The Duchess of the Attic

Opal, who had not returned to Count's territory in a long time, climbed a tree he had been accustomed to since he was a child and looked far away.

But even the long idle landscape in its eyes is occupied by something else in its head.

The story heard yesterday when my father summoned me to the Mansion of the King's Capital severely upset Opal.

Probably more than when you were ordered to marry Hubert.

More than a decade ago, Claude came to my father for permission to propose during that scandal that hit Opal, who had just debuted to the social world.

That's when my father said he kicked Claude back, who was just a college student.

Yet three years later, Claude visited his father again to marry Opal.

Moreover, it seems that Claude, despite being a Baron family person, earned his wages by labor and had increased his wealth by investing in it on his own.

Of course, it was only a small amount from my father, to a lesser extent than 30% of Opal's bribes, but to that mind my father was faintly moved?

But my father had already finished his contract with Hubert, and the future of Opal had been decided.

No matter how much more wealth you could have gained and lived without your hands on Opal's bribe, it's too different between the Duchess and just a gentleman-class wife.

Opal doesn't need help in the first place.

When my father, who so decided, told me that Opal's marriage had already been decided, Claude apparently left with a small mouthful of words of celebration.

"- It occurred to me that even if we were to marry a childhood familiar who suddenly demonstrated a chivalrous spirit, we would soon bore each other and regret just being close. It would be better for you to face adversity in the Duke's house than that."

"... why are you talking to me now?

"When you turned twenty, I knew you were going to live in the country without getting married. So I figured if I forced him to marry me, I would try to make my marriage work, even if it was willful, out of rebellion against me. But my decision was a big mistake. Because you acted differently than I expected and wasted seven years. And in the end, he lives in hiding in the country. You still have another option."

"This is - because this is what I want in my life."

Opal replied with surprise but perseverance to his father's confession, which was still silent when he was separated from Hubert.

The truth is, my chest was about to crumble.

The last day I saw him, Claude blessed Opal's marriage.

Would Claude have helped if Opal had relied on him to uncover his situation without being mean?

Yes, after many thoughts, I get stunned by my stupidity.

The prince on the white horse was right beside him from an early age, but it was himself he didn't realize.

Yet there is plenty of thickness when it comes to painful times and asking for help.

I'm sure Claude would have helped if he had asked.

But then, we were supposed to hold Claude responsible for a heavy sin.

So I'm glad this is it.

Seven years after marrying Hubert, it was often painful, because the Duke's people were able to get out of poverty and Hubert was able to grow up as Duke.

It seemed like my brother, who didn't rely on me for Opal, was finally able to stand on his own, with some sense of accomplishment.

Naturally, the divorce between the two still buzzes the social world after nearly a year.

Because there are numerous couples who are not close to each other in the social world, but rarely do they actually get divorced, etc.

And most concluded that the Duke would have made a cut against Opal, who, seven years after his marriage, was not pregnant at all.

But it was Hubert who denied it.

Opal wasn't the kind of woman rumored to be before marriage, he said.

In the first place, this marriage was a contractual marriage in which Opal reached out to save Hubert who was in distress, and after his marriage, he devoted himself to Hubert and supported him long after, so to speak.

What's more, it's because of Opal that we have Hubert now, and Hubert himself wanted the marriage to continue, but he said with a bitter smile that he had been shaken.

I just had to believe this story while everyone was surprised.

Of course, there's a lot to question, but nobody disagrees with what the Duke says, and besides, nobody sees where Opal behaves flashy after marriage.

On the contrary, it is certain that it has always been on the Duke's territory.

Opal's honor was thus restored, but it didn't matter to Opal.

I just want Hubert to get married as soon as he can and be happy this time.

But that shouldn't be so hard either.

Hubert is now quite a bourgeoisie, considered the best married person in the social world, and unmarried women and their mothers are making a scene.

In fact, Hubert needs a child to succeed him, so he'll be getting married soon, even given his age.

Apparently Hubert has been close to certain women lately.

The woman is young, but she hasn't floated, and she's famous for being firm, but she's more right in the expression that her father feels strongly about it.

"Besides, that girl has an even more powerful - a temperamental mother. If you marry that girl, the Duke McCloud family will be taken over by that mother and daughter."

I remember my father saying that and laughing, and Opal sighed.

The problem is Stella's presence.

I hear Hubert only thinks of Stella as his sister, but Stella is clearly different.

Opal replied to me that it had nothing to do with him anymore, wondering how Hubert would respond to how the new marriage partner perceived Stella's presence.

Now, as I had decided before my marriage, I live carefully in a small house on the land my grandmother left me.

I don't know what happened to the name change documents I returned to Hubert, but all the money Hubert had to pay Opal when he bought back the territory and the mansion.

On the contrary, to the rest of the territory.

Although my uncle asked me to join him in the brokerage, it seems Hubert insisted that he pay hard, and in the end Opal broke.

Hubert's letter, which has been sent several times since the divorce, may have said that.

But while Opal thought it was cold, he sent it all back without cutting the seal and wanted it to be contacted through the deputy, so the truth remains unknown.

Nevertheless, since we stopped receiving letters from when we settled on the money, we probably do.

And Opal invested the payment from Hubert in the man-test again.

The benefit was intended to be used to improve the treatment of those working in man-testing.

A good working environment will be linked to good jobs and will be restored in the interest of others.

That is also what I saw directly in the Duke's territory.

In addition, Opal was an increased asset with investments and also intended to set up an organization to support women's independence.

(Just because you're a woman, it's weird that you can't get a loan for your business or get a job)

Opal with a new goal was motivated.

It was just a little bit more sentimental than my father told me.

When Opal was once again strongly determined, he heard a familiar footstep in his ear from behind, and Opal looked back, wondering no way.

And breathtaking.

"Long time no see, Opal. But you don't have to ask me if I'm well."

"... Yep. As you can see, I'm fine enough to climb a tree. More than that, it's been a while, Claude."

From above the tree, Claude's face is not well seen.

Even though my footsteps haven't changed, my voice feels a little lower.

Opal held his snout, wondering if it was because of the change in the way he spoke.

"Come down, Opal. It's been a long time, so show me your face."

"I climbed because of it, why do I have to go down on purpose? I hope Claude climbs."

"Don't be impotent. If you climbed up to me, you wouldn't be able to stand the trees, would you? It's not what it used to be."

"... maybe so"

I thought it was not a cute way to say it myself, but I didn't want Claude to see my face about to cry, and I got mean.

Then Claude answers with a bitter smile.

The words were as if they were the two of us in the present situation, and Opal did not come up with a good reply.

We used to climb this tree together a lot, lined up and looking far away, and now we can't do it anymore.

I was happy to welcome Claude back from boarding school for a long time, and I was nowhere else.

Besides, now that I've heard that story from my father, I'm sorry and I didn't have a face to match.

"Come on down. Or I'll drag you down."

"Hey, hey! All right! Okay, so stop it, Claude!

Ignoring Opal's feelings, etc., Claude tried to pull Opal's leg as he used to when he came under the tree.

I hastily avoided it, but now I pull my skirt.

When Opal raised his voice of surrender, Claude's attack finally stopped.

Turning down, I could see Claude's face grinning slightly, Opal's previous sentiments disappearing and tears pulling in.

If I could, I could have climbed to a place where Claude couldn't reach me, but that Opal's pride wouldn't allow it.

It's Claude, who knows such Opal's character so well, that he's waiting for him to come down with a mean laugh.

"... If you're a gentleman, would you mind turning around for a while?

"Why? You didn't say that back in the day."

"It used to be easy to get down. But now it's a little tricky."

"Then I need to see it all the more. I'll help you if you're in danger."

"... thanks"

It didn't seem like a mean opal and Claude raised her brow lightly to be honest with her but she didn't say anything.

Opal kneels in his skirt and hugs his thick branches against his trunk with his accustomed hands.

Please, hoping you wouldn't see in your skirt, Opal dared to go down the same way he used to.

But my body slips my legs, not like it used to, and Claude's arm quickly stretches out to support me.

Opal was held lightly as it was and gently lowered to the ground.

"... thanks, Claude"

"I didn't think you were really going to help. You dropped your arm, Opal."

"Instead of losing my arm, I'm losing strength. I'm almost twenty-seven, right?

Answering with a laugh, Opal slipped away from Claude subtly.

Claude, whom I haven't seen in a long time, is a totally grown man with a loose boyish look.

Opal leaned down, wondering how he looked compared to Claude, who became very attractive.

But this doesn't make me feel like I'm running away.

Opal, who thought so, looked up and laughed straight at Claude.

"You don't have to ask if Claude is well, either. Something I got solid help with. Thank you so much."

"Oh, I'm fine. Still, that's not enough to be appreciated, is it? What's wrong with you?

"I'll do something about it. I haven't heard from him in nearly eight years and how worried I was...... And yet I can't believe I was in touch with your father."

Opal squeezed his right hand and gently slapped Claude's chest.

And yet Claude never avoids it, frowning and looking down at Opal.

And he hesitated slightly, opening his mouth.

"... you heard?

"I heard that. You are the Marquis Roussel of the kingdom of Tysey."