Neither Duke Orchid nor his son, Jonok, had a habit of reading. Thus, nothing would happen even if I took out books from the library.
Currently, there weren’t many maids assigned to clean there.
"First, let's put this blanket in the young master's room and then go to the library. Would you like to help, Derol?"
"Yes, of course. I swore to be loyal to you since you saved me." His eyes shined brightly at me, reminding me of when he suffered at Jonok's hands. Just the thought of it made me sad.
“I should have saved you much earlier. Even though you’re only a mouse, Jonok had no right to do that to you.“
Upon reflection, it became clear to me how malevolent Jonok was. He found joy in hunting down mice and insects and killing them cruelly.
His servants, though repulsed and horrified by his behavior, could do little more than shudder in silent dismay. Similarly, I had turned a blind eye to his actions.
I had tried to ignore Derol, but upon meeting his shiny black eyes, I couldn’t stop myself from saving him.
Later, Jonok grew excessively antagonistic towards me, holding a grudge that seemed to fester. But in truth, it was nothing new. Jonok had always been a wretched character. Even without the incident with Derol, he would have found other ways to torment me. After all, he resented the recognition and approval his father gave me, and he felt that Duke Orchid didn’t recognize him the way he wanted.
Anyway, it was a good decision to save Derol. I patted his head with a smile.
Soon after, I found myself in front of Ardion’s door. I knocked.
"..."
There was no answer from inside.
I peeked inside and heard the sound of water coming from the bathroom. The hot water inside his room had disappeared, so he must have used it.
A smile bloomed on my face. More than anything, I was happy that Ardion could wash warmly.
Since there was the sound of water, I spoke loudly enough for him to hear. “Young Master, I’m going to change the blanket!”
There was no answer. However, this kind of uncommunicativeness was now familiar to me. I skillfully organized the bed and changed the blanket.
It didn’t take more than a few seconds because it was something I always did.
When I finished making the bed, the bathroom door opened. Ardion hurriedly lowered his sleeves, hiding his arms. I was curious, but he was a step faster.
“I didn’t know you were here.”
“I was loud earlier, but I suppose you didn’t hear me.”
He nodded and hesitated for a moment before walking to bed. I gave way to him, moving aside.
“Young Master, I’ll teach you the method of hiding mana starting tomorrow. Today, I’m going to look for some books in the library.”
“Library?”
“Yes. There are many useful books in the mansion’s library.”
He fiddled with his hands and then looked up at me. “I’ll go with you.”
“You’ll go with me?”
Despite my surprise, he firmly looked at me and muttered, “If it’s a place I’m not allowed to go, I won’t force you.”
The Ardion I was seeing now was definitely not the same one who grumbled and told me to leave him alone yesterday. It seemed the trust I put a lot of effort into building was shining through.
He occasionally glanced towards me, checking the expression on my face. Upon reflection, I realized Ardion was so cautious around people because it was the best way to protect himself.
“But Master, that person...”
“Just try to be understanding for now, okay?”
Derol nodded. I thought about how much time was left until I was free from this mansion.
“I understand. Since you said so, Master, I will try.”
“Thank you for understanding, Derol.”
While Derol and I whispered to each other, Ardion stopped. He alternated his gaze between me and Derol.
I put Derol in my pocket and looked at Ardion. “What’s the matter, Young Master?”
“Nothing.” He turned his head back to the front. “By the way, how much farther do we have to go before we reach the library?”
I looked around at the surroundings. The library was situated at the end of the hallway, but the mansion’s convoluted layout required constant changes in direction. Fortunately, there were few people around now.
“We only have a little farther to go.” I pointed with my finger toward the far end.
Ardion nodded and took the lead.
I remained vigilant, ever wary of potential encounters. The thought of running into Jonok put me on edge, though the area seemed deserted. With a sigh of relief, I followed Ardion.
When we finally reached the library, the door was ajar.
“How odd. The door is usually closed,” I remarked.
“Could someone be inside?” Derol suggested.
Ardion looked at me with a puzzled expression and said in an uncertain voice, “You said no one comes here.”
“Even so, it’s best to be cautious. Sometimes, maids come here to look at the books,” I replied.
Ardion nodded.
I carefully pushed the door open. As I entered, the musty smell of old paper greeted me, a scent that felt oddly comforting yet unnerving.
Avoiding detection was paramount. If we encountered a maid, I planned to explain that I was simply showing Ardion around.
I headed towards the section with books about magic. My frequent visits to the library were due to my interest in magic.
When I first discovered my ability to manipulate water magic, I had been utterly fascinated. As I grew more accustomed to it, I sought to master it more effectively.
Thus, the library became a frequent destination of mine.
I had visited so often that finding the books related to magic was now second nature.
“Here it is,” I whispered.
Ardion hurried over to join me. He appeared genuinely intrigued by the sheer number of books, his expression brighter than before.
Suddenly, a voice drifted through the air. “Is the casino almost finished?”
It was none other than Jonok’s voice. I immediately spun around and saw Ardion approaching me.
“The Rowell mansion also has many books...”
I quickly grabbed Ardion’s arm. Startled, he looked at me. I pointed discreetly towards a nearby bookshelf.