TDATD⋆♱✮

LXX-75

☆ ★ ✮ ★𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊☆ ★ ✮ ★
ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 70

"First Helen, and now you."

Helen was the head maid of the Marquis who had taken care of the siblings since they were young. She was still one of the loyal servants attending to Vincen.

"If our parents were alive, they would be even more determined than Helen and me."

"Indeed. If they were, I would have been married long ago."

Both, knowing their parent's determination well, muttered this complaint and burst into laughter.

Ah, it had been a long time since Judith felt this at ease with Vincen. Recently, she had been on edge, suspecting he might be Hannibal, making it difficult to interact with him comfortably.

Though Judith's surname had changed, beneath "Vaisil" lay "Lipid."

This meant that even if she was cast out from the Duke's household, there was still a refuge for her. And now, with their parents gone, Vincen was the only one protecting that refuge.

"By the way, you came with the Duke today."

"Yes, I did."

"Is the Duke completely recovered now?"

The previously calm atmosphere quickly began to crack.

As usual, Vincen showed a peculiar interest in Derrick. Faced with the unpleasant situation of having to be suspicious of him, Judith fidgeted with her clasped hands and smiled softly.

"Yes, he is."

Not wanting to leave any room for uncertainty, Judith answered as briefly as possible. As Vincen was about to say something more, Judith interrupted him.

"Well then, I'll be going now, Brother. I told my husband I'd be back soon, so he's probably waiting. I hope you have a successful day."

With the brightest smile she could muster, Judith left the tent.

As she walked towards the Duke's tent, she looked around. Young ladies, more suited to a ballroom than a forest, busily moved between the tents. They were likely rushing to deliver the handkerchiefs they had spent days preparing to the men they fancied.

Judith's gaze slowly swam among them.

The young ladies, clutching their handkerchiefs tightly, wore expressions of innocent love. Their cheeks blushed with excitement, and they seemed unsure of what to do with their fluttering hearts. Judith recognized those faces well; they were the faces of those "in love."

Judith suddenly wondered what her own face looked like when she looked at Derrick.

"Do I look like that too?"

She had never been in love, but she had seen many such instances around her. The most notable example was her late husband, who treated emotions like a game and enjoyed toying with the hearts of many women.

Back then, Judith couldn't understand the women who cried every day, unable to forget her husband.

"But... Now I think I understand a little."

She imagined how she would feel if Derrick rejected the handkerchief she had prepared. She would feel embarrassed and mortified, but more than anything, she would be sad at the thought of her feelings being rejected. The women rejected by her husband likely felt the same way.

After walking for a while, she reached the tent where Derrick was. The knights guarding the tent looked anxious, as if they had made a grave mistake.

It was as if they had let someone inside whom they absolutely should not have.