?
When I saw the elegant handwriting, carefully pressed by fern-like hands, my heart felt unusually warm.
Although I was a little embarrassed, I was also happy that the little girl's kindness towards me was revealed.
Of course, Bianca continued reading the letter, not knowing that Leah had chosen the phrase with the utmost restraint and childlike consideration.
“Hmm.”
Bianca, who had already read the last line, rubbed her chin and let out an awkward sigh.
The content of the letter that Leia wrote was full of praise for the Principality of Pylos.
She seemed to have studied the Principality of Pylos through a book some time ago.
But there was not a single story that aroused Bianca's curiosity.
Do you feel any pain anywhere, is someone bothering you? Isn't work hard? ….
“She was wondering how I was doing.”
Of course, I was grateful to learn more about the emirate and think positively about it, but I had no idea that the letter would be full of stories about the emirate.
Even though I pitched the story first, it was supposed to be engaging in its own way, but somehow it seemed to be going in a strange direction.
But Bianca quickly shook her head and decided to think positively.
I wrote this letter in a roundabout way, thinking that Leah naturally wouldn't know how to read, and that the Duchess would pass it on to her, but I thought it would be better to express it more actively next time.
This is because the Principality of Pylos has long been engaged in more charitable work for orphans than any other country, and the quality of its facilities and support is unrivaled.
Furthermore, if you have as much mana as Leia, it will be easier to settle down and get better treatment because the Principality hires talents based on ability, regardless of origin.
“No matter how much I think about it, being a maid is a waste of time.”
It was the time when Bianca realized that her feelings for Lia, who kept going to Lia for no reason, were greed for talent, and she immediately thought of the content of her next letter.
She winced and stopped in her tracks.
In my mind, I had already planned a curriculum to teach Leia swordsmanship alongside her if she had even the slightest athletic ability, but there was one thing that surprised me.
It was the younger Princess Diana who had Leah go to Duke Elad instead of following her.
'Even though we only met for a short time, I tried not to let it go, but now...'
If she had been affectionate, I would have listened to her willingly.
“No way, I'm more worried because the baby looks so cute.”
If I had had more time instead of rushing back to Pylos, and gone to the duke's castle together, I would have had more chances to appeal, but I was very disappointed.
“She must have grown a lot.”
It is said that children usually grow differently every day, and because Leah lived in a less-than-ideal environment, she appeared much shorter than her peers, so she may have grown up quickly.
That was the time I clicked my tongue and cringed at the thought of not being able to see that picture.
“Bianca.”
“...Your Highness!”
Bianca, who could hear the sound even though it was so soft that it sounded like it would break, immediately ran towards the woman who was coming out, supported by her maid.