Chapter 29
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Sponsored by Bongbongie’s mom. Thank you (3/3)
***
"What are you doing here?"
It was Patrick Paddingham. As if he had just arrived, a carriage passed behind Khaled.
“What were you thinking about that you didn’t even notice the carriage was coming?”
As he said, Khaled really didn't hear or notice anything. That fact was both funny and pathetic, so Khaled laughed lightly.
The two went inside while having a casual conversation. As he headed to the second floor, passing by the club members drinking in the private bar, thick smoke came in. After wading through the fragrant yet musty smell of cigars, they arrived at a living room with red walls on all sides.
Khaled ordered coffee as soon as he sat down on the black leather sofa, and Patrick picked up today's newspaper neatly arranged on one side of the table.
“Nicholas looked listless. Do you know anything?” Patrick asked.
Khaled laughed briefly and shrugged his shoulders. Just then, the cup of hot coffee he ordered was ready. Khaled said as he looked at the steaming glass, “I guess he fell in love.”
“Love?"
Patrick, who asked, came up with the name without difficulty.
“Do you mean Miss Sandalwood? What kind of love is that?”
Patrick shook his head as if he thought the notion was ridiculous.
Okay. This was what the minds of all these men here were like. A mysterious woman who appeared with countless rumors. Without family or property. A strange woman who had nothing but a freshly made story of a desperate escape. All the interest in her was curiosity, not affection. The woman didn't know that. Stupidly.
“Patrick!”
Khaled, who was drinking coffee, turned his head and saw Nicholas smiling brightly.
“The Count of Lavonne was also there?”
His face, which had been dying until a few days ago, was as bright as a flower in bloom. Nicholas joined them, using his usual sly tone.
Khaled observed his expression with cold eyes.
“Do you think something good is happening?”
At his soft question, Nicholas playfully rolled his eyes and then burst into laughter.
“Yes. Good things."
What was it? With that man’s personality, there was no way he would have liked another woman right away. Until yesterday, he was a distraught person who said he unintentionally hurt Aubrey. He said the woman who had nothing didn't even reply to his letters.
Clink. Khaled put down his teacup, leaned back deeply on the sofa, and crossed one leg. Whatever it was, he was just going to ignore it.
Until Nicholas said, “I went to Ravant Mansion yesterday.”
At those words, Patrick, who was reading the newspaper, narrowed his eyebrows as if amazed.
“Did you go to see Miss Sandalwood?”
“Yes, finally.”
Khaled was staring at Nicholas without any reaction.
“We held on and had a conversation. I also apologized for that day. Just as I suspected, she overheard what was being said in the room.”
“You apologized?”
“Because it is true that I was wrong. I really broke the poor lady’s heart.”
Patrick shook his head as if he was tired and opened the newspaper again.
“Did she accept your apology?”
It was a mistake to suddenly ask that question. Khaled felt silly as to why he asked such a question even after spitting out the words.
“That is…”
However, the moment Nicholas' eye corners drooped, an inexplicable laugh was about to burst out.
She was not that kind of woman. Aubrey Sandalwood was not the type of person to accept being told he was sorry even after being treated so poorly right in front of her eyes.
That was her personality, which Khaled guessed right away after just a few conversations. Even though she was shaking, she said what she wanted to say. Even though she shed thick tears, she acted confidently.
She probably just rolled her eyes, paying no heed to Nicholas' persistent apology. She might have said that she didn't want to deal with people like him.
“Fortunately, she accepted it.”
What? Did he hear wrong? Khaled raised an eyebrow.
“She may not have completely resolved her disappointment yet, but she still thanked me for coming and apologizing. I felt so relieved at that moment.”
“…”
“She smiled, but I still can’t feel at ease. I would like to use this opportunity to become a little closer to her. Come to think of it, I heard that Miss Aubrey has recently taken up a hobby of writing. I'm thinking of giving a few books as a gift to her, who may write great works in the future. Is there a book you can recommend?”
The ridicule that had been boiling in Khaled’s throat disappeared without a trace.
This was a woman who always talked without fear, raising the blood vessels in her neck. Khaled tried to imagine Aubrey thanking him for his apology, but he couldn't. Of course, he couldn't picture her smiling.
Because it was a face he had never seen before.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
That face didn't disappear until he left the club and got into the carriage. Without even knowing her smiling face, Aubrey Sandalwood was persistently occupying a corner of Khaled’s mind.
He told her to disappear, but she refused and was solidifying her position. Khaled didn't like this situation.
Aubrey was dreaming a dream he once had. She’s filled with expectations that if she does well, she might be able to blend into this upper class. Khaled guessed she accepted the apology from the man who openly said he pitied her for that reason.
Stupidly.
“…So you need to hurry up and hire a playwright.”
After finishing the report neatly, Lehman looked at the Boss's face. It was clear that he didn't listen to a word he’d said.
“I told you that you need to hire a playwright for the main show that will be going up at Karnus Hall.”
Lehman pronounced long words clearly, as if he were stuffing them into the Boss's ears.
Khaled's gaze, which had been looking elsewhere, gradually shifted to him.
“Playwright?”
“This is a performance to be held at the opening ceremony. I heard you have no intention of renting another play at that time.”
In addition to having his own theater company at Karnus Hall, Khaled also planned to produce original plays. Exclusive theater company and theater. The idea was to make the name of Karnus Hall itself a brand. That time was quickly approaching.
“The letter Olenum sent said that there are no good writers in Calozeras. Should we expand the candidate area?”
“…”
“Boss?"
Khaled stroked his sturdy chin. He smiled at the thought that immediately occurred.
“Now that I think about it, I heard that Miss Aubrey has recently taken up a hobby of writing. So, I'm thinking of giving a few books as a gift to her p, who may write great works in the future. Is there a book you can recommend?”
Nicholas said so. Countess Ravant also always added this whenever she spoke of Aubrey. Aubrey Sandalwood was her proud niece, who had both intellect and beauty, and who had accumulated knowledge by visiting the library every day and reading a huge amount of books. Now, she not only read books, but also wrote long articles.
“Tell Olenum to stop.”
“Shall we look somewhere else?”
“No. I have the right person.”
Why? Khaled thought of Aubrey as the right person. It seemed like something very interesting was going to happen. Aubrey was still occupying his mind with a presence that could not be ignored.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Two days later the living room of the Ravant Mansion was busy with the visit of an unexpected guest.
The employees, as well as Emily and Barbara, were completely flustered and sat down on the sofa after getting ready to greet the guests. Finally the guest entered.
“Please forgive my rudeness for visiting without warning.”
The man's appearance shined even brighter in the living room, brightly lit by the midday sunlight. Emily thought, somehow, as time passed, Khaled seemed to become more intense as if reaching his peak.
“If it’s Count Lavonne, you are welcome at any time.”
When Barbara smiled sweetly, Khaled made a graceful bow. When he sat down, Lehman, who was following him, placed a large white box on the table.
“What is this?”
In the very center of the rectangular box was the emblem of the Count of Lavonne. Black, gold, red. Even if it was a three-headed snake, the harmony of the three colors was beautiful.
“This is a new tea brand to be launched at Lavonne. It had a really good flavor when I tasted it, and then I remembered that Countess Ravant enjoys tea.”
Barbara and even Emily were so moved that they covered their mouths with both hands. How could a man who was so unresponsive even know the trivial hobbies of the women in this family? Emily would have loved to run around the drawing room if she hadn't had eyes to see.
Barbara opened the box and smiled happily. Six glass bottles placed upright on red silk. It was full of finely dried tea leaves.
"Oh my god. How can the color be so beautiful?”
Even though she just lightly smelled it, the fragrant and warm smell filled her nostrils.
“This is indeed the insight of Count Lavonne.”
“That’s too much praise.”
The man who came with a gift had a conversation with the mother and daughter. Emily, who didn't know he was such a good talker, listened to his every word.
Before long, the topic of conversation naturally turned to Karnus Hall.
Khaled said the elegant hall, which would soon become the largest cultural space on earth, planned to host not only exclusive theater companies but also original plays.
“So, you’re saying I can see the play the Count himself produced?”
“It's just a plan for now, but I’ll be able to do it soon, Miss Ravant.”
"Oh my! I didn’t know you had such talent!”
Khaled smiled sweetly at the admiring Emily. Then he turned his gaze to Barbara. Now it was time to reveal the true purpose of coming here.
“Unfortunately, I just come up with interesting topics and don’t have the ability to turn them into stories. So, I'd like to ask for Miss Aubrey Sandalwood's help.”
“Of course, that…pardon me?"
Emily, who was responding quickly, heard something strange and raised her eyes.
“I heard that Miss Aubrey Sandalwood has read every book in the library over the years. And that she’s recently taken up a hobby of writing?”
“How did you..?”
“I heard from Nicholas Artherton that Miss Sandalwood's study was quite excellent. There were many compliments that she might write great works in the future. After hearing that story, I thought that Miss Sandalwood might be someone who could turn the topic into an interesting story. Despite my shame, I would like to ask her a favor.”
Khaled smiled.
Emily kept her eyes raised and pondered his words. There was something fishy about it, a strange feeling, but it also seemed to make sense.
“Count…”
Barbara was equally perplexed, but as expected, she called out to him softly without a single expression on her face.
“Thank you for being so kind to Aubrey. But I'm worried. While it’s true that the child’s writing skills are excellent, I’m not sure if they are good enough to be of help to the Count.”
Barbara's tone was properly kind, but her pronunciation was crisp.
“The plays the Count makes are a business. Right? It's a play that people pay money to see. How could the skill of an amateur meet the enormity of your task?”
“That’s why it must be Miss Sandalwood. Because she’s an amateur.”
If Barbara's voice was like a polite and gentle breeze, Khaled's voice was like a spear that struck you all at once. So much so that Emily, who had been listening quietly, suddenly raised her head.
“Professional artists no longer pursue art because they are blinded by money. We need fresh ideas rather than just hastily written stories to suit the price. I have no intention of putting works that can be seen anywhere in Karnus Hall. I think Miss Sandalwood is the person who fits my purpose best.”
Was it because he was a businessman? His tone was bold and precise. The feeling of seducing the other person with clear confidence. Barbara once again recalled that he was the person who developed Lavonne in a short period of time.
“It won’t take long, ma’am.”
***
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