Chapter 106

Own Space (3)

“Madam, have a honey cake in your room! The administrators also have a share.” Buttercup stuck out her head through the gap in the study door.

She brought a studded cake with a thick layer of honey between crisp biscuits sprinkled with nuts.

After Lily praised her pastry skills, her dessert level was evolving every day.

The maids were filled with anticipation as to what kind of praises Lily has today.

Also, the maids, who had not even stepped into the hallways of the library even after ten years of service, were curious and stalked from behind.

The maid, Eila, spoke admiringly, “Wow. The third floor study… It’s like being in the imperial palace.”

Except for the vaulted ceiling and the spacious central section, everything was about books. Bookshelves lined the walls and the passageways.

In the central section, which was spread wide with a lattice marble floor, the magistrates surrounded tables of auburn oak.

Among the slender men, Lily tilted her head slightly. Her braided silver hair fell to one side.

“Thank you. Please bring only one piece to the bedroom for me, and prepare the rest with tea at the dinner hall so that the administrators can eat it.”

“Yes, Madam!” As it was a regular order, the maids scattered towards the hallway as if waiting.

Lily turned her head back to the table. Her eyes narrowed a little. “Can you tell me the progress of the fort construction, Magistrate Lowell?”

Lowell turned the page of papers he was holding. “Thanks to your attention, it is going smoothly. The banquet hall and parlor will be finished by the time the lord returns.”

“It’s good. It’s really well done. I…” Lily hesitated, holding her fountain pen. “Is Dandelion doing well?”

The expression on his face got even darker. Lowell pushed up his glasses, which had slipped over the tip of his nose. “The child is working.”

Lily let out an awkward sigh and nodded, putting her pen down. “Sorry. Are you all tired? We can talk while we eat something sweet.”

Hans brightened visibly. “Thank you, madam!”

A burst of laughter erupted.

Lily smiled lightly, too, and got up from her chair. “Am I bothering you…? You keep thanking me every time.”

Hans happily waved his hand. “There are a lot of things I can do, but it’s a million times better than the days when I couldn’t convince myself to sleep at night due to the pressure of work. So I say it every time.”

“I think Vlad…” she trailed off, feeling bitterness well up. Soon she rose from the table with a casual smile. “We put national defense and security first, right?”

The administrators nodded.

She knew it was important, but it was also true that they, who always did work behind the scenes, were deeply saddened for having no recognition

Lily turned, and her maid, waiting for her, gave her a wine-colored robe.

Her robes were too long for her, so it was Vlad’s cloak.

The maid chief pulled over Lily’s robe collar. Lily was served naturally, as she turned her head towards Hans.

“Hans. It looks like you’ve run out of things to check with the documentation. I need to go to Cadis.”

As they walked side by side between the bookcases soaring like a wall, the administrators lined up behind them in two rows.

It was a strange sight for the duchess to be followed by a group of magistrates and not maids.

“It goes without saying that there are things that you can only learn by inspecting. However…” Hans glanced at the guard, who had dug like an owl between the shelves of her bookshelf.

“I don’t think it will be easy to gain permission. You don’t have an escort, and it’s under the jurisdiction of Count Valks, so it’ll be a lot of trouble.”

At present, the security of Cadis was temporarily in Count Valks’ charge because he was given the role of the fort securities.

Lily’s smooth forehead furrowed slightly. “Still, I can’t delay it any longer. It is said that it is a small merchant target, but the number of people entering and leaving has increased… I have to see what the situation is.”

As they reached the entrance to the study, the guard opened the door. Lily went through the wide open door while talking to Hans.

Hans tapped his lip with two long fingers. “Even if you push yourself to go to Cadis, if it’s Valks… He’ll never let you wander around at night.  The number of outsiders has increased, so that would be considered dangerous.”

“Aren’t I the only noble woman in Cadis?”

“Other low-ranking nobles’ wives and young children will not be allowed to move around either.”

As they passed through the spacious hallway, knights they encountered often greeted them politely.

Lily pursed her lips as if she was in trouble, but she spoke slowly, “How about installing street lights in Cadis this time?”

“Street lights?” Hans stood tall. The sound of the magistrates following and stopping echoed through the arched hallway.

Lily, half a step ahead, turned back and nodded. “The winter is long and the sun sets early because it is a mountainous area. If there is light, the lives of citizens will be improved in many ways. It’s also good for one’s health.”

“Although there are street lights on the main street in front of the Imperial Palace. I’ve never seen an entire city with lights on.”