Chapter 194

* * *

On the day Jeremiah was to arrive, the morning at the ducal residence became very busy.

Ingredients that were prepared with a bit more care than usual were delivered in various ways, and naturally, the variety of dishes being prepared also increased.

The curtains in Jeremiah’s room, which had been quiet for a long time, were newly hung, and a cozy blanket was placed.

The same curtains and blankets were also prepared in the guest room on the first floor. For Evan.

It had been a very long time since the entire mansion had been so lively since last winter.

Even amidst this, Loretta was still fast asleep in her dark bedroom.

Last night, unable to control her excited heart, she had barely slept, which naturally led to oversleeping.

On the bedside table were six glass bottles containing green gem-shaped candies neatly arranged.

The first glass bottle, filled with only the prettiest shaped candies, was for Evan.

And the others were prepared for each of the three brothers, father, and Isaiah.

From the outside, the six glass bottles looked no different at all, so the fact that Loretta had paid special attention only to Evan’s would be a secret no one in the world would know.

What woke Loretta from her deep sleep was the rough sound of horse hooves coming from afar.

Loretta, who opened her eyes with a sparkle, rubbed her eyes and looked around.

No one was there. And it was strangely bright around.

“Ah!”

She shouted and quickly got up from the bed, running towards the window.

When she opened the curtains, bright white sunlight instantly fell on her face, and Loretta quickly raised both arms above her head.

“It’s almost past morning already!”

Today, she was going to get up early to tie ribbons on the candy jars and write letters!

A carriage came into Loretta’s view as she was jumping up and down.

The rough sound of horse hooves that had been heard a little while ago must have come from that carriage.

“That carriage…”

Just as she thought it looked somewhat familiar, the emblem of the Magic Tower was seen on the side of the carriage that had just turned direction.

“N-no way! They’re here already!”

It was clearly said that Jeremiah and Evan would arrive an hour before dinner!

“What should I do, what should I do!”

Loretta frantically circled around the window in a hurry, then ran to the mirror to check her appearance.

“Eek!”

Loretta’s appearance reflected in the mirror was disastrous. Perhaps because she had rubbed her head against the pillow while not sleeping at night, her fine hair was sticking up as if it had been hit by a bomb.

Of course, Evan would say Loretta was pretty no matter what, but Loretta had absolutely no intention of meeting Evan with such an ugly appearance.

Just then, there was a knocking sound on her room door, and a maid came looking for her, saying, “Miss, are you awake?”

It seemed the loud thumping sound Loretta made had echoed loudly outside the door.

Loretta quickly ran to the maid and grabbed her arm.

“Help me! My appearance has become strange!”

The maid was momentarily surprised to see Loretta’s hair, but soon reassured Loretta with a smooth smile.

“Don’t worry. I’ll quickly make you look like your usual self.”

“Mmm, the usual won’t do! You have to make me look much more fabulous than usual. Got it?”

“Leave it to me.”

* * *

Loretta couldn’t keep her legs still the whole time she was getting help from the maid.

She knew that a well-mannered noble shouldn’t do that, but what could she do?

She had wanted to meet Evan so badly, but even though he had arrived, she couldn’t run out to welcome him!

“Is it done yet? Is there still a long way to go?”

Loretta asked the maid, who was touching up her hair, several times like that.

“Just a little more.”

“But you said that a little while ago too…”

Loretta, who had been complaining with a tearful face, quickly shut her mouth.

It would take time because she had asked to make her look more fabulous than usual in the first place.

“There, it’s all done now.”

The maid, who had finished styling her hair, stepped back. Loretta quickly got up from her seat and looked in the mirror.

The hair that had looked like it had been hit by a bomb was now soft and smooth. Moreover, very small ribbon or jewel decorations were sparkling between the  strands of hair.

“It’s a more stunning look than usual, right?”

At the maid’s words, spoken as if boasting, Loretta raised her thumb towards her.

“It’s the best! I really love you!”

“Don’t mention it. Then I’ll go down now and help the kitchen maids. Judging by the sound of the carriage a little while ago, the young master may have arrived early.”

“It’s not that he may have, it’s definitely that. I confirmed the carriage from the window.”

“Oh my! Was it really the Magic Tower’s carriage? We must hurry. Really.”

The maid hurriedly withdrew, and Loretta pondered for a moment before picking up the candy jars.

Actually, she was going to give them as a snack after dinner, but since he had arrived early, wouldn’t it be okay to give them now?

‘Moreover, I want to see Evan’s delighted face soon.’

Loretta held a candy jar in each hand.

The right one was for Jeremiah, and the left one was for Evan.

After checking each jar once to make sure she didn’t forget, she headed to the stairs through the hallway.

The inside of the mansion was very quiet.

That was almost proof that a guest had arrived at the mansion.

Even after spending a busy time preparing for the guest, once the guest arrived, the ducal residence usually maintained a calm atmosphere.

As she came down the stairs, a servant preparing tea on a trolley was passing by.

“Where is the guest?”

“In the large reception room, Miss.”

Loretta checked the top of the trolley, and there was only a teapot with black tea and milk for milk tea.

Loretta was disappointed that the ducal family’s hospitality was so sloppy.

Jeremiah liked thick and hot chocolate, and Evan liked white milk.

But they only prepared this plain black tea.

‘What if Evan is disappointed, thinking our family’s treatment is poor?’

Loretta walked beside the servant and double-checked the glass bottles in her hands.

Now that it had come to this, the only thing that could please Evan was the candy she had prepared.

As they approached the reception room, she saw Butler Higgins standing in front of the door.

“Miss, what brings you here?”

“What do you mean, what brings me here? A guest has come to the ducal residence, and I am the lady of this mansion. Of course, I have to serve tea.”

“Pardon?”

“Claude said. Until he gets married, I should act as the lady of the house. Is what he said wrong?”

“No. It is extremely correct, but…”

Higgins’ face darkened as he trailed off.

Loretta had an ‘oops’ feeling.

He was always having a hard time worrying about Melody, and Loretta showing joy at Jeremiah’s return was a bit…

“I’m sorry for being so noisy.”

“No, Miss.”

“I’ll go into the reception room. Grandfather should rest a bit.”

Loretta asked the servant to knock on the door quickly.

Before Higgins could say anything more, the servant knocked on the door, and soon the door opened.

Loretta entered the reception room with her head slightly bowed, walking lightly and bowing deeply.

“Welcome, Jeremiah and apprentice Evan.”

After finishing the greeting she had practiced several times and straightening her posture, she saw Claude and Ronny sitting on the reception room sofa, along with a magician wearing a robe.

But the magician was neither Evan nor Jeremiah.

“…?”

Loretta stared blankly at the unfamiliar man in surprise, and before she knew it, she asked a rude question.

“Who… are you?”

He stood up and bowed deeply in front of Loretta.

“I am the magician Pierce, Miss Baldwin.”

Come to think of it, she seemed to have heard that name before.

He was a magician Evan had mentioned a few times. Didn’t he say he took good care of Jeremiah and Evan?

“It’s nice to meet you, Magician Pierce.”

“The honor is mine.”

While he smiled and bowed again, Loretta looked around him here and there.

“Magician Pierce, did you perhaps… come alone? Where are my brother and Ev… I mean, his apprentice?”

Perhaps because worry and eagerness appeared on Loretta’s face, Pierce couldn’t answer her and just fiddled with the hem of his robe ambiguously.

“Oh, um. Well, I think I should get going now.”

“We haven’t even served you tea yet… Magician Pierce?”

Loretta quickly called out to him, but he hurriedly withdrew as if running away.

Ronny, the servant, and even Higgins ran out to see him off, leaving only Loretta and Claude in the spacious reception room.

Loretta got a bad feeling from Pierce’s behavior.

A cruel premonition that the day she had been waiting for so long would shatter into pieces.

But Loretta shook her head.@@novelbin@@

Maybe they would be a few hours late. Maybe he wanted to convey through Pierce that they would arrive late in the evening.

‘If that’s not it, maybe they’ll be a day or so late.’

A day or more of waiting!

It was a terribly awful thing, but it wasn’t unbearable.

In fact, every day since Melody left had been a series of waiting for Loretta.

The urge to cry always came, but she had been continuing her calm waiting while suppressing it.

If she could just meet Evan, his warm mana would embrace Loretta. After that… the pain and loneliness would fade away.

‘So I can endure a day or so more. As long as I find out that my waiting wasn’t in vain, it’s okay.’

“Loretta.”

Soon Claude approached her and bent his knees to meet her gaze.

“Bro… ther.”

The words calling him trembled pitifully. Loretta only now realized that she was trembling with anxiety.

She held the candy jars tightly with both hands and tried to smile.

“What did Magician Pierce come for? Co-could it be that they’re going to be late?”

“Loretta, that’s not it.”

“Then is it postponed for a day? That’s troublesome, the chef has already started cooking. Some dishes take a whole day, he said.”

Loretta asked Claude questions but somehow didn’t give him a chance to answer. Maybe it was because she was afraid to hear the answer.

“I feel sorry for the servants. But wouldn’t the food made today still be delicious if we eat it tomorrow? Yes, it definitely will. Just leaving it for a day or so won’t make a big difference…”

“I’m sorry, Loretta.”

Unable to bear it, Claude intervened in her story.

“Jeremiah isn’t coming.”