CHAPTER NINE
After having breakfast with the Marquess, Lady Beatrice headed back to her room.
Entering
the room, she stopped for a moment because of the unfamiliar things greeted her
view. “Is this really my room?”, she muttered inwardly.
The
wide-open space that she used for morning exercise in her room was fully
occupied by big ribboned boxes with different hues.
“My Beatrice, have you seen my gifts?”
Reminded
by the conversation with the Marquess, she confirmedly asked Marielle who is behind
her, “Are these gifts from my father?”
“Yes, My Lady.”, Marielle beamingly confirmed.
Lady
Beatrice thought that the special council meeting is held once every month in
the imperial palace located at the Capital. “Did Lady Beatrice regularly got
these enormous gifts every time the Marquess visited the Capital City?”, she
muttered again in herself with unbelievable remarks.
“Marielle, will you please open and organize these
gifts now?”, she
ordered with disbelief.
“My Lady?”,
Marielle asked confusedly.
“Is there something wrong?”, she answered with a question.
“I am sorry. My Lady, it was just that you usually
love to open your gifts on your own.”, Marielle commented.
“Ahh is that so?” “I would really love to but not now,
Marielle, I have eaten too much. Please open the gifts for me”, as she pleaded. “I did not lie. It
was true. Marielle has no idea how bloated I am from the foods that I savored a
while ago. All I wanted now is to crawl on my bed now.”, she continued on
her mind, but living now in a pretense of an elegant woman with high etiquette
education, she can’t just crawl on her bed like the old times even she was
dying to do so unless being alone in her room. Thus, she decided to sit on her
bed.
When
Marielle started opening the gift, loosening the ribbons, she noticed the
excitement of her personal maid’s face. “Maybe I should give her a gift too.”
Beautiful
dresses, jewelries, and wonderful hats were all inside the boxes. On her
thought, the prices of all the gifts appeared exorbitant by just scrutinizing
its quality and perfectly detailed handicraft. In her previous life, she wholeheartedly
admired these gifts, however, all were too attractive, too catchy in the eye
that will only make her uncomfortable wearing it in casual days. She is not fond
of too much attentions especially in the center of the crowd. She enjoyed being with few friends and in
solitude by reading good books or watching movies.
“Books”, she
unconsciously spoke at her sudden thought.
Marielle
who is happily busy opening the gifts, stopped. “Books, My Lady? But I don’t
think there is any book here. These are all—”
“Yes, I know. Marielle. I just suddenly thought about
it.”, she said and
turned her gaze in the other direction. “And as if the real Beatrice would
love to read books.”, as she musingly added. Obtaining this body, she
remembered that the real lady only thought beautiful dresses and jewelries, a
woman who was only busy in grooming and attracting people’s attention, and
never cared about reading or any other activity. “I should teach this body
the importance of learning.”, she uttered in herself with high spirit.
“Then, after you took your rest, My Lady, you might
want to visit the Library.”
“Library!?”,
she excitedly screamed and stood up from the bed. “There is a library. Why I
haven’t thought about that?”, with regret, she thought.
“Yes, My Lady. It was in the west wing.”, Marielle unconsciously reminded
her lady where the library is located. “We can visit it after you took your
res—“, she was trailed off.
“No.”,
Lady Beatrice shook her hand disagreeing with Marielle, and happily continued, “We
will go now after you unpacked all those gifts. I want to read books”
“I understand, My Lady.”, perplexed but happily replied by
Marielle.
****-------****
“We’re here, My Lady”, announced by Marielle and followed
by opening the door.
It
was the largest library that she had ever seen in her entire life. Her school’s
library and the bookstore in her previous life were nothing compared to this. In
Beatrice’s eyes, the place was filled by an automatic filter of sparkles and
hearts just like when they were taking selfies on their phone. Stars and hearts
were floating in the air. “If only android phones were invented to this era.
I would take photos of every corner of this library.”, she surmised with excitement.
She
remembered the live-action movie of her favorite childhood fairy tale, Beauty
and the Beast that was led by her favorite actress, Emma Watson. If she could
see her reflection now, she might be having the same reaction of Belle, the Beauty,
when she first saw the library of the Beast. She never expected it to surprise her
this much. Further, she thought that if the breakfast caused her mouth
drooling, now, she’ll agree if her eyes were both in tourmaline form made by
the magnificent view.
Unknowingly,
Beatrice has no idea that Marielle tilted her head with confusion while she was
openly admiring the place.
It
was well taken care of and the books were organized by its genre: History,
Mathematics, Health etc. “Having this kind of Library, I would really love this
place more.”
Her
musings were interrupted when Marielle spoke, “My Lady, I will prepare some tea
and snacks for you. I’ll be back immediately.”
“Okay, Marielle, but you can take
your time unhurriedly.”, she replied with a smile.
Marielle
curtsied and bowed. Then, she headed out from the library.
****-------****
Marielle
was astonished with perplexity by the joyful appearance of her lady. It was the
first time that she had seen the lady displaying pure happiness. She thought
that the angelic appearance of her Lady at that time truly suited her now.
She
doesn’t want to interrupt the lady’s time exploring the library but she had to
prepare the snacks and tea.
“My Lady, I will prepare some tea and snacks for you. I’ll
be back immediately.”,
she called.
“Okay, Marielle, but you can take your time unhurriedly.”, her lady replied with a smile.
She
curtsied and bowed. Then, she headed out from the library. Reaching the way to the
kitchen, Marielle can’t help to smile remembering the lovely sight of the lady.
On
her way, she unexpectedly met the Marquess in the hallway. She immediately
stopped and gave way with lowered her head and curtsy.
The
Marquess stopped when she recognized the personal maid of her daughter. “How
is my daughter with my gifts?”, he asked.
“The Lady was surprised and grateful of your gifts,
Your Highness.”, she
answered.
“That’s good. Are you going to prepare her snacks?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I bought special pastries from the capital. Serve it
to her.”
“Yes, Your Highness. The Lady would love to have that.
It will also help her to enjoy more her time in the library.”, she informed.
“Glad to hear that. So, she was now at the library—.”, the Marquess halted with the sudden
utterance.
“Wait. My Beatrice was in the library?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“What is she doing there?”, the Marquess asked with disbelief.
He knew well that after learning to read and count through hired tutor, his daughter
never visited the library again. Other than the Young Heir of Duke Aland, the
lady was also enchanted by beautiful dresses, jewelries and expensive shoes. So,
knowing his daughter was taking her time in the library, he can’t absorb it well.
“She said that she wanted to read books, Your Highness.”
“She wanted to read books?”, the Marquess thought with astonishment.
It was hard to digest the idea. He was still not recovering from the sudden statement
coming from his daughter during their breakfast. “Now, the library? Did I miss
something while I am away for a week?”
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