How the Male Lead Cures the Time-Limited Young Lady - Chapter 2.6

***

Three days after meeting Noel Averon.

Yvette, having fully recovered her health, began decorating the house in earnest.

Wheatley, as it was, was nice, but perhaps because it was a space decorated by others, it didn’t feel like ‘her home’.

So Yvette started decorating the house herself.

Herbert, who had become Wheatley’s caretaker and butler, looked at Yvette with worried eyes.

“What if you collapse again from overexerting yourself like this?”

Yvette let Herbert’s worried nagging go in one ear and out the other.

“There won’t be any more instances of my health deteriorating like before, so don’t worry.”

Although three days had passed since meeting Noel, the flower showed no signs of wilting.

Thanks to that, thoughts of him had long been pushed to the back of her mind.

“Mr. Herbert, do you think white curtains would be good for the living room windows? Or would that make the room look too bright?”

“Any color is fine as long as you like it, Miss. Wheatley is now your mansion, after all.”

“My mansion, huh. That’s such a pleasant thing to hear.”

Yvette laughed out loud and then looked around the living room.

For now, she had only thought about which furniture to change and which to keep.

Still, just imagining it was so enjoyable that she couldn’t help but smile.

‘I never knew a life without money worries could be this good.’

As she was looking around the mansion with a satisfied heart.

At that moment, the doorbell rang with a ‘ding-dong’ sound.

“It seems we have a visitor. I’ll go check for a moment.”

Herbert, who was tidying up the living room, hurriedly headed towards the entrance.

Yvette watched him with wide eyes.

‘There shouldn’t be anyone coming to see me, who could it be?’

As her curiosity deepened, Herbert returned with an envelope in hand.

“Here, a letter addressed to you, Miss.”

“…A letter?”

Yvette received the envelope Herbert was holding out with a puzzled expression.

On the white surface, only her name was written, with no sender information.

“Do you know who sent this?”

“I was told it’s a letter from the Larishi barony.”

When the name Larishi came out of Herbert’s mouth, Yvette’s expression suddenly hardened.

‘How did that person know I’m living here and send a letter?’

Yvette lightly bit the tip of her tongue and then released it.

Somehow, she had an ominous feeling.

‘Should I check what it says first?’

There must be a reason for sending a letter now after being quiet all this time.

Yvette reluctantly read the letter sent from the Larishi barony.

[It’s been a while since I contacted you, Yvette.

I’m writing to let you know something.

I realized that I still have the Blanche family seal in my possession.

You know that the seal is essential to fully inherit the title, right?

I’ll keep it safe until you come to retrieve it.

• Your loving uncle.]

“…Loving my foot.”

Yvette scoffed as soon as she saw the name at the bottom.

Although it appeared to be for her benefit on the surface, the intention behind the letter was clear.

‘In the end, it’s saying if I want to inherit the title, I should come to the Baron’s house.’

In the Ayden Empire, nobles had to possess the family seal when succeeding to a title.

This system was created to prevent non-heirs from inheriting the family.

‘To think the Baron Larishi had the seal.’

In her haste to leave, she hadn’t thought that far.

Yvette frowned and crumpled the letter mercilessly.

She didn’t want to face Baron Larishi if she could help it.

But if she just ignored it, the seal bothered her.

‘If he’s sent a letter like this, he must have some scheme in mind.’

Baron Larishi was a greedy man.

He wouldn’t hand over something as important as the seal without a fight.

He might be plotting something using the seal as bait.

‘Going alone would be a bit dangerous, I suppose.’

But it’s not like she had anyone to go with either.

‘…Should I hire a mercenary with money?’

Yvette pondered seriously.

If possible, she wanted to go with someone trustworthy. But no one came to mind readily.

‘It needs to be someone the Baron Larishi can’t treat carelessly, and someone who won’t cause gossip…’

After thinking for a moment, Yvette suddenly raised her head.

A face that perfectly fit the conditions had just occurred to her.

***

A few hours later.

Yvette, who had just gotten out of the carriage, smiled brightly and spoke to the guard at the front gate.

“Hello. We’ve met before, right?”

“…!”

The guard, who had been staring straight ahead expressionlessly, widened his eyes as soon as he saw Yvette.

“Oh? Aren’t you the lady who came with Lord Blur last time?”

As he recognized her, Yvette smiled even more brightly.

“That’s right. You remember accurately.”

“What brings you here today?”

Perhaps because she was a familiar face, the guard’s attitude was more friendly than before.

After quickly scanning the surroundings, Yvette whispered in the guard’s ear.

“I have some personal business with the Duke. You can tell him Yvette Blanche is here.”

“…Please wait a moment. I’ll check once.”

Still not completely letting his guard down, the guard stepped back and replied formally.

Yvette told him to go ahead, then waited calmly for him to return.

After waiting for quite some time like that,

Having finished talking with Noel, the guard approached her with a smiling face.

“His Grace says to come up right away.”

“I thought as much.”

While Yvette replied nonchalantly, she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

‘Thank goodness. I was worried about what to do if he told me to go back.’

As she followed the guard, the Duke’s mansion soon came into view.

Perhaps because she had entered unconscious last time, the scenery felt unfamiliar, as if seeing it for the first time.

“The Duke is waiting in his study.”

Upon reaching the entrance of the mansion, someone who appeared to be the butler greeted her.

Yvette followed his guidance towards Noel’s study.

After walking for a while, the servant stopped in front of a door.

“Your Grace. Lady Blanche has arrived.”

As he knocked on the door, a familiar voice resonated from inside.

“Send her in.”

The servant bowed politely to Yvette and then withdrew.

Yvette watched him disappear down the corridor, then carefully grasped the doorknob.

Her heart was pounding with tension.