Yufil de Walt slammed his fist on the table in exasperation. The servant next to him recoiled in fright.
After recent events, the heir to the dukedom was so outraged that he could barely concentrate on his work. The younger sister, whom he hated, still haunted him.
For a whole year, the guy's life seemed perfect. The annoying fly that had been circling around him all this time had finally disappeared. Yufil could calmly prepare to receive the title and fulfill his duties as heir. But...
As soon as Camille crossed the threshold of their house again, all the peace that had been there before instantly collapsed. What was happening now, Yufil could only call lawlessness.
And although Camille had suddenly changed now and was no longer stalking him, it didn't make the problems any less. The girl found a new way to annoy him every day.
Not only was she wasting their family's fortune by making a bunch of useless purchases. Not to mention the fact that she began to completely ignore her relatives, showing open disrespect towards them. But her latest prank drove a decisive nail into the guy's patience.
Although the de Walt family did not have much influence and had only a monetary advantage, it was still the residence of the duke. It wasn't a place where everyone could come and go as they pleased. Therefore, Yufil was even more outraged that his sister had turned their house into a courtyard!
And how else to explain the fact that she brought a girl into the house, about whose origin she knew absolutely nothing? Moreover, she left her to live in her own room. Thus, this scoundrel found herself in close proximity to the ducal family.
This commoner pretending to be an innocent lamb could very well be a murderer sent by another noble family. After all, many aristocrats wanted to get their hands on the property of the de Walt family, and in particular their diamond mine.
Only an impenetrable idiot like Camille wouldn't know that.
Yufil couldn't believe that his father had actually made such a mistake. By leaving this dubious person here, they were all in danger. Even if she's not a murderer, the girl from the street doesn't deserve to be here!
— I've had enough!
The guy resolutely got up from the table. Since Camilla returned home, Yufil has already turned a blind eye to many of her actions. It seems that because of such condescension, the girl completely forgot her place.
"Obviously, my father and I were too kind to her. And that's what came of it!"
Since the duke is inactive, Yufil, as the heir of the family, decided to take control of the situation into his own hands.
Today, he intended to put an end to his younger sister's outrages.
***
— Your hands don't look the best... It's good that I thought to borrow the ointment from Dr. Xavier!
Almost immediately, I noticed that the commoner's hands were covered with abrasions and scars. Of course, I put it down to her hard work in the field. She must have had neither the money nor the time to take care of herself.
"Actually, I just don't care..."
Kaena was surprised when the duke's daughter suddenly offered to treat her old scars. According to the girl, the ointment prepared by their family doctor was so effective that most of the flaws would become invisible after the first application.
The princess tried to refuse this offer, but Camilla was already sitting in front of her and diligently applying the medicine. Kaena was watching her closely.
— Why are you doing this? — She frowned.
— well... You're a girl after all, — she explained uncertainly, — and hands are the first thing people pay attention to.
"So what?"
Kaena couldn't figure out what she was thinking. If the ducal maiden was aware of her parentage, then she must also know about the terrible things she had done. The girl received her first scar during the first battle at the age of thirteen. After that, she just stopped paying attention to such things.
When you kill people, you can't leave your hands clean. All these scars from various types of weapons served as a reminder of how much she had to go through. To be honest, Kaena never gave a damn about how she looked.
But this woman, for some strange reason, did not think so.
— Ahem... I'm also a little worried.
— Wh-what?
Kaena stared at Camille in shock when she said those words. To hear such a thing was as incredible as if someone had confessed their love to her. Impossible.
— Do you worry about someone often? — the princess decided to clarify. For some reason, this question suddenly bothered her a lot.
— no... In fact, you're the only one.
— what? — Repeating it a second time, Kaena felt stupid.
— I mean, I've never had to save anyone before... So you're the first.
After the commoner's question, I thought about it myself. It's been a year since my rebirth, and I still haven't had a single loved one in this world.
My only friend, with whom we were lucky enough to reincarnate in the same universe, was thousands of kilometers away from me. Besides, Jeremy is getting married soon... I don't think a family man will have much time for me.
What can we say about the connections of the real Camilla.
All her life, she was too concerned about her relatives and therefore did not make any attempts to make acquaintances. Most of the society did not even know that the Duke de Valt had a daughter. I was like a shadow of this family.
Thus, my inconspicuous existence suited me up to a certain point. Now that I really thought about it, I felt a little sad.
"This poor girl has devoted herself to people who don't give a damn about her... I really don't have any memories of myself."
Our acquaintance with the commoner happened purely by chance.
And indeed... Why did I do that? Perhaps it's only now that I've realized the true reason for my impulsive act.
I smiled faintly when it suddenly occurred to me that I had saved the girl solely because of my selfish motives. I just wanted to become a significant person for someone. Being a savior in someone's eyes wasn't so bad.
The commoner stared at me dumbfounded when I suddenly began to smile at my own thoughts.
Our idyll, when we just stared at each other in silence, lasted for several seconds. After that, a man whose existence I had hardly thought about for the past few days boldly burst into the room.
Ah... That jerk still hasn't left me alone. This time, he didn't even bother to knock on the door first.
I wrinkled my forehead.
Sometimes his behavior reminded me of my younger brother from a previous life, who liked to come into my room only to drop something or turn off the light. I couldn't believe that a grown-up guy like Yufil could still do such things.
— What do you need? — I asked calmly.
— Are you still asking? I demand that this beggar get out of our house immediately! — he shouted.
When Yufil angrily pointed his finger at the commoner, she gave him an unkind look.
— It won't work.
— what?
— Father has already given his consent for her to stay here.
— And? I don't agree with that!
— well... I don't think many people care.
My older brother choked with indignation when I said this to his face. Probably because the Duke's attitude towards me had become more loyal lately, I could afford a little more.
— I don't want to listen to you. Go away.
God. In the old days, this guy would do anything to get Camille to leave him alone. So why is he doing this now?
As if I haven't had enough to worry about lately. He was the only one missing.
I frowned slightly, feeling a sudden headache.
— How dare you send me away?!
Not wanting to calm down, Yufil continued to get on my nerves. However, since his position in this house was still higher than mine, I couldn't just rudely kick him out the door.
Wanting to resolve this issue diplomatically, I spoke neutrally:
— I've already said everything. Don't make me repeat myself. If you still have any complaints, then discuss them with your father.
— ...
The heir to the dukedom ground his teeth in hatred. He found it humiliating that this girl dared to tell him what to do. However, since he had come here to teach her a lesson, he wasn't going to leave so easily. "Well, wait, brat! Do you think that since your father didn't do anything to you, you can get away with it?!"
Yufil resolutely headed towards Kaena, intending to drag her out of the estate with his own hands. But the next moment, he couldn't even grab her by the collar. Yufil shuddered. He met the princess's gaze and saw that her golden eyes were filled with hatred.
"I didn't notice it before, because I didn't really look at her, but what kind of look does she have..."
The young man's head was all muddled. Since childhood, moving in the circle of secular society, Yufilu had met with a variety of people. But even he had never seen such piercing eyes.
The woman standing in front of him did not look like a simpleton in front of a noble lord at all. At that moment, she reminded him more of a predator threatening his life.
Yufil's gut told him that it was dangerous.
The duke's son, who was afraid of the humble commoner, involuntarily swallowed. Then he blushed, as if he was offended by his own reflexes. A desire arose in him to get out of here as soon as possible.
However, wanting to preserve his dignity, Yufil just pretended to change his mind.
— Tchk. It hurts that I waste my time on someone so insignificant!
With these words, Yufil de Walt quickly retreated, as if fleeing. The Crown Princess watched him go and smiled wryly.
"This cockroach... He will need to be swatted first."
The last week of our life together with a commoner was quiet and peaceful. It was the first time in my life that I spent so much time with another person. Moreover, he is almost a stranger to me.
Despite the fact that the commoner and I met by chance and had nothing in common, we easily managed to find a common language. We can even say that we became friends.
I think I'll even miss her for a while when we break up.
The sideways glances of the servants in our direction evaporated quite quickly, so we quietly strolled around the residence. Even that jerk finally calmed down and stopped bothering me.
It seems that Yufil has finally come to terms with the presence of a commoner here. But why...?
If I had my way, I would certainly want to investigate the reason for this sudden change in his behavior. But unfortunately or fortunately, I was too indifferent to care about it. This man, as well as the Duke, did not interest me at all as a person.
From now on, I decided not to waste any more time on people who didn't care about me. That's why my older brother's impulsive outbursts passed me by.
Let him do what he wants. As long as it didn't concern me, I didn't care.
Instead, I chose to say a proper goodbye to the commoner before she leaves this place forever. The girl's wounds healed quickly, and I realized that the moment of our parting was closer than ever.
As expected, according to Xavier's forecast, in ten days the commoner could stand firmly on her feet. She didn't need my help anymore.
I've decided to send her on a "free float" tomorrow. And today we will organize a farewell tea party in the garden.
I wanted as many good memories as possible in her new and undoubtedly difficult life. Moreover, it was not so difficult to arrange it.
I told Elisha to set the tea table and put it in the garden planted with white roses. A lace tablecloth was neatly spread over it, and white pillows lay on the chairs. The end result was elegant and cute. Just the sight of it took my breath away with delight.
I usually didn't ask the chefs to cook so much for me alone. But today was an exceptional case.
The table was filled with a variety of sweet desserts, such as colorful macaroons, shortbread cakes with lots of strawberries and a chocolate cake with delicate chocolate side dishes.
My mouth was literally watering.
— I didn't know what you liked, so everything was cooked to my taste. You don't mind, do you?
When Camille flashed her a dazzling smile, Kaena slowly nodded her head.
In fact, upon seeing the contents of the tea table, the Crown Princess unconsciously winced. "There's too much sugar in here." Kaena didn't like this kind of food too much. However, when she wanted to voice her displeasure about this, the smiling face of the woman, who was happy at that moment, stopped her. As a result, the princess unknowingly decided that she would just drink tea.
I was sitting relaxed on a chair and eating my dessert a little bit. At that moment, I saw a commoner lift a cup and do it so elegantly that it seemed unusual to me.
"Hmm, that's a little weird."
Tea is a rather expensive product, which was mainly inherent in the diet of aristocrats. Poor people rarely had the opportunity to taste tea, so how could she learn to drink it with such a casual manner? It couldn't help but give me some thoughts.
"Well, it must be because she has such a beautiful appearance, her eating manners also seem very attractive."
Indulging in ridiculous fantasies, I didn't even notice how stupidly I was staring at her.
— Why are you looking at me like that?
— Oh... me... I wanted to tell you something.
The girl raised her head and looked at me. She put the cup down on the table.
— What is it exactly?
When I heard her question, I smiled contentedly.
Surrounded by the scent of white roses, we spent time in the garden, and the atmosphere was just wonderful. It seemed to me that this was the most appropriate moment to do this.
I put down my empty cup with a sense of enjoyment and was about to give her my parting gift. Well, since I couldn't just give her a wad of money, I had to resort to a more ingenious method.
I had no funds of my own, since all the property was under the control of the Duke. All I could do was ask him to write me a check every time I needed to buy something.
Actually, that's why I bought so many jewelry and expensive things. One day, before my escape, I was going to sell them and use the money to provide for myself for the first time.
After that, I will already think about what to do next...
A necklace with a rare pink ruby was one of the most valuable in my collection.
I was sorry to part with it, but nevertheless, I did not hesitate to put it in the palm of a commoner. She's obviously going to need it more than me.
— Take this with you. If you sell it, you'll have enough money to rent a place and hire a good doctor.
Seeing the sparkling necklace on her palm, the princess's face became puzzled.
"Why did she decide to give me something like this?"
There were only two options. Either she wanted to insult her on purpose, or she suggested it out of ignorance. But... The latter option did not sound very plausible.
If this woman had read the news at least once, she should have known that her fortune was twice the size of the emperor's treasury. Kaena stared at the duke's daughter doubtfully, trying to figure out her motives.
— I have money.
I sighed and shook my head.
"Now is not the time to show pride."
Although, perhaps, it really did not sound quite appropriate. Even among the commoners, there are proud people. I didn't want to humiliate her with my pity. Anyway, the thought that this commoner might be suffering from hunger upset me. Therefore, I had to approach this issue from a different angle.
— I'm giving it to you for a reason. If there comes a time when I find myself in a difficult situation, you will have to help me.
I gave her the necklace as an advance payment for a future favor — so it shouldn't have embarrassed her. Of course, as a lady from a noble family, it is unlikely that I will ever need to ask for help from a commoner, so this was just an excuse.
But the frown returned to the princess's face.
"Is she really trying to bribe me with this...?"
Kaena thought it was some kind of joke.
In her life, Kaena de Ronan has met many people who tried to bribe her with money. In this way, they tried to save their lives, avoid trouble, or enlist the support of the princess. But such deals did not interest Kaena at all. She wasn't going to let anyone manipulate her with money. In front of. More often than not, such a person lost his life even faster.
So far, no one has been able to make a deal with the monstrous Crown Princess.
However, what surprised Kaena the most in this situation was not the fact that this woman was trying to bribe her. And the way she wanted to do it.
In her eyes, this necklace was completely worthless. Even one button on the clothes that the Crown Princess usually wore was worth more than this piece of jewelry. This woman really must be out of her mind if she hoped that she could bribe the second most powerful man in the empire with something like this.
And yet...
— good.
As she said these words, she saw a smile appear on Camille's face. It seemed quite enough to Kaena. The princess grinned and brought the cup to her mouth.
"I wonder what she's going to ask me for?"
Having made a deal with the crown Princess of this Empire herself, this woman must have had certain ambitions. Destroying your family and becoming the head of the family? A place of honor at court? An increase in status in society, or an attempt on someone?
Anyway, the fact that some duke's daughter actually managed to bribe her with a low-grade necklace seemed unheard of. Not long ago, the Crown Princess would never have believed it. However, now she thought that this deal was not so bad.
"Does that mean she wants to keep dating me?"
— Well, we had a good time today. I'm taking you to the city tomorrow, so we'll need to go to bed early.
«...»
Hearing these words, Kaena's mood plummeted.
"Oh, right."
The girl completely forgot that she had to leave here tomorrow.
For some reason, this fact upset her greatly.
She glanced at Camille, but as soon as their eyes met, she felt that she was in a difficult position. Moreover, when a wide smile appeared on the girl's beautiful face again, the princess's mouth went dry.
The hand with which she was clutching the cup seemed hot.
The Crown Princess had a strange expression on her face all evening, but Camilla didn't pay attention to it.
After all, we spent a lot of time together. She must have been sad to say goodbye too. But it's for the best.
If I can't even protect myself, then how can I take responsibility for another person? So it's better if we both go our separate ways.
I promised the commoner that I would escort her to the capital tomorrow afternoon. In the meantime, we should have had a good rest.
My eyes were already closing involuntarily from fatigue. I took a bath with fragrant oils and went to bed, feeling that it was one of the best days in recent times.
Tossing and turning sweetly in my sleep, in the morning I did not immediately realize that someone was waking me up. Opening my eyes with difficulty, I found in front of me the worried face of Elisha, who suddenly burst into my room early in the morning.
— Uh...?
I was so sleepy that I could barely put words into sentences.
"My Lady, something has happened!"
I muttered indistinctly in my sleep.
But her next words sobered me instantly.
— The commoner you sheltered fell from a tree this morning...! — the maid announced out of the blue.
— What?!
I was so surprised that I jerked out of bed. Am I still dreaming about this?! Stuttering, Elisha continued:
— My Lady, I think she broke her arm!
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