CH 62

After taking a bath, Noel took out a book. He looked out the window from time to time, turning over the book, which was not even read well, like a habit.

It was another couple of hours of doing that. Finally, he saw the sun setting. Only then did a thin smile spread on Noel’s face.

It had been three days since Noel visited Elusiana. Not visiting the flower shop in the meantime was also a timid revenge for her, who changed her working hours without telling him.

“I don’t know whether I have a place in her heart, but she must miss me.”

For the past 2 years, he hadn’t missed a single day visiting Elusiana. Because of that, Noel was confident. He was sure she would be curious about his news. However, Noel, who visited the Fragrant Garden again, heard something like a bolt from the blue.

“…Is she not coming at all?”

“Yes.”

As soon as he heard that, Noel felt down because his efforts so far were useless. He, who tried to ignore the strange phenomenon, barely opened his mouth again. “Are you sure she’s quit?”

“Yes, she quit.”

“Ha. That doesn’t make sense.”

He had rushed to the Fragrant Garden with a strange expectation, but what was this woman saying?

Noel asked again, ruffling his messy golden hair. “Let me ask you again. Did Lusi really quit working in this flower shop?”

“Yes, Customer. She did.”

“Haa. I’m going crazy. This really makes no sense. Lusi really likes this flower shop. And does it make sense that the branch owner quit so easily? Are you mistaken?”

“I’m sorry, Customer. I’m here on behalf of her.”

“Yes, I bet you are. That’s right, though Lusi can’t afford to quit here. That’s right.”

Noel repeated without knowing whether he was talking to the other person or himself, “There’s no way that would be the case.” Then he put his hands on the table and shook his head. “Then, can you tell me where Lusi’s house is?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Oh, you really don’t know?”

“Yes, I don’t know.”

Noel felt strange at that resolutely restrained answer.

The woman didn’t look intimidated at all in front of a noble. As if she was very familiar with this kind of situation. Not like a commoner. Rather… it feels like she’s a thoroughly educated noble. But why is this woman here?… Could it be that she’s from the Grand Duchy Sestein? Noel narrowed his eyes, and a fishy smile crept across his lips.

“I’m sorry for being rude. No matter how curious I am, it’s rude for me to ask where a woman’s house is. I will come to buy flowers next time.”

Noel, who left a formal apology, left Fragrant Garden. Then he stared blankly at the shop. Even the hand gestures of that woman trimming flowers had an elegant style. It was a natural habit like she had learned since she was a child.

“My eyes are on her. Why don’t I recognize that?”

The fact that he wouldn’t meet Elusiana seemed to have blinded his eyes and ears for a while. After concluding so, Noel somehow felt a surge of anger inside. A corner of his chest felt stuffy as if the boiling anger was choking him.

“Keep it well this time.”

Yeri, is this what you meant? Noel’s purple eyes sank coldly.

“I feel like I’ve been robbed in front of my eyes.”

Noel licked his red lips once and twisted the corner of his mouth slightly. He was somehow bothered. This situation was out of control. The place where she was supposed to be was gone. The existence of strangers filled that place without notice.

“…The more I think about it, the dirtier I feel.”

Noel quietly left the flower shop, taking another look at it.

Soon after, someone appeared where Noel had left. He watched the flower shop for a while, then quickly headed to Eragost County.

* * *

It was the next morning. As usual, Elusiana, who went to work at the Grand Duchy Sestein, hesitated momentarily at the different office scenery from yesterday.

“The desk… why is it here?”

Elusiana, who was still staring at the desk, tilted her head. The grand duke’s desk was wide and large enough. There was no way to delay the work, so there was no accumulation of documents, and all the work was completed in the morning, so there was no need for more desks. But why did they put in another desk? Were they trying to get more work done?

“He must be overwhelmed with what he’s doing right now. What else did he bring in to do with that sickly body?”

It was when Elusiana looked at the desk with suspicious eyes. Click. The door opened, and the grand duke entered.

“You’re already here. I came in a hurry today, but I guess it’s a little late.”

“Greeting, Your Excellency.”

“You can skip that formality.”

“…Yes, Your Excellency.”

Elusiana, who was holding her dress, put it down quietly.

Aster smiled, pointed to the desk in question, and said, “From today, I want you to help me with my work.”

“…Helping with Your Excellency’s work?”

Her scarlet eyes, slightly startled, widened. Is that desk mine?

Astor said, reaching out to a pile of papers on the desk, “It won’t be that difficult. You can bring the documents here and sort them.”

Elusiana hesitated for a moment but soon nodded. Because sorting documents wasn’t that difficult for her. No matter how high the level of this place is, it cannot be compared to modern times. But when did you prepare the desk?  He worked all day yesterday, so if he had brought her desk in, it would have been late at night or this morning.

Sweeping the surface of the smooth desk, it seemed the desk wasn’t a ready-made product but a custom-made product. Did he intend to trust this job to me from the beginning? Otherwise, the situation that seemed to be so planned was somehow unnatural.

I got a job as a maid, but I feel like I became an aide or secretary for some reason. Come to think of it, when the butler introduced her, he said she would be the one who would support the grand duke, right?

Is that why everyone calls me a lady? It was one thing that was not convincing, but she didn’t want to argue. They didn’t have to do it anyway, but she wouldn’t refuse if they treated her with respect.

“Then please take care of me, Elusiana,” Aster said, sitting down on his chair.

Shaking off her thoughts, Elusiana brought a pile of papers to her desk. It was when she had  flipped through a few documents—

Huh? What is this? She saw a small glass bottle while looking for her writing utensil. Candies in a glass bottle full of different colors, but with more red in particular. Elusiana somehow felt a throbbing pain in one side of her chest when she saw a more familiar candy because it was something she enjoyed eating as a child.

The day Astein disappeared, the candies in the glass bottle were also dominant with red. Elusiana clenched her fist unknowingly. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to hold them back.

“The candy is a small gift. If you’re having difficulty working, eat one at a time. I heard eating sweets makes you feel better.”

“Makes you feel better?”

“Yes. Someone I know well… taught me that.”

Elusiana looked at Aster reflexively. He was concentrating on the document again as if he had finished what he had to say.

She once told such a story while eating fruit candy with Astein in an alley of the island while venturing into the slums. That day, Astein frowned and said he didn’t like sweets because they didn’t suit his taste.

“Why do you like sweet things, Lusi?”

“Because— I-it’s makes me feel better?”

“It makes you feel better… That’s fascinating.”

Elusiana smirked at the sudden memory. Why does the memory of that time come to my mind? I wasn’t someone the grand duke knew well. She, who felt restless for no reason, coughed in vain as if to shake off her old memories.

“Ahem, Your Excellency?”

Aster, who was looking at the documents, straightened up and looked straight at her. “Speak, Elusiana.”

“If you don’t mind, how about having something sweet before you start working?… When I came up, I saw that the chef was making chocolate.”

Elusiana’s expression as she put ‘chocolate’ in her mouth was in full bloom, as if she had met her first love. As expected, there was nothing better than sweets to change the mood. Just thinking about the taste made her think all her anxieties and worries had already melted.

“Chocolate… Mmm. Let’s do that.”

Elusiana’s eyes sparkled when Aster, who seemed to be taking a little pause, expressed his positive intention. What! Does His Excellency like chocolate too?

As expected, the sickly grand duke had great taste. Elusiana, who was holding it back in her heart, jumped up from her seat and shouted. “Yes! I will prepare it right away!”

* * *

Elusiana’s processing speed was faster than expected. In particular, she was unrivaled in finding errors in taxes collected by territories. This was an error that any modern person who knew the basic arithmetic of the four rules would easily notice. Still, it was a skill that attracted admiration from people of this era.

Aster lowered his tongue as he looked at the neatly arranged documents. Hmm. I knew she was quick at calculations, but… it’s perfect beyond the touch. There’s nothing I can teach her then.

“Ummm.”

A short groan came out of Aster’s mouth as if he was displeased. Elusiana, who was standing in front of him, looked at his expression with a very nervous face.

“If anything is wrong, I will correct it again.”

Aster, staring at the documents as if he were going to kill them, spoke in a heavily crushed tone.