Chapter 41
“It is a flower I haven’t seen before.”
Lucian’s gaze slid across the desk.
A bouquet of chrysanthemums was neatly arranged inside a transparent crystal vase.
The morning sunlight streamed through the window, making the edges of the petals appear translucent.
“The fragrance is quite strong.”
“If it’s uncomfortable, shall I open the window a little?”
“No. It’s a nice change of pace.”
With those words, Lucian sat in his seat and organized his fountain pens with precise alignment.
Agnes carefully placed her hand on the petals.
The thin petals were soft.
Just like the orange sunset that bloomed behind Lionel’s back as he handed her the bouquet.
‘I wonder when Rael will return…….’
The only thing that had changed was the fact that he was away from the Duke’s mansion, yet time flowed strangely slowly.
Though her breath still caught whenever she stood before Lionel, she found herself missing his voice.
It was a truly fickle heart.
Amused by her own feelings, a faint smile spread across Agnes’s lips.
“…….”
Lucian glanced at her expression and quietly pulled out a document.
It was what he had received from Adrian this morning.
“That is the phantom trading company created by those Rebelt bastards. Just slip it in among those documents for Agnes.”
After recalling what Adrian said while handing over the papers, Lucian slipped the document between others and handed them to Agnes so she wouldn’t notice.
“Duchess, these are the materials for you to check today.”
“Thank you, Lucian.”
Seeing Agnes accept the documents without suspicion, Lucian pushed up the bridge of his glasses with his fingertip and composedly returned to his seat.
Agnes opened the ledgers and reports in order, as usual.
The faint scent of ink spread, and the sound of turning pages quietly filled the room.
Then suddenly, one document caught Agnes’s eye.
It was the very document Lucian had secretly inserted.
‘This place hasn’t been established for long, but the transactions are quite frequent.’
It was a trading company with a name she had never seen before.
At the top of the document, the words ‘Bella Castia Trading Company – Specialists in Custom Wigs for Noblewomen’ were printed.
Accompanied by an explanation that it was a place that had requested a transaction unit price adjustment, as wigs were currently a trend among noblewomen.
‘It’s not rare for new trading companies to appear and disappear, but…….’
Agnes fell into thought for a moment.
Several dates on which transactions were made with the Castia trading company caught her eye.
This was because a few of those days happened to be around the time of the attempted terror attacks in the capital.
Once, Adrian had even gone out of his way to receive the delivery personally.
“This is a bit strange.”
Narrowing her eyes, Agnes set that document aside.
Then she quickly scanned through the remaining documents.
After selecting only the matters requiring urgent approval, Agnes took a quiet breath and muttered.
“Is this all for now?”
Agnes’s gaze moved down to the list of places requesting contract termination.
There were two trading partners with significant volume.
Both were long-standing partners that had maintained ties since the Bardo trading company was first established.
One was a company under the House of Count Guten,
And the other was the Van Grand Theater, where the recent bombing had occurred.
‘……The Grand Theater.’
The moment that name entered her sight, the explosion of that day was replayed in her mind, and she swallowed hard.
However, she soon caught her breath and spoke calmly.
“Lucian. Could you set up appointments with these two places?”
“Yes, Duchess. When should I schedule them for?”
“As soon as possible. And please investigate the Bella Castia trading company further.”
Lucian narrowed his eyes at Agnes’s request.
“May I ask the reason?”
“Just because. It’s a place that signed a contract after I had stepped away from the trading company’s affairs, so I lack information.”
Agnes pulled the corners of her mouth up brightly to hide her inner thoughts.
‘I should definitely inform Lionel about the Castia trading company.’
The mansion was noisier than usual when she returned after finishing work.
There was even an air of excitement lingering.
The sound of unfamiliar laughter could be heard faintly.
‘What’s going on……?’
As Agnes entered the foyer, Simon’s low and generous laughter was heard from the entrance.
He was warmly welcoming an elderly lady with her gray hair pinned up and a young man.
“How long has it been! To think Andrew has already grown this much! If the late Duke had seen this, he would have been proud!”
Simon firmly patted the shoulder of the young man, presumably Andrew, a couple of times.
Then, the elderly lady beside him dabbed the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief and spoke as if moved.
“It is all thanks to the late Duke’s grace. Because he gave Andrew the opportunity to study.”
“Now, now. Why are you crying again on such a good day?”
Simon, lowering his wrinkled eyes gloomily, noticed Agnes’s presence.
Simon, tidying his attire, bowed his waist with restrained movements.
“You’ve arrived, Miss Agnes. This is Mrs. Nora, who will be in charge of your etiquette lessons from now on, and Dr. Andrew, who will be in charge of your treatment.”
Mrs. Nora bowed her head with a perfect posture following Simon’s introduction.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I will do my best to help Miss Agnes become accustomed to social etiquette.”
Beside her, the young man who shared a resemblance with Mrs. Nora also gave a polite greeting.
“I am Andrew. It is an honor to be in charge of the treatment of such a noble person.”
Soon, Agnes could understand the reason why the mansion had been strangely excited.
After moving to her room, Simon introduced the two in more detail.
“Mrs. Nora was the nanny and etiquette teacher for the Duke and the late Cedric.”
According to Simon, Andrew was Mrs. Nora’s son.
Despite his commoner status, he showed a talent for medicine. Having been recognized for it, he completed his studies at an academy on the Western Continent with the support of the late Duke Valheim and had just returned.
“I heard he has mastered the latest medical techniques that are rare even in the Empire.”
Listening to the explanation, Agnes felt a strange sense of discomfort.
Mrs. Nora and Andrew were wearing kind smiles, but for some reason, that kindness felt as if it stayed only on the surface like a thin film.
‘It must be a groundless worry.’
She must feel that way because her nerves had become sharp after spending time among the trading company people lately.
Agnes shook her head lightly to brush off the hasty judgment.
“From now on, Mrs. Nora and Dr. Andrew will reside in the mansion to look after Miss Agnes.”
Agnes nodded quietly at Simon’s words.
“The etiquette lessons are scheduled to take place every morning. Since you must be tired today, would you like to receive treatment starting tomorrow?”
After hesitating for a moment, Agnes expressed her wish to start the treatment immediately.
She didn’t want to be a burden to Lionel and wanted to escape being confined to a wheelchair as soon as possible.
Furthermore, if it was Western medical science that was rare in the Empire, there was also an expectation that new hope might find these broken legs.
“It is a bit late, but if it’s alright, I’d like to receive treatment starting today. Would that be possible?”
“Of course.”
Andrew’s eyes sparkled.
“However, may I ask for one favor before the treatment?”
“Sure.”
“The treatment method I intend to implement is one known only to a very few in the academic world. Because of that, security is important, and it is a bit difficult to have others watch the treatment process.”
Simon asked back at Andrew’s words.
“Does that mean you want the servants to be dismissed during the treatment?”
“That is correct. Please allow only Miss Agnes and me to be present.”
Simon stroked his beard with a troubled face.
“That is difficult. No matter if it’s you, Andrew, it is a bit improper to leave a grown man and a noble lady alone.”
“I know well what you are concerned about, Head Butler. Then, how about doing it like this?”
Andrew took out a small bell and placed it on the table.
“Keep the servants standing in front of the door, and if Miss Agnes feels even slightly uncomfortable, she can ring this bell and you may enter at any time. I will also stop the treatment immediately.”
“This is not a matter for me to decide. After I contact the Duke—,”
“The Duke has permitted that everything regarding the treatment may be carried out according to my judgment.”
“If the Duke commanded so……”
Groan. Simon, making a groaning sound, looked at Agnes with a gaze asking what she would do.
Though Agnes was somewhat reluctant, she nodded her head.
“Let’s do that, Simon. If anything happens, I’ll shake the bell immediately.”
“Then I will begin the treatment right away.”
At Andrew’s words, Simon and Mrs. Nora prepared to withdraw.
Mrs. Nora bowed her head with a dance-like elegance.
“Then I shall visit tomorrow morning.”
She then bowed her head briefly and followed Simon out of the room.
However, at the moment she turned around, the gaze that had seemed only benevolent sank coldly, and a disastrous murmur drifted in through the closing crack of the door.
“Poor Young Master Cedric……”
The end of those words faded long into the hallway.
The door closed. Silence found its way into the room.
Andrew still wore a person-friendly face, but an unknown contempt was seeping out from the bridge of his slightly wrinkled nose.
“Then, may I briefly check your condition?”
“Yes.”
He composedly opened his bag.
Inside, disinfecting herbs and metal instruments made a clattering sound.
When the light touched them, the sheen of finely heated iron flashed.
“I have received a general briefing on your condition. That you cannot use one leg and have psychological issues?”
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