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☾ thirty - four ☾

As the music began to flow again, the still atmosphere of the ballroom gradually became lively once more.

Some nobles began whispering quietly amongst themselves.

"Well, it's understandable that the Count wants things to remain amicable. Lady Floyen's gift was pretty amazing, wasn't it?"

"That's right. Even if you were to exclude the gift, the Duke seems to cherish his daughter very much...it would be in the Count's best interest to remain in good terms with him."

As the talk about Juvellian became favorable again, Rose stared at her father with pride.

Come to think of it, Rose realized she was only able to start exchanging letters with Juvellian in the first place thanks to the support of her father.

"Thank you, Father."

Count Arlo smiled softly at his daughter's humble gratitude.

"It seems you've made a good friend."

Exchanging a warm glance with her father, Rose recalled the image of Duke Floyen leaving with Juvellian in his arms and smiled.

'It's a relief that she seems to have a good relationship with her father as well.'

_

I felt much better once we left the ballroom, but there was no way I could feel completely at ease as long as I remained in my father's arms.

Only when I saw our family's carriage in the distance did I finally start feeling like I could breathe.

'Now that we're about to get in the carriage, this awkwardness will be over soon.'

But even in the carriage, I found that I couldn't get comfortable.

It was because my father, after putting me down, decided to seat himself right next to me.

"You might collapse again like last time, so sit beside me just in case."

I could only let out a forced smile in response.

_

Mikhail clenched his fist, recalling the image of Juvellian leaving the ballroom.

'She's sick? So she wasn't faking it?'

Juvellian had always followed him around so well, to the point where even if he increased his pace, she never even once fell behind.

As a result, Mikhail assumed she had naturally been born with a healthy constitution.

But come to think of it, the days following the times where it might have been a strain for her, she never showed her face.

And whenever she was following him, her breathing seemed to be troubled as well.

After realizing the fact, the inside of his chest felt strangely numb.

_

Because my father had suddenly grown angry on the terrace earlier, I was expecting him to ask me what had happened with his apprentice.

But my father only gave me a simple request and then left the room.

< Allen said you needed rest, so refrain from going out for a few days. >

And so, once again, I found myself confined to my bed because my father ordered me to stay home.

'Why is he being like this?'

In the past, my father used to treat me like I didn't even exist, so I couldn't understand and felt burdened by his change in behavior.

'There must be something he can gain from treating me well.'