Chapter 11

“Miss…. Your inner thoughts are coming out.”

Anna, who had been by her side until then, spoke to Grace.

“Oh, oh no! Poor, pitiful Vivian….”

Excited, Grace finally realized her mistake and felt sorry for her friend’s unfortunate situation.

“That…. Isn’t it already too late?”

Though embarrassed by Anna’s subsequent remark, she had to agree.

“Ahem, ahem…. This feeling is also sincere. I didn’t think my brother would go this far. It’s both good and pitiful. Ah…. I’m so confused. I can’t believe it’s all my fault.”

“What will you do now, Miss?”

“Hmm…. Well……. For now, it’s a strategic retreat!”

Grace shouted, unable to think of a proper plan.

“It doesn’t seem like you’ve advanced much, though?”

Anna interjected, pointing out the fact bluntly.

“…Hey, quiet, quiet! Anna, what are you saying to your lady?”

Out of excuses, Grace used her authority to silence her.

“Yes, understood. I, Anna, being a powerless employee, will keep quiet.”

“What’s with the commentary at the end?!”

“Oh dear, it seems I’ve been serving you for too long, Miss. I’ve picked up the habit of speaking my mind like you.”

Anna replied slyly.

“I can’t handle this, really. Anyway, I’m really troubled now…. I don’t know what to do. I’ll think about it a bit more in my room.”

“Yes, understood. Shall I prepare cake and tea for you to enjoy while you ponder?”

Anna, being attentive and quick-witted, grasped Grace’s desires.

“As expected, Anna! That’s why you’re my personal maid!”

“Hahaha, just a humble employee.”

Anna replied with a modest tone, though her expression was proud. A perfect match of a lady and her maid.

Afterward, Grace drank cake and tea in her room, deeply pondering about Vivian, but fell asleep on the sofa without reaching a conclusion.

* * *

“Good morning, Vivian.”

Cassius greeted her with a morning kiss on her cheek.

“Good morning, Cassius.”

“Haha, exchanging morning greetings in bed feels like we’re a married couple.”

“Ma-married couple? Isn’t that a bit early? Haha.”

Vivian replied, a bit flustered by the sudden comment. She didn’t dislike it, but the speed of progress was startling.

“Just joking. Your flustered look is adorable too.”

“You were teasing me.”

Vivian relaxed her tense face and smiled.

“I have to go out for work now. Isn’t it stifling to be in the room all the time?”

“Oh, um, it does feel that way. So, um…. Can I go home for a bit?”

Vivian rolled her eyes, watching Cassius’s reaction.

“Haha, sorry, Vivian. That’s not possible. I promise I’ll let you go freely after a month. Will you trust me?”

Cassius comforted her and hugged her.

“…Alright. It’s only been four days, after all.”

As Vivian accepted Cassius’s proposal, he slowly released her from his embrace and smiled brightly at her. Seeing that smile made Vivian feel like she could grant any request.

“Well, the doctor said you need to rest until today, so going out is too much, but feel free to roam around the estate from tomorrow. Is that okay? The estate is spacious.”

“Yes, that seems fine.”

Vivian nodded in agreement.

“Good. I’m glad. Then I’ll go to work now.”

“Yes, have a good day.”

Saying that made Vivian feel like they were truly married, making her heart tingle.

Cassius left the room with a happy smile after receiving her farewell.

After Cassius left, Vivian took another nap and woke up to eat breakfast and lunch.

“It’s comfortable, but doing nothing like this is boring.”

After finishing her meal and the maids cleared the dishes, leaving the bedroom quiet, Vivian muttered while looking around. Sitting on the sofa, she rose and approached a door on one side of the bedroom. It was a different door from the one leading to the corridor. Judging from its direction, it seemed to be a door connecting to the next room.

“Cassius said it was a study, I think.”

Recalling that he said it was okay to enter, Vivian opened the door. The space, decorated with dark brown desks and bookshelves, exuded a serene atmosphere.

“Wow….”

Stepping inside, Vivian admired the rows of bookshelves and neatly arranged books. She knew there was a separate library in the Marquis estate.

She remembered visiting a few times with Grace. However, she was surprised to find that even with a library, there was also a personal study. Moreover, though not as large as the library, the personal study was quite spacious. Cassius’s bedroom was already large, but this space seemed like two of those rooms combined.

“Well, it is the Marquis family’s estate. It’s only natural that the head of the family, Cassius’s study is this grand.”

Vivian convinced herself and wandered between the bookshelves.

What should I read?

Looking at the countless books, Vivian fell into contemplation. She thought it was hard to choose with so many options. Then, a thought suddenly crossed her mind.

“Could 〈A Midnight Tryst〉 be here?”

Vivian suddenly remembered the book Grace had shown her. It still remained a vivid memory. If she had the chance, she wanted to read it in detail.

“Hm….”

Vivian ran her fingers along the spines of the books, checking the titles. Before she knew it, she was searching for that sensual novel recommended, or rather not recommended, by Grace. After two hours of diligent searching, she concluded that such a book would not be in this study. Tired from bending over and wandering around, she plopped onto a nearby sofa.

“Well, this is the Marquis’s study. Of course, there wouldn’t be such a book….”

Understanding this, Vivian felt a little disappointed.

“Sigh…, should I just grab any book and read it? There’s nothing else to do anyway.”

Vivian decided to compromise with reality.

“I should say I’ll go to the library tomorrow.”

Speaking as if making a promise, Vivian got up and picked a suitable book from the shelf.

〈The History of the Lofaere Marquis Family〉

She chose it thinking it might be less boring since it was a history book about a family she knew. Looking for a suitable place to read, she glanced around. The spacious study had plenty of places to sit and read.

Her eyes fell on a bay window set apart from the bookshelves, perfect for reading. Sitting by the sunlit bay window and reading was one of her dreams. Her family, the Baron of Pionel, didn’t have such a thing. Settling into the bay window, Vivian leaned against the soft cushions and opened the book she brought.

Rustle.

The cream-colored paper turned under her fingers, making a sound.

[To understand the founding contributor, the Lofaere Marquis family, one must start with the story of the first Marquis, Rubert Lofaere, before the founding….]

Vivian read through the description of how the first Marquis helped the first King to reorganize and rebuild the chaotic country. She became engrossed in the content, reading the history of the Lofaere family. She was also a little excited to see when familiar figures would appear.

However, was it because the sunlight was too warm? Or because she had wandered too much looking for books? Or perhaps the description was too dull?

An hour after reading, her eyelids grew heavy, and she succumbed to sleep. Vivian eventually couldn’t resist the drowsiness and fell asleep.

* * *

“Vivian, I finished work early today, so let’s have dinner together….”

Cassius, who had come into the bedroom excited at the thought of having dinner with Vivian after finishing his work, couldn’t finish his sentence.

“…Vivian?”

Not seeing Vivian in the bedroom, Cassius’s gaze sharpened. Then he suddenly realized that the door leading to the personal study was open. Cassius hurried his steps. He wanted to confirm with his own eyes that she was there. Moving quickly, he found the woman asleep with a book hugged to her chest, in the bay window set in a corner of the personal study.

“Ha…, you really know how to surprise me, Vivian….”

Cassius’s tense expression softened as he let out a sigh of relief. If she had really broken her promise and returned to the Baron’s house, he was already scheming in his mind how to make her regret it and come back on her own.

Fortunately, thanks to her keeping her promise, her mind and surroundings could remain peaceful. Relieved that he didn’t have to do anything unnecessary, he approached Vivian.

“What on earth were you reading….”

Cassius took the book she was holding uncomfortably. Realizing it was the history of the Lofaere family, a smile deepened on Cassius’s lips.

“Are you already studying the family’s history in advance? Indeed, if you’re to become the lady of the family, it’s something you should know. Truly admirable.”

Cassius spoke to the sleeping Vivian, interpreting things his own way. Seeing Vivian, who kept her promise and was even studying the family’s history in advance, he felt overwhelmed with emotion. Appealing so actively to become his wife, Cassius thought it was only right for a man to respond in kind.