Chapter 25
“Ri-richard, w-well, this….” Elisha stepped back nervously. Like a frightened prey in front of a predator.
Richard, who saw Elisha looking at him with fearful eyes, wrapped his arms around her back. “…You’re going to catch a cold.”
Something warm covered Elisha’s shoulders as she shrank in surprise. It was a blanket made of white fur.
“Go to bed first. Never mind what the duke said.” Richard, who covered Elisha with a blanket, turned around and headed to the balcony.
As the distance between them increased, Elisha managed to calm herself down and suddenly felt embarrassed. ‘Richard didn’t seem to think much about it. I guess I was the only one who was making a fuss.’ She belatedly raised her head to thank him but he was nowhere in sight.
“Richard?” Elisha stared blankly at the balcony for a while then headed to the dressing room. She felt like her whole body had become frozen because she had worn a thin negligee in such cold weather.
Elisha changed into proper pajamas and laid down on the bed. As she wrapped herself in a warm blanket, she felt herself relax. Her eyelids started to become heavy and she felt like she could fall asleep right away. At that time, she glanced at the balcony, recalling Richard’s receding back. ‘It must be cold…’
Eventually, Elisha fell asleep while waiting for Richard, who wasn’t coming back.
*****
Some time had passed after Elisha fell asleep. Richard returned and quietly approached the bed. He carefully sat on the bed and watched Elisha’s sleeping figure. Elisha was asleep with her body facing toward the balcony.
“……” Richard lifted Elisha’s blanket and stared at her tiny hand. After hesitating for a while, he carefully entangled his hand with hers. Looking at her peaceful sleeping face, he recalled her fearful expression when she entered the room. ‘You seemed to be awkward and afraid of me. I knew you’re even reluctant to hold my hand.’
‘What kind of nonsense did that old man say to you……’ Richard gritted his teeth as he recalled the attitude of Albert, who has constantly urged Elisha to bear his child.
In fact, the moment he saw Elisha entering the bedroom wearing such clothes, he was overwhelmed by the unbearable desire. He wanted to lock her in his arms right away and lay claim to all of her. He wanted to devour her from head to toe. Her tears, her moans. Everything.
However, when he saw Elisha looking at him with fearful eyes, the last strand of his reason managed to suppress his desire. That was the moment he had been longing for a long time. However, he didn’t want to force her. It shouldn’t be done that way. He was afraid that he would hurt her if he lost control of himself. So he decided to leave.
“……I’ll be waiting, Elisha.” ‘Until you are willing to accept me by your side. Until you get used to my warmth.’ Richard kissed Elisha’s hand and laid down next to her. Soon, the night came to him as well.
*****
A week had passed like that. After taking a bath, Elisha entered the bedroom. As expected, Richard was nowhere in sight. ‘You left tonight as well.’
After the incident a week ago, Richard left the bedroom every night. He didn’t return when she was awake, but waited until she fell asleep. He would return quietly and leave the room before Elisha woke up.
At first, Elisha was grateful for his consideration toward her, but after a week, she began to worry about him. ‘Did he even sleep well? It’s so cold outside. Is it okay for him to stay out in such cold weather for a long time…?’ Elisha could hardly fall asleep. She tossed and turned for a long time because she was worried about him.
After some time had passed, Elisha caught a sight of a big silhouette at the balcony. She immediately lifted herself up. “Richard…”
Richard, who just entered the room, looked at Elisha with a slightly surprised look. He didn’t expect her to be awake.
“If you’re going out every night because of me, please don’t do that.” Elisha looked at him anxiously and continued, “Why don’t we use separate rooms instead?”
Albert burst with anger when he knew that nothing happened between Elisha and Richard that night. But he failed to harm the maids like he had threatened previously because most of the Rubelin’s employees have started obeying Richard’s orders instead of his.
Thus, if Richard wanted to use a separate room, he could easily do it. However, he didn’t feel pleased at the thought of using a different room from Elisha. It was truly his will to share the room with her. He wanted to watch her sleeping and sleep beside her.
Richard, who was embarrassed for a moment, quickly came up with a plausible excuse. “But I think we should sleep in the same room for a while to shut the duke’s mouth.”
“But then you’ll be uncomfortable.”
“I’m okay with it.”
“Then why do you go out every night?”
“It’s just… I like taking a walk.”
Elisha’s eyes twinkled at the excuses he gave. “Does it feel different when you fly?”
“Do you wanna try?”
“Now?”
As Richard nodded, Elisha approached him without any hesitation. Richard laughed inwardly as he saw her approaching him so excitedly. It seemed that she had forgotten her wariness toward him while talking about things that piqued her interest.
“First, you need to dress warmly.”
Elisha went to the dressing room as Richard suggested and came out in a thick furry robe. He put another layer of thick blankets around her shoulders since the winter wind over the clouds in the sky would be much colder.
After getting ready, they came out onto the balcony. As their bedroom was on the upper floor of the mansion, Elisha, who was excited due to her curiosity, started to feel scared. “I won’t fall, right?”
Richard, who was looking at Elisha lovingly, opened his mouth, “It won’t happen if you hold onto me tightly.”
‘That means I need to hold his arms to fly safely…’ After a moment of hesitation, Elisha approached him and held his arms tightly.
Barely swallowing his laughter, Richard assured her, “We’ll fly in no time.” Then he hugged Elisha.
Elisha, who had been frozen for a while, realized how high they were standing from the ground. She wrapped her hands around his neck. “Pl-please don’t let me fall.”
As Elisha approached him without hesitation, Richard raised the corners of his lips. If it was a situation that could possibly put her in danger, he wouldn’t have offered to fly together in the first place. ‘It’s worth telling a small lie.’ Hugging her tightly, Richard replied, “Okay.”
After getting ready, Richard created a wind around him. It wasn’t long before their feet began to float. Feeling that, Elisha closed her eyes tightly while burying her face against Richard’s neck. She couldn’t see anything, but the fierce wind blowing against her cheek reminded her that they were riding the wind.
After some time passed, the wind blowing against her cheek became less fierce. Richard’s voice echoed in her ear. “Elisha, open your eyes.”
Elisha gradually opened her eyes. Her hands were still wrapped tightly around Richard’s neck. She gathered her courage and turned her head slowly. At that moment, a picturesque scenery unfolded before her eyes. “Wow…”
In the distance, she could see a big mountain. On top of it, the ice caps looked like they were shining due to the reflected moonlight. Underneath the mountain, there was a wide range of snowfields and coniferous forests. Next to it was a rare sight of small villages and frozen lakes.
She could also see the panoramic view of the Rubelin’s mansion with the bright lights in the midst of the peaceful darkness. The view was breathtakingly beautiful. Her heart pounded at the beauty. She couldn’t believe that she was flying over this gorgeous landscape.
“…I felt like I’m dreaming.” It was a pity that she couldn’t find the right words to express her admiration.
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget this scenery.” ‘Even after I leave Rubelin.’ Elisha gazed at the magnificent scenery for a long time, trying to engrave it in her memories and remember it forever.
Richard also watched the wonderful scenery of Rubelin’s land while embracing the precious warmth in his arms to the fullest. It was an unforgettable memory for him too.
*****
Albert was in a great haste. Until now, he had endured with the thought that he would eventually reach his final goal. However, he instinctively felt that his time was running out. Nonetheless, there were no words from Elisha regarding his final wish.
Albert painfully struggled between his pent-up frustration and his shortening life span. He couldn’t lie still and wait any longer. He had to do whatever he could. Overwhelmed with helplessness and frustration, he called for his aide, Aaron.
“Prepare it.” Although he might never see the child being born, he felt like he could peacefully close his eyes after hearing the Rubelin’s successor had been conceived.
*****
The next evening.
Returning to his room after taking a bath, Richard looked at the empty dressing table and recalled what happened today. This afternoon, when he briefly returned to their bedroom, he ran into maids who were busily gathering and moving Elisha’s dresses.
[Where are you taking them?]
[His Grace has assigned a new room for Milady.]
Richard frowned. It meant that he and Elisha were going to use separate rooms.
‘What’s the old man up to all of a sudden?’ Albert was the one who wanted him and Elisha to spend more time together by any means. Richard couldn’t believe that his grandfather suddenly ordered them to use separate rooms. ‘That’s suspicious. Something must be going on.’
As Richard was engrossed in questioning Albert’s change in attitude, someone knocked on the door.
‘At this hour? Who?’ Richard opened the door curiously. His gaze at the late night visitor was subtly shaken.