Chapter 29 – Curiosity Is…
“You’re extremely kind, Brother Julian.”
When Bianca laughed, Julian looked startled.
“I’m surprised, that’s the first time you’ve ever told me I was kind to you, Bianca.”
“Huh? Is that so?”
Now it was Bianca’s turn to be startled. Seeing this, Julian chuckled.
“I’m thirsty. Shall we have some tea?”
“Yes.”
In contrast to the occasionally forceful Satias, the second elder brother showed a different kind of concern for the girl’s well-being. They walked along a path in the greenhouse. Beyond the footpath was a small waterfall and a pond with two tea tables and shelves lined with tea leaves.
Lotus leaves floated in the pond, accompanied by the indescribable light scent of flowers. Bianca liked this greenhouse.
Julian halted the maid’s tea preparation and meticulously prepared it for Bianca.
The perfectly steamed tea leaves gave off a gentle floral fragrance. For a while, she enjoyed the aroma of the tea poured from the pot.
Abruptly, white flowers blooming by the pond caught her attention. Unlike the roses in the garden, they did not stand out but bloomed beautifully. Incidentally, she had seen similar funnel-shaped flowers at the monastery by the seaside. Even though it was a few months ago, it made her nostalgic.
“Those are morning glory. We don’t have any of those in our garden. They come in a variety of colors besides white. Let’s go take a look after we finish our tea. Of course, if you’re not too tired, let’s go and see them.”
Julian had mentioned that it was something he liked and was extremely well-versed in it.
“Brother Julian, you are incredible.”
His expression lit up at Bianca’s remarks.
“The current you seem to be out of sync, Bianca.”
“Why is that?”
“We’ll, you’ve never been interested in anything I do.”
“Really?”
She heard that she used to chat with Julian more than Satias, which made her wonder what they used to talk about.
“You were mainly consulting me on love affairs. Mostly about His Highness Prince Stuart.”
Her second elder brother said it so casually that it made Bianca hurriedly swallow her hot tea.
“Please stop it, Brother Julian. Did I bring up such embarrassing subjects to you?”
“Do you want to know?”
The second elder brother giggled. Bianca shook her head and dismissed the subject.
They went through the backyard after taking a quick tour of the greenhouse, and by the time they arrived back at the house, Bianca was thoroughly relaxed.
Usually, Bianca would study in the smaller saloon. Yet there was no sign of her older brother arriving.
Bianca pondered whether her brother, a book lover, might show up in the book storage. So, on that day, she decided to study there.
As always, the maid followed her closely. Even if that maid hadn’t been watching her, she wouldn’t escape from the mansion. Or was the maidservant afraid that, as the daughter of a duke, she might be abducted? Nonetheless, this was indoors. In any case, Bianca was being watched over more attentively here than at the villa.
The Kesler’s book storage was vast and even had a ladder to access the top shelves. It resembled a library a bit. After taking a break from her studies, Bianca wandered among the bookshelves. Her curiosity led her to the back of the stacks, and she decided to take a stroll.
Looking back, she noticed that the maid hadn’t followed her that far either. It seemed as if she just needed to roughly grasp where she was going. Although there seemed to be another exit, it was locked and there was no way to get in or out.
While she didn’t particularly want to misbehave, it was a relief to be alone. Being constantly under the gaze of others was a certain kind of strain. Looking to the side, she noticed a full-length mirror when she felt a flash of light bounce off of her.
Never did she expect to find a full-length mirror in a place like this in the book storage. Who would use it? Bianca cast a critical glance. Speaking of which, her brother was using a mirror in the villa by the seaside. Could this mirror be used for the same purpose? She had tried the mirror in her room, but nothing arose. Since nobody was watching, Bianca was eager to give it a try.
She imbued the palm of her hand with magical power and held it in front of the mirror. The mirror then began to tremble just like when her brother had. On the opposite side of the mirror, the room appeared transparent. Seeing this, Bianca exclaimed with joy in her heart.
Despite having some hesitation, she still couldn’t meet her eldest brother at all, and she was still feeling a little foggy. She would just take a quick look and then immediately return. Bianca leaped in with that one thought.
Beyond the mirror was a wide office. An opulent desk and a reception set were set up. Inside, the room was orderly and much tidier than the secret room in the villa. Bianca cautiously made her way into the room, trying not to raise a single sound. He most certainly wouldn’t find Bianca’s actions flattering.
That thought, though, was unwarranted. Looking around in a circle, nobody seemed to be there. On the wall were several portraits of beautiful men and women. Could they be their ancestors?
Even though she thought about what she would do if she saw Satias, she was disheartened when he wasn’t there.
Figuring that a search of the room would not turn up anything, she decided to go back to the full-length mirror. Contrary to her expectation, it wasn’t there anymore. The room shouldn’t have been large enough for her to lose her way.
“Am I trapped…?”
Thanks for the translation!