Chapter 32

Chapter 32. While the count was away from the mansion

“Why are you doing this?”

Henelone looked up in confusion, startled to see Heinz standing silently, gazing down at her with an unreadable expression. His face was calm, almost innocent, as if he had no idea why she seemed troubled. Without a word, Heinz studied her face, then slowly reached out his hand toward the book she held.

<While the Count was away from the mansion>

The title of the book secretly inserted into the history book was revealed under Heinz’s hand. Henelone pursed her lips and gently lowered her eyes. A moment of awkward silence passed between the two.

“…Haa.”

“…Please….”

Heinz sighed, covering his eyes with his hands. The dark emotions stirring deep in his heart suddenly volatilized, and he was filled with bewilderment.

What the hell is this woman……

Heinz looked at Henelone with distraught eyes for a long time, then wordlessly put the book back into the history cover. Henelone quietly closed the thick history book.

“…I won’t be able to come to the library for a few days.”

“Huh? You?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“I have somewhere to go for a while.”

How can he leave this cheeky woman alone? He felt like driving a nail into the entrance to the library. No, he would rather her be locked in his mansion. He couldn’t imagine what other bizarre things she might do while he was gone. Heinz wiped his face with a distraught look on his face.

“…Haa, young lady. Please, please stay quiet while I’m gone.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Henelone opened her eyes wide at the sudden words and tilted her head. Please be quiet. When was the last time I made a fuss? No one in the capital spends her days more calmly than she does. All she does is go back and forth between home and the library every day. At most she went to the bookstore. For some reason, Henelone pouted her mouth when Heinz looked at her as if he was looking at her as if he were a scoundrel.

Heinz, whose eyes brightened at the sight of her not understanding what he was saying, grabbed the armrests of the sofa tightly as if to trap her and warned her.

“I mean, don’t do anything in the library.”

Henelone, who flinched at the growling voice, soon lowered her head. Looking at the small back of her head, Heinz swallowed down the sigh that was boiling deep in his stomach. He couldn’t trust her at all.

An ominous premonition is always right.

A few days later, when Heinz returned to the library, he almost went crazy.

***

Why is the library so empty?

Henelone, who had been sitting in front of the fireplace and looking around the library idly, raised her knees. She rested her forehead against them. The scenery was no different from usual, but somehow it seemed empty. It seems like it’s colder for no reason. The sound of raindrops hitting the glass window was too noisy.

“Why did he give me this?”

Henelone suddenly looked at what was at her feet and muttered blankly. A dagger without any decoration. It was a self-defense weapon that Heinz left behind.

‘Because you’re worried about me?’

Henelone was lost in her thoughts as she stroked the dagger during the day. Doing something like that with Heinz was just an accident.

So why worry about me? What are you worried about? What does that mean, don’t do anything in the library while he’s away? So you’re saying I shouldn’t do that with other men?

…Why?

Of course, she had no intention of dating another man. However, it was Heinz’s unknown attitude that caused Henelone to be troubled. What is her relationship with him? Just satisfying the desires of the body?

“Hah, I don’t know. Let’s not think about it too much.”

She just has to enjoy it in moderation. Phew, Henelone sighed briefly and stood up, clutching the dagger tightly. Because of this, her mind was becoming more and more complicated. Henelone entered the secret room with great strides and threw a dagger into the room.

Clatter. With a loud noise, the dagger was pushed to the corner.

‘Never mind, let’s read a book.’

Henelone returned to the fireplace and opened a thick history book. Of course, it wasn’t a history book she was reading.

***

Shaaaa. Strong rain and wind battered the bodies of three people standing at the port. Even though he was holding an umbrella, it seemed to be of no use at all.

“Wow, why is it raining like this?”

Roger laughed jokingly as he noisily shook off the raindrops that had soaked his shoulders. However, seeing Heinz staring straight ahead indifferently despite his words, Roger frowned. He closed his mouth again, and tilted his umbrella even more towards himself.

“Will the ship arrive safely?”

“…Here it comes.”

Grant, who had been looking anxiously at the high rolling waves, narrowed his eyes at Heinz’s answer. He looked beyond the noisy horizon. The rain and wind blurred his vision, so he couldn’t see it well. However, there was clearly a small dot in the distance that was getting bigger.

Grant shrugged his shoulders and walked after Heinz, who was heading toward the port.