The long-absent master of the grand ducal estate finally appeared, and the first words he spoke to the head steward, Bendell, were, “Do you know about the secret room in this estate?”

 

“Well, they say one of my predecessors built it.”

 

Derivis added, while Rosalie, standing beside him, looked at Bendell with an eager gleam in her eyes.

 

Bendell racked his brain.

 

“I haven’t heard any rumors about a secret room, but there is a gallery where the late Grand Duke stored his collected and personally crafted artworks.”

 

“Show us.”

 

Without hesitation, Bendell led them to the mansion’s innermost room, a space that hadn’t been opened in years.

 

“My apologies for the dust…”

 

Bendell muttered as he opened the door, revealing a room flooded with sunlight that illuminated the dust particles swirling in the air. Embarrassed, he quickly opened the windows, letting fresh air sweep the dust away.

 

“It’s fine. Leave us for now.”

 

“Of course. If you need anything, please call for me.”

 

Bendell replied, bowing before leaving the room.

 

Rosalie began to explore the space as soon as the door closed, uncovering one sheet after another from the statues and paintings. She carefully unveiled the covered artworks, her eyes scanning their details.

 

“It seems the late Grand Duke was quite an art enthusiast.”

 

“I heard he was frail as well.”

 

Rosalie’s curiosity grew. What kind of secret could be hidden in a place like this? It wasn’t greed but a pure sense of adventure that drove her. Together, they removed all the coverings, examining the revealed artworks.

 

“Does anything stand out to you?”

 

“Not at all.”

 

The two stood in silence, scrutinizing the collection, but no clues presented themselves.

 

“A hint would be helpful.”

 

Rosalie sighed.

 

“The late Grand Duke lived during the previous Emperor’s era. He was known for his quiet demeanor, so there aren’t many rumors about him.”

 

Frustrated, Rosalie walked to the window and gazed outside. The blooming flowers in the garden caught her attention, and she suddenly noticed the same view in one of the paintings.

 

“Derivis, there’s a painting of the mansion’s garden.”

 

“You’re right. There’s even one depicting the maids’ laundry area.”

 

“Now that I look closer, many of the paintings feature parts of the mansion.”

 

As Rosalie studied a painting of a secluded corner of the garden, she noticed something unusual: one side of the painting’s frame was made of a different-colored wood.

 

“Why is this side a different color?”

 

Curious, she lightly tapped the frame. With a soft click, the differently colored part of the frame detached, revealing a hidden compartment.

 

“What… a key?”

 

Examining the fallen frame, Rosalie discovered a key tucked into the back.

 

“What could this key open?”

 

“Does the mansion have any locked rooms without keys?”

 

“We should ask Bendell.”

 

Derivis replied, ringing a bell. Bendell rushed in shortly afterward.

 

When Derivis handed him the key, Bendell studied it carefully before shaking his head.

 

“There are no locked rooms in the mansion, and I’ve never seen a key like this.”

 

“Let’s visit the locations featured in the paintings.”

 

“That’s a good idea.”

 

Derivis agreed, and they headed for the garden, which appeared most frequently in the artworks.

 

⊱⊱⊱────── {.⋅ ✧✧✧ ⋅.} ──────⊰⊰⊰

 

The two strolled through the mansion’s meticulously maintained garden, taking in the beauty of the space.

 

“The grand ducal garden is stunning.”

 

“It’s been carefully tended to even when it was unoccupied.”

 

As they wandered through the maze-like garden, Rosalie eventually found her way to a gazebo depicted in one of the paintings.

 

“Derivis, this is the spot from the painting.”

 

Her excitement was evident, and Derivis nodded while smiling. Rosalie stepped into the gazebo and began examining it closely, her fingers brushing over its surfaces.

 

What made this place significant? Was it simply its beauty?

 

“This spot… it’s perfect for a secret rendezvous.”

 

“You mean this place?”

 

It felt strange to use the word rendezvous in broad daylight. Rosalie’s confused expression prompted Derivis to smile mischievously and pull her behind one of the thick gazebo pillars.

 

With his arms braced on either side of her, effectively trapping her within his embrace, Derivis brushed her face gently with his hand in a deliberate, intimate gesture.

 

“Like this,” he murmured.

 

The low, teasing tone in his voice sent a small shiver through Rosalie’s fingertips. There was no reason to hide, yet the way he leaned in and whispered as if they were sharing a forbidden secret made her feel as though they were treading the edge of propriety.

 

“Rendezvous don’t care whether it’s day or night.”

 

In the quiet of the garden, it felt as if they were in a world entirely their own. Derivis chuckled softly at the sight of Rosalie’s reddened cheeks.

 

“So, what should we do now?”

 

But before Derivis could continue, her hands moved to rest lightly on his shoulders, surprising him. His playful smile faltered as she leaned closer, turning the tables on him.

 

‘I can’t always be the one caught off guard.’

 

Though unfamiliar with such boldness, Rosalie had grown used to his teasing. Smiling mischievously, she let her fingers trail through his sleek black hair, enjoying its soft texture as it slipped between her fingers.

 

“….”

 

Derivis froze, uncharacteristically silent, as Rosalie rose onto her tiptoes and leaned in close. Her warm breath tickled his ear as she whispered.

 

“Now, let’s think about who the late Grand Duke might have been rendezvousing with.”

 

With that, she slipped out of his grasp and stepped back, looking at him with triumphant glee. Derivis stared at her, finally realizing he had been bested, while Rosalie reveled in her small victory.

 

‘This is more fun than I thought.’

 

Now she understood why he enjoyed teasing her so much. His stunned reaction was entertaining, and the sense of playful triumph was oddly satisfying.

 

Derivis let out a soft laugh, brushing his hand through his hair.

 

“You got me this time.”

 

Then, he glanced back at the garden.

 

“Whoever it was, they must have been someone from the mansion.”

 

“Why do you think that?”

 

“Because only someone familiar with these maze-like gardens would know to meet here.”

 

Rosalie paused, her gaze turning thoughtful.

 

“Where did the late Grand Duke live?”

 

“I think somewhere on the second floor, but I’ll need to check.”

 

⊱⊱⊱────── {.⋅ ✧✧✧ ⋅.} ──────⊰⊰⊰

 

Bendell quickly confirmed the location.

 

“It was the middle room on the second floor. Allow me to show you.”

 

The room, bathed in sunlight, had a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

 

“The late Grand Duke loved this room for how bright and sunny it was.”

 

Bendell opened all the windows to ventilate the room, and he explained before discreetly leaving.

 

Rosalie leaned against the window, gazing outside.

 

“You can see the laundry area even better from here.”

 

Recalling the painting, she quickly spotted the familiar view.

 

Meanwhile, Derivis stood behind her, fiddling with the key.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“I’ve got a feeling there’s a hidden room here.”

 

He replied, his eyes scanning the space.

 

Moments later, Derivis approached a large grandfather clock and effortlessly pushed it aside. A faint scraping sound revealed a plain wall behind it.

 

Rosalie stepped forward and pushed against the wall. To her surprise, it gave way, revealing a small wooden door.

 

“…How did you know this was here?”

 

“Just a hunch.”

 

He said with a shrug, inserting the key into the door’s lock. It fit perfectly. With a click, the lock fell to the ground, and Derivis swung the door open.

 

Inside was a room filled with faded portraits of a woman.

 

“It seems this was the late Grand Duke’s secret.”

 

The paintings depicted the woman in various scenes: working as a maid, standing beside the Grand Duke, and even wearing a wedding dress.

 

“I heard he never married.”

 

“It wasn’t that he didn’t marry—it’s that he couldn’t. A union between a noble and a commoner, or worse, royalty and a commoner, was unthinkable back then.”

 

Among the paintings, Rosalie found a letter tucked into one of the frames. She hesitated briefly before reading it aloud, with Derivis leaning in to listen.

 

[To whoever finds this place,

I don’t know who you are, but discovering this secret of mine must be embarrassing.

I lived here with the one I loved, hoping to grow old together. But she, far healthier than I, left this world before me.

To protect her, I erased every trace of her existence, yet I couldn’t bring myself to destroy these paintings.

I couldn’t bear the thought of them gathering dust unseen, so I secretly spread rumors among the royals.

Please, take a moment to look at these works and remember us. And if you’re willing, pass this secret on quietly to others.

May you cherish the memories of a quiet, happy life spent in this sanctuary.]

 

Rosalie set the letter down and looked around at the paintings again.

 

“The garden, the laundry area, the estate… all the places depicted were where he spent time with the woman he loved.”

 

“His eyes must have always been drawn to her. There’s more written on the back of the letter.”

 

Rosalie turned it over to find a brief note.

[Behind one of the paintings, you’ll find a bottle of wine. It’s a reward for finding this place. Please replace it with a new bottle for the next person.]

 

Chuckling, Rosalie read the note aloud. Derivis walked to the painting mentioned, lifted it, and uncovered a dusty brown bottle of wine.

 

Examining it, he smiled.

 

“This is one of the Empire’s treasures. He must have smuggled it here.”

 

“Quiet life or not, he was bold.”

 

Rosalie replied, placing the letter back where she’d found it.

 

“Since it’s a reward, let’s enjoy it.”

 

Derivis nodded, tucking the bottle under his arm with a smile.

 

 

Like my translations?
Buy me a Milktea!