Between Your Letter and My Reply

Chapter 22

[Translation By Divinity]

“This perfume?”

Lilliana sniffed her wrist and said,

“It’s from a cosmetics company called ‘Lati.’ Why? Is it strange?”

“No, not strange, but…”

Damian thought for a moment, then said,

“It’s a scent I’ve smelled before, so I was curious…”

“A lot of people wear this perfume. It’s a popular product, well-known among those interested in fragrances.”

“Is that so…”

Damian looked momentarily unsure at her words about the perfume being common. Lilliana continued chattering, oblivious to his reaction.

“This scent, doesn’t it feel like you’re in the middle of a flower garden? I usually wear it when I go out, but I’ve been hospitalized here for two weeks. I’m itching to go out and have fun, but they won’t let me leave, let alone go on outings, because my heart hasn’t fully recovered yet! I’m so bored, it’s driving me crazy. So I sprayed on some perfume to at least feel better… Is something wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Damian realized he was staring blankly and quickly shook his head.

“No… it’s nothing.”

“Your expression says otherwise.”

“I was just lost in thought for a moment. I apologize.”

“It’s not something to apologize for…”

Lilliana smacked her lips. But Damian was still a bit flustered, unable to compose his expression. This person in front of him…

‘She talks just like Lady Lintray.’

It wasn’t just a similar vibe; her way of speaking was almost identical, as if she were copying sentences from the letters. Damian’s heart pounded.

‘Could this person really be Lintray?’

He couldn’t help but ask Lilliana again.

“Lady Lilliana, by any chance…”

He took a deep breath first.

“Do you know someone named Lintray?”

“No.”

The answer came immediately. Damian wondered if Lilliana was lying.

The ‘Lady Lintray’ who exchanged letters with him was, in all likelihood, a liar. So wouldn’t she deny being Lintray even after hearing the name?

He looked at Lilliana with suspicion, but she scratched the side of her neck and asked back,

“Speaking of which, you grabbed me earlier, asking if I was Lady Lintray, right? Who is she? Who did you mistake me for?”

Her question left Damian speechless.

“Ah, well, that’s…”

He stammered, then groaned softly and gathered his composure before asking again,

“Then do you know Baron Lloyd Benbrick or Seyra Benbrick? Or have you at least heard of their names?”

Lilliana crossed her arms and thought for a moment, then shook her head.

“I’ve never heard of them. Should I know them?”

“No, not necessarily… Then have you ever lived in a place called Edenfallen?”

“Where’s that?”

“It’s a rural village in the west. I believe only those familiar with the area know about it.”

“Then I wouldn’t know. I’ve lived in the eastern region, so I’m not familiar with the west. By the way, I was the one who asked the first question, but somehow I’m only getting questions from you, Damian. Isn’t that a bit unfair?”

At her pouty tone, Damian replied calmly, unlike before.

“You resemble someone I know… So I asked, just in case. Please forget about it.”

“You mean me and this Lintray person?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm…”

Lilliana rested her chin on her hand and said playfully,

“If I look like her, then this Lintray must be quite a beauty.”

“Ah… well…”

Damian mumbled nonchalantly, not knowing Lintray’s face. Lilliana pouted and said in a cold voice,

“Zero points.”

“…?”

“Zero points for getting a woman’s favor. You should at least say she’s pretty, even if it’s a white lie!”

“Ah… Is that so.”

Damian scratched his head, showing a lukewarm response devoid of any particular emotion. Lilliana burst into laughter.

“Damian, you know you’re quite funny, right?”

“Huh?” Damian was taken aback, and Lilliana continued with a smile.

“You’re really funny.”

“That’s the first time I’ve heard that. Usually, people say the opposite. Like, I’m no fun to tease, or I’m not cute…”

“Oh my! Those people don’t know what they’re talking about!”

She laughed for a while. Damian, clueless, simply blinked and waited for her laughter to subside.

He noticed Lilliana’s cup was empty and checked his wristwatch. Two hours had already passed since the estimated time for his test results. He had no idea how time had flown by so quickly.

“Lady Lilliana, if you don’t mind, could we leave now? It’s past the time for my test results. Thank you for understanding.”

“Oh, then of course we should go. I should be heading back too, or my aunt will surely scold me for being out too long.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Lilliana walked briskly back to the hospital, and Damian followed, thinking she reminded him of a rabbit.

Her way of speaking and her appearance brought to mind a hopping, energetic bunny. She was adorable.

He had said she wasn’t, but if he were to meet the ‘Lady Lintray’ in person, he imagined she would be like this. Come to think of it, Lintray had claimed to be somewhat of a beauty. A beautiful woman who was bright, cheerful, and easy to talk to.

Damian felt like he was exchanging letters with Lintray again after a long time.

☆

Damian walked Lilliana back to her room, even though she had declined his offer, and received his coat back.

“I enjoyed our conversation today.”

Lilliana said with a bright smile. Damian looked at her hand with a slightly worried voice.

“Is your wrist feeling better?”

Lilliana showed him her wrist, the one he had grabbed. Thankfully, the redness had subsided, and there was no swelling. Damian sighed in relief and bowed his head.

“I apologize again for my rudeness.”

“Oh, it’s okay. But please don’t do that to anyone else next time, okay?”

Lilliana said in a deliberately stern voice, and Damian nodded vigorously.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Wow, you really sound like a soldier. Well, um… see you next time.”

Lilliana waved goodbye with a somewhat awkward expression and entered her room. Looking at the closed door, Damian thought absently,

‘She must be from a wealthy family.’

Her room was a single occupancy room, known to be expensive. She had said she wasn’t a noble, but her well-mannered behavior and speech suggested she might be the daughter of a nouveau riche family.

‘Anyway…’

Damian thought as he headed to see his doctor.

‘She’s not Lady Lintray.’

He had told himself he wasn’t expecting anything, but the wave of disappointment he felt showed that he had held onto some hope.

He missed Lady Lintray’s letters today more than ever.

☆

On his way back from the hospital, Damian stopped by the prosthetic workshop whose address Paul had given him.

Honestly, Damian knew very little about artificial limbs, so he didn’t know how famous or skilled this person was. But Paul had called him the best prosthetic craftsman, so he had to trust him.

“Chronic Street, number 52… number 52…”

As Damian walked along Chronic Street, he looked around for any signs indicating a prosthetic shop or workshop, but he couldn’t find any.

He ended up walking past number 52 and had to turn back to check the numbers on the building’s exterior.

The address was correct, but there was no indication from the outside that it was a prosthetic workshop. But since the address matched, he pressed the doorbell.