~Chapter 18~
Apollyon stood blankly in front of the closed door. The door to the infirmary, much like its owner, had slammed shut in the coldest way possible.
He knew Yvon was a strict man, but it was still shocking to see him act this way even toward his own master.
Instead of scolding Yvon for being rude, Apollyon began seriously questioning his own condition.
Yvon wasn’t just any doctor. He was the best of the best—once working for the Imperial Family and even traveling battlefields with the former Grand Duke to treat wounded soldiers.
Apollyon trusted him more than anyone. Even deep wounds would heal quickly under Yvon’s care.
From internal medicine to surgery, there was nothing Yvon couldn’t treat.
But now, for the first time, Yvon had given a diagnosis that sounded like complete nonsense.
He hadn’t even examined him properly—just used a stethoscope a few times, asked some questions, and ended the check-up.
Walking away from the infirmary, Apollyon fell deep into thought.
He was starting to doubt Yvon’s abilities for the first time.
He glanced at the potion Yvon had handed him.
And at the same time, he remembered Petunia’s face from the night before.
Her hair, usually golden, had taken on a soft red glow under candlelight. Her blue eyes had shone brightly at him.
Thump.
‘…Thump?’
While walking, Apollyon suddenly stopped in place as his heart began to pound.
“…What is this?”
Of course, a living heart beats—that is natural.
But feeling it this strongly was rare.
It didn’t feel like the kind of heartbeat you get after exercise. It was different.
Was this really a sign of youth and strength, just like he had learned in his succession training?
He thought of Petunia’s face again.
He had only meant to recall her face, but somehow, the image of her delicate neck and slim shoulders appeared too.
He could clearly remember her taking off her nightgown with red cheeks.
“…!”
Apollyon took a deep breath.
He hadn’t meant to think about that, but the memory came to him on its own, and his face turned hot. The part of his face not covered by a mask turned bright red.
Petunia would have loved to see this sight. Unfortunately, no one was around to witness it.
Embarrassed, he looked around quickly and rubbed his neck before walking away at a faster pace.
***
After enjoying a light tea time with Lady Claire, I returned to my room.
The younger maids glanced at me curiously as I passed through the halls of the estate.
It wasn’t a pleasant feeling, but it didn’t seem like they were gossiping or being disrespectful.
Given their age, I didn’t bother scolding them—it was understandable.
When I entered my room, it had been completely cleaned. The messy bedsheets were gone, and the bare mattress was left uncovered.
I ordered a light snack to be brought up.
Honestly, I wanted to roll around in bed and eat like a lazy cat, but since the maids had cleaned it so well, I didn’t want to ruin their hard work.
So, I went out to the small balcony connected to my bedroom.
It looked like a cozy apartment outside, with a round wooden table and two chairs.
I dismissed the servants and took some alone time on the balcony.
As I leaned back into the chair, the moist sea breeze played with my hair.
There was an ocean view just across from the balcony.
I drank hibiscus tea and munched on a cabbage salad while taking in the sight.
The sea in front of the Pontus Estate wasn’t the sparkling emerald color you’d dream of.
Instead, the water was deep indigo, dark and heavy, reminding me of winter despite the summer heat. It was a sea that looked like the abyss.
The beach was similar.
Unlike tropical white sands that sparkled like pearls, this beach had none of that glow. The sand was dull and slightly dry-looking.
It wasn’t a cheerful, sunny beach vacation, but I still found it beautiful.
Something about the sea here made me feel calm.
As if the deep blue waves could wash away all my worries and floating thoughts.
“This is nice…”
I took another sip of tea and murmured. The sea had a lonely, quiet vibe that I strangely liked.
It felt like the perfect place to visit when feeling melancholic or emotional.
After finishing my snack and admiring the view, I called for a maid to clear the tray.
I hadn’t had the chance to look around my room properly yesterday because I was too nervous about the wedding night.
Now that I had time, I realized how amazing the room was.
There was a luxurious dressing room, a large bathtub with gold-trimmed corners, and rare items I had never seen before.
But my favorite place in the room was the study.
Not because I enjoyed studying—I didn’t care about academics at all.
The real reason I liked the study was because of the smell.
I loved the unique, musty scent of old books. Breathing it in made me feel like a time traveler.
Even aside from that personal reason, the study had a wonderfully vintage charm.
The interior was mostly dark brown, with antique-style rubberwood furniture that gave it an elegant, old-fashioned look.
I locked myself in the study and browsed through the old books. Sniffing the air brought in that lovely scent I liked so much.
To prepare for my duties, I pulled a few books from the shelves and skimmed through them.
Thankfully, most of them weren’t too difficult.
There were history books, etiquette guides, and practical manuals that would help with managing the estate.
If that’s all the lady of the house had to handle, I could probably manage.
Just then, Emma walked in to change the bedsheets.
After finishing, she noticed me digging through the study and asked with a smile,
“Do you like books, madam?”
“Oh, yeah.”
I mean, I do like books—comic books are books, and romance novels are books too.
“Oh, then you’ll love this!”
“Huh? Love what?”
“There’s a huge library on the first floor. If you like this study, you’ll love the library. Want to see it?”
Emma asked excitedly, sounding thrilled for some reason.
I nodded and followed her to the library on the first floor.
The library was to the far right of the main staircase.
When I saw it, my jaw dropped—it was as big as a college library.
Not only was it massive, but the whole place looked like it came straight out of an old movie.
Emma looked proud seeing my amazed expression.
“Isn’t it amazing?”
“Yeah. It looks like something from a movie…”
“Sorry? A movie?”
Oops, I forgot—there are no movies in this world. I quickly corrected myself.
“Oh, I meant magnificent! A grand place like this makes you feel like you don’t need any riches or fame. Just being surrounded by books is enough.”
“I see.”
I smiled sweetly. Not bad for a quick recovery.
Of course, in reality, wealth and fame were still the best.
They say if money can’t buy happiness, maybe you just don’t have enough.
In short: money and glory forever!
I pulled out a few of the oldest-looking books from a nearby shelf. To my surprise, they didn’t have that familiar old-book smell.
I flipped to the last page to check the publishing date. The book had been printed at least 50 years ago. Its yellowed cover confirmed its age.
“Emma, how do you take care of the books here?”
Proudly, she replied:
“Old books attract bugs, but because we’re near the sea, the humidity damages them even faster. Sea air ruins books quickly.”
“I see.”
“So we put moisture absorbers between the books and clean one bookshelf twice a week.”
She shrugged proudly. Clearly, she loved her work.
I looked up at one of the giant bookshelves.
The ceilings in Pontus Estate were high in general, but the first floor was especially tall. The bookshelves nearly reached the ceiling.
“How do you clean all that?”
My neck was sore from looking up. I massaged it and asked.
“About ten servants clean one shelf. Some climb ladders to reach the top shelves, while others work on the lower ones. They divide tasks—some dust, others check book conditions and replace moisture packs.”
“You do that twice a week…?”
“Yes!”
Emma answered proudly.
But my face didn’t look too thrilled.
I felt bad for the servants buried in paperwork and old books every week.
I wished I could hand them an e-reader or tablet or something.
Honestly—long live digital. Hooray for the fourth industrial revolution!
