**#16.**
**2023.09.16.**
—
“*For several hours,* you mean?”
“Miss Aris.”
“I had no idea you liked books that much, Sister. You’re never like that at home.”
“I’ve had a lot to take care of.”
When I replied calmly, Aris frowned.
I muttered, sounding somewhat forlorn.
“For several years I couldn’t spend any personal time because I was handling the family’s affairs. You wouldn’t know, since you attend parties so often. I actually love reading. And since it was a book by Dupin, an author whose works are hard to come by, I was truly delighted when the Count suggested I visit the library. I only meant to read one volume and bring it back, but I couldn’t bring myself to get up and ended up sitting there for hours. I’m sorry for startling you.”
“Wait. That’s not what I’m talking about.”
“But don’t worry. I borrowed plenty of books for you as well, Miss. Once you open the first page, you’ll understand how I felt. The journey of a young boy traveling between the desert and the sea was just so gripping. He’s always been known for his graceful prose and vivid scenery, but this new work is a real step forward! I even borrowed them all despite the librarian’s glares. You won’t be angry that I read Dupin’s new book first, will you?”
As I rattled on without giving her a chance to interrupt, Aris put on a frustrated expression.
Inside, I swallowed arsenic.
*Well, of course. She probably doesn’t even know where to begin criticizing.*
Aris was the type who couldn’t stand it unless everyone’s attention was focused on her wherever she went.
Not just her looks, but her character and abilities too—she wanted to be acknowledged as the best in everything.
To her, my words—*unlike you, who idled away your time, I was busy working as a Lorenst*—must have grated badly.
Aris was about to speak again when Lady Emeron suddenly snapped.
“That’s not it!”
“……”
“Dupin or whatever—it’s not important! Why do you keep saying such strange things? Igraine, were you really at the library?”
“Yes.”
The anxious question came back at once.
“Then what about the prince?”
“The prince?”
I deliberately widened my eyes.
“Yes! The Fifth Prince who came with the delegation this time!”
After pretending to think for a moment, I replied,
“I sent him a gift.”
Making sure I looked flustered.
*Even to my own ears, that sounds stupid.*
As expected, Lady Emeron jumped to her feet.
“That’s all?”
“You told me to, didn’t you?”
I looked around as if asking what the problem was.
*I hope I looked innocent.*
As I was thinking that, Lady Emeron spoke as if in anger.
“That’s not what a gift is supposed to be—!”
Perhaps because she was a noblewoman and couldn’t bring herself to utter something crude outright, she snapped her mouth shut and flung open her fan. A harsh gust of air blew.
“Who would have thought she’d be this hopeless!”
She turned toward Hubert.
“Count, isn’t this a serious problem? His Majesty must have given you advance notice, and yet all he received was some ridiculous gift bundle—wouldn’t he be offended? Besides, that gift was really just for appearances, wasn’t it?”
She lowered her voice sharply at the end, but everyone nearby could hear.
Even Aris, who had been uncertain, went pale at those words.
Aris glared at me as if I were something useless and shrieked irritably,
“Georgiana!”
Georgiana, who had been hunching her shoulders, shuffled forward.
“Yes, Miss.”
“What happened? You said you didn’t see my sister.”
“I didn’t see her.”
Aris shot me a look.
“She says she was reading in the library the whole time.”
“Well, that is…”
“Say it again. Did you really not see my sister?”
In front of the small-framed Aris, Georgiana turned pale like a fox caught in a trap.
“I—I think I might have seen her.”
I nearly burst out laughing at the feeble reply.
Georgiana, despite her gentle face, had a mean streak, but she wasn’t clever enough to handle situations like this with any flexibility.
Aris’s eyebrow twitched.
“Did you see her or not?”
“She kept moving around, and I followed after her, but I couldn’t catch up in the end…”
“Do you think that counts as an answer? Speak clearly!”
“Enough.”
Aris, who had been pressing Georgiana as if she were about to devour her, fell silent.
Hubert, with an arm around Aris’s shoulders, spoke gently.
“The royal library is famous for being confusing. Don’t torment your poor maid too much.”
Georgiana looked up at Hubert with moved eyes.
In contrast, Aris’s face twisted.
“How can you say that? Do you think I’m tormenting her? I’m just so shocked and flustered…”
Tears welled up in her large eyes. To be able to cry that quickly—internally, I marveled at her exceptional ability to regulate moisture.
*No matter how you look at it, she’s got outstanding talent for being a con artist.*
“There’s no need to get so worked up.”
Hubert took out a handkerchief and gently dabbed at Aris’s eyes.
“You’ll collapse again if you do.”
At his soft tone, Aris’s face relaxed.
Soon after, his gaze turned to me.
Our eyes met briefly.
“Igraine.”
“Yes.”
“It would be best if you stayed in your room.”
As always, his voice was gentle—soft and mild, yet somehow cold.
I couldn’t tell whether he believed my words or not, but it was clear he was disappointed.
*Ah. I shouldn’t let that expression show already.*
Though that’s how I felt inside, on the outside I looked like someone whose world had just collapsed.
—
I returned to my room as if chased out and poured water from a pitcher into my hands, splashing it generously over my eyes and cheeks.
“Haa… I’m glad I wasn’t found out.”
Jenny, who had been catching her breath nervously, stared at me wide-eyed.
“What are you doing, Miss?”
“Hm? Pretending to cry.”
“…Pardon?”
“Look—do I look like I’ve been crying pitifully?”
Jenny came closer with a baffled expression and shook her head.
“You’ve just got water on your face.”
“Ah, damn. Really?”
I sat on the bed and stared hard. I tried not to blink as much as possible, and soon my eyes began to sting and fill with tears.
When I looked in the mirror, my bloodshot eyes and wet skin looked passably like the face of someone who’d been crying.
I looked at Jenny. She nodded.
“Let’s add a bit more.”
I was squeezing out tears for a while when—
*Knock, knock.*
At the sound of knocking, Jenny hurried over.
“It’s the Count.”
At Jenny’s urgent whisper, I lowered my head and buried my face in my hands.
Soon the door opened and Hubert entered.
“Igraine… Igr—?”
Hubert, who had entered stiffly, paused, then slowly walked toward me.
A quick glance—through my spread fingers I checked the tip of his shoes.
“Why are you crying?”
At his troubled voice, I spoke with a sob.
“Hubert… when you told me to go to the royal library, did you mean *that*?”
“……”
“I really, sob, really didn’t know. You said Dupin’s book had come in and told me to go read it at the library. I thought you said that because you felt sorry for me. Since you didn’t mention the prince, I thought going into his room was off the table.”
“Haa… Igraine.”
“I was so grateful for how considerate you were, do you know how carefully I chose the gift? I just wanted the prince to look kindly on our family, even if only that way… But that wasn’t it?”
Resentment seeped into my voice.
“You meant for me to pretend to go to the library and enter the prince’s room instead?”
I muttered self-mockingly, as if I couldn’t believe it.
At that moment, my head tilted. Hubert pulled me into his arms and sighed.
Resting my forehead against his stomach, I turned my head slightly.
*Things have already turned out like this. Since he needs to use me again, he’ll try to placate me.*
“That’s not it. I don’t know what kind of misunderstanding everyone’s had, but what I said was exactly that.”
*Bingo.*
“Really?”
I lifted my head slightly to look at him. In Hubert’s green eyes, my crying reflection wavered.
His expression grew complicated, then soon softened into a gentle smile.
“Of course. Naturally. Don’t worry. Everyone will clear up the misunderstanding soon.”
“As long as you believe me, that’s enough…”
I clutched the hem of his shirt and buried my face. Hubert gently patted my head.
The corners of my lips curled up into a grin.
—
The next morning.
When I removed the bandage, the still-red raw flesh was exposed. I carefully applied white ointment over it.
It was what the prince had given me as I was leaving at dawn. I’d used it generously, so it was already nearly gone.
The moment the cold medicine touched my skin, a sharp pain shot through me and I grimaced without realizing it.
*Since it was a blade wound, it’s not healing easily.*
I couldn’t relax my face as I wrapped on a fresh bandage I’d prepared beforehand.
“Miss.”
I hurriedly pulled my clothes back down. At the same time, the canopy was drawn back.
I greeted her first, seeing her eyes widen.
“Good morning, Jenny.”
“You’re already awake.”
With a slightly puffy face—perhaps from eating something late at night—Jenny set a basin of wash water down in front of me.
“I’ve been sleeping less in the mornings lately. You’re diligent today too.”
I washed my face and dried it with a cloth. Then I glanced sideways.
“What’s with that look?”
Jenny, who’d been fidgeting like she had something to say, flinched.
The moment I saw that reaction, I knew.
*Something happened.*
Jenny hesitated, then spoke with effort.
“Lady Emeron asked for breakfast to be sent to her room.”
“She always does that when she oversleeps—why make a fuss now?”
“Well… the Count and Miss Aris also…”
Jenny trailed off and scrunched up her face.
“The Count is really strange! He comforted you so much yesterday, but today why—”
She glanced at me again, as if it were hard to continue.
I said casually,
“Oh. So they’re having breakfast in another room again, leaving me out?”
“That’s probably not it.”
Jenny denied it in a panic.
*Sure it is.*
I didn’t bother insisting and just shrugged.
Even after I finished carefully drying the water from my face, Jenny didn’t leave my side. When I looked at her, she asked cautiously,
“Are you all right?”
“Yeah. Today will be more comfortable, actually. No need to fill that huge table to the brim. Let’s just prepare everything else as usual.”
Even though I spoke lightly, Jenny didn’t withdraw her worried gaze. But truly, I didn’t mind at all.
*This isn’t the first time.*
Whenever Lady Emeron was displeased with me, excluding me from meals was a common petty spite of hers.
*Aris’s influence probably played a part too.*
In any case, thinking that I could eat comfortably without those unpleasant people around put me completely at ease.
