Chapter 3

“…Ju-just some important documents that need to be reviewed.”

Seeing how he stuttered, I understood that he was hiding something.

“Why did my servant bring you such important documents? Where’s Butler Henry?”

“He-Henry, oh, he is not feeling well today so he is on sick leave…”

At that moment, the healthy man appeared and greeted the other employees. It was Butler Henry, my father’s aide. He bowed his head once he saw me with my father.

“Lady Petunia was here too.”

“Oh my, is it alright for you to walk around like this when you’re not feeling well?”

“Pardon? What do you mean, my lady?”

“My father told me that Butler Henry called in sick. Isn’t that the case?”

“…I was the one that called in sick?”

Henry looked at the Count in silence. Following Henry’s gaze I looked at my father… no… at a man who is as pale as porcelain.

“Father?”

“…”

“What is it that you’re hiding?”

“…H-hiding nothing.”

“You’ve been lying since earlier.”

“…”

“Are you trying to fool me, father?”

He sighed once he understood that I won’t give up.

“…Sorry. Let’s get inside and talk.”

Hehe, I won. 

I followed my father to his study with a victory smile.

Once I entered the study… my mother, the Countess, and Forte were sitting in the room. With my sudden appearance, the two looked at the Count with wide eyes.

“Why is Petunia here…?”

My mother’s voice was slightly trembling.

“…It’s an important matter that can’t be discussed without the person involved.”

My father said as he squinted his eyes hard. It seemed that he was signaling them about the situation.

The two, having a hard time grasping the situation, looked at each other with confusion.

“Petunia, have a seat.”

“Yes, Father.”

I sat down on a chair with a smile that Petunia often wore.

We had small talks for a while, however the conversation didn’t last long as my mother and Forte were keeping an eye on me all the time.

My father, who couldn’t delay the real topic anymore, since it was obvious that I wasn’t going to leave, opened the envelope. The topic of the letter was rather astonishing for me.

***

“What is… the meaning of this?”

None of them were answering my question. Only the top of their golden heads were showing as they all lowered their heads.

I blinked as I stared at the papers piled up on the table. Amongst them were several letters that were addressed to me. The amount of paper was so enormous that I was dumbfounded by it.

“Who’d like to explain?”

No one showed any sign of opening their mouths, so in the end, I reached one of the nearest papers.

At the bottom of the paper, there was a writing which was the proof of this paper was sent from an aristocratic family, and information about the person who was going to be the next head of that family.

It’s as if they were providing marriage information.

‘…Huh?’

I checked the other letters quickly. Some of them were sent by the head of the family directly, and some of them were sent by the family Butler asking for their master’s stead. Each one of them was similar to the first one.

I looked at my father with eyes that were asking for an explanation. When he avoided my gaze, I looked at my mother, yet she also avoided my eyes.

I moved my gaze between one after another, yet they insisted on not making eye contact with me. Each one of them were just turning their heads away to not be the one that explains.

I couldn’t believe how they sat like rocks, doing nothing.

I opened another envelope in front of me with a letter opener, with trembling hands.

I was sure enough that these were…

“Marriage… proposals…?”

“…”

“Can any of you give me an answer?”

Who was the one that said ‘silence is gold’? As for me now, it was nothing but a factor that got my blood pressure high.

I tried clearing my mind as I checked the correspondence. The corresponding letters from our end were few, yet all were courtship letters.

In the novel, the aristocrats asked someone’s hand in marriage through a letter. It wasn’t the case for love marriages, sending a letter was the way to ask for a political marriage.

If a man sent a letter to a woman asking for a marriage personally, it would mean two things.

Whether the man asking for a marriage comes from a fallen family, or the head of the family is on his deathbed so he has to take over the family.

Yet, there were marriage letters sent even if there weren’t cases like those.

It was only when it was certain that both families would benefit from the marriage.

There was not even a single aristocrat who didn’t know Petunia was madly in love with Sonot. Considering the rumor of their breakup quickly spreading throughout the capital, there could only be one answer to these letters.

Use this family to benefit from it.

After sorting my thoughts, I felt the strength in my body leaving me. I was wondering why the three of them gathered here without me.

I swept my long hair away as I put down the letter.

“Can you explain what’s going on?”

“…”

“Since all of you are keeping your silence, there is nothing to do but understand it as I want.”

“Petunia!”

“I’m sorry…”

“Let me explain everything!”

So it was going to be like this.

I looked at the three of them with a blank expression on my eyes. Unlike Forte, who had a soft and kind impression like mother, Petunia had a cold impression of her father. When I stared at them blankly like this, the aura of Petunia gave off the chills.

As I leaned back on the chair without saying another word, Petunia’s family had time to collect their thoughts. Father was the first to open his mouth.

***

The three were being careful of their words to not offend me.

To conclude their words, this was all planned to console Petunia, who was heartbroken.

Petunia had been low on spirit ever since they argued with Sonot. It was more like making a clear break up with Sonot rather than an argument.

Petunia always had small quarrels with Sonot. She couldn’t take the annulment of their engagement when she was so caught up with Sonot. As evidence of her sorrow and hopelessness, she locked herself to her room for 10 days.

But I was not Petunia. So, breaking up with Sonot meant nothing to me.

However, the eyes of people were already seeing me after the filter of patheticness. They saw me as ‘the lady who couldn’t get over her broken heart’ regardless of where I was or what I was doing at that moment.

Every time I went outside, the whispers involving the words ‘Lady Inkledov…’ followed me like a shadow. That’s why I stopped attending social gatherings.

I didn’t know other people, but I thought at least Petunia’s family would understand me…! I must have been under a great illusion thinking like that.

“They say, the only way to overcome the wound of a love is by finding a new love.”

“…But I wasn’t even hurt?”

“You don’t have to say that. You think we can’t see how you feel?”

“Mother…”

I didn’t know. I really didn’t know what to do.

Of course I wasn’t being like this because I didn’t want to date. The men here were handsome because of their distinctive features.

Even looking at the Count’s Knights, one could see there were handsome men, so why wouldn’t I want to date at this young age!

But…

“Petunia, to be honest, I saw you staring at the knights on the training grounds.”

Oh my god. 

“Br-Brother…!”

“Don’t try to deny it.”

I looked at Forte with shaking eyes. I thought my secret hobby was only known by the maids, was I wrong?

“I knew it for a while now.”

A terrible memory flashed through my head. The memory of me getting caught by my parents while watching p*rn in middle school.

Somehow… this felt like déjà vu.

Watching the knights wasn’t something wrong. They were being naked in public, and I didn’t do anything to them other than looking.

So I should be confident in myself!

Being ashamed was only for people who did something bad.

I only watched the knights’ training, so I lifted my chin up with confidence.

It was rather embarrassing to be found out by my family.

To say it in a different way, it was like leaving to drink water when a kissing scene comes while watching drama…?

It’s nothing but a kiss, but the parents cough and the kids have to act like they are playing with their phones for no reason. The feeling was quite similar to that moment.

However, this was not Korea, and I had the title, Count’s daughter.

If Petunia were to be known as staring at naked knights’ bodies as a hobby… it would only end up being an embarrassment.

The secret hobby of a prestigious families’ only daughter would be good gossip material for society. It wouldn’t matter to me, but it was a matter for Petunia, the owner of this body.

Count Inkledov was a prominent family known throughout the whole Empire. From his wealth to his contribution to the Empire. It was a prestigious family with a well-known reputation.

If my small hobby were to be known by others… and I became the main topic of gossips…

…It was clear that it would be a shame for the family. I couldn’t disgrace Petunia’s family while using her body.

I need to do something so this crisis could end before starting.