Chapter 57

Blair woke at dawn to the sound of rain striking the window. When she opened her bleary eyes, the room was steeped in a bluish hue. It seemed a sudden downpour had begun, with sheets of rain slamming against the clear glass and leaving streaks behind.

She watched it for a moment, then turned over, about to drift back to sleep, when the harsh sound she’d heard in her half dreams rang out again. Listening more closely, she realized it wasn’t rain battering the window but someone knocking.

Blair pushed herself up, slipped on her slippers, and carefully pulled the door open. Light from the corridor, a little brighter than the bedroom, spilled through the opening. Standing with that light at his back, casting a shadow over Blair, was Edmund.

“It’s early to wake you. I’m sorry.”

“…Mm… Don’t apologize. May I ask what’s going on?”

“I came to say goodbye before work.”

Blair rubbed her eyes and looked up at him. He was already dressed to go out, wearing a tie, shirt, vest, and coat. She’d wondered what was going on, but he’d simply stopped by to greet her.

“Ah… I see. Have a safe trip. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“I’ll be back before dinner, so take care of yourself too. Don’t go anywhere secluded, and don’t wander around alone.”

“What danger could there be for me? It’s pouring rain. You’re the one who should be careful.”

“The ducal residence is large and crowded, so it’s always risky. Being cautious is the right choice. Benjamin will be away from the estate on business as well, so if you need anything, find Butler Albert.”

It sounded less like a morning farewell and more like a husband leaving for a battlefield. Blair blinked her barely open eyes, then let out a small laugh.

“Edmund, if I’m going to see you off in the mornings from now on, should I get ready to match your work hours and come down to the entrance hall?”

“That won’t be necessary. Remember what I said about not needing a model wife. Today is just….”

Uncharacteristically, his sentence trailed off. Edmund stared past Blair’s shoulder at Eldenvale’s garden, unusually damp and gloomy, then spoke again.

“I felt like I’d regret it if I didn’t say goodbye.”

“Is something wrong?”

“No.”

The answer was firm. Without suspecting anything in particular, Blair shrugged.

“I’ll be fine. You worry more than you look.”

“You shouldn’t have shown me yourself trembling like a rabbit and clinging to me.”

“You always have something to say….”

“I’ll be home before dinner. See you later.”

“Take care.”

Edmund nodded once and turned away, moving out of her bedroom. Since it was just the two of them, there was no kiss or embrace. Even knowing that, Blair flinched. She realized she had been unconsciously expecting some kind of contact.

Had she already grown used to his warmth? It was hard to believe, yet watching the man walk away without hesitation left her a little disappointed. Still, he’d come all the way to her bedroom to check on her in the middle of his busy morning. Could she really feel hurt over something so small? Shaking her head at that childish side of herself she hadn’t even noticed before, Blair quietly closed the door.

She returned to the bed and pulled the covers over her head. Outside the window, the downpour continued to fall.

***

“It’s been raining all day. If the weather were nice, I was thinking of suggesting a walk in the garden.”

Milia, who always helped Blair get ready, said this while looking out the window. Blair, seated at the round table with a book, glanced over at her and smiled.

“It has its own charm. I think it’s nice.”

“If that’s how you feel, then I’m glad.”

The maid, who had initially given off a taciturn impression, seemed to have opened up a little once she realized Blair wasn’t a finicky noblewoman despite appearances. Over the past few days, she had grown noticeably more talkative.

“How long have you been at the ducal residence?”

“Mm… almost ten years now. I became a maid here at the age when I should’ve been attending primary school.”

“You came here very young.”

If she had spent that long here, then she must have seen Edmund for many years as well. Lost in thought for a moment, Blair closed her book and looked straight at Milia.

“Then what was my husband like when he was young?”

Milia didn’t answer right away and hesitated slightly.

“To be honest, I’ve never even exchanged a single word with the young master….”

The maid’s cautious demeanor didn’t last long.

“I never had the chance to learn, so I couldn’t read or write. Even though there was such a huge library in the mansion, I thought it was a world that had nothing to do with me. Only senior servants like the butler are allowed into the ducal library.”

Milia glanced at Blair, warmth blooming in her eyes.

“But the young master would often bring me books. Thanks to that, I was able to learn how to read, at least a little.”

“…I see. I’m glad you were able to learn because of him.”

It wasn’t hard to imagine Edmund handing books to a young maid. Blair herself had received his quiet consideration before.

Perhaps he wasn’t a cold or calculating man after all. Blair thought it might even be the opposite. Enduring Isabelle’s never-gentle gaze while still showing kindness to those weaker than himself, he might actually be a man with a very warm heart. The gentle hand that had soothed her until she fell asleep the night before had been tender beyond words.

“…Ah! Since it’s raining, would you like to take a look at the library?”

Milia brightened as if a good idea had struck her and made the suggestion. It was a place where Edmund, who loved reading, had likely spent countless hours. Blair didn’t hesitate long before lifting the corner of her lips.

***

To reach the mansion’s library, one had to go down to the first floor, pass through the outdoor colonnade, and cross into the annex. Unlike the main building, the annex wasn’t a place where the family lived, so it bore fewer traces of daily life. Instead, it felt quieter and more practical.

The library was located not far from the annex’s first-floor entrance. Since Milia wasn’t a senior servant, she wasn’t permitted to enter with her, so Blair went inside alone.

When the librarian who was organizing books recognized her and approached in surprise to ask if she needed assistance, Blair politely declined, saying she only wished to look around quietly. Then, with curious eyes, she began to wander through the library, which stretched up an astonishing five floors.

‘If it were Edmund, which section would he have spent the most time in?’

Standing at the center of the wide-open hall and looking up at the tiered bookshelves, Blair soon made her way toward the stairs. Before long, she found a shelf tucked away in a corner where art books were gathered.

She ran her fingers along the spines as she walked between the shelves. There were so many books steeped in age that she didn’t know where to rest her eyes. Had Edmund read all the art books here? Considering his obsession that bordered on inhuman, it might actually be possible….

Blair let out a dry laugh and turned the corner again, only to stop short. Someone was leaning against the bookshelf.

He noticed Blair’s presence as well and lifted his head. When their eyes met, her guard rose instinctively. It was Rufus Libert.

“…Hello, Lord Libert.”

She greeted him calmly while sizing him up. What was he doing, hiding away in a corner like this? It was deeply suspicious.

“What the… I didn’t expect to run into a new bride here.”

Muttering as if to himself, Rufus furrowed his brow, then set the book in his hand down on a nearby table. When he looked back at Blair, his eyes gleamed with an unpleasant light.

“To meet like this, what a strange connection we have. What are you doing here alone?”

“I came to look at the art books my husband usually takes an interest in.”

Disliking the idea of being lumped together with him, Blair deliberately brought up Edmund and replied evenly. Rufus raised his brows, then twisted one corner of his mouth upward in a crooked smile.

“That’s a curious coincidence. I was just looking at some… art myself.”

“…I see. Then I won’t commit the rudeness of interrupting your reading. I’ll be going now….”

“Rudeness? From the future duchess? Not at all. In fact, the book I was looking at seems like it might appeal to a new bride’s taste. Why don’t you take a look?”

“No, I….”

Before she could finish, Rufus picked up the book. He strode over and flipped it open at random, thrusting it right in front of Blair’s eyes. She flinched and widened her gaze.

What filled the entire page was a nude painting of a woman. The exaggerated expression and curves of the completely naked female body made it look less like art and more like an image meant to provoke desire.