AIWTRO Chapter 40
It was the next morning that Ludwig received the bill in question.
In front of him, a letter stamped with the Transportation Administration’s seal arrived.
The contents of the letter that started with a lengthy greeting could be sum up like this:
‘Pay out the money spent on the airship rental.’
Ludwig smirked and said.
Ludwig: “Some stupid official must have sent the wrong bill.”
The Grand Duke looked as if receiving such a correspondence was unimaginable.
The butler was unsettled. Perhaps this was the bill the young miss was talking about yesterday.
Without knowing the contents of the letter, Robert simply thought that it was a bill for Keira’s expenses when she went outside.
Robert: “S-sir.”
Ludwig: “What?”
Robert: “The young miss said yesterday that you’ll be receiving a bill soon, so please settle it.”
Spending money and putting it under her family’s name wasn’t the problem. After all, it’s a method often used by nobles.
Ludwig: “You mean the airship rental fee?”
Robert: “…Yes?”
The problem was they had no idea why she would spend money on this.
Robert: “You mean the young miss rented an airship?”
Ludwig: “If you don’t believe it, see for yourself.”
Robert was handed the bill. The seal clearly stamped on the paper was that of the Traffic Administration. His eyes widened when he saw the evidence.
The rental fee wasn’t the issue.
Why did you rent the airship?
However, unlike him, who was confused, Ludwig seemed to have already come to a conclusion.
Ludwig: “Well, it’s normal to feel suffocated and rebel every once in a while. That’s what I used to think when I was that age.”
Robert: “Yes?”
Ludwig: “Pay the rental fee as needed. It will be more annoying to come out for no reason.”
Robert: “Yes, sir.”
After confirming the amount requested by the administration, Robert sorted out the correspondence.
The Grand Duke seemed to regard this incident as the young lady
The Grand Duke seemed to regard this incident as the young miss breaking free from her usual routine, much like her attendance at the banquet.
The Parvis family’s strict disciple was well-known.
The butler looked at his master who was absorbed in his work.
‘Your Excellency, I think… I think she’s having an affair.’
At least, that’s what the knights said.
Why else would she suddenly declare she’s going to participate in social activities, walk around with a flower on her ear, look for romance novels she’s never read before, and turn away from her father unlike before when she followed him like a chick followed its mother?
This was proof that there’s a man involved.
‘Should I let him know?’
Of course, Robert knew that the relationship between the two was not harmonious. But he might have a son-in-law soon, so shouldn’t it be right for the father to know in advance?
Even more so if, according to the knights, the man involved had a bad reputation.
Robert: “Your Excellency, I have something to tell you.”
Ludwig looked up at him.
Robert: “I happened to hear what the knights were saying, and they said that the young miss seemed to have a man on her mind.”
Ludwig: “…What?”
Robert: “Well, of course the young miss is an adult now, so maybe she’s dating. So this means that you should know everything beforehand…”
Before Robert could finish speaking, Ludwig was already murmering to himself.
Ludwig: “Then the reason why you’ve been acting differently is because you’re dating someone?”
Assuming that was the case, her recent change in attitude made sense.
“…”
Ludwig was speechless. All this time, he thought his daughter was rebelling because of her strict life or his lack of interest.
But in reality, it was because she was in a relationship.
He recalled what Keira said a few days ago.
“I’m of marriageable age, so wouldn’t everyone believe it if I said I’m trying to find a husband?”
An excuse! She said it was just an excuse!
For some reason, he felt betrayed.
Ludwig: “Robert.”
Robert: “Yes, sir.”
Ludwig: “Can you be sure it’s accurate information?”
Robert: “It’s true that the young miss went out for lunch with a nobleman yesterday.”
“…Is that so.”
No, well, his first daughter was already an adult.
Since there was no law saying a Saintess couldn’t marry, it would be very unseemly for him to meddle in this now.
Lost in thought, he buried his forehead in his clasped hands.
At this point, he could guess the reason for renting the airship.
She wanted to show her lover a wonderful sight.
‘…No, you can’t be too hasty.’
What if Robert simple jumped into conclusions after hearing what the knights had said? It was possible that other people around him only made speculations and none of it was certain.
Ludwig got up from his seat and said.
Ludwig: “I guess I’ll have to ask her myself why she rented the airship. “I don’t have to pay the rental fee without knowing the reason.”
‘You just told me to pay the rental fee as asked.’
Instead of voicing out his thoughts, Robert asked something else.
Robert: “You want to go directly? I’ll tell the lady to come here.”
Ludwig: “If I summoned her, she’ll probably be here after the sun has set after making countless excuses.”
“…”
Certainly, Keira did not respond to his father’s recent calls with this or that excuse.
If he called her now, she would probably show herself after dinnertime.
Robert didn’t think the Duke could stand his curiosity until then.
Robert: “She’ll probably be in her bedroom by now. The maids were excited to pick out the clothes she’s going to wear.”
Then Ludwig went outside without a word.
As the butler guessed, Keira was sitting on a chair in her bedroom.
Next to her, Lira and Emily were murmuring excitedly.
“Pretty…”
“I feel like I’m about to go blind…”
Both of their hands were held together in prayer.
“How much do you think this is?”
“It must be very expensive.”
With the salary of a maid, it would be impossible to buy it even if they worked for the rest of their life.
After staring at the jewelry for a long time, the two sighed in resignation and closed the jewelry box. They placed it on the drawer next to the mannequin wearing a dress.
The dark navy blue dress with intricate embroidery and shiny jewels was beautiful enough to be placed in a temple.
“Haa…”
However, Keira, the owner of the items, was sighing for a different reason.
What’s the point of having a dress to wear when she didn’t have a partner?
In addition, she had no acquaintances she could talk to if she entered the banquet hall alone without a partner.
She sighed again after imagining herself walking around the banquet hall alone without mingling with anyone before returning home.
In her past life, her father told her not to interact too much with other people. She sincerely regretted following too hard.
‘I should have made at least one noble friend whom I could contact occasionally.’
However, it was too late for regrets.
She sighed again, wondering whether she should cancel attending the banquet.
“Why are you sighing so much? Do you not like your dress? Shall we pick again?”
Keira: “No, the dress isn’t the problem…”
She couldn’t bear to say that she was worried that no one would talk to her.
Keira chewed her lips and only revealed half of her concerns.
Keira: “I don’t have a partner.”
Lira: “Of course, if you’re alone, others might gossip a little.”
Keira: “Ugh.”
Lira hit a sore spot.
She was approached by nobles, and they said, “I’ve talked to you the other day, and the conversation didn’t work.”
She was sad to hear about some people saying, ‘She’s such a boring person that she doesn’t have any friends.’
‘I didn’t mean to do that on purpose…’
She recalled some of her peers who had spoken to her in the past.
Novel Endeavors 
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