It Was Me, Not You - Chapter 24

“It looks delicious.”

The steaming bread caught Diana’s eye at once because she only ate corn soup for a while because she was sick.

Just looking at the color, it was different from the meals of the maids that Kunta secretly took care of.

As the maid prepared the food and left the room, Diana sat on a chair and took a sip of the soft pumpkin soup.

“It’s delicious.”

I was hungry, so I couldn’t stop my hands when I tasted the food. Diana quickly finished the bread and soup and ate all the salad.

Finally, Diana, who even emptied the orange juice, put the glass down on the table and exhaled a full breath.

“Ha… I’m full.”

Did I eat too quickly? My full stomach felt heavy.

However, the sense of being full is also the first time in my life. I didn’t hate the heavy but unfamiliar feeling.

Should I walk a little? As soon as I thought about it, I thought of the promenade I saw earlier as if I had just arrived.

“But can I go there?”

I was allowed to stay in a mansion, but I never got permission to wander around the Grand castle.

The promenade is a place that connects to the mansion, not a separate house, so if you go around carelessly, you may be scolded by the Grand Duke.

Where do I walk then?’

I had to walk a little, but if I couldn’t get inside the mansion, I had to go to a separate house. But if you go to the annex and meet Leah… 

Not long ago, when I asked the maid what had happened to Leah, she said she was stuck in a cabin with great punishment, but she didn’t want to go to a separate house at the risk.

Let’s just go around the room a few times. When I got up from my seat after concluding like that, I heard a knock.

Knock knock.

Are you here to get the plate already?

It’s too fast for that. As Diana tilted her head, a low voice came from outside the door.

“Lady, it’s the butler.”

“Oh, come on in.”

What’s wrong with the butler?

Diana wondered, but at the same time straightened out the creases of the dress.

I’m not sure if I’m going to be caught.

However, the door opened and the first thing that caught Diana’s eye was not the face of the butler.

‘They’re all… What is it?’

Diana was dazzled by the row of items behind the butler.

From small boxes to dolls, pretty lace cushions and big furniture were coming into Diana’s room.

“Put the drawers and tables over there, and the cushions and dolls next to the sofa. And you change the lady’s cover and quilt.”

“Yes, butler.”

The servants busily moved the furniture, and the maids took the pink lace quilt they had never seen before and went to bed.

Instead of plain-patterned bedspreads and blankets, cute and colorful lace blankets decorated the bed.

Diana, who stared blankly as the room filled with more empty spaces, muttered unconsciously.

“What is this all of a sudden…”

I’ve never had furniture and dolls that looked so fancy and expensive.

Regardless of whether she liked it or not, Diana was very embarrassed to be decorated like a room of noble.

“All of them were granted by the Grand Duke. During the time here, I hope there will be no inconvenience.”

Giving this room was a big deal for Diana…

Diana looked around the perfectly decorated room and felt strange.

Diana’s expression was strangely hardened in a confused mood that she couldn’t just like.

When the servants and maids left after the arrangement, the butler called Diana.

“Miss.”

“What?”

“If you need anything, feel free to tell me. If it’s a request that can be handled on my line, I can meet it right away.”

The butler’s words suddenly reminded Diana of one thing she had given up earlier.

“Then… can I walk on the promenade outside the mansion?”

Are you talking about trails? Are you just asking me to walk there?”

As if he was suspicious of what he heard, the general butler narrowed his brows slightly and asked.

‘You can’t do that,either.’

Diana replied, a little nervous about his reaction.

“Yes.”

The butler’s pupils slightly widened at Diana’s answer. It sank. He soon moved his lips slowly.

“You can. Miss. As long as you’re staying in the mansion, you can visit everything except the Grand Duke’s office and the safe. There’s no restriction on looking around.”

“Oh, really? That’s a relief.”

Diana smiled broadly when he said there were no restrictions on walking around.

In fact, it was frustrating to think that I should be confined to the room.

The butler opened his mouth to such Diana.

“Miss, I have something else to do, so I’m going to leave.”

“Yes.”

As the butler left the room, Diana rushed to the window.

After checking the location of the promenade on the left outside the mansion, Diana opened the closet to change her clothes.

“Oh.”

Diana let out a short sigh of embarrassment.

In the closet were all the dresses, cloaks, and shoes Leah had bought the day she was attacked by mercenaries.

“The furniture wasn’t the problem.”

The room became colorful on the outside, but there were no clothes and shoes needed for life.

Should I tell the butler.

He told me to speak comfortably, but it wasn’t easy to speak.

“I should at least wear this…” 

I didn’t want to wear it again, but I couldn’t go out with what I was wearing now.

The dress I’m wearing now was changed by a maid when Diana was sick, and it was a thin indoor dress that was used as both pajamas.

Diana, who had been fiddling with thin clothes a few times, admitted that she couldn’t help it and reached out to the dress Leah bought for her.

It was uncomfortable to wear these clothes again, but fortunately, the maid washed them all, so all the dirt and blood on them were erased.

Diana, who changed her clothes quickly, put on a cape.

It’s been a lot warmer, but it’s still winter, and I’m not fully recovered, but it’s too much. If I catch a cold, I’ll bother many people.

“I’m going to walk a little bit and come in.”‘

Diana, who left the room, tilted her head in the deserted hallway.

“It’s supposed to be time for a lot of maids.”

[T/N: She means it’s working hours.]

It was not yet twelve o’clock. It must be time for the maids of the detached house to come to the mansion and clean up. Diana thought it was strange and walked to the central staircase.

“Oh.”

As she was going down the stairs, Diana stopped when she saw the busyness of the lobby on the first floor.

Diana opened her mouth slightly as she looked at the items piled up in the lobby and constantly coming through the door.

It was incomparably more than the procession of furniture entering her room.

There were colorful luxuries such as vases, ceramics, incense burners, and paintings. Then, there was something that caught Diana’s eye at once.

Just dozens of children’s dresses.

The maids were carrying dresses that seemed to be Seia’s clothes.

The colorful dresses that looked light as if they were spring clothes were honestly so pretty.

And looking at those clothes, I felt sad about my situation without any spring clothes.

I’ll get my old clothes from the cabin.

The clothes I’m wearing now were better than the old ones, but I hated it because of what happened the day I wore these clothes.

In addition, the only dress Leah bought me was for winter, so when the weather gets warmer, I won’t be able to wear it even if I want to.

Should I ask the maid to bring it?

Or where to get the clothes, should I tell the butler?

It seemed to be the only way for now, but the problem was that it was not easy to put it into practice.

Can I ask you to buy me clothes? He told me to tell him whenever I needed anything, but it was not easy for me to ask him to do anything for me.

Especially for the butler, not just a maid, but a direct servant of the Grand Duke.

As Diana sighed, I suddenly felt the maids looking at the central staircase where she was standing.

And all at once, the maids bowed to this side.

‘Uh… No way’

When I turned my head just in case, I saw the Grand Duke coming down the stairs from the third floor.

And next to him stood Rowoon, who hated Diana.

Coming down the stairs quickly, the duke stopped in front of Diana.

“I see you, Your Highness.”

Diana bowed her head, remembering what he said not to bow down.

“…Look up.”

As I raised my head, I met my eyes with the Grand Duke looking down at me.

And Rowoon looked at her with disapproving eyes next to him.

‘You don’t pretend to laugh anymore.’

Whenever he saw Diana, he forced a smile, and today he had a stiff face without it.

He glanced first as if he didn’t even want to see Diana.

Diana also turned to the duke because she didn’t want to see Rowoon more openly showing his dislike.

When Diana’s eyes met, Duke opened his mouth first.

“Where are we going?”

“Oh, I’d like to take a walk for a while and came out.”

“A walk? Are you feeling better enough to go outside?”

“Yes, today is very good.”

“Then I’m glad. I’ve been out for too long…”

The Grand Duke suddenly blurted out the end of his words and closed his lips. And I looked up and down at Diana.

“This dress… is the one from back then.”

The duke narrowed his brows with an unpleasant look.

Knowing too well what it was, Diana was embarrassed and clasped the hem of the dress.

“…Yes.”

“I thought you’d throw it away. Why did you have to wear it?”

The duke looked sharply at Diana’s clothes.

In his sharp eyes, Diana thought she shrank reflexively.

‘I didn’t wear it because I wanted to…?’

Diana hesitated and slowly opened her lips.

“This is the only outfit I have…”

The Duke seemed surprised by Diana’s answer

He opened his eyes wide and then opened his mouth.

“I didn’t think there would be no clothes just looking at the appearance of the room.”

The Grand Duke glanced up and down at Diana.

Then he opened his mouth.

“You said you were on my way for a walk.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The Grand Duke said so, and continued, as if in thought.

“You may go now. Don’t stay out too long because you’re not feeling well.”

The Grand Duke’s voice sank.

At the sound of his worried voice, Diana felt strange for a moment.

To be caught in the confusion, Diana bowed to the duke without looking up.

“Yes, then I’ll be on my way.”

Diana went straight down the stairs. Diana, who came down to the lobby, felt the eyes of the maids gathering.

Probably because she talked to the Grand Duke.

I could feel that those who looked at me with a mixture of sympathy and disregard now they looked at me with a very embarrassing gaze.

Maybe they thought Diana would never face the Grand Duke.

On top of that, I understood that I was surprised because I talked casually.

Only a few weeks ago, Diana didn’t know she’d be staying here either.

But I understand. However, these eyes were not happy. Diana hurried out of the mansion to escape the uncomfortable gaze.