Chapter 66

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Letters and a Late Night Visitor
-----------------------------------------------------------------

The moment she saw the letter sealed with the names of her professors, memories of her university days flooded her mind.

For someone of Aileen's means, it had been an impossible dream. She had never even dared to consider it, but Cesare was the one who first introduced her to the possibility of attending university.

Shamelessly, she had clung to him, and in the end, she had managed to enroll through the somewhat unfair means of a "letter of recommendation from the Prince of the Traon Empire."

Her time at the university was one of the happiest periods of her life. During those years, she was able to find answers to countless questions that self-study alone could not resolve.

Simply engaging in academic discussions with fellow plant enthusiasts brought her immense joy, and it was even better that she could professionally learn to develop medicine using medicinal plants.

The chemistry experiments, in particular, were something she could not have managed on her own, so she benefited greatly from the university's resources.

The students and professors were all much older than her, which felt intimidating at first, but everyone was so kind and warm that she quickly fit in.

Though she had to drop out before graduating due to her family's financial struggles, her time at the university remained a precious memory and an asset. The knowledge she gained then had been a steadfast support for her ever since.

‘I hope they're all doing well…’

Lost in nostalgia, Aileen opened the letter. She had thought the envelope felt unusually thick, and sure enough, it contained a lengthy message.

[…We heard the news of your marriage late and are sending our congratulations at once. We have enclosed a small gift, humble as it may be, and hope you will accept it.]

The professors used the utmost formal language in their letter to Aileen, who was now the Grand Duchess of Erzet. But in the long updates that followed their greetings, she could almost hear the familiar voices of the professors she knew.

Aileen, smiling softly, paused her reading to see what gift they had enclosed. It was a section of a paper published in an academic journal.

The paper was based on a topic she had researched with her professors during her university days, and her name was listed among the authors.

She had assumed her name would have been removed, since she had left midway through the research and so much time had passed, but they had included her when they submitted it to the journal.

A sudden wave of emotion washed over her. Aileen pressed her lips together, her chin trembling, as she continued to read the letter.

[…We plan to visit the capital soon. If you have the time, might we be able to see you, even for a moment? We have all missed you for a long time, so we make this request with caution, knowing it may be an imposition.]

The letter ended with the polite request and closing remarks. Aileen, feeling a pang of wistfulness, quickly read it over one more time.

“My professors are coming to the capital. Would it be all right for me to meet them?”

When she asked Sonio, he looked startled for a moment before replying that of course she could.

“If there is anything you wish to do, please do not hesitate to tell me.”

For Aileen, who had imagined the life of a Grand Duchess to be terribly restrictive, his answer was a great relief.

Aileen took a deep breath, steeling herself, and then opened Ornella’s letter. A faint scent of lily wafted from the high-quality, perfumed stationery.

The letter’s contents were remarkably polite and conventional. It was an invitation, sincerely congratulating her on her marriage and expressing the hope that her first social gathering as the Grand Duchess of Erzet would be at the sender's tea party.

It was painfully obvious why Ornella, who was filled with nothing but hostility for her, would go out of her way to invite her to a social gathering.

‘If I go, I'll be torn to shreds…’

Aileen imagined Ornella and her friends surrounding her and blowing cigarette smoke in her face all at once. She gave a small shudder, shaking off the dark fantasy.

‘That's a bit too dramatic.’

Pushing aside thoughts of Ornella, Aileen slid the letter to a corner of the desk. While it was true that she had duties to fulfill as the Grand Duchess of Erzet, that didn't mean she had to curry favor with Ornella.

Of course, House Parvellini was a powerful family. But they were no match for the Grand Duke of Erzet. After all, even the most prominent noble houses had been unable to stand their ground against Cesare lately.

There was no need to choose Ornella's party for her first social appearance. Doing so would only serve to solidify Ornella's standing in society.

“…That is what I think. What are your thoughts, Sir Sonio?”

It was a difficult matter to decide on her own. So when she shared her thoughts with Sonio, he was deeply impressed.

“Your reasoning is perfectly sound. There is no reason to be swayed by her.”

“Then where should I attend my first social gathering?”

When in doubt, it was always best to ask. Aileen looked helplessly at the veritable mountain of letters that had descended upon the new Grand Duchess, as if they had all been waiting for the wedding to be over. Her eyes pleaded for help, and Sonio smiled. After briefly scanning the letters on the desk, he began to speak.

“This is merely this old butler's personal opinion, but since Your Excellency is the noblest lady in the Empire…”

From the Imperial Palace to the Grand Duke's estate, the old butler who had served Cesare for so long offered his conclusion with a gentle smile.

“Would it not be more fitting for you to summon your lessers?”

***

Thanks to Sonio, Aileen was able to think in a new direction. It was decided that her first social event as the Grand Duchess of Erzet would be one she hosted herself.

Sonio offered to compile a list of attendees to whom they would send invitations. Thanks to his enthusiastic help, the preparations proceeded smoothly.

Time flew by as she discussed various matters with Sonio. Senon, who had said he would be back soon, did not appear even as the sun began to set. And Cesare, who she thought was working in his office for a while, had apparently gone out again.

Aileen ate dinner alone.

“His Excellency rarely stays at the estate.”

Perhaps feeling sorry for Aileen dining by herself at the vast table, Sonio, despite being busy, made an excuse to wait on her and strike up a conversation.

But Aileen didn't feel lonely or desolate at all. Being alone had always been her normal. The time she had spent with Cesare yesterday and today had been a miracle.

For Aileen, waiting for Cesare was all too familiar. She simply held onto the small hope that she might see him again tomorrow.

Aileen finished her dinner completely. Afterward, she read an etiquette book Sonio had chosen for her before turning in early.

She lay in bed, but sleep wouldn't come. She had expected to drift off quickly, exhausted as she was, but her mind remained wide awake.

Aileen rustled in bed with her eyes open. Now that the whirlwind of events had passed and a quiet moment had arrived, forgotten thoughts sprouted like bamboo shoots after a rain.

Among her many thoughts, the one that loomed largest was, of course, Cesare.

He had no intention of telling her his secrets. Yet, he didn't completely hide them either. Even though she was now the Grand Duchess, their one-sided relationship remained the same.

If he had truly read her diary, he would know exactly how she felt, yet he revealed nothing.

But he was too kind a man to call it deception. That made it all the more agonizing. She simply couldn't fathom Cesare's intentions.

‘He was never one to reveal his inner thoughts…’

What had made him this way? How could she be of some help to him, even in the smallest way?

‘I want to do well.’

Becoming the Grand Duchess had made her greedy. She wanted to stay by his side. But she knew she could be cast out if she kept showing her inadequacies.

In matters like this, Cesare was like a blade. If she ever fell out of his favor, she could lose all his affection overnight.

‘I must become someone His Excellency needs.’

Lost in these futile worries, Aileen drifted off without realizing it. Her drowsy mind awoke at the sense of a presence. Her body, so accustomed to sleeping alone, reacted sensitively to another's presence.

Aileen groggily looked up with sleepy eyes. The first thing she saw was a pair of vivid red eyes. The man, who suited the darkness so well, smiled, his sharp eyes curving. The faint scent of blood brushed past her nose, and then a languid voice, mixed with his breath, tickled her skin.

“Sorry, did I wake you?”

Aileen slowly blinked. With Cesare right in front of her, this had to be a dream.

For a moment, she even forgot she was in the Grand Duke's estate and smiled as if she were meeting him in her small bed on the second floor of the brick house.

“Cesare…”

She called his name with a blissful smile, a hint of childish affection in her bashful expression.

“I missed you.”

At that, Cesare narrowed his eyes slightly. He brought his face closer and asked.

“Since when?”

“Always, always.”

It was a whisper that could not contain all of her tender affection. She was frustrated that she couldn't fully convey the overwhelming emotions she felt. As she gazed at him hazily, his red eyes, reflecting her image, also seemed to soften as if lost in a dream.

“Yes, Aileen.”

Their lips met as gently as a petal settling on a flower. He kissed her with a cautious tenderness, as if she might break at the slightest touch, and replied in a low voice.

“I’ve missed you, too.”