“Lady Sernia. Why are you here!? I told you to reject it. Did my father say anything to you?”

Contrary to her sharp tone, she sounded worried. She was busy examining my complexion with her clear orange eyes.

“No, he didn’t say much. More importantly, why didn’t you come out to see me? I was looking forward to it.”

I deliberately played a joke by puffing my lips to lighten the mood. To that, Kanarin responded with a gloomy expression.

“My father told me to wait in my room, so I had no choice. I’m sorry.”

“I’m kidding! You don’t have to apologize. Relax your expression. But it’s so nice to see you after a long time.”

Well, I didn’t expect this kind of reaction. When I comforted the disappointed Kanarin, a sense of relief spread across my face.

“I’m also happy to meet Lady Sernia like this.”

The count’s rudeness had already been forgotten. It wasn’t something that hurt me hard, and my compassion for Kanarin was greater than that.

Her room was nothing compared to the Count’s drawing-room. Unlike the disgruntled drawing-room, where a lot of money was poured into it without any unity, there was no real luxury in her room. The furniture was old and the clothes she was wearing were simple. It was like she was overdressed at the ball.

‘It was to show-off.’

​​Excessive jewelry and gorgeous dresses are just the count’s facade, and in reality, he thinks investing in Kanarin is a waste. I clicked my tongue.

“Isn’t it frustrating to be in your room alone? The weather is nice today. Shall we go for a walk?”

“That’s… My father doesn’t like me walking around in the house. I invited you, so I’m sorry.”

​​I heard somewhere that when you move your body, dopamine is released and you get stronger. So I suggested a walk to cheer up Kanarin, but even that failed!

No, the father doesn’t want to see his daughter at home? That’s ridiculous. I struggled to not frown.

“No, it’s actually a little cold outside. If you catch a cold before the Founding Festival, it’ll be a big deal, so let’s just chat in the room!”

“I like it too. Today, I asked the chef to prepare a Mont Blanc cake that Lady Sernia likes!”

“Really? Wow, that’s great. As expected, you’re Kanarin!”

When I laughed, Kanarin laughed along.

It’s because of the Mont Blanc, but I’m glad that the atmosphere has eased up. I took a large bite of the Mont Blanc prepared by the maid and was happy. Kanarin, who was happily looking at me, brought up a new topic.

“Next week is the end of the year. Have you prepared everything for the Founding Festival?”

“I went to a dressing room with the twins last week.”

“I see. Lady Sernia is pretty, so she’ll look good in any dress.”

Oh. You said the same thing as the twins.

It seems that Kanarin also has her bean pods stuck on. Her expression darkened again when I smiled and said that Kanarin would too.

Tl/n: (bean pod- to be blinded by something so, in this case, her admiration for Sernia)

‘Where was the mine? I just said you’d look good in any dress.’

tl/n: (mine meaning stepping on a landmine, something that can set someone off)

I was wondering if my words had hurt Kanarin’s feelings, but after letting out a shallow sigh, she spoke with a bitter smile.

“I don’t know what dress to wear.”

“Didn’t you choose one, Kanarin?”

“Regardless of my opinion, my father will make me wear the most expensive dress in his dressing room.”

She looked as if she had given up everything.

‘Wow. Count, you’re really different. Huh? What’s he got? I’m not going to take it.’

My anger that had been relieved by the Mont Blanc rose again.

That said, designers usually have a specific field. Designers who focus on ladies’ dresses, and designers who focus on children’s dresses and tailcoats. Of course, there are other designers who are famous among young girls that are not yet married.

‘But it’s a waste of money for an adult male aristocrat to buy his daughter’s clothes in a mainstream dressing room!’

I swallowed my anger and laughed.

Still, you can’t swear at your friend’s parents, right? The person who is most angry is probably Kanarin.

‘Quick independence is the answer.’

When you enter the Academy soon, you will be free from the count for at least two years.

‘I don’t think the novel showed what happened to Kanarin after she graduated.’

I was tormenting the Mont Blanc with a fork, trying to figure out what advice to give Kanarin.

“Lady Sernia?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. The Mont Blanc is so delicious that I want to split it.”

When Kanarin opened her orange eyes and looked at my complexion, she finally came to her senses.

“Are you worried about anything? I don’t know if I’ll be able to help, but I’m willing to lend you my ear.”

Kanarin spoke seriously. I’m touched!

I’m not the only one who thought of you as a friend. I was relieved to feel that Kanarin also valued me.

‘But I can’t tell you.’

I was worried about Kanarin, so how can I say, ‘I’m worried about you’. I shook my head hard.

“Well, the twins are going to the Academy soon. I’m worried if they’ll be doing well.”

“I see. I think they’ll be fine without Lady Sernia worrying about them.”

Yes. Actually, I think so too.

Our sweet pumpkin twins will do well wherever they go. They were children who were raised by the Duke. I smiled awkwardly and nodded.

TL/n:(sweet pumpkin- slang for resolute/firm)

“Kanarin, you’ll enter the academy next year. Aren’t you worried?”

“Me?”

To my question, Kanarin answered after taking a sip of black tea.

“I’m a little worried, but at the same time, I’m looking forward to it. Even in the estate, I’ve always been in my room, and have never interacted with anyone. Oh, of course, Lady Sernia is the first. Even sending and receiving letters. Inviting the two of us to talk.”

“Me too. Kanarin is my first friend too!”

We smiled brightly.

“Really, I was wrong to push Lady Sernia back then, but I’m glad I went to apologize to the Duke. At that time, I never imagined that I could be friends with Lady Sernia.”

Isn’t there always a friend like that?

It’s like when you think you would never get along with someone, but once you accidentally talk or start to get close with them, you eventually become acquainted.

It was the same for me.

I never imagined that I would be friends with Kanarin, nor did I have any desire to be friends when she came to the Duke’s house to ask for forgiveness. Simple sympathy, that was all. However, as we exchanged letters, I learned about Kanarin’s charm and felt that it suited me better than I expected.

‘I didn’t know it would last so long that the seasons changed twice.’

Letters that began in early summer continued.

We instantly got close to each other as we shared our daily lives, shared our feelings, and formed a sympathy.

“I, Lady Sernia…”

“Yes?”

I was immersed in emotions, but Kanarin cautiously called my name, coloring her cheeks red.

“Can I call you by a nickname?”

“Nickname?”

“Oh, no. I thought it would be nice if I could call Lady Sernia by a nickname. If you don’t like it, it’s okay!”

When I asked her, she was visibly embarrassed and gibberish.

It took time to understand in my head because I had never thought of nicknames.

‘Come to think of it, close friends call each other by nicknames!’

It was a problem that I had never thought of because I had never called or called anyone by a nickname in my life.

“No, that’s not it. Actually, I don’t have a nickname.”

I just said it without thinking deeply to calm Kanarin down. But that was a mistake.

“You don’t have a nickname?”

Kanarin looked at me with a shocked expression.

Yeah. That’s not it.

Oh, I said it too hastily. Looking at her expression, I could roughly guess what she was imagining. Before Kanarin’s strange imagination went further away, I hurriedly spoke back.

“Yes. My uncle is not the type to call me by nicknames, and the twins always call me Sister. Come to think of it, I’ve never called the twins by their nicknames either.”

“Oh, I guess everyone doesn’t call each other by nicknames in the Duke’s family.”

“Yes. Because I don’t have an aunt, it’s a little hard. I should have been more careful and called the twins by their nicknames. This is my failure as a sister.”

Phew, it’s done. Good save!

To be honest, there were times when I didn’t feel the importance of nicknames, but I thought it was strange because ‘nicknames = a symbol of intimacy’ here.

“No! That’s what the atmosphere at home is like. In fact, my mother is the only one who calls me by my nickname.”

It was the first time that Kanarin had spoken about her mother.

Come to think of it, in general, the daughter’s dress is tailored with their mother in the mother’s dressing room, not the father’s. But Kanarin said that the dress was tailored in the Count’s dressing room.

‘Are you living apart from your mother like the twins? Or…’

Kanarin pursed her lips to say something. However, it was silent as she rubbed the teacup as if the words could not come out easily. I didn’t rush her or I didn’t change the subject, I just waited.

I could tell by Kanarin’s behavior.

She’s not hesitating because she doesn’t talk, she wants to confide in someone, but she’s hesitant about what to say.

“My mother called me Kana. It’s the name of my mother’s favorite flower. It’s a cute flower that blooms with small yellow flowers clustered together on one stem.”

“I see. I think it would look just like Kanarin.”

It sounds like a rapeseed flower. Kanarin continued to talk with a sentimental look, perhaps immersed in memories.

“Thank you. My mother was originally weak. After giving birth to my younger brother, she became weaker and died around this time five years ago.”

“…….”

“My father didn’t love my mother. I knew that. My mother was from a count family, but she was poor, and my father used to say that he should have married someone of higher rank.”

That man is really trash.

I listened to Kanarin’s story silently, but the count’s actions kept scratching my nerves. Of course, I knew that there were more couples who married for the benefit of the family than those who loved each other.

‘You still have to be polite!’

“I haven’t been called by a nickname since then.”

“I’ll call you! So please smile, Kana.”