Clive’s suspicion was neither unfair nor surprising. On the contrary, Eirene was almost suspicious of what ulterior motives he might have since he believed her too easily.

“Do you have any reason to think that way?”

“Someone who lived their entire life underground would naturally lack social skills and common sense, but you don’t show any such deficiencies. You adapt well to difficult situations and new environments.”

Eirene understood what Clive meant. Except for her eyes that were sensitive to sunlight, the new world she had stepped into wasn’t difficult for her. 

Though it seemed implausible, it must have been because of the books. Despite being only in her imagination, she had experienced many different things through them. 

Having died once also helped. Even if not directly, the experience of death had gradually diminished her fear and anxiety toward unfamiliar things.

“I think it’s because I read a lot of books.”

Clive found it hard to believe. Honestly, Eirene found it hard to believe too, but there was no other explanation.

“I know reading is beneficial, but not in this case.”

“You may not believe it, but it’s true. The only people I actually encountered in my life were my family and a few maids. Everyone else was a character from books.”

Clive leaned to the side, resting his elbow on the armrest and cupping his chin. At the same time, one of his long legs moved to cross over the other. 

He exhaled softly while looking at her with eyes that still couldn’t comprehend.

“You’re composed about everything. How can that be?”

Clive’s fingers wrapped around his chin moved in waves, one after another.

“You seem like someone with experience. Your ability to control and hide your emotions is remarkable.”

Having met many people, Clive found it easy to assess others. Eirene was someone he could make certain assumptions about from their first meeting. 

But as time passed, he became less certain. He had thought it was because Eirene didn’t reveal her emotions well, but had Clive only met one or two such people? 

She seemed imprecise to him, like being shrouded in a hazy fog.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It is a compliment. Did it sound like criticism?”

“It sounded like suspicion.”

“Not suspicion, just curiosity. Let’s leave it at that. Why were you waiting for me?”

“I wanted a tour of the main residence.”

What had he expected? Clive felt deflated. It was truly a series of bewildering moments. Not because of Eirene, but because of himself, Clive. 

Was Ulik right that he had fallen in love at first sight? 

If it were love at first sight, he would have fallen for her when he saw her portrait. Having already known her face before seeing her in person, there was no reason to suddenly fall in love. In any case, Eirene was a woman who complicated Clive’s thoughts.

* * *

The first floor of Dervel’s main residence was primarily a space for guests, while the second floor was exclusively used by Clive. However, the numerous rooms with their various purposes appeared like a maze to Eirene’s eyes. 

If someone deliberately tried to hide, it would take quite some time to find them. The third floor had a spacious library about half the size of the first and second floors combined. It was mainly where Clive read books and relaxed, containing far more volumes than Eirene had seen in the basement. 

This was the place she had been looking for, the reason she had asked Clive to give her a tour of the main residence. 

After lunch, when Madam Hannon asked if she would like some books brought to her if she was bored, Eirene learned of the library’s existence. So she had been eagerly waiting for Clive to arrive. 

Scanning the library with her eyes, she asked Clive:

“May I use the library?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you. Having read books all my life, I see the habit hasn’t left me even after coming here.”

Though she had a purpose, her words weren’t untrue. The paper smell of books and the dusty scent of old volumes calmed her mind. 

Though the basement held terrible memories, it remained an indelible part of her, and there was nothing she could do about it. Eirene walked between the bookshelves arranged like dominoes. 

Her steps were slow, her eyes quickly reading titles, checking if the book she was looking for was there. She could hear Clive’s quiet footsteps following behind her. Very quietly. Her attention, previously focused solely on the books, now extended to Clive who was behind her. 

She wondered how such a large person could walk so silently. The sound of two people’s footsteps in the quiet library. In the continuing silence, Clive spoke first.

“Is there a book you want to read?”

At his casual question, Eirene nodded.

“All of them. I haven’t seen any of these before.”

“Read as much as you like during your stay.”

When Eirene stopped walking and turned around, Clive was leaning against a bookshelf with his arms crossed. Illuminated by moonlight from the window, he looked elegant, but his gaze was fierce. A man who constantly oscillated between opposite atmospheres. 

Can she really have this man?

“Why did you invite me to Dervel?”

“There’s no better place to share secrets.”

“One day would be enough, wouldn’t it?”

“You asked me to pretend to love you. I can’t invite someone I love and have them stay for just one day. Is staying here uncomfortable for you?”

“A little. It’s comfortable yet uncomfortable at the same time.”

Clive, who had been watching silently from a distance, approached. When he came close, less than a step away, Eirene backed up but couldn’t move further as her back hit the bookshelf. He slowly lowered himself to meet her eye level and smiled.

“So at least it’s more comfortable than the Phineas Mansion?”

“Yes. It’s more comfortable here.”

Clive was right. There was less tension than when she was at the Phineas Mansion.

“Yes. I thought so.”

Clive murmured in a slightly hoarse voice, and his arm stretched out to rest beside Eirene’s head. Tilting his head slightly, he raised his other hand to grasp a strand of her hair, looked at it, then let it go. 

Why did he grab her hair? What was he trying to do? 

Instead of answering her curiosity, he straightened up with a frustrated sigh.

“You can do whatever you want at Dervel.”

“Thank you.”

“If you do your job well, I can do even more for you. This is nothing.”

“Can I really ask for more?”

“Just say the word.”

“I’ll think about it carefully before I ask.”

Clive, with his hands in his pockets, was about to walk away. For some reason, Eirene felt she needed to say something to him and called out.

“Clive.”

He turned around, and now they faced each other with exactly one step between them. Having called him but suddenly at a loss for what to say, she was in a predicament.

“You smell nice.”

She had noticed it earlier. A different scent from the cigar smell she disliked that reminded her of Count Phineas.

“Nothing has changed from yesterday.”

It was definitely different. Had she been mistaken?

“I smoked cigars heavily as usual before coming here, so how could it be a nice smell? There can’t be any difference between yesterday and today. Perhaps you weren’t feeling well yesterday?”

Clive confirmed once more that Eirene was mistaken. Though she thought it couldn’t be, she accepted it since he denied it.

“I guess that was it.”

“Let’s go down now. Madam Hannon gets very nagging if we’re late for meals.”

Clive turned sharply and walked away quickly. This time, his footsteps echoed loudly, befitting his large frame.

* * *

“Your Highness? Are you feeling unwell?”

Madam Hannon’s eyes widened. Clive’s face was flushed as he sat down to begin dinner. He had seemed fine when he returned home, but suddenly both his cheeks were reddish. 

Moreover, Clive hadn’t been sick since puberty, so it was even more surprising.

“I’m fine.”

“I should check if you have a fever.”

When Madam Hannon tried to place her hand on Clive’s forehead, he pulled his head back and pushed her hand away.

“I said I’m fine.”

“Your face is red.”

“It’s because I’m hot. Just give me a glass of cold water.”

Clive was never affected by heat or cold. If someone who rarely showed changes in facial color even when angry was visibly flushed, he must be sick. 

But how could she confirm when he wouldn’t let her touch him? 

The strength in his voice and movements was somewhat reassuring. After drinking cold water and as time passed, Clive’s face returned to normal. 

The dinner time was suffocatingly quiet. Clive, who usually spoke to Eirene during meals, was for some reason keeping his mouth firmly shut today. 

Though his expression didn’t change much, Madam Hannon could see he was uncomfortable about something. 

Did they have an argument? 

Eirene’s face remained as calm as usual until she took a bite of the dessert that the chef had prepared with great care, and then it brightened. 

So this was why Clive had instructed that the most effort be put into the dessert for the guest’s meal. Eirene, who showed little reaction and remained mostly expressionless, only changed when eating dessert. 

It was surprising that Clive had noticed such a detail and paid such careful attention. The fact that he showed interest in Eirene, which he had previously only shown to his family, Ulik, and Madam Hannon, was remarkable. She had thought he didn’t care much for his fiancée, but that wasn’t the case. 

Madam Hannon now had two wishes she prayed for in her heart: that Clive would marry someone he loved and live the rest of his life happily, and that he would no longer be called the Empire’s troublemaker but be respected as a Grand Duke. 

Clive had always been Madam Hannon’s first prayer.

* * *

Eirene went up to the library as soon as dinner ended. She had many books to read in the limited time available. The interior was much darker than before dinner, so she approached the bookshelves closely to read the titles. 

After passing several bookshelves, she found two books related to Divine Power at the innermost bookshelf and took them out. She sat at a desk on one side of the library and read quickly. 

Eirene had thought Aishe had taken her Divine Power, but perhaps she had only healed her. She hoped that what Aishe had said in the past, when she was the only survivor among the Phineas family members who had all been killed, had caused a misunderstanding. 

But the books she had brought only covered general information and didn’t contain what she had hoped for, which was disappointing. As she closed the book she was reading and raised her head to look for another one:

“Clive.”

Clive was sitting on the desk, looking down at Eirene.

“So you finally notice me?”

“I didn’t know you were here. You could have made some noise.”

“I was waiting to see how long you wouldn’t notice me, but you were concentrating so intensely that I waited. I couldn’t disturb you.”

“Did you need something?”

“Am I someone who only comes when I have something to say?”

“If you don’t have anything to say, you and I wouldn’t have any reason to meet.”

One of Clive’s eyebrows rose.

“Do you really think so?”

“That’s right. We agreed to pretend to be in love.”

He must have come up because he couldn’t leave his fiancée alone in the library.

“You don’t have to try so hard. If you just do it in front of Aishe or the Phineas family…”

“Then we’d be found out. There are always people around us, and they watch everything, even the smallest details, while pretending not to. I’ve had the servants keep quiet, but there’s no way to prevent information from leaking out secretly.”

Understanding his words, Eirene nodded. Clive was the Grand Duke of the Empire. It wouldn’t be strange at all if he received the attention of the entire Empire.

“Then I’ll take the books to the annex to read.”

She didn’t want to read while Clive was watching her. Though he had been kind, being with him wasn’t entirely comfortable. It was probably because of her habit of reading alone.

“Read here. I have books to look at too.”

Clive pulled out a chair and sat down, placing a book in front of him.

“I’d like to read alone.”

One of Clive’s eyebrows rose again. It quickly came back down, and he crossed his arms and leaned back against the chair.

“Would it be a disaster to read together?”

“I’m used to reading alone, so I prefer being alone.”

“So you’re determined to go to the annex?”

He was silent for a while. After some time, he sighed deeply.

“Fine. Go. Read comfortably there.”

Having received permission, Eirene quickly gathered the books and left the library before Clive could change his mind. And because she hurried down the stairs, she didn’t hear the exasperated shout mixed with a sigh coming from the library.