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Chapter 49
“Miss, you’re still here.”
Jane had come to the study to find Iva. Since going outside the mansion in her maid uniform, Iva hadn’t left the study at all.
She had searched for and read every book that had even the slightest connection to Grace. But the results were almost zero.
The mansion only had books on Grace’s history, local specialties, and notable figures from Grace—books completely unrelated to magic, which were of no help to Iva.
“Why don’t you stop for today and step out of the study?”
“I’ll read a little more. I’m worried I might miss something if I stop now.”
“Chase came by a little while ago.”
“Oh, really? Then I’d better go quickly.”
She had asked Rosy, Seini, Yujure, and even Chase to bring her more books. However, she gathered the books not at the mansion but at a secret hideout she had prepared in advance.
Because of the restriction on going out, she secretly arranged a small hideout through Jane and began bringing in all the books about Grace.
When she requested them by letter, the young ladies sent the books immediately, and at night she secretly called a coachman to leave the mansion.
She had lived this risky double life, reading diligently, but it was just as disappointing as the books in the Blanche mansion.
Still, she held hope for the books in the imperial palace, which had the largest library that Chase would bring.
Iva hurried toward the reception room.
“Chase, did you bring all the books I mentioned?”
As soon as she opened the reception room door, Iva immediately searched for the books. Chase, sitting on the sofa, frowned.
“Hey, I’m a little hurt. Aren’t you supposed to greet me first?”
“Wow. Chase, it’s so good to see you. You look especially handsome today.”
“You were completely soul-less just now.”
“Ah, I’m in a hurry! Where are the books?”
“They’re over here, with some effort…”
Chase placed the books he had left under the table onto the tabletop, one by one.
Iva glanced at the titles of the books, which filled half of the table.
“Still mostly history books.”
Even in the short time she had, she had read countless books about Grace, so she could distinguish them just by the titles. The imperial palace’s library also had no books related to magic.
“You’re not trying to learn about history?”
“We have these kinds of books at our mansion, too.”
“Then what books are you looking for?”
It wasn’t certain yet, so she couldn’t say they were about magic.
“There’s something like that.”
“…You seem to have been keeping more secrets from me lately, haven’t you?”
Iva changed the subject, and Chase complained with a slightly disappointed tone.
“What are you talking about? I don’t make secrets from you. It’s hard to hide anything from someone as perceptive as you.”
“No, you used to tell me everything that happened from morning till night. But lately, it seems like you’re hiding a lot. Saying suddenly that you’re going to the countryside, then getting a restriction on going out…”
“Hiding? There’s nothing I’m hiding. A transparent person like me? Go ahead, ask! I’ll tell you everything.”
Seeing that he seemed genuinely upset, Iva put the books down and focused on Chase.
“Really? Then, what’s your relationship with Commander Rye?”
“…What?”
She had asked this expecting a trivial answer like what he ate last night, but the question was so sudden she couldn’t respond.
“See? You can’t answer.”
“I’m not that I can’t answer; I just have nothing to say. There’s no relationship. We’re not close, so what would I say?”
She feigned ignorance, but Chase looked at her as if he already knew everything.
“But does the commander ask you to deliver letters?”
“Letters?”
Iva’s eyes widened, thinking he had discovered the letters she received through Jiji.
“Yes. The commander asked me to deliver it to you.”
Chase took out a wax-sealed letter from his inner pocket and handed it over.
Receiving it from Chase, a human rather than the messenger bird Jiji, felt like a new experience.
“Why did the duke send me a letter?”
“I don’t know. But he asked so seriously that I couldn’t refuse. So you two must be exchanging letters?”
“I never gave him one.”
“Then I guess you’ve received one?”
Chase honestly didn’t want to follow Rye’s request. He moved for Claude, so he had no obligation to Rye.
But seeing Rye hand the letter right before leaving work, he couldn’t refuse.
Rye had carefully handed the letter “To Miss Iva,” keeping his eyes on her. Moreover, she couldn’t forget the warm smile he gave while looking at it.
“Ahem. I don’t know why he sent the letter, but there’s nothing between us.”
A lie. Even pretending not to, Iva couldn’t take her eyes off the letter.
Chase tried to speak but swallowed his words.
“…I’ll go back now.”
“Already? Have some dinner before you go.”
“No, I’m tired and just want to go home.”
“Of course, you came straight from work. I’ll see you to the front gate.”
“I can go alone; it’s fine. I’m restricted from going out anyway.”
“Alright. Be careful. Thanks for lending me the books, friend.”
Today, the word “friend” hit Chase’s heart more than usual.
“…Yeah. We’re still ‘friends,’ so use me anytime.”
Chase left the reception room, but before taking a step, he looked back and muttered:
“Should I be grateful just to be near her…?”
He was glad to be Iva’s friend, but he couldn’t hide his bittersweet feelings and walked away slowly.
“I said you didn’t have to send letters anymore.”
She had received and returned apologies, so she thought there was no reason to receive letters anymore.
Every time she received a letter from him, she felt his sincerity but felt as if she were pretending not to know, leaving her conflicted.
That’s why she told him not to deliver letters when they met, and Jiji stopped appearing.
Even though she thought ending it this way was correct, she felt a little bittersweet as the daily letters stopped.
Receiving a letter through Chase stirred her emotions again.
“It might be nothing important.”
She calmed her feelings and broke the wax seal with the Castro family crest.
The letters through Jiji were on thin paper, but the one from Chase was thick, suggesting a longer message.
Slowly unfolding the letter, she noticed the most carefully written handwriting among all the letters she had received.
“Miss Iva,”
She absorbed his handwriting before reading on:
“I had some free time today, so I did personal training. Moving my body felt refreshing and good.”
He briefly described his day. Though just in words, she could picture him in her mind.
Just when she thought it was similar to previous letters, the next line surprised her:
“I heard, unintentionally, that you’ve been gathering information about Grace. Grace is the slowest developing region in the empire, so books do not provide varied information.”
She focused intently on reading about Grace appearing in Rye’s letter.
“The best way is to go there directly and talk with the long-time residents. They favor stories passed by word of mouth. Especially mysterious events or tales of magic—they love those.”
“Rye would actually mention magic, which books never did.”
None of the dozens of books had even a mention of magic. Yet Rye seemed to know and referenced it.
“However, they do not easily talk to outsiders. They hold back from those they do not trust. But if you go with me, it will be fine.”
“Go with… him?”
Iva’s eyes widened at the unexpected turn.
“In Grace, my father, Duke Castro, and my eldest son reside. I visit periodically, know the geography well, and am familiar with the local residents. So I can assist you. Use me to get the information you wish.”
He openly said to use him. A man of high rank as a duke and knight commander telling Iva to use him.
“Tomorrow at 1 PM, I will wait for one hour at the back of the Castro mansion.
─ Rye Castro”
He concluded by kindly specifying the time and place to take a carriage.
Previously, his letters ended with words hoping to make Iva feel better, but this time he strongly emphasized himself.
“Use him…?”
She thought of his strong body she had hugged without warning.
“Wh-what are you thinking!”
She shook her head fiercely at the image of using Rye selfishly.
“But how could the daughter of a count leave with a man who isn’t her fiancé?”
She had been restricted from going out for wanting to go alone to the countryside. Now, he suggested going to Grace together.
“I might be trapped all my life.”
Yet, the only person who knew Grace well was Rye. If she wanted to learn about magic, interacting with the residents would be an excellent opportunity.
“What should I do?”
Iva held her forehead, pondering which choice to make.
