Obviously, It's My Child - Chapter 161
“Of course, it’s a privilege to earn the favor of such a distinguished figure as Archduke Victoria. Thank you for the opportunity.”
He then pressed a quick kiss to Claire’s hand and hurried towards Archduke Victoria, bowing deeply as he approached.
Claire watched him bow before Archduke Victoria and then turned away. She had given him the opportunity, and it was now up to Hermann to make the most of it with Archduke Victoria on his own.
‘It’s all talk of high service and flattery before one actually makes the acquaintance.’
But with Archduke Victoria, the stakes were too high for mere flattery.
A young, handsome man serving a noblewoman well was an asset anywhere.
Claire reached for Elliott, who was whining and clinging to Maximilian.
“Shall we go then?”
“Uh-huh.”
Elliot mumbled, rubbing his eyes, seemingly sleepy.
The mansion was impressive.
Claire had anticipated a spectacular view.
Though not very high, the house was perched on a cliff facing the sea, offering unobstructed views of the horizon and, on the opposite side, vast plains crossed by a railway line.
But that wasn’t all. The supposedly small garden ended where a path led down to the beach.
“Wow!”
Claire exclaimed. It was a steep path, but one that led to the sandy beach in just three minutes was a significant advantage.
“Elliott will love playing down there. I suppose it gets crowded in the summer?”
“It’s private property.”
If it wasn’t too crowded, it might be worth a summer visit, Claire thought, then paused.
“Private property? Did you buy all this? How far does it extend?”
Maximilian pointed towards one end of the beach.
“It starts from here.”
“And where does it end?”
Instead of pointing out the end, Maximilian said,
“We have filled up the budget given by His Grace.”
“It was not so much a budget as it was pocket money.”
Maximilian chuckled at that. It was a rare show of emotion for someone who usually kept his feelings under wraps.
Claire looked up at his face again.
“Marquisate Ludendorff’s finances were tight, and the beachfront isn’t exactly a place where money can be made.”
“I didn’t know Sir Maximilian was also skilled in bargaining.”
“I didn’t actually bargain. I just followed the order to purchase a mansion along the coast and part of the shoreline.”
“It really makes you think, doesn’t it? Failing houses fail, and thriving ones thrive even more.”
Claire spoke lightly as she walked along the beach, feeling the sand under her feet.
The sand was white, and the sea was clear.
While the summer season might be short here in the North Sea, it could still function well as a tourist spot.
‘Maybe it won’t be as favored as the south due to its distance, but a resort here might not be a bad idea. It’s much closer, after all.’
As she thought, Maximilian spoke up.
“We plan to fence off the area to ensure privacy and security.”
“Just partially.”
Claire suggested.
“From there to about there? That should be sufficient. Likely only locals would come here to enjoy the summer.”
“Understood. We’ll ensure to secure the area near the mansion particularly well for security reasons.”
“That’s good.”
Claire discussed a few more security measures for the mansion with Maximilian as they walked around the property.
It was when they stepped out onto the terrace on the ground floor that Claire noticed something amiss.
The sun was beginning to set.
The sky behind was turning a deep navy, while the sea in front burned a fiery red.
She had not witnessed a sea sunset in probably her past life, so Claire paused to absorb the breathtaking view from the railing.
Suddenly, she noticed something violently thrashing in the waves.
At first, she thought it was a bundle of cloth or some trash washed ashore.
But then…
“Sir Maximilian, isn’t that a person out there?”
“What?”
Maximilian, who had been a step behind, hurried to her side in surprise. He could recognize it better than Claire.
“It’s a person!”
“We need to rescue them!”
There was no way someone should be swimming in the North Sea at this time of year.
Maximilian quickly alerted the patrol guards along the coast.
Before his orders were even complete, Claire was already running.
“Prepare a fire in the fireplace in the room and get hot water ready! Also, call a doctor!”
“Madam?”
Though the maids were startled, they hurriedly moved to follow Claire’s commands.
Claire ran outside until she was out of breath. Maximilian caught her hand at the stairs.
By the time she reached the beach, several guards were already pulling a man and a guard had grabbed his head from the water.
“Haa, is, is he alive?”
“His heart is still beating.”
Saying this, one guard laid the rescued man on the ground and pressed on his chest a few times.
Finally, the man sputtered water from his mouth and began to breathe. Claire gasped for air, relieved.
“Haa, haa, Thank goodness.”
She quickly scanned the beach, but there was nothing else to be seen.
It was too dark to distinguish anything else since the sunset had ended.
“Sir Maximilian, there might be others around, so please organize a search team. Make it safe.”
“Yes.”
“And everyone, go inside. I’ve had hot water prepared.”
The guards dispersed following her orders.
Claire caught her breath and returned to the mansion a bit later with Maximilian.
Inside, the room was already prepared with hot water and the fireplace was lit.
The guards went to warm themselves, and the man who had been in the water was moved to a room where a doctor was attending to him.
Claire hoped he would be alright. She felt uneasy about possibly having witnessed someone’s last moments.
“How is he?”
“His body temperature had dropped severely, so we’ve placed him in a warm bath for now. He should survive.”
A maid was cleaning the man’s face, which was smeared with dirt. Claire hadn’t been able to see clearly in the haste, but he was a young man.
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