The duke's daughter faced her Past

 Chapter 6

"I... "

Unable to endure the silence any longer, I spoke up.

"Was it because you mistook me for an enemy soldier that you attacked me?"

Leon says nothing; but his silence speaks volumes.

"When you first met me and told me to 'go back,' was it to avoid hurting me?"

"It's better to be disliked from the start than to get hurt later on, less damage for both of us that way."

I bite my lip at his response.

"Did my arrival in Bartfault territory cause you suffering all this time?"

He shakes his head in denial.

"My seizures have been less frequent lately. I've been more relaxed since I've had less to worry about with the territory development. It was my mistake for neglecting to take my medication."

His voice is too kind, as if comforting me.

No, Leon is telling me not to worry.

"My wish is to get the development of Barfalt territory on track. It would be good if either my brother or Colin could inherit the title. If the Redgrave family cooperates, it should be fine."

"Is that really what you want?"

While Leon's calming down gradually, my tone becoming rough.

"It's as if your own death is a given. That's absurd."

From his previous remarks, it's clear that Leon is losing his will to live.

"Before you glorify death, as if saying you give it your all. It's just because you struggled to survive on the battlefield that you're alive now."

What an arrogant and unpleasant thing to say; My dislike for myself is growing to say the least.

"I don't intend to die just yet. At least not until the development project succeeds."

His calm tone paradoxically expresses a strong determination.

"...What about you? What do you want?"

"Huh?"

Leon responds with a bewildered voice to my unexpected question.

"Your desires—foods you want to eat, places you want to go, books you want to read—anything you want just for yourself, not for anyone else."

Desire is closely related to the will to live. Those who indulge freely are often the ones who live the longest, a typical example being carefree elderly people.

After hesitating for a moment, Leon's face lights up as if he suddenly remembers something.

"I've had a dream since I was a kid that I want to fulfill."

"What is it? Tell me."

Blushing and embarrassed, Leon seems like a typical young man.

"I want to fall in love with a modest, kind-hearted girl with a big heart and marry her."

"...Are you kidding me?"

The atmosphere in the room suddenly cools down a bit.

I don't know why, but I feel like a terribly foolish woman for seriously worrying about Leon.

"I'm serious. My parents had a love marriage, so I've always wanted to be like them. When I was a kid, we were poor, so I just want to live a life where we can afford a little luxury."

In other words, such a modest life might be the dream Leon truly seeks. His abilities and desired ideals are too imbalanced.

Perhaps tired of talking for so long, Leon lies back on the bed. He seems much calmer now, which puts me at ease.

Approaching Leon as he closes his eyes, I gently stroke the scar on his left cheek hidden beneath his outstretched hair.

"Hey, would you be happy if I became your wife, Leon?"

"Angelica-san, you're too precious for someone like me."

His words sting my heart.

 I stayed by his side until he falls asleep for the night.

Soon, the rhythmic sound of his breathing begins, and Leon drifts off to sleep.

"Goodnight, Leon. Sweet dreams."

※　※　※　※　※

After making sure Leon had fallen asleep, I turned off the lights and left the room.

I quickly tidied up the living room, checked the source of the fire, and prepared to return to the Bartfault estate, leaving my belongings behind.

However, the journey back to the mansion, just a few dozen minutes away, felt like it lasted an eternity.

The farther I got from the cottage, the heavier my limbs felt, refusing to obey. I stumbled over something, unable even to muster the strength to rise.

Slowly rotating my body to gaze at the sky, I noticed that the night had already deepened, and the twinkling of the stars was beautiful.

What had I been doing these past two months?

I had been devoted to the development plan for the Bartfault territory.

But was it nothing more than self-satisfaction?

I reflected on my actions since meeting Leon.

I had been a snobbish girl who looked down on people basis for her own lineage and abilities, accumulating dissatisfaction and believing myself to be right without any kindness or empathy, more arrogant than anyone in the Bartfault family. Despite spending more time with Leon than anyone else in the Bartfault family, I hadn't sensed even a fraction of his suffering.

I had thought the young ladies who had rejected the engagement with Leon were foolish. But I was even more foolish.

If there's a hole, I want to go in it, I want to disappear from this world, I'm the one who deserves to die, not Leon.

[T/N- yuck Bride-Groom both have d€ath fetish]

In that moment, reminiscences of that fateful day two years prior stirred within me. Prince Julius had proclaimed the dissolution of our betrothal. My response then was one of resentment towards the saintly figure. Blinded by anger at the forfeiture of the crown princess title, I failed to fathom Prince Julius's antipathy towards me. Queen Mylene's counsel, urging me to temper my impulsivity, had often fallen on deaf ears. I had clung fervently to my idealized realm, intolerant of any deviation. The dissonance between the Prince Julius I had envisaged and the reality must have been stark. While Prince Julius erred in yielding to another's allure, I, too, bore culpability for neglecting our rapport. Thus, the pendulum of my stagnant existence resumed its motion. Epiphany dawned, unveiling my inadequacies, as tears surged uncontrollably. Desiring penance, I yearned to extend apologies to all I had wronged.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry..."

I kept apologizing without even knowing who or what I was apologizing for. All I could do was keep uttering words of apology.

After a while of crying, it felt like all the pent-up emotions inside me had flowed out, leaving a strange sense of relief in my body.

As the stars continued to twinkle in the sky, I felt like I could reach out and soar into the sky to grab them.

I slowly got up and put strength into my limbs. It's okay, I can stand up.

The development of the Bartfault territory relies on both me and Leon.

If he can't look ahead right now, then I'll support him. For the sake of that kind-hearted person who is willing to continue for the sake of everyone living in this territory.

Because I am Angelica Rapha Redgrave.

※　※　※　※　

"What's all this about?"

Leon looked at me with a puzzled expression. For him, who hadn't come out of the cottage, everyone around was unfamiliar, so he must have been confused.

"These are craftsmen gathered by the Redgrave family. They will work with the excavation engineers to build the hot spring facility."

"I know that. My question is why are they surrounding my house?"

Frowning, Leon shook his body in annoyance as he faced me directly.

"I'm expanding the cottage because as the development progresses, it will become cramped with all the necessary documents and materials. It would be a waste for other craftsmen to be idle until the hot spring investigation and excavation are finished. So I thought it's a good opportunity to expand it. The materials have already been arranged within the budget, so you can rest assured."

"That's not it. Don't make decisions without consulting the head of the house."

"I have certain authority regarding the cottage since I'll be living there as well."

"I didn't hear anything about that!"

"Because I didn't say anything."

Leon, still busy, changed his expression. He seemed to be in a better mood, perhaps feeling relieve.

"We, the Redgrave family, will assist until the development is complete. It's convenient to be nearby to monitor the Bartfault family's situation."

"Do I have a veto?"

"No."

"Immediate answer!?"

Leon took out a copy of the contract from his pocket and waved it.

"What's with this?!"

"Normal people wouldn't want to approach after experiencing that."

"It's impossible for a upstart like you who can't even take your medicine properly to live alone. If you're frustrated, then heal your mind and body quickly."

"Ugh, you're so annoying. Are all noble ladies from the capital like this?"

"Well, I can't deny that my personality is somewhat exceptional."

I replied, then approached Leon and stroked his left cheek.

"Don't shoulder everything alone. Being business partners means complementing each other's shortcomings, right?"

As my right hand touched Leon's left cheek, his left hand overlapped with mine.

"Got it, Ange. I'm counting on you."

Just being called by a nickname made my heart beat wildly.

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Authors Note

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Angie's awakening marks the beginning of the comedy duo's antics. In the main story, Livia embodies kindness amidst a world where mutual understanding is challenging, given the circumstances. I portrayed Leon's preferences for women based on his life plan outlined in the main narrative. With Luxion absent, Leon takes on a slightly more prominent tsukkomi role. In villainess stories, it's common for antagonistic heroines to avoid reflecting on their actions. Therefore, I deliberately omitted mentioning the flaws of Angie, Julius, and Olivia, highlighting Angie's intelligence and ability to self-reflect as a sign of growth. 

Postscript: Shiratama-sama graciously created fan art upon the client's request. Thank you very much, Shiratama-sama!

Raw- Link 

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