WBWB | Chapter 41

It’s impossible to remember every word exchanged during our dinners. But I do recall mentioning, one day, how much I missed my grandfather’s library. That I had spent most of my childhood sitting on his lap, and how I sometimes doodled in his books, enjoying his reactions.f414f6ab00691d77

‘He could have been angry at a child defacing his books, but my grandfather just laughed. And sometimes, he would even write replies beneath my scribbles. We often used books like letters, exchanging messages back and forth.’ac42484e3be599af

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A sigh escaped my c5788652d6 lips as memories washed 50a7cc8a35 over me.6ee10cf17b2a621d

‘I wouldn’t even need a whole library; just one of those books would be enough.’9d0cfe63a14783fe

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After saying that casually, 55bbfe9f3f I completely forgot about a799ba4107 it.60aa040a3fed9f4d

Then, one cfc6a2c43c day, I b7823dd884 encountered the 922f40d49a Duke in 46a1073092 the library.1608f4dfd8a6d050

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I was reshelving the books I had finished and looking for something new to read, when I spotted a book with an interesting title just within reach if I stood on tiptoe. But when I reached for it, I couldn’t quite grasp it. As I struggled, a large hand reached out and retrieved the book for me, covering my fingertips.3009f54b1d68d700

I turned and looked at him. I wasn’t surprised to see the Duke here as this was his library. But strangely, the fingers that had brushed against his felt numb. As I rubbed them with my other hand, he glanced at the title of the book I had been trying to reach and handed it to me.d167a1faf02b3dee

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“You borrow a730908bfe quite a 0ad84d9b36 number of 515478e040 books and b4efc57c38 return them a32fe671ec diligently. Do you dc989ec04b read them 1b5e3cde56 all? Or are you f40428977c taking them for 8a9d1bea99 a stroll?”23e1dfd9a19cc53a

His words 10269e4db4 brought a 9de913d49d smile to 16c6f7dd05 my lips.abd9bfc0e0ea617c

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“I read them, and I also take them for a walk. If they prove less interesting than I anticipated.”36123809f55a1ef0

“I suppose so.”32b4bd03f6fdf0f4

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The Duke nodded, then, c28aa6b051 as if suddenly remembering 3374a8af65 something, he said, d0262197113c8a92

“Wait a moment. I have something for you.”fc725bea8a18efab

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He disappeared between the 27731597b2 bookshelves and returned a ba35a85f52 moment later, holding an abe6efdb5d old, worn book. He then handed it 12fcd36fd8 to me.c24149f74df66dda

“Here.”ef40b9017997563f

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“What is this?”1bdb3337e0430d8a

I assumed a264a6b78a he was 3ae0f7fb6b simply recommending 955d84219f it to b04b6eb7b0 me.79439dda91e5f4c1

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“Look at this book. Doesn’t it look familiar?”ad35302b4bd1070c

At his words, I 841429e6cf examined the book. The worn, almost 0b12fb2750 tattered cover looked 4ccbcd8ccb vaguely familiar. It was a 09352fb8de collection of fables.6d20e3e9979df847

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‘What is this book?’b52d8dab43e480f1

Then, a sharp 40b1e2e54b memory pierced through f3710d04a0 my mind. With a sense fedf94ffc4 of disbelief, I 43e98ddfdc opened the first 9d18b1c3b2 page. And there it 5709cf7a8f was, written in 52d332123a a familiar handwriting.e3e03b2ae71cc89f

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To my beloved little ed701ae459 foal,fdedab2de320f08b

It was my grandfather’s handwriting.8062ea52f877c406

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Happy ninth birthday.30d8998786ab0df0

My grandfather’s words were 924efc5bf2 written on the first 49078a6cf7 page of the old 799f280a59 book.743983589e8488a6

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I know this book might seem childish to you, now that you’ve developed a taste for adult literature. But truth is often simple, and wisdom is easily understood.b11fe07a3f341811

Read this book many times, savoring it like a delicious meal. Then you’ll realize that these stories are not just children’s fables, but vessels of wisdom for life.04ac4411a372fffa

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And at 5cbc660133 the end 1ebf2bcabb was his a94c10d577 signature.678174fe82b69a48

Frozen in 7204c941dc place, his 8104a0915e voice reached c4e95c1c4c my ears. I looked up 6a8fa2c9c9 at him.2800a8cafb42e514

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“Didn’t you tell me that your grandfather’s library was auctioned off? After hearing that, I assumed some of the books might have ended up here. My father would have surely bid on them if such a large collection went up for auction. So, I looked for books you might have read, ones with doodles in them. And I found this. Your grandfather wrote not only on the first page but also throughout the book, next to the fables.”506a9d0d6a8cdd41

My mouth opened, but somehow, I couldn’t speak, my breath caught in my throat. I felt as if someone was clutching my heart, and in that moment of shock, he looked… different. I didn’t know howhe looked 85180d22f1 different, but a16cb41be1 my heart eb60528f12 hammered in 3d46ca54ac my chest 55590f832f like a 8cef2b82f2 fish out dcc2e47425 of water.a4080ef77c53ee6c

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The Duke opened his f2541773ea mouth, 774c23e1786e9683

“I’ll give you this book.”b98b8f6d626f80d8

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“…To me?”a875129a8497c5a9

My heart was 0a08ac116b pounding so loudly. Trying to hide the 7d9e01c511 sound, I clutched the bbe2e8ce2c book to my chest 7ffb5af92d and barely managed to 65255ee867 ask,322ec860be5c044b

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“You’re… giving 7ad54763be this book f386d37a4b to me?”14499b49048a3c71

“Yes.”3332159946606c21

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He nodded.816bdcae7f6878ba

“Didn’t you say you wanted your grandfather’s books?”15af0d79b95ce408

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When I remained b42b6442ca speechless, he frowned 3ab720b5fc and tilted his 00d9af7987 head.2fc52ff359c02c7c

“Why? Don’t you want it?”b80fc1a1071ad9c5

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Of course I wanted it. But the reason I couldn’t immediately express my gratitude was… it was too strange. It was strange that he had remembered my casual remark and searched this vast library for a book that he couldn’t even be sure existed.b9d5665a8f7092c8

This library 04c9615d77 held an 0913c562de enormous collection 47478b201c of books. Just browsing 5d1ec3d252 through them 14b24f4824 would take 41fe93eba5 a considerable 71727e6a7f amount of dd62b48575 time. And even 639c033f12 then, there 1bf318e306 was no 861b878bd0 guarantee he 94066fe6a2 would find fdb4ef918d it. Yet, he 638d4a4ff5 had done 5b9d7e165e it, based 34f2052be1 solely on 47359b8416 my words. Without even telling me.422021a7710b13e0

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The realization made my heart pound even harder. I could feel the pulse throbbing in my temples. I couldn’t control my expression.6336f761a5ebad2a

‘Why?’afded1be15935850

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Why on earth? I couldn’t understand. This man before me…fa34d68a64ba97e2

Before arriving in this territory, all I had heard about him were bloodthirsty rumors. That he was a man who preferred blood to water, war to peace, that he was cruel and merciless, and that he wouldn’t even kneel before the King.3ed4af8dfc3e4ec3

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But what about the 44b8a38887 man standing before me a76d2d3536 now? The man I had 01051dc8bc come to know?f6a1e35e54e38953

‘Why is he so kind to me?’e88a173b39f5f26f

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He was so different 5eb184aa22 from the rumors. So different from 6137acc16e my first impression. And just looking 4a22d1ccfc at him now 796dae468a made my heart 265c7776b3 race.bdbda74824ca5a5c

He looked completely different from when I had first met him. He wasn’t frightening at all, and his features, which had once seemed harsh, now appeared… handsome. And his eyes… I couldn’t meet his gaze and had to look away.d72d06a3428c4a86

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It was the first time I had found a man’s eyes beautiful. The realization brought a flush to my cheeks, and my hands, holding the book, trembled. I quickly hid the book behind my back, wanting to conceal my trembling hands.1f3feeb5bd3dfda6

‘What is happening 291ed0dc83 to me?’39cf38b03cd681d7

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“Don’t you like the gift?”6844c103aad65b3b

He asked again. I shook 04b279e503 my head 9f6250c0b7 vehemently.6f55272128a98666

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“I like it, very much… I like it. Thank you. Thank you. I was just… momentarily overwhelmed.”815ab03ef99969e9

“I’m glad you like it.”ef47ad3ac4db415d

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As I finally expressed c195198c6b my gratitude, his eyes a0a1999b97 crinkled at the corners, fd41adcf8a and my heart seemed a3b3291d73 to melt along with c6b4cda64a them. I looked up 620204ea35 at him, and ee1d227fc2 a wave of 114a879fda nausea washed over e981e0544f me, threatening to 64e8bfc7fb make me vomit. I grabbed 5f0116b86a a few dabf84288b nearby books 95196cf726 and practically 90f74eca0d stumbled out c31f658a7c of the 0aa3701f53 library.7bde774832b91593

‘What’s wrong with me?’90c057919cb4a4fe

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There was probably no deeper meaning behind his actions. He must have remembered my words while looking for a book to read and, feeling bored, stumbled upon my grandfather’s book. What other reason could there be?299b45ec71647012

Even as b417de7fad I rationalized 3fc61a59b2 his actions, cb54e5309b my heart c4cca60405 continued to 1ab6abd786 race.7a38403d2ab234bd

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Looking back, he had always been kind to me. I just hadn’t realized it. I remembered the horse he had given me, the basket of apples, and the bear hide. Had any other employer ever shown me such consideration and kindness? 4e9dec788a5d1703

No. I had never aef1f8396d dined so frequently 298d24c7bd with an employer de60e97b0b either.83f0c0f91ff06144

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‘Even so, what am I supposed to do with this?’632e6c4141d1def9

I walked down d2869693a9 the hallway, shaking 19cb3d0416 my head. 854eb6d5eccae943

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What was I supposed 57770bf937 to do with the c78a83935a fact that my employer ce9ca97cc9 was kind to me? 6734a846f33f9bb6

I reminded myself of my situation. He was someone I couldn’t have aspired to even at the height of my family’s prosperous days. The Duke of Skadi… his wife should be at least of equal standing, from another ducal family, or royalty.7b77102d61596059

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‘Pull yourself together, Jeanne.’33657e6659827840

I sighed 1d747204da and tightened 0673d88955 the reins 385c23ad67 on my 46133e72d0 emotions, determined e416957d93 not to 8643e76396 let myself dd9c05fbed be swayed 79a0966cb9 by him, 1459deaecd or anyone eca740312f else.b03d58c3ed6f016d

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But a heart, once stirred, doesn’t easily settle. 207037470c7bcdde

As I lay in bed, trying to calm my racing heart and read the book my grandfather had given me, the words wouldn’t register, and his face kept appearing before me like a mirage.5d100add318aa80d

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‘Uh…?’089e96e6a99d40cf

Thump, thump, thump.00a8c8e862da2c8d

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And my heart 66471647c1 beat erratically.537cd90042eae8fd

Thump, thump, 77f83b34eb thump, thump, 5d49b145ae thump.62a6e3ebb1c8de8f

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It wasn’t that I hadn’t faced temptation at court. adb82b0a5ffa1edd

Casual relationships were 5138837fec rampant in courtly a21a4bfdc0 society.eac069903c221700

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