The Virtually Exiled Duke’s Daughter Is Troubled When Her Fiancé in a Neighboring Country Says, "I Will Never Love You" - Episode 9

“…and Lady Deborah said.”

At Lady Lauren’s report, the Marquis of Sisley raised his eyebrows, and soon after, they slightly lowered.

“After I left the room, Ashley was in the room, but it seems that Lady Deborah was holding her head and making a small groaning sound.”

“Ho”

“I apologize. Have I done something to offend you, Ms. Deborah?”

Marquis Sisley glanced at the butler beside him. The usually amiable man had a colder look in his eyes than usual.

“Ashley, tell Mrs. Lauren about what we just talked about.”

“……However, since it’s a story sourced from Mammut, its credibility is”

“The truth doesn’t matter at this point. I want Mrs. Lauren to know about the circumstances this time. Besides, sooner or later, the rumors will reach us too. We just don’t know how much the story will be distorted by then.”

“Understood.”

Ashley spoke briefly. Upon hearing that Prince Aaron had accused Deborah at the ball and unilaterally broken off their engagement, even the head maid couldn’t help but exclaim, “Well.”

“You must think there’s no way such a ridiculous story could be true, right? Well, this was Prince Aaron’s act.”

“Play…? What do you mean?”

“I hear Prince Aaron has an incurable disease. He has already stepped down from the throne. It seems the one who will succeed the throne is the king’s younger brother.”

Mrs. Lauren gasps softly.

“It seems that Prince Aaron pretended to be sick and feigned foolishness to break off the engagement with Lady Deborah. That way, she could be free and unharmed.”

“That… then there’s absolutely no need for Lady Deborah to come here, is there? There are plenty of good connections in Mammut, after all.”

“She was informed of the prince’s illness later, and if she couldn’t be with her beloved prince, she said she would dedicate herself to the country so that the prince could live a peaceful life, and she chose to become a hostage willingly. This story has already spread among the people of Mammut, and Lady Deborah is being treated like a tragic heroine and a saint with a beautiful heart.”

Ashley let out a huff at the end, but upon seeing Mrs. Lauren’s slightly furrowed brow, she realized they had differing opinions and added, “But…”

“Don’t you think it’s too perfect of a story? When I heard this, I thought it was all a lie orchestrated by Mammut, and I suspected that woman was just a decoy for a spy.”

At Ashley’s words, Marquis Sisley shrugged his shoulders.

“You said there was no possibility of a double, right? Well, even if she is the real deal, there’s still a good chance she could be a spy. I can understand Ashley’s idea that this story is just a fabrication to send Miss Deborah here… but going so far as to dethrone the crown prince for that is just too much.”

Noticing that Madame Lauren, who had been staring intently at Marquis Sisley and nodding slightly, seemed like she wanted to say something, the marquis urged her to speak. Madame Lauren opened her mouth.

“……Lady Deborah is the complete opposite of Lady Magdala. Lady Magdala was quite straightforward for a noblewoman… a bit of a tomboy, you could say… but that was very charming. I loved her dearly.”

Lady Lauren’s mask-like face, as she began to speak about the late wife of Marquis Sisley, softened gently like the sunlight on a thawing snow. It was a completely different person from the stern expression she had shown Deborah until now. However, when Deborah was mentioned, her face hardened again.

“Lady Deborah is like a model of a lady. I believe she would handle anything perfectly. She smiles faintly, but her true feelings are not easily revealed. I thought she was a very cold woman who prioritized practicality over sentiment… but…”

Mrs. Lauren, with a stern expression, lowered her eyes.

“Um, after reading the story about the broken engagement, the pained expression on Lady Deborah’s face she showed me seemed like the mask of a lady had slightly cracked… I felt like she was revealing her true feelings.”

“It might also be an act.”

Mrs. Lauren reacts against Ashley’s interjected words.

“Ashley, you can say that because you haven’t seen her face. If Lady Deborah had openly lamented or shown any signs of crying, I might have thought it was an act too. But…”

Mrs. Lauren’s mind conjures up Deborah’s face. Her beauty, as if meticulously crafted, makes her seem even more like a heartless living doll. At that moment, her glassy gray eyes flickered for just an instant, revealing a glimpse of human emotion.

“Um, I think those subtle expressions and words that could easily be overlooked are genuine! …I don’t know if they’re a spy, but at least the stories about the prince’s illness and the broken engagement are true, aren’t they?”

“……”

For a moment, silence enveloped the study. The head maid seemed somewhat uneasy, as if embarrassed by her own words, and the butler, while not doubting the head maid’s words, was pondering how to respond without wanting to agree.

The one who broke the silence was the master, the marquis.

“Yeah, Mrs. Lauren. I value your ability to judge people, honed over many years of experience. So I trust your impression of Miss Deborah… but unfortunately, we haven’t seen her directly ourselves. It’s a bit of a shame.”
Marquis Sisley smiled.

“I have no intention of passing on this information, but it seems like I should talk to Miss Deborah a little.”