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Chapter 9
After dismissing all the servants, Caspian fixed his calm violet eyes on Leah, wondering why she had wanted to speak to him alone.
“There’s something I want to ask you. Was it you who assigned Emily to be my maid?”
“Caspian.”
“Hm?”
“Even when we’re alone, call me by my name. It’ll feel more natural.”
“…All right. Caspian.”
She said his name as if it were nothing.
“Then answer me.”
Hearing his name from her lips once again sent an unfamiliar ripple through his heart.
It still felt strange.
Almost as though something inside him was slowly awakening.
“No. I didn’t assign her personally. The head maid did.”
“I see…”
She hesitated before asking another question.
“Then… what do you think of Emily?”
She wanted to phrase it more tactfully, but this was the best she could manage.
No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t imagine Caspian and Emily having any direct connection.
He was the lord of the castle.
Emily was only one servant among many.
“Is this because she interrupted your tea this morning?”
After thinking it over, that seemed like the most likely explanation.
She might have felt humiliated after being scolded in front of a maid.
He clearly remembered how upset she’d looked beneath the cherry tree.
“….”
Leah suddenly pressed her lips together.
The corners of her eyes sharpened.
Interrupted? Seriously?
Does he actually think I’m upset over something that trivial?
She had tried to bring up the incident indirectly so she could explain what had really happened with Emily that morning.
Instead, he had completely misunderstood.
Disappointment washed over her.
Glaring at the oblivious man before her, her hands trembled slightly.
“Fine.”
“You probably trust Emily because she’s one of your servants…”
“But appearances aren’t always the truth.”
“What do you mean?”
Caspian frowned faintly and folded his arms.
Meeting his puzzled gaze, Leah suddenly wondered if she should stop dancing around the issue.
Whatever.
In one year we’ll be strangers anyway.
Once she’d made up her mind, the words came easily.
“There’s something you’ve misunderstood.”
“Emily never told me the dressmaker was coming this morning.”
Her emerald eyes shone brightly.
“And another thing.”
“Our marriage is supposed to be a mutual agreement.”
“So why was I the only one who didn’t know the wedding date?”
“Shouldn’t we at least share information with each other?”
This wasn’t like before her regression.
She wasn’t someone who could only endure everything in silence anymore.
Their relationship was based on a contract.
She had every right to speak her mind.
She still didn’t fully understand what kind of man Caspian Felix truly was.
But…
At least he wasn’t as unreasonable as the Gwyn family.
That alone gave her the courage to speak.
“…You’re right.”
“I apologize.”
“I’m sorry.”
…Huh?
He apologized that easily?
His eyes still looked cold enough to kill someone, yet he apologized without hesitation.
“And I think you’ve misunderstood me as well.”
“Just because someone belongs to House Felix doesn’t mean I trust them unconditionally.”
“And you also misunderstood what I meant earlier.”
Misunderstood?
No… I’m sure that sounded like a warning.
The memory from that morning resurfaced.
“Lady Dahlia, our marriage hasn’t taken place yet. Until then, I’d appreciate it if you behaved with more caution. There’s no need to invite unnecessary rumors.”
That’s exactly what he said.
Her brows knitted together.
“What I meant was…”
“I don’t care what you do.”
“But wait until after you’ve become the Duchess.”
“Right now, we’re not husband and wife.”
“I can’t openly protect you until then.”
They stared at each other for several seconds.
Then Leah’s lips parted.
…Oh.
That’s what he meant?
He had been thinking about the protection clause she’d demanded in their contract.
Wait…
Then did he forge my identity so quickly because he wanted to speed up the marriage?
She remembered something her six older brothers had once told her.
Among humans, nobles couldn’t marry commoners or slaves.
Social status was an insurmountable barrier.
Thinking of her brothers, her hand unconsciously reached for the necklace around her neck.
She gently rubbed the tiny magic stone, no bigger than her little fingernail.
Caspian’s eyes immediately followed the movement.
“Where did you get that necklace?”
His piercing gaze made her instinctively clutch it tighter.
“…It’s a secret.”
Seeing the caution in her eyes, Caspian chose not to press further.
Instead, he returned to the previous topic.
“From now on, we’ll discuss anything related to the wedding together.”
“But…”
“Do you have any idea why that maid lied?”
Because Delailou ordered her to drive a wedge between us.
That was the truth.
But Leah had no intention of saying it outright.
“Who knows…”
“Maybe she couldn’t stand the thought of you marrying an insignificant country baron’s daughter instead of your distinguished fiancée.”
She smiled sweetly after voicing what many of the castle’s servants were probably already thinking.
It seemed Caspian truly had no idea Emily was working for Delailou.
“By the way…”
“You’re just going to believe me?”
He hadn’t even summoned Emily to verify the story.
He had apologized immediately.
Leah had been fully prepared for a confrontation between the three of them.
“We’re entering a contractual marriage.”
“If we don’t have at least a basic level of trust…”
“…then it won’t work.”
His words were as blunt as ever.
Yet to Leah…
They sounded unexpectedly warm.
Regardless of the reason…
He believed her.
That alone eased the knot in her chest.
“Thank you.”
It was probably the first genuine smile she’d shown since arriving here.
Maybe that was why…
Caspian couldn’t take his eyes off her face.
“I’ll be going first.”
She stood, leaving most of the vegetables on her plate untouched.
Something about that clearly displeased him, and his expression stiffened.
Leah still couldn’t tell the difference between his usual blank expression and when he was annoyed.
Just as she turned to leave, another thought occurred to her.
“Um…”
“Is there a library here?”
“There is.”
“If you’re looking for books, come to my office.”
“Why?”
Wouldn’t it be easier to go directly to the library?
“There isn’t a separate entrance.”
“You can only reach it through my office.”
“They’re connected.”
“Oh…”
“All right.”
“I’ll come by later.”
If only the library had its own entrance…
She could have avoided running into him altogether.
With a slight sense of disappointment, she left.
Click.
The dining room door closed behind her.
Outside, the corridor was dimly lit by flickering candlelight.
Her footsteps echoed softly as she walked.
Click.
Click.
The hallway was silent.
Soon she reached the staircase leading to the second floor.
As she climbed…
Faint voices drifted down from above.
What’s that?
She stopped with five steps remaining.
Fortunately, the thick carpet muffled the sound of her footsteps.
She had no desire to interrupt the group of maids chatting midway down the corridor.
As she crept closer, their conversation gradually became clearer.
And she quickly realized—
They were talking about Caspian.
And about her.
Unable to resist her curiosity, Leah climbed one more step and pressed herself against the wall.
If she rounded the corner, she’d be seen immediately.
But she didn’t mind.
Even if the maids suddenly turned the corner and caught her listening…
She was confident she could face them calmly.
“I never expected this from His Grace…”
“He’s a complete womanizer.”
