CH 37

According to the clock adorned with golden vines, it was almost twelve o’clock. Kyle was about to leave the mansion to attend the meeting for the nobles.

After making sure he was gone, I got up quickly, headed to the bed, and pulled the string hanging through the hollow canopy.

“Madam, this is Lil and Mas.”

Not long after, Lil and Mas knocked on the door and entered the bedroom. The two kept their heads down, their eyes glued to their feet.

“You called–”

“I want to go to the study.”

Mas’s eyes widened when I cut her off. Then, in an instant, disapproval reflected on Lil’s face.

“Even if it was under His Grace’s orders, if I go, none of you can stop me.”

“…”

“Or am I in a position where I have to get permission from you guys?”

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Lil and Mas stared at each other, flustered by the tough and overbearing remarks.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

As if waiting for permission, the doorknob only turned then. It was none other than Laura who came in with her head bowed.

“Laura.”

Laura entered the bedroom and passed the two maids frozen in their spot. It wasn’t long before she bowed down and said hello.

I thought you would dissuade me. When my eyes widened at Laura’s actions that were different from what I expected, she noticed and responded promptly.

“His Grace allowed Madam to go anywhere inside the mansion.”

At that moment, my chest tightened for some reason, and I sighed. I felt like a parrot in a cage as I looked around the bedroom. It was like I only knew how to talk, and I couldn’t do anything without him.

I smiled sadly and pulled myself out of my seat.

This time, it felt like forever to reach the study. It wasn’t just because of the pressure I was feeling from Laura and the knight following us, but also because of the hope that Takan might have left something in the study.

What if he didn’t leave anything behind? I stopped walking at the sudden chill that cut through my whole body. Laura came over and looked worriedly at me, “Madam.”

No, it couldn’t be. I shook my head at the pessimistic thoughts then continued to head towards the study. After passing through the hall, the hallway was divided into two.

I glanced at both sides. On the left was the Duchess’s study and on the right was the Duke’s.

Before passing the hall, I stopped and turned toward the knight. “How long will you follow me?”

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“…” The knight stubbornly kept his mouth shut as he bowed. “To protect the Madam–”

“Is there anyone in this mansion who will harm me?” I asked, cutting off the knight’s words. “Or are you trying to intimidate me?”

The knight looked up, obviously surprised at my words. He probably knew that if I, the Duchess, said that a knight harmed me, he would be punished.

Of course, Kyle wouldn’t believe it, but the knight didn’t know that.

The knight’s tanned face paled. He hesitated for a moment, then let out a resigned sigh.

“I’ll wait here.”

I watched the knight back away and put his back against the wall, and I turned around, satisfied.

After a short walk, I finally arrived at the fork in the hallway. I turned my head then looked at Laura. “I’m going to His Grace’s study today.”

There was a long silence, and for a while, I wondered if she had even heard me.

Then, I heard Laura’s hasty breathing. “Madam, I’m sorry, but no one goes to that place except when the butler cleans–”

“So I can’t?”

“…”

“The reason is?”

Laura shrugged her shoulders in embarrassment. Judging from her reaction, it was clear I asked a difficult question.

Her eyebrows furrowed as if contemplating about it, and she hesitated, “I’m sorry. I’m just following orders.”

Laura looked agonized that she couldn’t answer.

Suddenly, I remembered when Takan stood in front of the study and stopped Hari. In the past year that I’ve lived in this mansion, I only saw that door open once. Just what was in that place, and why wouldn’t Kyle set foot in it?

It was a room full of old books, worn desks, and no trace of people. Ah, there was a clock and a secret door, too.

‘No, no.’

Hari’s bewildered face suddenly came to mind. After recalling the unpleasant memories, I thought that place might not be just a simple study.

I frowned and weakly shook my head. Not being able to enter the place where Hari could like a slight.

Staring at the hallway lit with lanterns, I walked with more purpose than before.

“Madam.”

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I could hear Laura’s urgent voice, but I tried to ignore it. Then I felt a gust of wind, and someone suddenly blocked me. The woman most sensitive to manners and customs just blocked my way. Beads of sweat were forming on her forehead, but other than that, she looked calm and detached.

I was getting impatient, but fortunately, I managed to speak in a relaxed tone. “Get out of my way.”

“I’m sorry–”

“Are you saying I can’t enter the study that the Countess could enter?”

Laura’s wrinkled eyes trembled and shook.

“You said His Grace allowed me to go anywhere in the mansion.”

“…”

“Did I hear wrong?”

A chill passed through the quiet space.

Laura bit her lip and looked around her. Then, after confirming that no one else was there, Laura approached me and whispered, “Please wait a moment. The butler usually manages it, but there must be an old key in the quarters.”

Laura sat me down on a red velvet sofa in the middle of the hallway. I watched as Laura made her way back to the dorm, then I headed to the study when she was out of sight.

There was a lock on the study door. Come to think of it, when Hari entered the study, Takan had just left the room after cleaning.

That’s why we were able to go in. I stared at the silver lock, shining like a polished sword. At that moment, I heard a short breath.

“Madam.”

Laura ran towards me, breathing heavily. So, the time we spent together over the past year wasn’t meaningless after all. Her help dispelled the skepticism I had been feeling about her.

Soon after, she approached the study and whispered, “Madam, you have to go in unnoticed by the maids.”

Laura approached the study with a rusty key. Soon after, I heard a click, then the door opened and Laura stepped inside.

“Madam, please come in.”

“Thank you, Laura.”

After a light glance, I crossed the threshold of the study.

“Madam…?”

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As I entered, I lightly pushed Laura’s shoulder, and she stepped back as if being pushed by the waves. I turned away from her and quickly closed the door. I then locked the door by pressing the protruding part of the doorknob.

“Madam!”

Laura tried to turn the doorknob, but it only wiggled. She urgently knocked on the door, and the door shook at the force. I leisurely looked around the library and headed to the bookshelf. I slowly scanned the books, pulled them out, and spread them on the carpet.

“Madam! Are you okay?” I could hear Laura’s frantic voice over the door, but I tried to drown it out with noise.

Books piled up like yarn on the carpet, and when the bookshelf was empty, I sat down on the floor.

I opened each book. When I turned the sheepskin over and held the paper in one hand, it bent and folded softly. I repeated the same action for a long time, hoping that Takan’s note didn’t simply mean I should read a book. Then while continuing this boring and meaningless behavior, I heard Laura opening the door with a key. At that moment, something fell off my thigh.

“Found it.”

The note bounced off my thigh and rolled around the carpet. The folded note was the same shape as the one Takan gave me. When I finally found what I wanted, my lips turned upwards.

“Madam!”

Just then, the door opened with a bang and Laura appeared. I quickly picked up the note, hid it in my grasp, and raised myself from the floor as gracefully as I could.

“I heard a loud noise. Are you hurt?”

“I’m okay.” I shook my head briefly and turned around. “The door to the study looks old and worn out.”

I spoke calmly as if I were talking to someone else. Laura looked flustered and in disarray, her messy hair fluttering in her neatly tied up hair. Her eyes narrowed in dismay as she looked at the books scattered on the carpet.