The Virtually Exiled Duke’s Daughter Is Troubled When Her Fiancé in a Neighboring Country Says, "I Will Never Love You" - Episode 53

“I’m sorry… but…”

Tom didn’t seem to be apologizing just for show, but he looked restless. His eyes kept glancing at the handkerchief placed on the table.

“Um, I want this.”

“You idiot!”

His father turned bright red and pushed Tom’s head down again.

“I’m sorry! He has no manners at all!”

His mother hurriedly bowed her head repeatedly, saying, “I’m sorry. We didn’t raise him properly.”

It felt like everything had gone back to the beginning… but Deborah had a feeling she had found a clue to solving this.

She remembered her time in the Mauzy Duchy. She had opportunities to visit orphanages and relief centers where the duke’s family carried out charity work, but she rarely spoke directly with ordinary citizens.

As a candidate for Aaron’s fiancée, she had devoted herself to her studies. Then, after becoming his official fiancée, she had been busy assisting him with his official duties.

Even so, when she recalled her limited interactions with the citizens, she thought that Tom’s parents seemed to be very serious, perhaps even overly so.

“Here, I’m returning this. Thank you.”

When Tom’s mother tried to return the handkerchief, Tom, who had been forcibly holding his head down, let out a small “Ah” and made a sad face.

His serious parents had come to apologize, so no matter how much Deborah said, “You can keep the handkerchief,” they would not accept it. Tom had hidden the handkerchief from his parents, and even after learning that Magdala had died from an illness, he had struggled to apologize sincerely. Deborah suspected that he had anticipated his parents’ reaction.

“Please wait.”

Deborah’s beautiful and firm voice stopped everyone’s movements, drawing their attention to her.

“That’s enough. Your apology has been clearly conveyed. But could you answer one thing for me?”

“Y-Yes. Anything.”

Shifting her gaze from the nervous father to the son, she asked,

“Can you tell me why you want this handkerchief?”

“Eh?”

Tom’s eyes darted around anxiously, and he fell silent. The dining hall grew quiet, and not only his parents, Deborah, and the marquis, but also Mrs. Lauren, Swallow, Shelly, Vito, and Peter, who were in the room, all focused their gaze on him.

After a while, unable to withstand the silence and the stares, the boy finally spoke.

“My sister… My older sister is turning sixteen soon.”

His parents gasped, as did Shelly and Peter. They seemed to understand what he meant. However, Deborah didn’t know the significance of his words. As she looked at them for clues, the marquis beside her provided an explanation.

“I see. You were thinking of using it for the next harvest festival.”

Tom fidgeted and, with a near-tearful face, answered,

“Yes… The embroidery on this handkerchief is beautiful, so I thought it could be used as a decoration for her hat.”

Deborah looked up at the marquis again. Gary Sisley kindly explained to her,

“In the nearby town, there’s a festival to celebrate the harvest. During that time, young men and women decorate their hats. A fine hat can show off one’s status, and it can also be an opportunity for men and women to meet.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Tom’s family probably wasn’t wealthy. The fact that such a young boy was running errands for the butcher made that clear. A high-quality handkerchief with fine embroidery was likely something his sister would have a hard time getting. Thinking of this, Deborah turned to face the downcast boy.

“You wanted to give this to your sister?”

“…Yes, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Then, I will give it to you.”

“W-What?! We can’t just spoil him like that…!”

“That’s right! He was rude to you, my lady…!”

Deborah let out a small “Oh my,” placed her hand on her cheek, and tilted her head slightly.

They truly were very serious people, perhaps to the point where it put them at a disadvantage. Since Tom had been rude to Deborah, they believed that merely apologizing and then receiving a gift would be “spoiling him,” and that it wouldn’t be good for his upbringing.

However, Tom’s actions weren’t for himself—they were for his sister. Denying his good intentions seemed a bit too harsh.

“…”

As Deborah organized her thoughts, she took out her fan and opened it. This was the first time she had used it at the Sisley estate. Mrs. Lauren remained expressionless as always, but Shelly’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Marquis.”

“What is it?”

“May I have a word with you?”

“Of course.”

Deborah used her fan to partially cover both her and the marquis’s faces as she whispered in his ear. The secret conversation lasted for a while, making Tom and his parents feel uneasy as they watched.

When she finally finished, the marquis was slightly surprised but soon gave a small nod and smiled.

“Ah, that’s a good idea.”

“Thank you.”

Deborah lightly bowed her head and left the next part to the marquis. As a hostage, she knew it wasn’t appropriate for her to speak too much.

“Alright, let’s do this. Your apology has been clearly conveyed, but if you still feel that you cannot accept the handkerchief as a gift, then let’s have you work for it as compensation.”

Tom’s parents were momentarily surprised, but his father quickly smiled and replied,

“Of course! Whether it’s fetching water, gardening, or any chores this boy can do, just say the word!”

“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant. Maybe ‘work’ was the wrong word. What I want in return is embroidery practice.”

“Huh?”

Tom, his parents, and everyone around them looked confused, their mouths slightly open.