You Said I Was a Persecuted, Terminally Ill Grand Duchess? - Chapter 48

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 48

 

“But even if what happened that day was a misunderstanding, it’s true that I’ve been mean to you all this time. I want to apologize for that first. I’m really… really sorry.”

 

Though her voice trembled, the content within was clearly conveyed.

 

A moment of silence fell among the servants.

 

I glanced sideways at Katarina.

 

Then I quietly took the hand of the dirt-covered prickly young lady.

 

“!”

 

Did she gain even a little courage?

 

Katarina gently stroked my hand once before letting go.

 

She looked at the young girl in front of her and carefully continued speaking.

 

“This incident really made me think a lot. I know very well that I’ve been wrong all this time, Genie.”

 

“!”

 

The girl’s mouth, which had been filled only with anger, opened in surprise.

 

“You must have suffered a lot because of me all this time, right?”

 

“You… knew my name?”

 

Genie’s voice trembled mercilessly as she asked back.

 

Everyone present could sense the complex emotions contained within.

 

“To be honest, I only learned it recently. Even that is something I’m sorry about.”

 

The noble young lady in ridiculous pants, covered in dirt from head to toe, somehow looked most dignified right now.

 

‘Katarina, you’ve grown!’

 

Somehow feeling like I was witnessing a friend’s growth, my heart fluttered pleasantly.

 

‘I’m getting all emotional for no reason. She’s so admirable.’

 

After that, Katarina turned around and offered apologies to the three young ladies who had been watching the situation.

 

“Lilian, Julie, Serena. I’m truly sorry. I hope you can forget everything I said before. And, if possible… I sincerely want to become true friends.”

 

Then she bit her lips tightly and, gathering courage, bowed deeply.

 

“Oh, my…”

 

“Everyone, I’m truly sorry for everything…”

 

An awkward silence lingered after her heavy apology.

 

Everyone seemed to be gauging Katarina’s sincerity with uncertainty.

 

This much was enough for today.

 

“Now, you need to receive your punishment again, right? Katarina!”

 

I grinned and held out the hoe again.

 

Katarina took it without complaint and crouched down in the vegetable garden again with a bitter expression.

 

She probably knew too.

 

That this wasn’t resentment that would end with just this once.

 

‘So we have no choice but to keep confronting each other until all the hatred toward me completely melts away.’

 

So now all that was needed was time.

 

Just waiting for time to pass while each person did their own work in their own place.

 

“Hmm hmm~”

 

Somehow I felt good!

 

Thud thud thud!

 

As I grinned and focused on digging the vegetable garden with the hoe again, the servants hesitated and glanced at each other.

 

“Sir Cal will be looking for us. Let’s head back now.”

 

“Mm…”

 

“Genie, aren’t you coming?”

 

“Ah, I, I should go.”

 

Eventually, the people who had gathered like clouds began returning to their places as if nothing had happened.

 

“We, we should go back too.”

 

“Yes…”

 

The young ladies who had been standing awkwardly also headed back to the Duke’s Castle, constantly fluttering their fans.

 

“I should host a tea party in the garden tomorrow. I’ll be the host this time.”

 

As I said this while watching their retreating figures, Katarina beside me chuckled softly.

 

That was brief.

 

After collecting her laughter, Katarina opened her mouth again in a serious voice.

 

Her gaze was still fixed on the furrow.

 

“Your Highness. I apologized to everyone, but the person I’m most sorry to is you. I’m truly sorry.”

 

“The apologies you made today are probably more than all the apologies you’ve made in your lifetime.”

 

“That, that’s… true.”

 

“What? Really?”

 

“Don, don’t tease me! I really regret it too!”

 

“Hahaha! Yes, that feeling is what’s important.”

 

As I laughed out loud, laughter gradually spread across Katarina’s face as she stared at me intently.

 

The beauty who had been hesitating for a moment asked shyly.

 

“Um, Your Highness… If it’s alright with you, may I call you Lady Rene from now on?”

 

Gasp! My heart!

 

It wasn’t intentional, but that made it all the more heart-damaging facial attack(?).

 

I could barely answer while trying to control my twitching lips.

 

“Of course. How formal! Last time you called me just Rene without even the ‘Lady’ part.”

 

“You, you remembered that.”

 

“Of course! I was happy. It felt like we were friends.”

 

Haha! As I burst into bright laughter, Katarina looked moved instead.

 

She put down the hoe and tightly grasped both my hands, tearing up.

 

“…I, I’ll become Your Highness’s true maid. Really.”

 

Katarina saying this had the most sincere eyes she’d ever had.

 

“Well, being a maid is fine, but please be my friend. I like the word ‘friend’ more than such titles.”

 

“Of, of course…”

 

Katarina’s answer came with tears glistening in her eyes, but she wore the happiest smile of all.

 

That made me so happy.

 

“Hehe!”

 

I smiled back at her for a long while too.

 

* * *

 

A few weeks later.

 

“Lady Rene! I’ll write to you. Katarina too.”

 

“We’ll see you at the next imperial banquet!”

 

“Please take care of yourself.”

 

“Yes, you young ladies take care too! Come visit again!”

 

Lilian, Julie, and Serena wiped away tears as they boarded carriages returning to their respective homes.

 

Sending off the larks who had been chattering for days somehow left one corner of my heart feeling empty.

 

But that was brief.

 

“Lady Rene, now that you’ve seen off the young ladies too, shall we go to the garden for tea time?”

 

After seeing off the young ladies at the gate and turning around, Katarina linked arms with me and asked sweetly.

 

“Just the two of us alone, of course.”

 

The beauty’s face was shy as she slightly leaned her head against mine.

 

Ever since we decided to become friends, Katarina had somehow been sticking to my side like glue, unwilling to leave.

 

I thought it would get better in a few days, but that tendency only grew stronger.

 

‘Why did she develop separation anxiety…?’

 

I couldn’t understand it at all, but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant!

 

A beauty’s obsession is cute~

 

But today I desperately needed some alone time, so I had no choice but to refuse.

 

“Ah, sorry. I have something to do today.”

 

“What is it? Can’t we do it together? I’ll help you!”

 

Yeah, sorry. Katarina. I’d rather borrow a cat’s paws than yours.

 

Since I couldn’t say that outright, I made an awkward excuse.

 

“Uh, that would be a bit difficult. Instead, let’s go play in the village together tomorrow.”

 

“Tch. Fine.”

 

I broke out in a cold sweat as I sent Katarina away, then finally headed to my room in the Main Residence.

 

Though I’d been living here for weeks, it was a room that never failed to amaze me each time I saw it.

 

To take a rest, I flopped down on the bed as soon as I returned to my room.

 

‘Ah… How much time have I had alone these past few weeks?’

 

Even roughly counting, there was almost none.

 

It was the complete opposite of the beginning when no one came looking for me.

 

How did it end up like this?

 

Most of all, the biggest change was…

 

“Ahem, since you’re married, you should share the same bedroom.”

 

“Now?”

 

“Wouldn’t ‘from now on’ be more accurate?”

 

The night I achieved a dramatic reconciliation with Katarina.

 

From that night on, the Grand Duke quite boldly knocked on my door, saying we should sleep together.

 

Absurdly enough, with a pillow tucked under his arm!

 

‘What’s with that pillow? Trying to act cute!’

 

To think he’d do something so adorable, so unsuited to his build.

 

My heart suddenly softened at this, so letting him into the room was an unavoidable choice.

 

Still, one lingering question was finally resolved.

 

I heard from the Grand Duke about the madness that had been passed down through generations in the Celeste Family.

 

“It’s a disease whose name we don’t even know, so we just call it madness. Perhaps it’s closer to a curse. For my father, it manifested as violence, but for me, it appeared as insomnia. But strangely, by your side, it’s completely cured.”

 

“I see…”

 

“This is truly a shameless request, but… could you help me? I will certainly repay you.”

 

The Grand Duke confessed the truth in a voice that crawled inward, unlike his usual self.

 

‘So that’s why he acted like a different person that night.’

 

I thought he seemed out of his mind.

 

But it really was because of the madness.

 

Even a disease that prevents sleep?!

 

‘How terrible.’

 

Having learned the preciousness of sleep the hard way during my graduate school days when my sleep pattern was disrupted from living on coffee, I couldn’t turn away from him.

 

Well, it wasn’t anything special, just asking to let him sleep beside me.

 

“I don’t need repayment. But we’re really just sleeping together. Don’t even think about touching me with a single fingertip!”

 

At first I wondered what kind of nonsense this was, but seeing the Grand Duke’s consistently serious demeanor, it seemed real.

 

“Right. I won’t.”

 

The Grand Duke, who just laughed off my sharp response, really kept his promise.

 

Though he was a bit awkward the first day, the Grand Duke really… literally just slept.

 

He even slept like a log!

 

‘Is it really madness? Didn’t he say he couldn’t sleep?’

 

He slept so well that his face became more radiant day by day.

 

Anyone could see his complexion had improved.

 

‘Should I be happy about this…?’

 

I was a bit uncertain, but it was better than someone dying.

 

Anyway!

 

For me, who had absolutely no time alone from morning to night for nearly a month, this moment was very precious.

 

I never knew when other clingy people might come looking for me!

 

I got up from the bed and sat at the well-organized desk to sort out the thoughts I’d been putting off.

 

Then I began scribbling something down on paper.

 

But the peace didn’t last long before it was shattered.

 

“Hey.”

 

By one irritating voice!

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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