Who would have thought that a person like that would know the capital's social circles so well?
I had a slight doubt.
“Oh my. Of course, I bought the information from Linneas. It was Lady Elizabeth who told me.”
“Me?”
I raised my index finger and pointed at myself.
“I’ve been weak since I was young, so I didn’t have any regular friends. That was before I met Lady Elizabeth. I’m the official successor to the Oroz family, but after my parents passed away, I was so scared. I didn’t even know how to run the family, and the collaterals I’d never met were just waiting for me to die... That’s why I’m always grateful to Lady Elizabeth.”
Deborah's expression was bitter as she caressed her teacup.
“Oh, I see.”
“I didn’t even know there was such an information dealer in the North. How did you know their contact method, Lady Elizabeth? To find a collection of Faust’s poems in the oldest bookstore. It’s so romantic...”
Deborah cupped her flushed cheek with one hand.
“It’s romantic. Haha.”
I don't know what's romantic about it, but let's just say it is.
Even as I answered, I mentally remembered the information source called Linneas.
Because there may come a day when I need it.
“I looked out the window yesterday and it seemed like there were a lot of books among the luggage you brought.”
“Reading is my new hobby.”
“Then, would you like to visit our mansion’s spire? I’ll tell the butler. Our Castle is old, so there are many valuable books. The library inside the mansion is great, of course, but many rare books are rare in the world at the top of the spire.”
Rare books?
Emy ears perked up at Deborah's words.
“I would be truly grateful if Young Lady would allow it.”
“Then come with me now... Ugh.”
Deborah, who had just finished drinking her tea and was about to sit up, suddenly stumbled.
“Deborah! Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I guess I overdid it a bit today.”
For some reason, she was running around all day.
“I think we should go back to the mansion first. I think you’ve been exposed to too much cold wind.”
“Yes, Lady Elizabeth.”
“Carsis. Will you help support Lady Oroz?”
I asked Carsis, who had been waiting outside the door when he heard the commotion and came inside.
"Yes."
“I always give Sir Carsis a hard time.”
"No."
Deborah left the store, leaning against Carsis with an apologetic look on her face.
I arrived at the mansion ahead of schedule and was quietly reading a book in my room.
The Oroz family's butler came in and handed me a key.
“This is...”
“Miss Deborah asked me to bring this key to Elizabeth.”
Ah.
I thought I knew what key this was.
I guess you're talking about the key to the spire that she mentioned earlier this afternoon. I guess she was worried that she couldn't keep her promise to me even though she was sick.
She's kind too.
I smiled at Deborah's kindness and asked.
“Thank you. But how is Deborah doing now?”
“It’s just temporary fatigue from overdoing it. Don’t worry, she’ll be fine after tonight anyway.”
"Thank god."
“We are always so grateful to you, Miss. Our Oroz family will never forget your kindness.”
“Yes, well...”
'What did I do?'
I scratched my head as I watched the butler leave the room after repeatedly thanking her.
Why are you so thankful when I haven't done anything since coming here?
At first, I thought the hospitality of these household members was just a welcome to the dear friend of the sick mistress.
But doesn't the attitude of the butler who dedicated his life to the Oroz family seem like he is treating me as a savior?
'All I did was have a few conversations.'
I felt something was off, but I thought it was just a coincidence.
In fact, Deborah seemed very lonely.
So, I quickly gave up on the thought, thinking that it might be something like that.
And then I looked out the window while fiddling with the key the butler had handed me.
It was late afternoon and the sun had not yet set, so it seemed like a good idea to go up the spire.
“Is that it? The spire Deborah mentioned.”
Beyond the window, a tall tower standing at the end of the annex came into view.
What a book that would be in a place like that.
Maybe I'll learn something new.
“But where did Carsis go?”
I thought he'd come straight to me after dropping Deborah off.
For some reason, Carsis has been a recluse since coming to Lytskal.
I wonder if he has any close friends here. Or if this is his hometown.
“I’ll have to ask him later.”
Where did you hide the honey pot?
I closed the book I was reading and got up to go up the spire by myself.
It wasn't particularly dark anyway, and although it was a spire, it was inside the mansion anyway. I could have gone there and back on my own.
No, I was going to go alone.
However.
“It’s so scary!”
I, who had entered the spire entrance, ran into the main building without even climbing the stairs.
Climbing a dark spiral staircase alone without a single candle lit.
“Absolutely not.”
Unfortunately, I didn't have enough courage to climb up to a place like that alone.
Even if this was the Cretian Castle, I would have called a maid and gone with her.
It seemed too scary to ask a maid from another family to go with me.
"Ha..."
Where the hell is Carsis?
If only we could go together at a time like this! How nice it would be!
I grumbled, poking out my lips.
And just as I reached the second-floor stairs, I suddenly became curious about what Carsis was doing.
“Should I come and see your face at least once?”
Because Carsis said he was staying on the first floor.
Just go and see, and if it seems busy, come back.
As I was thinking that and going back down the stairs, I heard a strange sound from the second floor.
“What are you talking about?”
At first, I thought I had misheard it, but when it was repeated again, I changed my mind.
'Who's on the second floor?'
Is it because there is a sick person in the family?
The Oroz family's mansion was unusually quiet, unlike the Cretian mansion in the capital.
When I first came here, all I could hear was Deborah's coughing.
The people working here didn't even make a sound when they stepped foot.
'Who the hell are you?'
I felt something strange and started walking to find the source of the sound. However, as I walked down the hallway, she realized that the type of strange sound was a little different.
'This sound is...'
A wet, sticky sound, accompanied by the occasional sound of hot breathing.
The moment I realized that, my body began to stiffen.
Oh my God.
I covered my mouth with my hand in shock.
'Looks like someone's sneaking around here right now!'
I have heard rumors that sometimes maids and servants who have met eyes do such and such things in empty rooms without their master's knowledge.
But I never thought I would see that sight with my own eyes.
My face turned red like a ripe apple.
No, if you're going to do something like that, at least close the door properly!
Even the door to the room where it was supposedly being done was slightly open as if to invite a peek.
Ah, this wicked curiosity.
Perhaps, if the genre of this novel had been horror, it would have died young.
Because even though I know I shouldn't, my feet keep moving on their own.
My heart pounded loudly as if I had done something bad.
And as I walked, the strange sound gradually grew louder.
Now my mouth was so dry it was almost burning.
Unlike the opposite sex who shouted, "Don't look! You have to go back quickly!", my two eyes were already looking into the room.
And the moment I see the man and woman standing face to face.
The hot blood suddenly turned cold.
'...Uh?'
Carsis and Deborah.
Two people should never have been together.
With their lips touching each other.
'What?'
I blinked, wondering if I was dreaming, but nothing changed.
Rather, the wet sound that rings strangely in my ears only makes me realize that it is reality.
Deborah's past flashed through my mind as she forcibly applied strength to her legs which were about to give way.
She looked like a frail girl with a pale face and constant coughing.
Was everything she showed me all along a lie?
No. Actually, it didn't matter what kind of woman Deborah was.
But.
'Why on earth is Karsis...'
It was the moment when I took a step back in shock and an inexplicable sense of betrayal.
I had a slight doubt.
“Oh my. Of course, I bought the information from Linneas. It was Lady Elizabeth who told me.”
“Me?”
I raised my index finger and pointed at myself.
“I’ve been weak since I was young, so I didn’t have any regular friends. That was before I met Lady Elizabeth. I’m the official successor to the Oroz family, but after my parents passed away, I was so scared. I didn’t even know how to run the family, and the collaterals I’d never met were just waiting for me to die... That’s why I’m always grateful to Lady Elizabeth.”
Deborah's expression was bitter as she caressed her teacup.
“Oh, I see.”
“I didn’t even know there was such an information dealer in the North. How did you know their contact method, Lady Elizabeth? To find a collection of Faust’s poems in the oldest bookstore. It’s so romantic...”
Deborah cupped her flushed cheek with one hand.
“It’s romantic. Haha.”
I don't know what's romantic about it, but let's just say it is.
Even as I answered, I mentally remembered the information source called Linneas.
Because there may come a day when I need it.
“I looked out the window yesterday and it seemed like there were a lot of books among the luggage you brought.”
“Reading is my new hobby.”
“Then, would you like to visit our mansion’s spire? I’ll tell the butler. Our Castle is old, so there are many valuable books. The library inside the mansion is great, of course, but many rare books are rare in the world at the top of the spire.”
Rare books?
Emy ears perked up at Deborah's words.
“I would be truly grateful if Young Lady would allow it.”
“Then come with me now... Ugh.”
Deborah, who had just finished drinking her tea and was about to sit up, suddenly stumbled.
“Deborah! Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I guess I overdid it a bit today.”
For some reason, she was running around all day.
“I think we should go back to the mansion first. I think you’ve been exposed to too much cold wind.”
“Yes, Lady Elizabeth.”
“Carsis. Will you help support Lady Oroz?”
I asked Carsis, who had been waiting outside the door when he heard the commotion and came inside.
"Yes."
“I always give Sir Carsis a hard time.”
"No."
Deborah left the store, leaning against Carsis with an apologetic look on her face.
***
I arrived at the mansion ahead of schedule and was quietly reading a book in my room.
The Oroz family's butler came in and handed me a key.
“This is...”
“Miss Deborah asked me to bring this key to Elizabeth.”
Ah.
I thought I knew what key this was.
I guess you're talking about the key to the spire that she mentioned earlier this afternoon. I guess she was worried that she couldn't keep her promise to me even though she was sick.
She's kind too.
I smiled at Deborah's kindness and asked.
“Thank you. But how is Deborah doing now?”
“It’s just temporary fatigue from overdoing it. Don’t worry, she’ll be fine after tonight anyway.”
"Thank god."
“We are always so grateful to you, Miss. Our Oroz family will never forget your kindness.”
“Yes, well...”
'What did I do?'
I scratched my head as I watched the butler leave the room after repeatedly thanking her.
Why are you so thankful when I haven't done anything since coming here?
At first, I thought the hospitality of these household members was just a welcome to the dear friend of the sick mistress.
But doesn't the attitude of the butler who dedicated his life to the Oroz family seem like he is treating me as a savior?
'All I did was have a few conversations.'
I felt something was off, but I thought it was just a coincidence.
In fact, Deborah seemed very lonely.
So, I quickly gave up on the thought, thinking that it might be something like that.
And then I looked out the window while fiddling with the key the butler had handed me.
It was late afternoon and the sun had not yet set, so it seemed like a good idea to go up the spire.
“Is that it? The spire Deborah mentioned.”
Beyond the window, a tall tower standing at the end of the annex came into view.
What a book that would be in a place like that.
Maybe I'll learn something new.
“But where did Carsis go?”
I thought he'd come straight to me after dropping Deborah off.
For some reason, Carsis has been a recluse since coming to Lytskal.
I wonder if he has any close friends here. Or if this is his hometown.
“I’ll have to ask him later.”
Where did you hide the honey pot?
I closed the book I was reading and got up to go up the spire by myself.
It wasn't particularly dark anyway, and although it was a spire, it was inside the mansion anyway. I could have gone there and back on my own.
No, I was going to go alone.
However.
“It’s so scary!”
I, who had entered the spire entrance, ran into the main building without even climbing the stairs.
Climbing a dark spiral staircase alone without a single candle lit.
“Absolutely not.”
Unfortunately, I didn't have enough courage to climb up to a place like that alone.
Even if this was the Cretian Castle, I would have called a maid and gone with her.
It seemed too scary to ask a maid from another family to go with me.
"Ha..."
Where the hell is Carsis?
If only we could go together at a time like this! How nice it would be!
I grumbled, poking out my lips.
And just as I reached the second-floor stairs, I suddenly became curious about what Carsis was doing.
“Should I come and see your face at least once?”
Because Carsis said he was staying on the first floor.
Just go and see, and if it seems busy, come back.
As I was thinking that and going back down the stairs, I heard a strange sound from the second floor.
“What are you talking about?”
At first, I thought I had misheard it, but when it was repeated again, I changed my mind.
'Who's on the second floor?'
Is it because there is a sick person in the family?
The Oroz family's mansion was unusually quiet, unlike the Cretian mansion in the capital.
When I first came here, all I could hear was Deborah's coughing.
The people working here didn't even make a sound when they stepped foot.
'Who the hell are you?'
I felt something strange and started walking to find the source of the sound. However, as I walked down the hallway, she realized that the type of strange sound was a little different.
'This sound is...'
A wet, sticky sound, accompanied by the occasional sound of hot breathing.
The moment I realized that, my body began to stiffen.
Oh my God.
I covered my mouth with my hand in shock.
'Looks like someone's sneaking around here right now!'
I have heard rumors that sometimes maids and servants who have met eyes do such and such things in empty rooms without their master's knowledge.
But I never thought I would see that sight with my own eyes.
My face turned red like a ripe apple.
No, if you're going to do something like that, at least close the door properly!
Even the door to the room where it was supposedly being done was slightly open as if to invite a peek.
Ah, this wicked curiosity.
Perhaps, if the genre of this novel had been horror, it would have died young.
Because even though I know I shouldn't, my feet keep moving on their own.
My heart pounded loudly as if I had done something bad.
And as I walked, the strange sound gradually grew louder.
Now my mouth was so dry it was almost burning.
Unlike the opposite sex who shouted, "Don't look! You have to go back quickly!", my two eyes were already looking into the room.
And the moment I see the man and woman standing face to face.
The hot blood suddenly turned cold.
'...Uh?'
Carsis and Deborah.
Two people should never have been together.
With their lips touching each other.
'What?'
I blinked, wondering if I was dreaming, but nothing changed.
Rather, the wet sound that rings strangely in my ears only makes me realize that it is reality.
Deborah's past flashed through my mind as she forcibly applied strength to her legs which were about to give way.
She looked like a frail girl with a pale face and constant coughing.
Was everything she showed me all along a lie?
No. Actually, it didn't matter what kind of woman Deborah was.
But.
'Why on earth is Karsis...'
It was the moment when I took a step back in shock and an inexplicable sense of betrayal.
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