The Virtually Exiled Duke’s Daughter Is Troubled When Her Fiancé in a Neighboring Country Says, "I Will Never Love You" - Episode 17

As he dipped the spoon into the surface of the onion soup, creating small ripples, Marquis Sisley suddenly noticed her gaze and looked up. Deborah was staring intently at him with a serious expression.

“Miss Deborah, is something wrong?”

“No. How does the soup taste?”

“?”

The marquis, though puzzled, took a sip of the soup. The exquisite saltiness enhanced the savory and sweet flavors of the onions, which had been slowly sautéed for a long time.

“Yeah, this is delicious.”

He said that and then stared in amazement at the scene across the table.

Until now, Deborah had only shown either a doll-like blank expression or, conversely, a perfectly crafted polite smile. But now, she slightly relaxed her cheeks and smiled with a hint of joy.

It was as if the deep red rosebud, which had been tightly closed until now, was slowly beginning to bloom.

“I’m glad to hear that. Actually, I helped out a little bit.”

“Help?”

“I just peeled an onion, but it was really tough. I ended up crying.”

The marquis cast a glance at Lady Lauren and Ashley. The lady remained expressionless, while Ashley gave a slight, bitter smile and nodded slightly.

In the meantime, Deborah also drinks the soup. Life returned to her face once again.

“Oh, delicious… I never knew that making this soup required so many onions and so much effort until now!”

“Oh?”

Deborah’s words piqued the interest of Marquis Sisley. The head chef was skilled, but he had a craftsman’s temperament and was not very personable. In the kitchen he managed, she not only peeled onions but also learned that making soup was quite a task.

“Did you get to see the head chef while he was cooking?”

“Yes. That person was attentive not only to me but also to the apprentices.”

Deborah smiled faintly again. Her eyes sparkled mischievously.

“You’re actually a kind person, aren’t you? Your face is a bit… scary, though.”

“!”

Marquess Gary Sisley was disturbed and tensed up for a moment.

“Your Grace?”

The moment Deborah tilted her head slightly, he regained his composure.

“……No, it’s nothing. I see. Lady Deborah is also active in the kitchen.”

“To say I’m making a difference is too much. But… if I’m truly being of any help, I’m happy. And that’s all thanks to you, Marquis, for giving me my freedom.”

“Freedom?”

The marquis thought it was quite ironic that Deborah, the caged bird, would say that. However, it didn’t seem like she was being sarcastic. So, he didn’t say anything more and simply urged Deborah to respond with his eyes.

Deborah seemed to understand his intention and replied accordingly.

“Yes. Even though I can’t leave this mansion, I’m free in every other way, right? After all, I’m a hostage. It wouldn’t be surprising if I were treated even worse.”

“Such behavior would be like sullying the name of the Sisley Marquisate. You must treat them with respect.”

“That’s not all. When I offered to do menial work or anything else, you could have laughed and dismissed it as foolish. But you, my lord, allowed me to do so. I am very grateful.”

In response to Deborah’s bud-like smile, the marquis returned a warm smile. The dinner ended peacefully.
It was supposed to be.

Deborah returned to her room and became expressionless again. Alone, she recalled the dinner from earlier.

(Just like when we talked about vegetables the other day…)

I haven’t had much conversation with the marquis. Yet, very rarely, he reacts to her casual words. And in that fleeting moment, I felt I caught a glimpse of the true nature of Marquis Sisley. Yes. The mask of a very gentlemanly, kind, and perfectly admirable man cracked, revealing his true self inside.

Because Deborah had been wearing the mask of the perfect duchess for so long, she understood. But her true nature didn’t seem terrifying. Rather.

(Sad… There might be a very deep sadness within that person.)

Deborah let out a small sigh.

(You’ve been so kind to me. If only I could do something to repay you, even a little, to ease your sorrow…)

Was that emotion really just a result of repaying a debt?

◆◇◆

“How is Miss Deborah, Ashley?”

The cheerful butler waiting in the office maintained his smile while answering his master, but his eyes turned sharp.

“How, do you mean?”

“You must have been watching her from time to time.”

“Ha…”

The butler, who usually answers clearly, hesitated. The marquis’s eyes sparkled with interest.

“I think it’s safe to say you’ve lost, don’t you?”

“…Understood. On that matter alone, I concede defeat. Lady Deborah is indeed the real duke’s daughter.”

He raises both hands, gloved in white, above his head. Until now, only Ashley had been unable to dismiss the opinion that the duke’s daughter might be an imposter.

“That person is just too eccentric, no matter how you look at it. Even if they brought in a commoner or a lower-ranking noble lady and made her a fake, she wouldn’t end up like that.”

The marquis chuckles lightly.

“Yeah. That beauty in appearance and posture is indeed genuine…”

However, Deborah’s statements and actions about wanting to do menial work are not befitting of her status as the former crown prince’s fiancée. Moreover, according to the servants who were with her when she actually worked, although she picked things up fairly quickly, her initial movements were completely unsteady. If she were an imposter, a commoner, or a lower-ranking noble, she would be able to move more efficiently.

…No, if she’s an imposter, she shouldn’t say something as absurd as wanting to do menial work. It’s almost like she’s asking to be suspected. Whether she’s real or an imposter, everything is contradictory.

If there is even the slightest possibility.

“……Ashley, that’s enough for today.”

“Yes. Excuse me.”

When the butler left the office, the marquis poured the brandy that had been prepared beside him into a glass. He downed the drink in one go and let out a deep sigh.

“Ha…”

He closes his eyes. Behind his eyelids, the image of his beloved wife in her youth comes back to life.

“This vegetable is as fresh as if it were just picked! …Huh? You grow these vegetables in your garden?”

“The head chef looks scary, but he’s actually a really kind person!”

“Just because I’m a marchioness, sitting around doing nothing doesn’t suit my nature! I’ll do any kind of work, whether it’s cleaning, laundry, or farming!”

“Maggie… why?”

A sharp, small crack runs through the marquis’s hand. The glass he was gripping tightly has cracked.

“Why did you do something like that…!!”

His wife left a will in a letter before she passed away.

“Please, don’t blame anyone. Don’t hate anyone. This happened because of me. I’m sorry.”

To honor her will, the Marquis of Sisley treated Deborah warmly. He did not allow the servants to be rude to her.
However, every time Deborah casually mentioned something that reminded him of his ex-wife, Magdala, his heart would rage like a storm.

Magdala must have thought about wanting to make Deborah as comfortable as possible in this country… and the feeling of wanting to unleash all his hatred on Deborah and tear her apart swirled together, mixing into a dark, murky color that danced within him. Gary Sisley let out a sob.

“Maggie… what should I do… save me, Maggie…”