My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 84

I took Elodie to the library.

“Wow…”

The moment she entered, Elodie gasped and her mouth fell open in awe.

Her expression was so adorable that I couldn’t help but smile.

‘Exactly the same reaction as in the original.’

In the original story, it wasn’t me but Victor who had guided her to the library. Originally, he only let her look around briefly before allowing her to pick a book to take out. Victor was always busy managing the household affairs of the Dumont family.

However, Elodie’s wide-eyed excitement made it impossible to suggest leaving. She was enjoying herself so much that I couldn’t bring myself to interrupt her.

In the end, Victor had stayed in the library with Elodie until another servant came looking for him.

‘But unlike Victor, I have plenty of free time today, so it’s no problem.’

Of course, my time wasn’t completely unlimited. Earlier, I had asked Victor to let Ethan know to come to the library when he returned home.

‘I have about an hour? Maybe an hour and a half? That should be enough time to spend some quality time with Elodie.’

As I smiled warmly, Elodie seemed to snap out of her daze and turned to look at me suddenly.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I got carried away…”

I smiled brightly and replied, “No, it’s fine. When I first came here, I was just as surprised as you. There are so many books, aren’t there?”

“Yes, it feels like ten times… or twenty times? No, even more than the bookstores I usually go to. Are all these books the Duke’s?”

“Yes, that’s right. Everything in the Ducal Estate belongs to him, and books are no exception.”

“I see…”

Elodie blinked and gazed around the library again.

The circular library building was divided into three floors, with shelves densely packed in each section. Alongside the tall built-in bookshelves were wheeled ladders for climbing. There was also a designated area with sofas for reading comfortably.

For a book lover like Elodie, it must have felt like stepping into an amusement park.

“You know, the Duke loves reading too. He’s been inseparable from books since he was about your age.”

“Really?” Elodie asked, looking surprised.

Her reaction wasn’t hard to understand.

‘Elodie probably imagines bookworms as looking like Father Dreyfus.’

Honestly, Ethan was far too tall and broad-shouldered to fit the typical image of a bookworm. But that didn’t mean reading didn’t suit him.

‘As much as I hate to admit it, he looks good doing anything… Just like all handsome men.’

Whether he held a sword or a book, there wasn’t much difference.

“Yes, really. Next time you see him, try talking to him about a book you like. There’s a good chance he’s read it too.”

“Ah, um… okay.”

Elodie hesitated briefly before nodding.

‘She’s probably still a little scared of Ethan.’

Given his large build and perpetually expressionless face, it wasn’t surprising for Elodie to find him intimidating.

In the original story, Elodie struggled for a long time to understand why Ethan had adopted her. She constantly worried that she might be kicked out of the Ducal household if she fell out of his favor, so she worked tirelessly to become the ideal daughter.

‘And now, with our first meeting being different from the original… I need to make sure today helps them bond.’

Resolving myself, I smiled warmly at Elodie.

“Shall we take a proper look around? Is there any book you’d like to read?”

“Oh, um… I’m not sure…”

Elodie seemed lost in thought, her expression serious. I chuckled softly.

“Take your time. We have plenty of it. Or, if you’d like, I can recommend a few books.”

“Yes, please. I’m curious about the books you like, Duchess.”

Elodie quickly responded as if she’d been waiting for the suggestion.

‘Adorable!’

I turned my head to hide my excitement.

“…Is something wrong?” Elodie asked, puzzled.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just felt like coughing for a moment.”

I feigned a small cough to cover it up.

Elodie frowned slightly in concern. “Are you feeling unwell? Could it be a cold?”

“What? No, it’s nothing like that. I just swallowed a bit of dust, that’s all.”

“Really?”

Elodie looked up at me, her expression filled with genuine concern. Her sincerity tugged at my heart.

“Really. I’m fine, so don’t worry. Let’s go.”

I smiled and took Elodie’s hand.

***

Ethan entered the library.

According to Victor, Camille had been here with the orphanage girl for about two hours.

“Why did she insist I come all the way to the library? Wouldn’t it make more sense to call her to the dining room, since it’s nearly lunchtime?”

“I’m not sure. But…”

“But?”

“I’m sure the Duchess had her reasons for requesting this. Given how busy you’ve been with work lately, perhaps she thought this would be a good opportunity to take a breather and visit the library for a change.”

Recalling his recent conversation with Victor, Ethan furrowed his brow slightly.

‘Lately, even Jacques seems to side with Camille. Everyone’s oddly supportive of her these days.’

It was baffling to think about how the entire Dumont household seemed enchanted by her. At times, Ethan wondered if the mansion itself had fallen under some kind of spell.

Even he wasn’t immune. After all, here he was, making his way to the library without protest.

Inviting that girl, Elodie, to the Ducal Estate today was no different. When Camille first brought up the idea, Ethan hadn’t been able to refuse her. The memory of their last tense conversation about the girl still lingered.

“I could understand if it were you, but she’s just a child with no relation to me.”

At that moment, Camille’s expression had looked as though she’d been deeply hurt by his words.

While Ethan didn’t think he’d said anything wrong, he didn’t want to see that look on her face again. So, he’d reluctantly agreed.

‘Now, where are they?’

The library was so vast that even after stepping inside, there was no sign of the two of them. After some wandering, Ethan spotted Elodie sitting on a sofa, engrossed in a book. Camille was nowhere to be seen.

Ethan hesitated briefly before walking toward her.

The girl was so absorbed in her reading that she didn’t notice his approach.

He cleared his throat softly, but she still didn’t look up.

‘…Is it that interesting?’

Ethan tilted his head to check the book’s title: The Chronicles of Havrosa, Volume 1.

The Chronicles of Havrosa was a novel set in a fictional country named Havrosa. Although entirely the product of the author’s imagination, its realism and detailed world-building made it comparable to an actual historical text. Ethan himself had been captivated by it as a child.

‘But isn’t this a bit too advanced for someone her age?’

The girl looked no older than ten. While Ethan had read the book at a similar age, it wasn’t something most children would typically dive into.

Ethan cleared his throat again, louder this time. Finally, Elodie raised her head. When she saw Ethan, she jumped up, closing the book in a hurry.

“D-Duke!”

“Where is Camille?”

“Oh, um… she said she needed to step out for a moment.”

“I see.”

Elodie fidgeted nervously, glancing at Ethan anxiously.

When Ethan glanced at her, she flinched and hunched her shoulders.

If Camille returned and saw this scene, she might misunderstand, thinking he had frightened the girl. The last thing Ethan wanted was to hear another cold remark like the one she’d made before.

After some thought, Ethan spoke, “Is it interesting?”

“P-Pardon?”

“The book.”

Elodie followed his gaze to The Chronicles of Havrosa and let out a small “Oh.”

“I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have read your book without permission…”

Ethan frowned.

“…I only asked if it was interesting. Why are you apologizing?”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Elodie lowered her head again, apologizing once more. Ethan hadn’t intended to reprimand her.

‘Am I really that intimidating?’

This wasn’t good. To an onlooker, it might look as though he was scolding her.

Ethan quickly scanned his surroundings. Seeing no sign of Camille, he softened his tone as much as possible.

“There’s no need to apologize. Camille brought you here, didn’t she? If you have her permission, then it’s as good as having mine. She is my wife, after all.”