Chapter 10

Olivia Bianche emerged from the room with a bright smile.  

“Did Freddy say we should dine together?”  

Simon, who saw her glowing face, instinctively rubbed his eyes. Angela, who had been in the room with him, also widened her eyes in surprise.  

Until just a short while ago, Olivia’s face had looked deathly pale, but now it seemed entirely different.  

Even after hearing Olivia’s question, Simon remained dazed for a long time. It wasn’t until Angela, who had come to stand beside Olivia, cleared her throat several times that Simon finally regained his composure.  

“Pardon? Ah, yes. I will escort you.”  

Simon’s reaction was understandable. To his eyes, it seemed as though Olivia had changed overnight. Everyone in the Grand Duke’s residence would surely think the same.  

“Aren’t we going?”  

Simon and Angela couldn’t continue their train of thought. Olivia was urging them from ahead.  

She walked down the long corridor. The white hem of her dress swayed, creating a soft rustling sound.  

To reach the dining room, they had to pass through the long corridor. Large windows lined the corridor, allowing the light of the setting sun to naturally pour in.  

Olivia walked with steady steps, gazing out the window. Her steps suddenly came to a halt.  

Noticing her unusual stillness, Simon and Angela’s gazes followed hers. Simon, realizing what Olivia was looking at, cautiously spoke.  

“Ah, does it seem a bit peculiar?”  

The tree standing tall in the middle of the garden looked oddly out of place amidst the neatly arranged landscape.  

Olivia didn’t turn to look at Simon. She continued to gaze outside. Simon added an explanation for her.  

“It’s a tree planted by the late Grand Duke and Duchess for the well-being of His Grace, the current Grand Duke. I heard it was planted before His Grace was born, so it must be about 27 years old.”  

Even after Simon finished speaking, Olivia showed no intention of moving. He glanced at his watch. They had already passed the time Freddy had mentioned, and he thought they should get going.  

If Olivia wished, he could set aside time after the meal to give her a tour of the residence. However, he couldn’t bring himself to mention that Freddy was waiting.  

Unwilling to disturb her, Simon and Angela stood a few steps back, merely watching her.  

As the sun began to dip behind the tree, Olivia realized that those who had been near her had stepped away. And she immediately recognized who had taken their place.  

Freddy stood there, looking at her with a somewhat displeased expression. Olivia glanced briefly at him before turning her gaze back out the window.  

Seeing her reaction, Freddy cleared his throat a few times before speaking.  

“It’s a cedar tree.”  

Following her gaze, Freddy also looked beyond the window.  

“Normally, you wouldn’t place such a tree in the center of a garden. It’s not aesthetically pleasing.”  

Freddy turned his head to look at Olivia. She, too, turned her head and carefully observed Freddy from head to toe.  

His dark black hair, the thick eyebrows just below his forehead, and then his deep brown eyes, which met hers.  

The setting sun was particularly dazzling. Just as Olivia was about to squint against the brightness, Freddy continued speaking.  

“Now that you are the Lady of Hester, you may do as you please. If you don’t like it, feel free to have it removed.”  

At his words, Olivia found herself unable to even notice the blinding light. Her mouth opened slightly in surprise.  

His tone sounded indifferent or emotionless. He truly seemed unconcerned.  

But Olivia knew.  

She understood the meaning of that tree.  

It was the tree that ‘Liv’ had loved, as mentioned in the letters she had received for so long.  

What Freddy made of her silence was unclear, but he raised his hand to call Simon, who was standing at a distance.  

Just as he lifted his hand, Olivia spoke.  

“There’s no need for that.”  

Just as ‘Liv’ had loved it, so too would ‘Via.’  

“I think it’s something I’ll grow to love the most.”  

Olivia smiled brightly.  

Freddy opened his mouth slightly, as if to speak, but no words came out.  

Seeing him remain silent, Olivia couldn’t help but chuckle softly.  

It didn’t matter anymore why she had come to this moment, why ‘Liv’ had disappeared, or why she had returned to a time before the letters were written.  

Olivia decided not to dwell on it for now.  

After briefly looking at Freddy’s dazed expression, Olivia greeted him.  

“I missed you. Though the order is all jumbled up.”  

Blushing like a girl who had fallen in love for the first time, Olivia introduced herself.  

“Olivia vin Hester.”  

From afar, Angela and Simon could only see Olivia’s back. They had no idea what the two were talking about.  

But one thing was certain.  

“Aren’t you going to return my greeting?”  

“Freddy vin Hester.”  

The setting sun streamed in through the large window, and Freddy’s hand shielded Olivia’s eyes from the light.  

At the same time, Olivia stood on tiptoe and shielded Freddy from the sunlight pouring onto him.  

The sight was so radiant that it was etched into their memories for a long time.  

***

Freddy quietly observed Olivia, who was chattering nonstop beside him.  

Her cheeks were flushed as if she were enjoying herself immensely.  

Even when he extended his hand to escort her, and now as they walked together, Olivia kept smiling.  

It seemed as though she had finally regained her true self.  

For someone who had been like a portrait, never showing any emotion, why was she now smiling so easily?  

“Freddy, after we finish eating, could I ask you to give me a tour of the residence?”  

She could have asked the head maid or the butler, who wasn’t present.  

Yet Olivia specifically requested him. When he nodded a couple of times, her eyes sparkled. But only briefly, as she quickly moved on to another topic.  

“Freddy, your voice is really low. It’s even lower than my brother’s, I think.”  

“Is that so?”  

“Yes, and you have a really nice scent. It’s not the usual floral scent, but something heavier and more lasting.”  

Freddy tilted his head at her remark. Perhaps it was because he had never thought about such things before.  

Their conversation continued throughout the meal.  

Mostly, Olivia asked questions, and Freddy either nodded or gave short answers.  

Whenever Olivia took a bite of food, the room fell silent. Freddy found the familiar silence slightly stifling.  

“……There’s still time before we meet His Majesty the King. If there’s anything you’d like, feel free to let me know.”  

He added unnecessary words because of that feeling.  

For some reason, Olivia didn’t respond. Enough time had passed for her to swallow her food.  

Could it be that my words had made her feel pressured…?  

“Freddy, did you know?”  

Freddy’s gaze, which had been fixed on his plate, lifted.  

Olivia’s face sparkled as she sat right next to him.  

“Throughout our conversation today, you haven’t asked me a single question. You didn’t seem interested in me. But just now, you spoke to me at length for the first time.”  

“Did I?”  

“Yes, and it means you were thinking about what I might want to do here.”  

“It seems you had something in mind.”  

At Freddy’s response, Olivia’s eyebrows twitched.  

But her expression went unnoticed as his gaze had already shifted downward.  

“If there’s anything you want, let the head maid or Simon know. It’ll be prepared right away. It may not be exactly like Frenchia, but we’ll do our best.”  

Another long silence followed.  

Wasn’t she happy because she had something she wanted?  

Freddy couldn’t understand Olivia’s mood.  

It wasn’t until much later that Olivia replied with a slightly sullen tone.  

“I’ll think about it.”  

Just moments ago, she seemed happy. Now, he couldn’t figure out what had upset her.  

But one thing was certain. If he brought up the time she had gone on a hunger strike, the atmosphere would turn even colder than it was now.  

In the end, even as he introduced the residence to Olivia after the meal, Freddy couldn’t bring himself to bring up the topic he had originally planned to discuss.  

***

The next day, Olivia made her request through Angela.  

“Her Grace wishes to learn about Silvest’s theology.”  

Freddy blinked at the unexpected request.  

“Theology?”  

That dull and tedious subject. Why?  

He tried to recall whether Olivia had been a devout believer, but he stopped himself and gave a simple answer.  

“Prepare what she wants and deliver it to her.”  

His response was as straightforward as ever.  

Angela hesitated for a moment. She wasn’t sure if she should relay Olivia’s exact words.  

After a brief pause, she cautiously conveyed Olivia’s message.  

“And Her Grace said she would like to have dinner together. How should I respond?”  

Freddy’s hand froze for a moment.  

The impulsive actions from the day before came to mind. Slowly blinking, he recalled his uncharacteristic behavior.  

Angela waited silently for his response.  

Several minutes passed, but Freddy still didn’t answer.  

Without saying a word, he resumed his work, flipping through documents.  

Angela understood that as a refusal. She bowed her head.  

Though she found the relationship between the Grand Duke and Duchess puzzling, it wasn’t her place as a servant to comment.  

“Understood. I’ll relay that message.”  

Angela left the office, leaving Freddy alone.  

After she was gone, Freddy lifted his head and stared blankly into space for a moment.  

But before long, he returned his focus to the work at hand.