ITIF Chapter 3

The Relationship Between Two People

Trinity had heard the rumors that Giselle Grante liked Duke Cardia.

However, she never imagined that Giselle would go to such lengths to catch Duke Cardia’s attention.

Giselle Grante’s beautiful face clearly wrinkled into a frown.

“Oh, Miss. You just made a face.”

“……What?”

“You’ve always been careful about getting wrinkles on your face, Miss.”

“…….”

Trinity glanced toward the mirror.

In it was a beautiful noble young lady who appeared to be in the most radiant and flower-like age of her life, looking somewhat youthful.

‘What a tiresome life you lived, Giselle Grante.’

Had all the effort put into maintaining her beauty since childhood been for the sake of winning Kavelaseth’s heart?

She shook her head at Giselle Grante’s incomprehensible behavior.

Then she asked Lindsey various questions.

This was to figure out whom this maid was loyal to and what motivated her.

Lindsey gave unnecessarily detailed answers to her questions.

Thanks to this, she was able to learn a lot about Lindsey.

About her family relationships, household circumstances, financial situation – things that an imperial palace maid would never reveal so openly when questioned.

“You’re quite strange today, Miss.”

“…….”

Trinity lifted her gaze from the warm milk rippling in her mug to look at Lindsey.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re conducting a complete background check on me.”

Lindsey’s expression was bright as she said this, as if pleased by the interest she had shown.

Trinity defined Lindsey as a perceptive child.

‘This child could be useful with just a little training.’

Although she was somewhat informal with her mistress, Trinity also accepted this as an advantage.

The imperial palace’s protocols were very strict, and the palace maids tended to revere Trinity like a deity.

Because of this, she had difficulty properly seeing the maids’ faces.

They were always looking down at Trinity’s feet with their heads deeply bowed.

Although their submissive attitude should have become familiar, Trinity didn’t particularly like such behavior.

When they only looked at her feet, she couldn’t read their expressions.

What they were thinking while in her presence.

Whether they were secretly mocking her while outwardly treating her as their master…

So she had tried telling them to lift their heads and speak.

But whenever she did, they would prostrate themselves flat on the ground, banging their foreheads on the floor, saying they had committed a mortal sin.

Crying and begging for forgiveness just once.

Not knowing that such behavior made Trinity even more unpleasant.

“……Miss?”

Lindsey awakened her from her momentary reverie.

“But why is Duke Cardia here?”

At her question, Lindsey let out a deep sigh and said:

“The Duke is truly heartless… Coming to see you only after all that commotion and so much time has passed.”

At the questioning gaze, Lindsey quickly shook her head and corrected herself.

“No, well, I suppose we should be grateful that he came to find you at all?”

“Lindsey?”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Could you tell me that story in detail?”

“……Pardon?”

“Well, after today’s… incident.”

Trinity leaned back against the headboard, swaying slightly. She cast her gaze diagonally downward with a melancholy expression.

“Is that why? Strangely, my memories of past events are hazy.”

Lindsey gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.

“Ah! So that’s it. That’s why…….”

Soon, as if realizing something, she nodded and began rambling:

“Well, Miss, where should I begin…….”

Even though she had asked about the past with a completely illogical excuse, Lindsey haltingly told her the story of Kavelaseth and Giselle Grante.

“So, Duke Cardia was Young Master Mikhail’s academy classmate, right? You remember that, don’t you?”

Trinity nodded.

She vaguely remembered hearing the maids discussing such things at some tea party.

“Through that connection, Duke Cardia would occasionally visit the mansion to see Young Master Mikhail.”

Trinity nodded slowly.

‘So this was the source of the rumors that Giselle Grante was too eager about men’s faces.’

Duke Kavelaseth Cardia’s every move had long been established as the greatest interest in high society.

Because of this, even Trinity, who had not a speck of interest in Duke Cardia, came to know quite a lot about his preferences.

And the Duke Amaterasu’s daughter was also one of the figures frequently mentioned by society gossips.

Her distinguished family lineage, pure and beautiful appearance, and the foolishness hidden behind that gentle face.

Traditionally, people from the Amaterasu ducal family had been quite intelligent, but Giselle Grante remained as their blemish.

Some people even mocked Giselle Grante as the fool of the Amaterasu ducal family.

How could such a stupid woman emerge from the Amaterasu ducal family?

Besides that, rumors also circulated that she was too fond of men’s faces.

It wouldn’t be a great fault for a young, pretty woman to like similarly young and handsome men.

However, her somewhat unclear mind was definitely a problem.

[With such a mind, wouldn’t the empire’s future be too bleak to entrust her with the position of mistress of the Cardia ducal family?]

[Indeed. I completely agree with your ladyship’s words. How could we entrust the position of mistress of the Cardia ducal family to just anyone?]

Trinity had often witnessed the noble ladies of society gossiping about Giselle Grante.

She too agreed with some of their opinions.

The Cardia ducal family ruled over fertile lands located in the southern part of the empire.

It was said that the high-quality crops harvested from the Cardia duchy occupied more than half of the empire’s dining tables.

This meant that if Duke Cardia decided to cut off crop supplies, half the empire could starve.

Therefore, nobles who understood the importance of the Cardia duchy opposed the somewhat foolish Duke Amaterasu’s daughter becoming Duke Cardia’s companion.

Setting aside the fact that marriage is decided by two people’s opinions in the first place.

Fortunately, Kavelaseth was a shrewd person.

And he didn’t need to bear unnecessarily many burdens in exchange for gaining a young and beautiful wife.

He was undoubtedly the empire’s greatest marriage prospect.

He had even once been listed as a candidate for Trinity’s bridegroom…….

Knock knock.

Just then, the sound of knocking came from the door.

“Giselle. How are you feeling? Could we see your face and have a conversation for a moment?”

Trinity gave Lindsey a meaningful look. Lindsey promptly opened the bedroom door.

Soon, Young Duke Amaterasu walked into the bedroom. And beside him was Duke Cardia.

“Kavel says he needs to return now. Before leaving, I thought it might be good if he could show his face to you, even briefly…….”

Young Duke Amaterasu cautiously asked for her opinion, and Trinity briefly surveyed the men before her.

Tall, impressive stature.

Lean but well-balanced, developed muscles without excess fat.

Both men had fine physiques.

Trinity immediately assessed them as sincere people excellent at self-management.

It would be impossible to build such bodies without consistent effort, and Trinity believed that one’s body best revealed their usual lifestyle attitudes.

“You certainly look much better than earlier.”

At Kavelaseth’s words, she looked at his face and quickly turned her thoughts.

‘How would Giselle Grante have reacted in this situation?’

Giselle Grante had even made extreme attempts to catch Kavelaseth’s attention.

Then wouldn’t she have shed tears of joy at the fact that he was now before her eyes?

Probably so.

However, Trinity didn’t want to take a submissive attitude before this arrogant-looking man.

Even if her outward appearance was that of Giselle Grante who loved him, her inner contents were still the empire’s princess.

She quickly finished her judgment.

As a princess, she couldn’t make a fool of herself being enchanted by a handsome man. Even if it aroused some suspicion.

“I am grateful for the kindness of personally visiting the Amaterasu duchy despite your busy schedule, and for Duke’s consideration in bringing a beautiful flower. You must have been startled by the unexpected commotion…….”

At her response, not only Lindsey but also Mikhail’s expression was colored with bewilderment.

‘Oh dear, was that a bit much?’

Trinity thought with a faint smile.

It seemed she should have shown a moderately clear-headed appearance even if she didn’t make a fool of herself before Duke Cardia.

“Mikhail.”

Kavelaseth called Young Duke Amaterasu in a low voice.

Mikhail looked at Kavelaseth with his mouth still slightly open.

“……Yes?”

“If it’s alright, I’d like to have a bit more conversation with your sister. Could you give us some privacy?”

“Oh, really? Giselle, what do you think?”

Mikhail asked for her consent while bewildered but pleased.

She gazed intently at Kavelaseth’s handsome face for a moment.

This was to understand his intentions. However, she couldn’t read anything from his expression.

Having no choice, Trinity nodded slightly.

“Of course, brother.”

Mikhail’s face showed perplexity at her normal response. But he quickly nodded.

“Well then……. Lindsey.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

After Mikhail and Lindsey left, silence settled in the bedroom.

For a while, she and Kavelaseth gazed at each other’s faces without speaking.

Just as she tried to read his psychology, he too seemed to be trying to read her inner thoughts.

It was Kavelaseth who broke the silence first.

“It would be nice to take a walk and converse, but given the young lady’s physical condition, that seems unreasonable, so it would be better to have our conversation here.”

Giselle Grante had just been pronounced dead a little while ago.

Though she had come back to life. In any case, since she had been lying in bed for some time, it was right not to move her body too much.

At his questioning gaze, Trinity only nodded slightly.

“Young lady, what exactly are your intentions?”

Then Duke Cardia suddenly interrogated her sharply, causing Trinity’s brow to furrow slightly.