Please Grant Me a Glorious Regret [Novel] Chapter 19

It had already been eight years since she first came up to the capital following Lisa.

There was quite a gap between the capital Arte remembered and the one she was facing now.

The roads, where everyone used to ride only in carriages, had transformed into thoroughfares for automobiles.

Dimion's red car, which stood out wherever it went in the Tian estate, blended in quite naturally here in the capital.

Of course, many things remained unchanged.

The dazzlingly opulent mansions of various noble families, or the streets draped in roses, the symbol of the Imperial Family.

The appearance of the art academy was also exactly the same.

For a moment, Arte stared blankly at the place filled with old memories.

Although she couldn't graduate because her family ran out of money, she might have been able to attend for a few more semesters if the carriage accident hadn't happened.

Perhaps because the lie she spun to deceive Lisa lingered in her mind, thoughts of the art academy had been persistently surfacing since last night.

It was a lingering attachment she needed to shake off.

It was also something that had definitively ended long ago.

Holding onto it would only bring her harm.

Arte withdrew her gaze from the window and sat up straight, facing forward.

She was already exhausted.

If she started attaching sentiments to every building they passed, she might pass out again before even getting out of the car.

While trying her best to empty her mind and scanning the familiar yet strange scenery, she suddenly grew curious about Dimion's destination.

Neither when he announced he was taking her to the capital, nor when they departed from the Tian estate, had Dimion explicitly stated where Arte would be staying.

It was actually a detail Arte should have confirmed much earlier, but she had been so rushed preparing for the trip that she had completely forgotten.

Anxiety began to creep in.

The Empire had quite a conservative side, so even an engaged partner couldn't freely frequent their betrothed's family estate.

Because of this, most nobles set up secret spaces near their manors where they enjoyed clandestine meetings.

This was mostly where mistresses, whose relationships couldn't be officially announced, resided.

If by some chance Dimion took Arte somewhere near the Ducal estate, it was obvious what kind of rumors would follow her.

On the surface, theirs was a relationship between a sponsor and a sponsored painter.

Arte hoped Dimion wouldn't shatter that facade, but she was in no position to demand it of him, nor did she have the justification.

It was Arte herself who had initially offered to be used as a shield against the women thrust into Dimion's bedroom.

She had even said she would accept it if he wanted to roll around in bed with her.

Worrying about malicious rumors now was laughable.

Tense, Arte carefully observed where Dimion was heading.

Anyone who had stayed in the capital for a long time knew exactly where the grand Rocata Ducal estate was and which roads led to it.

It was a massive and splendid place, rivaling the Imperial Palace, making it another symbol of the capital.

Arte, too, had heard plenty about it during her days studying at the art academy.

She still remembered the way there.

Holding her breath, she watched closely to see if Dimion would turn onto that path.

"…!"

Fortunately, Dimion drove past the road leading to the grand Rocata estate.

There was only one road connected to the entrance, so if they passed it, they couldn't reach the manor.

Arte let out an imperceptible sigh of relief and gently closed her eyes.

She had heard that on days when he was sick of the Ducal estate and avoided it, he stayed at the military barracks.

Since he couldn't take Arte, a civilian, there, it seemed he planned to have her stay at one of the many properties Rocata owned in the capital.

Relieved, Arte gently closed her eyes.

Her tension finally unwound, albeit belatedly.

With her mind lighter, only then did the sparkling sunlight and lush greenery catch her eye.

They were continuously moving further away from the city center.

This was a welcome change for Arte, who was more accustomed to nature than crowds, but heading toward the outskirts of the capital, which was a place she had never been before, sparked her curiosity.

As they passed a quiet road lined with towering Dawn Redwoods on both sides, Arte's eyes widened.

A tremendously large mansion, though perhaps not on the scale of the grand Rocata estate, was drawing closer.

She wasn't given a moment to relax.

Arte straightened her back again and gripped the skirt of her dress tightly without making it obvious.

No matter how she looked at it, this wasn't a place for Arte to stay alone.

Even considering the other party was Rocata and making allowances for the Rocata name, the scale of the mansion was simply too immense.

As the car approached the estate's entrance, two soldiers guarding the front gate threw the massive doors wide open.

Dimion returned their greeting with a slight nod and swiftly drove through the winding path leading to the mansion.

"Your Grace. Where are we?"

"My house."

Those two words made Arte's mind go blank.

Hadn't they said he only stayed at the military barracks if not at the grand Rocata estate?

She hadn't anticipated at all that he would have another residence in the capital, and her mind went entirely white.

Even while Arte remained frozen in bewilderment, Dimion didn't stop the car.

He continued advancing toward the mansion.

She saw servants lined up in front of the house.

As the distance rapidly closed, she could make out their faces, as every single one of them was staring at Arte as if they had seen a ghost.

Their posture revealed they were all exceptionally well-trained servants.

Yet, they couldn't conceal their shocked expressions.

Arte's presence seemed to have come as such a shock that they couldn't even manage to hide it.

At this entirely unforeseen turn of events, Arte's heart pounded violently.

By the time Arte's face had turned as pale as the servants', the noisy engine abruptly died.

"Welcome back, Your Grace."

An elderly butler radiating dignity approached calmly, as if he had never been surprised, and opened the car door.

Another servant attended to Arte.

He tried his utmost not to show that he was paying attention, but he couldn't completely mask his sidelong glances at her.

"I was unaware you would be arriving with a guest. Had you given us prior notice…"

"She's not a guest."

Arte looked up at Dimion with wide eyes.

It was an ambiguous statement.

It could mean she wasn't worthy of being treated as a guest, or it could mean she was someone who would be staying here permanently, hence not a guest.

Of course, neither interpretation was good.

Sure enough, the butler and head maid, having interpreted the words exactly as Arte did, cast meaningful glances at her.

They were individuals who understood the mechanics of nobility as well as, if not better than, the nobles themselves.

Since they surely knew the details of Dimion and Phelia's relationship far more intimately, it was child's play for them to figure out that this suddenly appearing Arte was neither the future Duchess nor Dimion's beloved paramour.

Feeling their unwelcome gazes, Arte didn't follow Dimion but stopped in front of the door.

"Your Grace."

Instead, she called out to Dimion, who was striding away, to stop him.

She needed to ascertain whether the situation she found herself in was the worst-case scenario or merely the second worst.

"I assume you stopped here first to deal with your luggage. I will wait here until you are finished getting settled."

Dimion slowly turned his body and looked at Arte standing behind him.

The distinct chill he radiated was thicker than usual.

Although his cold gaze inevitably made her shrink back, Arte continued as calmly as she could.

"Or you could give me the address of where I'll be staying. I can find it on my own. I lived in the capital for a few years, so I know the geography well."

If he didn't intend for her to stay at this mansion, it was a proposal Dimion had no reason to refuse.

Arte desperately hoped he would do just that and give her the address of some house, preferably one very far away from here.

"Here."

"…Pardon?"

However, Arte's desperate hope was beautifully crushed.