Chapter 44
With the shooting competition just around the corner, I took a few days off for an essential schedule.
The carriage carrying Edith left the city. After some time, the buildings became sparse, and fields of wheat stretched out. The countryside scenery looked serene.
Even though they had left early in the morning, it was already dusk by the time they reached their destination.
The journey was quite long. After a full day of travel, they arrived at a rural village with scattered farmhouses. Following the main road up a hill, they reached a modest mansion.
The mansion was only a fraction of the size of Edith’s family estate. It was a two-story building with a tiny garden in front. The stable and other outbuildings were located outside the main house, so they left the carriage outside the gate and walked in.
The butler who came to greet her did not look particularly cheerful.
“You’re here, Edith.”
The butler was Edith’s father, the former Duke of Ketsmoris. It felt awkward to greet her father with the usual formalities.
Before meeting the owner of the house, Edith arranged to speak with her father first.
“How are you finding it here?”
Her father, who looked less pallid than before, perhaps due to having less alcohol, drank his tea in embarrassment.
“It’s not bad. I’m managing just fine.”
“I’m relieved. I was worried you might be struggling.”
“I’m sorry for the burden I put on you.”
“No, it’s my fault for not being able to pay off the debts.”
Even after Edith took over as the head of the Ketsmoris family, her father couldn’t quit gambling. He eventually squandered all his money.
Even though she had made arrangements with every potential lender, it was all in vain. Some moneylender, assuming a child wouldn’t turn their back on their parent, extended a small amount of credit. The amount wasn’t large, but her father, being a penniless gambler, couldn’t repay it.
At that time, Edith firmly told the moneylender who came to the palace:
“Unfortunately, I won’t be paying off the debts as I am in a position to protect the Ketsmoris family.”
“What will happen to your father then?”
“Please handle it according to the law.”
Rejecting the plea callously, she felt a deep pang of heartbreak, even though it was a fictional family. But there was no alternative.
The moneylender eventually reported her father to the authorities. Her father faced a summary trial and was sentenced. He had to choose between being left destitute on the streets or working off the debt through labor.
Still, as a noble, he wasn’t dragged to a common labor camp. Edith asked a trusted acquaintance to find a job suitable for her father, preferably far from the capital to avoid severe damage to his dignity.
After a grueling search, her father was finally offered a position as a butler in a modest estate.
“How is it living and working here?”
“It’s a peaceful village… Eating, sleeping, and working. That’s all there is. The accommodations are fine.”
“Since it’s past the payday, may I ask how your salary is?”
“I get paid exactly on payday. The money was handed over in an envelope.”
“Has anyone here found out about your past?”
“Do you think I’m that careless? I said it was a friend who was giving me money.”
Only the owner of the house knew about her father’s debt. Although he used the Ketsmoris name, he claimed to be a distant branch of the family.
Since he was known as a competent butler, her father seemed to have earned a good reputation here. The letters from the house owner were mostly positive. After all, his education and experience managing a mansion were unmatched by the locals.
Despite this, Edith couldn’t shake off her sadness. It was disheartening to see her former Duke working as a butler.
“It’s not much of a job for someone of your previous standing.”
“Yes, I understand. But it’s not bad here.”
“Still…”
“I’ve finally given up gambling. If I return home, I might not be able to resist the temptations. It’s better to stay far away.”
“You must have lowered yourself quite a bit as a butler.”
“Back then, it was even worse. If you hadn’t made that decision, I would have ended up with my wrist cut off by some gangster debt collector soon.”
Edith was overwhelmed with emotion hearing her father’s acceptance of her difficult decision. It was a relief to see him living with a clear mind.
The employer was a local baron with no ties to the city. Edith asked the baron to keep an eye on her father and ensure he was doing well.
* * *
The journey home took much longer than the trip out.
It had rained along the way, turning the road into mud, and, to make matters worse, the carriage wheels got stuck in a puddle. The driver and servants struggled for hours to free it. They finally arrived home late in the evening.
To save on maintenance costs, the house had only minimal lighting, so the house looked dim with only a few rooms lit up from the gate.
Without a butler, a servant who had taken on the role greeted Edith.
“Madam, we’ve been waiting anxiously for you.”
“Why? Did something happen?”
“We have a guest. They’ve been waiting since earlier, and I didn’t know what to do…”
“What’s the guest’s name?”
“Uh… I heard it, but I’ve forgotten.”
Since the servant didn’t know how to write, they hadn’t noted down the visitor’s name. Not accustomed to handling guests, the servant bowed and seemed unsure.
“Did you offer any refreshments?”
“Yes, I did that much.”
“Alright. I’ll go see them right away. Have a maid check in a bit later to see if the guest needs more tea or food.”
While a butler would have handled this with ease, Edith gave these basic instructions to make sure the servant didn’t miss anything.
The drawing room, lit by only faint lights, was quiet. As she entered, there was no one there to greet her.
Edith noticed a slender man lounging on the three-seater sofa.
“Adrian.”
Adrian was asleep.
With his arm draped over the backrest and his body angled sideways, he looked clearly exhausted from boredom. Perhaps he had fallen asleep from waiting too long.
“Adrian?”
She called softly again, but he didn’t wake.
Was he tired? As she got closer to check, she realized the cause. The strong smell of alcohol was evident.
Now she understood the servant’s difficulty.
Adrian was a stranger to the servant, and the sign of intoxication was a concern. Yet, it would have been difficult to turn away such an impeccably dressed noble with extraordinary beauty.
Edith knew Adrian didn’t usually drink much.
He often had to be cautious around those who tried to get him drunk. He rarely drank from a glass, only indulging in a little in trusted company.
She wondered where he had been drinking and what had driven him to such a state.
Edith sat lightly next to him. Seeing him so deeply asleep, she naturally lowered her breathing and tried to be as quiet as possible.
Even in sleep, Adrian was extraordinarily beautiful. It felt almost wrong to wake him.
She observed him as though admiring a masterpiece, his lavender hair spreading out, emitting a scent that was so pleasant it overpowered the smell of alcohol.
His neck was angled forward, revealing a delicate nape.
His white skin made his neck bones stand out prominently.
His long eyelashes curved gracefully, casting a shadow that covered half his cheek. His lips, which seemed to have been kissed by a flower, were either naturally rosy or enhanced by makeup.
Edith hesitated, raising and lowering her hand without touching him. Unable to leave him like this, she awkwardly touched his collar.
“Excuse me…”
Just as she moved to touch him, his wrist twitched slightly.
“Ah!”
Her waist was suddenly caught by him. With a strength surprising for his slender frame, Adrian pulled her close with a force that rivaled that of a strong soldier.
She was pulled so close that her body almost pressed against Adrian’s.
The unexpected shift in the atmosphere caught her off guard. In an instant, the situation had changed.
Adrian fell back, having pulled her closer, and as if she had pushed him, he leaned away.
Even as he lay sprawled on the sofa, his arms formed a trap, holding her tightly.
“Oh, oh.”
Edith tried to resist being pulled in, but it was futile. Her unstable posture only made things worse.
Her body was pressed against Adrian’s shoulder.
The sound of his sigh, so deep it felt like it pierced her ears, was almost enchanting. Despite her emotional detachment, his mournful and sweet tone was like a warm breeze.
The intoxicating floral scent was overwhelming.
The fragrance on his shirt collar made her senses reel.
Was it perfume? The expected strong smell of alcohol was replaced by a blend of alcohol and perfume from behind his ear.
And then, the distinct masculinity of his chest muscles and the silhouette of his slender waist.
She struggled amidst his captivating embrace, overwhelmed by the sensory assault. The smell, the sound, the feel of his body, and his irresistibly beautiful face.
“Adrian, wake up.”
His eyes remained closed as he continued to sleep.
His torso, twisted and lying awkwardly, shifted as he sought a more comfortable position.
“…”
Silence was accompanied by the rustling sounds of his breathing.
