Watching Cecilia feign indifference, Russell found himself smiling without realizing it. He brushed his hand across his mouth in an attempt to hide his amusement.
When he had hurried back to the castle, he’d been determined to resolve his lingering questions.
But, upon seeing her, the urge to interrogate her faded away.
Russell had never had the chance to casually chat with someone who didn’t fear or shy away from him.
That type of experience only existed in his childhood memories with his parents.
So, he found these little conversations with her enjoyable.
Even if he pressed her, there was no guarantee he’d get a truthful answer, and he didn’t want to disrupt the light atmosphere between them now.
“So, that’s why there are no doors here.”
Cecilia spoke as if realizing something.
“But that red door…”
Her voice trailed off as she met his gaze.
She wanted to ask more, but after having been turned down once, her pride stopped her from asking again.
‘It must be a secret he doesn’t share with just anyone.’
Cecilia knew that, to him, she was simply ‘just anyone’.
A bond sworn before God, between husband and wife?
That didn’t mean anything here.
“If we go down this corridor, where does it lead?”
“To the garden. Not much is left there.”
Cecilia nodded. Without plants, a garden was just empty ground.
Yet, she felt a pull to see whatever remnants might be left.
She began walking in the direction of the garden.
Russell followed alongside her, saying nothing.
An oddly awkward silence lingered between them.
Russell glanced at her from the side.
Cecilia didn’t know it, but if she had asked about the red door again, Russell wouldn’t have shut her down as he had before.
“You heard about the restricted areas, right?”
“Hoffman came and told me about the curse in the north wing.”
Then, Cecilia’s voice lowered.
“But something he said seemed strange.”
“What was strange?”
“He said you aren’t affected by the curse.”
Meeting his gaze briefly, Cecilia looked forward again.
“My nanny claims that this so-called curse is just a scare tactic to keep people away.”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know.”
She hesitated.
“But it is strange. If there’s really a curse and only you’re immune, that would be a huge secret, wouldn’t it? Yet Hoffman spoke about it so casually.”
“It’s not a secret. Anyone who knows would be aware of it.”
“Like who?”
“For example… Grand Duke Jericho.”
“What?”
Cecilia looked at him, wide-eyed.
“All seven grand dukes know about it.”
“But I’ve… never heard of it.”
In her past life, Cecilia had met and mingled with many people. She had heard just about every rumor and piece of gossip in circulation.
But what Russell was telling her now was entirely new to her.
“It’s a long story… well, I mean, not that I’m trying to avoid it. It really is just a bit lengthy.”
Cecilia’s eyes widened before she broke into laughter.
“Still thinking about how you spoke to me last time?”
Russell averted his gaze.
While still looking off in another direction, he spoke.
“My tone wasn’t great, I admit. To explain myself, I was tense—worried since I had to go after you in the north wing.”
That day, he had hesitantly gone toward the north wing and heard a woman’s voice crying out.He’d rushed over, but in the place protected by illusion magic, he saw no one.
It had been a terrifying moment. If anything had happened to her in Lagos Castle,
the aftermath would have been overwhelming.
Cecilia understood what he was saying.
If the north wing was truly as dangerous as he said, he must have feared the worst, even death.
“So, if I asked for that long story now, would you tell it?”
“Gladly.”
They reached the hallway leading to the garden, and suddenly the area brightened.
Cecilia fell silent for a moment.
The garden wasn’t entirely empty. Weeds and wild plants had grown almost up to chest height.
‘Why did I expect only an empty plot?’
This scene made sense.
“It’s best not to go in too far. There are snakes.”
Cecilia’s eyes widened in alarm.
“Snakes?”
“And frogs.”
“There are frogs, too?”
“There’s a pond.”
“But in this cold…”
She trailed off, realizing that it was warmer here than in the ballroom or lounge.
‘It’s probably because of the sunlight? But sunlight hits other areas too…’
She looked up and gasped.
It wasn’t an open space with no ceiling.
A vast glass dome covered the sky above them.
The glass ceiling kept out the cold while allowing sunlight to pour in.
It was an enormous greenhouse.
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