I Don't Need the Grand Duke's Regret - Chapter 43
Chapter 43
Translator: effe
Armilla pulled her chin and asked. It was painful, knowing it was an obvious trick.
“His Grace gave direct orders, and I followed them. What’s wrong with that?”
Bianca, now completely livid, raised her voice. Missus Catarina couldn’t refute and fell silent. Armilla was the same.
After a long silence, Armilla weakly spoke.
“Alright, you can go now.”
“Don’t bother me with this kind of thing again.”
With a snort, Bianca glared openly at Armilla and turned abruptly.
“I’ll try to correct her behavior soon.”
The Missus, who was astounded by Bianca’s impudence, spoke to Armilla. Armilla weakly nodded. Bianca’s behavior wasn’t of much interest to her.
Compared to the shock brought by Bianca’s revelation, nothing else seemed significant.
As Armilla dropped her head, the Missus sighed. Her gaze suddenly shifted to Luce.
“Luce, did you forget your duty in the Red Room? Even if you’re the Grand Duchess’ maid, you have to handle your assigned area. Paolo is angry. He says you avoid that place every time.”
“The butler?”
Luce, who had been holding her breath beside Armilla, widened her eyes. She firmly grasped Armilla’s sleeve and pleaded earnestly.
“Can I not clean there, can I? It’s too scary there, Missus.”
“No.”
“But…they say ghosts come out in the Red Room…”
“Luce!”
The Missus sternly shouted at Luce, who was pleading in a whining voice. She pointed towards the mansion and said firmly once more.
“Don’t be swayed by such nonsense. Go inside and clean up!”
“Hiing, yes.”
Luce pursed her lips and reluctantly let go of Armilla. Armilla maintained a composed face even as Luce walked away, looking flustered.
Thinking back, there were too many reasons why Ricardo might not want a child with her.
Armilla was not good enough of a woman to bear Vittore’s successor. Moreover, Ricardo didn’t love Armilla. On top of that, their marriage would only last a year.
Yet, Armilla still wanted a child with him.
The more she thought she couldn’t have it, the more she longed for it.
Because she loved Ricardo.
She wanted the fruit of love that could establish roots in Renato.
“Are you alright?”
Armilla looked at Missus Catarina who was worried about her. Faced with sympathetic eyes, Armilla wanted to cry.
She no longer wanted to live a life receiving pity.
But she couldn’t live without that pity. People extended their hands to her out of pity.
* * *
Renato mansion was impressive even for its title as a mansion. It was more akin to a fortress in itself.
Yet it wasn’t a barren fortress. Due to the particularly long and harsh winters, large greenhouses were scattered throughout the estate.
The gardeners working in the estate were Renato natives, skilled in cultivating flowers even in the severe cold. They were more knowledgeable than botanists who had written books on herbalism.
“Excuse me, I have a question to ask.”
Armilla raised her voice toward the young man with gray hair who was pruning. The young man on the ladder looked down absentmindedly and was startled.
“Lady, Lady Armilla?”
“Are you Peter, the gardener?”
Armilla looked up at Peter and gave a faint smile.
She had been investigating the herb that Bianca had mentioned recently. She wanted to do something.
Armilla couldn’t have a child.
Because Ricardo didn’t want it. That fact relentlessly tormented Armilla.
But she didn’t want to give up without trying. If she did, she felt like she would fall into endless despair.
First, Armilla borrowed a herbalism book from Nasir and stayed up all night reading it.
She hoped Bianca was just showing off, but everything she said was true.
Agaphia was a plant that even grows in Renato. However, its purpose had only been researched in Jaquette.
Missus Catarina informed the despondent Armilla that there was a gardener from Jaquette.
Clutching the book to her chest, Armilla said to Peter.
“I heard that you are from Jaquette.”
“Yes, yes, that’s correct!”
Peter hurriedly climbed down the ladder and replied with a tone similar to Bianca’s. Armilla’s heart fluttered at Peter’s response.
“Peter greets Lady Armilla.”
Peter reached out his dirt-covered hand but then hesitated. Armilla curled her eyes and smiled at his awkwardness.
“Yes. Nice to meet you, Peter.”
At Armilla’s smile, Peter, who had been rubbing his pants with his hand, looked bewildered. He had only seen Armilla from a distance. There was a sad beauty about the Grand Duchess as she gloomily looked down.
But that couldn’t compare to her smile now.
He had always thought she was beautiful, even with a somber face, but when she smiled, it was like a flower in full bloom.
“Peter?”
Armilla called out to him, tilting her head as he seemed lost in thought. Startled, he raised his voice.
“Yes!”
Armilla’s eyes widened as the booming voice reverberated through the glass greenhouse. From Peter’s neck to his face, a deep redness slowly crept up.
“For, forgive me. Please, tell me? You, you said you had a question?”
“Haha, yes.”
Armilla smiled softly at the rambling Peter’s flustered state. Then, she gently handed him the book she had brought.
“I wanted to see if you knew what’s written here.”
“It’s a herbalism book from Jaquette!”
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