An Unwelcome Visitor

Shortly after Lloyd left the villa, Dalia and Clayton also departed for the capital.

After another long journey, they arrived at the estate just two days ago.

They spent the first two days recovering from accumulated fatigue, but Dalia couldn't forgo paying her respects to the family elder, so she visited the Dowager Duchess in the annex.

"Have you been well?"

"Oh, the same as always. How about you? Did you enjoy the trip?"

"Yes, very much."

Starting with Margaret's question, Dalia began to describe everything she had seen and experienced in detail.

From the Lantern Festival in Monsel territory to her encounters with the viscount couple and the beauty of Hudson, she shared every detail for the Dowager Duchess, who had stayed at home.

"The Lantern Festival… I've never heard of that before. I've heard of floating lantern festivals, though."

"Yes, I didn't know much about it at first either. But it was truly beautiful. I think it would be wonderful if you could join us next time."

"That's sweet of you to say."

Dalia seemed unaware that Clayton would never let that happen.

Of course, it might have just been an empty gesture. Still, the conversation seemed pleasant enough, as the Dowager Duchess wore a gentle smile.

"Oh, by the way, I prepared a gift for you, Mother."

Remembering what she had brought, Dalia handed Margaret the gift she had prepared.

"This is fig jam I bought in Monsel territory. It's famous for its delicious figs. I remembered that you like sweet foods."

Whenever she drank tea with the Dowager Duchess, sweet desserts were always present.

She seemed to enjoy pairing bitter tea with sweet desserts.

"Oh my, how did you know I like sweet things?"

"I'm so glad you like it. And this jam minimizes the use of sugar, highlighting the natural sweetness of the figs. It's less taxing on the body than other jams, even if you eat a lot."

"Oh, how thoughtful of you."

Margaret had a particular fondness for sweet foods.

She had been advised by her doctor to cut back for health reasons, and while she was trying, her love for sweet things made it no easy task.

That's why she focused on eating foods that reduced sugar and emphasized natural sweetness. Yet, how did Dalia know not only about her sweet tooth but also about her efforts to cut back lately?

The young lady had keen perception and excellent judgment.

"This is truly a wonderful gift. Thank you."

If nothing else, it seemed Clayton had chosen an excellent wife.

At first, she had thought Dalia wasn't much aside from her looks. But the more she got to know her, the more she realized Dalia was the perfect match for Clayton.

Smiling contentedly at Dalia, the Dowager Duchess asked in a casual tone.

"So, do you feel closer to Clayton after your trip?"

"Ah…"

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Dalia trailed off.

'My relationship with Clayton…'

Comparing before and after the trip, she could confidently say they had grown much closer.

They no longer felt awkward sleeping in the same bed and were at ease even when silently doing their own things in the same room.

Perhaps the most surprising change was that ever since the trip began, they had been sharing the same room.

Despite having separate bedrooms, Clayton would always naturally come to her room to sleep.

Not that anything unusual happened in bed.

Most of the time, they simply shared small talk about their day before falling asleep.

'I was worried we'd grow distant because of Lloyd, but I'm so relieved.'

If anything, it seemed Clayton had become more interested in her after the incident with Lloyd.

To be precise, him consistently sleeping in her room had started after their encounter with Lloyd at the villa.

What could have been a bad situation seemed to be turning out well, and she felt good about it.

So, Dalia responded with a more confident voice than before.

"We've become much closer than before. The Duke has grown much kinder, too."

"That's wonderful to hear."

The Dowager Duchess smiled warmly, seeming genuinely pleased, as she picked up her teacup again.

Then, noticing that Dalia wasn't eating anything, Margaret asked casually.

"But you're not drinking tea this time either?"

"Pardon?"

At the Dowager Duchess's question, Dalia glanced at the teacup in front of her.

The fragrant aroma of black tea wafted to her nose, but like last time, Dalia hadn't touched it.

"Oh dear, I had quite a bit of tea before coming here…"

"Is that so?"

The Dowager Duchess's gaze quieted, as if she was deep in thought.

Eventually, the Dowager Duchess set down her teacup and called to her softly.

"Dalia."

She clasped Dalia's hand, which was resting on the table.

"If you have concerns, feel free to share them with me. Sometimes, it's better to seek solutions with others rather than worrying about them alone."

Strangely, Dalia felt as though the Dowager Duchess already knew the concerns she was harboring.

Unconsciously, she nodded and replied.

"Yes, Mother."

Just those few words from the Dowager Duchess were enough to comfort her.

* * *

A few days later.

Dalia, unable to ignore the accumulated invitations and various letters any longer, had just settled into her seat.

Feeling particularly tired today, Dalia was working through her replies when she set her quill down upon reading the next letter.

"This one's from the Roman Duchy?"

The emblem of an eagle with outstretched wings marked it as belonging to the Roman Duchy.

Realizing she had forgotten to inform Rachel of her trip to the villa, Dalia opened the letter with a twinge of guilt.

"A wedding invitation?"

The letter was none other than a wedding invitation.

Come to think of it, she vaguely remembered hearing that a wedding date with Duke Chaser had been set.

She hadn't expected it to be so soon. She had assumed it would be at least a few months away.

Feeling guilty for neglecting her first friend in this place, Dalia was snapped out of her thoughts when Samantha, nearby, asked excitedly.

"Lady Roman is getting married? To whom?"

"To Duke Chaser. The wedding's next month… just three weeks away. They probably want to have it before the weather gets too hot. Summer weddings aren't very popular."

Long-sleeved clothes were starting to feel warm.

By the end of next month, she might need to switch to summer dresses.

'I need to tell the Duke soon, too…'

Clayton's question about whether there was anything else she was hiding still echoed in her ears.

Since that day, it felt like a heavy stone had settled in her heart.

She thought about just coming clean, but worries about whether it would truly be okay kept surfacing, leaving her unable to do anything.

She found herself lost in thought again, but then Samantha's voice brought her back to reality.

"My lady, a letter has arrived from the Hertz Count family."

"The Hertz family? Let me see it."

Dalia quickly snatched the letter from Samantha's hands.

As expected, the sender's name was Rose Hertz.

It was the reply Dalia had been waiting for.

Her expression brightened as she quickly scanned the contents of the letter, her heart brimming with excitement.

Rose had accepted her invitation.

"We're expecting a guest tomorrow. Please make the preparations."

"Yes, my lady."

At first, she had worried that Rose might be afraid to visit the Seayer estate, but the positive reply put her at ease.

'More importantly, I need to talk to the Dowager Duchess about Rose again.'

The conversation she had with the Dowager Duchess before the trip suddenly came to mind.

The Dowager Duchess seemed to have significant misunderstandings about the Hertz family.

Dalia planned to arrange a tea gathering with the Dowager Duchess, Rose, and herself once they grew closer.

She thought a touch of sweet desserts would create a pleasant atmosphere. Remembering this, Dalia called out to Samantha, thinking it would be nice to have some for tomorrow.

"Oh, Samantha. Before the guest arrives tomorrow, send someone to town to get some lemon tarts…"

She was about to order some snacks to prepare for Rose when—

A knock came, and Jason appeared, looking somewhat flustered as he faced her.

"My lady, you have a visitor…"

"A visitor? Who is it?"

Since she hadn't arranged for anyone to visit, Dalia tilted her head in confusion.

"Well, it's…"

After hesitating for a moment, Jason finally answered.

"Baroness Orly Molden has come to see you."

It was Dalia's stepmother.