When Pride Fell at my Toes

The city center I visited after a long time seemed unchanged from before. There was a bustling merchant street and a street that had been managed as a sort of boutique area, splitting off at a crossroads, and the people, having lived in the same neighborhood for a long time, seemed very familiar with each other.

 

Because of this, the appearance of outsiders naturally drew everyone’s attention. Particularly, the glances toward Enrico and me were quite bothersome.

 

I had assumed that in this remote area, no one would recognize Duke Enrico Michele, but the problem was his appearance stood out excessively.

 

People would stare at him, even to the point of piercing him with their eyes, as if he had a halo behind him, and I was afraid that Enrico would blurt out to tell them all to get lost.

 

‘It’s a good thing he hired a chef….’

 

Though it would have been best if he hadn’t come at all, I was relieved that he came and took care of things himself. I led Enrico to the most well-reviewed restaurant, where we had a simple dinner and then headed to a nearby promenade.

 

Originally, she wanted to go straight to the mansion, but Fabio had found a less frequented path and guided us, so they ended up walking.

 

“Tomorrow we’ll be busy rummaging through the mansion, so let’s go to the beach the day after tomorrow.”

 

Wearing a light gray coat appropriate for the changing seasons, Enrico walked leisurely along the promenade.

 

“The beach? Just the two of us?”

 

“Yes, just the two of us. Stop asking such unnecessary questions.”

 

“No, it’s just so sudden.”

 

Emilia shrugged her shoulders, letting his familiar sarcasm pass through one ear and out the other.

 

She had taken off her coat completely, wearing a purple Zouave jacket and skirt, which was perfect for the weather but was starting to feel cold as the temperature dropped with the darkness.

 

The proximity to the beach seemed to make it cooler.

 

“What’s so sudden about it? Were you planning to stay indoors all day?”

 

“We need to search thoroughly because we don’t know what my parents might have left behind. They might have left nothing at all, but still…”

 

“Even on vacation, move around a bit. Be thankful I’m not making you prepare for a performance here.”

 

Come to think of it, she realized she had brought up vacation without first telling him that she was taking a break from her schedule. Emilia blinked. Their schedules had overlapped, and personal circumstances had tangled a few times, making it feel like they were meeting naturally beyond just contractual matters.

 

Streetlights sparsely illuminated the path. The gentle sound of rustling leaves in the wind was soothing.

 

Looking at it now, it might seem like a quiet little town with nothing to do, but as a child, it felt so vast, as if it were the whole world. She would breathe in the cool air mixed with the salty scent of the sea, play with her mother on the sandy beach with the vast sea before her, and before she knew it, her father would come to pick her up after work.

 

This promenade, where they would walk hand-in-hand on their way home, or the one they would stroll along casually on the days they ate out, was etched so vividly into her memory, as if it were imprinted on her retinas.

 

She remembered as a child, she would spot a cat lying on the grass, and she would slowly creep up to it, stroking it and playing with it. But as her parents got closer, the cat would scamper away in a flash.

 

She would pout her lips and look back, and then she would see her parents reaching out their hands to her with affection. She would quickly burst into a wide smile and stretch out her little hand to grab theirs.

 

“Ah…”

 

A chilly breeze brushed her hand, bringing her back to reality, as she saw a cat lying on the grass, just like when she was a child. For some reason, it seemed like her childhood memory was overlapping with the present, so she was staring blankly at the cat when suddenly she felt something warm on her shoulder. Startled, she looked down to see a gray coat draped over her.

 

“Let’s go back. The wind is chilly.”

 

The coat was too long and large. It almost reached her ankles and hung loosely off her shoulders, making her look like a little girl wearing her father’s clothes.

 

She looked up at Enrico. His indifferent yet elegant profile came into view, the sharp line of his nose highlighted by the bright moonlight.

 

‘…Because it wouldn’t do good to have something precious damaged.’

 

TL/N: SOMETHING PRECIOUS=SHE MEANT HERSELF AS HISS PRECIOUS ITEM/ARTWORK.

 

Emilia turned her head back to face forward. The spot where the cat had been was now empty.

 

She crossed and held the front of the coat lightly, fastening it. The sound of insects chirping, distant conversations, and the gentle breeze all made for a night so peaceful it was almost eerie.

 

* * *

 

“There definitely was a basement… but how did I get there?”

 

She remembered that as a child, she had explored every nook and cranny of the mansion while playing hide-and-seek, so there was no place on the ground floor that could be hidden. Emilia thought of the basement, which seemed like a secret place, rather than rummaging around other places for nothing. It was the only time her parents had taken her to the basement.

 

It seemed like it was the last night in the mansion before they died in a carriage accident. She remembered throwing a tantrum, refusing to eat dinner, and crying because her parents were leaving her behind.

 

Emilia paced back and forth, biting her lower lip. Was it because her parents had died so shockingly? She couldn’t remember what happened that day in detail.

 

Was it the study? Or the library? She froze in place and tilted her head back as if she was feeling frustrated.

 

She didn’t even remember the location, so she was at a loss as to how to find the passage to the basement. She came here out of curiosity, but she couldn’t do anything. Emilia sighed and headed to the study.

 

‘For now, since it’s the room my father used the most, this is the most likely place.’

 

When she opened the study door, the first thing she saw was a bare wall. There were no decorations on the shelves, as if all the artwork in the mansion had been stripped bare.

 

Emilia cursed Giorgio under her breath and diligently moved. She approached the desk, opened all the drawers, and pressed her hand inside each one, observing for any reaction.

 

‘Ugh, I can’t remember if we went in through the floor or if the passage was connected to the wall.’

 

It was a problem that she had been buried face-first in her father’s chest as he carried her away while she was sobbing.

 

She had been rummaging through the study for a while when she suddenly heard a knock.

 

“Are you finding anything?”

 

Turning her head, she saw Enrico leaning against the open door in a knocking pose. She must have been so absorbed in her search that she didn’t notice him opening the door.

 

Emilia opened her mouth slightly and then spoke slowly.

 

“Ah… I don’t know.”

 

For a moment she wondered if she should share this with him honestly, but then she thought that that hesitation was meaningless the moment she invited him to this mansion.

 

“I remember going to the basement when I was a child. I’m trying to find the passage.”

 

Emilia mumbled, rubbing the tip of her chin with her backhand. She could feel her bare skin because she wasn’t sweating at all.

 

Enrico came in leisurely, hands clasped behind his back. He tilted his head to the side, stopped abruptly, and tapped the floor.

 

“Is this the right room?”

 

“I’m not sure.”

 

“Where are the rooms you suspect?”

 

“For now, it’s the study and the library.”

 

Enrico’s deep violet eyes stared silently at Emilia.

 

“Do you want to find it yourself?”

 

“……If possible.”

 

It was a secret of their family after all. She knew that it would all be revealed once it was opened, but she just wanted to be the one to open it, just for that moment.

 

At some point, she had been holding onto her skirt, and her grip tightened. She knew that from his point of view, who hated unnecessary effort, this was an unreasonable request, so she thought he would ask her if she was going to do something that ridiculous first.

 

But instead, he gave her a surprisingly positive answer.

 

“Do it then. If you can’t find it by the last day, we’ll look for it together.”

 

Emilia blinked. Enrico turned around leisurely and headed towards the door. Before leaving the room, he turned slightly and looked back. His eyes, whose expression she couldn’t decipher, scanned her from head to toe.

 

“Don’t get scratched.”

 

The door closed again. Ha, a laugh of disbelief filled the study.

 

* * *

 

Emilia searched the study all day but found nothing. She sighed, sinking her tired body into the bath.

 

‘I’ll search on my own until tomorrow, and then we’ll all look for it together the day after.’

 

For some reason, she remembered her memory referring to the study or the library, so she thought she might look for the underground passage tomorrow. The fragrance of light flowers lingered on her skin, and the hot water gently relaxed her tired body.

 

It was time for dinner soon, so Emilia got out of the tub with a regretful expression.

 

“Maybe I should suggest going for a walk by the sea today.”

 

She didn’t feel like going anywhere tomorrow because she thought she wouldn’t have time to search the basement if she found it, and if she didn’t, it would be a problem in itself.

 

Emilia went downstairs wearing a simple yellow dress. Enrico happened to be coming down too, and she could see him sitting down at the dining table first.

 

The chef who had been hastily summoned to Vacorta was the head chef of the main kitchen at Duke Michele’s mansion. There was no sign of dissatisfaction on his face as he came all the way here to cook, even without being asked.

 

Instead, as soon as Emilia sat down, he began to set up the dishes he had prepared with a proud look.

 

“I see you didn’t find anything, considering how quiet you are.”

 

“Yes, I’m going to search the library tomorrow.”

 

Emilia looked up from the soup in front of her, stopping her spoon.

“Oh, by the way. How about going for a walk along the beach today?”

* * * *

 

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