Chapter 32
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âWhat if it contains an important letter?â
In the carriage returning to the mansion, Azela murmured as she looked out the window with a puzzled expression. Of course, she didnât care though Zagnacâs unusual behavior was enough to be a matter of concern.
Afterimages kept coming to her mind as the Princessâs blunt and cute handwriting was engraved in her heart, which had said âLiviahart den Argen.â
âFor what purpose did the Princess send a letter to Zagnacâ¦?â
Although it bothered her, the bandage on Zagnacâs right hand didnât leave Azelaâs head either. His casual remarks that he had been attacked seemed so natural. Did that happen oftenâ¦?
As the carriage arrived at the mansion, she stared out the window for a long time with her chin bent and thinking of him. When she entered the mansion, the first place she headed was not her bedroom on the third floor.
She ran away so quickly that there were still unsolved issues.
Looking with a firm expression, she made her way to the study room where Daniel would be. The employees who followed Azela trembled, wondering if something else was going to happen to the Madam that had a wretched face.
As she stopped her steps in front of the study, the maid following her stepped forward and knocked on the firmly closed door.
In line with the knocking sound, there was a rushing sound from inside.
It was a situation that was obvious even without seeing it. Neither Daniel nor Sylvia was to be seen when she returned to the mansion, so the two must have been together. In addition, this was the time when Daniel should be working in his study.
As soon as Danielâs permission to come in was given, the servant opened the door to the study.
When the door to the study opened, the first thing she saw was Danielâs tangled hair and Sylvia in wrinkled, untied dress straps.
ââ¦Azela?â
Daniel, who was wiping his lips glistened with saliva that she didnât know whom it belonged to with the back of his hand, widened his eyes, surprised to see her. He didnât seem to have thought that she would come to see him first.
âIâm sorry I disturbed your good times, but I have something to check.â
Azela, who was looking at the two of her calmly alternately, took a leisurely pace and sat on the sofa opposite Sylvia.
Seeing her, Sylvia crossed one of her legs and smiled softly.
âItâs okay, we have a lot of time⦠Would you like some tea?â
âNo, itâs okay. Even if I drink, it wonât be here.â
The atmosphere in the study room, which was sticky and somehow warm, was very unpleasant. As Azela covered her mouth with her sleeve and furrowed her eyebrows, Sylvia gave a grim look, as if she thought it was because of herself and Daniel.
It was a very amusing sight.
âItâs fine. I also had a lot to talk about with you⦠They said you ran out in a hurry today, but without telling me, where do you keep going like that? Itâs difficult if you use business as an excuse to not properly conduct yourself.â
Daniel pressed his index finger on his temple as if showing he had been patient.
Still, it didnât matter to her what he said or how he spoke because that wasnât what she wanted to say.
âAre you not going to say anything?â
As she sat on the sofa without saying a word, Daniel ruffled his hair in frustration. Azela turned her gaze to look at him, and the first thing that caught her eye was a button that had been pushed outward because it had not been properly buttoned.
The difference from Zagnac, who was always neat and unobtrusive, was so clear that she shook her head with a tired look.
âNow that your words are over, I will tell you my own.â
âOkay, give me an excuse.â
âDidnât you ask where I was today?â
âYes, thatâs right.â
âDaniel, you are pretty good at lying. Everyone knows where I went and for what reason.â
ââ¦What?â
âDo you usually touch my correspondence like this?â
Saying so, she stared at Daniel once, and then Sylvia with an emotionless gaze. The two of them looked quite surprised as it was a question they hadnât thought of.
âI got a letter this morning. Where did it come from, whom did it come from, what was the content of the letter⦠Even if I donât say it, you probably know everything, right? Though it was in the afternoon when I got the letter.â
ââ¦.â
âIt seems that this is not the first time.â
âI shouldâve ordered tea.â
Azela paused for a moment, stroking her parched neck lightly. Daniel didnât say anything. That silence was telling her the answer was affirmative.
âWhy did the letter that came to me go into your hands first, and that is not enoughâ¦â
She then turned her head and looked at Sylvia, who was sitting opposite her and bowing her gaze down in surprise. The wound on her palm had not yet healed, and she was still in bandages⦠No, she didnât even know if Sylvia wanted to show that she was still hurt.
âWhy did the mere âmistressâ check my correspondence at will?â
It was a calm voice with no emotion of anger. There was silence in the library for a moment. As Azela put it, it was impossible for the mistress, Sylvia, to confirm the Madamâs correspondence.
âSince when did you manage the correspondence that came to me?â
Taking her gaze away from Sylvia and looking back at Daniel, it was a calm voice. Nonetheless, it was a question that stood out. As she continued to interrogate, he took a deep breath and gently pulled the long rope next to the desk.
Soon, the bell rang in the mansion, and a maid rushed into the study room.
âDid, did you call, Master?â
In the atmosphere of the dreary study, the maid was shaking her shoulders with a tense look. The maid couldnât even properly lift her face, in case her neck would fall off.
âBring me a strong drink because Iâm thirsty.â
âYes, I will.â
With his annoyed command, the maid, who bowed her body, hurriedly left the study. As he was about to unbutton the button that was holding his neck, Daniel realized that it wasnât properly fastened and ripped it all off with an annoyed hand.
All the buttons on it fell to the floor of the study with a loud noise.
ââ¦Ha, Azela.â
âTell me.â
âSo, what do you want me to do?â
Daniel, who wiped his face a few times, asked with annoyed eyes.
Even though she didnât expect to receive an apology, she thought he would show an apologetic sign, and he always exceeded expectations. Azelaâs words were choked as she was taken aback by the way he spoke, arguing over and over again.
âI am your husband, a letter from you is like coming to me. I was just checking in advance to avoid any danger, but I didnât know youâll get angry like this.â
âDid you cut off the line without forwarding the letter that came to me in case of any danger?â
âThere were no good letters for you to read. Of course, the correspondence you needed was delivered.â
âSo, youâre going to say you checked with Sylvia, too?â
âSylvia was with me when I checked, but she didnât check your correspondence.â
All of Danielâs words were just his claims without evidence.
At that, she laughed at the absurd story. Azela, who had been laughing for a while, slowly got her body up from the sofa before walking up to Danielâs desk and staring down at him.
âYou have no right to tamper with my correspondence. No matter how much you love me, even if we are a married couple.â
âI think it was just a small disagreement between you and me. Think about it. If I hadnât considered you my wife, I would never have done such a troublesome job. I did it for you.â
âReallyâ¦? Do you really think so?â
When Azela asked that, Daniel nodded his head calmly.
Meanwhile, Sylviaâs small laugh could be heard behind her. It was an obvious sneer. The two of them were fooling around with her in the middle, as always.
Nodding her head with a dry expression after hearing Danielâs answer, her empty eyes turned to the desk. There were many letters and invitations, and among them were some that had not yet been opened.