~Chapter 33~
A short while later, Dietrich stepped into the library.
“Lady Ansi?”
But no matter how he listened, there was no response from Larit.
The spacious library was completely silent.
“Are you here?”
As Dietrich moved, scanning the area, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Sunlight poured in through the wide-open window like a waterfall.
The golden-red hue looked like melted gold and ruby.
And within that overflowing light—
Larit sat leaned against a library chair, eyes gently closed.
She must have dozed off while reading books and documents.
An open book rested on her lap, with scattered documents lying across the desk.
“…”
Dietrich momentarily lost the words to speak.
Why was that?
He simply couldn’t take his eyes off the sleeping Larit.
Just then—
Whoosh—
A breeze blew in through the window.
Flap, flutter—
The wind caught the documents on the desk and began to scatter them.
“Mmm…”
Larit frowned faintly, shoulders curling slightly.
Seeing that—
‘Is she cold?’
After a brief hesitation, Dietrich removed his coat.
He carefully draped it over her shoulders and then, making sure not to make a sound, closed the window.
When he looked back—
Larit’s furrowed brow had relaxed.
Smiling slightly, Dietrich picked up the documents that had fallen to the floor.
And then—
His eyes widened.
“This is…”
It all started with one heartfelt request from the princess, Evangeline.
“I’m sorry, Lady Ansi.”
Shortly after the retainers’ meeting began, Evangeline clutched her hands to her chest, eyes gleaming pitifully.
“I just got word that a new batch of rose saplings arrived at the flower garden… It was very last-minute.”
She glanced nervously at Larit as she continued.
“These roses are extremely rare—entirely imported. The garden barely secured any seedlings.”
Indeed, anything entirely imported had to be rare.
And Larit knew well by now—
Evangeline was utterly sincere when it came to roses.
“Normally I’d send someone, but there are so many others after these roses too. I have to go myself to secure them.”
Her blue eyes were now brimming with desire—for rose seedlings.
“I’ve waited so long for this… If I miss them, I won’t sleep from regret… I might even die of heartbreak…”
After that dramatic murmur—
“Ah.”
Evangeline snapped back to herself, fluttering her lashes sweetly.
“So, um… That’s why…”
But she couldn’t quite say the rest.
‘Sigh.’
Larit sighed internally and nodded willingly.
“It can’t be helped. Go ahead.”
“R-Really?”
Evangeline’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit.
Larit simply shrugged.
“All I need to do is make sure the meeting proceeds without trouble, right?”
Truthfully, her absence wouldn’t cause problems.
The meeting room had already been redecorated, the documents and refreshments were all in place, and the meeting had already begun.
“Even without both of us present, I can ensure everything runs smoothly.”
“Thank you so much, Lady Ansi!”
Evangeline leapt forward and hugged her.
“Without you, I wouldn’t get those roses… I’d cry every night from longing and probably die of heartbreak!”
…Just how far is her imagination going?
Larit made a blank face.
Still, Evangeline beamed as she asked:
“Is there anything you want? I’d love to repay you!”
“I’m fine. If you really want to repay me, just raise those roses well.”
Larit smiled gently.
“And when they bloom, let me see them first. How about that?”
Evangeline’s eyes sparkled with emotion.
“That’s really all you want?”
“Of course. I’m curious about the roses too.”
Hearing that, Evangeline clutched her chest dramatically.
“Lady Ansi, check your back. There might be hidden wings there.”
“…Wings?”
“You must be an angel who fell from heaven!”
It seemed Evangeline was ready to worship her as a literal angel…
Still, business was business.
“By the way, you did finish the assignment I gave you, right? Leave it with the butler before you go—I’ll check it.”
“Ugh.”
Evangeline flinched.
So, that was how Larit ended up supporting the retainer meeting.
Fortunately, it wasn’t a difficult task.
“Ah, Lady Ansi. I heard Her Highness asked you to help with the meeting?”
Thanks to Evangeline informing the staff in advance, everyone was very cooperative.
The meeting started around lunchtime and continued into the evening.
“There’s really nothing for me to do…”
Larit found herself stifling yawns out of sheer boredom.
“Maybe I’ll review her assignment?”
It was a mock personnel request—Evangeline wanted to hire a gardener specifically to care for roses.
Larit called the butler.
“Did the princess leave any documents for me?”
“Ah, her assignment?”
Smiling warmly, he handed her the file.
“Here it is.”
“Thanks. Let me know if anything comes up during the meeting.”
With that, Larit headed to the library.
Since she had to wait until the meeting ended anyway, she figured she might as well look up materials about personnel management.
Upon entering the library—
“Wow… If this isn’t a duke’s house, I don’t know what is.”
The collection was vast.
Even rare books long out of print were piled about!
She greedily grabbed a stack.
Books rose in a mountain on the desk, beside Evangeline’s assignment.
Even though she hadn’t eaten yet, she felt strangely full.
“Perfect.”
Humming happily, she opened the pages.
But the words started to blur.
Trying to focus, she closed her eyes for a moment.
Then—
“…Huh?”
When she opened them again, the world outside was dark.
“I just blinked… Did time fly that much?”
“Did I… fall asleep?”
Blinking in confusion, she jumped to her feet.
“T-The meeting!”
She was supposed to monitor it until the end!
But what shocked her even more—
“It’s over.”
Came a maddeningly calm voice.
She stiffly turned around.
“D-Duke?”
Why in the world was the Duke of Claudius standing there?!
