“I’m sorry. About the slave issue, the disownment, and my manner of speaking.”

I apologized obediently.

Then I felt everyone looking at me with confusion.

“But as you know, what can I do about having no proper upbringing and being uneducated? So, I, the illegitimate child without a pedigree, will leave, and you can all live happily together.”

Well, of course, I hadn’t opened my mouth just to apologize.

“You…!”

“Countess, I’m truly sorry to you. Sincerely. The Count might not have much to say since he brought me from somewhere, but for you, Countess, I know my very existence was like a bolt from the blue.”

The Countess paused and stared at me. I returned a calm smile without any mockery or malice towards her.

“The feeling of seeing your husband’s sin suddenly appear one day. Of course, you would have disliked and resented me. That’s why I tried so hard. I wanted to be loved. By everyone here.”

I continued speaking, slowly looking at each of their faces one by one.

“But as you know, it didn’t work out well. Anyway, we were too misaligned from the start, probably a relationship that could never become close for a lifetime.”

“Haa. Lorazie.”

“Countess. Thank you for raising me until now. But now I want to live my own life. I’ve paid the price sufficiently, haven’t I?”

I said, glancing at the Count. The Count maintained a stern expression in silence.

“And it’s not my fault that I was born, is it? How long do I have to be pointed at?”

The Countess looked confused.

“…You are of Epine blood. I can’t deny that either….”

I felt the need to drive the point home.

“That’s why I’m asking to be disowned. I don’t care whether it’s before or after I leave this house.”

The Countess spoke with a softer voice and expression.

“Lora, let’s think about that matter a bit more.”

“Yes. I hope you make a good decision. The slave issue is my fault. I’m sorry for tarnishing the Epine family name. But it will serve as a justification when you disown me.”

Calix called out to me in a sympathetic tone.

“Lorazie.”

Lindel, who was next to me, was still glaring at me with intense eyes.

Heh-

“Brother Lindel. There are moments in life when it’s too late to regret. I think I’ve given you plenty of chances already.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

I didn’t answer and just looked at them quietly before standing up.

Thud-

As I opened the door and came out, a maid was waiting right in front.

The servants standing by the wall were trying hard to manage their expressions. It seemed that all the loud voices had leaked out through the door.

“Somehow, I’ve never finished a meal properly until the end, have I?”

“Young miss…”

As I spoke with a gentle smile, the maid didn’t know what to do.

I continued to smile as I walked ahead, but my heart felt a bit heavy.

“Um, young miss. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

The maid hesitantly tried to comfort me. I smiled at her as if to say I was okay, but a weary smile leaked out. It seems I’ve become tired without realizing it due to the emotional drain.

“I want to go rest quickly.”

“Yes, young miss.”

As I was quietly walking down the empty hallway, I heard hurried footsteps from behind.

Thump thump-

“Hey! You! Stop right there.”

Ah, why did he follow me again?

It was a voice I didn’t really want to turn back to. I ignored it at first and took a few more steps, but Lindel quickly approached and grabbed my wrist, turning me around.

I tried to shake off the wrist he had grabbed, but he wouldn’t let go easily.

“Ouch. What is it again?”

“You, what are you plotting? Tell me what that nonsense you said earlier meant.”

Is he an idiot? As if I’d tell him that.

I sighed as if I couldn’t be bothered to deal with him. At that, Lindel tightened his grip on my wrist.

I nodded to the maid to return to my room first. The maid, who had been watching cautiously, bowed her head and retreated.

“It hurts. Let go and then talk.”

“Then tell me.”

“It’s nothing.”

In fact, it wasn’t nothing, but I denied it for now.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not going anywhere until you speak properly.”

Of course, it didn’t work.

It seems his strange obsession that shows up sometimes has activated today, but the problem is that I don’t have much strength to deal with him right now.

Should I just hit him with all my might and run away? As I felt the sensation disappearing from my squeezed wrist, I was seriously contemplating violence.

“Lady Lora!”

Smack-

“What the! Are you crazy?”

Damian, who had discovered me, struck Lindel’s hand away. He sent me behind him and looked me over.

“Are you alright?”

“No. I think my wrist is broken, ouch.”

“You seem fine.”

“No, I’m not?”

“You are fine.”

When I exaggerated, the worry in Damian’s eyes subsided a bit.

At that moment, Lindel, angered by being ignored, rushed to grab Damian’s collar.

“Hey! Butler! Are you crazy, ack!”

However, he was quickly subdued by Damian grabbing his arm. Damian pushed Lindel against the corridor wall without much effort.

“Ack! What are you doing? Do you think you’ll be safe after this?”

Thud-

“It’s quite unkempt here.”

“You should lie down too. The sky is incredibly clear.”

I reclined on the grass and gazed up at the sky, which he had been shielding with his eyes. The expanse above was dotted with stars. Damian approached and settled beside me.

After a stretch of silence, he broke the quiet.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes. Actually, I felt better from the moment you beat up Lindel.”

“When did I beat him up?”

“Just now.”

He chuckled, who had been staring straight ahead with a stiff face. I glanced at him smiling and asked.

“How did you know to come?”

“A maid told me.”

No wonder he was going in the opposite direction of my room. I should praise her when I get back later.

“But are you really okay?”

Isn’t it grounds for dismissal for a butler to hit his employer’s son?

I was worried that he might face severe punishment because of me. I’m about to leave, so I can’t be of any help to him. Well, even if I didn’t leave, I would still be powerless.

“Young Master Lindel’s pride won’t let him say he was subdued by me. And,”

“And?”

“It’s nothing.”

One of the two ways to drive a person crazy is to stop talking midway, and the second is…

“What is it? Tell me, ah!”

As he tried to hide it, I became even more curious. As I pressed him while abruptly sitting up, my hair got caught in the bushes.

“Ugh, Damian. Can you get this out for me?”

As I floundered, half-raising my head, he gave me a look of exasperation.

“Didn’t I tell you not to lie down?”

“When did you say that? You only said it was messy.”

So it’s all your fault.

I grumbled.

“Should I not untangle it for you?”