In the past, Venti used to be closest with the maids. However, now it seemed like they had completely severed ties, as Venti always made a sour expression whenever she talked about them.

Maybe those maids had distanced themselves first…

Mayana replied, “I know what you mean. Venti, when the Lady returns, you should make tea. Ivy, arrange the flowers the Lady brought.”

“Yes, Miss Mayana.”

“And don’t fight with Venti.”

Upon hearing this, Venti became indignant. “Do you think I’m someone who picks fights?”

Just as Venti said, the maids from the western part of the mansion, where Cediloy resided, saw Mayana and discreetly moved to a corner when they caught sight of her.

Mayana seemed to know what they were whispering about, but intentionally didn’t give them a glance, walking straight ahead. If someone had seen from a distance, her posture was so straight, and her pace so steady, that they might have mistaken her for Jocelyn.

As she knocked on the drawing-room door, Jemero came out to greet her. His voice had a slightly reproachful tone. Mayana said, “I apologize.”

Perhaps Venti was delayed because she went to get tea leaves and engaged in gossip, but there was no need to mention such things. Jemero quickly softened his expression in response to Mayana’s submissive attitude and opened the drawing-room door for her.

Cediloy was lying long on the sofa. Whether he had fallen asleep while waiting or not, he lightly rested his head on the armrest and closed his eyes. The sofa could comfortably accommodate about three people, but the area near the knee and below, extending to the armrest, hung over the edge, making the posture not excessively comfortable.

Over his closed eyes, the shadow of the window frame and sunlight were stretched in an elongated pie-shaped pattern.

Mayana somehow felt that she didn’t want to wake him up. So, standing still, she stared at Cediloy’s face, who was sound asleep, for a long time.

‘It feels like I’m seeing this face for the first time.’

Mayana thought. Even though that couldn’t be true, Cediloy’s face looked unfamiliar. Was it because it was a sleeping face? Perhaps the absence of tired signs when he was awake or the wrinkled brow were not present, and he peacefully exhaled, locked away in a quiet place beyond Mayana’s reach.

She approached cautiously, kneeling beside the sofa, near Cediloy’s head. His head, leaning awkwardly against the armrest, seemed precarious and would fall off if moved slightly.

Should she move his head a bit to make it more even? While contemplating, Mayana continued to gaze at Cediloy’s closed eyes, which seemed to be locked away peacefully in an unreachable place.
Somehow, it felt like wandering through a dream. It penetrated Mayana suddenly, like a gust of wind, leaving a slight tremor and impact before disappearing somewhere.

Watching delicately laid eyelashes and the glittering light reflected by fine dust particles floating above, Mayana’s mind became hazy, and it seemed like she might fall asleep herself.

If he had a wife… Mayana thought. It was a sudden thought.

If Cediloy had a wife, could she see this face every day? This pitiful and beautiful face that had finally found tranquility even in sleep after being steeped in excellence and worry…

Perhaps she could. And she—Lady of the Duke—would comfort Cediloy by kissing his forehead and cheek.

While embracing his head in her gentle arms, she would gently brush his hair back, whispering in a voice as soft as an imaginary wound sprinkled with fine sugar. ‘It’s okay. I’m here for you… I endure everything with you.’

Mayana’s eyes blinked as slowly as Ivy’s. When she delicately touched Cediloy’s neck to fix his head, the moment she lifted her fingertips, as if touching something hot, his eyes, which seemed unaware, suddenly opened.

“Ah.”

Mayana let out a small exclamation. Hurriedly removing her hand from his head, as if someone had touched something hot, she stepped back. Cediloy, with a confused expression as if he hadn’t grasped the situation, blinked his eyes, then suddenly woke up.

“Mayana?”

“I heard you calling me.”

Her voice was calm, as if nothing surprised her. Cediloy said, “Ah… right. I was… then I dozed off.”

“I thought your posture might be uncomfortable, so I was going to adjust it.”

Mayana’s words carried no intention or personal feelings. They sounded excessively plain. Cediloy, making a clear note of that fact, lightly touched his cheek with his palm to hide a complex expression.

Pointing to the sofa, Cediloy said, “Sit.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

Mayana sat on a small sofa a little away from Cediloy.

Though he had just woken up, his blue pupils showed no signs of cloudiness. As Cediloy turned to Mayana, she felt the momentary image she had imagined while looking at the sleeping Cediloy flash through her mind again.

The imagined Duchess. Even her breathing was elegant, and she had star-like eyes on her ruby-like cheeks…