How did this happen?
The duchess, Ludia von Ernst, was indignantly munching on her afternoon pastry. Normally, she would eat a little at a time out of concern for her manners, but today she couldn't be bothered.
She couldn't stop her anger at the rude person she met this morning. In the end, I couldn't even get the maid fired. I'm still serving tea in fear. She changes the tea leaves from day to day to suit her moody nature, and serves it when it is just the right temperature. Of all the maids, she is the best at making tea.
Right now, Ludia is the only one having tea on the terrace overlooking the garden in the late afternoon.
Her father, a duke, is busy with work, and her mother has just had a baby sister, so she is occupied with that.
Lydia herself has several tutors for manners, so she has things to do every day. However, she has a relaxed schedule, so she has time to herself. The maids are not included in the number.
My afternoon schedule is free. Normally, I would do some reading or preparation for the next day, but I feel compelled to complain again to the rude man.
I've never had a servant argue with me before, so I'm at a loss for words this morning, but I'm determined to get the better of him this time.
Then I realized something.
What was that rude man doing in my house?
I'm sure he's a servant because he greeted my father, but if I don't know what he does for a living, there's no way I can find him in this huge mansion.

"Hey, who was that rude guy this morning?

He glanced at the maid and asked, cowering slightly before answering.

"Is it that boy ......?　I think he's an apprentice gardener since he was with Mr. Baumgartner.

The maid's comment finally reminded me that there was someone next to me. As I recall, the man was bigger than my father and looked like a bear. So he was Baumgartner.
I wondered if he was still in the garden, being the gardener.
As I looked across the terrace into the garden, I saw a large man who looked like Baumgartner trimming the plants. She looked around and saw a small shadow huddled in the middle of the garden.
Ludia put down her fork and drank the rest of her tea before leaving the table.

I'm going for a short walk.

A voice called out to her, "Watch your back," as if it was telling her not to follow him. Ludia was still too young to go outside the grounds of the mansion without her parents' accompaniment. It is a known fact that the garden of the mansion is within the scope of the "walk".
I walked somewhat briskly in the garden and found the boy I wanted. He didn't notice me, but was huddled beside a flower, quietly doing something. Little by little, he slowly shifted to the side. By the way, I don't see a man named Baumgärtner. He must have left for some other work.

"Hey you!

...... What's the matter, you're so out of breath?

The boy who looked up in response to the voice looked curiously at Ludia, who was breathing heavily on his shoulders.
The reason he didn't call out to her as soon as he saw her was because he was trying to catch his breath. As a young lady, it was impossible for her to use unpaved routes such as hedges, and it took her a long way to reach the place she had checked from the terrace. This was the first time she had walked such a long distance on her own, since she usually walked within easy reach of the mansion. Partly because I was in a hurry, I could not speak for a while when I found the boy.

"Why are you so far away?

"Tell that to your big yard.

When I complained, he replied and turned his attention from Lydia to his work. It's only natural for an apprentice gardener to be in the garden. It's just that the garden is quite large.

"So. What are you doing here?

He looked down at his hands, but seemed to be listening. Only the voice turns to me.

Oh, I came to give you a chance to apologize.

I've already told my father, so that's great, but I'm surprised your daughter came all the way to ...... your house.

It's just that I don't happen to have afternoon practice today.

I can't stand the fact that I'm being treated like a bored person, so I answer immediately.

I can't stand the thought of being treated like a bored person. That's tough.

This is the first time she has heard such a comment from a nobleman, and she is puzzled. Perhaps she had subconsciously felt that it was hard work, and that she was doing her best.

That's right! That's why I went to .......

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not good at honorifics. My apologies.

I tried to demand an apology so that he wouldn't see how confused I was, but he apologized easily. My words fail me.
But it's still rude to apologize while showing the back of your head, which is still spiky and tobiko-iro. And the most important part is not apologized for.

You should at least look at me when you apologize! Besides, there are more things you need to apologize for!

"No, I can't. I can't. I'll never finish the quota my father gave me.

He says he has to finish before the sun goes down. He has been doing something with his hand and then shifting it a little to the side.

...... Speaking of which, what have you been doing since a while ago?

"I'm pulling weeds. I'm pulling weeds and thinning out some overgrown herbs to keep the bugs away.

If you look closely, you'll see two baskets next to him, dividing the weeds by their roots according to some rule.

"Why do you need to pull out the herbs?



Ludia doesn't understand why you're reducing it when you just said it's an insect repellent.

"Herbs are weeds, too, and they reproduce very well.

Rydia did not know that herbs were also weeds. She was surprised by this unexpected fact and kept silent.
While she was silent, the boy, who was huddled with his back to her, plucked the weeds and removed them to their respective baskets. The only thing that Ludia can see is that there are leaves that look like lotus. Perhaps the one with the leaves is the herb basket. It's not as big as a basket of weeds, but there's a lot of them.

"...... What are you going to do with all those herbs?

Ludia had only seen a handful of herbs in the form of ornaments or tea leaves. It seems like a lot to keep up with for such a use.

Hmmm, ......, I'll just ask her if she's in the kitchen and leave the rest to Mom. Maybe we'll use them tonight for herb roasting and then dry them for tea leaves or something.

You know what you're doing for dinner tonight? For Ludia, food is something she can change if she wants. She hadn't thought of making tea leaves either.
The man in front of her is so different from Ludia that she is surprised again and again.

You should apologize to .......

I asked something that was on my mind and got off track, but I haven't finished what I want you to retract.

Did you just call me an ugly person?

"Yes, I did!

When I demanded an apology, he pondered for a while without stopping his work.

What would you think if, for example, the king suddenly decided to go to war with his neighbor and ordered your father to fight on the battlefield?

It was an abrupt question, but Lydia answered immediately, using her own family as an example.

Such an order is insolent!　Such a king is a foolish king!　I'm not sure how much damage a war would do to the people of ......, but I would never allow your father to go to war!

That's right.

Yes?

What you said to the maid's sister was just as bad. It's a matter of life and death for a commoner to have a job, and even if you're from a noble family, there must be some reason for you to be so pale.

Lydia doesn't know that the maid who tried to fire her was chasing after her. When he turned on his heel to go back to his room, he didn't notice because he wanted to get away from that place as soon as possible. But the fact that he knew the maid's expression meant that.
So he was able to consider the maid's situation in that instant? Maybe it was just because he was a third party, but it is true that he had a wider perspective than Ludia at that time.
Confronted with her own childishness, Lydia's cheeks were stained with shame. It was a childhood that was normally appropriate for her age, but it was not acceptable for Lydia, who was raised as a noblewoman and a duke.
You'll be able to find a lot more information on the web.

Do you know the name of that maid's sister?

No, .......

She didn't need to call her by her name, she had never learned the maid's name. I know her face.

So you know what I like about her?

...... She makes the best tea of any maid I've ever known.

It may just be that she likes it. But it's the best I've ever tasted.

If I fire you, you won't be able to drink that tea, won't that bother you?

"...... will be a problem.

I feel lonely when I think of the loss of that tea that I can make as a matter of course.
I'm not going to be able to do anything about it.

"Hmm... You are able to watch your men. You're doing great for a little guy.

"Yeah.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
As she looked up, she met a pair of copper-colored eyes. She smiled, an expression she had never seen on a nobleman's face before.

"And you know what? I'm sure you're not the only one who has a problem with this.

"What?

It's not that I'm not aware of it.
It's not that I'm not aware of it, but the temperature of my face suddenly rises as he hits me with a point I wasn't aware of.
Yes, I was not aware of it.
But now that he said it, I realized that he was right.
My father was busy working, my mother was busy taking care of my younger sister, and I was practicing, so we rarely ate together. I spent more and more time by myself. She was only five years old, and it was impossible for her not to feel lonely, but she unconsciously pretended not to see it because she was a noblewoman.
This morning, she just wanted a reason to see her father. She thought she shouldn't see her father who was busy just because she wanted his attention.
I am ashamed of the fact that I realized my true feelings and that the other person found out before I did. She also wondered how he knew, and froze as she stared into his coppery eyes.

You get red all the time.

I'm not sure what to say.

You've got a lot of time to think about it.

I'm just talking to you like a normal person.

I am a nobleman.　I'm a nobleman and you're a commoner.

I don't like it when people call me "you. I don't like being called 'you'. You're Dia, right?



That is a nickname that only my family allows me to use!　I have a fine name, Lydia, given to me by my father.

"Lydi ...... is hard to call me ......, it's easier to use the full name.

No, sir.

Well, call me Miss.

Don't forget to say "sir.

Miss, you sound like a teacher.

Ana...... Isak doesn't seem very old to me. ......

I'm kind of tired.
When I'm with him, my emotions are all over the place. Maybe it's because I haven't acted like an aristocrat since our first meeting, but when I talk to him, I tend to forget the ladylike manner that I usually take care of as a lady. And although I pay attention to his uncharacteristic attitude toward the nobility, I find it ridiculous to treat him in a ladylike manner.

"I think you should be more like a child, young lady.

What does he mean by that? I've exposed my childishness to him enough.

Just tell the Duke and your family you want some attention.

"I can't!

I can't!" I shouted at the impossible suggestion.
If I do that, I'll embarrass them. And he'll hate you.
Lydia's temper tantrums up until now were only in the name of nobility.

Selfishness for no reason is ......

I'm afraid. And when it's rejected...

"Why?　Isn't wanting to be with your family a good enough reason?

Yeah, .......

Is that a reason?
Is it okay to say it?
I'm not sure what to do.

The duke would be more than happy to hear that.

I don't know about the rest of the family, but I'm sure they'll be fine, he assures me without any evidence.

"How can ......

How can you be so sure?
How can you be so sure?" I asked, and he simply replied, "Just look at yourself.

"Because, young lady, if you notice, you'll make sure you don't do things you don't like other people to do to you. It's because you were raised in a good family.

I immediately stopped using the name he said he didn't like.
Maybe it includes the fact that he is already sorry for what happened this morning. But I haven't even apologized for that yet.

And that's a lot better than using other people's bad words as an excuse, isn't it?

"...... won't happen again!

If you say something back, they will laugh at you as if they understand you. I'm frustrated because I feel like I'm being seen through.
I tried to glare at him, but it didn't work, just the same coppery eyes staring back at me.
If he can see through me anyway, can I say one more weak word?

It's too late to apologize to that maid now. ......

I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it.

It's better to know the person's name first than not to apologize, right?

That's right. I don't even know his name yet, even though he was the one who tried to fire me.
Let's get to know them as a person and then we'll get to the bottom of this. Then ask her to remove you as her maid of honor if she wants to.

"I'll get Isak to retract his 'ugly character' comment right away.

Now is not the time yet. At least after you've finished apologizing to the maid.
I declared war on him so that my resolve to apologize would not be shaken.

"Oh, that.

I was about to say it, when he suddenly started grunting and groaning. What the hell is this?

"...... I'm not very talkative.

I know that. I know that." "I'm not using honorifics at all with my superiors at the moment.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.

I'm not sure if it's because I'm not used to saying it, but I'm struggling to find a positive way to describe it, and my eyebrows are slightly furrowed as I speak.
But the words were frank, without any element of flattery.
I felt as if I was hearing a familiar compliment for the first time.

"Na.......

The blood rushes to his face.
How many times does he have to make himself blush?

Are you okay, sweetheart?

I'm fine. ......

When I removed my hand from his hand, he touched the spot he had just stroked. Then I felt something different from my hair.
When I moved my hand down to my eyes, I noticed a brownish powdery substance on my fingertips. It was dirt.
Why was there dirt in my hair, a young lady?

Oh. I'm sorry. I left my gloves on.

The boy, an apprentice gardener, apologizes as he flutters his hands, covered in dirt from pulling weeds.


I have apologized properly, but it is also true that I acted carelessly. And now, the emotions welling up in Lydia cannot be contained by that alone.
As if to let out the emotions that were welling up in her, she raised her voice.

"Isak!

In the vast garden of the duke's house, the daughter's lightning strikes the apprentice gardener in secret.

What a dizzying day.
All because of one boy.
But we must not end the day yet.

When you get back, first get the maid's name and apologize.

Clean your hair after that.