The Duke’s Daughter Is Hated

Chapter 32

Ihmut's Siblings ①

Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV

「Ollie, you don’t have to be so nervous, okay?」

「T–That being said, you’re nervous.」

Ihmut is smiling next to me. By the way, Nathe beside us does not look as nervous as I am.

After I graduated, I came to Ihmut’s country. A little while after I arrived, Nathe and I decided to go to the royal palace. I am going to move to this country and as a friend of Ihmut, I am going to greet him at the royal palace. His father and mother are also with him.

Ihmut has been doing a lot of work to bring me to this country, and I have taken him at his word and come here. But I wonder what Ihmut’s family thinks of me.

I wonder what Ihmut’s family thinks about me, a hated person in a neighboring country.

I don’t know, after joining the academy and meeting Ihmut and my friends, my social circle gradually expanded more than before. But what do royalty in other countries think?

I have been confessed by Ihmut but I am putting it on hold.

I wonder how Ihmut’s family would feel if I met them in such a state.

I don’t even know how to accept Ihmut’s favor, since I had never had anyone confess to me or do this kind of favor for me in the first place. Ihmut just smiles at me and forgives me for not understanding these things.

I am happy that Ihmut is like that, but I also feel sorry for him. But if Ihmut had goofed, I would have been confused and would have run away. Maybe Ihmut understands me and is like this.

There was Ihmut’s mother and father, and his brother and sister… I think I am more nervous because they are Ihmut’s family than because I was dealing with royalty.

「Ollie, are you alright?」

「Yes. Are you not that nervous, Nathe?」

「I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but I thought I wouldn’t be afraid of Ihmut’s family.」

Seeing Nathe smiling at me like that, my nervousness eased away. I think Nathe is straight and cheerful in every situation and I like that about her.

We greeted each other in an official way once we were there. At that time, Ihmut’s family members also masqueraded as royalty in public. The first time I saw Ihmut’s family, they looked like Ihmut. I knew that families are alike after all, I thought.

Later, I met Ihmut’s family in a private setting.

At that place, Ihmut’s family is smiling and laughing, and their smiles overlap with Ihmut’s smiles.

「You must be the one whom my brother Ihmut loves!!」

I am surprised to hear that from Lady Doyenne, Ihmut’s sister, out of the blue.

「Doyenne, Ollie is surprised by you.」

「Oh, come on! I’m already her future sister-in-law!」

「No, I haven’t heard a reply back from her yet.」

I was surprised to hear such a conversation in front of him. It seems that Ihmut is somewhat friendly with Doyenne-sama. I had always thought that siblings were close even when I was a student, but when I saw them in person, I couldn’t help but smile at how close they were.

「Ottilie-san, nice to meet you.」

「Nice to meet you.」

He is Ihmut’s older brother and the crown prince of this country, Froan-sama. He is similar to Ihmut. The way he is kind of smiling at us, he looks more like an older brother who is just smiling at us, the friends of Ihmut, rather than being His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

Ihmut’s parents were also very kind people. Although they may have a cold side because they are royalty, I have come to love Ihmut’s family completely.

「Let’s talk girl-to-girl!」

Doyenne-sama says so.

Nathe and I were taken by the hand by Doyenne-sama. Doyenne-sama and we had a talk in her room.

In my homeland, I had never been in a royal family’s private room because I was disliked by them. On the contrary, I didn’t even have any aristocratic friends, so I didn’t know much about other aristocratic rooms.

So I was somewhat nervous as I made my way to Doyenne-sama’s room.

There were a lot of things in Doyenne-sama’s room. Doyenne-sama seems to have a variety of hobbies. She is especially fond of books, and there are many different kinds of books lined up.

「Fufu, I am so happy to be able to talk like this with Ottilie-sama and Nathe-sama whom my brother Ihmut told me so much about in his letters. I’ve always wanted to talk to you two.」

Doyenne-sama smiled at me for saying such a happy thing.