Chapter 247 (2/2)

“…Tia. ”

“I’m fine, Daddy.”

I hurriedly changed my expression and folded the letter. Although I felt empty, I couldn’t make him hurt because of this. When I was told that I might be infertile, he was hurt more than me.

If the baby was the eldest grandson, he was Frincia’s baby and Carsein’s nephew. Accordingly, this was an occasion I should congratulate her, not make a gloomy expression like this.

When I tried to say something, trying to brighten my face, I heard a knock on the door. The butler stepped in quickly and bowed politely. I said with a sigh of relief, “What’s going on, butler?”

“Lady Jena wants to see you. What shall I do? ”

“What? At this time?”

I made a frown unconsciously. How could she storm into my house without any notice in the morning when we were about to have breakfast? She visited me abruptly last time.

She was really rude, to say the least.

While agonizing about ignoring or keeping her waiting for a minute, I reluctantly nodded.

As she was supposed to help me with preparing for the festival, I had no choice but to meet her often for the time being. I didn’t have to make any friction with her from the beginning.

“Okay. Let me go to the reception room now.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“I will be back soon, Daddy.”

“… Go ahead.”

Didn’t he like my meek attitude when I agreed to meet her without any objection? He looked at me with a frown before slowly nodding at me.

I instructed the butler to prepare the gifts for Frincia and her baby and inform the temple about my visit, then headed to the drawing room. I suddenly had a headache when I thought I would have to see this in the morning.

“It’s been a long time, Lady Monique.”

“Hi, Lady Jena. What business has brought you here early in the morning?”

Although I asked her sarcastically, she smiled silently as if she was conscious of the butler next to her. Then, she opened her mouth only after he put tea cups and cookies on the table and left.

“How shameless you are!”

“What the heck are you talking about?”

“I heard you asked for the help of the two candidates for the emperor’s concubine because you can’t prepare for the festival alone. Is that right?”

“I don’t know who told you that, but he must be very good at distorting the facts. It was your father and Marquis Mirwa who said I needed helpers. Besides, I only mentioned Lady Whir, and I never mentioned you as the emperor’s concubine candidate.”

When I casually answered, picking up a cookie, she said sardonically, “It looks like you were more eloquent after you said you would be the successor of your family. But you don’t deny you volunteered to host the festival. Is it true then?”

“Well, if I have no other choice but to, I think it would be better for me to volunteer.”

“Hmm… don’t make any excuses. I hear that you are meeting the emperor often these days on the pretext of discussing the affairs of the knights’ divisions. So, are you on close terms with him now? Even if you do, you won’t have the heart to love him anyway.”

“It’s none of your business! Tell me why you are here.”

When I sharply retorted, managing my expression, she, who had been staring at me for a long time, tossed a bunch of paper to me. Instead of picking it up, I looked up at her and asked, “What is this?”

“Take a look first.”

Although I felt she tried to lead me on, I stretched out my hand and picked them up.

The first page of the paper, which was not that thick, had a few letters on it.

Festival plan? Did she come here to give it to me?

I was a little puzzled, but I quickly read the plan. She seemed to have prepared it for a long time, given that it had some detailed action plans on the festival.

After reading the last page, I opened the middle of the papers again. Looking at me with a sullen expression, she asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Why is it vacant here?”

“Why do you want to know about it?”