The Prince Is Dead, So Let’s Start Over Everything Again! - Chapter 4.7

“Yes, thinking about it again, I suppose it’s something to be grateful for that my little canary wasn’t hurt.”

Count Lurupel, his momentum dampened, returned to his usual jovial self.

“This father was overly sensitive, Hariella.”

“Yes…”

“Come now, pick up your fork. Children need to eat a lot, you know.”

The head of the Lurupel family thus concluded the matter inconclusively.

His attitude of avoiding responsibility without actually trying to solve the problem was truly befitting of an exemplary extra noble.

I played with my fork halfheartedly, and finally finished my meal leaving more than half of the boiled beans uneaten.

“It’s gotten quite late, Hari. Let your big brother escort you to your room.”

After Count and Countess Lurupel finished their meal and left the dining room first, Hariella’s brother approached me.

I felt uncomfortable around Hariella’s brother.

It was because he showed more affection towards Hariella than Count and Countess Lurupel did.

“It’s okay. I can go by myself.”

Hariella’s brother wasn’t deterred by my curt response.

Instead, he grabbed my hand.

“Oh? It’s a big problem if you’re so afraid of the dark corridor. Don’t worry, I’ll hold your hand.”

Was it because I accidentally used polite speech?

Hariella’s brother didn’t even consider listening to what I said.

No. In fact, my manner of speaking probably wasn’t that important.

Whether I spoke casually or politely, he was going to do as he pleased.

Count Lurupel and his son were different yet exactly alike. This was the curse of genetics.

Hariella’s brother started walking while firmly holding my hand.

I contemplated whether to pull my hand out from between his palms, but decided to just consider my left hand a lost cause.

“Come to think of it, there’s a strange rumor going around among the servants, did you know?”

As we approached my room, Hariella’s brother spoke softly.

“Rumor? What rumor?”

“I guess you don’t know.”

Of course, I didn’t.

How could I understand when he brought it up so vaguely?

Hariella’s brother glanced at me curiously and smiled gently.

“There’s a rumor that you pushed the 3rd Prince from the tree after seeing the Caledonia ducal family’s carriage entering the palace.”

“What?”

Why on earth would I do such a thing?

I couldn’t understand at all. What exactly had I done to receive such a biased view?

In this fourth life, I had only done four things.

Being tormented by Count and Countess Lurupel, being tormented by Anna, being tormented by the 3rd Prince, and being tormented by various others.

Where else could you find such a kind and pitiful soul!

“Wasn’t it you?”

“Of course not! Absolutely not!”

“Really? That’s strange…”

Hariella’s brother tilted his head.

It seemed he had believed that false rumor too.

“I thought our princess was quite capable of doing such a thing.”

Just what kind of person was Hariella imprinted in this kid’s mind?

I couldn’t believe that the image of such a cute and delicate girl could be twisted like this.

“It’s okay. You can be honest with me. Our Hari has always coveted anything that looked good, hasn’t she? The most sparkling jewel in the mansion, the most beautiful butterfly in the garden, and even the most famous boy in the empire.”

While I was feeling sorry for Hariella’s life, her brother brought up a somewhat misaligned story.

“I won’t blame you if you choose the young Duke of Caledonia. He has a more secure status than the 3rd Prince, is promising for the future, and is even wealthy. He’s naturally the man my one and only sister should have. Don’t you think so?”

I didn’t know how to react at all, so I just rolled my eyes.

An uncomfortable silence filled the corridor.

“Are you not going to give me any answer?”

Hariella’s brother tilted his head curiously.

But I still didn’t know what to say in response.

Should I say it’s not true? What if he then says I’m not the Hariella he knows?

After some consideration, I chose to remain silent once again.

“Don’t worry. Your big brother will help you.”

Hariella’s brother smiled faintly and patted my head.

“I’ll be going now. Have a good night.”

He soon turned his back and left.

I stood motionless in the corridor until even his shadow was out of sight.

Needless to say, this night did not turn out to be a good night for me.

***

The next day, someone knocked on my door early in the morning.

“Oh my goodness! Young lady!”

Anna, who had confirmed the identity of the visitor, rushed towards me.

Just by looking at her expression, I could easily guess who the visitor was.

“…Is it the young duke?”

Having tossed and turned all night, I was still squirming under the blanket.

I cleared my throat, but my voice kept coming out cracked.

“Yes! It’s the young Duke of Caledonia! How did you know?”

Anna asked while handing me some water.

I only answered after gulping down two cups of water in succession.

“Yesterday, the young duke said he would come again today…”

Of course, he didn’t say he would come this early in the morning…

Still, I wasn’t too surprised. Considering his personality in the novel, I thought he might do something like this.

“Shall I show him in right away then?”

“…No?”

“Pardon?”

Anna looked at me with wide eyes.

“Tell him to go back…”

“What? How can we do that? You said he gave notice yesterday that he would visit!”

“Mmm…”

After moistening my dry throat, sleep overcame me again. I blinked my heavy eyelids slowly.

Anna hurriedly shook my shoulder.

“How can you sleep now? I understand you’re tired, but you still need to greet the guest!”

“Just tell him to go now… He’ll leave without a fuss…”

Just as the young duke had come to see me as he said he would, I intended not to let him in as I had said.

Of course, I didn’t have any ill feelings towards the young duke.

I just didn’t want to meet him right now.

“…Really, really just send him away?”

“Yeah…”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah…”

Anna looked back and forth between me and the door, unable to settle down.

“I want to sleep more… I won’t eat breakfast, so don’t wake me up…”

After letting out a long yawn, I buried my face in the pillow again.

“Oh dear…”

Anna headed towards the door, her voice sounding troubled.

As I heard Anna’s footsteps gradually fading away, I tried to fall back asleep.

It was several hours later when I woke up from my second sleep.

Anna, who had received important news from a servant, shook me urgently.

“Young lady! Young lady! Wake up! They say His Highness the 3rd Prince has regained consciousness!”

As soon as I heard Anna’s words, sleep vanished completely.

I sat up abruptly.

“Anna, quickly! Let’s go to His Highness right now!”

“Oh my, you need to change your clothes first! And brush your hair too!”

“What if His Highness falls unconscious again while we’re doing that?”

“Surely that won’t happen? Come on, put on your socks.”

Anna answered confidently.

However, by the time I finished getting ready and arrived at the 3rd Prince’s room, the 3rd Prince had already fallen asleep.