I Don't Need the Grand Duke's Regret - Chapter 100
“Thank you for your understanding. Also, due to the reduced number of staff, we’ve had to reassign the maids to different areas. Starting today, this girl will be in charge of the green room.”
Missus Catarina stepped aside, and a familiar face entered Mirabel’s view. It was Luce.
With a flushed face, Luce glanced around the green room, and Missus Catarina firmly nudged her side, prompting Luce to bow deeply.
“Ah! Hello, Your Highness. It’s Luce.”
“She may not be very experienced, but she is gentle and diligent. Well then.”
Missus Catarina spoke brusquely and, after giving a formal bow, disappeared from sight.
Left alone in the green room, Luce scratched her cheek and rolled her eyes. Mirabel couldn’t help but laugh at her innocence.
“Is this your first time in the green room?”
“No, I cleaned here last week, and before that too.”
As Luce counted off on her fingers, she bowed again, clearly nervous.
“Please take good care of me, Princess. I’ll do my best.”
“Me too, thank you.”
“Your Highness is kind… like Lady Armira.”
“Who?”
Catching Luce’s ecstatic murmuring, Sophie furrowed her brow and asked.
Mirabel quickly tried to stop her, but Sophie had already asked. Luce tilted her head in response.
“You don’t know Lady Armira?”
“I don’t.”
“Never mind, Sophie. Luce, that’s enough…”
“The Grand Duchess! She was very very beautiful and very very kind, just like the Princess!”
Luce threw her hands up, forming a large circle as if to emphasize the enormity of her praise.
“This much!”
“Ah… is that so?”
Sophie laughed awkwardly. She knew well that the Grand Duchess had died. Perhaps feeling she had brought a sensitive subject, Sophie quickly changed the topic by pointing at a vase on the side table.
“Anyway, Luce. Could you change the water in that vase?”
“Yes!”
Luce approached the vase with a bright smile. Inside it were fresh lilies that Mirabel had brought from Segolinde.
“Pretty…”
Luce sniffed at the lilies, savoring their scent, then left the room.
Once Luce was gone, Sophie cleared her throat awkwardly.
“She seems like a good kid, even if she’s a bit clueless.”
“That’s okay, isn’t it? Since you’re quick-witted enough for both of you.”
“That’s true.”
Sophie chuckled and shook her head. She picked up the book Mirabel had been reading and said,
“I noticed you’ve been reading this book for the second time.”
Sophie snapped the book shut and stood up from the sofa.
“The Grand Duke’s aide mentioned that there are quite a few books in Segolinde language in the library here. I’ll go fetch some that you might like to read.”
“Should I come with you?”
“No, you should rest. Catch some sleep. You hardly slept last night, right?”
Sophie gently stroked the area under Mirabel’s eyes with a look of concern.
“You must be worried about the prince a lot. I’ll bring the crystal ball before dinner.”
“Thank you.”
Once Sophie left, Mirabel sighed and took off her veil.
Before coming to Renato, she had thought she would stay at most for a couple of days. She hadn’t anticipated she would be uncomfortable wearing the veil. It became cumbersome as her stay extended as she had to put on her veil to meet someone.
‘I can’t just not wear it, though.’
Mirabel looked at the delicately embroidered veil. Thanks to the veil, it had at least spared her from the suspicions of the people of Renato.
With Ricardo not in his right mind, calling her Armilla wouldn’t make anyone believe it.
‘Yet, I feel uneasy.’
Mirabel held the veil in her hand. She needed to leave Renato before things escalated further, but everything seemed to be getting more complicated.
“Prin….cess?”
While Mirabel was gazing out at the snow-swirling landscape, she was startled by a voice from behind. She turned around with a look of dismay.
Mirabel’s eyes met with Luce’s, who had just come in with a vase.
Quickly, Mirabel put her veil again when her eyes met Luce’s. Just then, a crash! sounded.
“Luce!”
Startled, Mirabel rushed over to Luce, who had dropped the vase and was staring blankly with a dazed expression.
“Huh, huuh, waah…”
Soon, with her maid’s apron soaked, Luce began to cry openly. Mirabel quickly grasped Luce’s shoulders to prevent her from collapsing.
“Don’t sit there, you might get hurt.”
“Uwaah, huh, Lady Armiraaaa!”
“Shh, Luce. It’s okay.”
Comforted by Mirabel’s soothing touch, Luce burst into tears and clung to her. Mirabel carefully stepped over the shards of the vase to ensure Luce wasn’t hurt.
‘This is awkward.’
Mirabel had thought that if anyone were to discover her identity as Armilla, it would be Nasir.
Unexpectedly, it was Luce who recognized her. It was likely due to the time they had spent together.
“I, hiccup! I missed you!”
Still clinging to Mirabel after moving to the sofa, Luce tried not to let go. Mirabel, feeling awkward, patted her back.
“There, there, don’t cry, okay?”
“Huuh, huh, huh!”
Luce tried to swallow her tears as Mirabel had told her. She hiccuped as she struggled to hold back her sobs, making Mirabel’s heart ache.
It was indeed a tricky situation.
It felt like she was sweating. Denying she was Armilla to Luce would clearly be futile. Mirabel was unsure how to convince her to keep the secret.
“Why, why, hiccup! Why did you become a princess?”
As Mirabel racked her brain for an answer, Luce, somewhat calmed down and was looking at her quietly.
Mirabel pursed her lips and sighed deeply.
“I’ve always been a princess of Segolinde.”
Hearing this resigned response from Mirabel, Luce rubbed her reddened eyes and held Mirabel’s cheeks, looking confused.
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