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The time that followed was truly hellish. Etienne, seeming unwilling to talk any further, swiftly turned his head away.

I regretted not retracting my words as a mere slip of the tongue and silently swallowed back tears.

* * *

After what felt like an eternity, the carriage finally came to a stop. I watched Etienne move further away as if fleeing.

Did he dislike it that much…? I’m sorry, I love you.

To avoid becoming lost, I hurriedly got off the carriage as well.

“Wow…”

The sight before me made me quickly forget the memory of the awkward confession just moments ago.

A vast, verdant garden stretched out before me.

Well-groomed lawns and trees, flowers exuding freshness. But above all, the mansion situated in the center was astonishing.

It was grand and beautiful as if it belonged in a historical documentary.

Nothing I had ever imagined while reading novels could surpass the sight unfolding before my eyes.

Indeed, I made up my mind to bury my bones in this house as well, as I chased after Etienne with my short legs.

Upon arriving at the front of the mansion, the doors, which seemed to be at least two meters tall, opened on either side.

I wanted to explore the garden a bit more, but alas! Perhaps I’ll have another chance later…

Wow, what is this now?!

In front of me, there was a staircase wide enough for several people to lie down. The staircase, adorned with golden vine decorations, split into two branches and ascended to the upper floors.

At the point where the staircase branched off to the second floor, a magnificent and enormous painting was hung.

Passing through the ornate frame, my gaze rose even higher. My head tilted back as I looked at the high ceiling.

From the dome-shaped, giant window in the ceiling, light streamed in. The sunlight met the crystal decorations scattered like stars beneath the window, casting a mesmerizing shimmer throughout the room.

As I was engrossed in admiring the scene, I lowered my gaze and was startled by the figure of a person standing right next to me.

“Oh, Ugh! It scared me. I thought it was a real person!”

The colossal marble sculptures stood guard on either side of the staircase.

Etienne glanced at me with a clear expression of disdain.

“Hahaha, these, these are sculptures. I was genuinely surprised, thinking they were real people. They must be quite expensive, right?”

Feeling embarrassed, I added some random remarks. Etienne didn’t even bother to respond.

“Master Etienne, you’ve returned.”

Perhaps hearing our entrance, the maidservants came rushing out in a line, bowing their heads.

Etienne casually acknowledged their greetings and swiftly disappeared up the stairs.

As he vanished, the maidservants’ eyes naturally shifted toward me. Startled, they widened their eyes in surprise upon noticing me.

Why? Why are they surprised? It’s as if they’ve seen someone for the first time. Aren’t we all Old Friends?

“L-Lady Dahlia, I will prepare the bathwater.”

Ah.

With those words, I immediately understood why they were startled.

Right, I must look like a mess.

Glancing behind me, I saw that the previously pristine floor now had footprints marking the path I had walked. 

Additionally, with my hair partially burned, I must look quite disheveled. No wonder they’re surprised.

Thanks to the maidservants’ quick response, I was able to immerse myself in the warm water as soon as I entered the room.

“Ah… I’m melting, melting.”

It was the first moment of relaxation I experienced since falling into this world. Finally, I realized that I was still alive, still breathing.

“But usually, don’t nobles have maidservants to bathe and attend to them? Well, I guess it’s more convenient for me…”

There was no one in my room all this time.

Deep down, I was a little disappointed because I had been thinking about what would happen if the maids helped me.

That’s when it happened. With a knock on the door, a red-haired maidservant entered. She appeared to be in her late teens.

“Lady Dahlia, I have brought some light refreshments.”

Wow, what a sense of timing. This is amazing.

On a silver tray, there was porridge and warm tea.

“Would you like to have them after you’ve finished bathing?”

“No! Please, give them to me now. I want to eat them right away.”

“Uh?”

Caught off guard by her startled remark, I finally looked at the maidservant. She had a surprised expression on her face.

Why? Why was she surprised? Was it because of my exposed body? Or perhaps…

“Give it to me right now, and come over here, help me bath!”

“Yes, yes!”

As she scrambled to comply, the maidservant bowed her head deeply and handed me the tray. It seemed that my use of formal language was the cause of her surprise.

I wonder what kind of master Dahlia was?

Judging by the way the maid was so cautious, it seemed like she might have been a difficult mistress. In novels, there are often descriptions of masters who are not in their right mind.

Setting aside those thoughts for a moment, I sat up halfway in the bathtub.

With trembling hands, I scooped up some porridge and brought it to my lips. The watery porridge clung together to my stiff tongue.

I couldn’t really taste anything, but the warm sensation was enchanting. My stomach, which had been painfully empty, gradually began to calm down.

Ah, it feels like I can finally live now.

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