As the Duke and the Count continued their conversation, I struggled to gather my shaken thoughts. Forcing myself to pull it together, I stepped out of the room. When I quietly closed the door behind me, the cool air of the corridor hit my face.
Standing before me, my uncle and Noah were watching me carefully.
"Theodore, did the Duke say something to you?"
Unlike the way Noah had called out to me before, his voice was now elegant and gentle. I hesitated to answer at first. A strange mix of emotions swelled inside me, but putting them into words was difficult. I shook my head slightly from side to side.
"Well… Nothing happened. They just told me to take care of Luna."
My uncle patted my back reassuringly.
"Luna seemed to like you. I don't think she'll give you any trouble. Don't worry."
I nodded in response. But my mind was still elsewhere. Lady Camilla… The person I thought was alive had actually been dead for a long time. Luna's devotion to her owner, her hope that they would one day return… Or perhaps, she simply couldn't accept Lady Camilla's absence, refusing to acknowledge anyone else. Neither gentle hands, nor kind voices, nor patiently offered rewards had been able to shake her loyalty. She was still waiting for her owner.
But I couldn't allow her to waste away for someone who could never return. I have no regrets about replacing the loneliness and longing in her heart with comfort and security. Instead of losing herself in the shadows of the past, she needed to come back to life. I wanted to offer her a new beginning, to lighten the heavy burden she carried.
Shaking off my thoughts, I focused on the elderly man inside. He was an important guest for the Duke, and since I knew we would encounter him again, I needed to find out who he was.
My uncle had told me that I should address him as "Sir" during business matters.
"Sir, who is the person inside?"
My uncle turned his gaze toward me and answered my question.
"He's the late Duchess's father, Count Adam Ashford. Is there a problem?"
"No, I was just curious."
"I see."
Just then, an employee came and said there was a problem with the meal. My uncle quickly left us, leaving me alone with Noah. In silence, we stood by the door. The soundproof walls made it impossible to hear anything from inside.
When the door suddenly opened, I locked eyes with Count Ashford. I gave a slight bow to show my respect. When the Count left with Noah, I could see the young master through the open door. He slowly stood up and walked toward me calmly. His reluctance to approach was so obvious that if he had tried any harder, he might have walked backward. Don't worry, I'm not enamored with you either.
"How much time until the lesson?" he asked, avoiding eye contact with me.
I checked my watch. "We have an hour, Sir. If we leave now, we'll reach the academy in half an hour."
"Then have the carriage prepared."
Did he think I was going to ask us to walk? I took a deep breath.
Calm down, he's your source of income.
"Understood, Sir."