āThe bookcase shook and fell,ā I said, staring indifferently at the book. When I turned back to Laura, I had to face her piercing black eyes.
Sheād probably report this to Kyle. However, as I headed to the study, I had prepared myself for the possibility she would inform him.
With that in mind, I walked past Laura, and a moment later, I heard books moving around. I turned around to see Laura diligently arranging the books on the floor.
āLaura?ā
āItās better for me to organize it than leave it to the maids.ā
Anyone who would see this situation would find it strange. In particular, Laura must have noticed I wasnāt actually trapped in the study and that the bookshelf didnāt shake and fall.
I had even thought of an explanation Iād be happy to answer if she asked, but she just sorted out the mess instead.
I stared into the distance until Laura filled the empty bookshelf.
Laura went to Kyle to report Aelleās routine.
āHow is Aelleās condition?ā
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When Laura entered the office, she was met with a question before she could even say hello. She swallowed hard and raised her gaze to see Kyle sitting by a candlestick in the dark.
He leaned back on the wide sofa, his elbows resting on the armrests and his chin atop the back of his hands. His beautiful fingers framed his sharp jawline and temple.
It was hard for Laura to take her eyes off of his hair, like black raindrops that had fallen on his face. His gray eyes were so beautiful anyone would gladly follow him even if it were to hell.
Tap, tapā.Ā His index finger tapped his temple repeatedly, like a clockās second hand begging for an answer.
Laura bowed her head and took a couple of steps closer to him. āHer health has been recovering recently.ā
After answering, Laura raised her eyes and opened her mouth in surprise. Then, the candle flickered and lit his face.
It was Kyle, who always maintained his perfect appearance. Laura could never be at ease with him in such a heavy atmosphere. He always pushed himself, hiding his feelings and controlling his emotions. It was even more so after the previous Duke passed away.
Laura swallowed a sigh. While Kyle looked relaxed on the outside, Laura, who had been watching him since he was young, could tell how nervous he was. Even so, the sharp eyes that pierced through her didnāt waver.
āAnd her daily routine?ā
āNothing special happened.ā
āIs that right?ā Kyle asked, leaning forward. āAccording to the knight assigned to escort her, he heard a loud noise in the study.ā
Lauraās eyes trembled for a moment. Kyle, who caught her reaction, raised his eyebrows coolly.
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āā¦the bookshelf shook and the books fell.ā
Laura gulped a few times to quench her suddenly dry mouth. Even though she looked away to think of other plausible reasons to say, his piercing, suspicious eyes didnāt leave her.
Laura hesitated for a moment before meeting his gaze. āYour Grace, it is true that Her Grace is emotionally unstable.ā
āā¦ā
āI also think that going to Quetray forest where monsters live is like a death sentence, but if you post a knightā¦ā
āShe might die.ā
Laura suddenly felt as if her mouth was muffled. Lost for words, she sighed and bowed. She actually agreed with him.
Although the Madam has recently regained her energy, sheās been unstable since losing her baby. If she headed to the forest, it would mean suicide, but when Laura observed her behavior, Her Grace didnāt seem like a person trying to end her life.
Confused, Laura closed her eyes and opened her mouth, hesitating. āBut the more you do this, the more Her Grace will hate you.ā
āā¦ā
āSo, please consider her feelings, Your Grace.ā
After waiting for a long time, Laura sighed and stood quietly, knowing the answer she was hoping for wouldnāt come. She knew well enough he didnāt hear her advice.
A while after Laura left the office, Kyleās self-deprecating laugh filled the silence.
āHate me, huh.ā
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Haa, heād rather have that. It would be better if she hated him and screamed at him than if she stopped eating and drinking and just mourning like an emotionless doll.
Rather than staring into the void with her empty eyes, he preferred that she look at him with her eyes wide open. Ironically, her raised eyes and stubbornly closed lips reassured him.
He shook off his thoughts of Aelle and gently rubbed his eyebrows. Whenever he saw her, a strange sense of guilt ran through his veins. He didnāt know where this feeling came from, but heād never felt it before, neither for Hari nor anyone else.
Especially when he saw Viscount Carena strangling her, his eyes rolled back. It was a strange feeling, the sensation of his heart sinking at his feet then jumping out at once. Afterward, he was filled with anger, and he had no memory of what he had done. The only thing he remembered was that she shed a tear, and it struck him to his core, and his whole body went cold at the sight of her falling.
He clenched his teeth to swallow his emotions.
āD*mn it.ā
When he lowered his hand and turned his head, he saw a handkerchief at his deskāa trace of what Takan had left behind.
āAre you saying youāre going to have an affair?ā
āThereās nothing I canāt do.ā
Kyle looked at the ceiling and covered his eyes with his hands. Aelleās crying face filled his thoughts once again.
āShe was just provoking me. Itās not true.ā
Eventually, he concluded that he could give her anything she wantedā¦ except divorce.
He decided not to define this feeling as simple guilt, compassion, or anything else. Kyle just knew he had to keep her close to relieve the unknown sensation.
Money, fame, power, statusāwhatever her original purpose was, it didnāt matter anymore. If she used him to fulfill her wishes, heād let her take advantage of him. It wasnāt that difficult because heās been doing that so far.
āWhatever it is.ā
Alone in the empty office, Kyleās gray eyes flashed.
āYouāve worked hard.ā
āIāll excuse myself then.ā Laura lightly bowed her head and left the bedroom.
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Once the door closed and the sound of her footsteps faded, I headed straight to the console and pulled open the compartment. I took the diary out and waved it in the air.
Tuk-.
After shaking it a few times, a note fell from between the pages. I put the diary back on the console and picked up the small paper.