Chapter 44 

 

“By the way, my Lady… uhm, I mean….” 

 

“Yeah, go ahead.” 

 

Siella snapped out of her thoughts and focused on Hellen. Locking eyes with Siella, Hellen hesitated before asking her cautiously. 

 

“Uhm… did you… did you just talk to a guy you barely knew? You didn’t feel uncomfortable?” 

 

Siella paused at Hellen’s question. 

 

‘Did I ever feel uncomfortable while talking to him?’ 

 

True, she was wary of him at first. But the more she talked with him, the less wary she became of him and she didn’t feel uncomfortable having a small talk with him at all. At some point, she found herself telling him the things she was really worried about. She felt as if she was possessed by something like before. They talked for hours without realizing it. 

 

Siella mumbled to herself, dumbfounded by her realization, “Right. I didn’t seem to be that uncomfortable with him….” 

 

“… Really?” 

 

“Yes, I wonder why I wasn’t.” 

 

Ever since the day she was attacked and nearly killed by Kyle, Siella became restless whenever she was alone with a man that her heart would pound like crazy. But today, not only did she not feel that way, but she was so comfortable that she didn’t realize she had a trauma. 

 

It was a mystery. Was it because we were in an open field and not inside a closed room? 

 

“I don’t know… why I didn’t feel uncomfortable with that man.” 

 

Was it because he was a gentleman who laughs easily and knows how to make others feel comfortable? Shaking her head, Siella looked down at the handkerchief in her hand. 

 

[O.D.]

 

On the edge of the pure white handkerchief, which had a slight tinge of blue to it, were embroidered the initials of his name. 

 

“Hmm….” 

 

Hellen glanced at Siella’s side profile, who was looking down on the handkerchief, and muttered to herself, “He’s tall, handsome, and seems to have a good personality… but he hurt his leg….” 

 

The problem was her muttering was all too audible to Siella. 

 

“Nah, whatever. His leg will heal soon, so I can’t hold that against him. Hmm, then….” 

 

“His leg will heal soon? How did you know that, Hellen?” 

 

When Siella asked her, Hellen shrugged and answered nonchalantly, “Nina said that the other day she was treating his wound, his leg muscles were well-developed.” 

 

The fact that his injured leg had such developed muscles meant that he had been using it until very recently. He hadn’t been living on one leg for a long time. 

 

Of course, neither Siella nor Hellen knew if his leg would ever heal, and if so, when it would heal. 

 

“Ah, come to think of it, that’s one of his strong points.” Hellen said, as if it just occurred to her, “He’s tall, good-looking, good-natured, and had well-developed leg muscles….” 

 

“Let’s go in, Hellen.” 

 

Siella opened the door, cutting off the ridiculous things coming from Hellen’s mouth, and quickly led her inside the house. 

 

(T/N: Hellen is playing matchmaker lol)

 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

 

“I think it would be better to hire more people.”  

 

After dinner, they were all drinking tea together. Siella’s words startled everyone around the table. Fortunately, Hellen quickly got over the shock and responded. 

 

“Hire more people?” 

 

“Yes, because the warehouse and the brewery will have to be renovated, or they need to be completely torn down and build a new one, but that requires the help of experts.” 

 

“Ah….” 

 

“I’d also like to replace the fence outside with something higher and sturdier than what we have now.” 

 

While Hellen, Nina and Lena’s help were able to get this house repaired and cleaned up, the other buildings had been neglected for so long that they were in serious condition. Even if that weren’t the case, the buildings they planned to repurpose were just as much in need of a professional touch to make them fit the purpose. 

 

“And if it’s alright with Nina and Lena, I’d also like to increase the number of escorts.” 

 

Nina nodded, her face full of determination at the thoughtfulness in Siella’s voice. 

 

“Well, we’re fine and good with everything that our Lady does, right, Lena?” 

 

“That’s right, we don’t mind. Ah, why don’t we check with the Tartan Guild to see if they had anyone in mind?” 

 

“No, it’s alright. I was thinking of contacting Taylor myself.” 

 

Siella was deeply grateful to Taylor for introducing her to Nina and Lena, and she trusted Tartan Guild, of which Taylor is the guild master. That’s why she decided to contact the Tartan Guild first and make a request, even though she knew it would be much quicker and more convenient to just go down the main street and get someone. 

 

“I’m sure I’ll have to go to the Central Bank in the capital soon….” 

 

“I’ll ask my brother about that.” 

 

 Hellen chimed in. 

 

“There may be a way to get the vault transferred to Jenard’s bank without having to travel to the Central Bank.” 

 

Lancellot would surely know how to, Hellen added. 

 

“But the capital is too far away, and your health hasn’t fully recovered yet….” 

 

“That’s right. There’s no need to travel that far if there is a way.” 

 

Nina raised her thumbs up at Hellen in admiration and nodded her head in agreement. 

 

“I hope there is.” 

 

“There will be, I’m sure of that.” 

 

Nina and Hellen looked at each other and nodded. Watching them, Siella quietly smiled and stood up from her seat. 

 

“Are you going back to your room?” 

 

“Yes.” 

 

Lena downed half of the tea on her teacup in one gulp, then pushed herself up to her feet. 

 

“Let’s go together.” 

 

“Me too!” 

 

With Lena and Hellen on each side like reliable escorts, Siella arrived at her bedroom. Lena went into the room right next to hers and freshened up, and Hellen walked casually inside the bedroom as she always did. 

 

Siella took off her outer garment, took her nightgown from the closet, and changed into it herself. After a few moments, Hellen, who had been quietly watching from the side, cautiously asked her. 

 

“… Will you really be alright?” 

 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” 

 

Or more accurately, she wanted to be alright. She was trying to make an effort to be okay. She wanted to get used to meeting and dealing with new people, like any normal person would. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in a closet, haunted by my past. 

 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

 

“I will be back!” 

 

“Be careful out there.” 

 

Siella smiled in response to Hellen’s cheerful goodbye as she opened the door. Hellen looked at Siella with a teary expression, then quickly looked at Nina, who was standing next to Siella and waving her hand. 

 

“Nina, don’t get into trouble and keep an eye on the house.” 

 

“Ugh, your nagging…!” 

 

Nina clicked her tongue in annoyance and quickly turned her head to the side. Seeing that, Helen giggled and smiled even more cheerfully. 

 

“I’ll be right back!” 

 

After a final cheerful goodbye, the door closed firmly. The house fell silent after Hellen’s cheerful departure. Siella moved to the window and watched Hellen silently make her way down the street. Then Nina, who casually walked up beside her and stood staring out the window, muttered. 

 

“… She’s going to trip.” 

 

“Yeah.” 

 

Siella faintly smiled and nodded her head. Hellen hurried down the street at a brisk pace. Her figure eventually became a tiny dot and then disappeared completely from sight. But Siella and Nina stood still, glued to the window, for quite a while afterward, before turning around. 

 

“It’s quiet.” Nina spoke as she sat down at the table next to the window. “Lena’s not here, and Hellen’s not here, too….” 

 

Lena left as soon as she finished lunch to find a contractor to work on the fence, and Hellen had gone down to the main street to meet with Lancellot. Nina seemed a little lonely, so Siella sat down in front of her and spoke in a gentle tone. 

 

“They’ll be back soon, Nina.” 

 

“I know. But do you realize something, my Lady?” 

 

“Huh? What?” 

 

As Siella tilted her head, Nina immediately opened her mouth, “That it’s just us two in this house right now.” 

 

Deliberately lowering her voice, Nina looked at Siella with an exaggerated expression and winked at her.