Chapter 40 – Those Who Hide Secrets (2)
“How long have you been working here, Ash?”
“Just about half a year now.”
“And those two… don’t you think they look a little unusual together?”
“Yes. Unless someone is utterly clueless, it’s pretty obvious.”
“…I see.”
So even in the eyes of a third party, they stood out.
Well, of course they did—
The Archduke, who almost never left his office, was walking outside with his tutor, the very person who had managed to bring him out.
Anyone looking would think, There’s definitely something going on here.
“It seems those two weigh heavily on your mind, Saintess.”
“Does it look that way?”
“Yes. Very much so.”
Ash smiled faintly.
Linette didn’t answer further.
“By the way, Saintess, I don’t know if I should say this, but…”
Ash’s tone shifted—less playful, more serious than usual.
Surprised, Linette instinctively turned to look at him.
“Shall we resume the lesson?”
“Oh.”
“I’ve given you perhaps a little too much break time. Let’s make some progress today.”
Smiling warmly, Ash clapped his hands together.
Linette, who had been pressed against the window, reluctantly turned away and scampered over to her desk.
“Can’t we rest just a little longer? Please? Just until they come back inside…?”
“Saintess, do you know when that will be?”
“…”
“No one does. Except for the two of them. So, let’s get back to studying.”
Linette wanted to protest, but she couldn’t bring herself to.
Ash had always been the most lenient, indulgent teacher she had.
It didn’t feel right to push her luck any further.
“…Fine. Let’s study.”
And so, she sat back down at her desk.
***
The next day, another letter appeared, slipped under Elsie’s door.
“Miss Bloomhire, another letter arrived.”
“Another one?”
After reading it, Elsie immediately went to Eclipse.
As before, he tore it in half and stored it in the wooden box.
The following day, it happened again. Penny handed her another letter, her face uneasy.
“Another… letter came.”
“Of course it did.”
This time, Elsie didn’t even bother to check the contents before going straight to Eclipse.
By now, he wasn’t surprised at all.
“Do you think one will come tomorrow too…?” she asked.
“Most likely.”
And sure enough, the next morning—another letter appeared.
“Miss Bloomhire, I’m so scared. What are these letters? Why are they always in the same spot…?”
By now, Penny was too frightened to even pick them up.
Elsie comforted her and explained as best she could.
Penny’s eyes went wide.
“The… Tower Master of Hern Mountain? He’s the one sending these every day?”
“Yep. He says he wants me to join his tower someday.”
“Oh…”
Until a moment ago, Penny had been trembling with fear. But upon hearing Jade’s name, she let out a long sigh.
“Well, that makes sense. I hear that Tower Master is… strange.”
Seriously? Even the maids know he’s weird?
If his eccentricity was that well known, maybe the whole world already knew.
Elsie shook her head, impressed by Jade’s persistence, and headed toward Eclipse’s office.
But—
“What? His Grace isn’t here?”
“Yes. He said if you came by, to know he’ll be away until late tonight and to come tomorrow instead.”
The servant standing guard informed her politely.
And so, Elsie had no choice but to return without seeing Eclipse.
Penny, noticing the unopened letter still in her hand, tilted her head.
“Oh? You came back already?”
“Yeah. His Grace is away.”
“What? Oh, wait… of course.”
Penny’s eyes widened in realization.
“Today is that day.”
“That day?”
Seeing Elsie’s confusion, Penny explained.
“Today is the death anniversary of Lady Stella Everett, His Grace’s elder sister. It’s one of the few days when His Grace always leaves the estate.”
“…Ah.”
Right, she had almost forgotten.
Eclipse had a sister he had been separated from as a child—
Stella, who later died at Eileen’s hands before he could see her again.
“Every year, His Grace is gone until very late on this day. Always.”
“I see.”
After becoming Archduke, Eclipse had erected a memorial for Stella on a small hill behind the estate.
The Everett family’s lands were far from the duchy.
Traveling back and forth would take nearly a month, which the Archduke could not afford.
So the memorial nearby was the best he could manage.
His only sister’s memorial…
Eclipse had been especially attached to Stella.
She was the one who gave him the name Ledaire—the one who saved him from dying nameless, abandoned in the streets.
The only family who had remembered him until her last breath.
Of course he’d want to honor her, even if only from a distance.
For Elsie, who had lived nineteen years entirely on her own, this sort of bond was almost foreign.
But still… she could imagine how deeply he must miss her.
After listening quietly to Penny’s story, Elsie stretched her arms high.
“Well then, since His Grace isn’t home today, I’ll take it easy too.”
With Eclipse gone, and Linette busy with her own lessons, no one needed her.
Lesson preparations were already complete.
So what should I do with my free time?
Thinking it over, she suddenly remembered.
It’s been ages since I last flew on my broom. When was the last time?
Ah, right—it was the day she had snuck into Eclipse’s office.
Wow… that was forever ago.
Since moving into the mansion, she had been too busy to fool around.
“I should try again today.”
But Penny frowned.
“Please, Miss Bloomhire, just rest in your room today. Your back must still be hurting.”
Her gaze flicked worriedly toward Elsie’s waist.
Since the whole ‘falling and hurting herself’ incident, Penny had been especially attentive to Elsie’s health.
“If you feel even a twinge, call me right away. I’ll come running.”
“Huh? No, no, really—I’m fine now. Totally fine. Look, not even a little sore.”
To prove it, Elsie twisted, bent, and even shook her hips in a wobbly imitation of a belly dance.
“Good heavens! What kind of… bizarre dance is that, Miss Bloomhire?!”
Penny recoiled in horror, as if she’d seen something scandalous.
Still, Elsie’s point was made: her back was perfectly fine.
“Well… if you’re healthy, that’s a relief. But…”
Penny gave her a serious look.
“Please don’t ever do that… strange dance in front of anyone else.”
“Huh? Why not? It’s just dancing.”
“No. Just… don’t.”
And so, Elsie’s proud belly dance was officially banned.
Once Penny left, Elsie grabbed her broom and slipped outside.
Now, where would be the best view…?
Observation towers were usually built on the highest points, for obvious reasons.
She always loved the scenery from high above.
“Let’s see… what’s the highest spot around here?”
Shielding her eyes, she looked around.
Of course, the mansion roof was the highest point.
“The roof, huh…”
But the image of her frantic rooftop escape flashed into her mind.
“Ugh, why do I keep remembering that?”
She shook her head hard, trying to drive the memory away.
“Forget the roof. Then… what about there?”
Her gaze drifted to the hill behind the estate.
That must be where Stella’s memorial is.
She squinted, trying to see, but of course…
“There’s no way I’d spot it from here.”
After all, a hill was still a hill. You couldn’t just peer through with the naked eye.
“…Guess I’ll have to go check it out myself.”
