“GOOD afternoon, my lady. You’re later than I expected you today. Was everything all right at school?”
My carriage was parked a short walk away from the school gates.
A man with neatly styled black hair stood in front of the carriage, awaiting my arrival.
This man was none other than Lucian, my head servant.
✦ ✦ ✦
He stood tall over me, with a handsome face that displayed both his attentiveness and poise.
Anyone’s first impression of Lucian would be that he looks like a capable butler, but that position wasn’t yet his due to his young age of only twenty-two. His talents were all but guaranteed to carry him to the role in the future.
“…I found myself in quite the predicament today. We can discuss it in the carriage.”
I took Lucian’s outstretched hand and stepped up into the passenger car.
We were the very picture of a distinguished young lady and her doting servant.
I’m sure I would have been a combination of bewildered and elated to be in such a situation in my past life. But to Laetitia, the current “me,” it was the most ordinary thing in the world.
My customs as a noblewoman appeared to now coexist with that middle-class lifestyle I experienced in the past.
I sighed and leaned against the soft seat. Lucian took his place across from me. With that, the carriage began to creak forward at the beckoning of the driver.
Putting my thoughts in order, I managed to convey the day’s events to Lucian.
“Today, His Highness informed me that our engagement is over.”
“…Come again?”
Lucian’s blue eyes went wide. He stared at me intensely.
“What does that mean, exactly? Surely, it must be some kind of joke…”
“Sadly, it’s all too true. He announced it to the whole world, right there in the entry hall. I’ve also been told I’m to be expelled from the kingdom.”
The more I explained, the sharper Lucian’s gaze grew.
“…What an absolute fool, that prince. A thousand deaths wouldn’t be enough to atone for casting shame upon my lady.”
He didn’t hesitate to hurl insults toward Fritz, the crown prince of our kingdom.
“That empty-headed, spoiled little brat…,” he cursed.
His tongue was sharp for a servant.
…Well, I guess I was just calling Fritz “the foolish prince” in my head earlier, so I suppose I can’t judge him…
…But my innermost thoughts could be ignored for the time being.
Lucian usually carried himself in a dignified manner, like someone born to an upper-class family, despite being a commoner himself.
Throughout all the years of his service, I’d only heard him resort to commoner speech a handful of times…or perhaps a bit more.
“I knew that dunce would screw everything up at some point… Do you have any intention of accepting that ridiculous demand? Expulsion from the kingdom?”
“Yes, and I’ll be going peacefully. I can’t let this land be divided by a rift between the royal family and my own.”
This was the responsibility that came with my title in this world.
Our kingdom wasn’t nearly as peaceful or prosperous as the Japan I once knew. The fact that I could live my life without hardship was thanks to my noble status.
“…A noble must be ready to give up everything for the sake of the people.”
It was my father who’d repeated those words to me many times over the course of my life in this world.
Father was a man with a dauntingly terrifying face. Sadly, this made people overlook his traits as an admirable person with a strong sense of duty.
“…I don’t know where I’ll go when I leave. I could be sent to a distant empire or to a dreadful land somewhere. If that happens, I want you to stay here without me, Lucian.”
“My lady, you couldn’t get rid of me if you were sent to the ends of the earth.”
So that was a no.
“Because you’re the one who saved me from that orphanage after I lost my parents.”
“Lucian…”
That was seven years ago. I was ten years old at the time.
When Father told me to select a few servants of my own, it proved to be more challenging than I anticipated. But one day, when I was visiting an orphanage as part of my philanthropic work, I met the then fifteen-year-old Lucian.
Despite never receiving a real education, the boy had taught himself to read and write all on his own. He even assisted in the operation of the orphanage with those skills.
Moved by his story, I begged my father to let me employ him as my personal servant. He was hesitant at first but eventually agreed to a year-long trial run to evaluate Lucian’s performance.
By the time that year was up, Lucian had become an impeccable servant, both in etiquette and job skills. Even Father came to approve of him.
…Everything worked out in the end, but it was a bold request of me to make.
As a duke’s daughter, I wasn’t supposed to associate too closely with commoners. I’d only just regained the memories of my past life, but it was possible those experiences and the values I held then still influenced me in this life, even before today.
“Thank you, Lucian, but there’s no need to be so loyal to me. I only employed you because I wanted a skilled servant for my own devices.”
“Yes, I know. I’m aware of your reasons…and how you were truly worried for me above all else—not to mention your noble, dignified aspirations to put your kingdom above your own desires… I know these facts better than anyone.”
Lucian placed his hand on his chest and bowed.
My heart was filled with warmth and contentment to hear his declaration of loyalty. It was also just a little bit embarrassing.
…It really was a terrible day.
I had my engagement annulled, I was pushed into a fountain, my former fiancé had all sorts of choice words for me, and a brute of a man tried to threaten me…
There was so much hostility and hatred, with one blow landing on me after another.
But despite it all, Lucian’s unwavering support broke through my shell and warmed my heart. I felt like I could finally stop and take a breath.
“I must have terrific luck to be blessed with a loyal servant like you.”
“Thank you, my lady. I will strive to be worthy of such praise.”
Through the courtesy and respect for me in his smile, I could also make out Lucian’s deep affection for me. I returned his smile. Feeling a little less glum, we carried on with more peaceful topics of conversation. It was a quiet way to pass the time. Eventually, we felt the moving carriage slow to a halt.
We had arrived in the eastern region of the capital city, where my family resided.
The grand mansion came into view through my window. With it, I felt my mood start to sink again.
“Don’t be so upset, my lady. Please remember that you’ll always have me on your side.”
Lucian knew just what to say to me.
I didn’t think my change of mood was visible on the outside, but as my servant of many years, perhaps he was just that good at seeing through me.
“I’m sure the idea of telling your father, the duke, about the end of your engagement is daunting… But knowing Duke Gramwell, I can’t imagine he’d blame you for something that wasn’t even your fault, my lady.”
“…I think you’re right about that.”
With a hesitant smile, I turned my gaze away from Lucian.
The more I imagined Father’s disappointment when I told him about the day’s events, the more my mood worsened.
…But that wasn’t even my most pressing concern at the moment. Though it was over something that would seem trivial to many, something was weighing heavy on my mind now that I had my past-life memories again.
I stepped out of the carriage. The sun was already creeping lower in the sky above me.
My dreaded dinner was drawing near.