"Natalie is helping me right now. Her methods might be a bit rough at times, but she surprisingly cares about me."
"…If not for the word 'surprisingly' I might have thought you were being threatened."
"Don't worry. Besides, the affection between us sisters is never one-sided. My sister wouldn't do anything to make me hate her."
"…"
"So please don't make assumptions over a slice of cake. I have plenty of things I like more than cake, and they're enough to make me happy anytime."
Of course, once the diet is over, I'm going to ask the maids to bake me a cake loaded with a kilogram each of butter, flour, sugar, and dried fruit, then top it with a kilogram of fresh cream. I'll devour it over a few days. After showing Tristan how I look in the dress he gave me, I probably won't have a reason to wear it again anyway.
Just then, the maid came running over.
"My lady, our carriage is here!"
"Your Highness, I'll take my leave now. I hope to present myself respectable at the charity concert."
I doubted we'd have any unexpected meetings before then. Tristan didn't bother to contradict my farewell.
"Very well. Send my regards to the Count and Countess of Redfield."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
The Redfield coachman opened the carriage door for me. Just as I was about to step toward the carriage, something nagged at me, and I turned back.
Tristan was still looking at me.
It felt as though he hadn't finished the conversation.
But when our eyes met, he looked startled.
"Didn't you say you were leaving?"
"Yes…I just wanted to say this before I go."
"Hm?"
"If something ever happens that I can't handle alone, I'll be sure to let you know."
"…"
"I trust you. I saw all that you accomplished during the hunting competition—not just fighting but also protecting others."
The coachman called out again.
"My lady, we're ready!"
"I'm coming! Your Highness, please return home safely."
It was a busy street; I couldn't keep the carriage door open for long. I quickly turned around and hurried to the Redfield carriage. After I climbed in, the maid shut the door and sat across from me.
I tried to glance at Tristan through the carriage window, but his figure was already hidden by other carriages crowding the street.
Hmm, maybe I should have offered to give him a ride? The etiquette in this area always confuses me.
But pondering over missed opportunities wasn't as important as what I needed to do now—apologize to my maid.
"I'm sorry. It was supposed to be just the two of us, but His Highness suddenly showed up and surprised you, didn't he?"
"Oh, my lady, there's no need for you to apologize! It's only natural for a fiancé to stay by his fiancée's side! But, um… did I offend His Highness in any way?"
The maid stammered and even touched her neck nervously. As if any offense she caused would lead to her head being chopped off.
"From what I saw, there wasn't an issue. Don't worry."
I was a bit flustered when she spoke too candidly about the play, but fortunately, Tristan brushed it off.
"Although, it was interesting how she said he seemed like a man who only had wealth and looks…"
It's hard to tell whether he's self-assured or insecure.
Anyway, Tristan wasn't the one I should be focusing on right now—it was this maid.
"Honestly, I think your problem lies elsewhere. Were you really interested in Rick Rey?"
"…Yes. When he first came to the estate, we all agreed he was quite dashing."
"Well, he is handsome."
"And, to be honest, when that man asked me to go out drinking the other day during the play… I kind of hoped Rick would stop me if I said yes."
I pressed my hand to my forehead. Was this a no-jealousy jealousy tactic? Or self-destructive flirting?
"Haah…"
"I'm sorry! It was such a stupid thing to do! I won't do it again!"
"If you get the chance, ask the other maids for some dating advice. And never do anything dangerous, okay?"
"Yes!"
Before long, the carriage arrived at the Redfield estate.
I changed into more comfortable clothes, washed my hands, and was finally about to catch my breath when—
"You're back, Dorys?"
My sister greeted me with open arms. Of course, I couldn't say I was thrilled.
Natalie asked casually, as if it were an everyday question.
"Did you eat lots of delicious things while you were out?"
"As if! I wouldn't let your efforts go to waste, would I?"
"Then, did you eat just a little something delicious?"
"...."
There's no point trying to be evasive with my sister. I answered honestly.
"Chocolate…"
"Chocolate?"
"Cream cake. I only took three bites with a fork."
"Must've been delicious. About as delightful as 40 minutes of dance practice with me, I imagine."
"I didn't say I ate three whole slices of cake!"
"Hurry and change into something light and come to the practice room. If you make me wait, I'll assume you're secretly eating one candy every five minutes."
"You know I don't even have candy—or flour—in my room, ah, don't run away like that!"
Tristan! I'm taking back part of what I said earlier.
My sister doesn't just occasionally use rough methods—sometimes she goes for ones that could drive people crazy!
Even after the Redfield carriage disappeared from view, Tristan stood on the road, unable to take his eyes off the distance.
"Nothing's wrong… right?"
If he wasn't mistaken, Dorys Redfield looked even paler than before. The soft curves of her cheeks, once reminiscent of snowy hills, now seemed sharply angled as if someone had carved them out with a shovel. Even the wrist that firmly held the cake plate earlier looked thinner, with bones protruding more prominently.
And it wasn't just her appearance.
"A woman who used to eat at least two slices of cake now feels full after just three bites?"
What if she collapses on her way home?
Logically, he knew that wouldn't happen, but even so, Tristan couldn't stop himself from making sure the carriage wasn't jolting from hitting a bump, suddenly speeding up, or heading toward a hospital. Only after confirming none of these signs did he turn away.
Initially, he planned to walk five minutes to catch a shared carriage. But for some reason, his unusually light steps carried him past the waiting station. Instead of chatting with the coachman, he wanted to replay Dorys's last words in his mind a little longer.
She had said this:
"If something happens that I can't handle alone, I'll definitely let you know, Your Highness."
With emerald-green eyes sparkling, she had whispered softly, a voice only Tristan could hear:
"I know how much you've accomplished, Your Highness."
Ah.
The slight regret he'd felt from not catching any game during the two days of the hunting tournament instantly evaporated. She had captured both his fighting prowess and his administrative handling of the event in her gem-like eyes.
"Hah, hah, hah. Yes. That's the evaluation I deserve from my fiancée. Of course. It was only a matter of time before I heard it. There's no need to get overly excited about this. Not at all. Absolutely not."
Despite this, his steps felt strangely light. He had already passed the same fountain twice now. Even the beggar sitting beneath it was looking at him with a curious expression, as if to ask if something was wrong. But this was undoubtedly the best he'd felt all year.
"Still, I couldn't figure out what she's hiding. But if it's something between sisters, and she's that firm about it, I can't interfere."
And yet, the idea that Natalie cared for her sister was perhaps the most shocking thing Tristan had heard in months.
"I always thought she was just living for her own indulgence. But does Dorys see something else in her?"
Honestly, it was fascinating.
For Tristan, his eldest brother was someone who marched forward, solely focused on the duties he would inherit. His younger brother lacked competence but excelled at causing trouble for others with his slyness.
Neither of them were the kind of people Tristan would want as friends—or even as brothers, for that matter.
And yet, a sentence he could never imagine himself saying lingered in his mind:
"Our sisterly affection is never one-sided."
A relationship where both sides care for each other and are confident in their mutual love.
It was a relationship Tristan had never been able to have—with his siblings or his parents.
…But for the first time, he wondered if it was something he could hope for.
"After all, Dorys only ever looks at me, doesn't she?"
Even on days when he chased after Maria's attention, Dorys always waited for him in her place. Surely, she wouldn't suddenly come to hate him now.
So if Tristan just took a small step closer, this relationship would easily become perfect.
Without a doubt…
"Wait, hold on."
Before drawing any arrogant conclusions, a crucial issue Tristan had overlooked until now came to mind.