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☾ seventeen ☾

"Just because."

I answered hastily before quickly changing the topic.

"By the way, you're quite fast. I was surprised to see you suddenly appear right in front of me."

I wasn't just saying empty words because I wanted to change the topic — it was the honest truth.

He had appeared by my side so quickly when he had been quite a distance away just a moment ago.

It was enough to leave anyone speechless.

"Getting surprised over something like that, how pathetic."

Yet this arrogant man was mocking me.

"Your swordsmanship must be excellent as well–like the Imperial Knights."

He scoffed at my slightly sarcastic remark.

"I'm much stronger than them."

As expected, he was definitely my father's apprentice...No, that's not right.

My father may be indifferent and cold, but he was not arrogant like this person.

'How did your personality end up like that?'

My father's apprentice continued to stare at me while I mourned over his poor personality.

"So, why were you crying just now?"

Really, he should know when to drop it, how persistent.

I was a little annoyed and had the urge to just tell him the truth, but was interrupted by a sudden knock.

"Milady, it's Derrick."

If it was Marilyn, I would have just told her to leave and come again later, but I let out a sigh when I recognized the voice of our butler.

'He wouldn't have come to see me if it was just a trivial matter.'

Male servants were usually assigned to serve the men in the household while female servants were assigned to serve the women.

Derrick coming all the way to my room himself, something which he rarely did, meant that it was an important matter.

I turned to my father's apprentice and gestured towards the closet.

"Um, if you don't mind, could you go in there again and hide?"

He had a disgruntled look on his face.

Nevertheless, he got up and quietly headed to the dressing room.

'It's nice that he's being cooperative now.'

As soon as he disappeared into the closet, I approached my bedroom door and turned the knob.

"What is it?"

"Milady, a messenger from Marquess Crocus just arrived. They said they would like to deliver a message from their eldest son, Lord Ronald, to you directly. Is that alright?"

The Crocus family was a fairly prestigious house.

In addition, them sending a messenger meant it was a rather significant matter.

It was a situation where I would have to go down and meet with them myself.

However, I was too nervous to leave my father's apprentice by himself.

'If a maid were to find him while I'm gone...I don't have a choice right now.'

I purposefully let out a few coughs before responding.