Chapter 79
Excuses about being drunk didn’t mean anything. If it had just been a request for intimacy, it might have been understandable, but he had taken off Cayente’s clothes himself and climbed onto him. Just remembering fragments of last night made it difficult to face Cayente for a few days.
Yulia decided to lie still and pretend to be asleep until Cayente left the room.
“I’ll step out now.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary.”
“Huh?”
“I think Yulia is awake.”
It would have been better if he had pretended not to notice… Cayente, intending to properly cover the blanket, realized Yulia was awake and stopped Lucy, who was about to leave the bedroom.
“Let’s prepare the bathwater first.”
“Yes, Count.”
Embarrassed, Yulia flipped the blanket over her head and turned around. Cayente, noticing the blanket had been tossed, adjusted it properly over her legs and asked:
“Did the Emperor ask you to play the cello again today?”
“No. He just told me to come have tea.”
“I see.”
Cayente still didn’t lift his hips off the bed. Wondering if he had more to say, Yulia lowered one corner of the blanket and peeked out with just her eyes. Cayente poked near her ankles with his fingers but showed no sign of leaving. Yulia, covering her chest with the blanket, sat up.
“If he had asked me to play the cello, I would’ve asked you, brother.”
“You didn’t say anything.”
She explained, thinking it was a problem that they hadn’t discussed the Emperor’s request separately, but it seemed Cayente wasn’t looking for that answer. After sitting for a while, Cayente only got up when Lucy came in to announce that the bathwater was ready.
“Are you running late again today?”
“I wasn’t late yesterday either.”
As Cayente turned toward the door, Yulia carefully got down and, skipping other clothes, put on the robe Lucy handed her. She headed for the door, but Cayente paused at the doorknob and turned his head.
“Why are you asking that?”
“I wanted to signal, so something like last night doesn’t happen again.”
“A signal?”
“Well… the story about you checking my bedroom every day in the Duchy, that still counts, right?”
She asked, thinking that if she knew in advance when Cayente would come to her room, a mistake like yesterday could be avoided. Her face felt like it might burst with embarrassment—but she wasn’t the only one blushing.
Before turning her head toward the door, Yulia noticed the heat rising in Cayente’s profile. She wanted to check if she was imagining it, but he turned his back without saying anything. She added:
“If it’s valid… I was just asking so that if you return home not too late, I can wait quietly instead of doing other things. Yesterday, I just had some wine and planned to sleep early…”
“I never set a specific limit. If it’s a problem—”
“I didn’t mean it’s a problem!”
She denied it, worried he might misunderstand, but it sounded like she was saying she liked it very much. Her face burned again as Cayente silently opened the door and left the bedroom.
“I won’t eat breakfast before going out… See you later.”
It might have been her imagination, but Cayente seemed to smile just before closing the door.
At the usual time, dressed as usual, Cayente got into the carriage, still unable to shake off memories of last night. Yulia knew he reacted whenever she touched him, so he probably didn’t dislike it, but seeing him actively enjoy himself like last night was unexpected.
How much he must have wanted to throw aside his work and jump back into bed when he saw Yulia waiting for him on the days he came home early…
“Did you ask if the lady bought the sheep-shaped ornament?”
“What?”
“The glass ornament shaped like a sheep for the desk we talked about yesterday.”
“Ah…”
On the way to the office, Yulia tried to focus on today’s work and ignore such things, but Henry brought up the glass ornament again.
“There was no time to discuss it.”
“Weren’t you together all night?”
“Busy with other things…”
“Ahaha…”
Her thoughts naturally drifted back. Such things exist for a reason: even attachment can grow through physical closeness. People sometimes fall for their mistress physically, neglecting reputation or finances, even divorcing to bring her home—and it was possible in real life too.
“No need to worry.”
The warmth that surged through Cayente when he held Yulia, the pleasure that swelled when they were together—how to even describe it? Holding Yulia as she trembled in climax, feeling as if every empty corner of his soul filled, was indescribably satisfying.
A night that had been unbearable now became something to look forward to.
Building closeness with Yulia, with whom he should keep distance, left him wondering how far this madness would go. The carriage arrived at the office. After bracing himself, he opened the office door, and a female employee blushed at Ian in the first-floor lobby.
“Mr. Ian, if you make another mistake, what will you do? I’ve told you repeatedly to put commas every four numbers.”
“Ah, sorry. Another mistake? Must have slipped.”
“What’s going on?”
Noticing Cayente’s arrival, the employee lowered her eyes, holding back words, while Ian responded:
“Sir is here? Nothing important. I must’ve made a mistake while writing the numbers.”
Ian said it was nothing, but the employee sighed. She seemed to have something to say, but not to him, so he sent Henry to ask. Henry sighed entering the president’s office.
“Even before the Count came, there was a lot of talk.”
Ian was worse than expected. He showed no willingness to learn and even belittled common staff while claiming his status. Since Cayente had to teach Ian and redo his work, the staff’s complaints were endless.
“They’re hopeless…”
Normally ungrateful people didn’t even appreciate when someone tried to help. Though tempted to fire him, thinking of Yulia stopped him.
Cayente muttered,
“I really don’t know what to do.”
What to do—whether to take revenge or not—he constantly considered Yulia’s feelings. Cayente had always known exactly what he wanted and what needed doing, even before the previous Count Clue’s incident.
But somewhere along the way, Yulia’s tears became unbearable, and feelings accumulated between them, so Yulia’s presence interfered in every decision.
Even the Baroness still hadn’t gotten her act together and had spoken to Yulia, so she needed to be summoned to clarify the situation. Yulia should appreciate the care she received.
But facing the Baroness’s reckless face was unpleasant. Then:
“Count, the Baroness Lupher has arrived.”
The Baroness came to see Cayente herself.
Emperor’s Reception Room
After customary greetings and exchanging gifts for the Emperor, he sipped rose-scented black tea and asked:
“Was the medicine I gave you on our first night useful?”
“I missed the chance to use it.”
Technically, she hesitated and didn’t use it, and there was no need to explain further. Blushing, Yulia answered shyly, and the Emperor became more interested.
“What happened?”
“My brother… came at me suddenly…”
“Did he attack?”
“…Yes.”
She thought he might ask once, but she didn’t expect such a direct question. Flustered, she fanned herself while the Emperor laughed with curiosity.
“There’s so much about Count Clue I don’t know.”
That was true for Yulia too. She had feared intimacy would become routine, but Cayente was kind.
She remembered fragments of last night, smiling, still flushed.
“He’s always been that way…”
“You said you knew him as a child? He was kind then too. It’s hard to imagine, but it seems he shows some faces only to you.”
Perhaps that expression was only for her; even if Cayente had held another woman, it might have been the same, driven by instinct. At least she wasn’t alone in enjoying it.
“Yes, he has many faces only I see.”
Knowing she didn’t have to imagine his expressions with other women made her heart race. Divorce had once been a terrifying thought, but not now. Even without love, being faithful to each other was enough.
“Judging by your expression, it seems you didn’t mind either. How was it? Tell me, just to me.”
“…It was good.”
Embarrassed to tell her mother, she had to answer the Emperor. In a timid voice, she said:
“Good.”
“Yes, very… good.”
“Count Clue seems to lack nothing, even in intimacy.”
Though pleased, she also felt a tinge of sadness. Getting physically closer, making conceiving easier, was good, yet it felt bittersweet.
“Now that you’ve returned, play again sometime. Ah! We’re planning a summer garden party soon; would you perform formally then?”
“Really? If given the chance, I’ll practice hard and play a wonderful piece!”
That was enough for her. Amid all this, she could still play the cello, and her family continued daily life. Her father would return safely, so that was enough.
On the way home, Yulia noticed the Baroness causing a scene outside Cayente’s office and felt gloom descend again.
“Lucy, stop the carriage.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
