After returning to her room, Kat stayed there all day until dinner. As she sat beside Lucian, she noticed he was still in a bad mood, just as he had been for the past few days.
During the meal, Sabastian approached Lucian with a concerned expression. As he served the food, he glanced at Kat, who was quietly eating, then turned to Lucian.
"Shall I appoint another governess for Miss Kat?" Sebastian asked. Kat's eyes snapped to Sebastian, trying to signal him to stop, but she immediately looked away when Lucian raised his gaze from his food.
Kat bit her bottom lip, wishing Sabastian hadn't brought it up. "With the ball approaching soon, that would be a waste of time. Every governess we appoint ends up being a liability," Lucian stated. "You will be the one to teach Katherine from tomorrow on."
Kat, who had been worried a moment ago, now smiled lightly at Lucian's statement. Sabastian, on the other hand, paused. "My lord? The issue at the capital?" Sabastian reminded.
"How long would it take?" Lucian asked, putting a piece of meat in his mouth.
Kat watched Lucian eat his steak, surprised by the unusual sight. 'Well, that's new,' she thought. She continued to listen to their conversation but couldn't understand much, except something about an issue in the capital.
Then, out of nowhere, Sabastian suggested, "Why not teach Miss Kat yourself, my lord? You could cover the basics—reading, writing, and such—for the two days I'll be attending to the capital."
As Sabastian spoke, Kat was taking a sip of her orange juice, but as she heard his suggestion... 'Absolutely not happening!'
she accidentally spat it out, the sudden burst catching her off guard. Droplets sprayed forward, landing in Lucian's food and even on his face. Everyone froze, momentarily stunned.
Kat's fingers flew to her lips, her eyes wide with surprise. The maids, who had been quietly standing in their places around the room, all turned their attention to the scene, their eyes wide with shock. They exchanged quick, nervous glances, each clearly expecting an outburst from the king. Lucian was always very meticulous when it came to cleanliness and was easily irritated, especially since his temper had been worse than normal lately.
Kat could feel everyone's gaze on hers, including one that felt like it could pierce right through her. She meekly raised her head, glancing at Lucian, who was glaring at her.
Lucian's stern, cold expression made Kat feel a surge of worry as she noticed some droplets had landed in his food. She hesitantly raised her hand to his face, dabbing the napkin on his cheek to clean off the little droplets. She muttered a quiet 'Sorry,' while still holding his glare..
The maids held their breaths, already pitying Kat for what was about to come, but to their surprise...
Lucian's hand came up to hold hers that was dabbing the napkin on his face, making Kat pause warily. He sighed, clearly annoyed. "Let it be," he said tersely. Kat swiftly withdrew her hand from his, returning her gaze to her food.
Sabastian stepped in to take the steak away, but to his surprise, Lucian waved for him to leave it. As Lucian continued eating his steak, seemingly unfazed by the orange juice droplets, the maids exchanged disbelieving glances. One of them mouthing, "He's not even bothered?" Another maid's eyes widened, but none dared to make noise that could displease Lucian, keeping their gossip for later.
Sabastian, still standing beside Lucian, looked equally stunned. Kat, on the other hand, was still trying to process the unexpected turn of events, her head tilted slightly, her eyes fixed on Lucian. She couldn't believe he was simply ignoring the fact that orange juice from her mouth had gotten into his food, continuing to eat it as if nothing had happened.
"Will you move closer so you can get a better look at my face, Katherine?" Kat heard Lucian ask. She shook her head and returned her gaze to her food. The room fell silent again.
"It will be less busy for me over the next few days, so it shouldn't be a problem," Lucian suddenly said, taking a bite of his steak. Sabastian nodded in response. At first, it took Kat a second to realize what he meant.
"What?!" she asked.
"Is there a problem, Katherine?" Lucian asked. Kat's lips parted at first, but nothing came out. Then she spoke, " You don't have to bother yourself with me. You're very busy. I will just wait for Sebastian to be free," Kat refused swiftly.
But Lucian's gaze narrowed. "Be at my room before eight tomorrow morning," he ordered simply, leaving Kat both stunned and annoyed. She didn't want Lucian teaching her.
Kat couldn't say anything more and went back to eating with resentment.
The next morning, Kat prepared herself to find Lucian's room, which she had never ventured to before. She had waited a while for a escort, as Sabastian always sent escorts when she was go to a place she hadn't been to before in the castle. When no one came, she reasoned it was probably because Sebastian wasn't around and had left for the capital already.
She chose a simple dress, easy to move around in, as every scenario she could imagine of being in a room alone with Lucian ended with her needing to make a quick escape, perhaps even out from the balcony if she had one. She chose a cream cotton dress with little ruffles, she let her hair down cascading down her shoulders. then stepped out of her room with some needed materials.
Though her room was part of Lucian's chambers, she had never gone beyond it. The path wasn't complicated, with only two corridors to navigate. She chose the one she had seen Lucian take a few times.
As she walked deeper into the chambers, the atmosphere shifted. Despite the open windows allowing light in, the area felt gloomy and dim, adding to her unease about going to Lucian's room.
As Kat ventured deeper into Lucian's chambers, she noticed the subtle differences in the surroundings compared to the rest of the castle. The walls were painted in cooler tones—soft shades of gray and muted blue—that seemed to absorb the light rather than reflect it, giving the corridors a serene yet slightly somber atmosphere. The polished marble floors had a dark, almost obsidian-like sheen, and the faint echo of her footsteps added to the stillness of the space.
She had expected the place to be flooded with guard's, but there wasn't one in sight, Lucain must really enjoy solitude.The air held a distinct scent that wafted through the halls, a blend of something woodsy and rich, with a hint of warmth. It was a fragrance that reminded her of Lucian's signature rosewood scent, though this was a bit different, perhaps layered with cedar or a touch of vetiver, creating a comforting but imposing atmosphere.
The silence was heavy, broken only by the soft rustle of her dress as she walked. The further she went, the more isolated she felt, as if this part of the castle existed in its own quiet world. The walls were lined with beautiful oil paintings, making Kat want to gape at them...she wandered if she should request from sabastain to meet the artist that made them she could really learn alot from them.
Finally, Kat reached what she assumed was Lucian's room. The door was large and imposing, made of dark wood with intricate carvings. Before she could knock, she spotted Mary, the head maid, standing by the entrance, her presence almost blending into the shadowy corridor.
Kat took a moment to observe Mary. She was striking, with strawberry blonde hair neatly tied up and simple brown eyes that were sharp and attentive. Her maid's uniform was slightly different from the others, with more elaborate detailing, fitting her position as the head maid of the castle.
Kat had met Mary a few times since arriving at the castle. While Mary was never impolite, she also wasn't exactly warm. Her manner was always somewhat bossy and stiff.
Mary greeted Kat with a slight bow, still not moving from her spot, and Kat greeted her back. As Kat reached for the door, Mary's hand suddenly came up to block her. Kat frowned. "Is something wrong?" she asked. Unlike Sebastian, who always had a polite smile, this maid wasn't the same. Mary always had a poker face, and Kat wondered if she was a vampire or human. The thought made her wish she could distinguish between different creatures and humans.
"I can't let you go in," Mary responded in a flat tone.
Kat's frown deepened. "Why,? I have business with Luca..." Kat paused, noticing the maid's expression change, displeased at how she was going to refer to Lucian. Though she didn't like it, she corrected herself. "I have business with the king."
Mary bowed. "I'm sorry, I didn't receive any information from His Majesty. I can't let you in," she refused again. Kat was losing her patience. She sighed. "Alright, then go inside and inform Luc... His Majesty that I'm waiting," Kat instructed, but again, Mary refused, saying she couldn't go in except when called by Lucian himself. Kat's brows twitched. "I can't go in, you can't go in, then how do you expect Lucian... Ugh... His Majesty to know of my presence?" Kat asked, raising a brow.
But she could tell from the maid's body language that she was saying it wasn't her problem. Mary was starting to get on Kat's nerves. She reached for the knob again, but the maid stretched her hand over it. Kat's eyes narrowed, and this time, she didn't go for the knob. Instead, she reached for the door's surface, banging on it before Mary could stop her. "What do you think you are doing?!" Mary asked, alarmed. Kat noticed how, unlike the rest of the maids, Mary spoke freely and didn't hold back her tongue.
She didn't mind it. It wasn't like she wanted her acknowledgment, but she didn't appreciate the attitude. "Getting myself in since you don't intend to," Kat responded, knocking again. She continued with Mary trying to block her, but Kat was taller than her, so it wasn't hard to stretch her hand over to reach the door. "Please stop that!" Mary said. Kat raised her fist to knock again and finally saw a reaction from Mary—she was angry, but just then, the door finally opened. Kat's hand froze in mid-air.
Lucian's overbearing stature stood before her. Mary immediately adjusted herself away from the door and bowed deeply to Lucian, while Kat still stared at him. Lucian wore a pair of black pants, and his gray shirt had a few buttons undone, showing his toned chest. His dark gray eyes stared at her behind a thin pair of reading glasses, his dark hair not combed back, left to fall on his forehead.
This was the first time Kat had seen Lucian dressed casually during the day, yet his coldness and commanding demeanor remained unchanged.
"Do you intend on standing here all day?" Lucian's cold statement brought her back from her thoughts, and she greeted, "Good morning."
Lucian glanced at the maid before turning away and walking back into the room, leaving Kat standing by the door. She stepped in, closing the door behind her. Before it shut completely, she caught a glimpse of Mary's expression—angry, but not for the same reasons as earlier.
As the door closed behind her with a soft click, Kat hesitated, struck by how different this space was from the rest of the castle. The room was vast and cold, reflecting Lucian's meticulous nature. The large glass doors leading to the balcony were draped with ash curtains, allowing only a little light to filter in.
Her gaze was immediately drawn to the enormous bed at the center of the room, draped in dark gray sheets with neatly arranged white pillows. The intricate carvings on the bedposts added a touch of elegance, and the bed's imposing size made her feel even smaller in the room.
The walls were adorned with large, beautiful oil paintings, each meticulously crafted. The muted, rich colors of the paintings blended seamlessly with the dark gray and white palette that dominated the room. By the tall, arched windows was a deep gray couch, well-used but well-maintained, a likely spot for quiet moments. Across the room, in another corner, stood a large study desk, cluttered with books, papers, and writing instruments, indicating where Lucian spent much of his time.
Kat noticed the three doors on the far side of the room, and she assumed one of them led to a closet, another to a bathroom, but she couldn't guess what the third could be.
The atmosphere was heavy, not with negativity, but with the weight of Lucian's presence, which seemed to permeate every corner of the room. It was as if the room itself demanded respect, much like the man who resided in it.
Kat took a few more steps forward, feeling slightly out of place in this space that so clearly belonged to Lucian. She could feel his eyes on her as she took in her surroundings.
"Take a seat," Lucian instructed, walking to the desk to take a seat himself. She complied, taking a seat opposite him.