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**CHAPTER 15 **
‘Could it be… he really wants to read a book here…?’
Well, it wasn’t the worst situation.
But it was definitely an uncomfortable one. Diana clenched her fists on her lap and carefully asked,
“Um… would it be okay… if I took the book to my room to read?”
At that moment, the sound of pages turning stopped.
“T-The thing is… I can read better without damaging it if I take it carefully….”
Still, there was no answer.
It felt like the air around her was suffocating, as if someone had covered her head with a blanket.
‘Should I not have asked?’
“I’m sorry… please forget what I just said—”
“You may take the book with you,” the Grand Duke said calmly, his eyes still on the pages.
“However, some books can be taken and some cannot. I just need to confirm which ones.”
“Oh… I see.”
He glanced briefly at the title of the book next to Diana, then returned his attention to his own.
“The book you’re holding right now, unfortunately, is one that cannot be taken outside this library.”
Diana nodded, and the conversation ended there.
The Grand Duke fixed his gaze back on his page, while Diana sat down and opened the spot she had been silently reading before he came in.
*Rustle.*
*Rustle.*
The sound of the pages, thick but soft, spread like a background melody.
It reminded her of summer days—lying under a tree, eyes closed, listening to the leaves rustle in the warm breeze.
But this wasn’t peaceful like summer leaves.
‘How long do I have to keep sitting here…?’
She couldn’t focus on the contents of her book at all. Was the Grand Duke planning to sit here and read the entire volume before leaving?
‘That can’t happen….’
All Diana could think of was, *“I want to get out of here.”* But that wasn’t something she could do.
She shook her head.
‘No. I have to endure it… I must.’
That was the least courtesy she owed to her benefactor. She was indebted to the Grand Duke—how could she not even manage this much?
Torn between wanting to run and forcing herself to stay, Diana finally decided to focus all her nerves on the sound of the turning pages.
This was a trick she had often used at the Vega barony.
When time refused to move forward, if she focused on small details, her heart would calm, and before she knew it, the difficult moment would pass.
*Rustle.*
“One…”
*Rustle.*
“Two…”
*Rustle.*
“Three…”
*Rustle.*
“Four…”
Would the Grand Duke ever know?
That right now, she was making a tremendous effort she hadn’t even shown to Antonio?
—
—
Theo had gone to the library on a whim.
Yes, the library was technically open, but he hadn’t actually expected anyone at such a glamorous garden party to sneak away and read.
And yet, there she was. A visitor. How could he not be curious?
He had only meant to peek in, exchange a few words, then leave. But of course—it was Diana Vega again.
‘Interesting.’
Once might be coincidence. Twice could be fate. But thrice? People called that destiny.
If gossips saw this, they’d surely call it destiny.
If it were anyone else, he might have suspected it was all staged.
But then—
“Ahh…!”
“Ah…!”
“Y-Your Highness, I greet you.”
Her reaction was too raw, too real. Not an act at all—just pure, humiliating fear.
Then she asked,
“Um… would it be possible… to take the book to my room to read…?”
Anyone could tell that was her excuse to escape this room—and him.
So he said,
“Some books can be taken, and some cannot. I need to check which.”
Of course, no such rule existed.
Then he added,
“The one you’re reading, unfortunately, cannot be taken outside.”
That wasn’t a real rule either.
Why had he even said such childish things?
‘Strange, how life works.’
To think he was the one people avoided now.
Then—
“Hello, Rohat!”
Unbelievable. She sounded so happy. Too happy. Even her tone of voice changed, making it feel like favoritism.
Theo tilted his eyes toward Rohat.
‘So that’s her type of face?’
*Rustle.*
Even while thinking, Theo kept turning the pages rhythmically. He wasn’t reading at all—he had already finished that book twenty times over. And he certainly had no reason to read it again on this uncomfortable chair.
It was all just another whim.
A whim aimed at this young woman, trembling like a frightened deer.
‘But… amusing.’
Like a herbivore caught between branches, trembling, unable to run nor fight.
She did pique his curiosity.
‘And she did literally hide among leaves before.’
He recalled Diana hiding among the alocasia leaves at the greenhouse tea party. A laugh slipped out.
He quickly covered his mouth and looked up—only to see something bizarre.
“……?”
Was she… about to kiss her book?
Her head kept bobbing—falling forward, snapping back up, then falling again toward the book.
‘Wait… is she dozing off?’
Unbelievable. She was nodding off.
Now? In this situation?
Just moments ago she had been trembling in fear of him—and now she dared to fall asleep here?
More shocking—she was dozing off in a closed room with two men she barely knew. And one of them was *Grand Duke Fernande*!
It was so ridiculous he couldn’t help but laugh quietly, covering his face.
‘Diana Vega.’
She truly was a strange, extraordinary woman.
—
—
For the first time in a long while, Diana dreamed a happy dream.
A dream where people’s faces looked normal.
In that dream, she didn’t have to avoid people, didn’t have to hide her gasps of shock.
She strolled lightly across a waving blue meadow, enjoying the gentle breeze.
Now and then she met someone and exchanged a nod or a few meaningless words about the weather.
The peaceful leisure she once enjoyed long ago—it was so sweet.
But something was off.
Her neck hurt strangely. Though she walked with her head held high, her nape ached.
Finally, she reached up to touch it.
Her fingers met heated skin, damp with sweat, as if warmed by the setting sun.
‘Huh?’
The sensation didn’t match the cool meadow at all.
‘…!’
She woke instantly.
Then she felt it—the heat of the sofa where her body had been, the sticky warmth along her thighs where the book had rested.
‘My thighs are… sweaty? Oh no…!’
Right. She had come to the library, met the Grand Duke, and ended up sitting across from him reading.
‘Wh-What do I do…!’
She had actually fallen asleep—inside the Grand Duke’s library, right in front of him!
Realizing this, embarrassment and shame spread like paint across her face and ears.
Her ears burned red without her even touching them.
Biting her lips, she carefully checked the atmosphere in the room.
*Rustle.*
Had he not noticed?
The only sound was the steady turning of pages. No reaction from the Grand Duke.
Peeking up nervously, she saw his hand still calmly flipping through his book.
‘Thank goodness….’
Relieved, she finally checked her own book.
It was unharmed, exactly as before.
‘What a relief….’
She wanted badly to stretch her stiff body, but she wasn’t bold enough.
So she only straightened her back slightly and pretended to read again.
Of course, she still couldn’t focus on the contents. But neither could she suddenly stand up and say goodbye.
So Diana had no choice but to keep “pretending to read” for another full hour.
—
—
“Hm. Looks like this will take a long time, doesn’t it?”
After Diana left, Bianca, Valentina, and Kiara were still chatting in Valentina’s drawing room.
“Yes. She might not even ask us for help until the very moment she leaves this mansion,” one said.
Did Diana know?
That it was these three who had been behind Cecile’s suggestion of “escape”?
“But honestly, I can understand Diana’s reaction,” Valentina admitted.
Kiara shook her head.
“Exactly. A woman with any sense of pride wouldn’t ask for help from people she’s only known for less than two weeks.”
The others nodded, though with some regret.
“I like Diana. She has a pure charm.”
“Yes. She definitely has a way of drawing people in.”
At first, they had only approached Diana because of Antonio.
But now, Antonio didn’t matter anymore. They simply liked Diana herself.
“Hehe, yes. And for some reason, she even makes you want to protect her. Don’t you feel that too?”
“I do.”
“Me too.”
But as said, they had known her for less than ten days. It was too soon to offer their help directly.
“The competition still has a long way to go. Let’s wait and see.”
“Agreed.”
“By the way, Valentina, don’t you have a walk scheduled with Diana this evening?”
At Bianca’s question, Valentina set down her teacup and nodded.
“Then maybe you could gently guide her during the walk. Encourage her to open up to us.”
“She is very cautious by nature… but I’ll try to comfort her.”
