Chapter 56: Do You Like Him?

When Leonard returned to his viscounty, he burst into his office in a state of extreme agitation. Even when he pulled at his hair as if to tear it out, he felt no pain, and though he was breathing, it didn’t feel like he was. His anger had risen so high that all sensation seemed to have disappeared.

When Leonard struck his desk, everything on top became disarranged. The stacked documents collapsed, and the ink bottle rolled over, spilling black ink that stained everything it touched. The mess of a desk reflected Leonard’s mood perfectly.

“Why does nothing go right?”

Leonard muttered while exhaling irritably. He had thought everything was going according to his plan. When he had rushed to ensure Bliss wouldn’t touch the poison and saw she was safe. He had been happy about having a pleasant conversation with her, but then Caelan had appeared and ruined everything.

“It’s all because of that Caelan.”

The root of all these problems. The man who easily achieved marriage with Bliss, whom Leonard wanted so desperately, and took it for granted. Count Bonita had prostrated himself and begged to offer Bliss.

That had eaten away at Leonard’s patience.

“Damn it, I should have killed her…”

He should have called Jackie outside the mansion and dealt with her. Because he acted hastily, he couldn’t kill Jackie, and only an unsettling feeling remained.

As Leonard was breathing roughly, the butler carefully approached from behind.

“Viscount. There’s a guest in the reception room.”

“I don’t want to see anyone.”

“But the guest who’s come…”

At the butler’s hesitation, Leonard turned around. Seeing the butler’s expression, he knew who the guest was. When Leonard went to the reception room, the person he expected was there.

“I thought you might have something to say…”

Leonard sat across from him, who was drinking tea. When a maid approached to pour tea, Leonard stopped her.

“Leave us.”

“Yes, sir.”

After sending everyone out, including the maid, Leonard spoke to his guest.

“Things have gone wrong.”

“You were hasty.”

Though he muttered to himself, he was indirectly criticizing Leonard.

“This won’t do. Now that the poison has been discovered, they’ll be on guard.”

When Leonard pressed him about what the shadow would do, his eyes sharpened.

“Using poison was wrong from the start. And their wariness began at the restaurant. No, what’s the point of arguing about this now?”

Leonard pressed his forehead. This wasn’t the time to discuss who was right or wrong. Yet the other person didn’t withdraw his accusing gaze toward Leonard.

“I have business at the marquis’s mansion anyway, so I’ll go.”

***

Now that Caelan knew about the dagger’s secret, Bliss no longer needed to study at dawn. So she spread papers on her desk early and placed a book on one side for appearance’s sake while taking Echo’s lesson. As she was writing down important points, Echo paused speaking.

“So this is why you said you rule the territory. According to status, there’s assigned territory and corresponding responsibilities.”

Bliss pressed her pen against her lower lip. In her original world, each territory had its administrator too. The difference was that here, the emperor granted the authority to rule the territory. Moreover, unless something special happened, territories were passed down to descendants.

“Even giving and taking back territory is the emperor’s will…”

The rest of the words were difficult to speak out loud. Since it wasn’t someone chosen by the people but granted from above, those who received territory were said to rule it. That’s why Echo had said he would give Bliss knowledge about ruling territory, since he was no different.

Bliss glanced briefly at the dagger. It was reading her thoughts but saying nothing.

“The more I study, the more I understand how significant status is. And how unfair it is too.”

Jackie had been so helplessly victimized because she was a resident of Viscount Jimilta’s territory. Having no power, she had to do as he said and took all the blame.

“Jackie will live with that guilt forever.”

【So do you want to eliminate it?】

“That person?”

Bliss looked at Echo with hardened eyes. She still hadn’t shaken off the shock of learning that Leonard was behind Jackie.

【I asked if you want to eliminate the class system.】

“Ah…”

Then she realized her answer had gone off track. If there was one thing that most characterized this world, it was the class system. There was an emperor and nobility. And according to status, they had the authority to use and dispose of those at the bottom.

“Even if I wanted to eliminate it, it’s not something I could do.”

【Then do you want to rise higher?】

“You mean do I want to go higher than being a noble already? Not at all. Though I only met him briefly, His Majesty is a wonderful person, and I like Princess Jasmin too.”

Bliss wasn’t thinking badly of the emperor, she just found the existence of social classes itself regrettable.

【Do you like it?】

“I’m just adapting to this class society. Though I carry sadness in my heart. Still, I wonder how I can make things better from my position.”

Bliss rolled her pen.

“Is that why you told me these things?”

【I was asking if you like the Marquis.】

Bliss dropped her pen with a thud. The conversation made no sense at all.

“Why are you suddenly asking that?”

【Your mind is so tangled it’s making mine tangled too.】

“Then you could just not read it.”

Bliss picked up her pen again. Though complaints were welling up, she couldn’t think of any rebuttals since Echo’s words weren’t wrong.

【I’m telling you to sort out your feelings about him.】

Bliss forcefully put her pen to paper. Though she tried to write something, nothing came to mind immediately. Watching the ink spread in a circle on the paper, Bliss sighed. Realizing there was no use in trying to force it, she put down her pen.

“You’re right that my thoughts are complicated. Though I couldn’t hide it from the start anyway.”

As she rolled the pen back and forth, leaking ink dropped and seeped into the paper.

“At first, I was wary of him and wanted to get away immediately.”

She had terribly disliked Caelan, not knowing when she might die. She had thought his gentle expression was hypocritical and wanted to leave as soon as possible.

“But things gradually changed, and now I’m not sure.”

She knew that even though Caelan had doubted her, he never intended to kill her, and she felt confused as she kept seeing into his heart.

“Perhaps His Majesty made me look at the feelings I’d been avoiding.”

【What will you do if you like him?】

“No one would oppose me liking Caelan. I’m his wife, and if I were to develop feelings and even fall in love, that would be even better, right? Because then I’d wish for his success that much more. I’d pour more affection into the marquis’s household and try to be of more help.”

Bliss propped her chin. The studying was now secondary.

【Don’t hide your true feelings with useless words.】

When Bliss failed in her attempt to change the subject, she gave an awkward smile.

“Lies don’t work, and no matter how I try to change the subject, it doesn’t work… In some ways, you’re harder to deal with than Caelan.”

【I’m not the only one who sees into your heart.】

“Who else could be looking?”

Bliss’s gaze followed the stains spreading on the paper. If her heart was like this paper, there was someone who kept making marks that couldn’t be ignored.

【Caelan, probably.】

“He’s quite amazing. He knows, even though he can’t look into my mind like Echo.”

Though Bliss laughed as if it was really strange, she didn’t deny Echo’s words. His words were right. Caelan knew Bliss’s wavering heart, and moreover, he had steadied his own wavering heart.

【Now you can gradually change to a different relationship. Don’t neglect your studies while playing around.】

“It’s regrettable that all my thoughts are exposed, but you’re perfect as someone to discuss concerns with.”

Bliss laughed, feeling somewhat relieved. Having everything completely revealed wasn’t all bad.

【Isn’t that where my true value lies?】

Bliss nodded. Indeed, Echo was a good companion who didn’t force her to reveal her feelings. He also guided her to conversations that suited her.

“In that sense, I look forward to working with you in the future.”

With much to learn, Bliss picked up her pen. She pushed aside the stained paper and brought a new one. It was time to start again. She was confident that studying would be efficient with an excellent teacher and her strong will to learn.

Bliss wrote diligently on paper during the lesson that took place in her mind where no one else could hear. When she had questions, she asked them, and when she wanted to know more about related topics, she brought books to look things up.

The lesson ended only after she had filled the papers densely enough that her hand was tingling. Bliss gathered all her carefully written notes and finally placed the dagger on top.

“But there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask but couldn’t.”

Bliss put both arms on the table and tapped the dagger.

“You said you wanted one condition fulfilled, right? What was it?”

【So now you feel like hearing it?】

“I think it’s about time.”

Since he had said he wouldn’t take over her body, she thought anything else would be fine. Now she felt like doing it if it was something she could fulfill.

Just as Bliss was tapping the dagger again as if to say ‘tell me,’ there was a knock, and the butler entered as the door opened.

“Duke Blast has come to visit.”

“…I guess it’s not time to hear it yet.”

As Bliss spoke as if she would have to postpone it, no answer came from Echo.