LMHM 14

 Chapter 14

It might be a stretch to describe her husband’s state with the word ‘pouting.’ A more accurate description would be that his pride was wounded, or that the walls of his heart had grown even thicker.

But seeing a person ten years younger than him looking sulky, to Amber, he just seemed to be pouting.

“I misspoke earlier.”

Amber readily admitted her fault. The remark about having no intention of asking for anything had been directed at her past-life husband, not the man in front of her.

*’But in the end, they’re the same person… This is really confusing.’*

While Amber was inwardly trying to distinguish between her past-life husband and the man before her, Calix slowly lifted his head.

He kept opening and closing his mouth as if he wanted to say something.

When Amber nodded with the most generous expression she could muster, Calix finally spoke.

“Isn’t it that you think of me as an untrustworthy man?”

“An untrustworthy man?”

“No. Forget it.”

As soon as Amber questioned him, Calix shook his head.

Amber narrowed her eyes and studied him. Calix avoided her gaze and stared at the empty space beside the table.

*’An untrustworthy man? Did I say something like that?’*

Amber wanted to press Calix further, but knowing he would never open his mouth, she gave up.

An awkward silence flowed between them for several minutes.

“The reason I asked for the invitation…”

It was always Amber who broke the silence. Her voice crossed the quiet table.

“…is because the young lady of House Freya has a way to solve the food shortage.”

“The young lady of Freya?”

Calix was greatly surprised.

“But I heard she’s only sixteen this year. That’s far too young to know how to solve a food shortage…”

“Please hear me out.”

Amber seized the moment when the startled Calix briefly lowered his walls and quickly began her explanation.

Though initially doubtful, as Calix listened to Amber, his expression gradually became more convinced.

“With a method like that…”

He didn’t come to fully trust Amber’s plan, of course, but he seemed to feel it was at least worth trying.

“Very well. I will write the invitation.”

Amber sighed in relief and smiled.

Calix gazed at Amber’s smile again, as if bewitched.

“But how did you come to know such information?”

Calix, who had been fiddling with the long stem of his wine glass, cleared his throat and spoke.

“My father runs a large trading company.”

Unable to say she had seen it in the future, Amber once again brought up her father.

“The trading company of Viscount Riat is expanding throughout the Empire and even across the continent. In the process, they’ve come to know all sorts of valuable knowledge. I didn’t know it could be used in the East, though.”

“I see.”

It was a made-up story, but Calix believed her words as firmly as iron this time as well.

Amber’s expression, however, was not good.

Even though she had successfully deceived Calix, she felt uncomfortable.

Her mind grew complicated with thoughts of her own family, the Viscount Riat household.

*’I wonder what Father is doing right now.’*

Before leaving her family home, Amber had a huge fight with her parents. Because she was deeply disappointed and despairing over their actions, selling her off in her sister’s place.

In her past life, they exchanged a few indifferent letters before eventually losing contact.

At first, she couldn’t forgive her parents for pushing her into this miserable hell, and later, her self-esteem had fallen so low she couldn’t bring herself to contact them.

After the Emperor began his schemes against the East, Amber’s father had tried desperately to save her.

But the Viscount Riat household was also in no good situation, being under the Emperor’s watch, so he couldn’t save Amber, who had been branded a traitor.

*’In any case, I should… contact my parents and sister.’*

She should contact them. But Amber couldn’t be sure she would be able to forgive her parents and sister.

Amber sighed deeply.

“My Lady?”

As Amber was sinking into dark thoughts, Calix’s voice reached her.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just distracted for a moment.”

Amber forced a smile.

*’I’ll think about my parents later, when I have more time.’*

For now, she needed to focus on receiving ‘that’ from the young lady of House Freya.

Calix quietly observed Amber’s forced smile.

“Please write the invitation this afternoon.”

Amber spoke, but Calix seemed to be deep in thought and didn’t answer her for a while.

*’Is he going to say something more?’*

Amber waited silently for Calix. That expression definitely meant he had something to say.

“…Very well.”

But from Calix’s mouth came only a short reply.

“Good. I’ll wait for it then.”

Thinking the conversation was over, Amber bowed her head slightly and rose.

“My Lady?”

As she was about to leave the dining room, she heard Calix’s startled voice behind her.

Amber turned in surprise to see Calix half-risen from his chair, staring blankly at her.

“Ah, I’m done with what I needed. You can send the invitation yourself or give it to me.”

“Well…”

“You must be busy, Duke. From now on, don’t worry about me and focus on your work.”

Amber said this out of consideration for Calix.

*’Having lunch together was an unexpected ordeal. I shouldn’t create more unnecessary occasions to face each other.’*

This was not only for Calix’s sake but also for Amber’s own.

But Calix looked unsatisfied.

“When there’s another time we need a promise between us, I’ll convey my business through a servant.”

Seeing Calix’s expression, Amber made sure to nail it down. But Calix’s face only grew darker instead of brightening.

*’Did I say something wrong?’*

Amber reviewed her words in front of Calix but didn’t find anything particularly problematic.

“Then, may I go now? I’m worried about the maid I was tending to earlier.”

“…Very well. Do as you please.”

Calix said as he sat back down in his chair.

“Oh, and.”

Amber, who was about to open the dining room door herself, suddenly remembered something and turned her head.

“I have one more favor to ask.”

At the word ‘favor,’ Calix’s head shot up again.

“Of course. That’s fine.”

Calix nodded after hearing Amber’s request.

Having obtained what she wanted from Calix, Amber left the dining room and sought out the butler.

After relaying Calix’s words to the butler as well, Amber headed to the separate room where Xenia was.

Xenia was just as she had been before.

Amber had worried that Bella’s people might come in and torment her, but fortunately, that hadn’t happened.

Xenia looked greatly surprised to see Amber. It seemed she had never dreamed Amber would come back.

“Just lie down.”

Amber said, but Xenia shook her head and hurriedly got up.

“I’m feeling better now. I’ll return to the laundry by evening.”

The doctor had told Xenia to rest until tomorrow, but she insisted on working.

“Because if I rest, someone else has to do my work.”

“About that.”

Amber sat Xenia on the bed, pulled up a chair, and sat in front of her.

“Xenia, I’m thinking of making you my personal maid.”

“…Pardon?”

Xenia’s eyes grew as wide as lanterns.

“Your personal maid?”

Even among maids, there was a vast difference between a laundry maid doing odd jobs and a personal maid attending to the lady of the house.

Usually, laundry maids could work their whole lives and never enter the inner chambers.

Yet she was being allowed to leap over that gap in a single bound. Though it couldn’t compare to being a close lady-in-waiting, a position usually reserved for noble-born daughters, it was still an incredibly rapid promotion.

Xenia’s eyes widened.

“But the Senior Lady and the head maid won’t allow it…”

“The Duke has given his permission. I’ve also informed the butler.”

This was what Amber had asked Calix for before leaving the dining room.

*<Of course. You may do as you wish, my Lady.>*

Calix had looked innocent, as if he had no idea what political meaning might be involved in choosing servants.

“Why are you doing so much for me…?”

At Xenia’s question, Amber looked puzzled.

“Didn’t you ask me to take you in? And to change the atmosphere inside the castle?”

“That was…”

Xenia’s eyes wavered.

She had uttered those words while delirious from the medicine, but after Amber left for lunch, she deeply regretted what she had said.

Thinking that she might have burdened her, having just arrived in the East all alone.

Xenia had tried not to be disappointed even if Amber showed a passive attitude or didn’t come back to her.

But Amber had returned to Xenia right after lunch.

And while saying she would keep her promise with Xenia, she offered her the position of personal maid.

From Amber’s perspective, who needed to do whatever it took to change her married life, this was a natural step, but from Xenia’s perspective, it was a miracle.

*’Truly, there is… hope.’*

Xenia bit her lip hard to hold back tears.

It was the moment when a bond formed between Amber and Xenia, the same kind as in the past life, but much stronger than before.

“Could you also recommend some trustworthy people? I’m looking for people to keep by my side.”

“Yes. Of course, my Lady.”

Xenia, filled with emotion, bowed her head.

“Then come to my room from tomorrow morning. Don’t work tonight; rest and recover your strength. That’s my first order.”

“Yes! I’ll rest well and serve you, my Lady, in the best condition.”

Hearing Xenia’s energetic reply, Amber smiled.

*’A warm smile…’*

Xenia stared blankly at Amber’s smile. Calix wasn’t the only one bewitched by Amber’s smile.

Though Amber herself didn’t know it, her smile had the power of a campfire that warmed the body of whoever saw it.

Having been reborn after enduring the intense pain of burning all over, Amber could smile that smile.

Just then.

“My Lady. It’s Heinrich.”

The butler’s voice came from outside the door.

“I’ll be out shortly.”

Amber received Xenia’s greetings and stepped outside the separate room.

The silver-haired old butler, who had been waiting for her in front of the door, bowed his head politely.

Raising his head, he studied Amber with sharp, meticulous eyes.