Missing Cinderella

“Have you not prepared a new contract?” 

It was Lancellot who answered Eschert’s question, “I came to visit Miss Siella today.” 

“Is that so?”

With his gaze darting between Lancellot and Siella, Eschert murmured, “Excluding me, what could the two of you talk about….” Fixing his gaze on Lancellot with a cold expression, Eschert smirked and asked, “So you’re done talking?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then I’ll have to ask you to excuse us?” 

“Yes, sir.”

Lancellot obediently stood up. “Miss Siella, I’ll leave you to it.” 

Siella still wanted to talk more with Lancellot, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so in front of Eschert, so she silently nodded. Lancellot gave a quick glance at Nina and, who was standing behind Siella, and left the study. Siella let out a small sigh and turned to Eschert. 

Eschert had his eyes fixed on the small box on the table next to Siella. In a purposely calmer voice, hoping to distract him, Siella asked, “What’s the matter?” 

Fortunately, Eschert responded right away, “I’d like to ask you,” Eschert’s brow furrowed in discomfort, and asked, “What brings you to meet Sir Lancellot?” 

“We’re just catching up with each other.” 

Siella answered nonchalantly, drawing a chuckle from Eschert. 

“And you expect me to believe that now?” 

Aside from writing new contracts, Siella never met Lancellot separately. 

“Why don’t you try telling me a more believable lie?” 

“Why do you think it’s a lie?” Siella said, looking straight at Eschert with an expression of incomprehension. “There’s no reason for me to lie to you right now.” 

“…”

“Well, think however you want; it doesn’t really matter whether you believe it or not.” 

Eschert let out a long sigh at Siella’s words. 

“Siella, I don’t want to argue with you right now.” 

Siella blinked slowly, as if to say, ‘That’s surprising.’ Eschert let out another long sigh at her reaction. Still frustrated, he undid another button of his shirt. 

(T/N: If Eschert wasn’t as annoying, I would find this action really hot [sighs])

“Are you aware that Count Leroy has left?” Eschert said, looking into Siella’s eyes. “I was informed earlier by the Head Butler that the Count had returned to the capital.” 

“I know.” Siella responded calmly.  

Eschert opened his mouth again to say something, but then he paused and fell silent. After a few moments of silence, Siella suddenly realized something. 

“I guess you thought I left with Leonard.” 

Siella realized why Eschert, uncharacteristically of him, suddenly made his way here. But Eschert denied her suspicions. 

“… That’s not it.” 

“Then? Since you’ve told me about going back to the capital with Leonard, do you want to ask me why I stayed here instead of leaving?” 

Eschert let out another long sigh instead of answering her question. He looked at Siella, then at Nina, who stood behind her. Siella could only stare blankly at him. Eschert ran his hand through his hair in frustration. 

“I’d like to have the conversation we couldn’t finish last night.” 

“About what?” 

At Siella’s confused expression, Eschert wondered if he was the only one who cared about what happened yesterday. It was ridiculous, but he knew he had to say it, so he could only calmly speak. 

“You went out, but the escorts I had attached to you didn’t follow you….” 

Just then, knock, knock, knock, they were suddenly interrupted by the sound of rushing footsteps. 

“My Lord!” 

It was Patrick. Eschert momentarily closed his eyes, as if holding something back, then opened them again. He then calmly rose to his feet. 

“Just a moment.” 

He said, looking into Siella’s green eyes, then strode towards the door and opened it. 

“D, Duke.” 

“What is it?” 

As Eschert asked what it was, Patrick replied with a pale blue face. 

“Lady, Lady Camellia has collapsed!” 

Eschert visibly stiffened when he heard that. 

“She… she suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed.” 

Eschert stood there, dumbfounded, as if trapped in frozen time. Then, after what seemed like eternity, the stone-faced Eschert stiffly turned his head. As soon as he met her eyes, Siella looked away and rose to her feet. As she walked away, Nina followed her as if it was only natural. 

“… Siella.” 

In a low, stifled voice, Eschert called out to Siella as she walked past him. But Siella didn’t stop, as if she didn’t hear anything, and continued her way out of the study. 

“…” 

(T/N: Eschert, maybe the time you straighten out your priorities won’t come [rolls eyes])

Back in her room, Siella passed time for a while, and when the time was right, she lay down on the bed and went to sleep. 

The next morning at breakfast, she heard Nina mention something that made her realize that the rest of the mansion stayed up all night. It was none other than about Camellia losing consciousness. 

“The doctor said the woman had a chronic disease and that’s what caused her to collapse.” 

Nina managed to overhear the whispers of the mansion in the middle of the night and relayed them to Siella. Nina’s story included the eyewitness accounts from the maids that Eschert had stayed by Camellia’s side all night. 

“They said she still has yet to regain consciousness, and that her fever had started to boil over at dawn, though I’m not sure if it has gone down a bit now.” 

Siella finished her meal, acknowledging Nina’s story with a modest nod of her head. 

‘It’s good to be in love.’ 

To the point that it can make that indifferent man take it upon himself to nurse her. They say that love can change people, and that’s exactly what happened. It was yet another reminder of how much Eschert had already fallen for Camellia. 

Siella laughed self-deprecatingly and stood up. 

“I have to move busily today.” 

I couldn’t afford to be distracted. I had to be on my toes. 

Her body felt lighter than usual after a good night’s sleep. Siella quickly changed her clothes and slipped into her most comfortable flats. A quick glance out the window revealed that raindrops were falling from the cloudy sky from yesterday. 

‘… Do I have an umbrella?’ 

Nina tapped Siella on the shoulder as she blankly looked out the window. When Siella reflexively turned around, Nina grinned, showing her teeth. 

“I took one out beforehand. It was in the side room over there.” Nina held up the umbrella. “We’d better hurry out before the raindrops get thicker. It’s dangerous to ride in a carriage when the ground is slippery.” 

“Oh, yes.” 

“Let’s get out quickly.” 

Siella left the more room, thinking that the more she got to know Nina, the more she felt reliable. She quickened her pace and arrived at the coach house just to find Dennis waiting for her under the awning of the coach house. 

“I knew it.” 

Dennis muttered and looked at Siella in disbelief. But that was all. He didn’t even dare come near her, not after what Nina had done to him yesterday. 

“Miss Siella.” 

Dennis’ voice sounded ridiculous and annoying from a distance. Siella stared at him in disgust. Dennis continued. 

“Are you planning to go out again today as well?” He snorted at Siella’s lack of response, as if her answer didn’t matter. “But what should we do about this? Yesterday was the last time Miss Siella was allowed to go out without permission.” 

“…” 

“Unfortunately.” 

Dennis added, glancing into the coach house, “I don’t think there’s a single coachman here who would be willing to give Miss Siella a carriage.” 

“Well, then, I’ll walk out on my own two feet.” 

Siella, who held the back of Nina’s hand holding the umbrella, turned without hesitation. 

(T/N: Dennis! K! O! This really felt so satisfying~! [giggles])