🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 24
“Still, in the end, you never mentioned the real reason for inviting her.”
Lily spoke as she watched Yuse’s figure grow smaller in the distance.
“Hmm…”
Jerons stroked his chin and let out a low chuckle.
“I considered having a bit of fun with it, but… I’d rather not earn Killian’s resentment.”
“Ahh…”
Lily de Soliade Chertin smiled quietly.
“I rather like that young lady. Everyone around her has been too harsh.”
“She seemed kind enough. I’m sure she’ll understand.”
Jerons shrugged lightly and turned away.
Their retreating footsteps seemed strangely light.
Knock, knock, knock.
She had merely come to visit the place where the man she loved was working—so why was her heart pounding like this?
“Who is it?”
It was not Killian’s voice, but another man’s.
From what she remembered, it must be his aide, Oscar.
“Ahem…”
Instead of letting Veila answer, Yuse steadied her trembling voice and spoke first.
“Killian? It’s me, Yuse.”
At her voice, silence followed from inside.
To be precise, it was silence disguised as whispers.
“What shall we do, Your Grace?”
“Hmm…”
The low, unhurried reply was unmistakably Killian’s.
They likely believed they were whispering quietly enough not to be heard, but Yuse—whose senses had been sharpened through training—could faintly make out the voices beyond the door.
“I was about to leave anyway,”
Killian continued,
“Show her in. There’s no need to take too long, is there, Oscar?”
Oscar promptly replied in agreement.
Footsteps approached—firm, measured steps drawing closer.
The door opened.
It was Oscar, Killian’s aide, looking as though she hadn’t seen him in quite some time.
He greeted her with proper courtesy.
“My apologies for keeping you waiting.”
“Oh, no. There’s no need to apologize.”
Yuse shook her head with a gentle smile.
“Killian is inside, right?”
She asked to confirm.
“Yes, he is.”
“Yuse.”
Before Oscar could finish, another pair of footsteps approached. Then Killian appeared, just as handsome as he had been that morning.
“I said I would come to fetch you, but it seems I lost track of time. I’m sorry to have made you come all the way here.”
He smiled back at her.
“You must have had quite the conversation with His Highness.”
“Of course. Her Highness was incredibly kind.”
Yuse nodded eagerly.
To be honest, she had expected the tea party with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess to be burdensome. But they had welcomed her more warmly than she anticipated, and the atmosphere had been comfortable enough that even she—who was not particularly eloquent—had been able to speak freely.
And seeing how affectionate they were with one another made her a little envious. Killian treated her well—there was no lack in that regard. And yet, there was still something unfulfilled.
She didn’t want to admit it, but she felt it.
The problem was that she couldn’t define what that “something” was. So she chose to ignore it.
“You must be hungry.”
Killian glanced toward the window as he spoke.
“I’ll have something prepared and—”
Before he could finish saying please wait a moment, Yuse interrupted him.
“Before that, Killian.”
He tilted his head slightly.
“I’d like to see your office. Is that alright?”
A brief silence fell.
Oscar said nothing, but his gaze instinctively shifted to Killian. Killian parted his lips for a moment, then closed them again.
It was only an instant, but Yuse noticed the change.
“…Very well. As you wish.”
Killian slowly nodded.
The door opened fully, revealing the office inside.
The evening light filled the room with a soft glow. A vast stack of documents rested upon what was clearly Killian’s desk.
So it wasn’t a lie—he really is that busy.
Yuse didn’t say it aloud, but she finally understood why he hadn’t returned to the estate early these days, and why he always seemed tired.
She remembered how her own father’s office, when he was still a lord, had looked much the same.
“Is something wrong?”
Killian asked when he noticed her expression.
“It just seems like you have a lot of work. I’d like to look more closely, if that’s alright.”
“I already said—you may look around as much as you like.”
“Alright.”
Yuse stepped inside first.
The office was simple.
Spacious, yet overwhelmingly white.
The walls were white, the desk was white—though streaked here and there with gold, the whiteness still dominated the space.
“As you can see, it’s rather plain.”
Killian spoke as if reading her thoughts.
“No, not at all. It’s impressive. …And the view is beautiful.”
Feeling as though her thoughts had been exposed, Yuse quickly denied it and walked toward his desk.
Behind his chair stood a large glass window. Beyond it stretched the vast view of the capital. Below lay another garden—likely entertaining to watch people passing through.
“I’m glad you like it.”
Killian had moved to her side without her noticing.
“I really do. It looks like you’d be able to focus well while working. Right?”
“Hmm…”
Killian pretended to consider her question before replying.
“I suppose so.”
A faint laugh echoed through the room.
“Can I sit in your chair?”
Yuse asked again.
Instead of answering verbally, Killian spread his hands slightly and nodded as if to say, Please.
Up to this point—
Killian had no idea that Yuse’s plan was steadily unfolding.
“Wow!”
With her usual innocent expression, Yuse sat down in his chair.
It had looked stiff from the outside, but once seated, she realized that appearance was deceiving.
There’s really nothing on top of the desk except papers.
That much was true.
Alright… now the drawer…
She pretended to look around the desk casually, slowly moving her hand toward one of the drawers—
“Yuse.”
Killian did not miss the moment.
“W-Why?”
Startled, Yuse swallowed dryly.
Killian gently covered her hand where it rested on the drawer and naturally moved it away.
The brief contact made her heart race, but at the same time, she couldn’t understand his action.
“Just a moment.”
He spoke calmly.
“Killian? Why?”
Yuse blinked as though completely unaware.
“It’s locked. You’ll need a key.”
“Really?”
She tried pulling lightly. The drawer didn’t budge.
It seemed he was telling the truth.
“I have the key.”
Killian retrieved it from his pocket and unlocked the drawer without hesitation.
“You seem very curious. That’s a good trait.”
“You even like that about me?”
He chuckled.
“I like every side of you, Yuse.”
His smooth words made her heart flutter once more as she opened the drawer.
There were three compartments.
The first was filled with yet another towering stack of documents.
The second was empty.
The third one…
Without realizing how tense she had become, Yuse opened the final compartment.
Inside—
Countless letters were neatly stacked.
