The next day, Kaiden formally introduced Violet to the staff of the estate.

“Everyone, this is Violet Amber. I’ve taken her under my care. She’ll be preparing for the upcoming social season here, so see to it that she lacks nothing.”

“Yes, Master.”

Then he turned to Violet and asked,
“Violet, is there anyone here you like?”
“Hmm…”

Violet looked at the maids, all bowing politely, and took a moment to think.

Yesterday, three maids had been temporarily assigned to her.

Perhaps to help her adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings, all three were around her age, making conversation easier.

Lucy was the most outgoing of the three.

Lucy had striking carrot-red hair, green eyes, and a few freckles across her nose.

Today she wore her hair in two braids that fell down to her chest.

“I’ll take her.”

Violet said pointing at Lucy.

Kaiden gave a small wave and Lucy rolled her eyes slightly before stepping forward.

“You will be responsible for Violet from now on.”

“M-me, sir?”

“Is there a problem?”

“No! Not at all! On the contrary-it’s an honor!”

Violet gave Lucy a bright smile.

“I look forward to working with you, Lucy.”

Kaiden gave her a disapproving look.

Noticing this, Violet quietly asked.

“What is it?

With a slight frown, Kaiden gestured for her to follow him, heading up the stairs first.

Violet quickly followed, and it wasn’t until they had closed the door to the study that he finally spoke.

“You smile too much.”

“Me?”

“Yes. From now on, don’t smile at the staff like that.”

“But… can’t I at least smile?”

“It’s against etiquette.”

Violet was taken aback.

Back when she was Olivia Grosvenor, she often smiled – not only at her family, but even at the maids, just like today.

Yet no one had ever scolded her for it.

She knew that now that she was on the Arendt estate, she had to follow Kaiden’s rules.

But she didn’t like his order not to smile.

“I don’t see how that goes against etiquette.”

“Is there really a special reason? I’m simply saying it because it’s considered improper.”

“But as far as I know…!”

Violet, who had unconsciously raised her voice, closed her mouth tightly. “As far as I know” – that sentence.

To others, it might sound like she was well versed in proper etiquette. She hoped Kaiden would overlook it, but he didn’t miss her slip.

“As far as you know? You speak as if you know more about etiquette than I do.”

The easiest answer would have been to admit it was a slip of the tongue. But Kaiden didn’t trust Violet Amber completely yet.

He was bound to read into even the smallest mistake and become suspicious.

After a moment of hesitation, Violet came up with a plausible excuse.

“Lady Grosvenor…”

At the mention of Olivia’s name, Kaiden’s expression immediately hardened.

“She even smiled at someone like me – a mere commoner. I’ve heard that Lady Grosvenor knows more about etiquette than anyone. If smiling at a maid is improper etiquette, are you saying that the lady is wrong?”

Noticing his expression a moment too late, Violet jumped back in surprise. Seeing this, Kaiden withdrew his threatening aura.

“Fine. Do as you wish. But be sure to keep a proper distance from the maids.”

“‘Okay.”

“And from now on, do not mention Lady Grosvenor’s name in my presence.”

With a sharp warning in his eyes, he left the office, leaving Violet behind.

Violet left the office a little later and started to walk back to her room. Outside her door, she saw Lucy standing anxiously, looking visibly uncomfortable.

“Lucy?”

“Young lady, are you all right?”

Lucy asked worriedly.

“What do you mean, all right?”

“It’s just… the Master seemed upset.”

“It’s all right. The Duke didn’t say much.”

“That’s a relief, then. More importantly, I hear you haven’t had breakfast yet. Shall I escort you to the dining room, or would you rather have it brought to your room?”

“I’d like it brought here, please.”

“Of course. Please wait just a moment.”

Violet sat on the terrace, waiting for Lucy, lost in thought.

‘No matter how I think about it, something feels off.’

The fact that he had cried at Olivia’s grave, and the way he had reacted so sensitively to her name just now – it all pointed to one thing: Kaiden seemed to have some deep feelings for her.

But no matter how hard she thought about it, Violet couldn’t remember any point of connection between her and Kaiden in the past.

Not only that, but Kaiden had never had much interaction with the Grosvenor family.

Even as she ate the meal Lucy had prepared, Violet kept turning the matter over in her mind, but no clear answer emerged. In the end, she decided to put it aside for now.

There was something else that was much more important.

‘More than anything… why did I become Sarah?’

Olivia Grosvenor had definitely died at the hands of Eric Anderson. And yet, for some reason, she had awakened in Sarah’s body.

Until now, she had been too preoccupied with matters concerning Eric Anderson and Kaiden Arendt to really think about it. But even that was shrouded in mystery.

According to the children at the orphanage, Sarah did something right before she died.

Had she witnessed Olivia’s death and tried to do something to save her?

‘But how?’

She wasn’t even a mage – what could she have done?

Unable to stop worrying, she got up and went to find Kaiden again. He had stormed out of the office earlier, and she finally found him in the greenhouse behind the mansion after asking several servants and the head butler.

“Your Grace.”

He looked at the lisianthus flowers and slowly lifted his head to look at her.

“What is it now?”

“I came to ask you something.”

Kaiden nodded slightly, as if to tell her to go ahead.

“I’d like to read some books. Would it be okay if I used the library?”

“You can read?”

“Of course I do. Did you really think I wouldn’t know something so basic?”

She could say that with confidence. Back at the orphanage, Sarah’s room hadn’t had many books, but the few she had were worn from reading them over and over.

“That’s a relief. I was wondering if I’d have to teach you to read first.”

His tone wasn’t mocking – just calmly stating a fact – which somehow made it even more irritating. Violet forced a smile and asked again.

“So, can I go?”

“That’s fine.

“While we’re at it, I want to get something straight. How much authority do I have in this mansion?”

“You are someone I sponsor. In addition, I’m indebted to the Amber Family. So you’re closer than a guest, but still a bit distant from the family.”

“And that means…?”

“In short, you’re allowed to do most things you want. There’s nowhere in the mansion you can’t go – except my office and my private study.”

“Understood. Thank you for your consideration.”

The thanks were sincere. To be honest, Violet was a little surprised by the way he treated her.

‘I didn’t expect him to treat me so well.’

Even though they had joined hands for a common goal, her true identity was still that of a commoner – Sarah. Someone who would return to where she came from as soon as Eric Anderson was taken down. On top of that, Kaiden didn’t fully trust her either.

Considering all that, the amount of authority he gave her was truly extraordinary.

“Well then, I’ll get going. Please continue with what you were doing.”

Violet left the greenhouse and headed straight for the library. But the moment she stepped inside, she hesitated, overwhelmed by the sheer size of the place.

‘This is much bigger than the library at Grosvenor Manor.’

The library at Grosvenor Manor, where she had lived all her life, was already larger than those of most noble households.

Her father, the current Marquis Grosvenor, had a fondness for books and had added to the library over the past decade.

But the library in the Duchy of Arendt was even larger. And because Violet loved books, she could feel her heart racing.

‘I think I could be happy just staying here.’

But she quickly pulled herself together. There was a reason she had come here.

‘What exactly am I supposed to be looking for?’

Violet looked around and began to search for the book she had in mind. But it wasn’t easy – she didn’t even know what to call what she had experienced.

‘It’s not the afterlife… Maybe body-switching magic?’

Assuming that what had happened to her was some kind of magic, she started looking for books about magic. She practically lived in the library for several days, combing through the entire collection.

But she couldn’t find anything that fit what she was looking for.