CH 61

Chapter 61: A too happy misunderstanding

Paula seemed to have noticed the awkwardness between me and Jeremiah. I wished she hadn’t noticed, but I couldn’t say that and just looked down at my hands, enduring it.

Eventually, Paula let out a troubled sigh and said with a bewildered smile, “I understand how you feel, but manners are important. However, I’ll let it slide this time… It’s not often that you come to me.”

“I thought Nee-san would understand,” Jeremiah said with a smile, taking my arm without waiting for a response. I stood up in a hurry and our eyes met. His eyes, which were usually calm like the surface of a calm sea, were now like a storm.

“Let’s go, Lorraine. Excuse us, Nee-san and Lucia.”

“Ji-Jeremiah-sama.”

I tried to say “wait,” but my gaze was sealed shut.

I became as quiet as a frog stared down by a snake and followed him obediently. I managed to call out to Paula and Lucia before leaving.

From beyond the door, I could hear Lucia’s cheers. “Wow, amazing! That means they want to be alone, right? Definitely!”

Aah, you’re saying something that could make me turn to ashes with embarrassment, but you seem to be enjoying it so much. I’m going to be so embarrassed when I meet Lucia later.

Despite my inner conflict, Jeremiah continues to move forward. The Duke’s mansion is an unknown place to me, so I have no idea where he is heading. Therefore, I don’t even know if he is heading towards the room designated as the bedroom.

“Um, Jeremiah-sama?”

I was about to ask where he was going, but Jeremiah suddenly stopped. Wondering what was wrong, I was about to speak up again when he muttered something.

“Just call me Jeremiah.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t think you forgot our promise to call me by name only, did you?”

I opened my eyes wide and then covered my mouth. That’s right. I hadn’t forgotten, but when I returned to my family after parting with him, I felt embarrassed to call him by name only and thought it was still presumptuous, so I reverted to my previous way of addressing him.

“I-I’m sorry… but there was a reason for that. I still couldn’t believe it was real, it felt like a dream.”

“I see, but is that all you forgot?”

Jeremiah looked at me with eyes that seemed to be searching for something, and asked me with a questioning tone. I wonder why I have to be looked at with such eyes. The only things I did were accidentally adding an honorific to his name and occasionally staring at the young servant out of habit.

So, I decide to ask him fearfully.

“Um, was it wrong for me to look at the servant?”

There was no immediate answer, but I feel like his beautiful face twisted slightly to my liking. I knew it wasn’t a good feeling.

I apologize and open my mouth, not wanting to be misunderstood.

“Indeed, it’s a long-standing habit, so it’s not easy to fix right away. I’m sorry. But I’ll definitely fix it. Or did I do something else strange? Please tell me. I don’t want you to be seen in a weird way because of me.”

“Well, that’s one thing, but there’s another reason.”

Jeremiah asserts strongly, and a troubled voice comes out. Did I say something wrong? If so, I want him to point it out. I can’t see my own flaws.

“Then what is it?”

“…What did that servant say to you?”

I looked at Jeremiah’s eyes in surprise. I didn’t think he reacted so strongly, the mask of his smile was peeling off. He looked somewhat angry, but at the same time, he seemed worried.

In other words, Jeremiah might think that he said something strange and made him feel uncomfortable. That’s why he got angry at me like that.

In other words, Jeremiah took that attitude because he was worried about me.

My cheeks flushed involuntarily, and I covered my face with both hands.

I was so happy and embarrassed that my heart was overflowing, and I couldn’t answer right away. Jeremiah’s expression became stern, wondering how he took it.

“After all, he must have said something inappropriate to you, right? But don’t worry, I’ll ask Nee-san to take care of that person. Now, tell me…”

“Oh, no…that’s not it. It’s not like that.”

“I know you’re kind, but you don’t have to protect someone like that. If something bothers you, tell me properly. I would be ashamed of myself if I didn’t know you were in pain.”

Jeremiah put his hand on my shoulder and spoke with a serious tone.

In front of that, I was still ecstatic and felt like I was about to die. Breathing difficulties were an understatement. Like a fish pulled out of water, I opened and closed my mouth, desperately trying to calm myself down.

After struggling with myself for a while, I told Jeremiah, who looked worried.

“I’m really happy right now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I understand. Um, Jeremiah, do you know that I have memories of my past life?”

When I asked him in return, he looked puzzled and tilted his head.

“Well, information about nobles naturally comes into the social circle… and, for various reasons, I wanted to know about you, so I looked it up.”

Jeremiah said with an awkward tone.

I started to feel uneasy, but I suddenly remembered what happened at the hunting lodge owned by the Castalde family.

At the time of his final confession, he said he had intended to woo me from the beginning. In other words, he must have investigated my background to see if I was a suitable marriage partner.

It’s a common thing.

I nodded knowingly.

To be honest, I want to know the truth, but at the same time, I don’t really want to know. It’s a delicate feeling. Anyway, it doesn’t matter now, so let’s leave that topic aside.

“I see. Well, that’s strange, isn’t it?”

“What is?”

“That servant knew that I had memories of my past life.”

As I spoke, Jeremiah’s face turned to surprise. I continued.

“Just now, I was told something that only someone who lived in the same country and era as my past self would know. I was really surprised… but if it’s true, I wanted to know why he said that.”

There was no need to hide anything, and it was not good to let Jeremiah misunderstand, so I easily said what I was thinking.

Then he let go of my shoulder and brought his hand to his mouth, growling. Only the sensation of his large hand touching my shoulder remained.

――It’s a little regrettable.

As I tilted my head wondering why, Jeremiah finally spoke.

“I don’t like the sound of that. I’m curious about how he got that information, but more importantly, I wonder why he decided to find out.”

“Exactly, that’s why I’m thinking of talking to him.”

“That’s not a good idea.”

Jeremiah said firmly.

“It’s too dangerous. If you’re going to ask, I’ll be there too.”

“But if you’re there, he might be wary and not tell me the truth, right?”

I just spoke my thoughts, but it seemed that Jeremiah didn’t take it that way, and his eyes began to take on a freezing temperature again.

Wait, did I say something bad?

I looked at the face of my beloved fiance with a vague smile and a cold smile.