Episode 60.As Life Goes By (A Soft and Sentimental Break Part 3)
The bookstore was located on the street east of the Imperial Palace. It was an old building. The sign was faded. Books were stacked densely inside the windows. When the door opened, a distinctive scent of paper mixed with dust filled the air.
Edward had frequented this bookstore since the early days of his life at the Imperial Palace. Whenever he needed a book not found in the palace archives, he asked the owner to get it for him. The old man was picky and taciturn, but in return, he always managed to get it for him whenever he asked. Edward liked that.
Today, he had come to pick up three administrative books that he had pre-ordered. They were necessary for his duties at the Imperial Palace. One was about the management of the Empire's finances, another was a report on the tax systems of each provincial territory, and the last was a collection of legal interpretations for noble families. They were heavy and dry books. He could simply stop by and pick them up on his way back to the palace quarters.
He pushed open the bookstore door. The scent of paper filled the air. As Edward stepped inside, he moved his gaze to look for the old man, but stopped. There was a person between the bookshelves. They were reading a book. Standing leaning against the shelf, she had her eyes fixed on the book she had opened. Her dress was simple. She was dressed modestly for a noble lady. It was not the glamorous dress seen in high society. Yet, that was precisely what made her different.
Amidst the worn bookshelves of this bookstore, the sight of her engrossed in a book in that modest attire stood out more than any image he had ever seen of her in society. Edward knew who she was just by looking at her back. It was Bianca Drua.
Her hair was neatly styled up. She was always perfectly groomed, but today, a single strand of hair swept back had fallen beside her ear. Her hand rested on a page. It was the hand of someone whose fingers instinctively followed the text when focused. Watching this, Edward thought, "So that is the expression Bianca makes."
The Bianca he had seen in society always had the face of someone reading something. A face that read people, read the atmosphere, read the situation. But now, she was different. She was reading a book. She was simply reading a book. It was a boundaryless face, one that cared about nothing but reading.
Edward paused for a moment. The thought of whether he should turn back crossed his mind for a split second. But his feet wouldn't move. It wasn't that he wouldn't move; it was that he didn't want to. Edward knew the difference, yet he pretended not to.
Edward mustered up the courage and stepped inside. The old owner watched him from behind the counter.
"You're here."
"Yes. To pick up some books."
"Would you wait a moment?"
The old owner went inside. Edward stood in front of the counter, waiting. His gaze kept drifting toward Bianca. Bianca didn't seem to know Edward had arrived yet. She was engrossed in a book. He couldn't see which book it was because of the angle. Watching her profile, Edward thought. He hadn't expected Bianca Drua to come to a bookstore. It wasn't strange for a queen of society to read books.
But this wasn't a fancy place. The sign was faded, there was some dust, and the chairs weren't comfortable. It wasn't a bookstore frequented by people of high society. Yet, Bianca was here. That strangely weighed on his mind.
As the old owner came out from inside, he placed three books on the counter.
"These are the ones, right?"
Edward checked the books.
"Yes, they are. Thank you."
The old shopkeeper handed over the bill. While Edward was paying, footsteps were heard from the bookshelf. Bianca was walking toward the counter holding a book. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Edward. The two faced each other. After a brief silence, Bianca spoke first.
"Young Master Edward."
"Lady Bianca."
They spoke in unison and stopped at the same time. The old shopkeeper behind the counter looked back and forth between them. It was a look asking if they knew each other, yet also a look of indifference.
Bianca gave Edward a brief greeting and approached the counter.
"Here is this book."
The old shopkeeper took the book and checked it. Edward stepped aside, holding his three books. While Bianca was paying, Edward looked down at the books he was holding. The three were quite heavy. As Bianca finished paying and turned to leave, their eyes met. Bianca looked at the books Edward was holding.
"They look heavy."
"They
are a bit heavy."
"Did you come alone?"
"Yes."
Bianca looked at Edward, holding her book in her hand.
"I'm alone, too."
Edward looked back at Bianca. The old owner watched the two from behind the counter, then averted his gaze. It meant he wasn't interested. Edward spoke up.
"There's a tea shop nearby on the way out... would you like to grab a cup?"
Bianca looked at Edward. Something flashed through her eyes. It was brief. Edward saw it, but he didn't know what it was. Bianca said.
"Well, sure, I've already bought all my books."
Edward nodded. The two left the bookstore. The teahouse was at the end of the alley next to the bookstore. It was a place Edward frequented, a spot he stopped by alone whenever he visited this neighborhood for Imperial Palace business. It wasn't fancy. There were only a few tables, and the chairs were worn. Yet, the tea was rich and delicious.
Bianca looked around once as she stepped inside. Edward showed her to a seat and said.
"It's simple."
"It's fine."
As Bianca sat down, she placed the book she had brought on the table. Edward looked at the cover. Practical Aristocracy Management. And next to it, Asset Management for Noble Women.
Edward looked at Bianca as he looked at the books. Bianca looked at Edward.
"Why are you staring at me?"
"Nothing."
"Why are you looking?"
Edward said.
"Those books... Are you planning to take on family business?"
Bianca remained silent for a moment before speaking.
"I'm thinking of taking an interest in household affairs, just like Princess Serena. There are many things I don't know."
As Edward listened, he thought to himself. That was the reason Bianca had come to the bookstore. She was self-studying the family's duties, but there were things she didn't know. Since she couldn't ask people in high society about them, she had come to the bookstore alone to look for books.
Edward placed his three books on the table. Bianca looked at them.
"What are these books?"
"For Imperial Palace business. There are things I don't know."
Tea was served. Edward had ordered it in advance. It was a rich and fragrant tea. Bianca picked up her teacup and looked out the window. She was inside an alley. She could see people passing by. The street to the east of the Imperial Palace was filled with merchants. It was different from the west, where there were many nobles. It was noisy and lively.
Bianca looked out the window and said,
"Do you come here often?"
"Sometimes. Sometimes I come here alone."
"Alone."
"I tend to come here to clear my head when there is a lot of work at the Imperial Palace."
Bianca looked out the window, then looked at Edward.
"Don't you ask Serena about things you don't know?"
"I do ask her. But if there is something I don't know, I want to find out beforehand."
Bianca looked at Edward.
"You could just ask her."
"If I just ask, Serena does everything for me. But then I wouldn't learn anything."
Hearing this, Bianca put down her teacup. There was silence. Edward looked at Bianca. Bianca spoke while looking out the window.
"You're similar to me."
"What do you mean?"
"I could ask Serena, too, but I don't. I look for it myself."
As Edward looked at Bianca, she felt his gaze and met his eyes. Their eyes met for a moment, then they both looked away.
Outside the window, the sound of a merchant shouting something at the top of his lungs could be heard. The sound of carriage wheels passing through the alley. The chatter of passing children. The clinking of teapots and cups as tea was brewed. As if these sounds were slightly easing their silence, they sat there without speaking, showing no signs of discomfort.
They drank another cup of tea. The conversation flowed naturally. Bianca brought up parts of the family business she didn't know, and Edward spoke of what he had learned from his duties at the Imperial Palace. At first, it was evident that Edward was choosing his words carefully, but as the conversation continued, he let his guard down.
Bianca, too, had tended to speak concisely at first, but as the conversation continued, she began to reveal more details. When Bianca brought up the issue of taxes, Edward opened his book and showed it to her. Bianca tilted her head to look at it with him. The table was small. The distance between them grew closer. Edward noticed this but made no sign of it. Bianca did the same.
Bianca pointed to a section of the book with her finger and said.
"This clause is strange. It states here that estate taxes accrue only to the direct line of the family, but in our family, there are parts where collateral branches are involved."
Edward looked at that section.
"Then if we look at the clause below..."
Edward turned the page. Bianca shifted her gaze to that spot. Edward explained. Bianca nodded as she listened.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes."
Bianca nodded and took out her notebook. She jotted something down in it. Edward watched her and thought. He hadn't known Bianca carried a notebook. This wasn't the Bianca he had seen in high society. It wasn't the Bianca with sharp, venomous wit. It was the Bianca studying family management, taking notes in a notebook in an old teahouse. That bothered Edward. In a good way.
"Thank you. It makes things much clearer when you talk to someone who works at the Imperial Palace."
"It was helpful to me, too. There are some materials regarding estate taxes that aren't in the Imperial Palace archives."
Bianca looked at Edward.
"Shall I give it to you after I finish reading that book first?"
Edward looked at Bianca.
"Can you lend it to me?"
"I don't think I'll need it once I've finished it anyway."
Edward looked at Bianca for a moment and said.
"Then I'll give it to you once I finish this one too."
Bianca looked at the book Edward pointed to. It was a legal interpretation book for noble families.
"I could buy that myself."
"This is for today's study."
"Could you tell me a little more?"
Another cup of tea was served. As the conversation continued, at some point, Bianca found herself looking at Edward rather than at the book while listening to him. Edward was explaining, pointing to the pages. His voice was low. It was a voice quiet enough to be unheard at the next table in the quiet teahouse.
As he explained, his hand occasionally turning the pages was not fast. It was a hand that was not in a hurry. It was a hand that turned the page only after confirming that the other person had understood.
Watching this, Bianca thought to herself. She felt she was beginning to understand how this man worked in the Imperial Palace. He was a man who did not rush. He was a man who did not run ahead alone. He was a man who walked while ensuring that the person beside him was following.
Edward paused briefly in his explanation and looked at Bianca. It was a look that asked.
"Did you understand?"
Their eyes met. Edward's eyes were different. It was not the Edward she had seen in high society. It was not the Edward who used to follow Princess Serena around. These eyes were his own. They were the eyes of someone who had long served in the Imperial Palace. They were the eyes of someone who knew something and could share what they knew.
Bianca nodded as she looked into those eyes.
"I understand."
Edward nodded and turned to the next page. Bianca lowered her gaze to the book and thought. I didn't know he was this kind of person. Whenever we crossed paths at the Marquis de Drua's gatherings or Imperial Palace events, he was always the one standing behind Princess Serena. He was always a step behind. That was Edward Valois.
But now, in this teahouse, Edward wasn't a step behind. He was in his own seat. He spoke his own story. He saw things with his own eyes. Watching that, Bianca felt a strange pull. Bianca knew what kind of pull it was. Knowing it made her even more cautious.
She picked up her teacup and turned her gaze out the window. The alley was quieter than before. The sun had set slightly. The shadows had lengthened. She didn't know how long they had talked, but quite a bit of time had passed.
Bianca thought as she looked out the window. She had never talked to this person for this long. They often ran into each other around Princess Serena. Eating together, attending meetings together. But those were always in places with other people. This was the first time it had been just the two of them. It was the first time, yet it wasn't awkward. That was strange.
Bianca thought as she held her teacup. Was it strange that it wasn't awkward, or was it only natural that it wasn't awkward?
Edward looked out the window and said,
"How was your visit to the estate?"
Bianca looked at Edward.
"The horseback riding?"
"Overall."
Bianca said as she set down her teacup.
"It was good. I also saw Grumpy getting close to the Princess."
Bianca let out a chuckle.
"That was really funny. It was the first time I'd seen her so flustered."
Edward laughed.
"Me too. I didn't know there was something Serena couldn't do."
Bianca looked at Edward. Edward said with a smile.
"I heard Prince Leon taught her. In the stables in the middle of the night."
"I heard so."
Bianca said while sipping her tea.
"When are those two going to be sorted out? There should be a spark flying for something to move things forward... They are such strange people."
Edward said.
"I know."
They both let out a chuckle at the same time. Then, they looked at each other simultaneously. Their eyes met. This time, neither of them averted their gaze. Edward was the first to look away, but he didn't. Bianca felt the same way. It was only a brief moment, but it felt long.
Bianca picked up her teacup first.
"I think I should be going now."
Edward nodded. Bianca rose from her seat. She picked up her book. Edward stood up with her. As they left the teahouse, Bianca said.
"Thank you for today. You were helpful."
"Me too."
They were heading in different directions in the alley. Bianca was on the left, and Edward was on the right. As Bianca was about to walk to the left, Edward spoke.
"Lady Bianca."
Bianca turned around. Edward looked at Bianca. There was no word. Bianca looked at Edward. Edward took out one of the three books he was holding. It was a legal commentary book for a noble family. He then held it out to Bianca.
"It would be proper to give it to me after you've finished reading it."
Bianca looked at the book.
"You haven't finished reading it yet."
"Just because."
Bianca and Edward stared intently at each other. There were no words. Edward was simply holding out a book. He seemed to be searching for the words. It was the face of someone trying to say something but unable to find the words.
Looking at that face, Bianca thought. There was something Lady Isabella had said at the riding villa. That Claude held her hand without saying a word. That they just held hands for a long time. That was a confession. That he was a man who could not speak.
Bianca looked at Edward. Edward was holding out a book. He was searching for the words. He was unable to find them. Looking at that face, Bianca thought. Good heavens, he can't steal. He must be the spitting image of his father, the Duke.
Bianca took the book Edward had handed her. Holding the book, she said.
"I will return it to you once I finish it."
Edward remained silent. Bianca looked at Edward, then turned away. She walked for a while, then looked back once at the end of the alley. Edward was still standing in the same spot.
Turning back forward, Bianca thought. "I'll just go return the book." Bianca didn't even realize the corners of her mouth were curling up as she thought this.
Edward stood in the alley and watched Bianca walk away. She turned the corner and disappeared from view. Edward looked down at the two books in his hand. One was missing. Looking at it, Edward thought, "There was something I wanted to say. I couldn't find it."
He had handed her the book. That was all.
As Edward walked down the alley, he thought, "Next time, I must find the words that I adore you."
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