Chapter 10
“Your Grace?”
Her eyes met the Duke’s. Who was leaning against the corner of a bookshelf.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was looking for a book. Sophia told me I could. What are you doing here, Your Grace?”
“I’m working.”
The Duke answered calmly, but his gaze was fixed on the book in Adelaïde’s hands.
“I didn’t realize you were here.”
She turned to leave, but the Duke’s voice stopped her.
“…ou can stay.”
The Duke sat at the table as if nothing were amiss and began flipping through documents. Adelaïde, unsure whether to stay or go, simply fidgeted, rubbing the cover of the innocent book.
‘How awkward.’
Adelaïde glanced furtively at the Duke before focusing on her search again. She scanned the shelves, pulling out all sorts of history books.
‘Why are these so heavy?’
Grunting with effort, she placed the books on the table. As she moved back and forth between the bookshelf and the table, laying the books open, they soon formed a high pile.
‘This one’s no good. Not that one either.’
With a sigh, Adelaïde tidied the books and headed for the door. Only a single volume remained on the table.
‘I’ll have to come back and look again later.’
Just as she was about to open the door, a large hand came down from above and pressed it gently shut. Adelaïde froze, her hand still on the doorknob.
“..Your Grace?”
When she turned, Duke Karsiten was standing right behind her. He blocked the door with his long arm, looking down at her. Adelaïde’s heart began to pound like crazy.
‘What’s this? Why is he suddenly acting like this?’
Then, the Duke uttered a single, short phrase.
“You left this.”
He held out the book that had been on the table.
“Ah, the book…”
The Duke handed her the book and opened the door for her. Then, as if nothing had happened, he returned to his seat. Clutching the book to her chest, Adelaïde stared blankly at his retreating back.
‘Why is my heart racing!’
Back in her bedroom, Adelaïde lightly tapped her shoulders, trying to relax. A moment later, the door opened and Rachel came in with some tea.
“My lady, I’ve prepared some tea.”
A subtle fragrance filled the room as she set down the tray. Rachel carefully lifted a teacup and offered it to Adelaïde, but at that moment, her fingertips trembled slightly. The clear tea sloshed precariously in the cup.
“…Are you all right? Your hands seem to be shaking!”
“I suppose it’s because I’m nervous. It’s my first time.”
Rachel bowed her head slightly and smiled. Adelaïde thought nothing of it, but the image of Rachel clasping her hands together to hide them lingered strangely in her mind.
“Thank you for the tea, Rachel. On your way out, could you send Sophia in?”
“Yes, my lady.”
A short while later, Sophia entered with a bright smile.
“My lady, you called for me?”
“Sophia, could you come over here for a moment?”
Adelaïde led her to the workshop. When she opened a drawer, sparkling shards of broken crystal were revealed.
“What is all this, my lady?”
“It’s crystal, but it’s all broken.”
“What a waste.”
As Sophia expressed her genuine regret, Adelaïde nodded in agreement.
“You think so too, right? His Grace said I could use them however I pleased, so I was thinking of making a small gift for each of the servants.”
She spoke calmly, but a hint of hesitation colored Adelaïde’s voice.
‘Is it acceptable in this world for a master to give gifts to their servants? What if it seems arrogant?’
“For us?”
Sophia’s eyes widened as she asked cautiously.
“That would be wonderful, but is it really all right for us to receive such precious crystals?”
“Of course!”
Sophia’s eyes seemed to glisten with moisture.
“My lady, thank you so much.”
As her sincerity reached her, the corners of Adelaïde’s eyes crinkled into a gentle smile.
‘Great! I’ll start making them one by one tomorrow.’
At her small resolution, Adelaïde’s eyes sparkled. The crystal fragments in her palm caught the light, glittering like glass beads. Adelaïde was already sketching out designs in her mind.
Early morning.
The Duke fastened the buttons of his shirt one by one. A maid approached and helped him into his waistcoat, cravat, and jacket. Just as the maid carefully fastened the buttons and was about to step back, the Duke’s gaze fell upon her wrist.
“Where did you get this?”
It was a sparkling bracelet. It was clearly an expensive crystal.
“You didn’t steal it, did you?”
Coming so soon after the incident with Emilia, the Duke’s voice was a notch sharper.
“Oh, no, Your Grace. Steal it? Lady Adelaïde gave it to me.”
“……The young lady?”
“Yes.”
The Duke’s gaze lingered on the bracelet for a long moment.
‘It looks as if it were purchased. The quality is impeccable.’
The maid, looking slightly wronged, bowed her head and withdrew. When he sat down for breakfast, Milton the chef brought out the food himself.
“Your Grace, I made a special strawberry cream pie today.”
The fact that he brought it out personally meant he had developed a new menu item. As the Duke carefully tasted it, his eyes naturally drifted to the chef’s chest.
“What is that? Since when did you develop a taste for girlish things?”
At the Duke’s gesture, Milton burst into flustered laughter.
“Aha, you mean this brooch? Haha! I heard the young lady enjoys desserts, so I made her one, and I never imagined I’d receive such a precious brooch in return. I never thought I’d see a day like this in my life.”
“……The young lady gave it to you?”
“Of course. Who else has such talent other than our lady?”
Watching the chef, who was more captivated by the brooch than his new menu, the Duke silently put down his fork.
‘Has she already grown so close to the servants?’
The strangely brightened atmosphere of the residence bothered him. After finishing his breakfast and leaving the residence, he found Sebastian the butler standing by his horse.
“I’ll be late today.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
As the Duke mounted his horse, his gaze fell on the butler’s politely clasped hands. A pair of cufflinks, with blue crystals set in a silver base, gleamed softly. Without a word, the Duke spurred his horse and rode off.
‘Don’t tell me, the butler too? A maid, the chef, and now the butler? Just how many of the staff does she plan on giving these to?’
The Duke’s brow remained furrowed even as he rode away from the estate.
A few days later.
Adelaïde was on her knees in the garden, parting blades of grass. She held a crystal shard that reflected a soft light up to the sun, imagining what kind of floral decoration would suit it.
Just then, the Duke, returning from his sword practice, spotted Adelaïde crawling around the garden.
“What are you doing here?”
Adelaïde looked up, startled, and rose to her feet. She dusted off the hem of her dress and, with a bright smile, bowed her head slightly.
“Good morning, Your Grace.”
“What are you looking for?”
After the brief greeting, Adelaïde’s attention returned to the flowers. The Duke, who had been about to leave, stopped in his tracks.
‘Should I ask her why she gave the chef a brooch, or should I confront her about the maid’s bracelet?’
But the words that rose to his throat were swallowed before they could be spoken. Instead, he uttered something completely unintentional.
“Flowers! Very small blossoms. I’m looking for a Rubellia.”
The Duke immediately crouched down beside Adelaïde.
“Oh? I can find it myself…”
Without a word of reply, the Duke silently pushed aside the grass. Adelaïde peeked at him from the corner of her eye. His neatly combed hair, damp with sweat, was falling across his forehead. The rolled-up sleeves of his shirt revealed arms toned by swordsmanship. Though he was only wearing a simple shirt and trousers, he couldn’t hide the overwhelming presence that emanated from his every move.
“Is this it?”
The Duke suddenly looked up, and their eyes met. Flustered, she reached out and took the flower.
“Yes, yes! This is it. Thank you. You should go inside now.”
The Duke glanced at the somewhat flustered Adelaïde for a moment before turning back toward the residence without a word.
“Hah, I was so flustered I didn’t look properly. This isn’t it.”
Adelaïde looked down at the flower in her palm and let out a small sigh.
“This one is pretty, too. I guess I’ll just use this.”
The blue blossom, its head bowed like a small bell under the sunlight, seemed to ring with a clear, quiet chime as the wind brushed past.
Returning to her workshop, Adelaïde opened a drawer and took out two boxes. She approached Sophia and Rachel, who were mending a dress.
“Are you two busy right now?”
“My lady! Are you finished with your work?”
“Almost.”
Adelaïde held out the boxes to them.
“Rachel, this is for you.”
Rachel’s eyes widened. Inside the box was a crystal hairpin that shone with a soft light.
“Is it really all right for you to give something like this to me?”
“Of course. Thank you for taking care of me.”
“My lady…”
Rachel immediately bowed her head, a grateful smile on her face. But beneath her lowered gaze, her eyes darted frantically.
“This one is for Sophia!”
From the other box, she took out a small, transparent, teardrop-shaped crystal pendant.
“I made it while thinking of you, Sophia.”
Sophia’s eyes grew round.
“Did you really make this for me?”
“Of course!”
Sophia wiped at the corners of her eyes, which were welling up with tears.
“My lady, I’ll treasure it forever.”
The silver pendant sparkled in Sophia’s hand.
A few days later.
In the Duke’s office, Marcus was busy organizing documents. With every move he made, a dagger hanging at his waist swayed slightly. A blue crystal embedded in the pommel glittered softly. The Duke couldn’t take his eyes off it as he muttered.
“Why on earth did she give one to you, of all people?”
Without pausing his work, Marcus retorted nonchalantly.
“You? Did you even have the time?”
“Because I treat her very, very well, of course.”
The Duke’s eyes narrowed.
Marcus shrugged, feigning innocence.
“You’re quite mistaken, Your Grace. I brought her cookies and chocolates from the Esvanian Empire. She finished the first box of cookies in less than a day. I’ve already delivered the second.”
“…..You moved fast.”
The Duke stared absently at Marcus’s dagger, then finally pressed his lips into a firm line.
‘Why doesn’t she give me one?’
His gaze was a mixture of jealousy, disappointment, and even a stranger… A sense of rivalry.
