~Chapter 49~
“Is the water temperature alright?”
“It’s fine.”
“I will wash your hair.”
Except when I was very young, this was the first time I had someone help me bathe. The hands making me feel relaxed were nice, and I closed my eyes. Suddenly, Marina gasped.
“I’m sorry! I should have brought lilac scent, but I accidentally put lavender! What should I do?”
I suddenly remembered Marina had asked me earlier about the bath scent.
I had named a flower without much thought, but Marina shook like she had made a big mistake.
“You really—”
“I’m so sorry! Please wait a moment, I’ll change the water—”
“No need.”
I stopped Marina, who was fussing to leave.
“The scent is fine… I don’t want to make a fuss over nothing early in the morning.”
I hadn’t slept well, so my head hurt. I didn’t want to waste energy on silly things.
Catherine said,
“It was a mistake to let a guest be served by an inexperienced girl. I will send her away at once.”
“Leave her be. It was just one mistake… and she washes hair quite well.”
When Catherine stopped talking, Marina smiled.
“Thank you for your kindness, madam. I will serve with all my heart.”
I hesitated, and Viola gently tapped Marina’s back.
“Madam? How can you say that? The guest would be surprised.”
“I-I’m sorry! I’m such a fool.”
Marina bowed deeply, embarrassed.
Below, people always watch the moods of those above. Their hopes and decisions change one’s fate.
It’s easy to calm her—be kind and gentle, and Marina will feel comfortable, maybe become like a friend or sister.
But I didn’t want that. I planned to leave the mansion and needed quiet time alone to look for escape routes.
Getting too close to servants would make it easier to learn secrets but harder to deceive or avoid them.
If I became cruel and scary, servants would watch me closely but keep distance.
Like the countess who often punished maids severely.
‘But acting like the countess…’
Not fitting for me, and I had no right as a guest to act like that.
So what I could do was
“The water has cooled. I want to stop bathing now, so please dry me.”
Balancing kindness and strictness so servants couldn’t figure me out.
People feel tense in uncertain situations.
“Yes, honored guest.”
Catherine answered shortly, Marina stayed silent, and Viola wiped my body carefully.
Feeling her more careful touch, I quietly closed my eyes.
“May I look around the mansion?”
After finishing the meal,
I called the butler and asked. I needed to check escape routes.
I was nervous, thinking the butler, being closest to the master, must know Armin’s true reason for bringing me.
“Of course. Please come this way.”
Thankfully, he agreed willingly.
“This is the middle floor of the mansion. Originally, it had rooms for relatives but now all but one are guest rooms.”
The butler explained my room was for royalty or dukes.
‘Giving such a place to me… even if acting, it’s very thorough.’
“What is the other room used for?”
“The master uses it as a bedroom.”
“I see.”
I slowly walked the wide corridor.
Though I thought it was a big mansion when Armin carried me in last night, inside was even larger than I thought.
‘About four times the size of Rohilton Mansion.’
But everything has an end. Even the long corridor had an end.
“The stairs are this way.”
“I see.”
“The master’s study is on the lower floor. Would you like to see it?”
“Is the Duke using the study now?”
“No. The master is away.”
“Then I won’t see it. It’s rude to visit empty rooms.”
“…Understood.”
“Please guide me to the garden. If there is a way out, that’s better. Staying inside feels stuffy.”
I pretended to be tired. Looking weak was useful.
“Then I will take you to the garden right away.”
The butler led me down the main stairs to the first floor.
At the end of the stairs was a large open door.
I had seen it last night, but it seemed bigger than I remembered—about 1.5 times my height.
I pushed the door slightly. It was heavier than I thought.
“Is this door always open?”
“During the day, yes.”
The butler didn’t seem to think about why I asked.
“Then it must be closed at night.”
He answered yes again.
It was disappointing, but I wasn’t discouraged.
The main entrance had the most security, so it wasn’t a good escape route.
‘Maybe a good sign. There must be a secret passage only servants know.’
The noble family usually slept well at home, but servants didn’t.
Some had homes outside and commuted; others went out for leisure after work even if housed inside.
Also, many servants worked at different times.
So instead of opening the main door at certain hours, it made sense that a back door was always open.
‘Better to learn the back door location little by little.’
Rushing would raise suspicion.
The butler guided me into the garden.
“The garden is quite large. It’s harmonious, with no overlapping flowers. They divided areas by bloom times, so flowers can be seen all year. Very detailed planning.”
My knowledge of herbology helped me understand the garden’s design.
“Who designed the garden? The butler or the gardener?”
Usually, the lady of the house managed the garden, but the duke’s house had no lady.
“The design was by Her Majesty the Late Empress. I only maintain it.”
“The Late Empress?”
I repeated the words and suddenly realized something, then fell silent.
The Late Empress was born Vermote before marriage. She was a daughter of a powerful family.
Her marriage was political, and she had a distant relationship with the late Emperor.
She was said to have been lonely in the big palace and buried herself in hobbies.
‘Her hobby was real estate, right?’
She bought old, good properties, renovated them, and sold them for profit.
The garden was just one way to increase the mansion’s value.
The Late Empress died three years ago, and all her assets went to Armin.
If she were alive, she might have sold the mansion, but Armin seemed to use it as his home.
“I see…”
While I nodded quietly, I heard distant noise.
“Where is Bella? Where is Bella?”
It was Armin’s voice.
Hearing him look for me made my heart ache.
It was as if he knew I wanted to run away.
I was the only one surprised.
“Oh, the master must have returned.”
The butler smiled gently.
“It’s the first time since his departure that he’s come home so quickly.”
Usually, he took three or four hours.
I realized the butler thought of Armin as a romantic.
Armin had not told even him the truth.
Looking away from the butler, I saw Armin standing at the garden’s entrance.
He stopped when he saw me.
There was a deep silence, as if time had stopped.
He walked through a small wooden fence.
“Your clothes will get ruined if you go there, Your Highness! Please…”
The servant’s trembling voice was ignored.
Fixing his gaze on me, he moved forward with strange stubbornness.
His foot reached me.
Armin reached out his hand, burning hotter than the summer sun.
“Bella.”
“……”
“Bella?”
He called my name again, as if to make sure I was really there.
“Yes.”
Armin’s mouth slowly curved into a smile.
“Did you come to meet me?”
