CH 33

The season was changing, and the snow that had fallen during winter was starting to melt.

I’ve been in the study all day, sitting in the middle of the books and documents scattered everywhere.

Laura welcomed the change in me when I stopped being lethargic and became more active, but on the other hand, she was worried I had not fully recovered yet.

I sat in front of my desk for half a day when Laura begged me to sit in a chair.

I had stayed in the study until sunset, but I didn’t find information on how to pass through the forest of Quetray safely or where the hourglass was located.

As expected, I have to leave the mansion to get information.

All I had was information I got from Takan–a group established by Quetray Forest’s believers was in the underground area called Tigra[1] and that they served as guides to the forest.

I had planned to get some other information here and approach it theoretically. I closed my eyes and sighed deeply.

The note Takan delivered as he avoided everyone’s eyes contained information about the forest, a promise that he would pick me up, and a request to collect information in the study. What was he thinking without consulting me?

I narrowed my eyes and stared into the air, then gripped the book in my hand when I suddenly heard the sound of familiar footsteps. Soon after, the faint sound of hinges filled the silence, and the study door opened.

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“Laura said you’ve cheered up recently.”

I didn’t raise my head at the familiar voice and fixed my eyes on the book. Standing in front of a bookshelf, Laura greeted Kyle and stared restlessly at me.

Kyle watched me from afar without crossing the threshold of the study. After quite a while, I could feel Laura leaving.

The room was so quiet that I could hear him breathe, and the sound of his footsteps approaching me echoed.

“When you recover, let’s travel together.”

“…”

“I heard there’s a place where your favorite flowers are in full bloom–”

“Your Grace,” I cut him off.

Slam–.

I slammed the book shut and looked up at Kyle, who had stopped moving, his expression surprised. I put down the book and stood.

“Ugh.”

My vision blurred for a moment, and my center collapsed. Swallowing a groan, I placed my hands on my thighs to support myself. Kyle approached as if trying to help.

“Aelle.”

“Don’t come near me,” I said, raising my hand to reject him. I caught a glimpse of his outstretched hand falling back to his side.

I didn’t think he would listen to me when I rejected him, but he stopped moving instantly as if he were a loyal knight.

I took a deep breath then straightened. “Your Grace, I have a request.”

His gray eyes darkened like the moon covered by clouds. Before I could even continue, he said, “If you’re asking for a divorce–”

“It’s not that,” I said. “You’re not going to listen anyway.”

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Kyle’s eyes widened, but he didn’t answer, and that was answer enough itself.

“Please, what is it?” He asked, his voice more calm and quiet than before. “Tell me anything. Are you uncomfortable in your bedroom? Is the food not to your taste?”

“…”

“No, that’s not it,” Kyle said to himself, slowly rubbing his chin. “You’re not the type who would want that.”

I didn’t know anymore. Kyle wasn’t the kind of person who spoke like this. Even though I was puzzled, it didn’t take long for me to lose interest once more.

“Tell me. I’ll give you anything you want.”

Whatever. What I really wanted the most wasn’t what the person who didn’t listen would say.

“Then I’ll tell you,” I said flatly. “I rarely went out since I came to the duchy. To recover–”

“You can’t go out,” He coldly interrupted.

I swept my hand through my face and clenched my fists. “Are you saying that I can’t even go out on my own anymore?”

“Aelle,” Kyle called out to me with a sigh. He seemed to know where I was headed as soon as I left the mansion.

I glared at him then looked away.

Never mind. I didn’t think you’d listen to me anyway. I only asked just in case. Biting my lips, my resentment suddenly rose.

Our contract marriage revealed the heart he wanted to protect, but through that, he even got what his heart desired. But why wouldn’t he divorce me?

Now that you’ve confirmed your feelings for each other, let me go and live with Hari.

“Your Grace always says I can’t do what I want, so what do you want me to do?”

“…”

“Are you worried that people will hold you accountable and accuse you of negligence if I die?”

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“Aelle.”

“If not, are you worried that the Countess will be hurt by the assumptions of the nobles, so you want to use me as a shield?”

Kyle shut his mouth at my outburst.

Holding back my fury, I rolled my eyes and looked around the study with boredom before heading to the door. There was no reason to engage in this pointless conversation any longer.

“Ha.”

I was leaving the study when something suddenly came to my mind, and I stopped. Even without turning back, I could feel Kyle’s warm gaze.

“I heard Takan is on vacation.”

“…”

“It’s a shame I can’t see him.”

I could only guess why Kyle’s right-hand man suddenly left the mansion. Even if Takan didn’t speak, Kyle would know that the person he trusted moved to help me.

It seemed that the only way to extinguish the anger in my heart was to disturb his by reminding him I took away his person.

As I left, I couldn’t even hear the sound of Kyle breathing.

The day was quiet enough to hear the wind blow. The curtains fluttered as a gentle breeze blew in through the open window.

“Did Father visit the duchy?”

“Yes.” Laura threw an uneasy look and clasped her hands together. What’s up with that person again?

“Send him back.”

If it were me in the past, I would not have been able to reject him because I was his blood and flesh. But not anymore. I looked back on the past and realized the atrocities my brother and I suffered from Father.

“But Viscount Carena refuses to step down.”

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“Then tell him to wait all night.”

Laura couldn’t stop fidgeting as she stepped closer. “Actually, he has visited several times before, but Madam’s condition was serious, so His Grace must have resolved it himself.”

How many times did Father even visit? If that was the case, there’s no way Kyle wouldn’t have told me. He must have ordered his people to deal with it.

“The knights are currently stopping him from entering, but Viscount lay down in front of the main gate and said he wouldn’t leave…” Laura frowned and couldn’t finish what she was saying.

I guess I was the only one in the duchy who could solve this now that Kyle was away.

“I’m sorry. I tried to stop him until His Grace returns, but we couldn’t resolve it.”

I shook my head.

Since Laura brought up the story herself, I could easily guess what kind of ruckus he was making at the main gate. After all, I had seen it myself since childhood.

They couldn’t exactly drive out the Duchess’s father.

It was like I made things difficult because he came to see me. I thought I had no more face to lose, but my chest tightened, and my cheeks flushed red after hearing about Father.

I put the book on the desk and stood up.

“Madam…” Laura stared anxiously at me as she bit her lip, but she knew there was no other choice.

“Let him into the mansion.”

[1] I wasn’t sure how to translate this: 티거라는. Let’s go with Tigra for now lol. Google translate says it’s Tiger/Tigger, and I just don’t know if that’s it.