***
***
One, two, three.
Had it been three seconds?
Ian sighed and opened his mouth.
“Okay, come here.”
He knew what Rachel wanted.
Ian sighed quietly as if he couldn’t help it, and tapped the seat next to him with a small chubby white hand.
Only then did Rachel smile again, and sit close to him.
As Rachel sat next to him, Ian put down the thick book he was reading and opened up a thin fairy tale book that was lying around.
“A long time ago, there lived three bears.”
Then, with a short sigh, he began to recite the fairy tale.
The voice of the boy resonated in the quiet room.
Rachel scooted even closer to Ian, as if trying to see the illustrations in the book, and stuck her face close to the picture.
“Hey, go away. I can’t see it.”
Ian sighed again, pushed Rachel’s head with his hand and said.
“Stay still.”
He cautioned again like a parent who was reprimanding an unruly child, and then read the book again.
“The bear family lived in a strong and huge house.”
Red sunlight was coming through the window of the room.
The sun had already fallen close to the horizon, and had colored the sky with red as if it was squeezing the last of the light.
Rachel pretended to look at the picture and got close to Ian again. The little Ian frowned as if he was bothered, but he didn’t push Rachel away this time.
***
Ian Dakendov, the emperor of the Levskaya Empire, was leaving the Imperial Castle alone shortly after dawn.
In the early morning, the deserted streets were still, and the only noise on the quiet street was the sound of horses’ hooves.
Ian’s muscular black horse was walking on it’s own, as if it had already gotten used to walking this route.
The hair on Ian’s horse was swaying gently along with the light breeze and the horse’s movements.
The autumn morning air, the sunshine and the wind. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful, but there seemed to be a sense of urgency in the air.
His violet-purple eyes were a little red, as if he had missed sleep, and his face seemed a little pale.
He exhaled tiredly, and squeezed his eyes shut.
After some time had passed.
Neigh
The emperor’s clever black horse cried once when he arrived at his destination.
“Good job.”
Ian only opened his eyes then, and stroked the black horse. He handed over his horse’s reins to a waiting attendant.
Ian stepped into the mansion a little more urgently than usual.
However, the moment he opened the front door, he frowned in disappointment.
He looked around for a moment as if he was looking for someone.
“She hasn’t woken up yet, Your Majesty. Should I wake her?”
“No, it’s fine.”
Ian gave a small shake of his head at the butler’s question.
“I’ll wait.”
Ian looked around once again, and walked to the drawing room.
The butler, who followed Ian to the drawing room, quietly began to report to him after Ian sat on the sofa.
“The lady spent most of the day in her room. She took a short walk around the garden as well.”
Ian remained quiet with an expressionless face while the butler made his report.
“She has trouble talking to the servants, and spends most of her time alone. If she’s bored, it seems that she reads books.”
At first glance, he seemed indifferent to the butler’s words, but Ian’s violet eyes were contemplating something.
“She hasn’t said she needs anything yet.”
The butler, who’d been reporting the day’s events for a while, glanced at the clock and closed his mouth.
“Your Majesty, it’s very late. Should I wake her up?”
“No, it’s fine. Let’s just finish the report.”
Ian, who’d been still for a long time, shook his head slightly.
He didn’t want to wake Rachel up, who only recently said that she wasn’t sleeping well these days.
He would’ve liked to see her face before he left. Well, he should be able to see her in the evening.
Ian stared down at his palm, looked away, and clenched his hand.
***
Rachel had slept in late for the first time in a long time, but the bright sunshine made her turn over in bed and stretch.
She suddenly realized that it had been a long time since the sun had risen, so she quickly washed her face and changed her clothes.
Dadada.
“Butler, His Majesty…”
“His Majesty has just left.”
The butler bowed his head slightly and greeted Rachel.
“Did he eat alone?”
Rachel hesitated before asking that.
“No, he said it was too late, and left after waiting for you.”
“Then he didn’t even eat?”
“Yes.”
“Why… didn’t he wake me up.”
Ian had waited for her. She was confused about why she was bothered by the fact that he hadn’t even eaten.
“His Majesty told me not to wake you up.”
“His Majesty said that?”
The butler nodded, and opened his mouth again.
“My lady, shall we prepare a meal?”
Rachel nodded silently with a face lost in thought.
Obviously, it would be nice to be able to eat comfortably without looking at Ian’s expression, but she wasn’t very happy.
Rachel felt uncomfortable when she heard that he had left without eating, and she felt a little strange about his consideration.
‘You came all the way here, but you didn’t wake me up.’
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As expected, she couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
Come to think of it, he was strange since he was young. He’d personally taught a maid how to write.
He’d taught her, a maid of the Imperial palace, the exclusive skill of the privileged class.
She didn’t know what he was thinking, but thanks to that, Rachel was able to live without any difficulty making money.
‘Come to think of it, he often gave me cake.’
He used to give Rachel treats, telling her to eat them herself because he wasn’t interested in sweets, but he knew that Rachel was.
He prepared it for her on purpose.
‘If you keep being so kind like this…’
“My Lady, the meal has been prepared, and is waiting in the dining room.”
“Oh, thank you.”
She heard the maid calling out to her, so Rachel shook her head to empty her mind about Ian.
***
“His Majesty, is here?”
By the time Ian arrived, Rachel was waiting for him with the other servants at the front door. She bowed her head to Ian, who’d just entered.
“Your Majesty, I heard you left without even eating a meal this morning. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
Ian looked at Rachel indifferently, and soon turned his head.
“I wasn’t that hungry.”
“I’ll be more careful next time.”
Rachel bowed her head again.
“….”
Ian winced as if he had something to say to Rachel, but eventually did not open his mouth.
“Hmm? Your Majesty?”
Rachel, who belatedly raised her head and confirmed Ian’s expression, frowned slightly.
“Are you uncomfortable? Your eyes…”
His eyes were a little red.
Rachel took a few worried steps towards Ian because his eyes were covered with standing veins.
“There’s nothing to worry about.”
Ian said this to the approaching Rachel as he turned his head towards her.
“It’s because you’re tired.”
“…Yes.”
Rachel turned her head away from him. She blinked, a little flustered by Ian having turned towards her, and took another step back.
“Oh, I enjoyed the cake Your Majesty gave me. Thank you.”
“Tell the butler if you want more.”
Ian nodded his head slightly, and walked towards the dining room.
After Rachel entered the dining room after Ian, and sat down in a chair, Ian opened his mouth.
“Countess Achille will be here tomorrow.”
“What?”
“I heard she’s a talented tutor.”
Rachel didn’t understand what Ian was saying, and blinked in confusion.
“Learn some basic manners. Meal etiquette, and the culture of tea parties.”
The etiquette while eating, and the culture of teas and cakes.
He wanted her to learn the manners of the aristocrats?
Rachel could only nod.
“Your Majesty? I don’t understand what you want.”
“Learn the manners of the nobles.”
Rachel frowned.
“…Why?”
Rachel couldn’t stand it, and asked a question.
“No, it’s not that… If Your Majesty wants me to do something, I’ll do it, but I don’t understand why…”
“You’ll need it.”
Ian gave a brief answer, but it didn’t really answer Rachel’s question.
She couldn’t understand why she needed to know aristocratic etiquette.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
However, Rachel just nodded because she thought Ian would be bothered if she asked again.
Once again, things were going in a direction that Rachel couldn’t understand, but she just nodded again this time.
***
Inside the red roofed mansion.
Rachel was learning how to walk like an aristocrat.
“….”
Rachel straightened her back, pulled her chin up and looked at her tutor, Countess Achille, who was teaching her how to be a lady.
The gentle-faced countess nodded as if she’d done well.
Rachel stepped lightly as if she had gained strength from her smile.
“You’re so good.”
“Thank you.”
The countess quickly removed the book off of Rachel’s head, and praised her.
“There’s nothing more I can teach you.”
Rachel smiled gently, and she took a moment to bask in her praise. This was also the way that such a walk was learned from an early age by the children of the nobility.
Rachel felt somewhat embarrassed that she, an adult, was being praised for imitating something that even a five or six year old could learn.
“How can you learn so perfectly in one try?”
“….”
“You learn so fast.”
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However, Countess Achille seemed to be impressed by Rachel, who was quick to pick up her teachings.
In reality, Rachel had never learned the manners of aristocrats, but she had seen the way they moved and spoke with side glances while she stood beside Ian and Diana.
How the nobles walked and talked.
Therefore, it wasn’t that difficult for Countess Achille to teach her.
However, even though she moved her body skillfully and elegantly like an aristocrat, Rachel still seemed to be awkward in this kind of graceful behavior when she compared herself to the Countess.