Chapter 98

My office, which felt like I had been away from for quite a long time, was no different from when I left. As I traced the familiar fountain pen and ink bottle one by one, I stroked the box placed on the desk. It was the box containing the Duchess’s seal that I had left to return. Even this was placed exactly as it was before I left, as if they had never received it back.

Knock knock.

Just then, I heard a knock and Annie’s voice.

“Lady Chacha. Lady Iris has come to visit.”

I was startled by the name Iris and snapped out of my sentimental thoughts. I had intended to seek her out, but I didn’t expect Iris to come first. I straightened myself out in a flurry, recalling how I had been unfairly prejudiced against her by clinging to the original story, and welcomed her.

“…”

“…”

Pour.

A silence continued between the two of us until Annie poured the tea after I offered Iris a seat. Since I hadn’t prepared what to say even though I planned to visit her, I racked my brain, choosing my words carefully.

‘Should I greet her with a long time no see? Or apologize for the misunderstanding? Ugh!’

I secretly glanced at Iris’s expression under the pretense of not looking, and it seemed she hadn’t been comfortable either. My heart felt heavy at her face, which was darker than when I last saw her.

The moment I decided I needed to break the ice and opened my mouth, Iris exclaimed.

“I-I’m sorry!”

“Huh?”

My eyes widened at the sudden apology. Forgetting what I had just been agonizing over, I looked at her, and Iris had her face buried in both hands, her head bowed.

She said, “I… I really don’t have any personal feelings for the Duke. But I feel like my actions caused a misunderstanding and made you distressed… I’m truly sorry.”

“…”

Iris looked utterly defeated.

Thinking back, Iris was just a woman who had only just begun to learn life as a noble. While she might have made a good impression on the servants due to her friendliness, such behavior might have been perceived as lacking in courtesy or formality by some vassals. Especially me, who was bound by the original story, I had deeply misunderstood her familiar attitude.

‘Of course, she did provide the basis for the misunderstanding, but the larger fault is mine for not properly confirming. Iris had no intention other than cheering me on.’

Recalling Iris’s position, I felt sorry and guilty for her current subdued state.

I gently shook my head.

“No. I caused unnecessary misunderstanding and put you in a difficult position, my lady. Were there no other uncomfortable incidents?”

“Yes? Oh, no! Everyone here was kind, so it was fine. There was no malicious treatment or anything… I just kept my distance myself out of shame.”

Iris, who had been talking for a while, seemed thirsty. She abruptly drank half of the now lukewarm tea and set it down. After wetting her throat, she spoke, still unable to meet my eyes properly.

“It was a place to stay for my parents’ revenge… but I got a little carried away while I was here.”

“…”

“I was happy to learn about the aristocratic life I had admired, piece by piece. I thought maybe I could make a friend.”

Iris bowed her head deeply.

I had thought she was adjusting well and doing fine in the Ducal Castle, but it seemed Iris was enjoying that life more than I had realized.

“I never had friends my age since I was little. I was the only child in the village where I lived.”

As she said this, Iris looked away shyly and tapped her two index fingers together.

Soon, she lifted her head and looked at me with sparkling eyes.

Even in her timid posture, there was undisguised admiration in her gaze.

I suddenly remembered what she had said.

“T-The Duchess is cool…”

Was this comment not just a simple compliment but one of her ways of expressing a desire for friendship?

As if affirming my thoughts, Iris’s words continued.

“Specifically, I wanted to do small things like talk about romance and gossip about people we dislike with a same-sex friend my age… And I thought it would be nice if that friend was an extremely cool person.”

“So…”

“Ah! Of course, I never treated the Duchess as that kind of friend! But, that’s why when the Duke recovered his memory, I decided to help the two of you…”

“…”

“I’m sorry. I was ignorant and thoughtless, and I caused trouble for you two.”

I finally realized that Iris sincerely wanted to be my friend. I didn’t have the mental capacity to notice it back then, but thinking about it now, what she showed me was clearly interest and goodwill.

Iris continued to confide, saying she only thought of Nine as a male friend or a liege to serve after inheriting her house.

“But after all this, I realized my actions were wrong and have reflected on it deeply. I was worried about how I would apologize if you didn’t return, so I can’t tell you how happy I am that you came back.”

She smiled faintly, then hardened her expression again and bowed her head, apologizing to me.

I stared at her beautifully shiny silver hair and replied, “I accept your apology.”

Iris lifted her head and met my gaze with her transparent green eyes, which resembled her.

In the original story, Iris fell in love with Nine, and after achieving Count Laurel’s revenge, she chose to become the Duchess rather than inheriting the title.

‘But that future no longer exists.’

For that reason, or even if it weren’t, I would have been curious about the moment the Iris before me became a Countess. Her pure demeanor, which was consistent, made me want to support her future in a different way than I did Helena.

Even if she learned about noble culture, she would undoubtedly be distinctly different from those who had absorbed it since birth.

Because of this, she would go through many trials and tribulations while standing on her own.

But I believed she would overcome everything.

‘She was a stronger person than I thought.’

Just as I felt when looking at Helena and Nine, Iris was also more than the image I knew from the original story.

A lovable person, someone whose presence makes one comfortable and happy.

And someone who draws my attention, making me want to take care of her even more.

“I’m sorry too. For misunderstanding you on my own and…”

“What?! No! The Duchess didn’t do anything wrong in the first place!”

A startled Iris waved her hands, denying my apology.

I smiled faintly at her reaction and shook my head.

Even if she didn’t know, I knew well how I had perceived her.

Since I couldn’t reveal the original story, I couldn’t tell her everything honestly.

But I also had an apology to make.

I looked at Iris, who continued to deny my apology, and said,

“No. I also have something to apologize for. And if you accept my apology… Iris, I want to be your friend.”

“…What?!”

Iris was greatly surprised and waved her arms, flustered. She was unsure what to do at the proposition to become friends if she accepted an apology that she felt wasn’t necessary.

After a long moment of anxious discomfort, she finally stole a glance at me and nodded.

I smiled slightly and asked, “Then, may we use casual titles? And drop the formalities?”

“Y-Yes, please!!!”

“You can speak casually too.”

Iris was so happy to have a friend that her cheeks were flushed with excitement, and her eyes were brighter than ever.

“Then am I your first friend? It’s an honor, Ai.”

“Ai?”

“It’s a nickname. I can change it if you don’t like it.”

“Oh? No! I like it! I love it! …Chacha!”

She was so excited she tried to come up with a nickname for me, agonizing over it, but in the end, she couldn’t come up with anything and just shouted my name. The way she shouted it with her eyes squeezed shut, as if gathering courage, was so cute that I burst out laughing.

Unconsciously, I gently stroked Iris’s hair.

She was surprised, her eyes wide, but soon smiled shyly and quietly accepted the petting.

‘Cute.’

If Helena was an older sister-like friend, Iris felt like a younger sister-like friend.