TMDFC 06

Chapter 06

Lauren was completely exhausted. Even though she knew the dress fitting still remained, she wanted to throw everything aside. Some of what Navi had said was true. At first, Lauren had considered becoming a tutor for a noble household.

The reason she hadn’t chosen that profession was exactly what Navi had pointed out. It wasn’t uncommon for tutors to be treated as possessions through power and authority. Becoming the second wife of an old man, or becoming a tutor for noble children only to be forced into becoming a mistress—Lauren wanted neither.

The baronial family she had lost could no longer stand behind her. It wasn’t that she blamed her father. Compared to other noble families, the former Baron Siaz had been terribly poor, but he had been honest, and Lauren was proud of him. Her father, who loved her dearly, had supported her when she said she didn’t want to enter high society, and when she wanted to learn practical work, he had willingly taught her.

Still, sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder.

What if her father had amassed wealth like other nobles? Would things have been better if he had sought power?

But Lauren quickly erased those thoughts. Even if he had, things probably wouldn’t be much different now. To continue the family line, she might have been forced into an unwanted marriage with a husband brought into the family. And she likely wouldn’t have found fulfillment in working the way she did now.

Lauren slapped both cheeks with her hands.

She couldn’t stay depressed. At least in front of Aster, she wanted to seem fine.

It was stubbornness she couldn’t quite explain.

Straightening her back to clear her thoughts, Lauren knocked on the door, and a low voice answered from inside.

Come to think of it… his voice is quite nice too.

The useless thought made Lauren chuckle to herself.

Good. Keeping a smile on her face might not be that difficult.

Aster looked up in acknowledgment as she entered. Documents were in his hand, and Letty stood nearby.

“You’re here. Finished already?”

“No, it’s just a break.”

Lauren sat beside him. A slice of whipped cream cake sat on the table, likely placed there by someone else. As Lauren stared at it absentmindedly, Aster let out a small laugh.

“You can eat it.”

Lauren looked at him.

His green eyes curved pleasantly.

So it’s okay.

Maybe because she’d been overthinking and exhausting herself, she was hungry anyway. Picking up the fork, Lauren neatly cut a piece and took an almost aggressive bite.

Soft cream and moist sponge cake.

Sweetness spread across her mouth from the tip of her tongue.

“You’re not eating?”

“I’m not fond of sweets.”

“Then I won’t hold back.”

Lauren took another bite. Without realizing it, a sigh escaped her.

Letty poured tea into the empty cup before her, and Lauren nodded in thanks.

“Did something happen?”

Aster spoke only after Letty gathered the documents he’d been reviewing and left the room.

Startled, Lauren shook her head with the fork still in her mouth.

He seemed indifferent, but was he unexpectedly observant?

The Duke of Lilywood, who never needed to pay attention to anyone’s moods?

Crossing his arms, he leaned against the chair back and merely shifted his gaze toward her.

His green eyes met her pale violet ones for a brief moment.

Lauren immediately turned her head away.

“Your cheeks are red.”

“Ah—it’s because it’s hot. Really, it’s hot.”

“Hm.”

After studying her, his gaze returned forward.

Lauren set down her fork and subtly pressed a hand against her pounding chest.

Seriously… he was a man who startled people too easily.

There wasn’t a moment to let her guard down.

“What documents were you looking at?”

She hoped it didn’t sound like she was changing the subject.

Holding her teacup with both hands, Lauren asked him.

After all, she was supposed to handle the duke household’s paperwork eventually. She didn’t think it was an inappropriate question.

But Aster didn’t answer.

Lauren looked back at him.

The lips that had carried a faintly gentle smile were twisted harshly.

“…Confidential.”

His short reply was cold.

The sudden shift in attitude bothered her a little, but if it was confidential, there was nothing she could do.

She might sit in the position of duchess, but they hadn’t married for love.

She hadn’t earned enough trust for him to reveal everything.

Of course there would be things he didn’t want to say.

So Lauren simply nodded.

Aster was a far better person than she had prepared herself for—but there had to be reasons rumors called him a war hero and a butcher.

He looked in a good mood now, but who knew when that might change again?

Better not oppose him.

For some reason, she felt disappointed.

Though perhaps it was an emotion she shouldn’t allow herself to have.

Lauren silently ate her cake and drank her tea.

For some reason, she couldn’t speak.

Aster was the same.

The atmosphere in the room sank heavily.

The silence was so deep it felt as though even the wind outside the window could be heard.

The silence was broken by a knock.

Lauren thought Letty had returned, but it was Calvin who appeared beyond the door.

“Garnet has arrived.”

Though spoken softly, the words echoed loudly in the quiet room.

At the name Garnet, Aster nodded and rose.

Lauren’s gaze naturally followed him.

As she lightly bit her lip, her eyes met Aster’s as he looked down at her.

“I’ll need to leave first.”

“Go ahead.”

Aster stared at her briefly before leaving with Calvin.

His final muttered words reached her ears before scattering away.

Lauren’s eyes followed his retreating figure.

He had definitely whispered:

I’m sorry.

In a voice so low it was almost impossible to hear.

Lauren could no longer understand what kind of person Aster truly was.

* * *

Late at night.

Inside the dim office lit only faintly by lamps, Aster sat alone on a long chair.

Supporting the back of his head with one hand, he repeatedly reread the document in the other.

His brow was deeply furrowed.

When he answered a knock, the door opened.

Calvin entered carrying a tray with a bottle of liquor and a glass, placing them on the table.

“Jasmine wishes to see you.”

Aster slowly nodded.

While Calvin went to fetch the visitor, he set down the document and poured himself a drink.

After swallowing a mouthful of amber liquid, he let out a long sigh.

“Your Grace.”

A voice sounded almost reproachful.

Setting down his glass, Aster looked toward the speaker.

A faint smile rested on his lips.

“Drinking too often isn’t good for you.”

“I know.”

Still seated, Aster stretched and leaned back against the chair.

Brushing back his hair, his green eyes fixed directly on Jasmine.

“So?”

A short question without subject or object.

At first glance, his attitude seemed arrogant, but Jasmine smiled.

Unlike her professional tone, it was a gentle smile.

“May I ask how you met her?”

“A pointless question.”

Aster answered bluntly.

Yet Jasmine kept smiling.

She had worked in this mansion before.

People who had known him since childhood were difficult to deal with.

Aster exhaled sharply.

“She seems like a good person. Since she became the duchess, I thought she might want something more extravagant, but everything she chose was modest. I even had to remind her to consider her status as duchess. Though she seemed unaccustomed to being served, she accepted it with composure.”

Jasmine lowered her head.

The young, beautiful woman with black hair and pale violet eyes had remained calm even in situations where anyone would expect anger.

Her judgment was remarkable.

Jasmine’s smile deepened.

“In my eyes, she is already a perfect duchess. Her elegance and dignified demeanor lacked nothing.”

“So you liked her.”

“Yes.”

Aster took another sip of liquor.

Jasmine had a good eye for people.

If she said that much, he could trust it.

“It seems Garnet brought the report.”

Jasmine spoke while looking at the documents on the table.

Aster didn’t respond, but she paid no attention.

As though it were an everyday occurrence.

“I thought Your Grace would’ve finished investigating long ago.”

“…If you mean the investigation into the person herself, that ended long ago.”

Aster set down his glass.

His gaze moved toward the woman whose yellowing hair was streaked with gray and tied up neatly.

There was already something in Garnet’s report bothering him.

Jasmine, more than anyone, might be able to solve it.

After a brief silence, Aster rubbed his face with one hand.

“When do you think the duchess’s dressing room will be fully prepared?”

“She said she dislikes overly extravagant things, so it won’t take long. Her clothing will be our highest priority—about a week should suffice.”

“I see.”

The timing was convenient.

Aster selected one page from the report and handed it to Jasmine.

Her brown eyes, faintly tinged green, moved across the text.

Resting his head against one hand with his elbow on the desk, Aster quietly watched her.

“…Can you find it?”

Her greenish-brown eyes, deeply furrowed, looked at him.

Aster pretended not to notice.

Of course, he knew worrying over something like this wasn’t like him.

Yet it kept bothering him.

Perhaps because he felt indebted.

As Lauren herself had said, she was a capable administrator.

She could point out mistakes made by both Letty and him just from briefly reviewing documents.

For someone like Aster, who had never properly learned anything and had only survived on battlefields, Lauren was truly valuable.

Maybe he simply didn’t want to owe her emotionally.

Probably… that was it.

Aster traced the rim of his glass with empty fingers.

“I’ll do my best.”

Aster merely nodded.

Jasmine took out a notebook, wrote down what seemed important, and returned the report.

Though he had no need to receive it back—its contents were already in his mind—he accepted it and slipped it among the pages.

Jasmine bowed and left the room.

The office was once again ruled by darkness and silence.

Looking down at the report, Aster sipped his liquor.

Garnet’s report kept pricking at his mind.

There were countless other matters to handle.

Why was he even bothering with this?

He couldn’t understand himself.

And yet he kept wondering:

What would make this report stop bothering me?

After emptying his glass completely, Aster leaned back and closed his eyes.

For some reason, his chest felt heavy.

Without meaning to, he released a long sigh.