For Your Failed Unrequited Love

As soon as Lucy stepped aside, the Berg’s maids strode into the room. And started putting the things they were holding neatly on the table. In an instant, the table was packed with mysterious boxes.

“This is a gift from the Duke of Berg to Miss Keenan to commemorate the signing of the sponsorship.”

Mary stood in a few places in front of the presents on display. Lucy’s eyes widened at the word “gift”.

“What?”

“Wow!”

Unlike puzzled Lucy, Jemima, who was standing next to her, stepped forward with more excitement.

“These are all gifts from the duke? And a sponsorship deal? What does that mean?”

She picked up the presents one by one, bombarding her with questions. Jemima’s fingers hovered around the ribbon as if she were about to unpack it. However, the person who received the gift looked confused. Lucy didn’t know how to react, so she just rolled her eyes in her seat.

Burden came before the joy and surprise of the gift. The sponsorship contract, which was made because of the duke’s push, and the gifts that came into her room were all unilateral. Moreover, as she recalled the face of the Duke of Berg she met last night, Lucy felt an unknown prickly feeling.

“T… this is too much. I’m already getting sponsored…… I don’t think I should be getting gifts like this.”

“It’s the same gift that every ward of the Berg family receives.”

Mary explained with a friendly smile.

“My master said not to feel pressured.”

Why don’t things go my way?

Before Lucy could say anything more, Mary bowed to her. Immediately she took the other servants out of the room.

“Wait! I can’t take it. Please take it back!”

Lucy shouted at their backs. But no one looked back. After leaving gifts and flowers in her room, they left the room as quickly as they did when they appeared.

As soon as the door closed, Jemima sat down in front of the table stacked with gifts.

“What does sponsorship mean? And you’re going to open this right now, right?”

Before Lucy’s answer fell, Jemima’s hasty hands were already loosening the ribbon. Jemima, who opened the box, admired it with wide eyes. The gifts were made up of items that women of Lucy’s age would like. Luxurious dresses, shoes, necklaces and earrings.

As expected, it was burdensome.

“I can’t accept this.”

Lucy picked up the lid of the box Jemima had opened and put it back on the box and started wrapping the ribbon as it was. Jemima watched from the side with a sad face.

“Are you going to give it back? I think it’ll look good on you…….”

“It’s too expensive.”

In addition, when she remembered Felix’s face, she felt like receiving the gifts would make her shameless. Jemima, who was looking at the presents that she was repackaging with a sullen face, turned to the flower basket.

“Are you going to send this back, too? Flowers wither anyway. Even if you send it back, the duke will think it’s trash.”

Jemima picked up the large flower basket and took it to the window. She put aside the vase with some withered flowers and put the basket on it. The window filled with colorful red flowers soon transformed into a colorful atmosphere.

“Wow! It’s pretty.”

Jemima smiled innocently as she looked at the basket. But Lucy soon took her eyes off the flower and tied the ribbon.

* * *

At the library, Lucy was wondering how to return the gift to the duke.

I hope he won’t feel offended.

When she imagined the duke’s displeased face, she felt terrified. Thinking about it, the duke doesn’t resemble his sons. When I think of Adrian, who is friendly, or even Felix, who sometimes gets angry but never ignores others, I find it hard to believe that they are related.

Is that what happens when you become a duke? Then if Felix becomes a duke…

Lucy imagined him succeeding the title and leading people. However, it was also difficult to imagine him being cold-blooded like the current Duke.

“Lucy, are you still feeling down?”

At that time, someone tapped Lucy’s shoulder, who was sitting blankly. Looking back, she saw Noel looking down at her with a light smile.

“It’s time to switch shifts with me.”

“Oh, is it already time…….?”

Lucy checked her watch. Today, she was thinking about something else all day, so she wasn’t able to work smoothly. Stabbed with conscience, she tried to get up from the sofa to settle all the unsorted books. But Noel slumped next to her and stared at her face.

“Uh… Why?”

Noel sighed suddenly.

“Cheer up. Don’t be down. You can do well on the next test.”

Noel seemed to have some misunderstanding.

“Or would you like to play with me on the weekend?”

At the unexpected suggestion, Lucy suddenly stepped back and said, “Uh……”

“You’re in a bad mood, so wouldn’t it be worse if you stayed in the dorm until the weekend? Let’s go somewhere together!”

She was grateful that Noel cared about her mood, but his suggestion was not tempting. Moreover, it was burdensome to go out of the academy.

“Ahm, I….”

“Come on. Actually, I feel sorry because of my brother. I want to make you feel better! I even checked the botanical garden.”

“A botanical garden?”

Lucy’s eyes sparkled at the word botanical garden. Then Noel smiled and actively explained.

“The large botanical garden in Bethel. It’s the most famous botanical garden in the Empire, and I’m sure you’ll like it.”

I like it.

Lucy already knew about the existence of Bethel Botanical Garden. It was also a place she wanted to visit when she visited the capital eight years ago. But unfortunately, the greenhouse was under construction, so it was impossible to enter. I remembered that I had to turn around while looking at the building from a distance with disappointed eyes.

“What do you think? Don’t you want to go?”

Noel asked repeatedly with a subtle smile.

“When it gets cold, there will be fewer flowers in the outdoor garden……. Then we won’t be able to see it until next year.”

Noel’s persuasion gradually moved Lucy’s mind.

“Well…….”

“You’re going to go, right?”

“……Yes.”

“Yay!”

Noel clenched his fist and rejoiced when Lucy’s consent fell from her mouth. Lucy, who was not very willing at first, just smiled at Noel, who was so fond of her.

“Where are you going?”

A familiar voice fell on the top of their heads.

It’s Adrian’s voice, but it’s not as sweet as Adrian’s.

Lucy looked back in surprise.

There was Felix standing. Below the bangs that covered his foreheads, the lake-like blue eyes were shining as usual. As soon as she met his eyes, Lucy avoided them with a bewildered face.

“Where are you going?”

Felix asked, looking at Noel this time. Though his eyes were quite sharp, Noel shrugged with a completely impervious look.

“Us? Here.”

Felix raised an eyebrow. He doesn’t seem satisfied with the answer of his junior. His gaze shifted to Lucy, back to Noel, and back to Lucy.

He stared down at Lucy.

“Do you have anything to say?”

“Yes.”

To Noel’s question, Felix answered without taking his eyes off Lucy.

Lucy’s heart beat fast. She looked around unconsciously. It was a new habit every time she spoke to Felix, she became conscious of people’s eyes whenever she talked to him. Fortunately, no one was paying attention to the rest area, which was relatively far from the students studying.

Felix, who was standing with his hand on the sofa behind her, turned around the sofa and approached Lucy. Lucy looked up at him with a nervous face.

There’s a lot of people. What are you going to say here…?

Suddenly Felix grabbed Noel’s arm as she wriggled her hand with a worried face.

“You come out for a second.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

Noel’s slender body was raised at once by Felix. Felix tried to drag him with his arm in his grasp. 

“Lucy, help me!”

Noel called her in an urgent voice. Lucy scrambled and tried to stop him, but Felix put Noel on his shoulder, struggling. As some students turned their heads to look at the disturbance, Felix hurried out of the library with Noel in his hand.

“Uh…….”

Lucy, who was left alone on the sofa, stared blankly at the door where the two disappeared.

After a while, Noel returned to the library. Fortunately, he looked fine. Except for his complexion that looks drastically tired.

“……Sunbae, the Botanical Garden on the weekends. You’re going, right?” 

As soon as Noel came in, he asked in a much more subdued voice than before.

“Yeah. Are you alright?”

“Of course.”

Noel replied cheerfully.

“Then I’ll pick you up on the weekend morning.”

Then he began to sort out the returned books on the book cart with blank eyes.