CH 87

Chapter 87

Besides, it was a party that she didn’t have to attend, so she couldn’t help but notice more. Though eventually, Elysia realized her answer didn’t matter since the only answer she could give was yes.

“Tell His Grace that I understand.”

It was especially obvious when he told Julia instead of telling her directly. It was because he was trying to prevent her refusal. Her predicament was pitiful, forcing her to yield to his obvious intentions.

“Yes.”

“Is there anything to do at the office today?”

“No, I think you will be busy preparing for the founding festival for the time being…”

It was a blessing among misfortunes.

“Is there anything like a study in the Grand Duchy?”

“A study?”

Julia tilted her head.

No way there was no study. There was a study in the Caitlin family, who was treated as an outcast. It made no sense that the noble family of Grand Duchy Raphael, who had been passed down from generation to generation, did not have a study. She heard that usually, the older and more prestigious the family, the more old books she couldn’t find.

“Yes. A place where books are collected.”

Elysia hadn’t read many books since she came here. Because before, they forbade her to read except when she was learning to read. She was fortunate that she kept exchanging letters with Edward, trying not to forget the letters she had learned. Had she not done so, she might have been illiterate.

“Oh, you mean the library.”

“…A library?”

“Yes. There is a place where old books and books are collected in the Grand Duchy. The amount of books is so large that we made it into a library.”

How many books so it could not be a study but a library? Still, as she knew, books in this world had to be managed well. Elysia knew, too, because she frantically cleaned and maintained the study at the Count’s house.

Books, which were expensive, had to be kept free of moisture and not allowed to accumulate dust.

It was a much weaker material than the stiff paper that was common in her previous life, so it could not be helped, and even the County took care of the few books they had. Otherwise, it would be damaged quickly and difficult to restore.

“Can I go to the library?”

“Of course, you can go. However, the library is in the main castle… I don’t think you will be able to use it from tomorrow.”

Seeing Julia talk like that, it seemed like she had been the one taking care of it… Managing books took a lot of work, so Elysia wondered if they were paying attention to the library even when there was a shortage of manpower.

“Then, can I go now?”

“Of course.”

Perhaps there was a book related to the Grand Duchy, and she also wondered how many books there would be. While she was managing the County’s library every time, Elysia couldn’t read a single book properly. It was because there were people there to watch her when she was cleaning.

The Countess especially did not want her to read books. Because of that, even Edward couldn’t give her a book as a gift.

“I will guide you right away.”

Elysia was surprised to hear that she could go straight away, thinking they would need some preparation time. She realized that the idea that they would be taking good care of the library on a regular basis was actually true.

“When you were shown the castle, it seems that they didn’t show the library.”

“Ah, I guess so.”

“At that time, I was in the middle of managing it, so I guess they didn’t stop by. I forgot because no one entered.”

…No one entered?

“Does anyone go to the library?”

In the County, it was the study of the count privately, so no one was allowed to enter. Except for the Count, only Edward was allowed to enter, but he was in the Logan Empire for most of the year, so she was only occasionally taken in and out by the maids to clean up, even the Countess.

Since the two didn’t get along, the Countess could not enter all the spaces the count used—the office and the study mostly—so Elysia was quite surprised when he called her into the office.

“Yes. Except for the occasional use by Mister Hubert.”

“Are you talking about His Grace’s aide? Does His Grace use it, too?”

“No, His Grace does not use it.”

Originally, Elysia thought she shouldn’t go to her husband’s personal space.

The Countess had lived her whole life like that. She thought it would be a big deal if couples shared a bedroom especially. The county couple did not really look at each other thoroughly. Oh, to be more precise, only one side didn’t want to look at the other.

Even though the Countess longed for the Count’s love, the Count never wanted Angelina. It was the blind affection of only one person, so she expected her married life to be no different…

“It’s strange…”

“What? Is something wrong?”

“No, I was thinking about something else for a while…”

The day the Count and Countess met face-to-face at County Caitlin could be counted by hand. She realized that even if they lived in the same castle, they didn’t see each other’s faces much. It was enough to live like that.

Even the Grand Duke’s castle was wider than the Count’s.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t let you in then. Since no one is looking… I must have forgotten.”

“That’s okay.”

At that time, Elysia was too tired to dig more. Sebastian and Julia were so conscious of her as well. It was unreasonable from the beginning to complete touring the Grand Duke’s castle in one day. Rather, it was amazing that they introduced such a huge castle in such a rough way.

“Wow…”

Seeing it, she seemed to know why Julia said it was a library and not a study.

The place she opened the big black door and entered was a book paradise. Elysia couldn’t shut her mouth at the sight of books filling the entire floor from the bottom to the ceiling.

“Are these all privately owned by the Grand Duchy?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Elysia rolled her eyes, looking at the books that belonged to the Grand Duchy. It was such a huge library that she didn’t know where to put her eyes. Sunlight streamed in through the large windows to keep them from getting damp. She didn’t know that such a space existed in the Grand Duchy.

“There was no manpower… It wouldn’t have been easy to manage.”

Even at first glance, without looking closely, the books were all in good condition.

“All of them are precious materials of the Grand Duchy, so we managed them with top priority even if we didn’t have much hand.”

“I suppose so.”

The smell of paper entering her nose made her feel better. Elysia, even at the County, preferred tidying up the study rather than working in the kitchen. It could have been even more because there were things she didn’t have.

“Maybe I can use it? Though to get permission from His Grace…”

“His Grace said Your Grace can do whatever you want.”

“Then, can I really read the book here?”

She didn’t know if there were books she shouldn’t read. Of course, Elysia wouldn’t be able to read all of these books, but she asked just in case.

“It doesn’t matter if you read it.”

Startled by the familiar voice, Elysia turned her head away, and she could see Damon standing behind her with that polite smile on his face.

“Your Grace? How are you here…”

“Because the wife went to the library.”

Both Elysia and Julia were surprised by his sudden appearance. Wasn’t he busy?

“You can read everything.”

Julia had long since disappeared. When Damon appeared, she seemed to turn around quickly.

“I wanted to have breakfast with you… but the Marchioness came, so I couldn’t.”

“What?”

Did he really want to have breakfast with her? Elysia thought, at most, that they would only have dinner together so she didn’t even think it would be every day.

“Should we have breakfast together?”

She really didn’t know, so she asked. It wasn’t because there were other intentions.

At the County, the Countess and the Count had never shared a meal. Even on the day Edward returned, the Count did not share a meal with Angelina. The few times they had dinner together, she thought it was because they had just gotten married. She naturally assumed that after a while, she would eat by herself.

“What?”

“I really don’t know…”

Married life with Damon was full of unpredictable variables. She didn’t know where to tune in. It was incomprehensible to her that she was actually on the same bed with him… sleeping together every day and sharing meals.

Didn’t they look like a very close couple?

“….”

“I’m sorry. We have to do it together.”

Seeing him not responding, Elysia bowed her head and apologized. She had to do what he wanted, even if it was different from what she had originally thought because there was nothing good about going against him.

“My wife always thinks too hard of me.”

“What?”

She also wondered what strange words he was saying now? Obviously, she can’t help but find him difficult. He was the one holding her lifeline.

“Isn’t it time to think comfortably at this point?”

No. She had only recently met him, and they wouldn’t be so comfortable with each other so soon. This was Damon Raphael. No one could be comfortable with him.

“Ah…”

Elysia, who couldn’t bear to say yes, only blurred her words and turned her head away. It was difficult for her to say that she felt comfortable with him, even if it was just empty words.

“Would you like to read a book?”

“Yes… It’s the founding festival soon. I didn’t know much, so I wanted to study at least.”

She didn’t know why Damon, who had never been to the library, had come all this way. Although she had intended to read a book by herself, it seemed wrong.

“I came here for a short time because I couldn’t meet you in the morning, so don’t feel pressured.”

“Yes, I see.”

“If I give you everything, will you feel comfortable with me?”

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